Yoon-Suin Hexes

It's a while since I've posted anything creative on the blog. There's a reason for this: I'm nearing completion of Yoon-Suin, and my creative energies are going almost entirely towards that. Last time I posted an update it was to brag about being nearly finished; I underestimated what a ball-ache it would be to type up my notes and lay them out properly, and I need to write some "what to do with this book" style essays. But I anticipate completion within, say, a month or two.

But anyway, here are some hexes. It isn't a hex-crawl product: I provide a blank hex map with geographical features only, and you fill in your own entries as desired. But each I've also got around 20 sample hexes for each of the 5 regions of Yoon-Suin so people can also just arrange them to taste if they're lacking inspiration.

Here are the ones I typed up this afternoon, around the Topaz Isles:

The Dreaming Crabs. An area of beach infested with small white crabs. They have been eating the local seaweed, which is imbued with magic due to the proximity of ancient ruins, which are now entirely covered by sand. Anybody passing through the area will see strange illusions caused by the collective magical dreaming of the crabs. (Roll d6 to determine illusion type: 1 - Giant crabs, 2 - Giant urchins, 3 - Giant starfish descending from the sky, 4 - Giant blennies diving out of the sky to bite, 5 - Giant slithering ragworms, 6 - Giant tentacles appearing out of thin air). The illusions are as those generated by a phantasmal force spell and will do 'damage' unless disbelieved. A mage staying the night in the area will find he can memorise an extra level 1 spell from his spellbook.  

Yuhapu, the Beach Comber. A stretch of beach patrolled by Yuhapu, a beach-comber and hermit. Yuhapu is a magician of some power (level 5) but appears as an old man, decrepit and in rags. He has befriended 4 kelp dryads who act to protect him if necessary. In his hut is Treasure Type N and O in special items, potions and scrolls. (Kelp Dryad: HD5+1, AC4, #ATT 1 DMG D8/Energy Drain, ML10; damaged only by magical weapons); he knows the Topaz Isles extremely well and will provide information in exchange for magical gifts.   

The wreck of The Red Lady. A shipwreck can be seen on the rocks 50 yards from shore, gradually decaying. Jetsam is still strewn on the beach; concerted searching for a day will uncover d3 special items here. In the channel separating the rocks from the shore lurk sharks (roll number encountered as per bestiary entry). On the ship itself is a figurehead of a woman carved from red wood. She cannot move, except for her head, but she shrieks constantly if anyone approaches, causing fear and slowness. She can cast a ray of enfeeblement 5 times per day, lightning bolt 5 times per day, and summon storm once per day. The ship contains treasure type B.  

The Fuyipi grove. A grove of jungle trees which bear a fruit called the fuyipi. This fruit, if thrown, explodes and sprays vomit inducing, stinking liquid over a 3 yard radius. Anyone in this radius must save versus poison; a failure is as a stinking cloud spell, while success is incapacitation through retching for d3 rounds. Fuyipi fruits hang 30' up and are fed on by a breed of beetle monkeys (3d6 encountered) which vigorously defend their territory with shrieks and thrown fruit, but will flee combat. (Beetle monkey: AC7, HD1-1, #ATT3, DMG d3/d2/d2, ML 5)  

The Corpse of the Sea Beast. A huge vertebrate sea beast died here long ago. Only the bones remain, picked clean and bleached by the sun. It is used as a cache by smugglers (generate on the appropriate table) who stash opium or tea in the massive skull, ready to be collected by comrades and taken to the Yellow City. On any given day there will be 500 cn in weight of randomly determined opium or tea in 10 small barrels. A lookout is permanently positioned in a well-hidden stone cairn nearby and will summon aid (20 smugglers in 4-man skiffs) with smoke; they will arrive within d6x10 minutes.  

The Sacrifice Grounds. An area of rocks used by the local sea nomads (generate on appropriate table) as an attempt to appease squid man raiders. Every month 12 people are tied to iron poles planted into the rocks above the line of the high tide. There is a 1 in 4 chance the poles are occupied when the hex is passed through. Roll d6 for each to determined the occupant: 1-3 member of a rival tribe, 4 - member of same tribe, 5 - stranded fisherman, 6 - special (1 - minor noble from the Hundred Kingdoms, 2 - slugman from the Yellow City, 3- Outsider).  

The Pool of Éhúlé. A tidal pool which, when full, can be used to see clairvoyantly. The user must hold in his mind what he wishes to see (a place, a person, an object, etc.) and slice open his forehead, spilled 1 hp of blood into the pool. What he wishes to see will then materialise in the pool in the form of the blood as it spreads through the water.