When a Journey ends, the experience should change the party in some way. Not all Journeys will be harrowing or profound, some may be relatively mundane, but regardless of what happens the experiences should have an effect on the party. You can convey the importance of a Journey and make it more meaningful and memorable to the players by rewarding the characters for completing their expedition. You can do this through Narrative Rewards, Short-term Bonuses, or by Awarding XP. # Narrative Rewards Narrative rewards are benefits and perks the partyreceive that may not be easily quantified, such as fame, renown, or gaining new allies. Narrative rewards can often be more impactful for both the players and the characters as it means that someone in the world has taken notice of their actions. Below are some sample narrative rewards. #### Fame and Renown The party’s expedition was noteworthy for some reason. They may have successfully navigated a deadly mountain range that was thought impassable; they may have come across flora or fauna that no-one has ever seen before; or they may have uncovered an ancient stronghold that was thought lost to history. Whatever the case, the party has earned notoriety. People begin to tell stories of what they accomplished, and important figures start to take note. They may find some doors are now open to them and they can pursue endeavours they previously couldn’t, or are called on by influential figures for important quests. #### Allies and Enemies The party encountered denizens of the land or other travellers on their journey and made a lasting impression — either good or bad. They may have helped those in need and earned powerful allies that can aid them in the future, or inadvertently wronged someone who does everything in their power to get revenge. Introducing allies and enemies allows the party to build a web of connections across the world that can have a long-term effect on their adventures. #### Personal Change Whether it was a memorable encounter while on the road or the accumulated events of their travel, the journey changed one or more of the party in some way. This can be something as simple as earning a distinctive scar from a battle, or a new outlook on the world due to a profound experience. Personal change is very much up to the player, but the GM should encourage the party to think back on their journey and how it affected their character. This may even lead to some of the characters changing their characters ideals and traits, or removing (or gaining) a new flaw. # Short-Term Bonuses Short-term bonuses are minor mechanical benefits the party earns for completing their journey, such as earning Inspiration, gaining Advantage or a bonus die on certain Skill checks, or temporary or improved proficiency with a set of tools. Unlike narrative rewards, short-term bonuses have a clear in-game purpose and are finite. The bonus a character receives should reflect their experiences on the Journey and directly relate to some or all of the events that occurred. Some example short-term bonuses are listed below. #### Inspiration One or more events on the Journey inspired the character and lifted their spirits. They gain Inspiration, regardless of the circumstances of their [[Journey's End#Arrival|Arrival]] . #### Advantage or a Bonus Die The character has become particularly adept at travelling through this area or other similar lands. If their next Journey is through **the same region**, they have Advantage on all ability checks made as part of performing their [[Roles|Role]]. Alternatively, if their next Journey is through **a different region** but is the same type of terrain, they may gain expertise on all ability checks and saving throws made as part of performing their Role. #### Proficiency or Expertise The character is ‘in the zone’ and has successfully performed the same task so many times as to have gained temporary mastery of it. The character gains Proficiency with a Skill, saving throw, or set of tools. If they already have proficiency in the relevant skill, the gain expertise. #### Recovery The character persevered through extreme hardship or succeeded against all odds. They regain a single use of a key ability as determined by the GM, such as regaining a use of their Bardic Inspiration ability, recovering a spell slot, regaining exertion points, or recovering Hit Dice. # Awarding XP The final way to award the party for a successful Journey is to award XP. To do this, consult the Awarding XP table below and grant the party shared XP per Encounter based on the Journey Difficulty. This is the final Difficulty after the party has made their Preparations (see page 15). >[!note] Experience vs XP >Awarding XP is a very straightforward, quantifiable reward for players that is a tangible step towards improvement for their characters, but can be somewhat divorced from the narrative of the adventure. To alleviate this, it’s often best to award XP in combination with one or more of the other types of rewards. TABLE: ENCOUNTER XP | Difficulty | XP | | ---------- | ------ | | 11 or less | 100 | | 12 | 200 | | 13 | 450 | | 14 | 700 | | 15 | 1,100 | | 16 | 1,800 | | 17 | 2,300 | | 18 | 2,900 | | 19 | 3,900 | | 20 | 5,000 | | 21 | 5,900 | | 22 | 7,200 | | 23 | 8,400 | | 24 | 10,000 | | 25 | 11,500 | | 26 | 13,000 | | 27 | 15,000 | | 28 | 18,000 | | 29 | 22,000 | | 30+ | 25,000 |