A Camping Procedure

Here is a procedure to simulate getting a good night's sleep in the wilderness. An adventuring party will need to perform several jobs around camp. Each job accomplished produces "boons" to help recover. Each negative factor that impacts rest creates a "bane." A party can have many boons and many banes.

Only use this camping procedure if the party has food and water. Without these, rest and recuperation is impossible. 

Lots of inspiration from the Dolmenwood and His Majesty the Worm camping procedures, but with some twists. Using this procedure will generate, potentially, many more hit points a night than your standard OSE 1 hp/night. 

Camping procedure

1. Set campsite. A scout or the GM determines the quality of the campsite.

2. Camp actions. Every character performs one camp action. 

3. Watches and wandering monsters. The party decides on a watch order. The GM checks for wandering monsters. 

4. Total and roll boons and banes. A number of d6 are rolled to represent all the positive and negative factors for the night's encampment. The party heals a number of hit points equal to the result of the boon dice, if any.

5. Awaken. Resolve the consequences of the night's sleep. Wizards prepare spells. 

By BertDrawsStuff

Set campsite

First, determine if anybody is going to scout for campsite. The other camp actions can be performed in any order.

A scout rolls 3d6 and takes the two highest dice to determine campsite location. 

If no scout, the GM rolls 2d6 to determine the campsite location in normal wilderness or 1d6 if camping in inhospitable terrain (wastes, Mordor, Nagwood, etc.).

The GM might give a bonus or penalty to the total roll for the campsite based. These adjustments are cumulative.

• Rain or snow (-2)
• Fog (-1)
• Darkness (search by torch or lantern only) (-2)
• Campsite scout is an elf or ranger (+2)
• Elf, ranger, or similar in party (+1) [multiple party members don't stack]

Scouting is that character's camp action for the night. The campsite scout will also help clear brush, unpack gear, and set up tents after the site is found.

Campsite roll

The campsite roll determines where the party sets up camp. Treat rolls less than 1 as 1. Treat rolls greater than 13 as 13.

1. Compounding problems through the night: seeping groundwater, biting insects, discovery of a rotting animal corpse. Two banes due to discomfort. Refilling water bottles is impossible.
2. Soft, sandy depression. Cramped, only sufficient space for [1d4+1] humans to sleep comfortably. Bane due to discomfort. Refilling water bottles is impossible.
3. Clearing ringed with eerie, looming trees with spooky, twisted branches. The chance for a nighttime encounter is doubled. If a creature is encountered, lair may be nearby.
4. A clearing overgrown with thorns and brambles. Bane due to discomfort. 
5. Clearing of bracken and soft mosses. The burble of a nearby creek.
6. Verdant clearing. Signs of ancient habitation (pile of rocks, remnants of old wall, etc.).
7. Beneath an overhang. Protection from rain and weather. 
8. Ring of trees standing vigilant guard. Lots of deadfall,+2 to all firewood gathering.
9. Atop a small hilltock. Rolls to avoid surprise during nighttime encounters are made with +2.
10. A meadow of soft grass near a tinkling stream. Boon due to comfort.
11. In the midst of a bower of plants; soft within, camouflaged without. Nighttime encounters have a 75% chance of passing the party by without observing them.
12. A cozy dell overshadowed with moss-bearded trees. Boon due to comfort. 1d4 uses of random herb found.
13. In the shadow of glacial boulders, a secret caern crafted by an ancient people. The encampment is completely hidden with no chance of a nighttime encounter. Two boons due to comfort.

Camp actions

Each character selects a job to do to help set up camp. A character can only do one camp action per night. Characters can (as much as practical) collaborate on the same action, although often the benefits don't stack; rather, the party has more opportunities to gain a boon. 

Cook

If the party has a cookpot and seasonings, one or more characters can prepare a meal with the party's rations. Each character cooking should make a Wisdom or Skill check (or similar). If one is successful, the party adds a boon. If either rolls a natural 1, the meal is burned and the rations wasted; a bane.

• Halflings have +2 to this test.

Entertain

One or more characters can tell stories, sing songs, and raise the spirits of the party. Each character entertaining should make a Charisma or Beauty check (or similar). If one is successful, the party adds a boon. 

• Humans have a +2 to this test.

Fetch water

One character may refill the party's waterskins and fetch water for cooking (assuming the campsite allows for it).

Rest

If a character performs no other actions and just rests, they should make a Constitution (or similar) check. If successful, they gain a boon that only they benefit from. 

Tend the fire

Each character that gathers firewood gains 1d6 hours of firewood.

• Dwarves gain +2 hours of firewood when undertaking this action.
• Desolate wilderness imposes a -2 penalty, at GM's discretion.

Assuming the character has a tinderbox or similar, starting a fire is automatically successful. Adverse conditions such as snow or rain call for a 4-in-6 test to start a fire (5-in-6 for dwarves).

Miscellaneous, Et Cetera

Items such as a tinker's kit, a map, or a book might provide additional camp actions for players to pursue. These aren't covered in detail here.

Watches and wandering monsters

The party establishes a normal watch schedule throughout the night. If a magic-user doesn't have 8 uninterrupted hours of sleep, they have difficulty preparing their spells. 

The GM randomly determines if there is a nighttime encounter. An encounter occurs on a roll of:

• 1-in-6 in light terrain
• 2-in-6 in wilderness 
• 3-in-6 in shadowed lands

If an encounter is triggered, the GM then randomly determines what hour the nighttime encounter happens (1d8). The GM should note if the fire is burning at this hour. 

The GM then determines what creature is encountered. If it is a natural animal and the fire is burning, no encounter is had; the animal avoids the encampment. 

If an encounter occurs, the character on watch must test Wisdom or Skill (or similar) to avoid being surprised. If there is no fire, this is done at -2 penalty (elves ignore this penalty). If they are not surprised, the party begins the encounter armed and armored. If they are surprised, only the characters on watch are armored; the rest are in their bedrolls.

Having a battle in the middle of the night incurs a bane.

Total and roll boons and banes

After the encounter check (and potential encounter) is resolved, total all the boons and banes 

The company gains an additional boon for each point of interest visited during the last day.

A player gains a bane for each of the following:

• Slept less than six hours total (e.g., double watch shifts). Elves ignore this penalty.
• Did not sleep in a bedroll.
• Slept in armor (2 banes).
• If inclement weather (snow, rain) and did not sleep in a tent.
• If winter and fire burned for less than eight hours. 

Roll a number of d6 equal to your boons. Then, roll a number of d6 equal to your banes. Subtract the total value of the banes from the total value of the boons.

If there is any boon value remaining, this is the amount of hit points the party recovers, up to their maximum. 

If the bane value is higher than the boon value, the party had a poor sleep and they are exhausted. They receive a -1 penalty to tests the following day.

(This can be done all at once and applied to the whole party to save time, if feasible.)

Awaken

The GM checks for the day's weather.

Vancian magic-users prepare their spells. If they slept less than 8 uninterrupted hours, they have a 1-in-6 chance of failing to prepare their spells that day.