One of my
pet projects since I started playing the game. Has been random terrain
generation. The tables in the 1e DMG, are ok. Not exactly what I was looking
for, but they do exist. There are tons of random map generators online, most of
them are for dungeons. The few that exist for terrain generation are
sortaokmaybenotsomuch. They are missing something vital to outdoor exploration.
Most of them, that I have found, lack any sort of table that will give you
terrain features or items of note. Northing for an intrepid band of adventures
(or a random generation crazy DM/GM) would find out in the wild.
Hence my
latest project…
First task
was to define all the different terrain types that I would be using. I did a
basic google search that yielded the usual grunchtun of results, and after
perusing a few of the lists I settled on 20 items for terrain types.
Terrain
Type Table
1 Arctic
2 Tundra
3 Scrub Forest
4 Conifer/Evergreen Forest
5 Boreal Forest
6 Mixed Forest
7 Broadleaf/Deciduous Forest
8 Grasslands
9 Plains
10 Prairie
11 Marsh
12 Swamp
13 Wetland Forest
14 Tropical Forest
15 Jungle
16 Savanna
17 Desert
18 Rift/Crevasse or River
19 Sink Hole or Lake
20 Hills or
Mountains or Ocean
The original
plan was to just roll a 20 sider and generate terrain…. Yeah ok, stop laughing.
I probably rolled 10 to 15 times. Had I used that map, one would have thought
Mother Nature was smoking an elicit substance… For the life of me, I’ve never
heard of an arctic swamp.
So I sat
down and tried to figure out some way to even out the results. What I finally
came up seemed to work a bit better.
D12 roll Effect
1
Water
Feature
2
Transition
Up
3
Stays
the same (feature)
4-9 Stays the
same (empty)
10 Stays
the same (feature)
11 Transition
Down
12 Terrain
Feature
You start
off by picking a starting terrain type. Then roll a d12. These are prompts so
the aspiring cartographer can create a basic framework for overland terrain.
Water feature means there is something of note in that hex. Same terrain, just
add a water feature. River, stream, lake, pond, just something. Transition
Up/Down means you a roll a d20 note that terrain from the terrain type table,
and work your way to that new terrain type. If you roll an 18,19, or 20 just
add that particular feature to the hex you a currently in like a rift. Or add
some cliffs or a beach and start and ocean. Keep in mind this whole thing is to
give you prompts, not do the work for you. If a result doesn’t make sense,
reroll it. I only start off a map using this method, eventually as I get some
of the hexes laid out, I will abandon these tables and just lay out what I
think makes for an interesting area of the world.
For the
“Stays the same (Feature)” entries on the table I came up with a list of
features.
Items Descriptors
Well Abandoned
Sm Tower Forest
Sm Keep Arctic
Lg Tower Desert
Fortress Ruined
Castle
Village
Walled Town
City
Shrine
Cairn
Tomb
Graveyard
Necropolis
Dungeon
Sm Church/Temple
Lg Church/Temple
Stone Circle
Fairy Ring
This is
where Google image search is your friend. Take an item, add one or two descriptors
in the search bar, and Bob’s yer uncle, you got a feature now. Again, and I
can’t stress this enough… These tables are meant as prompts only. If you get it
into your head that you’ll be able to roll up a complete wilderness map with
these tables, you’d be wrong. It’s merely meant to make it a little easier.
Feel free to alter them to suit your own style of world building.
Happy Gaming!
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