Undertake a Perilous Journey
Summary
Undertake a Perilous Journey is a Dungeon World move from The Perilous Wilds supplement used when the party travels through dangerous or uncertain territory. The move requires the party to assign three distinct roles before beginning their journey: Scout (who looks ahead for dangers), Trailblazer/Navigator (who navigates and finds the route), and Quartermaster/Manage Provisions (who manages supplies and rations). Each role makes a 2d6 roll with different ability modifiers to determine their success, with results ranging from complete success (10+) to partial success with complications (7-9) to failure (6-).
The move provides a mechanical framework for resolving travel sequences while managing resource depletion and hazard encounters. Party members can assist each other using their bonds to improve the chances of success in each role.
Details
When the party triggers Undertake a Perilous Journey, three players must volunteer for the following roles:
Scout/Scout Ahead — This role uses +Wisdom and determines whether the party runs into something during travel, searching ahead for dangers and hazards along the route. On a result of 10+, the scouting character chooses one benefit from a list of options: get the drop on whatever lies ahead, discern a beneficial aspect of the terrain (such as a shortcut, shelter, or tactical advantage), make a Discovery, or notice sign of a nearby Danger. On a 7-9 result, the scout chooses between finding adequate shelter or discovering a shortcut. Safia's success in this role during Session 3 allowed her to spot a purple ooze hazard before the party encountered it directly.
Trailblazer/Navigate — This role uses +Intelligence and handles navigation and route-finding, determining how easily and quickly the party reaches its destination. On a 7-9 result, the journey takes longer than expected but still reaches its destination. Vasso's partial success as trailblazer in Session 3 meant the journey through the underground tunnels took extra time.
Quartermaster/Manage Provisions — This role uses +Wisdom and determines food consumption during the journey and whether the party's food supplies hold out. Success means the party conserves their rations, while failure or partial success results in greater resource depletion. On a 10+ result, the managing character can choose to prepare an excellent meal that grants everyone who partakes +1 forward—a mechanical bonus applied to the next roll each character makes. In Session 3, Katniss's success as quartermaster meant the party ate down to only one day's worth of supplies rather than running out completely.
The party can use their bonds with each other to provide assistance and improve roll results.
History
Session 3
The party used Undertake a Perilous Journey to resolve their travel through dangerous underground tunnels. Shawn explained the move's structure: "So we need somebody to be quartermaster, someone to be trailblazer and someone to be scout." All three roles required Wisdom-based rolls.
Katniss took the quartermaster role, Vasso served as trailblazer, and Safia acted as scout. Sucks was present for the journey as well. The party gathered what food supplies they could carry before beginning their trek.
The results of the journey's resolution showed mixed success. Vasso rolled a 7-9 as trailblazer, which meant "it's gonna take you a longer time to get out of here." Katniss's quartermaster roll succeeded well enough that Shawn noted: "you basically eat all your food. Like you have. You have maybe a day's worth of food for one person left by the time you get out of here." Safia's successful scout roll allowed her to detect the purple ooze hazard in advance.
Overall, Shawn assessed the party's performance positively: "you guys did pretty well on that," despite the longer travel time and near-complete depletion of their food supplies.
Session 4
Shawn introduces the Perilous Journey mechanic from The Perilous Wilds to structure the party's three-day trek to New Smoke. Shawn explains the three required rolls: "One person is going to scout ahead, which is plus wisdom. And that will determine whether or not you run into something. Navigate, which is plus intelligence, which will determine, like, how easily and quickly you get there. And manage provisions, which is plus wisdom, which determines, like, if your food supplies hold out."
Cat takes the scout ahead role and achieves a 7-8 result, choosing to find adequate shelter rather than a shortcut during the journey. Safia handles both the navigate role and the manage provisions role. On the provisions roll, Safia achieves an 11, choosing to prepare an excellent meal that grants everyone who partakes +1 forward to their next action.
Session 5
The party undertakes a perilous journey toward New Smoke, with Shawn explaining the move's structure: "So somebody needs to scout ahead, somebody needs to navigate and someone needs to manage provisions." The specific mechanics are clarified: "So scout ahead is 2D6 plus wisdom. Navigate is 2D6 plus intelligence. And manage provisions is 2D6 plus wisdom as well."
Sucks takes the scout ahead role and rolls an 8, achieving a partial success. The available options are presented: "You get the drop on whatever lies ahead, beneficial aspect of the terrain, a shortcut, shelter or tactical advantage. Make a capital D discovery or notice sign of a nearby capital D danger." Sucks chooses to make a discovery.
Vasso handles navigation and rolls a 7, achieving a partial success with likely complications. Safia manages the party's provisions during the journey.