Chapter 1 - Non-weapon Proficiencies
Trail Marking Non-weapon Proficiency
By notching trees, scattering pebbles, piling stones, and clipping weeds, the character can mark a trail through any wilderness area. Providing he moves at 2/3 his normal movement rate, he can mark a continuous trail as long as he likes; however, the longer the trail, the less likely he'll be able to follow it back.
A successful proficiency check enables a backtracking character to follow his own trail for a distance equal to his level in miles. If he fails a check, he loses the trail. For instance, assume a 3rd level character marked a 12-mile trail. His first successful proficiency check enables him to follow this trail back three miles. A second successful proficiency check means he can follow the trail another three miles. The third check fails, and he loses the trail; he's only been able to follow his trail for a total of six miles.
The tracking proficiency isn't necessary to use the trail marking proficiency. However, when a ranger loses his own marked trail, he may still attempt to follow it using his tracking proficiency. Any other characters with the tracking proficiency may also attempt to follow a ranger's marked trail, using the rules applicable to the tracking proficiency.
A marked trail lasts unless it is obscured by precipitation, a forest fire, or the passage of time (an undisturbed trail marked in a forest should last for weeks, while an arctic trail may last less than a day during periods of heavy precipitation; the DM decides). A ranger or other character with the tracking proficiency may still attempt to follow an obscured trail using the tracking rules.
