Geography, Geology, and Cartography. Oh my!

Tamlyn

Explorer
So my game is taking place in my own home-brewed world (typical medieval European D&D) and I want to populate it with some unique landscapes, ruins, rock formations, locations, etc... I have the ones currently relevant to the high-level story arc, but I want some other stuff in there too to make the world interesting and feeling more "real". Something more for the characters to interact with.

So what have you created for your worlds? What great ideas are sitting in your craniums just waiting to be used?

Thanks!
 

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You could start with cairns and Carlin Stones and explore a few links from there.

Or take a few cues from the 3.5e DMG II: "Locations of power can be used for various purposes within a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Some, such as the earth nodes described in the FORGOTTEN REALMS product Underdark, might serve as sites for the working of especially powerful magic. Others, such as the planar touchstones described in Planar Handbook, might unlock potential advancement opportunities or special abilities in characters. Still others, such as the rune circles described in Races of Stone, could allow PCs to create permanent magical effects bound to tightly confined areas. But as compelling as those ideas are, at least one interesting concept for magical locations remains unexplored - that of a location imbued with magical power that is available for the taking." - pg. 235

Similar references exist in descriptions of Incarnum Terrain (Magic of Incarnum), Magical Locations as Treasure (Complete Mage), and Tainted Locations (Heroes of Horror), to name a few.
 

It sounds like your campaign is more low magic, is that right? Here are a few ideas that might be useful. Good luck!


1. the ruins of a supposed wizards tower that the locals burned to the ground

2. the ruins of an abandoned monastery that was destroyed when an invading army came through during a previous war

3. as small isolated and remote village where the people are dedicated to a specific god, which would most likely be found heretical to the majority religion of the more civilized areas

4. a hill or plateau that is seen as a holy site where a prophet or other significant religious (or political) figure gave an important speech, had an important revelation or vision, or died; perhaps a benefit from being here?

5. a field where a massive battle occurred that is generally avoided due to the people thinking it is haunted and it is bad luck to go there; perhaps it is?

6. a site high in the mountains or other related place where one can commune with a specific deity - high windswept and stormy mountain top for Zeus, etc.... perhaps protected by its adherents or divinely placed protectors

7. a cave or other even above ground location where 2 gods supposedly battled where magic (divine and/or arcane) does not function, and/or perhaps worshipers or a specific god gain a boon and another gain a hindrance

8. a random cave where there is a hermit of sorts who is protecting a secret of the gods or of a local king, etc... Perhaps only the special or chosen may enter after being tested...
 

Real places that can be placed any where:

  • Screaming Tunnel of the Niagara Falls
  • The landscape of Akita Japan
  • Gravity Hill, PA -- Think armored Knights being pulled up a hill!
  • The Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland
  • Canals

Just search on strange places.
 


Interesting stuff. Thanks all.

And FreeXenon, it's not a low magic campaign. But I'm definitely not averse to fear of or descrimination towards magic users.
 

Go to the Cartographers' Guild - The Front Page as your best source for fantasy maps, geography and geology. Lots of cool varieties of land forms and interesting locations, literally thousands of maps (world maps, regionals, city maps, local area maps, encounter scale maps, dungeon maps)

Plus over 200 map making tutorials, monthly contests, etc. Lots of opportunity to learn all things fantasy mapping. Plus all the top industry pros are members, as well as developers of map applications, fantasy authors and game developers.

I think you'll better and a wider variety of answers there.

GP
 

Get any good picture book of the world's exotic terrain.

Amp it up to 11.

Sooner or latter, my PC's are going to find themselves inMadasgascar's Stone Forest, for example.

Sooner than that, they are likely to find themselves in complex of caves inspired by Holl o Boardie and Painted Cave.
 
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And FreeXenon, it's not a low magic campaign.
Gotcha... in that case

1. Fey crossing or other place where interplanar boundaries are weak where the environment reflects (greatly or lightly) the weakened boundary.

2. Floating elemental motes perhaps with varying gravity as well. Perhaps there is a villain or creature who is very familiar with the area and uses its knowledge against the PC's as they pursue it. Or perhaps the McGuffin is there.

3. an area with villages/temple/castle built into several buttes and connected with bridges. The tops could be used for a battle ground or a stable for flying mounts or pets.

4. a large smooth crater where a village or town lives. They have pets or a food source that burrows into the craters surface - weevils or something larger....

5. a massive statue of a long dead creature with hand/paw extended and open, holding a blue flame that could be seen for several miles.

6. a village or other site that should be there is gone and replaced by another interplanar location, environment and all, perhaps due to weak planar boundaries

7. what seems to be a small lake which floats several feet above the semi-flat country side; almost as if the lake was transported wholly from somewhere else and it just levitates there like it was normal
 

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