Checking the Geology of a Map

[Lanefan]

EDIT: the below refers only to the first iteration of the map. See next post for ideas for the second version.

Maybe?

Sorry, but when it comes to maps I am a visual guy, so I need to see it to be sure. When I make maps usually there are multiple versions before I settle on something as I experiment with what works (and looks good).

Your description sounds generally OK, but if we look at the real world you have the order of the lakes wrong. Small streams go to small lakes into medium rivers and then large lakes into large rivers into the ocean.

While it's true the rivers get bigger as they get closer to the ocean, the same is not necessarily true of lakes. Lake size is completely dependent on the land contours on which the lake sits; if there's a big widespread depression you'll get a big lake and if there's a small hole in the ground you'll get a small lake or pond (unless the river is already big enough to overwhelm it), regardless where it might fall in the river system.

The largest lake in the world is Lake Superior, and it is fed by a lot of small-ish streams rather than by one or two big rivers. The next lake downstream on the same river system is Huron - still pretty big - after which comes Lake St Clair, which is tiny by comparison to either of those upstream lakes.

Part of your answer is all of the marshy ground, but marshy ground is usually found at the inflow of a river into a lake, not the outflow. Not to say it never happens, but marshes at the entry to a lake is common because there is an elevation change that is allowing the water to pool, rather than continuing to run in a river. When a river leaves a lake, it is generally not marshy because again there is a change in elevation that is causing the water to flow down to the next level closest to the sea (or perhaps even to the sea).

That the map is done by hex doesn't leave room for fine details, but it's quite possible here that the shallow lake and the marsh are on slightly different elevations with a very short river piece between.

As @SpaceOtter asked in a different post, however, to me the harder-to-explain piece is the isolated plateau. It's possible, sure, but uncommon; though given it's a game world who knows what sort of magics or odd random effects might have put it there. Also, as we can't see what's further to the northwest as the plateau hex is right on the map's edge, for all we know the plateau hex on the map is just the southeast corner of a much bigger area of high ground to the northwest.

The main concern I have is scale, particularly regarding the mountains. For me this map is quite good if the hexes are 20 miles or more but cramming all those disparate features into the small area that 6-mile hexes demand is pushing it a little.

 

[Lanefan]

Second version notes:

You could easily go back to the big lake you had in I7-J6-J7 and add a river or stream (which would make sense, I'd add it anyway) coming from the northwest starting at about C4 and reaching the lake through H6.

For pure adventuring purposes I'd put the plateau in H2 as an intentionally non-natural feature, maybe one of the quests might involve (or stumble on) an explanation of just how and why it is there.

 

[ColinChapman]

There is certainly reason enough for some oddities beyond those I mentioned. Here's the campaign setup:

THE PAST
The lands of Centauri were thriving. The dual suns and daystar shone down on a period of peace. There was little strife and the depredations of the Fey had been much reduced following countless battles and torturous pacts.

Arcane research led to the creation of schools of wizardry, breakthroughs such as teleportation circles linking population centres, and the first forays into creating less intensive autonomous labour constructs. Simpler, less expensive creations than the golems of old.

The Enlightened Peace lasted but a century.

No one is sure how it began. If it was accident or plot. But all know where the Great Darkness blossomed: the palace of King Marinus II of Aurumea, an aged coastal city-state and major crossroads for trade. Survivors’ tales told of billowing clouds of darkness rent with green lightning flowing from the palace, and of the undead stalking within. Aurumea fell in a day of horror. The undead invasion since known as the Great Darkness had begun.

A slow, inexorable tide, the undead spread across the lands of Centauri, each victim swelling their ranks. Alliances of city-states and tribes pooled their resources in the face of armageddon. The new constructs intended for a time of peace were turned to war, armies of Myrmidons sent to battle the Dead alongside beasts-of-war wrought by alchemy and magic. The greatest sorcerers of the age brought spells of such destruction to bear that whole battlefields were rendered ash. The greatest sorcerers of the age armed the greatest warriors with potent magical items.

The tide barely slowed.

Refugees fled the advancing darkness. But it became all too apparent that no city, no town, no village was safe. The sorcerers, the architects, the leaders of the remaining people realised safety would have to be built. Across the land construction started in earnest. Settlements called Beacons were made, many subterranean. Reinforced with thick stone walls, silver latticework to block the incorporeal, vault-like doors, and cunning traps, they were to be refuges for all-comers. As the Dead drew closer, people huddled behind their gates, looked at the hastily-enchanted wards and sigils, and waited. All assumed the Great Darkness would subside in a handful of years. They were wrong.

THE PRESENT
Two centuries have passed since the Great Darkness began. Two hundred years of struggle, survival, and diminishing hope. Hope that was almost extinguished. But almost is not entirely. What is now clear is that something has changed. Initial forays indicate that the undead have receded, and auguries, divinations, and scryings support this.

Now, the few surviving Beacons, places such as Sanctum, are looking at the outside world again with rekindled hope. And the first tentative steps are being taken on the path to resettling the lands the Dead overran. Lands now unrecognisable, littered with ruin and peril.

Many Beacons did not survive two centuries of isolation, falling to the Dead or a lack of resources. Worse, others were brought low by their own worst impulses or treachery. The survivors of the Great Darkness are scattered, isolated communities in a world where the Dead are still very much in evidence, where the Fey still lurk. Where malfunctioning construct soldiers scuttle across old battlefields, and where sorcerous beasts and mutants prowl.

For all the danger, there is beauty also. Nature has overgrown abandoned cities, towns, and villages, a blanket of green. Animals roam in number. Potent magical items lay waiting to be wielded again. People hope for any sign that they are no longer alone.

There is a world to explore and reclaim.

 

[ColinChapman]

The map has expanded quite considerably, but is still a WIP (there are a few things I'm still not happy with). I'm using hexfriend to create it because it's free, easy, and quick.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Okay, added the rivers and revised the lakes and marsh. Any thoughts?

The portcullis symbols represent dungeons. The black dome is an entrance to the underworld. The ruins are ruined towns and villages from before the undead apocalypse, though I need to add a few more. Any suggested hexes?

Would anywhere make sense for a small plateau to be located?

View attachment 397468

Just want to comment on this, my first thoughts were; where is the rain falling and how much. sufficient and reliable rainfall and you get forest (add in poor drainage and you get bog, which is not the same as swamp).
To me the eastern end of the map looks fine but how is the western end drained and where is the watershed?
There is a forest in the south west which is fine but it is surrounded by not forest. If the clear area is due to settlement, then that is fine also but if that area is not settled then why no forest?
Now, if the clear area is not forested because there is insufficient rainfall for forest, which makes sense as there are no rivers draining that region then where is the water for the southwestern forest coming from? It could be that the hills squeeze enough water or that rainfall from the hills and may be an aquifer surfacing, bringing water from the distant mountains is sufficient to explain the forest.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

There is certainly reason enough for some oddities beyond those I mentioned. Here's the campaign setup:

THE PAST
The lands of Centauri were thriving. The dual suns and daystar shone down on a period of peace. There was little strife and the depredations of the Fey had been much reduced following countless battles and torturous pacts.

Arcane research led to the creation of schools of wizardry, breakthroughs such as teleportation circles linking population centres, and the first forays into creating less intensive autonomous labour constructs. Simpler, less expensive creations than the golems of old.

The Enlightened Peace lasted but a century.

No one is sure how it began. If it was accident or plot. But all know where the Great Darkness blossomed: the palace of King Marinus II of Aurumea, an aged coastal city-state and major crossroads for trade. Survivors’ tales told of billowing clouds of darkness rent with green lightning flowing from the palace, and of the undead stalking within. Aurumea fell in a day of horror. The undead invasion since known as the Great Darkness had begun.

A slow, inexorable tide, the undead spread across the lands of Centauri, each victim swelling their ranks. Alliances of city-states and tribes pooled their resources in the face of armageddon. The new constructs intended for a time of peace were turned to war, armies of Myrmidons sent to battle the Dead alongside beasts-of-war wrought by alchemy and magic. The greatest sorcerers of the age brought spells of such destruction to bear that whole battlefields were rendered ash. The greatest sorcerers of the age armed the greatest warriors with potent magical items.

The tide barely slowed.

Refugees fled the advancing darkness. But it became all too apparent that no city, no town, no village was safe. The sorcerers, the architects, the leaders of the remaining people realised safety would have to be built. Across the land construction started in earnest. Settlements called Beacons were made, many subterranean. Reinforced with thick stone walls, silver latticework to block the incorporeal, vault-like doors, and cunning traps, they were to be refuges for all-comers. As the Dead drew closer, people huddled behind their gates, looked at the hastily-enchanted wards and sigils, and waited. All assumed the Great Darkness would subside in a handful of years. They were wrong.

THE PRESENT
Two centuries have passed since the Great Darkness began. Two hundred years of struggle, survival, and diminishing hope. Hope that was almost extinguished. But almost is not entirely. What is now clear is that something has changed. Initial forays indicate that the undead have receded, and auguries, divinations, and scryings support this.

Now, the few surviving Beacons, places such as Sanctum, are looking at the outside world again with rekindled hope. And the first tentative steps are being taken on the path to resettling the lands the Dead overran. Lands now unrecognisable, littered with ruin and peril.

Many Beacons did not survive two centuries of isolation, falling to the Dead or a lack of resources. Worse, others were brought low by their own worst impulses or treachery. The survivors of the Great Darkness are scattered, isolated communities in a world where the Dead are still very much in evidence, where the Fey still lurk. Where malfunctioning construct soldiers scuttle across old battlefields, and where sorcerous beasts and mutants prowl.

For all the danger, there is beauty also. Nature has overgrown abandoned cities, towns, and villages, a blanket of green. Animals roam in number. Potent magical items lay waiting to be wielded again. People hope for any sign that they are no longer alone.

There is a world to explore and reclaim.

Cool. This would be an awesome exploration game to play in.

 

[uzirath]

The lake on the left side of the larger map drains into a lot of rivers! Looks like five exit channels leading to three drainage systems (one of which bifurcates again at the L10-M11-M12 lake). This is pretty unusual in the natural world and might not make sense with the pictured geography, though I'm not enough of an expert to say for sure.

 

[ColinChapman]

The lake on the left side of the larger map drains into a lot of rivers! Looks like five exit channels leading to three drainage systems (one of which bifurcates again at the L10-M11-M12 lake). This is pretty unusual in the natural world and might not make sense with the pictured geography, though I'm not enough of an expert to say for sure.

Thanks. Definitely the kind of feedback I'm looking for, and easily fixed.

 

[ColinChapman]

It's steadily taking shape and being refined with feedback. Still not entirely happy with the arid badlands area though.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

It's steadily taking shape and being refined with feedback. Still not entirely happy with the arid badlands area though.
View attachment 397933

A few thoughts:
The Badlands/desert NE of the north central mountains are fine if the rain and the prevailing winds are from the south.
What are the yellow hexes along the coast?

If the lake at L10 drains into a river, why is it also draining from M12; which is the lowest point?
Perhaps have a river starting at the corner of P13/P12 draining north west and another south east from the opposite side of the hex draining south marking the hex as a watershed.
What is the blackened land nw of the lake. Is it blighted by the dungeon?