MaxKaladin
First Post
My players have set out for a new area of the campaign world in search of a long lost repository of magical knowledge. The spot I've chosen to place their goal is a large, as yet unnamed, 'island' on the western edge of the 'known world'. I've included a pretty lengthy description at the end of the message and can put up an unfinished map after work if there is sufficient interest.
I'm fishing for ideas for populating the island. It's about 100 by 300 miles and I envision it being a wild and unsettled place for the most part. The only established fact is that there is a version of Freeport on the eastern end. I've not decided if I'll use the published Freeport or go ahead and make my own. In either case, it's a pirate haven and a port where all sorts of business that would otherwise be illegal is conducted. That's pretty much it's only purpose as it's off the normal trade routes and isn't really a source for goods itself. I figure Freeport will have some surrounding villages for food and other materials and that various successful pirate lords and other criminal types might have settled up and down the nearby coast carving out their own little enclaves on the island, but that's about it. The rest of the island is undeveloped.
At this point I'm fishing for ideas about what to put out there. I want more than a random encounter table. I have vague ideas about elvish and hobgoblin settlements locked in perpetual warfare. Maybe the whole island is a network of human-demihuman-humanoid tribal territories. Perhaps the odd cult has an outpost. Perhaps wizards seeking privacy or terribly powerful monsters who have carved out their own territory. Whatever it is has to be tough enough that the interior wouldn't be heavily settled but not so tough as to wipe out a group of (approximately when they get there) 6-7th level characters.
Thanks
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Physically, the island is about 300 miles long east-west and about 100 north south. It has a number of good, sheltered harbors scattered around its coasts. The largest are on the east coast and the northwest coast are really large bays a dozen miles or more across with multiple anchorages along them. (The island was part of a map generated by Fractal Terrains from Profantasy so there is a lot of pre-made coastline and elevation detail.) To the west is open ocean. A few other islands lie in that direction, most prominent being the near-legendary final refuge of the Gaelish (celtic) people. To the south is the campaign's version of Africa. To the North is open ocean, though after a thousand miles or more you eventually hit Thule (Scandinavia). To the east is, most prominently the Tarantine Empire (Rome/Byzantium) and the rest of civilization (all of it a few hundred miles away). There are hills running north south about a hundred miles from the east coast and east west about 50-75 miles from the north coast. There are a number of inland lakes, including a large one about 30-40 miles across near the south shore. The island lies at about 32 degrees north latitude. Thus, I picture a near-subtropical climate and forests rather than jungles covering much of the island.
I'm fishing for ideas for populating the island. It's about 100 by 300 miles and I envision it being a wild and unsettled place for the most part. The only established fact is that there is a version of Freeport on the eastern end. I've not decided if I'll use the published Freeport or go ahead and make my own. In either case, it's a pirate haven and a port where all sorts of business that would otherwise be illegal is conducted. That's pretty much it's only purpose as it's off the normal trade routes and isn't really a source for goods itself. I figure Freeport will have some surrounding villages for food and other materials and that various successful pirate lords and other criminal types might have settled up and down the nearby coast carving out their own little enclaves on the island, but that's about it. The rest of the island is undeveloped.
At this point I'm fishing for ideas about what to put out there. I want more than a random encounter table. I have vague ideas about elvish and hobgoblin settlements locked in perpetual warfare. Maybe the whole island is a network of human-demihuman-humanoid tribal territories. Perhaps the odd cult has an outpost. Perhaps wizards seeking privacy or terribly powerful monsters who have carved out their own territory. Whatever it is has to be tough enough that the interior wouldn't be heavily settled but not so tough as to wipe out a group of (approximately when they get there) 6-7th level characters.
Thanks
==========
Physically, the island is about 300 miles long east-west and about 100 north south. It has a number of good, sheltered harbors scattered around its coasts. The largest are on the east coast and the northwest coast are really large bays a dozen miles or more across with multiple anchorages along them. (The island was part of a map generated by Fractal Terrains from Profantasy so there is a lot of pre-made coastline and elevation detail.) To the west is open ocean. A few other islands lie in that direction, most prominent being the near-legendary final refuge of the Gaelish (celtic) people. To the south is the campaign's version of Africa. To the North is open ocean, though after a thousand miles or more you eventually hit Thule (Scandinavia). To the east is, most prominently the Tarantine Empire (Rome/Byzantium) and the rest of civilization (all of it a few hundred miles away). There are hills running north south about a hundred miles from the east coast and east west about 50-75 miles from the north coast. There are a number of inland lakes, including a large one about 30-40 miles across near the south shore. The island lies at about 32 degrees north latitude. Thus, I picture a near-subtropical climate and forests rather than jungles covering much of the island.
