Setting Seeds
Overview
The following procedure is designed to help create the seed of a setting: the unique topography, natural features, people, and paths that an adventuring party may have to navigate as they travel throughout a region. We’ll start by develop the people that live there, their ambitions and resources, and the factions that rule them. Then we’ll generate the terrain of your region, followed by its various points of interest, landmarks, roads, trails, and so on.
Example
Before you begin please check out this example (click on it):
The Realm
A Realm is a general term for a related collection of regions, potentially encompassing hundreds of places for the player characters to visit and interact with. Each region is defined by its terrain, as well as the culture of its people, their ambitions, their resources, and the Factions that rule them.
Materials Required
- A sheet of paper and a notebook. Letter/A4 is OK, but the larger the better.
- Pencils and erasers. Color pencils if you want to make it pretty, or want to designate terrain with color.
- At least one d6 and one d20, but 6d6 and 2d20 would be ideal.
Going forward, we will refer to the sheet of paper as the map. As with any other rule, if you don’t like a table result, roll again or tweak as desired!
Theme
People
The most important aspect of a region are its people: their character, ambitions, and the resources that tie them to this land. Roll on the Culture and Resources tables, then note the results in your notebook.
Culture
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Character | Ambition |
1 | Altruistic | Bounty |
2 | Artistic | Conquest |
3 | Curious | Control |
4 | Devious | Conversion |
5 | Enlightened | Division |
6 | Hardy | Dominance |
7 | Harmonious | Exploration |
8 | Inventive | Fealty |
9 | Mercantile | Independence |
10 | Nomadic | Knowledge |
11 | Reclusive | Natural Harmony |
12 | Religious | Peace |
13 | Resilient | Power |
14 | Scholarly | Purity |
15 | Stoic | Recognition |
16 | Struggling | Return |
17 | Traditional | Security |
18 | War-like | Stability |
19 | Wealthy | Unification |
20 | Xenophobic | Wealth |
Resources
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Abundance | Scarcity |
1 | Food | Food |
2 | Fuel | Fuel |
3 | Gemstones | Gemstones |
4 | Herbs | Herbs |
5 | Horses | Horses |
6 | Knowledge | Knowledge |
7 | Land | Land |
8 | Livestock | Livestock |
9 | Medicine | Medicine |
10 | Ore | Ore |
11 | Skilled Labor | Skilled Labor |
12 | Spices | Spices |
13 | Stone | Stone |
14 | Textiles | Textiles |
15 | Tools | Tools |
16 | Trade Goods | Trade Goods |
17 | Vessels | Vessels |
18 | Water | Water |
19 | Weapons | Weapons |
20 | Wood | Wood |
Factions
A region is typically dominated by one or more factions, each with their own unique Advantages, Agenda, and Obstacles. Each faction should also have one or more representatives, or Agents, tasked with helping complete their agenda. Smaller regions with fewer POIs should have 1-2 factions, while larger regions could have as many as 5-6 factions.
Agents are often in charge of completing one or more of the goals of the Agenda of a faction. Particularly large factions may have additional agents, each in charge of a distinct goal. Agents may have personal motivations that differ from the faction’s main agenda, a fact that canny PCs can exploit for their own gain.
Do not feel limited by the table results below. If something feels “off” or a different table result would work better for your setting, use it!
Advantages
Factions possess advantages that assist them in accomplishing their agenda. Advantages reflect a faction’s influence, materials, wealth, and other unique features. Factions add or lose advantages by trying to complete their agenda, leveraging their advantages as much as possible to achieve their goals, and at the same time work to acquire more advantages. Larger factions will
Agendas
Factions will work to complete their agendas independently, enlisting the help of PCs only when that would strengthen their agenda. Agendas are defined by a series of 3-5 goals that build toward a clear objective. Goals are progressive, building on the previous successes (or failures) of earlier goals.
Goals should focus on acquiring a distinct advantage in order to proceed to the next goal. At least one goal should deal with the faction’s primary obstacle. This may be the first goal, or the last. All agendas have at least one obstacle that stands in the way of their completion. Additional obstacles can arise through faction Actions (see below) or through developments in the fiction.
Completing a faction’s agendas should be a significant event, potentially changing the political or natural landscape of a region.
The region map should reflect the impact of factions as they work on completing their agendas and acquiring more advantages.
Creating factions
Roll one or more times on the Faction Types, Faction Traits, Faction Advantages and Faction Agendas tables.
Faction Types
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Type | Agent |
1 | Artisans | Academic |
2 | Commoners | Assassin |
3 | Criminals | Blacksmith |
4 | Cultists | Farmer |
5 | Exiles | General |
6 | Explorers | Gravedigger |
7 | Industrialists | Guard |
8 | Merchants | Healer |
9 | Military | Jailer |
10 | Nobles | Laborer |
11 | Nomads | Lord |
12 | Pilgrims | Merchant |
13 | Protectors | Monk |
14 | Religious | Mystic |
15 | Revolutionaries | Outlander |
16 | Rulers | Peddler |
17 | Scholars | Politician |
18 | Settlers | Spy |
19 | Spies | Thief |
20 | Tribe | Thug |
Faction Traits
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Trait 1 | Trait 2 |
1 | Cautious | Adaptable |
2 | Discreet | Bankrupt |
3 | Enigmatic | Brutal |
4 | Fierce | Collaborative |
5 | Dogmatic | Corrupt |
6 | Judicious | Craven |
7 | Keen | Cruel |
8 | Loyal | Cunning |
9 | Meticulous | Cynical |
10 | Pragmatic | Deceptive |
11 | Resourceful | Generous |
12 | Tenacious | Incompetent |
13 | Decadent | Manipulative |
14 | Connected | Mercurial |
15 | Disciplined | Repressed |
16 | Incorruptible | Ruthless |
17 | Intellectual | Selfish |
18 | Shrewd | Stealthy |
19 | Popular | Threatened |
20 | Secretive | Xenophobic |
Faction Advantages
Roll 2d20, first for the number of advantages the faction has, then for each subsequent advantage. For example, if a “2” was rolled for the “# of Advantages” column, you would roll on the “Advantage” column twice, noting each result. Reroll repeated results.
d20 | # of Advantages | Advantage |
1 | 1 | Alliances |
2 | 1 | Anonymity |
3 | 1 | Apparatus |
4 | 1 | Beliefs |
5 | 1 | Charisma |
6 | 1 | Conviction |
7 | 1 | Fealty |
8 | 2 | Force |
9 | 2 | Information |
10 | 2 | Lineage |
11 | 2 | Magic |
12 | 2 | Members |
13 | 3 | Popularity |
14 | 3 | Position |
15 | 3 | Renown |
16 | 3 | Resources |
17 | 3 | Ruthlessness |
18 | 4 | Specialization |
19 | 4 | Subterfuge |
20 | 4 | Wealth |
Faction Agendas
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Agenda | Obstacle |
1 | Ascend to a Higher Plane | A geographic barrier or impassable terrain. |
2 | Collect Artifacts | A key piece of information must first be discovered. |
3 | Cultivate a Rare Resource | A particular object or Relic is required. |
4 | Defend Something | A powerful figure or foe must be eliminated. |
5 | Destroy Something | A rare but necessary resource must first be acquired. |
6 | Dominate Others | A serious debt forces the faction to make dire choices. |
7 | Enrich Themselves | A well-known prophecy predicts imminent failure. |
8 | Establish a Colony | An alliance with an enemy must first be brokered. |
9 | Establish a New Order | An internal schism threatens to tear the faction apart. |
10 | Explore Uncharted Lands | Another faction has the same goal. |
11 | Forge an Alliance | Another faction stands in opposition. |
12 | Infiltrate Another Faction | Commoners stand openly in opposition. |
13 | Preserve the Status Quo | Considerable capital is required. |
14 | Protect a Secret | Contravenes an established code, with a heavy penalty. |
15 | Purge the Land | Hindered by cultural taboos. |
16 | Reveal a Secret | Many must die, either as a necessity or consequence. |
17 | Revenge | Must be carried out at a rare or exact moment. |
18 | Revive a Former Power | Must be carried out in absolute secrecy. |
19 | Seek New Leadership | Requires a specialist of an uncommon sort. |
20 | Spread a Belief | The outcome would lead to unavoidable war. |
Example Faction
Type
- Academics: Royal Cartographer’s Guild
Advantages
- Apparatus: A Map of the Dead. It opens a path to the underworld, and to the secrets of the dead.
- Renown: None would dare defy the Guild publicly. Their voice carries great weight in the kingdom.
- Agents: Dr. Horatia Confi, first order. Discovered the Map of the Dead. Stats as human (WIL 15).
Agenda
The Guild has long been at war with the Holy Order of Yix (figuratively and otherwise) for over a century. It is time their ignorant sect was brought to its knees. The Order is currently favored by the monarchy, but that could all change.
- Hire a skilled party, and lead them to the Gates of the Underworld. Dr. Confi will lead the expedition.
- Travel through the lands of the dead in search of the Order’s founder, and force their to reveal an ancient secret.
- Reveal the founder’s secrets - including their true identity - to the monarchy. Tie up any loose ends, including witnesses.
Obstacle
The Guild has received legitimate intelligence that a well-placed operative moves within their ranks, and is aware of the coming operation.
Faction Rules
- By default, factions operate independent of the player character’s actions. If the PCs do nothing, the faction should still act to achieve their aims.
- Whenever a faction is positioned to advance a goal in their agenda, roll a d12 on the Faction Actions table.
- If two factions are opposed, the faction most at risk makes a WIL save, using the score of its highest-ranking agent.
- On a success, the faction most at risk rolls on the Faction Actions table, and their opponent does not.
- On a fail, the faction most at risk does not roll on the Faction Actions table, but their opponent does.
The Warden should rely on the fiction to determine whether a faction is positioned to advance their agenda. Goals may be time-sensitive or depend on explicit circumstances. Other times it might be more appropriate after a major event, alliance, or friction between one or more factions, etc.
Faction Actions
d12 | Consequence | Impact |
1-2 | Failure | A new Obstacle is introduced, and a Advantage is lost. |
3-4 | Setback | An Advantage is lost. |
5-6 | Status Quo | Nothing is gained, but nothing is lost. |
7-8 | Mixed Success | A goal is achieved, but an Advantage is lost. |
9-10 | Success | A goal is achieved, and no Advantages are lost. |
11-12 | Major Success | A goal is achieved, and a new Advantage is found. |
The actions of the PCs can always overrule the necessity for a faction action, or in some cases shift the outcome of the roll in a favorable or unfavorable direction.
Topography
A region’s terrain and natural features are an essential part of any map, affecting the local history, resources, settlements, culture, and more.
Landmarks
Landmarks are unique, visible POIs that can also be used as geographic reference points: towers, mountains, tall buildings, and so on. They help orient travelers around the map, and are especially visible from areas with higher elevation or a clear viewpoint. Landmarks are represented on the map by a triangle.
Draw Terrain
- Roll 1d6 on the table, then roll an amount of dice equal to that number on the map. Collect any dice that roll off the page and set them aside.
- Draw long, curvy lines across the page, carving up the map around each die.
- Roll on the relevant table for each result, writing the terrain type on the map.
- Replace the die with a triangle, writing the landmark result on the map.
- Roll any dice that fell off the map page, repeating the last step until none remain.
- If there are any empty spaces in need of terrain, roll a die anywhere you like and use the face-up result as before.
Terrain Die Drop Table
d6 | Difficulty |
1-3 | Easy |
4-5 | Tough |
6 | Perilous |
Easy
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Terrain | Landmark |
1 | Bluffs | Broken Sundial |
2 | Farmlands | Circle of Menhirs |
3 | Fells | Circular Maze |
4 | Foothills | Cloud Stairway |
5 | Glens | Dead Aqueduct |
6 | Gorges | Enormous Footprint |
7 | Grasslands | Fallen Column |
8 | Gulleys | False Oasis |
9 | Heaths | Giant’s Throne |
10 | Lowlands | Glittering Cascade |
11 | Meadows | Golden Bridge |
12 | Moors | Great Stone Face |
13 | Pampas | Great Waterwheel |
14 | Pastures | Heart Tree |
15 | Plains | Opaque Lake |
16 | Plateaus | Petrified Forest |
17 | Prairies | Pit of Cold Fire |
18 | Savannas | Silver Face |
19 | Steppes | Sinkhole |
20 | Valleys | Titanic Gate |
Tough
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Terrain | Landmark |
1 | Barrens | Algae Falls |
2 | Canyons | Basalt Columns |
3 | Chaparral | Behemoth Graveyard |
4 | Coral Reefs | Canyon Bridge |
5 | Deserts | Cinder Cones |
6 | Dunes | Crystal Forest |
7 | Estuaries | Flame Pits |
8 | Fens | Forest of Arrows |
9 | Forests | Frozen Waterfall |
10 | Heathlands | Fungal Forest |
11 | Hills | Hanging Valley |
12 | Mangroves | Inverted Lighthouse |
13 | Marshlands | Leviathan Bones |
14 | Moorlands | Massive Crater |
15 | Rainforests | Massive Dung Ball |
16 | Scrublands | Salt Flat Mirrors |
17 | Taiga | Shrouded Ziggurat |
18 | Thickets | Stalagmite Forest |
19 | Tundra | Sunken Colossus |
20 | Woodlands | Titan’s Table |
Perilous
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Terrain | Landmark |
1 | Alpine Meadows | Active Volcano |
2 | Bogs | Ammonia Caves |
3 | Boulders | Behemoth’s Skull |
4 | Caverns | Crystalline Forest |
5 | Cliffs | Dome of Darkness |
6 | Craters | Enormous Hive |
7 | Crevasses | Floating Object |
8 | Geysers | Inactive Automaton |
9 | Glaciers | Land Scar |
10 | Gorges | Large Thermal Vents |
11 | Hollows | Magma Fields |
12 | Ice Fields | Mao on the Mountain |
13 | Jungles | Meteor Garden |
14 | Lava Fields | Obsidian Needle |
15 | Mountains | Reverse Waterfall |
16 | Peatlands | River of Sulfur |
17 | Quagmires | Siren Stones |
18 | Ravine | Sky-Root |
19 | Swamps | Titanic Ribcage |
20 | Wastelands | Weeping Bubble |
Rivers, Seas, and Lakes
Every region should have some kind of water source. Otherwise, where would the locals get their drinking water, or receive news from the rest of the realm?
- To create water, draw a wiggly line from the highest elevation point (i.e. Mountains) to the lowest (i.e. Plains).
- If the river runs through terrain that is higher in elevation, it might terminate in a lake. If your map has a sea, it might terminate there. Otherwise, the river can continue on off the map page.
Weather
The weather can have a great impact on the people, culture, and terrain of a region. It impacts what kinds of clothes the adventurers need to wear, what sorts of tools they’ll have to bring, and how tough the journey might be. To determine the average weather of a region, roll on the Seasonal Weather table once for each season. Optionally, you may also roll on the Unusual Weather table around particular landmarks or terrain.
Seasonal Weather
d6 | Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
1 | Mild and sunny | Hot and sunny | Nice and breezy | Mild and clear |
2 | Nice and drizzly | Nice and cloudy | Mild and windy | Cool and windy |
3 | Cool and breezy | Mild and rainy | Cool and foggy | Cold and raining |
4 | Mild and cloudy | Cool and stormy | Cold and cloudy | Frigid and stormy |
5 | Cold and windy | Hot and humid | Cool and rainy | Freezing and snowing |
6 | Cold and rainy | Sweltering and humid | Chilly and stormy | Freezing and hailing |
Unusual Weather
d20 | Weather |
1 | An annual fog appears randomly, turning metallic surfaces to gold on contact. |
2 | An aurora that is visible even during the day. |
3 | Birds fly backwards, yet somehow still move forward. |
4 | Days are erratic. The Sun goes backwards for a time, then jumps forward as night rapidly sets. |
5 | Distant chimes instead of thunder. A smoky, sweet wind of no apparent origin blows in from the West. |
6 | Enormous, fleshy eyes peer down from the skies, their pupils lighting up the night sky. |
7 | Flashes of movement in the periphery that always amount to nothing. |
8 | Fog there fills the belly (no need for rations). Tomorrow, vomiting. |
9 | Lakes and streams dry up in minutes, filling storm clouds that drench the landscape. |
10 | Periodic rains of small aquatic creatures (tadpoles, frogs, small fish). No one knows where they come from. |
11 | Rainbows lack most of their colors, and occasionally flicker. Raindrops fall in various colors. |
12 | Roaming, coughing, dust clouds that smell of cinnamon. |
13 | Shadows disappear at random. Animals are reluctant to enter. |
14 | The air is thicker than usual, and breathing is difficult. |
15 | The clouds are shaped like faces. They appear to be laughing. |
16 | The moon appears larger, and softly hums at night. |
17 | The rain glows gently at night. It can be gathered, but the light eventually fades. |
18 | The stars arrange themselves in intricate patterns, making navigation difficult. |
19 | The winds carry whispers of voices. Some say they tell hints of the future. |
20 | When it snows, the flakes are warm and dry. |
Put It All Together
Ask yourself the following questions:
- What would draw people to this region? What keeps them here?
- How do the people here think of outsiders? How do outsiders think of them?
- What power do the Factions have over the people who live here?
- Who or what threatens their agendas?
- How would a faction interact with any newcomers (i.e. an adventuring party)?
- How does the region’s terrain and weather effect the people that live here?
You should now have a sufficient idea about the people and terrain of this region, and are finally ready to form these results into a coherent theme.
For example, if my results described a people that were there religious and sought conversion, I’d assume they were a proud folk, but prone to religious extremes and proselytizing. And if their primary resources were land, yet spices were rare, I’d assume they grew their own food, but that due to a religious prohibition their cuisine was often bland.
Presume that for Factions the result were a group of Nomads, with conviction their primary advantage. I could then assume that their elites were a class of religious chiefs. If the faction’s agenda was to cultivate a rare resource, but they were hindered by cultural taboos, I might decide that they had hired the party to take on the task instead. Perhaps the object of their quest was a unique plant, only grown in a distant place, and that the mission must remain a secret?
Finally, the party would meet with one of the faction’s agents, a spy posing as a peddler. Only she could tell them where the plant grew, and how to cultivate it. I keep in mind that this person should likely appear in the region’s Heart (see below).
Points of Interest
Points of Interest on a map (or POIs) are generally divided into the following categories:
- Heart: The primary settlement in a region. It isn’t necessarily the largest or most important place, but it should always be significant to the region’s history and people.
- Settlements: Permanent, largely self-sufficient population centers, typically governed by a political body or faction.
- Waypoints: A safe place to refill supplies, get a good night’s sleep, or get directions. Often rely on travelers for survival, but provide necessary services.
- Curiosities: A wilderness locale of note, somewhere remarkable or strange. It may indeed be hazardous, but only if the PCs interact with it.
- Lairs: A source of heightened monster activity, enemy encampment, or hive.
- Dungeons: An explicitly dangerous locale, dungeon, or adventure site.
Draw Points of Interest
- Draw the letter H close to a water source on the map.
- Roll 1d6 on the table, then roll an amount of dice equal to that number on the map. Collect any dice that roll off the page and set them aside.
- Remove each die, noting the face up result according to the POI Die Drop Table on the map. For example, the number 4 would indicate a Lair, denoted by the letter “L” on the page.
- Roll any dice that fell off the map page, repeating the last step until none remain.
- Starting with the Heart, number each POI on the map.
- Roll on the relevant tables for each POI, including the Heart and all Landmarks. Note the results for each in your notebook.
Some POIs may allow the PCs to see more of the world than what appears on their map.
POI Die Drop Table
d6 | POI |
1 | Waypoint or Settlement |
2-3 | Curiosity |
4 | Lair |
5-6 | Dungeon |
Settlements
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Settlements | Feature |
1 | Academy | Built Atop Ruins |
2 | Caravan | Built on Bones of Giants |
3 | Citadel | Center of Learning |
4 | City | Close-knit |
5 | Commune | Divided |
6 | Compound | Emits a Mysterious Hum |
7 | Convent | Famous for its Artisans |
8 | Farmstead | Famous for its Festivals |
9 | Fortress | Guarded by Trained Beasts |
10 | Garrison | Hides a Dangerous Portal |
11 | Hamlet | High Population Density |
12 | Keep | Impregnable |
13 | Monastery | Integrated with Nature |
14 | Outpost | Known for its Hospitality |
15 | Plantation | Location of a Legendary Forge |
16 | Prison | Moves or Revolves |
17 | Stronghold | Protected by a Great Warrior |
18 | Town | Ruled by a Powerful Faction |
19 | Villa | Steeped in Tradition |
20 | Village | Trading Hub |
Waypoints
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Waypoints | Feature |
1 | Archive | A Haven for Outcasts |
2 | Asylum | Built on Sacred Grounds |
3 | Bazaar | Contains a Powerful Artifact |
4 | Beacon Tower | Cursed By Previous Occupants |
5 | Bunker | Decrepit Buildings |
6 | Cabin | Distrustful Occupants |
7 | Campground | Does Not Appear On Any Map |
8 | Guildhall | Front for Illegal Operations |
9 | Hospice | Host to a Renowned Artisan |
10 | Hunting Lodge | Known for its Elaborate Defenses |
11 | Inn | Occupants are Lawful to a Fault |
12 | Observatory | Occupants are Overly Formal |
13 | Reservoir | Outsiders are Barred |
14 | Sanatorium | Outsiders Cannot Carry Weapons |
15 | Sanctuary | Part of an Illegal Trade Route |
16 | Shrine | Popular Pilgrim Destination |
17 | Temple | Protects a Powerful Object |
18 | Trading Post | Reclusive Occupants |
19 | Watchtower | Sits on Natural Deposits |
20 | Work Camp | Technologically Advanced |
Curiosities
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Curiosities | Feature |
1 | Ancient Tree | Abandoned Vessel |
2 | Broken Tower | Ancient Trash Heap |
3 | Buried Megalith | Buried Ley Line |
4 | Collapsed Mill | Buried Library |
5 | Cracked Bell | Carnivorous Plants |
6 | Crystal Spire | Celestial Mirror |
7 | Dripping Archway | Cult Ritual Site |
8 | Echoing Fields | Edible Fungus |
9 | Enormous Fist | Floating Debris |
10 | Enormous Footprint | Hidden Market |
11 | Floating Island | Illusory |
12 | Frozen Graveyard | Impossible Music |
13 | Hanging Bridges | Infested With Vermin |
14 | Illegible Signpost | Irregular Gravity |
15 | Leviathan Skeleton | Isolated Weather |
16 | Oddly-shaped Lake | Only Appears At Night |
17 | Petrified Trees | Perpetual Mist |
18 | Purple Geysers | Perpetual Shadows |
19 | Singing Stones | Site of Ancient Battle |
20 | Sunken City | Unstable Ground |
Lairs
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Lair | Feature |
1 | Abandoned Tower | Abandoned |
2 | Ancient prison | At Crossroads |
3 | Collapsed Mine | Baited Entrance |
4 | Colossal Hive | Bioluminescence |
5 | Crashed Ship | Constant Screaming |
6 | Crumbling Fort | Entry Forbidden |
7 | Dry Aqueduct | Faction Hideout |
8 | Enormous Stump | Hidden Exit |
9 | Forgotten Graveyard | Odd Machinery |
10 | Hidden Burrow | Piles of Bones |
11 | Hollow Obelisk | Previously Occupied |
12 | Overgrown Garden | Religious Graffiti |
13 | Primeval Menhirs | Scattered Traps |
14 | Primitive Bridge | Scavengers Prowl |
15 | Rotted Mill | Signs Posted |
16 | Ruined Town | Something Sleeps |
17 | Rusted Construct | Symbiotic Entity |
18 | Spiked Cave | Training Camp |
19 | Sunken Grotto | Underwater |
20 | Unruly Copse | Waste Pit |
Dungeons
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Type | Feature |
1 | Burial Ground | Abandoned |
2 | Cave | Buried |
3 | Cellar | Burnt |
4 | Crypt | Clockwork |
5 | Den | Collapsed |
6 | Estate | Crumbling |
7 | Fort | Crystalline |
8 | Great Hall | Floating |
9 | Laboratory | Flooded |
10 | Manor | Fungal |
11 | Mine | Inverted |
12 | Outpost | Isolated |
13 | Palace | Mirrored |
14 | Prison | Otherworldly |
15 | Ruined City | Overgrown |
16 | Stronghold | Petrified |
17 | Temple | Remote |
18 | Tomb | Sealed |
19 | Tower | Toxic |
20 | Workshop | Warped |
See the Dungeon Seeds chapter (p.x) for how to flesh out each Dungeon POI for your setting.
Paths
Paths act as geographic connectors on the map, ranging from well-traveled roads and trails to rough wilderness routes. Paths should provide compelling choices between POIs, who must weigh factors such as safety, speed, and travel difficulty.
Path Types
- Standard paths are obvious or well-trod routes between two POIs. Represented by a thick line.
- Hidden paths do not appear on any known maps. Their discovery always requires some kind of cost. Represented by a dashed line.
- Conditional paths may be blocked, or requires specialized tools (boats, climbing gear, etc.) to cross. Others may even be impossible to navigate without a map or guide. Represented by a crossed line.
Draw Paths
- Starting with the Heart, create 1-4 paths between each location.
- Create loops, branching paths, dead-ends, and shortcuts between POIs.
- Some paths may be parts of a chain and tied to a particular terrain (mountain passes, rivers, etc.).
- Some paths are Conditional, represented by a crossed line.
- Some paths are Hidden, represented by a dashed line.
- Designate each path using the number of a POI and its connecting point, e.g. 1 ↔ 3. You can denote this in your notebook under the originating POI or in a separate section.
- Decide whether a path represents a road, a trail, or a wilderness route and write the results in your notebook.
- Roll on the Path Features table for each path, writing the results in your notebook.
- Determine the path distances between POIs and note the duration on the map:
- A short distance between POIs takes one Watch to traverse, a medium distance takes two Watches, and a long distance takes three Watches.
- For Trails add 1 more Watch, and for Wilderness routes add 2 additional Watches.
- A Watch is 8 hours long. Denote days between POIs wherever possible (typically two Watches and one rest per day of travel).
Path Features
Roll 2d20 and combine the results.
d20 | Feature | Condition |
1 | Abandoned Fields | Bandit Ambushes |
2 | Blood-red | Blocked by Giant Boulder |
3 | Buried Charms | Collapsed Bridge |
4 | Cattle Prints | Confusing to Navigate |
5 | Constant Patrols | Dense Bramble |
6 | Dead Vegetation | Divided by Political Dispute |
7 | Disappearing | Erratic Weather |
8 | Diseased Animals | Frequent Flash Floods |
9 | Follows the Stars | Gets Extremely Cold |
10 | Frequent Pilgrims | Heavy Toll Required |
11 | Massive Grooves | Labyrinthine Canyons |
12 | Mile Markers | Night Predators |
13 | Mineral Flecks | Occasional Stampedes |
14 | Newly Made | Overcrowded |
15 | Overgrown | Passed Over Rapids |
16 | Rusted Tools | Poisonous Fruit |
17 | Shriveled Away | Smoke-filled |
18 | Smells of Smoke | Steep Climb |
19 | Twisted | Thick Evening Mist |
20 | Ubiquitous Footprints | Uneven, Soggy Ground |
Conclusion
Your first region is now complete. To expand your realm, repeat the process as many times as you wish.