These rules support sandbox-style play where the PCs explore a hex map on their own terms.
Each hex is 12 miles across (just under 95 square miles). Exploration rates differ from
standard travel because characters are assumed to be fully surveying each area, not just
passing through.
Optional Rule.
Works best when introduced at campaign start. When designing tasks for sandbox play,
give the party things they can choose to do, not things they must do.
Movement
Base speed is set by the slowest party member. A hex containing more than one terrain type
uses the most prevalent terrain for travel time. All hexes are treated as trackless unless
roads are present.
Travel Time (1 Hex)
Party Speed
Plain
All Other Terrain
15 ft.
11 hrs
16 hrs
20 ft.
8 hrs
12 hrs
30 ft.
5 hrs
8 hrs
40 ft.
4 hrs
6 hrs
50 ft.
3 hrs
5 hrs
Exploration Time (1 Hex)
Party Speed
Plain / Hill
Desert / Forest / Marsh
Mountain
15 ft.
3 days
4 days
5 days
20 ft.
2 days
3 days
4 days
30 ft.
1 day
2 days
3 days
40 ft.
1 day
1 day
2 days
50 ft.
1 day
1 day
1 day
Tracking Travel
Mark explored hexes with a small "X" on hex paper. Tracking which
hexes are fully explored determines exploration rewards.
Exploration Rewards
Fully exploring a hex earns 100 XP. Add
25 XP for hexes with difficult terrain or a hazard. Especially hostile areas
may award up to 500 XP.
Getting Lost
In marshes, forests, or low visibility, the GM secretly
randomises the next hex the party moves into. Once bearings are regained, the
GM reveals their true location.
Encounters
Random Encounter Check
Roll once per day (or once per hex if multiple hexes are crossed).
d%
Result
01–50
No encounter
51–60
Hazard (see below)
61–100
Monster encounter
Planned Encounters
Prepare at least one planned encounter per player character. Choose a hex and note the
encounter there. As the party approaches, foreshadow it with appropriate details — old
campfires, graves, or tracks.
Landmarks are automatically discovered upon entering the hex.
Studying an adjacent hex for an hour with a DC 10 Survival check also reveals a
landmark. Hidden sites require full hex exploration — some demand
a skill check to find.
Hex Terrain Types
Each hex is categorised by its primary terrain. Borders between terrain types can be gradual
or sudden — hexes are abstractions, not uniform zones. Click a terrain type to view its
possible terrain elements.
Desert
Any terrain receiving very little rainfall — warm, temperate, or cold (tundra).
Cold deserts act as plains (frozen) or marsh (thawed) depending on season.
DifficultSand dunes, sinkholes, rubble, or ravines. Survival checks to avoid getting lost gain +1; Survival to get along in the wild +5 DC. Flash floods treat as avalanche (drowning instead of suffocation).
FeatureBuried city or tomb, geoglyphs, unusual mesa, canyon, tar pit, or oasis. Tall structures serve as navigation landmarks or observation points.
Hunting GroundFlying predators (dragons, sphinxes), poisonous ambush monsters, subterranean burrowers, nomadic raiders, genies, or elementals. Random encounter chance +10%.
ResourceValuable ore, water (oasis), or a rare useful plant such as a medicinal cactus.
SecretShifting dunes, acrid winds, elemental portals, or half-buried ruins. Taking shelter in ruins negates storm effects but raises random encounter chance +25%.
Forest
Sparse lowland patches, taiga pines, tropical jungle, or overgrown fruit groves.
DifficultRotting trees, scythe trees, witch-lights. 5% chance per hour of a falling tree hazard. Survival DCs to avoid getting lost +5.
FeatureCluster of massive old-growth trees or a regionally unique tree species. Heavy canopy limits undergrowth to mosses and ferns.
Hunting GroundTerrifying array of arboreal creatures — treated with awe by locals. Random encounter chance +10%.
ResourceValuable lumber, medicinal herbs, or plentiful game. Survival checks to get along in the wild +5 bonus.
SecretThick mists or deep shadows. Exploration time increases by 50%.
Hill
Lower and less steep than mountains; often transitional terrain between mountains and plains.
DifficultShort cliffs and jagged stones. Treat party speed as one category slower for travel and exploration.
FeatureFamous historical battle site or burial mound. Commanding view of the region. Survival checks to avoid getting lost gain +1 bonus.
Hunting GroundValleys and trenches obscure predators. Random encounter chance +25%.
ResourceQuality stone, coal, precious metals, or gems.
SecretHidden caverns (DC 10 Perception or Survival to locate). Shelter from storms but random encounter chance +10%.
Marsh
Swamps, marshes, and bogs. Survival DCs to avoid getting lost +1 in all marsh hexes.
DifficultQuicksand, poisonous plants, treacherous water. Survival to get along in the wild +5 DC. Party speed one category slower.
FeatureA hag's den, sunken ruin, large water causeway, or shallow lake.
Hunting GroundAttacks equally likely from underwater or the surface. Random encounter chance +25%.
ResourceMedicinal plants and herbs.
SecretGear from unfortunate explorers. DC 25 Survival: each PC salvages equipment worth 10 gp × character level.
Mountain
Long barriers that greatly impede movement.
DifficultAll Climb DCs +2. Party speed one category slower.
FeatureThe highest peak in the vicinity, or a mountain shaped like a face or creature. Also see Hill Feature.
Hunting GroundBandits and monsters prey on weary travelers. Random encounter chance +10%.
ResourceQuality stone, coal, precious metals, or gems.
SecretHidden pathways (DC 20 Perception). If found, ignore the mountain hex travel time penalty.
Plain
High grasses, permanently frozen tundra, or flat badlands.
DifficultSmall sinkholes and pits threaten legs of the unwary. Party speed one category slower.
FeatureOld battlefield with remnants of earthwork defenses and trenches.
Hunting GroundAmbush predators in tall grass; burrowing predators in tundra/badlands. Random encounter chance +25%.
ResourceEdible plants (wheat, cacti) or useful vegetable matter (flax, cotton).
SecretStolen goods buried with an innocuous marker. DC 25 Perception to recognise it; each PC salvages treasure or gear worth 10 gp × level.
Settlement
Small villages or military encampments, usually built upon another terrain type.
Trails or roads reduce travel time through the hex by 25–50%.
DifficultRuins of an abandoned town or one devastated by famine or plague. Decrepit buildings may collapse (treat as cave-in).
FeatureA community with a well-known reputation or historical significance.
Hunting GroundLawless town frequently attacked by brigands, pirates, or plagued by civil unrest. Random encounter chance +25%.
ResourceTrading post, merchant camp, or fort on a crossroad or river crossing. Goods and natural resources from nearby hexes flow through here.
SecretBandit fort, pirate town, monster village, or hidden refuge. The hex resembles an adjacent terrain type; access is concealed.
Water
Rivers, lakes, or oceans. Without swim speeds or boats, treat large bodies as obstacles
to travel around. Treat the shores as the adjacent terrain type.
DifficultWhitewater rapids, strong tides, or underwater vortexes. Swim DCs to cross +5.
FeaturePart of a large or well-known river's course, or a sturdy bridge facilitating easy crossing.
Hunting GroundPredatory aquatic creatures or ambush hunters at the waterline. Random encounter chance +10%, or +25% if PCs spend most time in the water.
ResourceFish, shellfish, pearls, or a source of fresh water when contaminated sources are nearby.
SecretAn oasis, a connection to the Plane of Water, or a spring with magical properties.
Random Map Generation
Start with a single hex and a terrain type. From there, each player takes a turn generating
the next hex by rolling 1d20 twice — once for terrain type and once for terrain element.
Adjust terrain descriptions to fit your setting's climate.
Terrain Type (d20)
d20
Terrain
1–3
Forest
4–6
Hill
7–8
Marsh
9–10
Mountain
11–13
Plain
14
Settlement
15–16
Water
17–20
As previous terrain type
Terrain Element (d20)
d20
Element
1–3
Difficult
4–6
Feature
7–10
Hunting Ground
11–12
Resource
13–14
Secret
15–20
Standard
Hazards
Hazards represent natural disasters, harsh weather, and bad luck. After resolving a hazard,
treat the hex as a standard example of its terrain type.
Bad Weather
Minor precipitation to serious storms, including lightning strikes, floods, and landslides.
Blight
Plants and wildlife suffering from drought, plague, or hostile magic. Affects the hex and all adjacent unexplored hexes for 1d4+2 weeks. Survival DCs to get along in the wild +5.
Deadly Gas
Marsh: Flammable gas erupts; DC 15 Perception to notice. 2d6 bludgeoning (20-ft. radius), or 4d6 fire if open flame is present. Desert: Toxic fumes; DC 15 Perception to avoid. On failure: DC 15 Fortitude or 1d4 Con damage + nauseated 10 min.
Dust Devil
A whirlwind without a storm, especially in low-topsoil regions. Treat as a duststorm, sandstorm, or tornado.
Grass Fire
Caused by lightning or careless campfires. Spotted at twice normal distance. Heat damage saves required only every 10 rounds (vs. every round for forest fires).
Volcanic Tremor
Lasts 1d4 rounds to 2d6 minutes. Climb DCs +2. May start an avalanche or collapse a cave or cliff (similar to an earthquake spell).