An Interlude is a simple, optional tool that a GM can use to facilitate Downtime Actions over long spans of time where the plot of a campaign is less relevant. Essentially, Interludes are low stakes time-skips that are used to jump the players to the next major scenario in a story, either spatially or chronologically, allowing them to complete Downtime Actions over the quiet, uncomplicated time in the interim between significant story arcs of a campaign.
When deciding if you want to use an Interlude, make sure you have an End Trigger in mind that determines when to resume standard play. An Interlude could be the training arc before a party tackles a large regional tournament, with its End Trigger being the moment the players arrive at the tournament grounds. Or perhaps the players are assisting a village preparing for the typhoon season in a Mystery Dungeon campaign, where the End Trigger is the first moment the sentries notice the season’s first typhoon's clouds on the horizon.
We are presenting two approaches that may be used: Relaxed and Preparatory Interludes. Relaxed Interludes are a bit more general and well… relaxed, while Preparatory Interludes are intended to be used when GMs need to exert more control over the long timeframe.
Relaxed Interludes are formed by an explicit verbal agreement between the players and GM, and generally best used for soft End Triggers that the party is malleable enough in meeting (such as making the trek to another Region).
The GM states roughly how long the Interlude will be, what restrictions and conditions it may have. Then, the players suggest Downtime Actions (either in-progress or new) to complete during the timeframe set by the GM. When all parties agree to the Downtime Actions to complete, the Clocks for those Actions are completed with no Skill Checks being required, the players receive the associated rewards, and the GM progresses time to the agreed upon point to continue the story of the campaign.
Preparatory Interludes work similar to the Relaxed Interludes, with the GM stating roughly how long the Interlude will be, what restrictions and conditions it may have. Then, they instate an Interlude Clock based on these factors. The Interlude Clock is present to account for more tense situations, where a decent amount of time needs to pass but the End Trigger is specific and immovable (such as the above tournament and flood examples).
Each Span on the Interlude Clock corresponds to one Downtime Actions. Depending on the various circumstances surrounding the Interlude, the GM may opt for requiring Skill Rolls for some of these Actions rather than making them automatically complete.