I have now a very basic idea of what I want to do. The next step is to fill the world with some stuff, to actually bring that idea to life.

Before I continue here, I have to say, that this might contain some spoilers for the adventure. So if you want to play it, then do this first, before reading on. You have been warned.

The next thing I want to say is this: Damn! As it happens so often, I think I wrote myself into a corner. I really like the premise. It sounds pretty evocative and builds up some mystery. But I have no real clue how to resolve it. But maybe I don't have to. Emergent Narrative might come to the rescue here. In essence I could just give some vague hints and the players do the rest to fill in the blanks and create a meaningful story out of this mess. It's old-school. Right?

Hexcrawl Framework

Another thing I wanted to try out was my idea of a framework for creating small ("micro") hexcrawls. This is similar to the idea of a Five Room Dungeon - a concept that helps GM's to create interesting and simple dungeons quickly. A hexcrawl is pretty much a dungeon as well. So it could be adapted maybe as well.

You could think of a set of hexes that are part of the same region, that are narratively and thematically connected together. And I think that is the key point, where most hexcrawl map loose me. They are big and sometimes feel not really connected. There are some cool landmarks on it, but that's it. Of course, as a GM you can select some of these spots to put and connect quests with. But it always feel a bit off to me.

I also want to have every hex of the crawl to be something interesting (apart from just a random encounter). To actually let the players have something to explore. So I condense everything together into a small crawl.

The cool thing about this is, that certain things can get generated from the hexmap automatically and add another layer of connectivity.

So for example imagine a rumor table: some random stuff, the characters can hear about the region. Since we have 7 hexes, we can select 6 out of those and for every one of those we can just write something about it in that table. Maybe even some red herrings.

Same goes for random encounter.

Suddenly when you encounter an enemy that is from another hex and you then visit that hex, the players should go: "Ah yes. That's where that came from. I wonder if there are more of them here? Or what did they left behind?"

So you create some more questions about things and the world looks more alive, because everything is interconnected.

The future idea is, once you have several of these micro-crawls, you can connect them to a big one and you have a rich world. There are still some things I have to figure out, though. So I take this opportunity to refine some of these points.

Characters

So after that little sidetrack, let's get back to business. The world is empty right now, well except for that one dead dude on a tree. Let's fill it with some characters. They should give different motiviations on what happens in the region. Their desires should create tension for the players to resolve.

Again I warn you one last time, that there are spoilers ahead.

First I think there needs to be some sort of baron or king, that ruled over this land. He's dead now (a recurring theme I figure). In his past he did something very bad and now he feels guilty about it. He might have taken some sort of dark deal to win a war, but the price was too steep in the end. Now even in his death he's guilt-ridden.

So there needs to be some sort of MacGuffin that is tied to his power and misdeed. I seem it fitting, that it could be some very valuable ruby that is lodged in his chest.

This allows us to create different parties that want this gem, but for different reasons. The players then can choose to which party they want to help or keep it themselves (and carry on the curse with it). I always like to give players multiple choices (if they can be Pyrrhic victories even better).

One Party can be a religious order. The gem was once a diamond, but through the corruption and guilt it has turned. Think like Bleeding, the process that creates the sith lightsabers (well turns the kyber crystal, but details). This gem belonged to a statue of their god that now lies in ruin. So they want to get that gem back, so that their god is happy again. Or something like that.

Then there's Mira, the Kings/Baron's daughter. She might be the one, that was mostly hurt by the actions of her father. Reasons are not important here. I don't have time. Anyway. She roams some part of the land as a ghost and wants that gem so she can finally be at rest. Getting the gem means, that her father is finally defeated and the curse lifted, that actually binds her to this place.

Another is a witch that lives in a hut. She is very "friendly" to the player characters. But actually is a sinister hag. She could even be part of the curse, as she is the one that helped the King/Baron, thus is the dark force he bargained with. She wants the gem, because over decades it has accumulated so much guilt, that it will feed her and bring back her youth. She promises riches and the fullfillment of the characters wildest dreams.

So that brings us back to the hanged man. How does he fit into all this. I don't know, but I let the players figure that out. I'm lazy what can I say. I can create some link to Mira with him. There's maybe a ring or locket with her name in it. Is he a lover? A long lost brother? Who knows.

Locations

Now that I have some characters I can place them in the hexes. With the NPC's (Mira, Priests, Hag), I've already filled the some of hexes. One of the hexes is the entrance (or part) of a dungeon, where the King/Baron rests. One is the starting hex with the hanged man. So I have two hexes left, where I can put in some flavor.

There could be an open field, where at night ghost are reenacting a terrible battle over and over, not able to rest in peace. This battle could even be tied to the King/Baron in some way. I kind of imagine this scene from Asterix & Obelix (The Twelve Tasks of Asterix)

Lastly there's a cemetery, half submerged in the swamp. There's treasure there and also a secret entrance to the dungeon (again I like giving player's alternative ways - but it makes it much harder). But there's also some ghouls or zombies around. How this connects to the region, I still have to figure out. Maybe this changes.

That should give me the seven hexes I need:

1. The Hanged Man (Starting Point)
2. Hag's Hovel
3. Mira's Resting Place
4. Cemetery
5. Field of the Dead
6. Broken Statue of a God
7. Fortress (Entrance to the Dungeon)

Now I have to figure out the placement of each of the hexes, create the map and proper description of all the places.