Diogenes' Bivouac

d20 reasons why adventurers won't get a Long Rest Just because the adventuring party have managed to find an appropriate place and sufficient time doesn't necessarily mean they are going to get a full night's rest - if you've ever slept outside, or even just somewhere new, you will agree. Here are d20 reasons why they will not be getting their full allocation of HP restored this night:  Birds or bats call and swoop, putting you on edge. Nearby livestock low, munch and shuffle within earshot, disturbing your rest. The loud call of a distant wild beast wakes you with a start. Probably just a fox or an elk or something. The wind gusts into surrounding foliage and your bedclothes, nudging you awake. Irregular rain showers wake you up due to the noise and occasional drips. The ground underneath you becomes wetter and wetter until it is water-logged and starts to seep into your bedclothes. Someone in your party is snoring again . For some reason the usual breathi...

2018 Review of the year outdoors - part 2 (of 2) Continuing on from the first part of the year here .   June - Lee Valley As the weather was very nice I decided to go for a long run out of London along the Lee Valley, and see how little equipment I could get away with for a night's sleep. I managed to get everything into a lumbar pack (aka "bumbag", [or “fanny pack” for the Americanists, if you really insist]), although I did have to strap the bedroll underneath. The morning after. Everything packed away into a small pack and bedroll. I didn't even take an insulated sleeping bag, just a waterproof-breathable "bivvy" bag, a thin foam ground sheet and a ultralightweight comfort pad constructed using black balloons. Yes really . With an extra layer of clothes on top of my running clothes I was fine, despite a very short light shower in the night, and the attentions of some annoying flying insects. The minimalist sleeping set up   But rea...

2018 Review of the year outdoors - part 1 (of 2) This is a diary post documenting my most notable outdoor trips last year. I will try to include some RPG-relevant comments and gameable ideas! January - Box Hill So picture the scene, I work up the nerve to do a day's walk out of London with a plan to sleep out in a bivvy bag (i.e tentless). After nightfall and a couple of pints at the nearest hostelry I climb the hill under the shadowy and unfamiliar light of my head torch, telling myself regularly that there is nothing out there to get me. Then I round the corner and see this huge beast blocking the path! Wooden Dracolich - mostly harmless It certainly looked to me like some kind of wooden dracolich, or perhaps SCP-682 ... In any case I nearly shat myself, but continued on regardless and actually did get some rest overnight after eventually dropping off to sleep. Achievement unlocked: first night in a bivvy bag somewhere other than a friend's garden. Trave...