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If your characters are exploring a big, empty area of your game world, or you are choosing a place for an existing settlement, a random terrain list adds more fun. This is in addition to existing pathfinder tables. Some entries enable you to add an additional feature. There should be advantages and drawbacks. Some can shift the domant race in a settlement away from human. Add entries as you like. You can be silly but use enough rules crunch to keep it playable.
Normally in one mile hexagons, these can be drawn from a deck or dice rolled while exploring. They can also be used to modify a settlement, ruins, or other selected adventure destination.
1: Normal terrain. There are trees, and plants, and rocks and things. Open sky above. There is dirt, rocks, and then eventually bedrock beneath. This is the default. If another terrain doesn’t mention something, that part is like this. If a town is built here, no terrain modifiers.
[/b]2: Cavern beneath.[/b] Not very good for farms because the water table is messed up.
If a town is built there it should be in the cavern. Dwarves, Drow, Darklings, and other subterranean creatures are likely living there.
If no settlement, 1-2 Empty, 3-4 monster lair, 5 ruins, 6 town-anyways. There’s a secret door leading down. If there’s something like an ancient dragon down there the door is too big and heavy for normal characters to lift.
Subterranean
The settlement is primarily built underground, sheltering it from enemies but also isolating it culturally. (Law +1, Lore -1, Danger -5)
Source: Down the Blighted Path
3: Floating land mass above. Instead of plants there are mushrooms and other fungi. . May be hidden by clouds. May have an engine to move it.
Any town or city is built on the landmass
Military +4 because they have the high ground.
If no settlement, 1-2 Empty, 3-4 monster lair(Cloud Giants), 5 ruins, 6 town-anyways.
4: Hyperspace off ramp. Space is stretched thin above the terrain so this is the easiest place for space ships to arrive. Farms will have crop circles. Flying things will disappear. Things will fall out of the sky.
If settlement, +4 commerce, -4 law and order, +4 danger(Space monsters)
5: Ruins. Ancient, abandoned buildings.
If settlement, it’s built on top of the ruins creating a ready made dungeon. Add a quality for the dungeon. Either famous or more high level characters, among others.
If no settlement, It’s over grown and the lair for some monsters. It attracts archeologists. +4 to rituals performed here because of lay lines intersecting here.
6: Planar intersection The walls between the planes are weakest here. Paranormal activity of all kinds will be more common. Outsiders will be on the wandering encounter tables.
If settlement, Merchants and diplomats will protect their gates from being closed.
If no settlement, flora and fauna from any other planes will be growing wild. There may be shrines for deities from the Dark Tapestry.
7: Built on top of a prison(Don't wake the Terask!) There is an entire dungeon blocking the door to a prison of a terrible god or Mythic monster. It could be the Terask, Fenris, some other elder beast, a demigod undead, or a False God Lamia.
If settlement, the prison is a secret. There are 2 organizations. One dedicated to keeping the prison sealed, and another to freeing the prisoner. The citizens may be feeling the curse, having nightmares, or even dealing with monsters called to by the prisoner.
If no settlement, there is still a lost temple on top of the entrance to the dungeon. It will have hieroglyphics on the standing walls warning of the prisoner. There may be guardian monsters, and items useful against the type of creature. The flora and fauna may be withered or twisted by the imprisoned creature.
8: Resident deity(or 2) Some demigods and titans never leave the world. The area is colored and affected by their domains. They usually live in a grand palace, temple, or lush grotto.
If settlement: +4 clerical magic. -4 arcane.
No settlement: All the plants, animals, and monsters that the deity favors. Majestic, for example, would live atop a tall, sheer, mountain. As you can tell, I am adding in my randomly created deity.
9: Played out mineMost of the hex is taken up by an ugly, deep, strip mine. It either drains out into aquifers, or filled up with stagnant water.
If settlement: The few remaining residents live in old buildings on the edge. Economy -4 The do whatever they can to survive. Law -4. If dry, the bottom of the mine is the perfect place for a goblin village.
No settlement: Any remaining villagers are disabled or crazy and couldn't leave. Only monsters willingly live here. May be a full on ghost town. Almost no normal flora or fauna.
10:Lake 1-entire hev, 2-4 hexes, 3-9 hexes, 4-several small, connected, lakes in one hex.
If settlement: it can be floating on the lake, aquatic creatures living on the lake bottom, or a town built on the edge of the lake and on piers stretching out over the lake surface. +1 income from fishing. -1 law from smuggling. Water magic +2. Fire magic -2.
No settlement: Still some fishermen and their families. At least one lake monster. May be an entire submerged dungeon, ruins, or a shipwreck.
11 Enchanted Forest This forest has an abundance of lush vegetation, much of the larger trees are covered in moss. A low mist clings to the ground and swirls when a creature passes through it. Streams and pools are clear, cool and refreshing.
Fey are much more common here. As are treants/awakened trees and awakened animals that speak Sylvan.
+2 to nature-based magic. Specific pools might harbor magical effects that are imbued upon those who drink from them. Hunting the animals here or starting a fire will grant immediate retribution from the natives. But if the land and creature's are respected, native's attitude is automatically one category more favorable than usual when using the diplomacy skill.
12 River The river takes up most of the hex. It continues to the left and right, normally. It will not encroach on already explored land so it might be the elbow in a bend in the river.
If settlement: It can be clustered on one or both sides. It involves docks, boat houses, piers, and possibly a bridge. An aquatic settlement may be located on the river bottom, with the current keeping it clean. +1 income from fishing. -1 law from smuggling. Water magic +2. Fire magic -2. +3 trade.
No settlement: Possibly bridge with trolls. May be an isolated fishing family. Crossing the river may mess up pursuit. Animals and monsters will come down to the river to drink and hunt. River monsters are a possibility. May be an entire submerged dungeon, ruins, or a shipwreck.
13 Underground Neighbors
The location is above a series of tunnels and/or caves (natural or artificial). The denizens may be wild creatures or sapient beings.
(Sorry if this is too short or vague.)
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13 Underground Neighbors
The location is above a series of tunnels and/or caves (natural or artificial). The denizens may be wild creatures or sapient beings.(Sorry if this is too short or vague.)
Sounds like a natural dungeon.
If settlement: +2 danger and magic.
No settlement: +2 chance for wandering monsters. Explorers can find the door to the dungeon with tracking or spotting secret doors.
14: Canyon Like a river, but it is mostly empty of water. Interesting features can be a rickety rope bridge, a stream running the length, ruins built into the canyon walls, or even dinosaurs trapped within. The canyon continues 1D6 hexes to the right and left.
If settlement: Possibly a lost civilization living at the bottom or in caves along the canyon walls. Danger +4. Economy -2. Law and order +2.
No settlement: Lots of interesting flora, fauna, and monsters. Getting trapped here can often prevent extinction or allow unusual evolutions.
15: Deep Forrest If mapped, just show the various paths. Animals live in or on the trees. There is usually a mix of hardwoods and pines. Usually only 1-4 small clearings. Only native life such as treants can get around at full speed. The terrain is broken for all else.
If settlement: Possibly under siege from the displaced creatures when all the trees were cut down.
No settlement: See above. Note that such a place makes very poor farmland as the soil and drainage are much better for trees.
A settlement built around a crossroads has +4 economy and -4 law and order.
A directional sign pointing down is a sign that your crossroads devil comes here some midnights. They are summoned by burying a box of valuables along with a parchment with a summoning script on it, among other things.
Go to the crossroads.
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&a mp;ie=UTF-8#q=crossroads%20demon%20lore
17:Pine barrens The pine trees are close together. Natural creatures or classes with forrest walk can travel unimpeded. All others treat it as broken terrain.
If Settlement: No adjustments because all the trees were cut down.
No settlement: The soil is too poor to farm for long. It can be farmed for wood. Unless a clearing is created, campfires are ill advised.
18:Marsh The whole place is like quicksand interrupted by trees and waterways.
If Settlement: You would have to pave it over, possibly with wall spells. The drainage is bad, possibly flooding when it rains. Any dungeon is underwater. May be a floating town.
No settlement: Probably gators, frog creatures, and or lizardmen. Some orchids grow on willows or cypress.
Yeah I just did it for temperate normal. You would need a whole nother table for dessert, ocean, tundra, tropical, ect. Since they are one mile hexes, a lake, river, or small mountain range is more believable. The baseline is trees, plants, rocks and things. For a dessert, the baseline would be sand. A dessert isn't going to start unless that is indicated on your world map.
Isolated mesas or mountains are part of the reason american indians thought the world was made by gods. Scientists usually blame erosion, plate tectonics, and glaciers. Using a deck of cards is better than just rolling dice because then the same thing won't occur too many times.
My spell checker doesn't flag that. I meant Desert. A one mile hex of Candyland is a completely valid option.
Another possible reason is an overlap with the elemental plane of sugars. Spells and professions that deal with candy or confection baking are at +2 levels.
20: The sandbox
The hex is full of sand down to the bedrock. To contain this curse, there is a low wall that comes out only 2 feet above the surface and has runes inscribed in it's surface. Plants are cactuses and even tumbleweeds. Animals will be lizards and such.
If settlement: Stone buildings around a well. Economy -4.
No settlement: Just the sort of plants and animals you would expect in a desert. May be a small oasis in the middle.
21:Big stone arch
This place seems totally normal except for the big stone arch in the middle. It should be about ten feet wide and 15 feet tall. Note that the runes carved in it are the names of all the planes of the multiverse. The only way to make it work is to strike a tuning fork on it. The gate will remain open till the sound dies down. The fork type will control which plane is opened to. An iron tuning fork quenched in blood opens to the Land of the Dead. Please give me a link to the forks and planes. Unlike the gate spell, anything near the arch might step through, not just whoever you call. Such "summoned" outsiders can be banished, or simply slain home. Second generation creatures may be exempt to banishing.
If settlement: The mayor or whoever will certainly be controlling access to this resource.
No Settlement: Several plants and animals from other planes will be about, particularly near the arch. Some monsters such as Hell Hounds or Phase Spiders might be about. The GM can leave specific tuning forks near the arch.
22:Churchyard
There is a small hill with a decrepit church surrounded by a graveyard. There is a path through the grave yard that leads to the busted doors of the church. (For some sick irony, make it a church of Aroden.) Mad, defrocked, cleric optional.
DM notes: Only the path and inside the church are still hallowed ground. The graveyard is specially cursed that anything buried there will rise as an undead. I anyone wonders into the yard looking for certain tombstones, they will encounter level appropriate undead, bursting out of the graves. There's space for more graves if you need to get clues from dead people that desperately.
If settlement: Built around the base of the hill. There is a special wall built to keep the residents in.
If no settlement: The fence around it is falling down in places. The dead will later come stalking the party.:)
23:Thunder Mountain
Have a fun geological discussion why there is one mountain without a mountain range. It may involve erosion and glaciers. In any case, it's partially mined out and contains goblins making gunpowder. Every once in a while, there is an explosion.
GM notes: Drow are directing hobgoblins in this project. The young goblins and a few parents live in huts at the base of the mountain. The goblins will not discuss their names but will yell "BOOM!"when asked the name of the tribe. They will sell or trade gunpowder.
If settlement: Many if not all citizens will be goblinoids. Probably a few high level human gunsmiths.+4 economy. -4 law.
If no settlement: Just some goblin huts with a hobgoblin foreman in a piecemeal house. There are some charcoal kilns. Animals are perpetually spooked. Some areas are marred by sulphur runoff.
24:Pyramid
Sort of overgrown, this massive stone wonder is partially overgrown.
GM notes: Yes there are mummies, traps, and treasures. The secret entrance is really an entrance/exit for undead and cultists.
If settlement: Built around the pyramid, the pharaoh cult has their secret headquarters in town. There may be a library and museum, due to the presents of ruins.
If no settlement: There are other ruins from the time of the Pharaohs. One of them might be the entrance to the underground lair of the cult.
26:Ridge
A line of hexes full of hills, then a line of small mountains, then hills again. They extend either way 2D6 hexes, rolled once each side.
If settlement: Usually in the valley between 2 mountains. Economy is +2, danger is +2. Trade and minerals are abundant. The settlement can just be placed in the major mountain range in the area.
If no settlement: A path between mountains is called a pass. There will be flying and cave dwelling monsters. Some humanoids may set up an illegal toll booth. May be gangs of bandits living in caves like the hole in the wall gang.
27:Rare Materials
Ordinary except for a rare raw material. There could be eternal life orchids growing on one type of tree. There could be a mithril vein beneath. It might be minks are the dominant predator. Whatever makes for the best aspect of the plot.
If settlement: The town is economy +4 because of the resource. Also magic +4 because of the arms race between the security and thieves guilds.
If no settlement: The adventures can find the resource and start a "gold" rush.
28:Crater
A crater almost a mile wide. Make the right knowledge checks to tell that a meteor fell here touching off a lava flow partially filling the crater. There are shards of meteoric iron and uncut diamonds far beneath the rich volcanic soil.
If settlement: Economy +2 and magic +2
If no settlement: Lots of flora and fauna. There may be altars of star stone cults.
29:In the Trenches
The east and west ends of the hex are striped with trenches, perpetually filled with mists. Magic, treasure, evil, and undead are all detectable in the trenches. Knowledge history: 15: The battle of trenches was fought here, 20: The 2 kingdoms involved ran out of troops and were defenseless to takeover by other kingdoms. 25: The few survivors buried their dead in a few trenches and went mercenary.(All the trenches are now open). Knowledge religion: 20: Mist Lurkers are intangible undead that can create mists and other haunts. They feed on fear but rely on other monsters to cause real harm. Darkvision will see through their mists.
GM notes: The monsters collect treasure and magic items to lure in potential victims. It's hard to tell the vague shapes of long dead soldiers from actual monsters. Normal light sources light up the mists causing a nightmarish glow in which only vague shapes can be made out within 10 feet.
If settlement: The mist filled underworld causes a tourist attraction. Danger +4 because the monsters sneak up to hunt.
If no settlement: Stock it like a dungeon. If you allow firearms there will be only a few dead musketeers. Only the most recent 2 will still have their firearms and ammo. For added fun, the skeletal warriors are still trying to fire at each other as a haunt.
30:Time warps
There are portals to other ages of history here.
For example...Dungeon of the Ages. It seems to just be an area of ruins. Then they go through a doorway into a greco roman temple complex complete with an arena. Then there is another door, beyond which is the inside of a pharaoh's pyramid. Farther on there is a tunnel entrance to a cave age area where primitive cave men are being invaded by couatls, celestials, elves, and other advanced races from the sky. If they dare go further they will end up in the age of Dinosaurs.
They can turn back at any time, and return later, because these warps are here permanently.
Futureland. Nearby is a cinder block warehouse with a cloaked door in the back that leads to an old west general store in a town rife with outlaws and gunslingers. In the jail there is a strange metal security door that leads into a modern office building. In the cellar is a secure door with a keypad that if picked leads to a domed, automated, seemingly abandoned city in the Spacefinder game. Outside the dome is an inhospitable wasteland with mutant plants and animals adapted to the poisonous atmosphere.
If settlement: The portals are in doors, possibly locked or secret. Both magic and technology are at +6.
If no settlement: There are ruins and archways. A portal might be in the back of a cave.
31: Volcano
It's still smoking. Climb into the top and you can find sulphur, some diamonds, and a small lava pool. You can carve an entire dungeon out of a volcano.
If settlement: There is a cult of volcano worshippers who are unwittingly feeding a red dragon who lives in the volcano. There is probably a big fire elemental lurking in the lava. +2 economy and fire magic.
If no settlement: More unharvested diamonds, sulphur, and fire based monsters. At the base of the volcano is rich soil.
32:Bump
The land is bumpy. There are large rocks under the topsoil.
If settlement: Most, if not all the streets, are bumpy allowing fast vehicles to "catch some air".
If no settlement: Aside from the paths being "broken" slowing most movement, it's pretty normal.
33: Blighted Land
Anything living here long enough is sickly and/or actually undead. Settlements will be rapidly abandoned if founded. Undead creatures may harrass settlements in surrounding hexes.
34: Blessed Land
The grass is greener, the lambs are fatter, the cow's milk is tastier. Only some people will live there though, others always move on for some reason.
If settlement: Economy +2 Law +2, but it won't grow further.
If no settlement: It's a beautiful, safe place. Founding a settlement effectively requires finding out what the 'chosen people' are.
35: Dead Magic
Only artifacts and extraordinary powers will function here. There will be a buried ruin in the center. If dug up, the evidence of a ritual are there. There are candleholders, the bones of a sacrificed lamb, gems turned to glass, and lead that used to be precious metals. Magical creatures will avoid this place. Any cursed item can be removed here.
If settlement: -4 magic items. Most residents will be escaping a curse, possibly lycanthropy.
If no settlement: Abandoned curse items will be here.
Just a thought Goth but that bumpy land (32) would be terrible for horticulture and not good for raising animals - you'd need less productive animals like goats or highland sheep rather than lowland cattle or horses or similar. Some sort of penalty to economy might be in order. On the other hand it'd be easier than normal to make fortifications.
36: Riotous Growth
Plants grow fast and wild here, eliminating tracks and slowing travel. Terrain is difficult at best.
If settlement: Economy +2, Law -2 as it makes a good place to hide from the outside world as well as a good place to grow unusual crops.
If no settlement: Plant monsters are certain, bandits are likely. The terrain is very difficult if there's any excuse at all.
Just a thought Goth but that bumpy land (32) would be terrible for horticulture and not good for raising animals - you'd need less productive animals like goats or highland sheep rather than lowland cattle or horses or similar. Some sort of penalty to economy might be in order. On the other hand it'd be easier than normal to make fortifications.
Agreed. -2 economy, +2 defense.
38:Well of Life
Beneath a worn down mountain with copper veins in it is a chamber with a pool of primordial soup. It has been mistaken for a god named Abhoth by primitives. A stream of magma, a stream of water, and occasional jolts of lightning has resulted in random DNA and RNA. There are multiple creatures growing, competing, and evolving in this soup. Some have crawled out and are living on the land.
There are mutant plants and animals as well as interesting aberrations.
If Settlement: +2 crime and magic because any who look upon the thing gain madness and mythos, about 1-6 of each.
If no Settlement: There will be ruins where random monsters drove the intelligent creatures away.
In Call of Cthulhu, they have numbers representing how insane and how well versed in magic a character is.
The Well of Life is the embodiment of accidental genesis. The observer quickly starts to doubt all laws of Gods and science.
39:Outdoor Dungeon
See my topic elsewhere, 100+ Outdoor Places.
If Settlement: Pathfinderville, a town populated by uplifted animals, is situated in the middle.
If no Settlement:Roll areas exactly as listed.
Huge, involved things, belong here. Not in a mile wide outdoor dungeon.
40:Forrest of Suicides
There have been so many suicides that the ghosts try to possess intruders and force them to kill themselves as well. You get a second will save as this is something your character might not normally do.
If Settlement: Small due to the number of suicides. Only those with high will saves manage to survive.
If no settlement: There are many corpses to loot so foolish npcs keep coming here and usually not making it out. Ghosts common, Treasure +4 personal.
GM Notes: To lift this curse you must find the central ghosts, a couple who were trying to elope and their families caught up with them on either side. When they slit their throats, the feuding families ran away in horror. If you can end the feud and give the couple a proper burial, you can lift the curse.
41:Mesa
Flat on top, but about 1D6 miles tall. The whole hex was pushed up somehow. There may be dwellings, stairs, and or tunnels carved into the side of this column of rock.
If settlement: On top. Might be lost civilization that fled here because it was more easily defended. +4 law and order. +4 all attempts to defend.
If no settlement: May be ruins on top or in the side.
42:Ring of Rings. There is a ring of massive metal rings. These rings all lead to and from different places. There are 30 now, but more have been known to mysteriously appear at the whim of the gods(GM). See page 267 of Occult Adventures.
Resources: You cam travel to any module or adventure that the GM has chosen to add to your game.
If settlement: Peddlers and diplomats can travel to and from foreign lands increasing economy +2.
If no settlement:Some invasive species such as Racoon Dogs and "Japanese" Beetles may be in the area.
43:Radiant Land
On the edge they must fort save D15 or be sickened. If they fail the save they get 1-2)a mutation and a defect, coming in over 24 hours. 3-4)Cancer, which develops over months. Each month sick they take 1 con damage and 1-8 internal damage from growing tumors. 5-6)Just radiation sickness, which keeps them sickened as long as they are in the area. Mutants will not be affected thus, and may have their mutations regenerated. Androids may have parts of their memory erased. The farther they go in, the higher the DC becomes.
At the center of the area is an abandoned mine. At night a yellow glow emanates. It's a uranium mine. Inside bleach the bones of prospectors who discovered that in the mine there is no save. The wandering monsters include a pack of double dogs. Double dogs are wolves that have 2 heads and get 2 bite/trip attacks. There are 4 in the hunting pack. The rest of the wandering monsters are likewise mutants.
If settlement: all are mutants or have built up a tolerance. Trade -4. Health -2.
If no settlement: Just twisted plants and mutant animals.
Most plants are kind of dumb. Goblins will kill themselves with fire and may start wildfires in the process. Thus the happening is usually ended by a dry spell and wildfires. Then the area is taken over by plants that do well in burned out areas. Unicorns and Treants usually leave at the first whiff of suicide plants. Some cults of Rovagug actually propagate and spread these plants trying to end all life. Rovagug blesses the cult leaders with immunity to the spores.
45:Village of the dead
There are about a hundred little white houses, but they are actually small crypts. There was an actual town but it was devastated by plague.
If settlement:-4 health, +4 undead encounters.
If no settlement: Still have the town in the land of the dead.
46: Spider Infestation
Normal spider as well as giant spiders, ettercaps and spider-like monsters, this place is haunted by them. This could be because of a curse, cult for Mazmezz or Atlach-Nacha or even Jorogumos- but nevertheless, it's not a nice place to inhabit.
Fits best on forests, marsh and plain hexes.
For Settlement: Unless it's a settlement for a race that gets along with spiders (Drow, Jorogumos, Mitfits)- Danger +4, Economy -4, with serious problems maintaining the settlement (probably resulting in a very small settlement). If it is a settlement of such race, Danger +1 and Crime +2.
Without Settlement: Exploring through the area would probably result in an encounter with a swarm of spiders or a spider monster. Without a very good source of protection, anyone who moves through the area is exposed to Medium Giant Spider poison. Anyone who sleeps in the area is exposed to the poison 3 times.
Just a thought Goth but that bumpy land (32) would be terrible for horticulture and not good for raising animals - you'd need less productive animals like goats or highland sheep rather than lowland cattle or horses or similar. Some sort of penalty to economy might be in order. On the other hand it'd be easier than normal to make fortifications.
36: Riotous Growth
Plants grow fast and wild here, eliminating tracks and slowing travel. Terrain is difficult at best.If settlement: Economy +2, Law -2 as it makes a good place to hide from the outside world as well as a good place to grow unusual crops.
If no settlement: Plant monsters are certain, bandits are likely. The terrain is very difficult if there's any excuse at all.
Riotous growth means its +4 on survival or search to find specific plants or outdoor objects.
47: Hot Springs
Deep magma causes ground water to bubble to the surface. The heated mineral waters cause any who bathe in them to heal at an accelerated rate. Healing magic of all kinds(including raise dead or resurrection spells) are +3.
If settlement: Bath houses will be built around the springs causing +4 economy.
No settlement: Animals and monsters will live longer from bathing in the waters. More pack leaders and possibly monsters guarding one or more hot springs.
49.Dark Forest
There is a permanent darkness spell on the entire area. There is a 3 foot thick wall of deeper darkness around the edge.
If settlement: Drow, Morlocks, dark stalkers, albinos, vampires, ext.
No Settlement: All the plants are blue, not green. They thrive on ultra violet. There is also mushrooms and other funguses.