Filling in hexes (and 3 hexes from my key)

When I mentioned to some French friends of mine that I was thinking of relaunching our game into more sandbox play (it had been on hiatus over the summer, and had gone in a very strange direction because of some bad decisions on my behalf), they groaned; previous sandbox style games they'd felt like they'd floundered, with no real direction. And I confess, t'was a lot on how I ran them.

Before I'd not really read or listened to much about hexcrawls and such, instead just having a vague idea in mind and went for it. However a read through the Alexandrian's hexcrawl series, and reading the Hot Springs Isle adventure, gave be a much better idea on what to do to back my game better. Not perfect by any means (we've had two games since the kick off, still getting used to new ways of note taking) but I'm a lot happier with the density of stuff.

Before I'd have vast swathes of land with... nothing. I'd spend a lot of time drawing a large map, but then didn't actually put anything in it. So, taking a leaf from Hot Springs Isle, I hacked down the map to a smaller size, and filled each hex with at least 3 things. Eventually some of the things got merged into one, but there's a point of interest, landmark, or something to mess with in each hex now. Because I didn't want to redraw maps, I used 6 mile hexes.

Using a lot of random elements (the Perilous Wilds has been super useful), I ended up with some places I'm pretty happy with. I also probably would never have imagined this stuff up unprompted, another thing I'm really appreciating this moment with random content generation. So I thought I'd share some here. Feel free to take any bits, or whole hexes even.

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0308 - HUMMING UNDERWATER CRYSTAL: Under the water is a tiny crystalline object, a wand or rod. Half buried and now it has surrounded itself with a glass like rock, it serves as a repository of transmutation magic, so far untapped.

• Transmutation repository: 60 feet down in the water. Wand of a mage, cast into the sea. Formed a sort of glass like rock that stops it moving. Absorbs magical energy, and can be tapped into with the right knowledge. Lawful, transmutation.

This hex is just off the coast, underwater. I decided even if the players never find it, the nearby coastal areas should also have things of interest. A few rumours could set them off on an aquatic adventure.

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0505 - DRAGON’S HILL: Located in the north eastern part of the hex. The village is called such as it is believed that ages past a dragon died and a hill formed over them. The dragon spirit is said to tend to the lands, helping the plants grow.

• Village: Abundant resources (grow a type of hill weed used for textiles). Problem: Recently attacked (less population, good stolen).

• Ghouls cave: 6 ghouls have a lair in a cave. South eastern end, leave at night to eat the dead warriors in 0606.

• Treasure: 2005cp (gnawed up bits of weapons, armour, jewellery), Ring of Love [the ring of love, moderate power. While wearing the ring, can place hands on someone’s head and kiss their forehead. For the next 6 days, whenever I do something to help the other, the receiver gains inspiration. If one of the pair is incapacitated, save vs heartbreak and anguish. If die, save vs death/incapacitation? If they have a disagreement, both gain un-inspiration, basically a disadvantage the DM can apply once, reversed inspiration).

• Gnomish ghost gate: In centre of hex. Concealed by hills and shrubs is a stone gateway. Made of large rocks. The opening is about 2 ½ meters tall and 2 meters wide. The locals claim that the gate was made by gnomes, and believe that passing through the gate causes evil spirits/ghosts who are possessing or afflicting the individual to break their bond and flee. Claim that the dragon under the hill eats them , or scares them away.

The ghouls in this cave were drawn here due to the presence of a nearby battlefield, which is were all the scrap copper and ring comes from. The Ring of Love was randomly generated, and it's in game effects are still WIP. I've been keeping away from just +X swords and gear; we're playing d&d 5e, so bounded accuracy is a thing, plus I just find them rather uninspiring. With this ring, I'm tending towards the idea that when the pair of bounded characters are together, they're amazing ("The power of love!"), but heartbroken apart/if they fall out. Many folds to iron out beforehand mind.

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0910 - PURPLE OYSTER BEACH: A stretch of coast where gatherers claim to find magical oysters.

• Enchantment oysters: The shells of these oysters have swirling colours, and when ground up can be used to produce enchantment based effects.

• Clear marks (halflings): Halfings have beached here on occasion. The tracks are recent.
• Ghost: The ghost of a fisherman wanders the coast, looking for his boat. He can also be seen wandering across the water.

Recently, I wondered that my fantasy games I've ran have been rather grounded; fantasy elements exist, but more on the lower end. Especially concerning flora and fauna.I decided to shake that up a bit, so oysters whose shells can be used in enchantment magics. Maybe the oysters charm you when you eat them too perhaps.