Time Use Sheets

A 'Time Use Sheet' is a record prepared by the player that describes how his character spends the time between play sessions.

The GM sets the amount of time covered by each sheet. An even number of weeks works best. At the end of each play session, the GM tells the players how much game time will pass before the next session. When they show up for the next session, they can bring the records of how they spent the intervening time.

When an adventure 'stops in the middle' - when one play session ends at night in the inn, and the next one starts the next morning - obviously no Time Use Sheet is necessary. Use one when there is a hiatus in an adventure (for instance, when the PCs must wait two weeks to catch their ship). And use one between adventures, to give the characters a chance to rest, earn money, and improve their skills.

GMs: If this seems like too much bookeeping, don't do it! Feel free to think of a substitute - or forget all this entirely - if it does not add to your players' enjoyment.

There are three major reasons to keep track of time outside of play:

Long Tasks
Characters may have important missions between play sessions. These might be tedious to game out, but vital - which is why you do them 'between times' and cover them with a few die rolls. For instance, in a treasure-hunting adventure, the group's scholar might need to spend a few weeks in the library making Research rolls to find useful maps. Meanwhile, the thief is visiting taverns and making Streetwise rolls to pick up useful rumors. The GM checks their sheets, notes how much time they spent at it, and rolls (one or more times) to see what they found.

Study
Characters may wish to improve existing skills or gain new ones through study. (If some characters are students, this is unavoidable!) The GM keeps a running total of the time spent studying each skill. When it's enough to buy a skill increase, the skill goes up immediately. See Improvement Through Study (p292).

Jobs
Time spent at work counts as study of the skill involved (but at only 1/4 rate - that is, an eight-hour workday counts as two hours of study.) It also pays enough to live on, and maybe a little extra. (In most societies, those who do not show up full-time for work will soon be fired, and hurting for money!) A job can be a great springboard to adventure in the hands of a creative GM.