Confused about the Elf Path

[Corvo]

Hi James!
Just a note about this:

If the terrain difficulty is decreased by a level to allow for less Fatigue tests, then there will be less of a chance that a hazard will be rolled.

That was true in the first edition. In the revised the chances of rolling an hazard isn't linked to the difficulty of the roll: it's always 1/12.

That said, I find interesting the idea of adding special characteristics to specific terrains (my players remember all too well the daunting Frozen Path in Angmar!)

[Falenthal]

Corvo, I guess James was referring to "less Hazards" because the fellowship will have to roll less Fatigue test as a whole and, therefore, will have less chances of rolling Eyes.

I'm also intrigued by the Elf-path and how to consider it, but there's something that has always left me wondering:
If there's such an emphasis (by Beorn and by Gandalf once and again) about "not leaving the path", there should be some lure or irresistible attraction or need to leave it. It seems like a force the travellers have to fight while on it.

It might be that they hear a stream nearby... out of sight from the path... once they've run out of water.
Or they can be starving when some fat birds flatter in the bushes just beyond that trees over there....
Or laughter and light can be seen when the group is about to give up hope.

In other words, the players (not the heroes) will never willingly leave the path. They know they shouldn't. But how to attract the characters, so that the warning "Don't leave the path!" makes sense?

Maybe the it could be the result of a Bout of Madness, but also a consequence if failing a Corruption test. So, Corruption tests TNs might be lower in the Elf-path, but the consequences of failing one could be catastrophic: the character can't resist the urge to leave the path for some reason (he's heard or seen something). If the others don't stop him in time (use of a Trait, Awareness roll,...), he'll dive in the surrounding forest and the others will lose time and risk sanity trying to look for him. And maybe they'll get lost, too.

[Rich H]

Right from the offset of my campaign, I adopted the following rule:

When negotiating a magical path, the strength of the enchantment determines the number of extra miles per day. So, a Magical Path +10 would mean an extra 10 miles per day. In addition, Hazards targeting the Guide are ignored.

I set the Elf Path as a +10 magical path.

[Corvo]

Corvo, I guess James was referring to "less Hazards" because the fellowship will have to roll less Fatigue test as a whole and, therefore, will have less chances of rolling Eyes.

You both are right, and I was wrong.
Somehow, yesterday I misread JamesRBrown's post, while today it's crystal clear.

[jamesrbrown]

Right from the offset of my campaign, I adopted the following rule:

When negotiating a magical path, the strength of the enchantment determines the number of extra miles per day. So, a Magical Path +10 would mean an extra 10 miles per day. In addition, Hazards targeting the Guide are ignored.

I set the Elf Path as a +10 magical path.

Rich, good to see you remembered that suggestion. "Magical Path" was one of my original rules enhancements for travel, along with "Better Road" which lowered the terrain difficulty by a level. I wrote those back in March, 2012 and called them Location Qualities.

The difference between a magical path and a better road is subtle. If the route is 300 miles in severe terrain, it is effectively 900 miles. A magical path +10 would allow the player-heroes to increase their speed by 10 miles per day, making it 30 miles per day, and their total trip 30 days, rather than 45. That's over 2 weeks in time savings!

If it had been a better road without magic, the effective trip would have been 600 miles and the company would also take 30 days (as if it were a magical path +10).

So, a magical path (+*) allows for greater variance beyond up or down levels in terrain difficulty, AND it ignores Guide hazards.

In any case, I like the idea of adding enticements to leave the Elf-path. Perhaps temptation is attached to Corruption. On the Elf-path, a failed Corruption test means Shadow gain, but failure with an Eye could mean that a player-hero is lured off the path, according to his Shadow weakness. This should lead to severe or daunting tests of Explore or Hunting to find the companion or the path again. For each failed attempt, the Loremaster could randomly decide which direction they wander, deeper into the forest.

[Falenthal]

On the Elf-path, a failed Corruption test means Shadow gain, but failure with an Eye could mean that a player-hero is lured off the path, according to his Shadow weakness. This should lead to severe or daunting tests of Explore or Hunting to find the companion or the path again. For each failed attempt, the Loremaster could randomly decide which direction they wander, deeper into the forest.

I like this ideas. That's probably the best way to go if a LM wants to add the lure of Mirkwood to the trip.

[Rich H]

Rich, good to see you remembered that suggestion. "Magical Path" was one of my original rules enhancements for travel, along with "Better Road" which lowered the terrain difficulty by a level. I wrote those back in March, 2012 and called them Location Qualities.

Often the initial ideas remain the best.