Wandering Encounters in the Badlands

After dealing with the goblin ambush, the adventurers abandon further pursuit. The day was getting long, the heat was brutal, and they were all parched with thirst, so they return to Irongate Keep. In a bold move, the party decides to start their second foray into the Badlands at night, when the heat would not impede them. 

They depart the Keep the following evening, just as the gates shut for the night. As they head out, the guards on the wall stare in disbelief. The Captain-of-the-Gate gives them a stern warning: "The drawbridge will not be lowered again until dawn, so whatever happens to you is on your heads. May the gods have mercy on you this night..."

Setting out down the canyon under the darkening sky, they soon become surrounded by a deep gloom. Their torches seem feeble and pathetic under the night's ebon pall, and the ridgelines now loom over them like walls of utter blackness. The air quickly grows cooler, then cold, and the howls of coyotes begin to echo through the canyons. 

The going is slow and difficult, and the party has virtually no visibility to potential threats or obstacles. Thero, the elf ranger, leads the way just outside the ring of torchlight, but even his night vision is limited to just a few dozen yards, eliminating much of the range advantage of his longbow. Ban the bard second-guesses their decision, but Smitty the fighter is determined to mitigate the sun's relentless effect on their travels.

Without warning, the party is beset by a half-dozen skeletons dressed in the remnants of archaic wicker armor and wielding corroded bronze scimitars. The skeletons scramble toward them from a nearby rock terrace, scrabbling down the scree slope like rattling avatars of death. Quickly gaining their composure, the party reacts to the surprise attack and manages to defeat the skeletons without serious injury to themselves. Still, it was an important lesson that random threats can emerge suddenly in the Badlands—especially in the darkness.

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I'm a big fan of wandering encounters. 

Interestingly, B2 Keep on the Borderlands doesn't include a wandering encounters table for the Wilderness Area, nor does it give any guidance for using the tables in the rules booklet (which are explicitly for dungeon levels "below ground"). In the module's text, Gary Gygax created a curious sub-system for possible encounters if the party camps overnight within a specified number of squares from a numbered area on the map—a system which isn't used in any other adventure module, as far as I'm aware—but that's it. There aren't wandering encounters in the Caves of Chaos, either.

The omission can be easily explained by B2's relatively limited wilderness region and the Caves' layout of segregated lairs; or, perhaps, by Gary's desire to simplify the novice DM's transition into the role of managing an adventure (although there are wandering monster tables in B2's predecessor—B1 In Search of the Unknown—which is much more of a "training" module).

B2's iconic cover image by Jim Roslof. After David Sutherland's
blue-tinted red dragon on the box cover, this was the second D&D image
my 13-yo brain ever saw. It still holds tremendous power over me.

Nevertheless, I almost always include wandering encounters in my adventures unless the scenario renders them unnecessary. As DM, I have so much control over the proceedings (other than the dice rolls) that I find it thrilling to surrender control over "what happens next" by rolling random encounter checks. (I feel the same about rolling magic items randomly.) 

In fact, the skeleton encounter above led the party to explore the ridgeline from which these ancient skeletons attacked, and that exploration in turn created a whole series of unplanned adventures that transformed a lowly Lurid Lair (L1) into a Major Encounter area I later dubbed "The Dead Pines." (I'll include all this material in future posts, because it ended up having a major impact on the campaign.)

I created the following wandering encounter table and descriptions for the Badlands.

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MECHANICS

A 24-hour adventuring day is split into six, 4-hour blocks of time called "watches," with the first watch occurring from 7 AM (dawn) to 11 AM. A check for wandering encounters is made once per watch, with additional checks made whenever the following occurs...

• The party transitions from one terrain type to another (this can happen multiple times during a single watch, even if the party only enters and exits one hex of different terrain);

• The party comes within (3) hexes of a Major Encounter area (lettered location)*;

• The party comes within (2) hexes of a Minor Encounter area (numbered location)* that is a creature lair; or

• The party comes within (1) hex of, and/or enters a Lurid Lair (L# location).*

            *In these cases, the encounter will be with a creature or creatures related to the marked location.

During the day, an encounter occurs on a 17-20 (in canyons, pine thickets, or bogs) or 19–20 (in the ridges); at night, the target number is reduced by 2 (15-20 in canyons, et al; 17-20 in the ridges). When a creature encounter is indicated, determine how many creatures are encountered by rolling the number of d3s indicated in brackets immediately after the encounter title. 

Exploding d3s

Most encounter details involve rolling a specified number of d3s. Typically, a d3 is rolled by rolling 1d6: 1-2 = '1'; 3-4 = '2'; and 5-6 = '3'. Whenever a '6' results on the die, roll it again and add another 1d3 creatures to the encounter. Repeat until no more '6's occur on the dice. If any other die is indicated in the encounter description, it does not explode in this manner.

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ENCOUNTER TABLE

 

d66	1: Hazard	2: Beast	3: Beast	4: Humanoid	5: Monster	6: Discovery
1	Boulder	Bear	Camel	Cultists	Ankheg	Cave
2	Cul-de-sac	Cougar	Horse	Dwarf	Manticore	Curiosity
3	Deadfall	Coyote	Lizard	Men	Needler	Deposit
4	Gully Wash	Scorpion	Mule	Men	Stirge	Ruins
5	Rockslide	Viper	Ram	Ogre	Tumbler	Spring
6	Sinkhole	Vulture	Spider	Tribal	Undead	Trail

 

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ENCOUNTER DESCRIPTIONS

Ankheg. [1d3] As standard ankheg, The Keep pays 5 guilders per set of ankheg mandibles; the Vizier pays 50 guilders for an ankheg's acid bladder.

Bear. [1d3] As standard cave bear; 1-in-6 are giant cave bears. The Keep pays 5 guilders per bear pelt; the Trader pays 3 guilders for each bear paw or set of claws.

Boulder. A large rock breaks loose from a nearby cliff wall and tumbles into the canyon, forcing a DC 12 Perception check to avoid Surprise. The boulder has +10 to Initiative; anyone who beats it and is not surprised may move out of the way on their turn. Anyone in the path of the boulder when it moves through must make a DEX save vs. DC 10+1d6 or be struck for (1d4)d6 bludgeoning damage (surprised creatures have disadvantage on the save).

Camel. [1d3] As standard camel. The Trader pays 10 guilders for every camel returned to the keep.

Cave. A suitable shelter for a Camp Rest is discovered. The cave is [1d6]: 1-4 = empty; 5-6 = occupied by a creature (roll as encounter [1d6]: 1-3 = Beast; 4-6 = Humanoid; 6 = Monster).

Cougar. [1d3] As standard lion; 1-in-6 are giant cougars (as saber-toothed tiger). The Keep pays 5 guilders per cougar pelt.

Coyote. [4d3] As wild dog. The Keep pays 1 guilder per coyote pelt.

Cul-de-sac. The party inadvertently follows a route that ends suddenly with no way forward. They lose 1d3 hours of travel backtracking and incur an additional encounter check. A druid, ranger, or guide, or anyone proficient in the Survival skill, can make a DC 10+1d6 WIS check to recognize the lay of the land and get the party back on track without any lost time spent backtracking (although an additional encounter check is still rolled).

Cultists. This band of humanoid thralls roams the canyons looking to kill the men of the Keep and capture more humanoids to enslave as new thralls. Treat as standard Tribal Humanoid encounter (see below), except these humanoids serve the cult’s interests and will fight to the death (no Morale checks). All cultist humanoids carry normal treasure, but are branded on the face/head with the cult's sigil. (I'll describe the Cult of Khoss in a future post.)

Curiosity. The party spots something interesting along their path [1d6]:

1. A hidden cache of loot: Roll random treasure hoard.

2. A recent killing: Roll two random encounters, re-rolling any Hazard or Discovery results. All members of the first encounter were slain by the second and their remains are here. The killing occurred 0–2 hours ago.

3. A cairn covering the skeleton of an unfortunate adventurer, along with a magical treasure [1d4]: 1 = cleric (a holy phial that provides +1 to Save DC when turning undead); 2 = fighter (+1 armor/shield or weapon); 3 = rogue (quiet shoes that provide +1 to Stealth checks); 4 = wizard (1d3 scrolls of random 1st-3rd-level spells). This result will only be encountered once.
   

4. A menhir, a carved totem stone depicting various beasts, monsters, and petty gods, and covered with petroglyphs. Touching it... [1d6]: 1 = teleports everyone within 20 ft. 6d3 miles in a random direction; 2 = summons 2d3 specters of ancient orcs; 3 = heals everyone within 30 ft. for 4d8 hp (or grants 15 temporary hp to a creature with full hp); 4 = bestows curse on the first character touching it; 5 = allows the first character touching it to commune (as spell) with a forgotten godling; 6 = blesses everyone within 30 ft. for the next 1d3 days.
   

5. A bleached skeleton of a gigantic creature, long dead... [1d6]: 1 = cloud giant; 2 = thunder lizard; 3 = serpent; 4 = sand worm; 5 = roc; 6 = blue dragon; (1-in-6 chance it animates if disturbed).
   

6. A cryptic message carved into the rock: "I'm heading south from here...meet me at the third campsite." This result will only be encountered once.

Deadfall. A rock shelf gives way as the party traverses it, forcing a DC 12 Perception check to avoid Surprise. The deadfall has +10 to Initiative; anyone who beats it and is not surprised may avoid falling. Anyone on the shelf when it collapses must make a DEX save vs. DC 10+1d6 or suffer a (1d3)x10 ft. fall for bludgeoning damage (surprised creatures have disadvantage on the save).

Deposit. A rockslide has revealed a tracer of ore [1d10]: 1-4 = copper; 5-7 = iron; 8-9 = silver; 10 = gold. The tracer yields a (1d3 x 1d3 x 1d3) ft. area of ore-laden rock; i.e., base 1-27 cu. ft., although this volume can rapidly expand with exploding d3s. (See Prospecting rules for details on smelting and extracting metal from rock.) NOTE: My prospecting rules are derived from the tables in Judges Guild's Ready Ref Sheets (1978) and will be detailed in a future post regarding Campaign Downtime.

Dwarf. [1d3] These prospectors (as commoners) are... [1d6]: 1-3 = heading to/from the Keep; 4-5 digging away at a rock shelf; or 6 = panning for gold and silver in a trickling creek bed. If they spot the party first, the dwarves will attempt to hide; if not, they will be suspicious of the party and demand they keep their distance (unless a dwarf character is present). Dwarves typically carry 4d6 pennies, 3d6 bits, and 2d6 guilders; 1-in-3 dwarves also carries a bag of silver or gold nuggets (worth 1d6/4d6 guilders, resp.), gold dust (worth 1d6 guilders), and/or 1d3 gems (worth 10d6 guilders each). Each dwarf also has 0-2 equipment-laden camels, mules, and/or ponies.

Gully Wash. A distant heavy rain storm has sent a flood of water roaring down the canyon. The deadly torrent appears suddenly and lasts for 1d4+1 minutes, forcing a DC 12 Perception check to avoid Surprise. The torrent has +10 to Initiative; anyone who beats it and is not surprised may attempt to climb to higher ground with a DC 12 Athletics check before it overtakes them. Anyone caught in the wash must roll their choice of STR or DEX save vs. DC 10+1d6 (surprised creatures have disadvantage on the initial save only; additional saves are made as normal).

• Success = The character may try to climb to higher ground with an Athletics check vs. the same DC as above due to the powerful torrent.

• Fail = The character is swept 100 ft. away and takes (1d4)d6 bludgeoning (or half with a DEX save vs. the same DC).

• Repeat this process for each minute of the gully wash’s duration.

Horse. [2d3] Treat these wild horses as standard beasts of burden... [1d6]: 1-4 = draft horse; 5-6 = riding horse. The Trader pays base 25 guilders for every draft horse and 35 guilders for every riding horse returned to the Keep.

Lizard. These encounters are with... [1d6]: 1 = [2d3] lizardmen (these are unrelated to the lizardmen in Minor Encounter area 7); 2-4 = [1d3] giant lizards; 5-6 = [2d3] raptors (as standard deinonychus).

Manticore. [1d3+1] As standard manticore. These vicious creatures nest atop the ridges and attack their prey from the air. Their difficult-to-reach nests often hold various loot. Sometimes, a manticore egg can be found (the Vizier would pay handsomely for one).

Men. These encounters are with human... [1d6]: 1 = raiders; 2-3 = hunters; 4-5 = prospectors; 6 = mercenaries.

• Raiders. [2d3] As standard bandit. These desert raiders attack without mercy (see Minor Encounter area 10).

• Hunters. [1d3] As standard scout. These men will try to remain hidden from the party. If successful, they will shadow the party for 1d6 hours (and might assist in any encounters the characters have during that time).

• Prospectors. [1d3] As Dwarf encounter above (but with half the loot).

• Mercenaries. [1d3+2] These hired adventurers scour the hills looking for threats and collecting bounties for the Keep. Two-thirds of any group encountered are with men-at-arms (as bandits), with the remainder being scouts. There is a 1-in-6 chance for an acolyte to replace one of the scouts (the chance increases by +1 for every (5) mercenaries encountered). Mercenaries can be trouble for the party, or possibly good sources of information about the immediate area.

Mule. [1d3] As standard mule. The Trader pays 4 guilders for every wild mule returned to the keep.

Needler. [2d3] As standard needle blight. These aggressive cacti blend in with canyon scrub and attack by firing volleys of sharp needles. Enough fresh water can be found in the hollow cavity of a needler’s body to fill a waterskin. The Vizier pays 3 guilders per needler heart pod.

Ogre. [1d3] These massive hill brutes lumber around looking for food and will attack immediately. Ogres carry a bag of "loot" (much of which is garbage). The Keep pays 10 guilders per pair of ogre tusks. Ogres encountered in this way are "free-roaming" and not affiliated with the cultists.

Ram. [1d3] As standard mountain goat; 1-in-6 are giant rams (as giant goat). The Trader pays 10 guilders for every live ram returned to the Keep.

Rockslide. Boulders and loose stones fall from the ridgeline, forcing a DC 12 Perception check to avoid Surprise. The rockslide has +10 to Initiative; anyone who beats it and isn’t surprised can avoid the avalanche.Anyone caught in the rockslide’s path takes [1d6]d6 bludgeoning damage, or half with a DEX save vs. DC 10+1d6. In addition, the party loses one hour of time getting around the slide debris.

Ruins. The party spots the remains of ancient structures nestled among the canyon walls. Not much can be determined from the crumbling walls and jumbled stones, but the site is... [1d6]: 1 = haunted (roll Undead encounter); 2 = occupied (roll Humanoid encounter); 3 = abandoned (but suitable for a Camp Rest); 4 = a beast's lair (roll Beast encounter); 5 = a monster's lair (roll Monster encounter); 6 = hides a treasure.

Scorpion. These dangerous arachnids skitter across the rocky ridges in search of prey. Encounter is with [1d6]: 1 = [1d3] scorpion swarms; 2-4 = [1] scorpion (attacks a random character; DC 15 Perception check to notice it before it stings); 5-6 = [2d3] giant scorpions. The Keep’s Doctor pays 5 guilders per giant scorpion poison sac (stinger).

Sinkhole. A pit in the ground opens suddenly beneath the party’s feet, forcing a DC 12 Perception check to avoid Surprise. A random character serves as the center point of the sinkhole, which is [1d6]x10 ft. in diameter. The sinkhole has +10 to Initiative; anyone who beats it and is not surprised can move safely off the area on their turn. Anyone standing on the sinkhole’s area when it collapses falls 10 ft. times the hole’s diameter / 2 (e.g., a 40-ft. diam. sinkhole is 20 ft. deep). Anyone falling in takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage per 10 ft. fallen. The sinkhole opens into [1d6]: 1 = a monster’s lair (roll encounter); 2 = a wellspring of fresh water; 3-5 = a closed pit; 6 = a valuable mineral find or treasure cave.

Spider. These encounters are with [1d6]: 1 = [1d3] spider swarms; 2-4 = [1d3] huge spiders; 5-6 = [1d3] giant spiders. The Keep's Doctor pays 1 guilder for a giant spider's poison sac; the Vizier also pays 1 guilder for a giant spider's web glands (or half these amounts for a huge spider).

Spring. Fresh water bubbles to the surface here, allowing the party to refill their waterskins. While in this area, roll an additional wandering encounter check.

Stirge. [4d3] These swarming creatures lurk in the cracks and crevices of the ridge, emerging at night to feed. The Keep pays 3 bits per stirge beak.

Tribal Humanoids. A war-band of evil marauders roams the canyons looking for food and enemies—one of many such groups that infest the Badlands. Determine humanoid type [1d6]:

1. Bugbears. [2d3] These encounters are with standard bugbears. Every group of (4) bugbears also includes a bugbear hunter; every group of (8) also includes a bugbear brute. Marauding bugbears are primitive and typically don't carry any loot. The Keep pays 5 guilders for a bugbear scalp.

2. Gnolls. [3d3] These encounters are with standard gnolls ("betas"). Every pack of (4) betas also includes a gnoll hunter; every pack of (8) includes a gnoll flesh-ripper. Gnolls aren’t concerned with money and carry no loot. The Keep pays 3 guilders for a gnoll ear.

3. Goblins. [3d3] These encounters are with standard goblins ("peons"). Every group of (5) peons includes a goblin tough; groups of 10 or more are accompanied by a leader type [1d6]: 1-4 = hobgoblin taskmaster (see below); 5-6 = goblin boss. If encountered during the day, the goblins emerge from a nearby “hole” and attack. The hole might be a single cave or a small lair. At night, the band prowls about stealthily. Peons and toughs typically carry 2d6 pennies, 1d6 bits, and 0-2 guilders each. Bosses carry double loot and have a 1-in-6 chance to carry 1d3 gems worth (1d6)x10 guilders each. The Keep pays 5 bits per goblin ear.

4. Hobgoblins. [2d3] These encounters are with standard hobgoblins ("regulars"). Every group of (4) regulars also includes a hobgoblin taskmaster; every group of 10 or more is led by a hobgoblin elite. Regulars carry 2d6 bits and 1d6 guilders each; taskmasters have double loot and a 1-in-6 chance to carry 1d3 gems worth (2d6)x10 guilders each. Elites carry triple loot and have a 1-in-3 chance to carry gems. The Keep pays 1 guilder per hobgoblin ear.

5. Kobolds. [6d3] These encounters are with blue kobolds ("runts") who serve the blue dragon at Major Encounter area D. Every group of (6) runts also includes a kobold rake. Every group of (10) or more is accompanied by a kobold shaman. Runts carry 2d3 pennies and 1d3 bits; rakes and shamans carry double loot, while shamans also carry 1d3 guilders and 0-2 gems worth (1d6)x10 guilders each. The Keep pays 2 bits for each kobold ear.

6. Orcs. [3d3] These encounters are with standard orcs ("grunts"). Every group of (4) grunts also includes an orog; every group of 10 or more is led by an orc boss. Grunts and orogs carry 2d6 bits and 1d6 guilders each; bosses carry double loot and have a 1-in-6 chance to carry 1d3 gems worth (2d10)x10 guilders each. The Keep pays 1 guilder per orc ear. NOTE: There are two types of orcs encountered in the Badlands [1d6]: 1-4 = Red Orcs (from the Red Desert far to the south) and green-skinned Mountain Orcs (from the Giant Hills to the east).
   

Tumbler. [2d3] These tumbleweed-like plant creatures strike their prey and wrap tightly around a creature, choking it to death and then draining its blood. Treat as a medium-sized assassin vine with AC 10, 15 hp, and Speed 40.

Undead. Such encounters only occur at night; if rolled during the day, roll again. At night, the encounter is with[1d6]: 1-3 = [1d3+1] skeletons; 4-5 = [1d3+1] zombies; 6 = [1d3] ghouls. The necromancers of the cult of Khoss have been animating these foul creatures and setting them loose in the land to cause fear and mayhem. Roll on the Humanoid encounter table to determine what species the original creatures were in life. They have the same equipment and loot as the source creature.

Viper. [1] As standard poisonous snake; 1-in-6 are giant poisonous snakes. This nasty serpent tries to get a surprise attack against a random character. The Keep pays 5 bits per snakeskin; the Keep’s Doctor will also pay 2 guilders for a snake's poison glands (or head).

Vulture. [3d3] As standard vulture; 1-in-6 are giant vultures. These carrion birds typically wheel above a party waiting for a character to fall to 0 hp, at which point they descend to feast on the unconscious/dead creature. If the encounter is with giant vultures that outnumber party members by 3:1 or more, the aggressive birds will attack the characters outright.

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Keying the Badlands Wilderness Map

Previously, I described the methodology for developing my hexcrawl map of the Badlands. In this post, I will lay out the different types of terrain hexes on the map, and provide descriptions of the important adventuring locations to be found within the campaign area.

The Hexcrawl Map

The original area map is around 17.5 x 17.5 inches, which strains the blog's capabilities to display a detailed image, making some of the keying numbers difficult to make out. I increased the font sizes of some labels and changed the color to black to increase readability. A full-sized, fully-legible version of the map may be found here.

 

Terrain Types 

There are six types of terrain represented on the map, each of which has an effect on rate of travel, visibility, and the chance for wandering encounters. Normally, a wandering encounter check is rolled every four hours of an adventuring day (even while camping). One extra encounter check is made each time the party transitions from one terrain type to another.

For example, if the party travels through canyons for four hours, only one encounter check is rolled. If, during that four hours of travel, the party passes through two hexes of pine thicket, an extra encounter roll is rolled when they enter the new terrain type and a second check is rolled when they re-emerge into the canyons.

An additional check is made whenever the players pass close to a keyed area (see below) to determine whether or not the party encounters one or more of the creatures that inhabit the location (if applicable). If multiple hexes along the party's path meet that criterion, a separate check is made for each hex. I'll discuss wandering encounters further in a (near-)future post.

Canyons: These hexes are where the party will likely spend most of its time exploring. The canyons are rocky and uneven, strewn with boulders, scree, and outcroppings. In some areas, the canyons are hundreds of feet wide, while in others they narrow to tight defiles just a few dozen yards across. In addition to being difficult terrain, canyons impose a -10 penalty to base Speed for characters with less than 15 Dexterity. Dwarves and creatures native to the region can also ignore this penalty. Due to the various gullies and rises, direct line-of-sight is limited to roughly (2d3)x10 yards, with abundant cover. Wandering encounters occur on 18-20 (day) or 16-20 (night). 

Ridges: These hexes can only be traversed by climbing, or via hidden passes through the ridgelines discovered in certain spots. The ridges rise from the canyon floor as a series of fractured, crumbling terraces which become craggy cliffs that ascend (2d3)x100 ft. high. Climbing into the ridges requires a group DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check for every 30 ft. of vertical movement (dwarves and natives only have a DC 12 check). Using climbing tools such as ropes and pitons gives advantage to the rolls. A failed group climbing roll requires the character with the lowest roll to make an immediate Dexterity save (at the same DC) or fall. Climbing tools prevent a fatal plunge, but the character still takes 1d6 damage for every 20 ft. (or less) of arrested fall when they slam into the cliff.

Moving through the ridges via a pass or trail requires no climbing roll, but carries a -20 penalty to base Speed for characters with less than 15 Dexterity, a -15 penalty to base Speed for any creatures with 15+ Dexterity, or a -10 penalty for dwarves and creatures native to the region (in addition to being difficult terrain). Visibility atop the ridges is around five miles, after which the constant heat haze blurs any usable details. Wandering encounters occur on 19-20 (day or night). 

Pine Thickets: The Badlands are not barren of vegetation; rather, the flora that exists here is largely scrub and succulents such as cacti, aloe, and crassula. Groves of scraggly pine trees also grow in many parts of the canyons, typically in the narrower gorges where the intensity of the sunlight is diminished. The thickets are fed by underground sources of water or from streams that trickle down from the ridgelines. The pine trees grow in clusters and can become quite dense, particularly with thorny brambles that grow from the pine needle mulch covering the ground. In addition to being difficult terrain, pine thickets impose a penalty of -10 to base Speed, and reduce line-of-sight visibility to (2d6)x10 feet. Wandering encounters occur on 17-20 (day) or 15-20 (night).

Bogs: In certain deep gorges, water has either seeped up from an underground reservoir and/or down from the ridgelines, causing the ground to become sodden. Here, wide expanses of cattails and stiff sawgrass—often as tall or taller than a man—grow amidst standing pools of fetid water, typically from a few inches deep to a foot or more, and often covered by dun-colored algae. The water is saline and filled with heavy minerals, but is potable if boiled. Meager catches of fish and crawdads can be foraged here. Biting flies are ever-present and crocodiles are a common threat. In addition to being difficult terrain, bogs impose a penalty of -20 to base Speed. Due to the height of the foliage, line-of-sight visibility is only (2d6)x10 feet. In the mornings, bogs are shrouded in mist that further reduces visibility by half. Wandering encounters occur on 17-20 (day) or 15-20 (night).

Grasslands (Plains): To the north of Irongate Keep are the Plains of Yorum, a vast, rolling prairie that extends for hundreds of miles. It is unlikely that characters will travel here, except on their journey to the Keep at the start of the campaign. Plains hexes carry no penalty to Speed, but do count as difficult terrain unless characters are traveling on the only road that connects the Keep to the city of Remedios far to the north. Visibility on the prairie is approximately 4-5 miles. Wandering encounters occur on 19-20 (day) or 18-20 (night).

Grasslands (Savannas): To the west of Irongate Keep are the Horse Plains, dry, grassy steppe lands that sprawl southward, eventually melting into the jungles of Gondwana. This region is home to herds of wild horses, as well as nomadic tribes of centaurs and bands of bugbears who hunt them. Other than a noticeable shift to a hotter and more arid climate, these hexes are mechanically the same as Plains hexes. Like those hexes, the characters are unlikely to travel here during the campaign except, perhaps, at the very eastern fringes of the region.

Getting Lost

The canyons and ridges make it easy to stay on track because any changes in terrain and direction are fairly obvious. If the party is guided by a druid, ranger, or hired guide, no check to get lost is necessary. If not, then the unguided party must roll a group DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check once every 4 hours of travel (at advantage if the party has a map). If failed, the party “gets disoriented” for (2d6)x20 minutes of travel before realizing they are moving in the wrong direction. In addition to the time lost following the wrong route, the party must backtrack the same amount of time before resuming the correct path.

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AREA KEY

I seeded the campaign map with a variety of encounter areas to get things started. As the players do their thing, I'll flesh out whatever dungeons or lairs are needed, but these descriptions at least tell me where the major sources of adventure are in the region and give me a head-start to prep future sessions when I see which directions the party decides to explore.

The adventuring locations found within the Badlands are divided into "Major" and "Minor" encounter areas, and I sprinkled the rest with adventure kernels—small creature lairs, points of interest, etc.—that I call "Lurid Lairs" as an homage to the old Judges Guild Wilderlands of High Fantasy. These are just raw ideas that can be developed further if the players ever explore the particular hex in which they are located (and, in fact, one of them has become a Major Encounter area in the course of campaign play). 

The following keyed location descriptions are spoilers for the campaign, so if any of my Roll20 players (Ban, Smitty, Dexter, Bjorn, Thero, or Thurandar) are reading this, please avoid going any further.