Best solution? D&D 5e. Actually implement the true rules like a DM would for tabletop.

Short rest = Hit Dice based on level

Long Rest = If you abuse it, DM gonna make logical consequences happen, like goblins raid the grove, Kagha completes the ritual, etc. That's what a legit DM would do. But ONLY if spamming long rest; like fight, sleep, fight, sleep. No no. That's not how the game's supposed to work. In D&D, it's about trying to manage spells and resources so that you can explore a whole dungeon before long resting, or maybe provide a rest opportunity while exploring in situations where the dungeon is bigger.

That means, like true tabletop, nix unimportant items and food. That's the point of short rest/hit dice. It's simple so you aren't bogged down. It also means weaker monsters so you can last longer. I should not be level 1 or 2 with 2 party members facing 3 Intellect devourers after exploring for 5 minutes into the entire adventure. Throw baby monsters at players right away to slowly build them up and so they can manage more fights per rest. Honestly, the fights from the prologue through the druid's grove should all be day 1 without a single long rest, if the DM did the encounters right with appropriate monsters. I would, as a DM, allow them to maybe long rest once before this if they did the dank crypt. So there should really be restrictions around this.

That's what most people are not understanding. This is D&D. Therefore, Larian, the DM, should limit players so they can't just spam long rests because that's one of the most fundamental elements of the game. Party says they want to long rest after killing goblins so they can replenish spells. DM says, "You sure? I don't think that would be wise. You only have a few days to stop the ritual. You end day, that's one whole day you've wasted. Maybe you should try to keep going.". And if they ignore him, consequences happen because they should have listened to the DM who was talking through Lae'zel, and Shadowheart and Gale, and everyone telling you not to long rest all the time.

But again, withing reason. Don't not let them rest but then throw intellect devourers at them.