Look-outs

[Majestic]

Yeah, I don't think initially I was communicating the problem well, Rich. The 'problem' is having so many of the Look-out hazards happening not just at night, but in the middle of the night when the company is sleeping.

So in your example for the 'Spooked Pony' incident (which merely specifies "Some movement in the woods at night") works perfectly.

But so many of them happen while the company is sleeping, or in the middle of the night. So the 'Blanket of Butterflies' reads "A flock of large purple butterflies flutter down from the treetops and nest on the sleeping company".

With many of the adversaries (Orcs, Trolls) preferring the darkness, it actually makes sense for them to attack a company in the middle of the night.

So the question is/was for those "in the middle of the night while the company is all asleep" Hazards (be it an attack by Orcs and Wargs or a blanket of butterflies settling down upon the company, or whatever).

That is why I was suggesting that perhaps I just change (for the entries that happen only while the company is sleeping) them from the 'Look-out' entry to 'Any Companion' category (or roll randomly, to determine who might be on watch when it occurs).

[Mithrandir]

It think thats the best approach Majestic. For the purposes of Hazards set up to only for the lookout in TotW, replace some of the lookout with new ones or and make the lookout ones effect all companions or just like others said allow them to happen coincidentally on the lookouts watch. Of course I find the former idea only a temporary workable solution.

The way I do it the party camps and its the Lookouts job to organize and assign watches in camp. Everyone takes turn and often the Lookout takes a longer shift, usually first and last watch. So an attack at night id assign it something like in a party if 5, d6 on a 1-2 its the lookout etc..

[Indur Dawndeath]

I see it like this:
The Look-Out is responsible for setting the watch, perhaps setting alarms, so it is his skill that determines if the party is alerted. He was in charge, even if he was asleep. It is his Skill roll.
If he fails the roll, then the hazzard happen as described no matter who is on actual guard duty.
Easy that way.
Cheers

[Falenthal]

I see it like this:
The Look-Out is responsible for setting the watch, perhaps setting alarms, so it is his skill that determines if the party is alerted. He was in charge, even if he was asleep. It is his Skill roll.
If he fails the roll, then the hazzard happen as described no matter who is on actual guard duty.
Easy that way.
Cheers

That's a very good explanation. In the same way that a guide can ask for counsel to the other comrades about directions and such, but he has the last word and is the one that takes the decisions, so he's the one who has to roll. The difference is that, in game, the players role-play the watches but don't role-play that the beorning is the one who gives advice in the Vales, the elf the one who explains how to travel along the Elf-path, etc all while the Dwarf with 3 ranks in Travel is the only Guide to the group.