Chapter 2 travel timer

Intro
Once you start on chapter 2 there is a hidden timer counting the number of days you have taken to arrive at the cutscene at the Feroholm region after you have both rescued Varia and dealt with The Impaler. Certain events will add to this timer.

Unmissable events

 * Simply by leaving Yhilin Outskirts to visit the Stineford region adds 5 days
 * Going from the Stineford region to the Feroholm region adds 5 days
 * Entering the Bounty Hunter camp to go after Varia adds 5 days

Optional

 * The first time you travel back to the Stineford region adds 1 day
 * Going back to the Feroholm region is 1 day
 * Going back to explore Devil's pass adds 2 days just for looking for new tunnels.
 * Going back to the cache adds 5 days
 * Going back to the optional dungeon area adds 10 days
 * Entering the slime infested merchant camp adds 10 days
 * Retrieving the baggage in Rebel's pass adds 5 days
 * Exploring the temple for Stark's head adds 2 days
 * Going to the Withered Mountain to recruit them adds 5 days

Free actions

 * Stay at an inn or in camp (Simon is a very light sleeper), also he can magically enter camp without traversing any distance in Stineford.
 * Exploring any map area not listed above including the Succubi tower, Feroholm or Stineford themselves, additional maps within areas that already cost you days to enter.
 * Any action taken after rescuing Varia and stopping The Impaler
 * Exiting Feroholm to start the Impaler showdown

Recommendations

 * 1) If you want 5000 ProN you might want to spend the extra time finishing the lost baggage quest.
 * 2) If you need the improvements to your army and future battle results, you will want to spend the 5 days to do Withered Mountain
 * 3) If you want the improvement to your army's synergy you'll need Stark's head.  This is so far the only benefit to getting it early. (See the Army page).
 * 4) You should skip going back to any other area if you can, or going back to anything in general that doesn't meet the above suggestions.

Results
We can check on how we did by seeing what Simon says after: "The first stage of preparations is complete."
 * Less than 16 days results in: "I'm surprised we finished the first stage of preparations...". He gains 5 social standing, 3 economic standing, and 1 religious standing for this result.
 * 16-29 days will get: "We've...". He gains 3 social standing and 2 economic standing for this result.
 * 30-49 days will get: "We've made...". He gains 1 social and 1 economic standing.
 * 50-69 days will get: "We took our...". He gets completely jacked for this result.
 * 70-99 days will get: "It's taken much...".  He gets nothing.
 * Anything above 100 will get: "I'm concerned about...". He actually loses social standing for this.