Two hexes northwest, three north of Alakran.
This is one of several green valleys or lowlands in the Dhuga, explainable by local ground water conditions; the lack of a river draining the area means that rainfall in the winter collects more effectively in the ground. Scrub bushes and succulents cluster on the ground. It is a favored grazing ground for the nearby rhinos, antelopes, and goats, though they must seek drinking water elsewhere or look for the few pools of it in this area.
But the real reason for this green spot is that within each 25 mile hex in this area, the 5 mile hexes are procedurally generated, using a table that can give rise to settlements, fortresses, odd features, creature lairs, water features, and terrain that varies from the 25 mile hex's general trend - or extends terrain from neighboring hexes into this one.
Terrain in this system is organized along a geological axis (from swamp to mountain) and a ground cover axis (from desert to thick forest). This hex was randomly rolled to have a lower geological rating by 1 rank, going from low hills to plain; and a higher cover rating by 2 ranks, going from dry to scrub.The rationale for this can be pencilled in later (as in the previous paragraph).
The 1 mile hex detail seen in the above map is created by me, entirely at will with no set procedure. It can further indicate the direction and extent of the green valley - here running east to west.
So how was the whole map generated, then? I went back to the first posts and couldn't find any method.
ReplyDeleteHexographer and a manual procedure, fully automated, somewhere in between?
I get that the hex scale was chosen to support the outdoor encounter system, but are there any special procedures for navigation and travel? The version of the rules in use apparently was also ommited so far, though that may have been deliberate.
The map at 25 mile scale was also my own procedural method, the larger scale being intentional, and the Scarp feature dropped in.
ReplyDeleteWe were using 5th edition D&D but travel speeds are (should be) independent of any particular ruleset. 25 miles is what an unencumbered group on foot could make across clear terrain in 12 hours of daylight minus a few rests.