Exploration

Mapping

If you have a Nature modifier of at least +1 you can map land while you explore if you also have a cartographer's tools, using the highest bonus in your party. Maps are broken into 3 square mile segments that you explore one at a time and the time it takes to map them is based on the chart below. Return to a Bookkeeper to have your map produced and added to the current maps. If you explore the majority of the squares on the map you get to sign your name to that 4x4 block map (144 sq miles). Note that Dense Terrain times are doubled if in mountains.

Nature Modifier	Time to Map a Block in Open Terrain	Dense Terrain
+1	8 hours	16 hours
+2	7 hours	14 hours
+3	6 hours	12 hours
+4	5 hours	10 hours
+5	4 hours	8 hours
+6	3 hours	6 hours
+7	2.66 hours	5 hours
+8	2 hours	4 hours

Finding Special Locations

You can spend an hour in open terrain, 2 hours in dense terrain, or 4 hours in mountains to roll a Perception check to see if you discover a Special Location though knowledge of the land, tracking inhabitants, or simply getting lucky and stumbling across something. These are caves, ruins, enemy encampments, etc. If you search consecutive times you gain a +2 on this search up to +8 max. If you discover a location you get to name it. 

Type of Location	Discovery DC
Major Landmark	4
Minor Landmark	8
Large Encampment	10
Small Encampment	12
Tower	14
Ruins	16
Cave or Small Building	18
Naturally Concealed Location	22
Concealed by Illusions	25+
Other	???

Dangers in the Wild

As you explore encounters are likely. The further you are from towns and cities the more dangerous the creatures you are likely to encounter are, and many Special Locations are the home of creatures that, once cleared, may appear less or disappear entirely. Well traveled roads that have regular patrols will also reduce the number of hostile encounters that may occur.
Travelling in an unmapped area when you aren't using a specific terrain feature to guide you requires a Nature check of 15 in Open Terrain and 20 in Dense Terrain each hour to stay on course. every 5 points you fail this by will put you off course by half the distance travelled in a random direction. surpassing the check by 5 or more will put you back on track. Travelling a mapped area requires a Nature check of 13 in Dense Terrain and 8 in Open Terrain.
If you get lost in a mapped area you can make a Nature Check 8/13 to find your bearings, rolled by the DM.