In our campaign, experience points are awarded using a free-form variation on the Adventure Planning Method. Experience is divided into three categories:

1. Overcoming Obstacles. This is usually equal to at least 30% of the total experience given; it is divided equally among all party members. This category includes XP awarded for killing, tricking, or otherwise defeating monsters and NPCs; the category also includes XP from circumventing traps or hostile terrain.
2. Story Awards. This is usually equal to about 10% of the total experience. Story awards are a single sum, given for successfully completing a storyline. This award is also divided equally among all party members.
3. Role Playing. This is usually equal to 60% of the total experience awarded. The Role Playing award is a single pool of XP that is divided among the party members based on good play. This includes player participation in both live session and play-by-mail turns, innovative use of abilities, knowledge of rules, and (of course) role playing. Players who do not send responses are obviously ineligible for Role Playing XP.

We are also experimenting with another way of awarding experience, inspired by the Amber Diceless Roleplaying System. It's the D&D equivalent of extra-credit. Players who make special campaign contributions can earn XP for their characters. These contributions might include keeping a diary of their character, producing artwork, doing historical research, or maintaining a campaign log. Ideally, these contributions should somehow relate to the player's character: for example, a player with a bard character might compose poems or songs. Since St. James is something of a cook, Jason once made a delicious cabbage pottage from a medieval cook book and brought it to one of our live sessions. The XP flowed for that project!

In general, project awards amount to anywhere from 5% to 15% of the total experience needed for the character to advance from his current level to the next experience level. The exact amount is based on a combination of usefulness, thoroughness, and appropriateness. Only one project may apply for each character level.