So, after running the first session of Mirrored Moon, the time limit isn't looking that great for the PCs. And I thought I'd just check this because it seems harsher than intended.
Basing on the following assumptions:
- The PCs have horses and can cover 2 hexes a day, so half a day per hex.
- Searching a hex requires 1-2 days based on the skill check. The skill check was about evens for the group (or even slightly hard), so I'm averaging it to 1.5 days per hex.
- This means that entering a new hex typically takes 2 days. The PCs are likely to search every new hex because they have no guidelines telling them where there are or aren't encounters.
- The recommended score before taking on Moonmere is 4 points spread between Ally and Research. Ally points and 4 Research points.
There are only 2 encounters that give Research points: K and M. K gives 1, but it's somewhat pointless, as by the time the players have met Keleri and gone to M the point will be lost (per the rule that the PCs lose a research point each week). If the PCs go from K to M, the point will be lost on the journey, because of the searching time in these new hexes.
M gives 2 or 3 only on a critical success, one of which is sure to be lost because it will take the PCs 4 days to return to Keleri and then 5 days for the Order to move upstream. So at most the PCs will have 1-2 Research points available when they start the conflict at Moonmere. 4 research points is basically impossible unless the players somehow move the Order first and then rush from K directly to M and attack right then, and even then they have to roll a critical success scouting the camp.
That said, the Research benefit seems a bit confusing, since the PCs can just choose not to cast "preparatory spells" before the encounter but to let initiative time start but then not advance. This is the usual problem with the hard division between exploration and encounter modes.
Ally points are more available, but the fact they require side quests can be nasty. Even with GM knowledge I could only come up with the following optimal route:
Days 1-8: Go to G. Get quest from Dryad to deal with Cyclopses I.
Days 9-12: Go to I. Get quest from Cyclopses to deal with Dragon at L.
Days 13-20: Go to L. Fight dragon. 1 ally point.
Days 21-22: Return to I to report dead dragon. 2 ally points.
Day 23: Return to G to report deal with cyclopses. 2 ally points.
Days 24-25: Return to E to give the message to Keleri.
Days 25-30: The order move upriver.
So that's half the time limit, and no Research, on an absolutely optimum route. So far my PCs have taken asides to the lake, and also killed the cyclopses rather than allying with them, which means that nothing will send them to the dragon and they'll instead have to take the quest between H and J which is a full 12.5 day detour, not even allowing for the time spend to find it.
Is this really intended?
