I like skill challenges for abstracting away long travels. My PCs encountered the first 2 fail encounter and first 3 success encounters. 

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SKILL CHALLENGE

Travel to the House of Withered Blossoms

You set off from Ordan-Aganhei as autumn draws to a close and snow begins to fall.

Complexity Requires [number of PCs] successes before 3 failures.

Process A skill challenge is a type of scene where the party needs to succeed on a certain number of ability checks before you reach a certain number of failures. We go to each person in turn, and you set up your scene yourself, describe how you try to overcome it, then make a check to see if you are able to succeed. If the party gets enough successes, you reach your destination safely. If the party fails the skill challenge, something bad will happen.

Each character can only use a skill proficiency once. Once [character A] makes a Wisdom (Perception) check during this skill challenge, they cannot use it again until the challenge is over. You can still make a Wisdom (Insight) check, just not another Perception roll. Tell the players the complexity but not the DC of each test.

The PCs always have encounter Guardian of the Way encounter as they enter the forest and the Ancestral Spirits encounter when they finish the skill challenge

Victory If the PCs succeed, they find their way to the Torii Gate (Ancestral Spirits Encounter) in two weeks + 1 week for each failure – depending on travel pace. They have the following friendly encounters along the way:

• • Success 1 Spirit: Kentaru Yoshiyuki
  • Success 2 Spirit: Li Xu, the Wandering Song
  • Success 3 The Cherry Grove
  • Success 4 Berries of Madness encounter.
  • Success 5 The Agony of Grief Encounter.
  • Success 6 Optional: The Consequence of Hasty Actions

Defeat The PCs still make it to Torii Gate but each failure adds a 2 weeks of travel time and increases the number of encounters.

• • Failure 1 Monkey Army! Encounter.
  • Failure 2 The Anger of Storms encounter.
  • Failure 3 The Fire Spirit encounter.

EXAMPLE SKILL USES

It is up to each PC to decide what skill he is using and describe the related scene, below are some ideas to help the DM adjudicate the test.

Nature/Survival DC 15- The character uses his knowledge of nature and the wilds to identify safe routes, avoid impassable terrain and otherwise find their way.

History DC 20 – The character uses his knowledge of the lands both recent and forgotten to find lost trails.

Perception DC 20 – The character looks for clearer passage and possible obstacles to travel, allowing the party to avoid delays.

Diplomacy/Intimidate DC 18 – Only useful if there are intelligent inhabitants in the area, can be used to learn of local paths and roads

Athletics DC 20 – You assist the party in overcoming obstacles in your path such as chasms/gorges, steep hills which must be climbed, etc.)

Other skills as appropriate DC 20 – Any reasonable skill use by the player which might lead to either making travel easier or finding a better route to the destination.

ENCOUNTERS