## Hexes on the Island The Island of the Apemen is a large tropical island consisting of about 120 hexes and totaling approximately 3,800 square miles. ![[island_of_the_apemen.png]] There are a number of ways to approach a hexcrawl, and the key details of this one are included below: **1 hex** = 6 miles **1 hex side** = 3.5 miles **Hex size** = 32 square miles Additionally, the following hexes are all in various stages of development. This simple legend indicates their usability at any given time: **New:** 🥥 (*unusable*; nascent and volatile ideas) **In-progress:** 🌱(*usable but incomplete*; significant changes likely) **Complete:** 🌴(*complete*; only minor changes possible) Finally, hexes are identified by a number (e.g. 0505) which corresponds to the matching hex number on the above map. Locations within these hexes are identified using a decimal notation (e.g. 0505.01) to indicate their relationship within the parent hex. #### [[0505 – The Mouth of Snake River|0505 – The Mouth of Snake River]] 🌱 *The sandy white beach is split by a freshwater river that empties into the sea. The shoreline is littered with the wreckage of countless ships of various ages, and to the west the lush jungle masses like black mountains, its foliage so thick as to appear impenetrable.* The overwhelming majority of shipwrecks on the island—including the Old Galleon—occur here. There is something magnetic about the Snake River and the beach that comprises the river's mouth (known locally as the Beach of the Lost). Calm seas attract wayward ships like a moth to flame, while wild seas toss hapless vessels to its breast. **It is therefore recommended that your adventure begin here.** #### [[0604 – North of Snake River]] 🥥 *A wide and treacherous salt marsh that stretches on for miles, the territory north of Snake River is difficult to navigate and requires great care to avoid becoming mired in the mud plains, or worse: swallowed up by the rot pits found throughout that fetid morass.* In addition to the natural hazards that plague the floodplains north of Snake River, sunken ruins—decayed remnants of a once-thriving lizard folk civilization—dot the moss-haunted forests. #### [[0605 – Snake River Bend]] 🥥 *The murky waters of the river snake into the jungle, disappearing around a sharp bend. The tree line hugs its muddy banks, interspersed by sandy spits along its winding shore. Strange calls echo from the verdure, too strangled by the thick foliage to be distinguishable.* The river winds deep into the interior of the island. ## Designing Hexes **The Island of the Apemen** uses the [six-mile hex format]([The Hydra's Grotto: In Praise of the 6 Mile Hex](https://steamtunnel.blogspot.com/2009/12/in-praise-of-6-mile-hex.html)) to facilitate exploration and adventure. The following workflow can be used to quickly and consistently populate hexes. Before beginning, it is recommended that you are familiar with the details of the [[The Island of the Apemen|Island of the Apemen]] setting. Then, review the following map and select a hex whose location or geography resonates with you. **Please note:** Hexes are currently being populated in the **northwestern region** of the island (an in-flight list can be found [[The Island of the Apemen#Hexes|here]]). ![[island-unlabeled.png]] *You are encouraged, of course, to select any hex, anywhere for population—even already completed ones, making the setting your own—but new contributions clustered in the northwestern region are, in particular, deeply appreciated.* ### Step 1: Hex Attributes The core identity of each hex consists three attributes: 1. **Name:** This should reflect the overall nature of the hex. 2. **Terrain type:** The predominant terrain of the hex (as inferred from the map). 3. **Overview:** 1-3 sentences that describe the unique qualities of the hex. Defining these attributes first will accelerate the process of populating the hex and provide a valuable backdrop for subsequent steps. ### Step 2: Anchor Encounters Each hex generally consists of two (2) primary encounters and one (1) secondary encounter, which act as anchor points to the history of the Island and ongoing conflicts. These encounters provide players with opportunities for tactical play, deep exploration, and discovery of lore or mysteries of the Island. - **Primary encounters:** These are fixed locations (e.g. major points of interest) or events (e.g. medium-to-large monster encounters) that present narrative and tactical depth, and high risk/reward scenarios; primary encounters may also include maps for dungeons or other structures. - **Secondary encounters:** These can be fixed locations (e.g. minor points of interest) but also events (e.g. small monster encounters) that represent less significant scenarios with fewer risks and rewards. ### Step 3: Random Tables It is recommended that each hex have at least one random table that makes it mechanically distinct from the island as a whole. By introducing randomness in addition to that found in the anchor encounters, history is given the opportunity to unfurl in the winds of Fate—in real time. The most common random tables are wandering monster encounters, but may also include: - Weather or environmental hazards - Encounters with factions - Clues or anomalous events - Rumors (both true and false) - Atmospheric queues The Island has available a growing number of [[Random Tables]], many of which may be used both in their entirety or simply for inspiration. ### Step 4: Travel Notes Finally, information relevant to traversing the hex—like unique hazards to navigation or increased likelihood of dangers, or anything else that will aid the game master as he oversees travel through the hex—should be recorded as travel notes. ### Step 5: Refining (Optional) These steps generate a ready-to-play hex, especially if supplemented with [rules](https://cyrusrite.itch.io/let-it-roll) for randomly generating dungeons and other structures. Once the hex has been thoroughly explored, any resulting emergent adventures can be incorporated into the ### Example Hex Coming soon.