It's a busy week over here! Just 21 days till Mythic Bastionland goes live on Kickstarter.
With me being somewhat pressed for time today I've decided to use this as an example of just how quickly Spark Tables can help you to generate an interesting location and the people within it.
This can be done ahead of a session to add to your notes or returned to when improvisation is needed.
For fun, let's use all 18 of them, focusing in on a single hex.
OK LET'S GO
NATURE
LAND 1/2 - Barren Heath
Simple enough. So you'd normally see lots of shrubs but even for a heath this is quite sparse, bordering on a wasteland if not for the patches of grass and heather.
SKY 2/6 - Violet Mist
Even the low-hanging clouds here have a hint of lavender to them, perhaps melting into the heather in places.
WATER 5/4 - Cobalt Churn
Despite being barren there are brooks and streams, babbling violently in deep blue, like the water can't wait to get out of here.
WEATHER 8/7 - Solid Thunder
There's a constant low rumbling in the air, the violet clouds darkening to black in the distance, as if thunder waits on every horizon.
FLORA 5/12 - Towering Roots
Breaking up the open areas of heather are huge, archlike, exposed roots, not visibly part of any nearby tree, presumably remnants of a time when this was all primordial forest.
FAUNA 5/3 - Mischievous Canines
Packs of small wolves lurk amongst the roots and shrubs, generally living as scavengers, but also known for stealing food from travellers . Their bark can imitate a human scream, using it to lure travellers away from their camps, leaving their meals unguarded.
FEATURE 8/2 - Veiled Seat
The most prominent natural landmark is a thronelike rock formation atop a lone hill, the violet mists normally concealing it behind a lavender veil.
WONDER 9/10 - Temptation Wind
On especially windy days it's said that the violet mists stir up aromas to mislead travellers. Scents of home, fresh-baked bread, fermenting mead, or sweet fruit stewing.
OTHERWORLD 1/7 - Acidic Cavern
Rumours claim a cavern lies somewhere among the roots, leading down into a warren of caves dripping with corrosive bile. Prized by alchemists, but a deathtrap to explorers.
Okay so what about the Holding that sits in this place?
CIVILISATION
HOLDING 4/8 - Ancient Dome
The domed keep of this place has always been here. Some say it was coated in gold in its original purpose, but now it's cracked, bare grey stone.
BAILEY 1/4 - Filthy Fountain
Within the walls, an at-first impressive fountain trickles dull, grey water. Once it was prized for its healing qualities, but now nobody dares to drink from it.
KEEP 10/12 - Cauldron & Shields
Within the Keep, the ruler still keeps the great cauldron at the centre of the hall, a relic from the dome's lost purpose. The walls are lined with the shields of Knights who died fighting here, whether they were attackers or defenders.
PERSON 11/8 - Soft & Cynical
The portly ruler recently took to the throne, and is a rare example of a non-Knight taking up a position of rulership. Sceptical of the old ways of Seers and Knights, this ruler seems less enamoured with the traditions that surround his position.
AMBITION 3/12 - Status (because of) Hatred
It goes further than that. He outright hates Knights. He thinks a commoner like him should be on the Seat of Power, and in fact every Holding would be improved by the rule of somebody who understands normal folk. He knows he has to play the political game, but misses no opportunity to undermine the authority of Knights.
RELATIONSHIP 10/7 - Sworn Rival
Here a neighbouring ruler goes beyond just being a rival, it's sworn on something. Perhaps this ruler felt a nearby Knight was so dangerous that they visited a Seer, swearing to defeat the Knight in return for the Seer's blessing. Quite why this cynical man would want that is unclear, but we can work that out as we go.
DRAMA 8/2 Revelation & Poison
A plot to poison this ruler was recently foiled! The traitor was revealed and executed, perhaps a council member, leaving an opening for ambitious player-Knights.
WOE 7/1 - Mysterious Disease
The commoners of this domain have their own problems, people falling ill seemingly without a common link, a sickness of the lungs that can appear anywhere and strike anyone.
QUEST 10/10 - Salvage Holding
With his own resources tied up in the Drama and Woe above, the ruler is missing out on an opportunity. A nearby fort has lain abandoned for a generation now, sitting atop land of no worth, the commoners having long-since moved onto other domains. Anybody who swears loyalty to the ruler of this hex will have his blessing in going out to reclaim this Fort as a new holding.
And so the d12s have spoken.
See, that gives us plenty to work off all within a single hex.
His Majesty the Wormis a tarot-based RPG currently in development, and it’s already shaping up to look very interesting.
Travel Challenge Generator by Savvy Donkey Press is a huge, free resource of… well, exactly what it sounds like. Definitely useful to keep on hand if you’re running Mythic Bastionland.
