TEXT: Populated Hexcrawl Series: 
  Hexcrawl Basics 
   
   
  Todd Leback 
  
  Hexcrawl Basics 
   
  Credits 
  Designer​: Todd Leback 
  Editing & Layout​: Tim Bannock 
  Cover Art​: Jen Drummond (jendart.com) 
  Cartography​: Todd Leback 
   
  Maps created using Hexographer. 
  Hexographer is ©Inkwell Ideas 
  (inkwellideas.com). 
   
  Interior Art​: 
  ❖ Bruno Balixa - pages 1, 7, 20, 23 
  ❖ Dean Spencer - pages 2, 11, 14, 15 
  ❖ Rick Hershey / Fat Goblin Games - 
  pages 6, 10 
  ❖ Jack Holliday - pages 12, 21 
  ❖ Matt Forsyth - page 19 
  ❖ Matthew Richmond - page 5 
   
  Some artwork ©Dean Spencer, used with 
  permission. All rights reserved. 
   
  Publisher's Choice Quality Stock Art © Rick 
  Hershey / Fat Goblin Games 
   
  Scale 
  The scale represented on the maps included in 
  this product are as follows: 
  ❖ Large hex = 6 miles, face to face. 
  ❖ Subhex = 1.2 miles, face to face. 
   
  Populated Hexes 
  Support more hexcrawling by becoming a 
  patron of Populated Hexes at: 
  www.patreon.com/Populatedhexes 
   
   
  Table of Contents 
  Introduction 
  1 
  Chapter 1: Hexes 
  2 
  Hex Size 
  2 
  Hex Travel & Exploration 
  3 
  Exploring a Hex 
  5 
  Chapter 2: Random Encounters 
  7 
  Encounter Tables 
  8 
  Optional Rules 
  10 
  Chapter 3: Features & Lairs 
  12 
  Entering a Sub-hex with a Lair 
  13 
  Chapter 4: Getting Lost 
  15 
  Being Lost 
  16 
  Extended Example 
  18 
  Chapter 5: Random Weather 
  19 
  Weather Generation 
  19 
  Chapter 6: Hexcrawling in Action 
  21 
  An Extended Example 
  21 
   
   
   
  ©2019 Todd Leback. 
  This product is released under the terms of the Open Game License Version 1.0a, Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Please refer to 
  the Open Gaming License included with this release for additional legal text and copyright information. Old-School Essentials is a trademark 
  of Necrotic Gnome. The trademark and Old-School Essentials logo are used with permission of Necrotic Gnome, under license. 
  
  Introduction 
  Hexcrawl Basics
  There's a ton of literature out there – both 
  published and on the internet – dealing with 
  hexcrawling. But there is precious little information 
  on how to mechanically run a hexcrawl. This 
  publication is meant to go hand in hand with the 
  Populated Hexes​ releases and provide a general 
  guideline as to how to run a hexcrawl in play. Look 
  for additional titles with the ​Populated Hexcrawl 
  Series​ tagline to expand on these basic rules. 
  What is Hexcrawling?
  Hexcrawling is a type of exploration that takes 
  place in an outdoor setting. While there may be 
  ruined cities, moldering tombs, and forgotten 
  dungeons to explore, the most basic form of 
  exploration in a hexcrawl is simply setting out to 
  discover what interesting (and valuable!) things 
  there are within a given chunk of land. 
  References
  This product assumes the use of the ​Old School 
  Essentials​ rules by Necrotic Gnome, but does 
  occasionally make reference to other OSR products. 
  Wherever possible, they will be cited as needed so 
  you do not have to purchase additional rules 
  systems. 
  1
  
  Chapter 1: Hexes 
   
   
  Hexes 
  These supplements assume a 6-mile hex. As 
  pointed out in the article ​In Praise of the 6 Mile 
  Hex​, The Hydra's Grotto notes the 6-mile hex 
  has many built in advantages, as follows: 
  ❖ The hex is 6 miles face to face and 7 
  miles vertex to vertex. 
  ❖ Half the distance of a 6-mile hex (3 
  miles), is approximately the distance a 
  person can see to the horizon on, say, a 
  large flat lake. (As a general rule of 
  thumb a person can see a distance in 
  miles equal to the square root of their 
  height times 1.22.) 
  ❖ The template used herein breaks down 
  each six mile hex into five smaller 
  hexes (sub-hexes), from face to face. 
  This means that each sub-hex is 1.2 
  miles from face to face. 
   
  Hex Size 
   
  Each 6-mile hex contains approximately 31 
  square miles, while each 1.5 mile sub-hex 
  contains roughly 1.9 square miles. That's a lot 
  of land in a single 6-mile hex! The assumption 
  of the ​Populated Hexes​ series is that each 
  six-mile hex contains a random number of 
  points of interest. This includes both monster 
   
   
   
  2
  
  Chapter 1: Hexes 
   
   
  lairs and features that the adventurers can 
  discover through exploration of a hex. 
  It is, of course, perfectly fine to use 
  hexes with a different scale other than 6 miles. 
  Hexes of 5 and 8 miles are both common sizes 
  that are used in gaming. It's a trivial matter to 
  adjust these guidelines to different sized 
  hexes. 
   
  Hex Travel & Exploration 
   
  There are two different types of wilderness 
  travel; through a hex and within a hex. 
   
  Traveling Through a Hex 
  Traveling through a hex is pretty 
  straightforward and uses the movement rate 
  modifier for whatever the hex's terrain type is. 
  As a general rule, travel is either in a relatively 
  straight line or following some feature of the 
  terrain: a trail, a creek, the ridge of a mountain 
  range, etc. The rules for wilderness exploration 
  can be found in the “Adventuring→Wilderness 
  Adventuring” section of ​Old School Essentials​. 
  It's also relatively easy to figure out the 
  distance it takes to travel straight through a 
  hex. If the party is following a road, river, or 
  ridgeline, find that feature on the map and 
  trace its path. Remember that the hex 
  measures six miles from face to face and 
  seven miles from vertex to vertex. 
  Other distances can be eyeballed pretty 
  easily. If the party is not following a predefined 
  feature – if they're trying to get from point A to 
  point B across a tract of wilderness – it's easy 
  to take the campaign map and trace a straight 
  line, or very nearly so. 
  Figuring out what lies along the path is 
  also simple by dividing each six-mile hex into 
  smaller sub-hexes. The route the adventurers 
  take can be superimposed onto the regular six 
  mile hex to determine what features, if any, are 
  encountered during the travel. 
   
  For instance, using the map below, the 
  road following the river crosses through three 
  hexes at the vertex (12.40, 11.41, and 10.43). 
  This means that in each of those hexes, the 
  road is approximately seven miles in length. In 
  four other hexes, the road runs parallel to--and 
  is roughly the same length as--one of the faces 
  on the hex. Since the distance from vertex to 
  vertex is 7 miles, we know that the length of 
  the face is 3.5 miles. Therefore, the length of 
  the road shown below is approximately 35 
  miles. 
  Now, let's take one of these 
  hexes--12.40, to be precise--and see what 
  happens when we superimpose a child hex 
  grid over it. Doing so allows us to drill down 
  into the hex with greater detail, and tells us 
  several things, as detailed below. 
   
   
   
   
  3
  
  Chapter 1: Hexes 
  Terrain & Visibility​. The terrain is hilly, so 
  visibility is going to be limited to a degree. The 
  adventurers will be aware of any features 
  within their current sub-hex, and because of 
  the hilly terrain can actually see quite far from 
  the tops of hills. 
  Features & Encounters​. There aren't any 
  features immediately present along the road. 
  Unless the adventurers can see a feature from 
  the road, or venture off the path, they won't 
  encounter any of the features shown on the 
  map. If the adventurers are simply traveling 
  through this hex on their way to somewhere 
  else it is very likely they will not encounter any 
  of the denizens or features shown here, unless 
  said features are tall enough to see over the 
  hilltops. 
  Travel & Exploration Within a Hex
  The adventurers can also explore the land 
  within a hex, as opposed to merely passing 
  through the hex. It is assumed that every hex 
  has a certain number of interesting features 
  such as ruined buildings, toppled monuments, 
  caves, and so forth, in addition to monster 
  lairs. Traveling through a hex only reveals 
  those features on the adventurers' direct path; 
  traveling within a hex can uncover all of the 
  secrets it contains. 
  The amount of time it takes to fully explore a 
  hex is dependent upon the terrain, as follows: 
  ❖ Plains/Grassland/Desert​: 6 sub-hexes
  per day (four days to explore an entire
  6-mile hex), or 1 sub-hex every 80
  minutes (1-1/3 hours).
  ❖ Hills/Broken/Light Forest​: 4 sub-hexes
  per day (six days to explore an entire
  6-mile hex), 1 sub-hex every two hours.
  ❖ Mountain/Heavy Forest​: 3 sub-hexes
  per day (eight days to explore an entire
  6-mile hex), or 1 sub-hex every 160
  minutes (2-2/3 hours).
  ❖ Jungle/Swamp​: 2 sub-hexes per day
  (twelve days to explore an entire 6-mile
  hex), or 1 sub-hex every four hours.
  Hex exploration can be sped up by having an 
  aerial spotter: 
  ❖ Plains/Grassland/Desert​: 12 sub-hexes
  per day (two days to explore an entire
  6-mile hex), or one sub-hex every 40
  minutes.
  ❖ Hills/Broken​: 6 sub-hexes per day (four
  days to explore an entire 6-mile hex), or
  one sub-hex every 80 minutes.
  ❖ Forest​: No reduction in time, although
  tall features that break the tree line or
  breaks in the tree cover will be spotted
  automatically.
  ❖ Mountain​: 4 sub-hexes per day (six
  days to explore an entire hex), or one
  sub-hex every two hours.
  ❖ Jungle/Swamp​: No reduction in time,
  although tall features that break the
  tree line or breaks in the tree cover will
  be spotted automatically.
  In order to gain the benefits of an aerial 
  spotter, however, at least three-quarters of the 
  party must be on the ground, whether mounted 
  or on foot. There must, in other words, be 
  boots on the ground. In addition, use the most 
  unfavorable terrain type to determine the 
  overall time; exploring forested hills with aerial 
  surveillance, for instance, won't help speed 
  4
  
  Chapter 1: Hexes 
   
   
  anything along because the forest is the worse 
  of the two terrain types. 
   
  Exploring a Hex 
   
  The following assumptions are made when 
  exploring a hex. 
   
  Route​. The party starts exploring wherever they 
  enter the hex, and travel in a manner that 
  allows them to pass from sub-hex to sub-hex 
  in the most efficient manner. Usually this 
  means moving left to right, then left, or up then 
  down, then up. Of course, the party can declare 
  they're exploring the hex in any manner they 
  see fit. 
   
  Discoverability​. Entering a sub-hex is enough 
  to discover whatever feature or lair is to be 
  found within it, unless it is 
  cunningly concealed, invisible or 
  otherwise difficult to perceive. In 
  such cases there should be some 
  condition that must be met for 
  discovering the feature, such as, 
  “The Ossified Pyramid is only 
  visible in the light of a full moon.” 
   
  Movement Rate​. The adventurers 
  are moving at a rate generally 
  equivalent to cautious dungeon 
  movement. Thus, they have 
  decent chances to notice tracks, 
  avoid ambushes, and so on. 
   
  Tracks & Spore​. As a general rule, 
  creatures that lair within a given 
  sub-hex will leave signs of their 
  presence in the ring of sub-hexes 
  immediately surrounding their 
  lair. 
   
  Encounter Frequency​. For every 
  day spent searching, roll for 
  random encounters dependent on 
  the terrain. 
   
  Encounter Time​. If the party engages in 
  combat, reduce the number of sub-hexes that 
  can be explored by one, regardless of injuries, 
  for each encounter. 
   
  Camping​. It is assumed that the adventurers 
  camp in the final sub-hex they search for the 
  day. Otherwise, they may, if desired, establish a 
  base camp guarded by mercenaries. A base 
  camp is a stationary location to which the 
  adventurers return every night. It allows the 
  party to fortify a single location to be as 
  defensible as possible, as well as provide a 
  location where any injured can recover from 
  wounds through rest, if needed. 
  If the party is retreating to a base camp 
  established elsewhere, reduce the number of 
  sub-hexes explored per day by 1. The base 
  camp must either be in the hex being explored 
  or within three miles of that hex. 
   
  Monsters & Clearing a Hex 
  Characters have a 1 in 6 chance of 
  discovering monster tracks every 
  time they enter a new sub-hex 
  (rolled once for the party, not each 
  character). If a member of the 
  party is an experienced 
  outdoorsman or elf this chance is 
  increased to 1-2 in 6. This 
  assumes that there is a monster 
  lairing within that specific sub-hex, 
  and that the monster can leave 
  some sort of tracks; it serves to 
  give advance warning that a threat 
  may be lurking within. 
  If a hex is being cleared to found 
  or expand one’s domain, the hex 
  must be kept cleared by regular 
  patrols, or empty lairs or suitable 
  features may become inhabited 
  again by monsters (see below). 
  Refer to the supplement ​Domain 
  Building​ for more information. 
   
   
   
   
  5
  
  Chapter 1: Hexes 
  Example
  This example assumes no encounters that 
  result in combat. A party starts out exploring 
  a hex that is mostly forest. They explore four 
  hexes (two full hexes and four half hexes) 
  the first day, another four hexes (three full 
  hexes and two half hexes) the second day 
  and another four hexes (four full hexes) the 
  third day. At this point they decide to 
  establish a base camp (in sub-hex 0405), so 
  their explorations thereafter are reduced in 
  scope by one sub-hex per day since they 
  need to return to base camp at the end of 
  each day. In day four they explore three 
  sub-hexes (two full hexes and two half 
  hexes), and then find that the terrain opens 
  up into flat grasslands, so increase their 
  exploration rate to five hexes per day (a base 
  6 minus one sub-hex for base camp). It takes 
  two more full days to explore the entire hex. 
  6
  
  Chapter 2: Random Encounters 
  Random Encounters
  Each hex has a custom encounter table based 
  upon the number and type of lairs in that hex 
  and surrounding hexes. In order to determine 
  which monsters from adjoining hexes may 
  wander into the current hex you can use the  “% 
  in lair” rating (found in ​OSRIC​ and available 
  online at the ​OSRIC Wiki​) to determine the 
  range, in 6-mile hexes, of various creatures. 
  Simply double the percentage, with each 
  “doubling” indicating another 6-mile hex, until 
  the total is equal to or greater than 100. If 
  doubling the number will produce a number 
  greater than 100%, the monster is only found 
  within the initial hex. 
  As a general rule, the greater the range of a 
  creature the more likely the given monster type 
  is to be found within an adjacent hex. Hill 
  giants are more likely to be encountered within 
  one adjacent hex than kobolds, since hill giants 
  have a greater range. This is a general rule 
  used to populate random encounter tables. 
  Large flying or swimming creatures 
  (such as giant eagles, rocs, dragons, etc.) have 
  their ranges doubled to two hexes per interval, 
  instead of one. Large creatures in general, will 
  have a larger range due to their need to find 
  sustenance for themselves. 
  For example, even though a kraken has 
  a 75% chance of being found within its lair, and 
  would typically be found mostly within a single 
  six mile hex, it is a large creature and has its 
  range expanded to a central hex and the 
  surrounding ring. 
  7
  
  Chapter 2: Random Encounters 
   
   
   
  Examples 
  Kobolds have a 40% chance of being found 
  within their lair (using the Lair Probability 
  numbers in ​OSRIC​), meaning that they will 
  certainly appear on the encounter table for 
  the hex their lair appears in. Doubling that 
  chance we get 80%, which means they also 
  have a chance of being encountered in the 
  ring of hexes immediately around that 
  central lair. However, when doubled again we 
  get 160. Subtracting 100 from this number 
  yields 60, which is greater than their base 
  chance, so we know that kobolds from that 
  specific lair will typically just be encountered 
  within their hex, or the ring of hexes 
  immediately adjacent. 
       However, hill giants have a 25% chance of 
  being found in their lair. Therefore, they'll be 
  found in their own hex, the adjacent ring of 
  hexes (50%), and the ring of hexes adjacent 
  to that (100%). 
   
  Encounter Tables 
   
  A sample encounter table may look like this: 
   
  1d8 Monster 
  Notes 
  1 
  Goblins 
  Broken Fang tribe 
  2 
  Goblins 
  Shattered Sun tribe 
  3 
  Dire wolves 
  - 
  4 
  Giant eagles 
  - 
  5 
  Spider, black 
  widow 
  - 
  6 
  Antelope, herd 
  From adjacent hex 
  7 
  Giant, hill 
  From adjacent hex 
  8 
  Roll on Secondary Table 
   
  The base encounter table includes encounters 
  that are either lairing in the given hex, or likely 
  to be encountered in that hex from an adjacent 
  hex. The Secondary Table includes creatures 
  that are still possible to encounter within a hex, 
  but less likely than the standard table. 
   
   
   
  Assume a tribe of kobolds and a tribe of hill 
  giants lair in hex 05.05. The kobolds have a 
  maximum range indicated by the bounds of the 
  blue line and the hill giants have a maximum 
  range indicated by the red lines. Both kobolds 
  and giants will have a roughly equal chance of 
  being encountered within their home hex 
  (05.05), and although both can be encountered 
  in the ring of hexes surrounding 05.05, it is 
  more likely that giants will be encountered, as 
  they have a larger overall range. Only giants 
  (from hex 05.05) will be encountered in the ring 
  of hexes bounded by the red line. 
   
  Restocking Lairs 
  If a lair is eliminated (those dwelling within are 
  slain or driven away), it results in the specific 
  monster entry being removed from the random 
  encounter table. 
   
   
   
   
  8
  
  Chapter 2: Random Encounters 
   
   
  Once a lair is cleared there's a chance, 
  assuming it's not secured by the adventurers, 
  of it being repopulated anew. At the end of 
  each month after a lair has been cleared, make 
  a wandering monster check using the given 
  chances for the terrain type. If the result is 
  positive for an encounter, it means that the lair 
  has been repopulated by a randomly 
  determined monster. 
  Once a lair has been repopulated the 
  monster type is added to the encounter table 
  for that lair. To determine exactly what type of 
  monster resettles a lair, re-roll on the tables for 
  wandering monsters. The ​Old School 
  Essentials​ rulebooks have tables for random 
  wilderness encounters by terrain. 
  Unless the monster is humanoid or 
  intelligent and capable of carrying goods, 
  newly settled lairs will possess no treasure. It 
  takes 1d12 months after moving in for a 
  monster to accumulate treasure as given in 
  their treasure type. 
   
  Extended Example 
  As an example, let's assume a party of 
  adventurers sets out to clear a hex, using the 
  random encounter table just provided. The hex 
  contains five lairs: two goblin tribes, a dire wolf 
  pack, giant eagles, and a black widow spider. 
  Over a period of a week they wipe out 
  the Broken Fang goblin tribe, the pack of dire 
  wolves and the black widow spiders. This 
  leaves the encounter table for that hex looking 
  like the one in the next column. 
  If they were to continue to explore the 
  hex (let's assume it’s a forested hex), each day 
  there would be a 1-2 in 6 chance of a random 
  encounter, of which a positive result has a 1-5 
  in 8 chance of leading to an actual encounter 
  (since three of the encounter spaces are 
  empty). 
  Now, let's assume the party gets 
  distracted by something shiny and spends the 
  next three months pursuing another goal 
  before returning to the partially cleared hex. 
  The referee has been rolling for each cleared 
  lair in secret, once per month, with a result of 
  1-2 indicating something new has settled in the 
  empty lair. The results are: 
  ❖ Lair One​: 2, so it is resettled a month 
  after being cleared. 
  ❖ Lair Two​: 8, 6, 9, 5, so it remains empty 
  three months on. 
  ❖ Lair Three​: 4, so it, too, is resettled. 
   
  1d8 
  Monster 
  Notes 
  1 
  No encounter 
  2 
  Goblins 
  Shattered Sun tribe 
  3 
  No encounter 
  4 
  Giant eagles 
  - 
  5 
  No encounter 
  6 
  Antelope, 
  herd 
  From adjacent hex 
  7 
  Giant, hill 
  From adjacent hex 
  8 
  Roll on Secondary Table 
   
  To restock our two empty lairs we roll 1d8 
  twice and compare the result to the “Woods” 
  table. The rolls are 7 and 3: dragon and insect, 
  respectively. This refers us to following tables 
  of those monster types and moving on to 
  those we roll a 7 (for dragon) and 12 (for 
  insect). A result of 12 indicates a giant 
  tarantula spider, and the 7 indicates a white 
  dragon. We decide to re-roll the result, since it 
  doesn't fit the terrain type, and get an 11, 
  indicating a wyvern. 
  When our adventurers return to the hex 
  they had cleared over three months prior they 
  may be surprised to discover that a wyvern has 
  taken over the former village of the Broken 
  Fang goblins, and a family of tarantula spiders 
  now nests in the former black widow lair! 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  9
  
  Chapter 2: Random Encounters 
   
   
  Optional Rules 
   
  Below are several optional and variant rules 
  that can be used to personalize how often 
  encounters or specific monsters occur, as well 
  as guidance for adding new tomes of monsters 
  into the mix when creating your encounter 
  tables. Not everyone relies on the monsters 
  found in only a single rulebook! 
   
  Adding New Sources of 
  Monsters 
  When rolling on the wilderness encounter 
  tables to determine the actual type of 
  monster, considering rolling a larger sized 
  die. The tables in ​OSE ​generally use 1d12, 
  but if you use a larger die, results beyond 
  12 can be used to reference other tomes 
  of monsters a referee may have access 
  to. 
  For example, this author uses 
  1d16 instead of 1d12. Results of 13-15 
  indicate a monster from another source, 
  such as ​Advanced Edition Companion for 
  Labyrinth Lord​, or ​OSRIC​, or one of the 
  excellent third-party sources floating 
  around. A result of 16 indicates a unique 
  (and usually very powerful) monster or 
  NPC. 
   
  Rarer Dragons 
  Referees are, of course, free to modify the 
  wilderness encounter tables as desired to 
  produce the lairs they want. This is 
  especially useful when you have access 
  to published adventures or encounters 
  that can be incorporated into the 
  campaign setting. Additionally, this gives 
  leeway for making certain types of 
  monsters more or less rare. 
   
   
   
  For instance, this author has adopted a 
  house rule from another referee called “Double 
  Dragons,” which serves to reduce the 
  frequency of dragons. If the result of the initial 
  1d8 roll indicates a dragon, roll again. If the 
  second roll also indicates a dragon, then roll on 
  the Dragon sub-table. Otherwise, use the new 
  result to determine the type of monster 
  encountered instead. 
   
   
   
   
  10
  
  Chapter 2: Random Encounters 
   
   
  Encounter Frequency 
  The core ​OSE ​rules state that encounters 
  should be checked for once per day, though it 
  suggests changing this frequency as high as 
  four times per day. Many referees roll for 
  random encounters twice per day: once during 
  the day and once during the night. 
  OSE ​normally uses 1d6 to determine 
  random encounters, but some referees may 
  prefer to use 1d12 to add a little more 
  granularity. 
   
  Random Encounter Chances (1d12) 
  Terrain 
  Day 
  Night 
  City 
  1-4 
  1-3 
  Clear, Grasslands, Ocean 
  1-3 
  1-2 
  Desert, Hills, Forest, River 
  1-4 
  1-2 
  Jungle, Mountains, 
  Swamp 
  1-6 
  1-3 
  Badlands, Marsh, Moors 
  1-5 
  1-2 
   
  Encounter Distance 
  When a random encounter is indicated, or the 
  party enters a sub-hex containing a lair, the 
  referee should determine the distance at which 
  the encounter occurs prior to anything else. 
  Encounter distance is covered in ​OSE’​s 
  Adventuring chapter, in the Encounters section. 
   
   
   
  For a little more variety, referees might 
  have the terrain type determine the distance at 
  which an encounter normally occurs, as 
  detailed below. At night halve the given 
  distance. The referee should use their best 
  judgment when an encounter occurs. A party 
  standing atop a hill can see for many miles 
  around and down the slopes into the valleys 
  surrounding, but they won't be able to see what 
  is on the side of the next hill opposite them. 
   
  Plains/Fields/Grasslands/Flat Desert​. 
  1d10x100 yards. Settlements and creatures 
  over 10' tall visible from 3 miles away. 
   
  Mountains/Hills​. 4d6x10 yards. Settlements 
  and creatures over 10' tall visible at three times 
  this distance. 
   
  Marsh/Badlands​. 2d6x10 yards. Settlements 
  and creatures over 10' tall visible at twice this 
  distance. 
   
  Light Forest​. 6d10 yards. Settlements and 
  creatures over 10' tall visible at twice this 
  distance. 
   
  Heavy Forest/Jungle​. 6d6 yards. Settlements 
  and large creatures visible at 1.5 times this 
  distance. 
   
   
   
   
  11
  
  Chapter 3: Features & Lairs 
   
   
  Features & Lairs 
  Every six-mile hex is going to contain between 
  1-6 features and 1-6 lairs. 
   
  Features​. Features are points of interest calling 
  out to be explored. They can include dungeons, 
  rivers, an area of differing terrain, a resource to 
  exploit, a graveyard, abandoned dwellings, 
  natural hazards, and much more. As a general 
  rule, there will be only one feature per sub-hex, 
  although a feature can (and often does!) share 
  the same sub-hex as a lair. 
   
   
   
  Like lairs, features are discovered upon 
  entering a given sub-hex, although some 
  features, such as a grove of trees on a flat 
  prairie, can be seen some distance away. 
   
  Lairs​. Lairs are permanent or semi-permanent 
  settlements of predominantly one type of 
  monster. A lair is considered to be distinct 
  from an actual dungeon, although some 
  creatures may lair in a dungeon-like 
  environment 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  12
  
  Chapter 3: Features & Lairs 
  Water
  Water is one feature that deserves special 
  notice. When water appears as a feature, it is 
  because there is something about it to 
  engage the adventurers. Otherwise, it is safe 
  to assume that any given hex has a certain 
  number of water sources such as springs, 
  creeks, etc. Tropical regions will have 
  multiple water sources in a given sub-hex; 
  temperate regions will have at least one 
  water source every hex, and often at least 
  one source per sub-hex; and arid hexes may 
  have only one source of water every two, 
  three or even ten hexes! 
       Typically, you shouldn't make the 
  characters track water in tropical or 
  temperate climates; in arid climates they 
  most certainly must make sure to be 
  carrying enough water (one gallon per day 
  for humans) in order to survive. 
  Entering a Sub-hex
  with a Lair
  Whenever the adventurers enter a sub-hex 
  containing a lair, they will automatically 
  discover it. The main question at this point is 
  whether the inhabitants of the lair discover the 
  adventurers at the same time! The referee 
  should determine a couple of things in 
  advance, though. First, are the inhabitants of 
  the lair intelligent enough to post guards, 
  spotters or some sort of early warning system? 
  Second, how many of the inhabitants are 
  presently in the lair? 
  Alertness & Guards
  The first question is pretty easy to answer: 
  humans and humanoids that lair in large 
  groups will almost always post guards or have 
  some sort of early detection system, while 
  intelligent creatures that lair in small groups – 
  giants, dragons, etc. – will either have some 
  manner of trap to alert them to the presence of 
  an intruder or will often have others stand 
  guard for them.  If there are guards posted it is 
  a safe assumption to make that the first 
  encounter will be between the party and the 
  guards, unless suitable precautions are taken. 
  Creatures of less intelligence than, say, 
  goblins, will most often not post guards. 
  Once it is determined how many 
  creatures are in the lair (see the next section), 
  the referee needs to roll to see if the 
  inhabitants are aware of the adventurers' 
  presence. A modified surprise roll is made for 
  both groups using 1d6, with the following 
  modifications: 
  ❖ If the party has more than ten members
  add +1 to the roll.
  ❖ If more than half the party is mounted
  add +1 to the roll.
  ❖ If the monster has guards posted add
  +1 to the roll.
  ❖ If the monster has taken pains to hide
  their lair subtract -1 from the party's
  result.
  ❖ If the adventurers are aware that there
  is an encounter nearby (they are
  following tracks, have been alerted by
  other nearby monsters, etc) add +1 to
  the party's roll.
  ❖ If the lair is exceptionally large, such as
  an entire village of goblins, or a lair of
  giants, add +1 to the party's roll.
  ❖ If the “party” consists of one or two
  advance scouts trained used to moving
  through the wilderness the monsters
  suffer a -1 penalty.
  ❖ Do not add Dexterity modifiers to the
  roll.
  ❖ If the inhabitants are sensitive to light
  and the encounter occurs during the
  day, apply a -1 penalty to the
  inhabitant's roll. If the encounter occurs
  at night and the inhabitants can see in
  the dark subtract -1 from the party's
  roll.
  13
  
  Chapter 3: Features & Lairs 
   
   
  As with normal surprise rolls a given side is 
  surprised on a result of 1-2. Use the 
  encounter distance table by terrain to 
  determine when a lair is first “seen” (and 
  surprise can first occur). Note that lairs are 
  often much larger – and much more obvious 
  – than a group of monsters, so are often 
  apparent at two or three times the given 
  distances. 
   
  Lair Probability 
  To answer the second question we use the 
  Lair Probability numbers (again, using 
  OSRIC​). Roll as normal, and if the result of 
  the roll indicates that the monster is in the 
  lair then all of the inhabitants will be 
  discovered in their lair. 
   
  Where Are They Now? 
  If the result indicates they are not in their lair 
  refer below. The referee should, of course, 
  use their best judgment when determining if 
  any inhabitants are currently in the lair. If 
  young are present it is unlikely the lair will be 
  completely abandoned. 
  Herd & Pack Animals​. If the inhabitants 
  are herd animals or monsters that travel in 
  packs, assume the lair is empty (such as 
  wolves, or hellhounds). 
  Humanoids​. Humans and humanoids 
  will rarely entirely abandon their lair. Roll 1d8. 
  On a result of 1 the lair will be completely 
  empty, otherwise there will be a percentage of 
  monsters remaining equal to the result of the 
  roll x 10%. 
  Powerful Monster Organization​. If the 
  inhabitants are powerful monsters that appear 
  in small numbers (dragon-kin, giant-kin, etc.) 
  roll 1d6. On the result of a 1-5 all of the 
  monsters are absent, otherwise only 50% of 
  the number will be absent. 
  Small Group Organization​. If the 
  inhabitants congregate in small numbers or 
  are, vermin, bugs or other unintelligent 
  monsters roll 1d8. On the result of 1-3 the lair 
  will be empty, otherwise there will be a number 
  of monsters left equal to the roll x 10%. 
  Solo Monsters​. If there is but a single 
  inhabitant the lair is empty. Note that 
  intelligent monsters rarely leave their lair 
  unguarded for any significant amount of time. 
   
  Returning Monsters 
  Absent monsters will return as follows, rolling 
  1d6: 1 in 1d4 turns, 2-3 in 1d4 hours, 4-5 in 3d4 
  hours, 6 in 1d4 days. 
   
  Example 
  The party enters a sub-hex containing a 
  goblin village with 32 inhabitants. Goblins, 
  according to ​OSRIC​, will be found in their lair 
  40% of the time. The referee rolls 1d100 and 
  gets an 80; the goblins are not in their lair. 
  However, goblins are intelligent, so the 
  referee now rolls 1d8, and gets a 4. 40% of 
  the goblins (13) are still in the village, while 
  the remainder are absent. 
   
   
   
   
   
  14
  
  Chapter 4: Getting Lost 
   
   
  Getting Lost 
  Assuming the party has a mapper and is 
  keeping track of their location, they will not get 
  lost if: 
  ❖ They are following a path, trail or other 
  landmark (such as a river). 
  ❖ They have successfully traveled over 
  the terrain in question previously. 
   
  Otherwise, if the adventurers are traveling 
  through hexes, roll for the standard chances of 
  getting lost, as per the rules in the following 
  sections of the Adventuring chapter of ​Old 
  School Essentials​: 
  ❖ "Hazards and Challenges” 
  ❖ "Wilderness Adventuring” 
  ❖ "Waterborne Adventuring” 
   
   
   
   
  Getting lost while exploring within a hex, 
  however, is slightly different. Once per day of 
  exploration, the referee rolls for the chance of 
  getting lost based on the terrain they will be 
  traveling through. If the adventurers are 
  traveling through more than one type of terrain 
  roll for the terrain that has the greatest chance 
  of getting lost. 
   
  Chance of Getting Lost (1d6) 
  Terrain 
  Lost 
  Delayed 
  Plains 
  1 
  2 
  Mountains, Hills, 
  Forest, Sea 
  1-2 
  3-4 
  Desert, Jungle, Swamp 
  1-3 
  4-5 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  15
  
  Chapter 4: Getting Lost 
  Example
  The party is exploring a hex and will be 
  traveling through sub-hexes contain forests 
  and swamps. There's a 1-4 chance of getting 
  lost or delayed in the forest, and a 1-5 
  chance of getting lost or delayed in the 
  swamp. Use the greater chance of getting 
  lost. The referee rolls 1d6. On a result of 1-3 
  the adventurers become lost; on a result of 
  4-5 they're merely delayed. Either way, the
  first thing to do is determine when the party
  becomes lost.
  The following modifiers can be used to adjust
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the chances of getting lost: 
  ❖ If fleeing (p. 116, OSE) add +1 to the
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  chance of getting lost.
  ❖ If the party has aerial support -- and in
   
   
   
   
   
     
   
  terrain
  without
  heavy
  tree-cover
  --
   
   
   
   
  reduce the chance to get lost and
   
   
   
   
   
   
  delayed by 1 each.
  ❖ If the party has a native to the territory
   
   
   
     
   
   
   
  acting as a guide reduce the chance of
   
     
   
   
   
   
  each by 1.
  ❖ If the character has an appropriate
   
   
   
   
   
  background *or* you’re using a skill
   
   
   
   
   
  system and they have the appropriate
   
   
   
   
   
  skill (like navigation) reduce the chance
   
   
   
   
   
  of getting lost by 1.
  ❖ If the character has some means of
   
   
   
   
   
   
  determining
  direction
  reduce
  the
   
   
   
  chance of getting lost by 1.
  As a general rule, getting lost and being
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  delayed can be caused by separate factors; it
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
  is possible for an expert navigator to be
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  delayed based upon local terrain or conditions. 
  If the party becomes lost or delayed roll to 
  determine when they get lost: either roll 1d8 to 
  determine the hour they become lost, or a die 
  corresponding to the number of sub-hexes to 
  be explored. If lost, the party loses the path 
  and heads in a randomly determined direction 
  for 1d8 hours (less the time already traveled in 
  the day). To determine the direction the party 
  goes in assign each face hex a number from 1 
  to 6, calling the one to the north "1” and 
  continuing clockwise; this is shown in the 
  illustration. Roll 1d6 and assume the 
  adventurers travel in the given direction. 
  Being Lost
  When lost, the adventurers travel at their 
  normal rate and will often not note they are lost 
  until they either encounter a known feature or 
  roll successfully (see below). Every time a new 
  sub-hex is entered roll 1d6 to determine which 
  way they head. Getting lost while exploring a 
  hex isn't necessarily a huge problem: the party 
  is still exploring sub-hexes, although there's a 
  16
  
  Chapter 4: Getting Lost 
  good chance they mistakenly label the 
  sub-hexes 
  The chance to get lost is rerolled each 
  day to determine if they remain lost. If the new 
  result is "Lost” again, they stay lost until they 
  encounter a new feature or roll well enough to 
  avoid getting lost on their daily roll. 
  If the result on the new roll is "Delay,” 
  the party is delayed for the given amount of 
  time. They then make a new roll to determine if 
  they remain lost or not; the chance to remain 
  lost is equal to the sum of "Getting Lost” and 
  "Being Delayed.” 
  Example
  A group of adventurers are traveling through 
  forested hexes and will get lost on a roll of 
  1-2 and delayed on a roll of 3-4. The referee
  rolls a 1, so the party becomes lost. They
  begin wandering off in a direction
  determined by rolling 1d6. They are
  wandering in unfamiliar territory, so will not
  come across any known landmarks, and
  spend the rest of the day going in the wrong
  direction.
   The next day the referee rolls again to 
  determine if they get lost or delayed, using 
  the same chances, and gets a 3: Delayed. 
  Once they're able to find their way around the 
  obstacle, the referee rolls to see if they 
  remain lost. They will remain lost on a roll of 
  1-4, which is the sum of the two chances.
  The referee rolls a 5, and the party realizes
  they've been traveling in the wrong direction.
  Simply realizing that the party is lost does not 
  impart knowledge of how to get back on track, 
  nor reveal for how long they have been 
  traveling in the wrong direction. It is up to the 
  adventurers to figure out how to get back on 
  the right track! 
  Getting Delayed
  A result of "Delayed” simply means that the 
  local terrain is such that it impedes progress 
  for a time: steep ravines, impenetrable 
  undergrowth, etc. The adventurers know where 
  they are, and where they're trying to go, but it 
  takes them a while to figure out how to get 
  there. Roll to determine which sub-hex causes 
  the delay (as with getting lost). The length of 
  delay is as follows and based on terrain: 
  Delay by Terrain
  Terrain
  Length of Delay
  Plains, Light Forest 
  1d2 hours 
  Hills, Badlands, Marsh, 
  Heavy Forest 
  1d4 hours 
  Mountains, Desert 
  1d6 hours 
  Swamp, Jungle 
  1d8 hours 
  If a member of the party is woods-wise and 
  familiar with the terrain type being traversed, 
  the delay is reduced by one hour, to a minimum 
  of one hour. Once the sub-hex has been 
  mapped the obstacle causing the delay will be 
  accounted for and will no longer pose a 
  problem. 
  A sub-hex might also have a "Delay” as 
  a feature; use the same rules when they occur. 
  The only difference is that they have been 
  placed, as opposed to being random. 
  Aerial Support
  If the party has an aerial spotter there's a flat 
  1% chance of getting lost and half the given 
  chance of being delayed, regardless of terrain, 
  provided there is no tree-cover heavier than 
  "Light Forest” to conceal the party on the 
  ground. 
  17
  
  Chapter 4: Getting Lost 
  Extended Example
  The party is exploring a hex of primarily 
  wooded hills and mountains. They start in 
  sub-hex 703, expecting to cover four sub-hexes 
  per day. They are by themselves, without a 
  guide, following the northern path on the map 
  (refer to the red line labeled "1”). 
  Based on the table above, there's a 1-2 
  chance of getting lost and a 3-4 chance of 
  being delayed. The referee rolls a 1, so the 
  party gets lost. The referee then rolls 1d8 to 
  determine during which hour they get lost (a 
  full sub-hex takes two hours to explore, a half 
  sub-hex, such as 703 and 603, takes one hour). 
  The result is a 3, which means they get lost in 
  the middle of exploring sub-hex 503, or three 
  hours into the day. 
  The referee rolls 1d6 to determine 
  which way they go and gets a 6. The party 
  heads northwest and explore the mountainous 
  sub-hex 403; so far so good, as that's the hex 
  they would likely explore, anyway. However, the 
  referee decides that they explore the entire 
  sub-hex, instead of just half, and that it takes 
  two and two-thirds hours to do so (due to the 
  terrain). They have now spent five and 
  two-thirds hours exploring. The next 1d6 roll is 
  a 3, so they head straight south into sub-hex 
  404. It takes two hours to explore this hex, and
  the party ends up camping in this hex for the
  night.
  The following day, the referee rolls a 3, 
  for the result of "Delay.” According to the 
  above table hills cause a delay of 1d4 hours, 
  and the result is a 4. They spend 4 hours 
  working their way out of a vexing box canyon. 
  Rolling percentile again the referee gets a 12, 
  so the party stays lost for the rest of the day. 
  After making their way out of the box 
  canyon they go southwest, into sub-hex 304 
  (taking two hours to explore it), and then veer 
  northwest back into the mountains and 
  sub-hex 204. There they camp for the night. In 
  the morning the percentile roll is 5, so the party 
  realizes they're lost. 
  Several days later the party is in the 
  south of the hex, finishing up their explorations 
  (blue line, labeled "2”). Again, it takes two 
  hours to explore a hex. The referee rolls 
  percentile and gets a 3; the party is Delayed! 
  Rolling 1d8 results in a 3 and determines the 
  delay occurs in the middle of searching 
  sub-hex 607. Rolling 1d4, the referee 
  determines the delay lasts for 2 hours, and 
  decides they end up riding into a maze of 
  valleys between the hills, and must spend two 
  hours figuring out where they are. Five hours in 
  total have elapsed since they've started, and 
  they'll only be able to explore a total of three 
  sub-hexes. However, they've now mapped the 
  confusing terrain and can avoid it – or navigate 
  it – in the future. 
  18
  
  Chapter 5: Random Weather 
   
   
  Random Weather 
  Adding randomly generated weather to your 
  hexcrawl makes it both a more realistic 
  experience and provides an opportunity to add 
  a layer of complication to the adventurers' 
  plans. See the ​Random Weather Generation 
  release for a more detailed system useful for 
  hexcrawl campaign play. 
  It is recommended to generate weather 
  for a block of time in advance of play. Doing so 
  allows the Referee to include portents of 
  impending weather (“as dusk approaches the 
  sky begins to darken as a heavy cloud cover 
  rolls in from the north, bringing with it a 
  noticeable drop in temperature) as well as 
  make it easier to actually incorporate while 
  playing. 
  The weather should have an impact on 
  play; rain is going to reduce visibility, 
  potentially erase monster tracks, make the 
  ground slippery during fights, etc. A cloudy day 
  might allow beastmen such as goblins to 
  operate during the day without penalty. 
  Traveling by air will likely be inadvisable during 
  a thunderstorm, or during extremely cold 
  weather. 
   
  Weather Generation 
   
  The steps to generate random weather per day 
  are as follows (this assumes a temperate 
  climate): 
   
  Step One: Daily Outlook 
  Roll 1d20. A result of 1-12 indicates a sunny 
  day, 13-20 a cloudy day. A result of 1 or 20 
  indicates unusual weather. See below. 
   
  Step Two: Chance of Precipitation 
  Roll 1d20. If the initial result was for a sunny 
  day it will rain at some point during the day on 
  a result of 17-20 (15-20 during the spring). If 
  the initial result was cloudy it will rain on a 
  result of 13-20. 
   
   
   
   
   
  19
  
  Chapter 5: Random Weather 
  Step 3: Precipitation Severity
  Roll 1d20 and compare to Table 1, below. Roll 
  1d24 (or use a random number generator) to 
  determine when the precipitation start (1 being 
  1 am, 2 being 2 am, etc.) 
  Precipitation Severity
  1d20
  Event
  Duration
  1 
  Storm, violent 
  6d6 hours 
  2-4
  Storm, moderate 
  6d6 hours 
  5-7
  Storm, mild 
  6d6 hours 
  8 
  Storm, violent 
  1d6 hours 
  9-11
  Storm, moderate 
  1d6 hours 
  12-14 
  Storm, mild
  1d6 hours 
  15 
  Storm, violent 
  3d20 minutes 
  16-18 
  Storm, moderate
  3d20 minutes 
  19-20 
  Storm, mild
  3d20 minutes 
  Mild Storms​. Mild storms have a 10% of 
  lightning and a 10% chance of high winds (4d6 
  mph). Increase these chances by 15% during 
  the summer. 
  Moderate Storms​. Moderate storms 
  have a 25% of lightning and a 30% chance of 
  high winds (8d6 mph).  There is an additional 
  5% chance of hail (warm weather) or sleet 
  (cold weather). Increase the chances of 
  lightning and high winds by 15% during the 
  summer. 
  Violent Storms​. Violent storms have a 
  50% chance of lightning and 60% chance of 
  high winds (8d20 mph). There is an additional 
  10% of hail (warm weather) or sleet (cold 
  weather). Increase the chances of lightning 
  and high winds by 15% in the summer. 
  Step 4: Unusual Weather
  If the initial result was a 1 or 20 roll 1d6: 
  ❖ A result of 1-2 indicates unseasonably
  warm or hot temperatures, lasting for
  1d8 days.
  ❖ A result of 3-4 indicates unseasonably
  cool or cold temperatures, lasting for
  1d8 days.
  ❖ A result of 5-6 indicates an unusual
  event, such as a tornado, rain of blood
  or frogs, eclipse, meteor shower, etc.
  20
  
  Chapter 6: Hexcrawling in Action 
  Hexcrawling
  in Action
  When it comes down to bringing all of this 
  together, the order of operations is as follows: 
  Step One: Destination & Path​. The 
  adventurers define which areas they're going to 
  search, and the approximate route they want to 
  take. 
  Step Two: Travel Time by Terrain​. The 
  referee determines the weather, and how long 
  it will take to explore each sub-hex based on 
  terrain type. 
  Step Three: Random Encounters & 
  Getting Lost​. The referee rolls for random 
  encounters and chances of getting lost. If a 
  random encounter occurs, the party gets lost, 
  or they face a delay, determine which sub-hex 
  it occurs in and what the encounter is with. 
  Step Four: Spore​. As the adventurers 
  explore each sub-hex roll to see if they notice 
  signs of the presence of monsters in nearby 
  sub-hexes. 
  Step Five: Features & Lairs​. As the 
  adventurers enter each sub-hex they 
  automatically encounter any features or lairs 
  within the sub-hex 
  Step Six: Passing Through or 
  Exploring?​ If the adventurers are just traveling 
  through then only the land immediately 
  surrounding their path is mapped. If they're 
  exploring within it the hex is considered 
  mapped once all of the sub-hexes have been 
  physically explored. At this point the 
  adventurers learn the number of resources 
  within a hex as well as their approximate value; 
  this is important in regards to the ​Domain 
  Building ​publication. 
  Step Seven: Clearing a Hex​. A hex is 
  cleared once all lairs within a hex have been 
  killed, driven off or reasoned with. 
  An Extended Example
  Let's take a sub-hex and see how everything 
  comes together. We’ll use some of the optional 
  rules for encounter frequency (see Chapter 2). 
  Use the map below as a reference. 
  21
  
  Chapter 6: Hexcrawling in Action 
  Step One: Destination & Path
  The party decides to fully explore hex 12.40 
  and clear it to add to their growing domain. 
  The referee determines it will take about eight 
  days to fully explore: hills can be explored at a 
  rate of 4 sub-hexes per day, plus a couple of 
  extra days to allow for encounters. 
  Step Two: Travel Time by Terrain
  The referee then rolls for weather for nine days, 
  getting the following results on the following 
  table. 
  On a sweltering hot day, the 
  adventurers start their exploration of hex 
  14.20, beginning with sub-hex 703 and working 
  their way west. Since they can explore four 
  sub-hexes per day, the referee knows each 
  sub-hex takes about two hours to explore. 
  Day
  Weather
  1 
  The referee rolls a 1: unusual 
  weather! They then roll 1d6 and get 
  a 2, which results in unusually 
  warm weather lasting 2 days. 
  2 
  An 8, then a 7. Clear, no rain. Last 
  day of heat wave. 
  3 
  An 18, then a 19. Cloudy, rain. 
  Moderate storm lasting 45 minutes 
  (result was 46, but we rounded 
  down), starting at 2:00 pm. No 
  lightning, no high winds. 
  4 
  5 and a 5. Clear, no rain. 
  5 
  17 then a 6. Cloudy, no rain. 
  6 
  11, 15. Clear, no rain. 
  7 
  8, 17. Clear, with rain. Mild storm 
  lasting 6 hours, starting at 9:00 pm 
  8 
  11, 5. Clear, no rain. 
  9 
  18, 5. Cloudy, no rain. 
  Step Three: Random Encounters &
  Getting Lost
  Before the adventurers take off, the referee 
  rolls for a random encounter (encounters 
  occur in hilly terrain on a result of 1-4 out of 
  12) and gets a 12, for no random encounter.
  Step Four: Spore
  The referee knows there's a monster lair in the 
  next sub-hex (603), so they secretly roll 1d6 to 
  see if the adventurers pick up on monster 
  tracks in the first sub-hex and gets a 2. Since 
  they've hired a guide familiar with the local 
  terrain that's a success, and the guide points 
  out tracks belonging to several grizzly bears. 
  22
  
  Chapter 6: Hexcrawling in Action 
  Step Five: Features & Lairs
  They enter the next hex with some care, and 
  sure enough before too long discover a cave in 
  a hillside! Since it takes two hours to explore a 
  sub-hex, and this is the second partial sub-hex 
  they've explored, the encounter occurs during 
  the second hour of exploration. 
  The referee now rolls to see if the bears 
  are in their lair. Referring to ​OSRIC​, we see that 
  brown bears have only a 10% chance of being 
  discovered in their lair. Rolling 1d100, the 
  referee gets a 6, which means they are present 
  in their lair! Next, they determine if anyone is 
  surprised: the adventurers, alert to the potential 
  presence of bears, gain a +1 bonus to their roll. 
  Since the adventurers are mounted the bears 
  also gain a +1 bonus. The referee rolls in 
  secret again for both sides, getting a 4 and a 3, 
  meaning that neither side is surprised. Finally, 
  they must determine how far away the lair is 
  when it is seen. Since this is hilly terrain we 
  know that encounters take place at a distance 
  of 4d6x10 yards, or 170 yards, as the result is a 
  17. 
  Encounter!
  At this point the encounter begins as a normal 
  encounter, with the referee making a reaction 
  roll. They decide that since grizzlies are more 
  aggressive than normal bears and are 
  encountered in their lair that the check is made 
  with a +2 penalty. Luckily for the adventurers, 
  the roll is a 4, yielding a modified result of 6. 
  The bears are uninterested in the adventurers, 
  and the players decide that this is one lair they 
  will take note of but not deal with at the time 
  being. 
  Step Six: Passing Through or
  Exploring?
  The party moves on and explore sub-hexes 
  503, 403 (half hex), 303 (half hex) and 404. 
  Since there's a monster lair in hex 404 and 
  they've got a guide with them, there's a 1-2 in 6 
  chance per sub-hex that they encounter tracks 
  from the lair in hex 404. The referee rolls a 6, 3 
  and 5, meaning they have no advance warning 
  of the lair. This is the last hex of the day, which 
  means the encounter occurs approximately 7 
  hours into the exploration. 
  The encounter then proceeds and is 
  resolved as normal (with combat or parley). 
  They camp, any random encounters are rolled 
  for at night, and they pick up where they left off 
  in the morning. 
  This continues until the adventurers 
  either completely explore the hex, finding all of 
  the features and lairs within, or they get pulled 
  into some other plot thread or quest! 
  23
  
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  (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, 
  broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; 
  (d) ”Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and 
  includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent 
  such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an 
  enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly 
  identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work 
  covered by this License, including translations and derivative works 
  under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. 
  (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, 
  logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures 
  characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, 
  incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, 
  formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other 
  visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, 
  spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and 
  special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, 
  magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic 
  designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly 
  identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and 
  which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; 
  (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, 
  designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or 
  the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the 
  Contributor 
  (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, 
  format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of 
  Open Game Content. 
  (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this 
  agreement. 
   
  2. The License 
  This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice 
  indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in 
  terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game 
  Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this 
  License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or 
  conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using 
  this License. 
   
  3. Offer and Acceptance 
  By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the 
  terms of this License. 
   
  4. Grant and Consideration 
  In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant 
  You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the 
  exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content. 
   
  5. Representation of Authority to Contribute 
  If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You 
  represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You 
  have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License. 
   
  6. Notice of License Copyright 
  You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to 
  include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game 
  Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the 
  title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the 
  COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute. 
   
  7. Use of Product Identity 
  You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to 
  compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent 
  Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You 
  agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark 
  or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open 
  Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent 
  Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. 
  The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute 
  a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any 
  Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title 
  and interest in and to that Product Identity. 
   
  8. Identification 
  If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which 
  portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content. 
   
  9. Updating the License 
  Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this 
  License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, 
  modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed 
  under any version of this License. 
   
  10. Copy of this License 
  You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open 
  Game Content You Distribute. 
   
  11. Use of Contributor Credits 
  You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name 
  of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the 
  Contributor to do so. 
   
  12. Inability to Comply 
  If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License 
  with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, 
  judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any 
  Open Game Material so affected. 
   
  13. Termination 
  This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all 
  terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming 
  aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this 
  License. 
   
  14. Reformation 
  If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision 
  shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable. 
   
  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
  Open Game License v 1.0a​ © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
   
  System Reference Document​ © 2000. Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors 
  Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary 
  Gygax and Dave Arneson. 
   
  Hexcrawl Basics​. © 2019, Todd Leback; Author Todd Leback. 
   
  Old School Essentials: Core Rules​. © 2019 Gavin Norman. Author Gavin 
  Norman. 
   
  Product Identity​: The following items are hereby identified as Product 
  Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), 
  and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper 
  names (characters, place names, new deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, story 
  elements, locations, characters, artwork, graphics, sidebars, and trade 
  dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game 
  Content are not included in this declaration.) 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/System neutral/Tables & Charts/Hexcrawl & Wilderness/Populated Hexcrawl Series - Hexcrawl Basics (OSE).pdf