One Million Magical Locations

Reynard

aka Ian Eller
Supporter
One Million Magical Locations

Magic permeates the world, a force at once natural and supernatural, apart and enmeshed with the physical. Oftentimes, magic will collect in places, sometimes by accident and sometimes by design. Here is presented a chart for the random creation of magical locations, where the physical and mystical have become intertwined. As usual, this chart is designed to spur the imagination of the game master and he or she is encouraged to not re-roll incongruous results but attempt to weave them together. And, also as usual, I welcome feedback on and modifications and/or expansions to this "One Million" table.

A) Power Level: Dtermine the relative power level by rolling a d10, with one representing the weakest end of the scale and 10 representing the highest (relative to the campaign milieu). If you need caster or monster levels, consider multiplying the result by 2 for 1st - 3rd editions, 3 for 4th edition and 4 for BECMI.

B) Aspect: Next, determine what aspect of mystical energy the site is keyed to. Roll a d10.

1) Holy: Good divine power.
2) Unholy: Evil divine power.
3) Primal/Natural: Wild or druidic divine power.
4) Death/Undeath: Negative and/or shadow energy.
5) Life/Health: Positive energy and/or healing.
6) Elemental: roll 1d4 (1=earth, 2=air, 3=water, 4=fire).
7) Arcane Magic: roll 1d8 to determine the associated school (1=abjuration, 2=conjuration, 3=divination, 4=enchantment, 5=evocation, 6=illusion, 7=necromancy, 8=transmutation)
8) Fey/Faerie Magic
9) Draconic Magic
10) Alignment: The site is keyed to the primal forces of alignment in the multiverse. Roll 1d6 for the Good-Evil Axis (1-2=Good, 3-4=Neutral, 5-6=Evil) and 1d6 for the Law-Chaos Axis (1-2=Law, 3-4=Neutral, 5-6=Chaos).
NOTE: For BECMI, only roll on the Law-Chaos Axis. For 4E, roll 1d4 (1=LG, 2=G, 3=E, 4=CE)

C) Origin: Determine how the site first became associated with its Aspect. Roll 1d6.

1) (super)Natural: The site just is associated with its Aspect, as a function of the "laws of magic", and has been since the dawn of Creation. (ex: ley line intersection, weak planar wall, etc...)
2) Divine Engineering: A powerful entity (god, demon, elemental lord, etc...) chose the site specifically to become associated with its Aspect.
3) Divine Accident: Some action by a powerful entity (as above) unintentionally associated the site with its Aspect.
4) Mortal Engineering: Someone, whether men or Giants, intentionally associated the site to the Aspect through construction, ritual and/or action.
5) Mortal Accident: Some mortal event, ranging (likely based on power level) from a simple dying curse to an Epic Battle unintentionally associated the site with the Aspect.
6) Synchronicity: roll twice using 1d10/2 for the first roll and then a 1d4, leaving out the possibility of either whatever the d10/2 result was and another "synchronicity" roll. Combine the two origins.

D) Focus: Determine the focal point of the site, where the magical power is most concentrated and from whence it emanates. Roll 1d20. (note: with enough suggestions I am sure this list could be expanded to a d%.)

1) Obelisk
2) Standing Stone(s)
3) Well
4) Chasm/Pit/Crater
5) Tree or large, unusual plant
6) Shrine
7) Altar
8) Pool/Spring
9) Statue/Monument
10) Fountain/Basin
11) Throne/Chair
12) Skeleton/Remains (embedded or otherwise immobile)
13) Grave (marked)
14) Grave (unmarked)
15) Waterfall
16) Portal (gate, door, etc...)
17) Magic Circle
18) Unusual rock formation
19) Forge/Hearth
20) Supernatural feature (everburning flame, fey ring)

E) Form: Determine the overall form of the site, somewhere within the depths of which the Focus is located. Roll 1d20.

1) Battlefield
2) Temple
3) Keep/Castle
4) Mansion/Estate
5) Catacombs/Cemetary
6) Ruin (above ground)
7) Ruin (below ground)
8) Crossroads
9) Asylum/Prison
10) Valley/Vale
11) Lake
12) Moor/Wetland
13) Canyon/Rift
14) Mountain/Mesa
15) Cave/Cavern
16) Island/Peninsula
17) Glade/Copse
18) Glacier
19) Volcano/Hot Springs
20) Roll twice, ignoring additional results of 20.

F) Zone Effect: Determine the general "aura" effect of the location's magic, as it relates to the Aspect. Roll 1d6.

1) Enhancement: The location makes the use of Aspect related magic (items, spells, etc...) more effective.
2) Detriment: The location makes the use of magic opposed to the Aspect less effective.
3) Creation: The location causes magic related to the Aspect to occur/appear spontaneously.
4) Void: The location causes magic opposed to the Aspect to cease functioning, disappear or otherwise become inoperable.
5) Change: The location causes individuals and items within to change to fit the Aspect.
6) Hazard: The location creates danger -- damage, difficulty, etc... -- related to the Aspect.
7) Wonder: The location is infused with a mystical but not hazardous expression of the Aspect.
8) Roll twice, ignoring repeats and 8s, and combine.

G) Powers: In addition to the general "aura" of the location as described above, the location itself, usually the Focus, has a specific power(s) associated with the Aspect. Roll 1d10.

1) Power Amplification: Spells and/or magical rituals related to the Aspect are greatly increased in power.
2) Mastery: The Focus can be used to control some element of the Aspect (depending on its power level) through the use of a ritual or other process.
3) Destruction: The Focus attacks. Roll 1d6: 1=attacks all who come close, 2-3=attacks things opposed to the Aspect, 4-5=can be controlled and used as a weapon against things opposed to the aspect, 6=can be used as a weapon against anything.
4) Creation: The Focus can be used to create things related to its Aspect, whether environmental effects or summoned creatures, etc... Roll 1d6: 1-3: uncontrollable, 4-6: controllable.
5) Beacon: The focus draws creatures and/or beings (not conjured) to it.
6) Window: The focus is a window into the Aspect, wherein great secrets are learned.
7) Change: The Focus has the power to alter things (within a range relative to its Power level) to better suit the Aspect, from environmental effects to psychology to magical nature.
8) Transportation: The Focus allows for transportation to realms related to the Aspect.
9) Roll twice, first using 1d4 and second using 1d4+4 and combine.
10) The Focus has no powers aside from creating the Zone effect as noted in table F.

H) Status: Determine how well known the magical location is.

1) Unknown: The location is a complete mystery, whether lost to history or never have been known. In effect, the PCs are the first to ever encounter it.
2) Myth: The location is spoken of in myth and legend but it has never been found and its location is unknown.
3) Ancient History: Ancient records exist of the magical location, including where it is to be found, but only extensive research will uncover it.
4) Recent History: The location was "lost" only recently and its general location is known in local legends, etc... Minimal research is needed to uncover its exact location.
5) Known, Wrong: The location of the site is known but its exact Aspect and/or powers is misrepresented.
6) Known, Correct: the true location and Aspect/powers of the site is common knowledge.
7) Hidden: The location was common knowledge but some group or force buried such information.
8) Obvious: The location is not merely known but well known, oft visited and/or otherwise obvious -- and occupied.

NOTE: I purposefully left out certain elements, such as guardians and the like. All the other random results should give the GM plenty of ideas regarding what may guard the location and where it might be located in a broader geographical sense. If nothing else, use "One Million Ancient Ruins" (less the ruin part) to determine such elements.
 

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"Power Level 3, Unholy, Divinely Engineered, Marked Grave, Ruin (Above Ground), Wonder, Destruction, Lost in Recent History"

Hmmm... some evil champion's grave in a ruined temple has been marked by some sort of supernatural effect - maybe an eternal flame of some sort...that attacks all who come close.

"Power Level 3, Alignment (Neutral Evil), Divinely Engineered, Standing Stone, Temple, Enhancement, None, Lost to History"

So, some sort of temple built around a standing stone that enhances the power of neutral evil aligned items(?). Artifacts? Intelligent swords? Maybe it turns magic weapons into (weak) neutral evil intelligent items?

"Power Level 5, Elemental, Fire, Divine Accident, Obelisk, Lake(!), Enhancement, Transportation, Lost to Recent History"

So, here somehow an obelisk was created by divine accident - I'm thinking more pillar of fire than pillar of stone here - in the middle of a lake, which is obviously a very hot lake so its either a boiling poisonous lake in a caldera or made of lava. It enhances fire magic (+2 to caster level?, adds two free metamagic levels?), and makes it easy to enter the elemental plane of fire. At power level 5 I'm thinking something less than a permanent portal, but one that could be opened by as little as a 3rd or 4th level spellcaster. Probably at that level, you'd be more trying to get something to come out rather than thinking of going in.

I think I like it. It's missing more guidance on interpretting what the power level means, but does seem to do its job in prompting the imagination.
 
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I think I like it. It's missing more guidance on interpretting what the power level means, but does seem to do its job in prompting the imagination.

Thanks. Ultimately, I was trying to avoid any edition specific stuff. This one really needs them as subtables, though. Both "power level" and what exactly "enhancement" (for example) might mean varies between editions. An AD&D vs 3E vs 4E chart of mechanically described effects would each look very different I think.
 


Hmmm, intriguing. Does fire the imagination.

Do you actually have a list somewhere with links to all your "One Million" threads. That'd be pretty awesome.

Do you actually want to compile a list of 100 possible focuses? I could offer some suggestions.

table
pool
a powerful creature petrified (turned into stone)
an small object incased in unbreakable glass/ice/clear substance
Gems (if removed from setting magical effect ends until they are restored)
. . .
 



I really liked this one, took me but an hour to have a script based on your work..

Power Level: 9
Aspect: Primal/Natural
Origin: (Super)Natural
Focus: Magic Circle
Form: Catacombs/Cemetery
Zone Effect: Enhancement and Creation
Powers: Mastery
Status: Obvious

Power Level: 3
Aspect: Arcane Magic(Evocation)
Origin: Divine Accident and Mortal Engineering
Focus: Skeleton/Remains (embedded or otherwise immobile)
Form: Asylum/Prison
Zone Effect: Hazard
Powers: None
Status: Known (Wrong)

Power Level: 4
Aspect: Death/Undeath
Origin: Mortal Accident
Focus: Fountain/Basin
Form: Keep/Castle
Zone Effect: Wonder
Powers: Power Amplification and Change
Status: Ancient History

With your foundation it will be easy to make it more detailed for my 3.5 game
 


Hmmm, intriguing. Does fire the imagination.

Do you actually have a list somewhere with links to all your "One Million" threads. That'd be pretty awesome.

Do you actually want to compile a list of 100 possible focuses? I could offer some suggestions.

table
pool
a powerful creature petrified (turned into stone)
an small object incased in unbreakable glass/ice/clear substance
Gems (if removed from setting magical effect ends until they are restored)
. . .

I'd say "preserved intact" instead of just plain turned into stone--a three-dimensional shadow in water, a statue of faintly glowing ice, a corpse kept fresh with gentle repose, a living creature locked in stasis via time stop or immersion in raw quintessence, et cetera.

...A portable weapon (sword, weird energy rod, whatever) - effect moves with the item
A portable weapon - effect stops whenever item is removed
Another small item (crown, shield, rabbit figurine, et cetera) - effect moves with item, or effect stops when item is removed
Writing, inscriptions, or engravings--lillend-song lyrics or spell diagrams or the meaningless scribbles of a mad god
A work of art
A map (mosaic on the floor, for example)
None (no particular focus--like Sharn, where the whole city is equally infused with the magic of Syrania)

As for forms...

An ocean or sea
Part of an ocean or sea (such as the Bermuda Triangle)
A whole city
An urban district, neighborhood, block, or borough
A ship
A wasteland or desert
A river or channel (remember the King of the Silver River in Shannara?)
A cloud
 

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