Many of the Codex Dominum SagaBorn books (Strongholds, Allies, Horror, etc.) revolve around downtime and characters. Downtime in SagaBorn is measured in weeks. Crafting, recovering, and training all fall under this time schedule.
When downtime happens, it can seem overwhelming or like a big empty, and you may wonder where to begin. Here are things to explore during downtime.
- Build new rooms for your Stronghold.
- Research. You can research people, places, spells, or objects.
- Recover and rest to lose Horror or Corruption.
- Crafting
- Learn New Spells
- Train a hireling
- Roll on the downtime chart.
Build new rooms for your stronghold
Rooms take a while to be constructed, so during downtime, make sure you start to build. Rooms give bonuses, help recover quicker, or allow crafting. Having as many rooms available during downtime is always best.
Research
The lands offer mysteries and artifacts; spending time in your stronghold can unlock the mysteries of these items or solve problems lingering from the last quest.
Recover
If you gained Horror or Corruption in your last adventures, downtime is the cure. With certain stronghold rooms, you can recover from these ailments even faster.
Craft
Using downtime to prepare for your next adventure is always smart. Craft poisons or alchemical ammunition. Imbue items or tattoos with spells. Sometimes those hard-to-find items are more easily crafted at home.
Learn New Spells
Spells take time to decode from spellbooks or scrolls. At a timeframe of 2 days per spell mana, downtime is the perfect time for this.
Train a hireling
Hirelings are great for helping to accomplish tasks around your home. If you spend a week helping train them, you can cut the cost of advancement in half.
Roll on the downtime chart
Don’t have anything pressing during your return home? Roll a d10 and compare to the downtime chart to find out what you did during your week off.
Hirelings
Many things that players can do can be assigned to hirelings. Many hirelings have specialties, and their downtime activities should revolve around them. The benefit of hirelings is that you can assign each of them a job per week. They can research a spell while you craft magic items. A spy can run a reconnaissance mission to bring back news of a foe. Commoners can run your business to make extra coin for your stronghold. The limits are only as far as you and the Story Guide want to take them.
Downtime Chart
| D10 | Activity |
| 1 | Carousing: you spent the week in merriment, visiting taverns and gambling halls, and lost gold equal to your level x 10 gp |
| 2-4 | You spent the week training and gained an extra Saga Point at the start of your next adventure. |
| 5-7 | Side job: gain gold equal to your level x 5 gp |
| 8-9 | Side job: gain gold equal to your level x 10 gp |
| 10 | Side job: gain gold equal to your level x 20 gp |