The major hexes I generally see need a little set up to work effectively. Hit a target with an evil eye or a misfortune (probably both) and their chances of passing your ice tomb or retribution sharply go down. I generally recommend ice tomb or retribution, probably retribution over ice tomb as sleep practically does the same thing while retribution will work on ALL targets. I wouldn't recommend major healing unless you have a spare hex slot as its just you can replicate the spell easily with a spell slot or a wand and at that level the healing won't be as effective.
If you want to go into further detail, you could use the travel period to describe the state of affairs in the area you're in or drop hints and clues for your characters. Merchants, travelers, and farmers are good sources of information that could be encountered on your travels. Patrols are also a good source and patrols would be a good reason for why your players go unmolested their entire trip if they are on a well-traveled road. The lack of patrols could also be commented on to describe the declining state of the area or nation you're currently in. As they said above, at higher levels random encounters are generally less common; what group of low level bandits would want to take on a group of level 10+ "legendary" heroes.
Fast Study is an amazing discovery. It permits you to leave spell slots open each day and then spend only 1 minute to write in any spell you need. Need an extra Fly spell? No problem. Need a Secure Shelter? No problem. Need an extra fireball for the upcoming fight against creatures weak to fire? No problem. It very nearly gives you the power to be spontaneous and is incredibly useful for the once in awhile spells you have lying around.
A nondetection spell for your detect undead issue: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/n/nondetection Alter self would be spotted by a true seeing as its a polymorph and true seeing pierces polymorph. As for true seeing, the only way to counter is to make an extraordinarily good mundane disguise as true seeing can not pierce mundane disguises. Wear multilayer clothing and possibly a mask (like a full covering porcelain mask) and perfume/cologne for the smell or get deodorizing agents to prevent people from smelling you. |