Campaign: Solid clouds covered in vegetation and vast skies are what make Zantra a unique world, home to the Windlord species! Zantrans sport a mix of avian and human features, as well as a definite zest for combat and war. The tiny surface of Zantra is below the thickest clouds and the Zantrans see it as nothing of consequence; not knowing of the rich treasure in the ruins upon it!
Homebase (Hex 0) (0001): Skylords’ Aerie – This sky island is home to one of the larger Aeries of the Skylords. The town is familiar and rowdy, with many taverns and places of ill-repute serving the rambunctious inhabitants and travelers. The towers and trees that support the open-roof buildings are sturdy and bohemian in nature, with banners and decorations forming a kaleidoscope of colors.
(Note: Areas outlined in brown are sky-islands)
Three Hexes
(Hex scale is 24 miles)
Location 1 (0000): Drudia Mountains – The forests that blanket the flanks of these steep mountains are tended by druids of the Skylords. Each grove is a work of art and zealously maintained by the druids assigned to it. Festivals are frequent and full of physical games and an enormous amount of food and drink.
Location 2 (0102): Forgotten Ruins – The remains of columns, walls and mosaic-covered floors lie on the gentle hills of this ground surface location. Ignored by the Skylords, they are home to fey creatures – fairies, dryads, nymphs and the like. The clues found in these ruins and the guarded treasures within tell the story of the origin of the Skylords.
Location 3 (0300): Calistos Caves – A dark sky island that rains water and rock on the surface, it also contains a maze of caves within. The Skylords will use these caves as tests of strength and skill, daring to face the great horned bull-beasts within that hoard their riches within. Calistos is the near immortal bull-king who rules from deep within the island, daring the Skylords to face him in single combat; none have survived the mazes to find him and accept the challenge!
See here for the overall campaign starter for New Worlds, a larger campaign framework that asks “What if your fantasy world was on the bring of ecological failure, and you had to leave it?” I have three worlds to explore in these campaign starters, but they can also stand alone.
This week’s post is inspired by this tweet from the Cartographer’s Guild.
Every week, I will be posting “Three Hexes” – simple campaign starters to show that you don’t need to do a lot to have interesting settings for people to play in. Feel free to use these in your game, campaign or as ways to spur on your own creativity and imagination!
I’ve purposefully left a lot of detail out because these are supposed to spur on your imagination! The scale is what I would use in my own world, but if something else suits you better, then go for it. I may have the features moved about on the hexes for clarity, if they don’t suit you, move them!
