I playing DW with my kids and I thought I’d share one way I’ve been using Undertake A Perilous Journey in our sessions.
We do loosely connected one-shots as a rule. This allows me to plan lots of variety with regard to adventures. However, I start each session with a narrative hook that incorporates a UaPJ roll by the players.
Example: “You’ve been given a crude map detailing the location of the glowing caverns. Barrio the town blacksmith believes this is where you can retrieve his daughter who has been kidnapped by bandits. The journey will take 3 days and will take you into the Spearpeak mountains.”
Once the players decide on their UaPJ roles, I have each role. Then I invite them to help me create a narrative of the journey based on their rolls.
Then, when natively and mechanically appropriate, I add the following consequences to the players.
If Quartermaster rolls 6- = players are fatigue or sickened due to malnourishment. They begin the session with one narratively appropriate debility or complication (e.g. until you Recover in a safe environment, you have disadvantage on all of your damage rolls).
If Trailblazer rolls 6- = the group has wasted variable time and resources getting lost at key points of the journey. They begin the session with one narratively appropriate debility or the session’s enemies are slightly strengthened due to having extra time to fortify defenses, rest up, etc.
If the Scout rolls 6- = I introduce a single dangerous encounter that must be immediately resolved before arriving at the location. Narratively appropriate consequences are carried forward into the session.
On successful rolls I encourage my kids to tell me cool things they saw and the like, but overall we don’t spend now than 10-15 minutes on UaPJ.
So far this has helped us create a slightly more immersive narrative context than just starting the session entering the glowing caves. I think it helps my kids develop a sense of scope for the world and reinforces non-combat moves and their consequences.
Thought I’d pass this practice along in case someone else finds it useful.
Did the kids have a good time? Did you? I like the complications spelled out as a launching point. I think that can help DMs who might get stumped to good consequences to trot out.
It beats meeting in a tavern
Very nice. One thing I’d be careful though is you want to portray characters being competent. I wouldn’t say that the trailblazer failed at his job. I’d be more inclined to tell how something external to his talent made the journey extra long and strenuous. Harsh climate / weather. Lots of dangers to avoid. Extremely rugged terrain. Etc.
Ah yes, especially when kids are involved!
Addramyr Palinor That is great advice… and a trick I’ve used after learning it playing Burning Wheel. One of my fellow players’s PC was trying to sneak into a citadel to talk with a comrade who was jailed. The roll was bad, but instead of saying ‘oh yeah, you knock over a plate of food creating a ton of noise..,” Judd, the GM said “You make it to your friend’s cell totally undetected, but unbeknownst to any of you the powers that be have decided to not press charges but force a marriage of convenience to noble born prisoner.”
So the cost of the scene’s failure didn’t take away the PC’s cool and talented stealthy dude. I always thought it brilliant, I call it the James Bond rule of thumb…. James Bond fails all the time, the sentry comes around the corner just at the wrong time, some supporting cast makes life difficult… but Bond is always cool and collected… Bond doesn’t trip over his feet, life trips over Bond.