Rest (healing)

Resting serves as a method for recuperating lost hit points (h.p.) as a practice that any character can employ. By engaging in inactivity and repose, the body's natural healing process permits the body to heal itself spontaneously — the character need only refrain from laborious tasks or strenuous activities for a period of one full day, while maintaining a reasonably comfortable posture with proper support.

The process is dependent on the character's ability to keep warm; therefore a blanket is a vital requirement, either for laying upon or for covering the body. If the resting process is interrupted by a journey of more than 200 paces, or by a single round of combat, then the clock measuring the space of a day must be reset at zero.

The amount of regained h.p. equals 1 h.p. per day of rest, per character level. Therefore, a 5th level character could recover 5 h.p. per day of rest. This rest can be applied to injury damage, but necrotic damage cannot be healed through rest.

Other Actions

In each case given here, it must be remembered that the character is resting, and that attempts to circumvent this basic ideal by pressing too much activity into the space of the day should be penalised by the dungeon master declaring that, with everything that's been done or attempted, rest has not occurred.

Magic Use

Healing spells may be cast by the character, but the casting of other spells is prohibited. Similarly, memorizing spells, which entails strenuous mental effort, is also forbidden. Characters can engage in meditation or contemplation, as described in sage abilities.

Magic items that carry the magic effect may also be used, such as wands and rings — but reading a scroll channels magical energy through the character and would thus be tiring and compromising to rest. Additionally, the drinking of potions that are invigorating, such as those that control creatures, produce emotions or passions, or empower the character, cannot be quaffed while resting.

Cooking

Characters may feed themselves and participate in the making of simple food, though elaborate employment of gastronomic sage abilities other than basic cooking must be avoided — moreover, food cannot be prepared for more than four persons, including the preparer. The amount of food that has to be consumed while resting is just 2 pounds per day.

Sage Abilities

Naturally, anything that involves making or constructing an object cannot be done while resting. Reading is acceptable so long as translating or deep interpretation isn't involved. Attending other persons in the aiding of their rest is not a restful activity, so the person performing as a nurse could not also heal in the performance of this duty.

Instruments can be played, but a performance cannot be given. Dancers may stretch but they cannot indulge in the activity, while actors can run through their lines but again, shouldn't stand up and practice. These should serve as a guideline for other abilities.

See also,
Culinary Art (sage ability)
Disease
Dispel Exhaustion (spell)
Find Sacred Place (sage ability)
Player Characters
Seek Bedstead (sage ability)
Spectral Milieu (spell)
The Adventure