Adventurer's Atlas

Across the planes of the multiverse, inumerable places host dangers of all kinds. From the brightest cities to the darkest caves, adventurers can expect to face obstacles. But traversing a forest is not like traversing an ocean, and crossing a mountain range is not like crossing a swamp. Each journey presents unique dangers, and will require different strategies to overcome.

This document is an experiment in supplying statistics for locations to use in your game of D&D 5th Edition. In the history of D&D, characters and creatures have had statistics such as strength and intelligence, but locations have relied upon descriptions and images, and sometimes special rules. This atlas aims to codify and quantify more of the differences between places, giving the DM tools to craft journeys through lands, and from one place to another. It also aims to spark the imagination, giving DMs a framework for future creativity. These lands are yours to use as you like, and barely scratch the surface of all the places throughout the multiverse.

Location statistics.

A location is any area of terrain that is large enough to present as a backdrop to adventure. It can be specified through its Scope, Nature, Danger, Mystery, Size, History, Harshness, and Hostility. There are other attributes, but they are all derived from one or more of these base attributes.

These derived attributes are Navigation DC, Travel Die and Travel Points

Scope

Scope is a measure of the distance between points of safety and security, as well as of raw difficulty of traverse. Scope determines the size of the Travel Die. The larger the die, the more difficulty and more random the journey. Scope can be assigned one of the following values.

Scope

Scope Travel Die Example Local d4 Neverwinter Regional d6 Kryptgarden Forest Wilderness d8 Sword Coast Continental d10 Icewind Dale Oceanic d12 Trackless Sea Extraplanar d20 The Realm of the Mad Gods

The best way to judge your feature is to ask is it a scope sized feature? If it is an entire scope, it is a feature of the next scope up, and that should be your choice. For example, the Sword Coast is a region, so it is not a regional scoped area, it is the next one up. Many Locales fit into a region, many Regions fit into a Wilderness, for example.

Nature

Nature is much like alignment, in that it is a two part measure, each with three possiblities. A location can be Civilised, Natural, or Alien, representing how familiar it is to the travelers. Additionally, a location can be Open, Removed or Hidden, representing the degree to which travelers can both learn of it and access it. A magically hidden kingdom of men might be both civilised and hidden, while a range of illithid infested moutains might be alien and open.

Danger (DGR)

Danger is a rough measure of the frequency of hazards and lethality of an area. It acts as both a save DC, and a damage modifier to any natrually occuring hazards. Difficult climbing, swimming in rough water, and avoiding debris from a volcanic eruption would all use this DC, and any damage resulting would use the Danger Modifier.

Danger

Danger/Save DC Modifier Example 4 -3 The Hills in the Sound of Music 10 0 Farmlands 14 +2 Old woods 18 +4 Mountain Ranges 22 +6 Artic areas 26 +8 Active volcanos 30 +10 Extraplanar void

Mystery (MYS)

Mystery, the difficulty of learning information academicly or by exploration. Paths change, cults hunt down published work, or magical interference addles the minds of travelers. Whatever the cause, the more mysterious, the harder it is to navigate or to access information.

This acts as a DC to ability checks to recall information or locate specific points within the area. Additionally, the Mystery Modifier contributes to the Navigation DC of an area, and the difficulty of finding a Waypoint.

Mystery