Session-Sized Hexes and Encounter Tables
When I build hexcrawls, I do not measure them in distance. I measure them in sessions of play.
First, some baseline GMing philosophies I follow.
Prep is real once written. I don't change my prep if a player has a cool idea.
Players have direct input on what makes it into my prep. I write new prep when a player has a suggestion, but I don't kill old prep.
I follow my desires as we play. I don't want to obey prep from a couple weeks ago if my creative tastes have flowed differently in the time since I wrote it.
Those three maxims combine into a session by session method of prep where the social contract is that we do Stars and Wishes at the end of each session, and then I go prep a session for next week based on that feedback. My players tend to not go off map because I'm very clear about this structure.
Normal distance-based Hexcrawls would struggle under these philosophies, since you can zip across the map as needed, but I really like the idea of hexcrawls and long journey campaigns. Thus, I use Session-sized Hexes.
Before the campaign, I make a hex map. Smaller than most, since I typically run 10 session campaigns. I name regions and major locations, all of that fun hexcrawl stuff.
Once the sessions actually start rolling, I build sessions in terms of landmarks/battle maps, enemies, and the regional random encounter table.
I typically do one encounter before each landmark. I don't check for encounters, I just build a 2d4 Table for the session. Historically, I’ve used something approaching this format, but I'm exploring some changes for my next campaign.
Encounter Table Template
2, Named Character
3, Greater Monsters (Typically a solo encounter with some beastie)
4, Lesser Monsters (A faction of monsters that are predisposed to attack)
5, Signs of a Named Character
6, Friendly People (A group of people who are open to discussion and rumors)
7, Hostile People (A group of people who are more inclined to fight, but could be convinced to be peaceful)
8, Named Character
The Named Character entries are people with narrative importance, either for the session’s Hex or the campaign as a whole. Signs are just reminders that a named character exists. Sometimes they are signs of a character on the encounter table, sometimes they are connected to a landmark character, sometimes they are teases for a character in the future or reminders of a character you encountered last session.
Recently I saw a Bluesky post by Rise Up Comus about "Hireling Barks", which are encounters focused on the party's hirelings and friendly NPCs. This blew my mind, so I'm adding Hireling Barks as the category for a result of 6 on my table. If anyone has suggestions for new categories of Encounter, let me know!
I'm beginning to prep a new campaign where the players are a Merry Men style troupe of bandits fighting against corrupt nobles, so here's an example Encounter Table set in the Silverwood. It's much more elaborate than what I typically write for a session, but mostly written as practice for this setting.
Encounters In The Silverwood
2, Lady Alice Grinvul the Black Rabbit: The Watcher of Thald's Pass, Lady Alice is known for witchcraft and cruelty. She has been summoned by the King, and will not suffer any distractions.
3, Knight of the Hound: A horse-mounted knight wearing the yellow of House Ulrik, three massive Ulrik Hounds running by his side. The Fellowship has 1 Round to influence him before he commands the hounds to pounce.
4, Soldiers of House Ulrik: 4d3 Soldiers wearing the colors of House Ulrik, yet unaccompanied by their famous hunting dogs. They are seeking out a fight and not inclined to show mercy to a group of outlaws.
5, Signs of Lady Alice Grinvul the Black Rabbit: The Fellowship finds a dead knight in the forest. His heraldry is that of House Ulrik, but he has a black rabbit's foot charm around his neck. His armor is polished and undamaged.
6, Kid's Accusation: Kid, the youngest among the Fellowship, accuses another hireling of stealing a locket his mother gave him. Kid is a hulking farmboy prone to rage, while the alleged thief is sickly and not inclined to mischief.
7, A dying Ulrik Hound: An Ulrik Hound lays dying from snake venom. It lashes out at anyone not wearing the colors of its house. If healed and tamed, it would make an excellent companion.
8, Tom Marsh: A hermit from the Northern Marsh, Tom Marsh is searching for his serpent familiar. He is wise in Brewing and will offer potions in exchange for assistance in finding his familiar.