Let’s Make a Hexcrawl Setting

[Daztur]

Oh, one last connection for Nine Finger Stew (see above). Grimvlech the Smiler (15.11) was one of those shepherds come down from the mountains. Strangely enough he still had all of his fingers when the apes ate him.

This one's inspired by the oglaf.com web-comic (NSFW).

The Head of House Brucoloc
Additional information about Hex 14.27

Many Lords Sanguine have quested for the Iron Crown of Gore (14.27.01) but Anselm Brucoloc (08.21) knew that he would be the one to recover it and reign as a new High King. After all, he had gained the gift of immortality and, not being a fool, made sure to acquire imperviousness to aging as well.

But, sadly enough, Anselm is not impervious to injury and managed to lose all of his body while searching through the dungeons beneath Ogo Tassak (14.27). All that remains of him is a still-living head that lies covered in dust in a forgotten corner of a side room. As he does not have any lungs, he is only capable of speech if someone blows through his severed trachea. He would be most pleased with anyone who could provide him with regeneration magic. Until then, he'll lie in his corner and twitch his lips.

Connection:
-After long years of lying still, Anselm's hearing has grown keep indeed and he can hear the echoes in the earth, even those of the dwarves who beat their hammers in deep carverns to send messages reverberating from vault to vault of the Hoard (33.00).

Hooks:
-How did Anselm gain immunity to death and aging?
-What happened to his body?

 

[Electric Wizard]

Twin Towns of Olgam and Oskill (9.24)

The Horde (33.00) sent dwarves to colonize the metal-rich southern hills of Gore when the Lords Sanguine withdrew from the region. However, they found themselves competing with migrants from Ninbolm (5.24) seeking freedom from the Heirophant's tyranny. The two races were loath to both fight or yield the best land, so they agreed to establish towns inside two opposing hills. The situation was complicated when their tunnels became intersected or intertwined. The two races stood on the brink of open war when Old Black (13.24) flew over the valley and decimated them.

The few who fled the dragon still dwell in the deep tunnels. Since the attack twenty years ago, the two races have put aside their differences for the sake of survival. Without patrols, the tunnels have become haunts for ghouls that wandered north from the waste. Sulgrim's troll knights (8.21) have also made successful forays into the ruins. Sulgrim hopes to drive out the dwarves, gnomes and ghouls and use the mines to strengthen his grip over southern Gore. And although no one knows it, Old Black is stirring again...

Connections
-The valley is the seldom-used pass that connects Gore and the Singing Waste.

Hooks
-What metals were mined here?
-How did the dwarves manage to trade with the Horde? Their path is long and perilous.
-Tell me about some interesting characters who live in the ruins.
-How did the ghouls find their way into the tunnels?

 

[Daztur]

Ten hexes left to add.

 

[Daztur]

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6z-iUIH4P8aM1NDa0lRRDR2aWc/edit?usp=sharing

I shrunk the art resolution down so now you can view it online without downloading the beast.

Well this beast is finally done. The file is a lot longer now (419 pages, wow) largely due to having much much more art. ALL of the old hexes have art and most of the new ones (except the ones added in the last few pages). Some of the art isn't great or is a bit off topic but there's a lot of awesome stuff in there and I'll do another sweep eventually adding in new art for new hexes and replacing old art with better art.

OK, the next thing to do is bring the map up to date and fix a small error in it and bring the spreadsheet of hexes up to do date.

Then what next? You guys want me to work on bringing the whole compilation over into the kind of format Sanglorian is doing with Thring and Gore (plus adding page references and hyperlinks to make the whole thing much easier to navigate) or work on a gazette?

I think I will have to stop using word soon, the sheer size of the word document (202 megs at the moment) is making it unstable and prone to crashing and freezing. If it gets much longer word just won't work with editing it unless I take all of the art out.

Oh and Sanglorian, I really should've mentioned this before but I love your Sanguine Lords poem very very much. Just the sort of thing the setting needs. I'll include it as part of the message when I spam the new version around forums, Google+, Facebook etc.

 

[Electric Wizard]

Grimeswood (05.10)

A small half-orc clan dwells in these woods. They call themselves the Grimes, and they do their best to live up to their names. They sleep alongside their goats and shun bathing. Those with keen noses can sense their presence from faraway. Clan elders proudly maintain bird's nests in their matted hair. The Grimes offer reasonable hospitality to anyone who can tolerate their stench and their shocking religious proclivities.

The clan believes their hygienic habits prevent them from being eaten by the Snake God (6.10), whom they feed human sacrifices. They are not particularly malevolent, and try to find sacrifices that are either condemned or deserve death. Grimes haunt The Cross (2.11) or search for bandits or outlaws in the Westmarches. Those seeking outlaws often start their inquiries at Uncle Bertie's Trading Post (3.08). The Grimes justify their actions by saying that failing to feed the Snake God will make him ravenous and desperate enough to break free and spread havoc.

Hooks
-Where did the Grimes come from?
-Why will the Snake God not eat the Grimes? Are they just that filthy, or is it something else?
-What do the Grimes consider death-worthy?
-Who collaborates with them?
-Who have they fed to the Snake God? Who are they about to sacrifice?
-Will the Snake God really break free if he is not fed regularly?

 

[Sanglorian]

This one's inspired by the oglaf.com web-comic (NSFW).

I remember that one!

Thanks for the kind words about the Sanguine Lords poem.

 

[Daztur]

New map, will make updated spreadsheet shortly: http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/1543/april11map.png

 

[Daztur]

Here we go: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6z-iUIH4P8aeU1WYWhqNktBSjA/edit?usp=sharing

New spreadsheet with new hexes.

 

[Daztur]

Inspired by Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

The Cup of the Doge
Additional information about Hex 29.14

Metallic dragons cannot be found on this side of the World's Edge, but the Doge of the City of the Shuttered Windows drinks his bloodied wine chilled from a cup fashioned from the scale of a gold dragon. As everyone knows, gold dragons are fire made flesh and must draw in heat to survive. A careful man may note a chill on the wind and know that a gold dragon has stolen its heat and lakes in which the dragons swim ice over in mid summer. As a result, they grow sluggish and lethargic in winter and their scales make excellent drink coolers.

Many in the City seek to ape the Doge's fashion and secure gold dragon scales of their own or better yet the breath of a silver dragon that is said to be able to dissolve curses and banish sorceries.

Hooks:
-Why aren't there any metallic dragons around?
-What is bloodied wine? Is it sangria?
-How do gold dragons get enough heat to last through the winter? I suppose the sweltering heat of the jungles beyond the World's Edge help. Do they hibernate?
-What do silver dragon scales do? Do they draw on light or moonlight?
-Can silver dragon breath really negate magic?

 

[Electric Wizard]

I just looked at the new map alongside the latest compilation and couldn't help but feel proud of all the work we've done brainstorming, writing and formatting this project. I love how the internet can link up people around the world who can donate their free time to make something creative and worthwhile.
#Selfcongratulatingnocontentpost