Pelts For XP - Hex Collection 4

Albert Tucker

Time for a quickfire round. 

These will have titles for posterity. I'll also go through my previous posts and name all those hexes. Same with adding local encounters.

SNAKES ON A PLANE

This hex of forested hills has a bronze flying machine stuck in a grove of mountain ash. The Serpentmen had a penchant for incredible inventions, which in turn had a penchant for exploding. This craft crashed centuries ago, killing everyone aboard.

The plane is solid metal, the size of a B-52, 100ft in the air and home to a flock of Giant Magpies (OSE as Small Roc). Like a disturbing number of creatures in the Bloody Marches, the corvids are sentient and capable of a squawking approximation of speech. They enjoy waylaying travellers and demanding they drop shinies, killing those who refuse.

There's nine Magpies, with D6+2 present at any given time. Approach the grove during the day and you'll get swooped. The birds sleep during the night, so a moonlit heist's possible. The flying machine is only kept in the canopy by its Floating Disc enchantments; a casting of Dispel Magic would send the whole thing toppling to the ground.

The colossus holds 7,000 PP in platinum bars (35,000 GP), plus 9,600 GP in pilfered valuables and a Bronze Horn of Valhalla that summons 2D4 4HD snake cultists. The Berserkers (OSE) are loyal to the Serpentmen, happy to serve the players until they realise they’re not fellow cultists.

The nest also holds six eggs the size of barrels worth 2,000 GP each (12,000 GP). Obviously, they'll be smashed to bits if the flying machine falls.

LOCAL ENCOUNTER: D3 Giant Magpies, especially territorial (-2 to Reaction Rolls).

Henson and Stringfellow

COCKEYED SHEPHERDS

This hex of steep rocky hills is home to three Valley Cyclopes (CC2) and their flocks of golden sheep. Once Margraves of the Giant Kingdoms, the big men were slaughtered by adventurers for their monocular heads and for their sheep’s precious fleece. The colony of Fallowfields was founded on their demense's ruins, forcing the survivors to flee deeper into the frontier.

Valley Cyclopes are wracked with congenital mental illness, swinging between violent rages and depressive episodes. There used to be four, but one killed himself (see the HANGING GIANT). The giants had a loyal tribe of Cyclorcs (CC1, see the FLOODED FORGE), but drove their worshippers away after killing several during psychotic breaks. 

The Cyclopes love their sheep unconditionally. They have eleven (OSE as Medium Herd Animal), each with a fleece worth 1,000 GP (11,000 GP). The sheep cannot be shorn without killing them, but the giants carefully gather shedded strands and weave them into beautiful handcrafts.

The big men live in lean-tos made from piled dirt and megaliths. They have 3,650 GP in assorted handcrafts, along with a Potion of Control Undead, a Potion of Giant Strength, a giant-sized eating knife (as +2 Greatsword of Sharpness) and scrolls of (temperature control, create water, control weather, growth of nature, warp wood) taken from a Druid they ate.

They sleep fitfully, frequently awakening to perceived noises or disturbances in their herds.

Cyclopes heads have a bounty of 2,000 GP on them. The big men's skulls are heavy; most scalphunters pile them on travoises towed with horses.

LOCAL ENCOUNTER: By day, D3 Cyclopes herding sheep. By night, 2D4 Cyclorcs quietly leaving offerings of food and drink.

Janet & Anne Grahame Johnstone

FLOODED FORGE

This hex of mountainous foothills has a narrow valley with a distributary of the Redriver running through it. An Dwarven-style road runs parallel to the stream, until it descends into a jagged fissure in the earth. The road terminates in a nearby cave entrance.

The cave contains the FLOODED FORGE, per The Rogue's Wallet. Convert the Firewalkers (CC1) to two more Rarogs (CC1). Add messages cut into the walls, centuries old graffiti from the Cult of the Hammerer condemning the forge for collaborating with the Serpentmen. 

The tribe sees the Valley Cyclopes as living gods, and is horrified they can't worship them without being squished. They're clearing the forge so they can strip it for magical smithing equipment. They hope they can appease the insane giants by gifting them tools for their handcrafts.

LOCAL ENCOUNTER: By night, 2D4 Orcs bringing cave fish and drinking water to the Cyclopes.

HORSE ON THE HILL

This hex of open grassland has a cobblestone road from an earlier era of settlement. Watching over the road from an elevated hill is a bronze statue of Phantom Limb. A gibbet chained to the god's outstretched hand contains a White Cadejo (CC1), imprisoned by the shrine's current inhabitants.

The statue's base is a massive piece of polished bluestone. The rock is partially hollow, containing a roadside shrine for travellers to rest in. It's occupied by five Black Cadejos (CC1), servants of Phantom Limb corrupted by dark forces.

The statute was erected on the site of a battle against the Serpentmen. The evil dogs have since tricked the ghosts of dead soldiers into attacking travellers. These seven Phantom Cavalry (CC2) charge anyone they see under the false assumption they're cultists.

If convinced otherwise (successfully Turning Undead or freeing the White Cadejo would work) the cavalrymen switch sides; attacking the black shucks for their treachery.

If freed and his temple secured, the canine shrinekeeper rewards rescuers with free clerical healing (including limb replacement, per Even More Gods) and treasure his predecessors took from dead travellers - a Potion of Flying, Potion of Invisibility, Ring of Control Humans and 20,210 GP in mixed coinage, pelts and trade goods.

LOCAL ENCOUNTER: D4 Black Cadejos luring people towards the murderous ghosts.

DEATH TRASH

This stretch of river is stained dark crimson by the mounds of rotting flesh lining the riverbanks. The Redriver isn't actually red, so call this the exception that proves the rule.

The riverbanks here are wide and deep, excellent for mooring ships. This made it a favourite for early groups of longhunters, who'd butcher their kills en masse here. But even after the area ran dry of animals to slaughter, the piles of rotting meat never dwindled. In fact, they multiplied.

Chaotic magic has corrupted the area, causing the meat to metamorphose into dozens of Gibbering Mouthers (OSE). Those passing through should block their ears with wax, lest they go insane and crash their boats into the shore; the meat fields are home to a very territorial 8 HD Otyugh (OSE) who won't take kindly to any sailors running aground.

Amidst the piles of screaming meat is several wrecked ships, containing 5,100 GP in pelts.

LOCAL ENCOUNTER: The Otyugh, marking its territory by pissing everywhere.

WEIRDWATER

This stretch of river contains cascading rapids tinged pink by contamination from DEATH TRASH. They're home to a pair of Water Weirds (OSE Adv as Water Fiend) driven insane by the pollution. 

These malicious spirits appear as beautiful river nymphs, trying to entice sailors to the edge of their vessel where they can be pulled overboard. The effect is somewhat diminished by the maidens being coated in coagulated blood and filthy river water.

If the carrot doesn't work, they use the stick. The Water Weirds have a 12 HD Water Elemental (OSE) under their control, along with a half-dozen resurrected sailors (CC2 as Tidal Ghouls). They command the elemental to smash holes in a boat's hull while the undead clamber aboard to attack the crew. The spirits lurk below the boat, drowning anyone that tries to swim away.

Permanently killing the Water Weirds also destroys the Water Elemental and Tidal Ghouls. 

If you can dredge the river, there's sunken ships containing 27,060 GP in precious metals and sealed barrels of castoreum. There’s also a Wand of Cold on a drowned weather wizard.

LOCAL ENCOUNTERS: The Tidal Ghouls, clinging to your boat or wandering ashore.

u/jonsilent

LAKE PISCOMANCY

This hex's lake has an anabranch of the Redriver feeding in and out of it. The reservoir is filled ancient fish traps. The collapsed stonewalls contain rocks carved with modified Charm Animal spells, which evidently still function given the nearby waters are abundant with fish.

The traps were placed here by local Flintmen before they were enslaved or killed by the snakes. Five magical rocks can be salvaged from the ruined traps, each weighing 500 coins. 

They act as a Scroll of Charm Animal if removed from the water, though doing so angers a pair of Giant Catfish (OSE) that call the lake home.

LOCAL ENCOUNTER: Random adventuring party fishing nearby the magic rocks.

Dana Lepofsky