Woodland Foraging (sage ability)

Woodland foraging is an amateur-status sage ability in the study of Forester, similar to general foraging but more effective in temperate and subpolar forest ranges. The ability allows the search for naturally occurring food, including mosses and lichens, berries, wild grasses, herbs, nuts, acorns and fruits. The amount found is far more than an unskilled person might glean while looking over the same tract of land.

The time spent foraging equals 10 hours, though characters may forage for only 1-hour periods, in which case the found food is divided by the 10-hour standard. For example, Makran decides to forage for three hours; he rolls the total amount that would have occurred had he foraged for 10 hours, and recieves 3/10ths of that amount.

Foraging Table

Latitude	Range	Nov 8 to Apr 14	Apr 15 to 21	Apr 22 to 30	May 1 to 11	May 12 to 24	May 25 to Sep 7	Sep 8 to 30	Oct 1 to 15
taiga	1 in 6	2 in 6	4 in 6	1d4	2d4	3d4	2d4	1d6	5 in 6
Range	Dec 11 to Feb 15	Feb 16 to Mar 7	Mar 8 to 31	Apr 1 to 21	Apr 22 to May 7	May 8 to Oct 15	Oct 16 to 29	Oct 30 to Nov 12	Nov 13 to 26	Nov 27 to Dec 10
woodland	3 in 6	1d4	3d4	3d8	5d8	7d6	8d4	6d4	4d4	2d4

The Foraging Table is systematically organized based on geographical range and the time of year. When a chance is specified, denoted by phrases such as "1 in 6," it signifies the likelihood of discovering only 1d4 pounds of food. Conversely, when a roll is indicated using "d" for die, for example, 3d4, it means that you should roll that number of dice to determine the pounds of food you find.

The provided dates are tailored for the northern hemisphere, and these should be reversed when considering the temperate and subpolar regions in the southern hemisphere. In polar regions, which are regarded as sub-polar during the summer months, specifically from May 8th to October 15th, foraging opportunities abound. However, for the rest of the year, foraging becomes impractical.

It's essential to differentiate woodland foraging from hunting or catch fishing techniques, as it doesn't involve the use of weapons or fishing lines. While fish may be captured using traps or nets in streams, foragers do not have the luxury of selecting their preferred type of food. They must make do with whatever sustenance nature provides.

During certain periods of the year, it is feasible to gather a substantial amount of forage within a single day. However, it's crucial for characters to recognize that foraging is labor-intensive, and they are susceptible to the adverse effects of heat and dehydration. Consequently, there are instances when it's advisable not to forage all day, as collecting more food than necessary, especially when it's abundant, may not be the wisest choice.