Random Solo (Hexless/Mapless) Wilderness Generation

In response to this post:  http://hillcantons.blogspot.com/2014/11/reader-query-random-solo-wilderness.html

I've been tinkering with random, solo wilderness generation for awhile now. I realized my basic method would easily transfer to a hexless, mapless, pointcrawl style of play. Here's what I have:

Create a list of regions numbered 1-20. Spatially, your abstract, mental map will be a 4 column by 5 row table of regions numbered 1-20 from left to right, top to bottom. Each region will have the following properties in it's entry:

Region #

Name:

Region Type:

Region Terrain:

Settlement Type:

Settlement Name:

East Neighbor:

   Path Length:

   Path Terrain (list):

   Road? (If yes, length is half of Path Length):

West Neighbor:

   Path Length:

   Path Terrain (list):

   Road? (If yes, length is half of Path Length):

South-West Neighbor:

   Path Length:

   Path Terrain (list):

   Road? (If yes, length is half of Path Length):

South Neighbor:

   Path Length:

   Path Terrain (list):

   Road? (If yes, length is half of Path Length):

South-East Neighbor:

   Path Length:

   Path Terrain (list):

   Road? (If yes, length is half of Path Length):

North-East Neighbor:

   Path Length:

   Path Terrain (list):

   Road? (If yes, length is half of Path Length):

North Neighbor:

   Path Length:

   Path Terrain (list):

   Road? (If yes, length is half of Path Length):

North-West Neighbor:

   Path Length:

   Path Terrain (list):

   Road? (If yes, length is half of Path Length):

Points of Interest (description and number; list):

Roll 3d6. The result is the region number in which you will begin play. You may make up a name for the regions if you like. There is a settlement in your starting region. Roll 1d3 to determine if it is a village, town, or city. Make up a name for the settlement and record this settlement in the entry for your starting region.

Determine the terrain of each region you visit by rolling 1d6 and consulting the following table. The number in parenthesis indicates the relative prevalence of that type of terrain in the region. It should be recorded. Record the results for each region. Do this now for your starting region.

d6 – Region Type – Region Terrain

1 – Type 1 – wetlands (3), grasslands (2), forests (1)

2 – Type 2 – forests (3), grasslands (2), wetlands (1)

3 – Type 3 – grasslands (3), forests (2), hills (1)

4 – Type 4 – hills (3), forests (2), grasslands (1)

5 – Type 5 – forests (3), hills (2), mountains (1)

6 – Type 6 – mountains (3), hills (2), deserts (1)

Determine neighboring regions using the following formulas and record the results in your entry for the current region.

East Neighbor = current region# + 1

West Neighbor = current region# - 1

South-West Neighbor = current region# + 3

South Neighbor = current region# + 4

South-East Neighbor = current region# + 5

North-East Neighbor = current region# - 3

North Neighbor = current region# - 4

North-West Neighbor = current region# - 5

Determine the Path Length to each neighboring region by rolling 1d6. Create a list of terrain along that path. The length of the list equals the Path Length. Determine terrain by rolling 1d6. A result of 3 or less is the dominant terrain type of the region. A result of 4-5 is the secondary terrain type. A result of 6 is the minor terrain type. The Path Length is a measure of time-units. I suggest 1 day time-units.

All regions are separated by rivers. Crossing a river should be impossible without watercraft or magic. At the very least, it should be quite difficult and hazardous to swim across. You may allow for a ferryman at the river along each path. The ferryman will charge 3d6 coins to ferry you across the river.

Roll 1d3. The result is the number of roads leading from this settlement into neighboring regions. Pick any neighboring region you want for the destination of each road. The length (in time-units) of the road is half of the Path Length to the destination. Roads allow passage over the rivers between regions via bridges.

You can wander in the current region. For each time-unit spent wandering, randomly determine the terrain traversed using the method for path terrain above. You may choose to only wander in a specific terrain type if you wish.

When you reach a new, unvisited region, determine it's properties as above. However, roll 1d6-3 to determine if there is a settlement. A result of 0 or less means there is no settlement.

The geographical results of these methods may sometimes seem implausible but they are not impossible. All that is needed at this point are various tables for generating encounters, events, and inhabitants.

Here are the general directions in which my thoughts flow regarding tables. Create encounter/event tables for each type of terrain (wetlands, grasslands, forests, hills, mountains, desert, roads, river crossing, and settlements. My tables for wetlands, grasslands, forests, hills, mountains, and deserts would start small and branch out to larger tables.

1d6 - Encounter/Event
1 - point/item of interest
2 - hazard/weather/event
3 - hazard/weather/event
4 - inhabitants (animals, monsters, persons, etc.)
5 - inhabitants (animals, monsters, persons, etc.)
6 - inhabitants (animals, monsters, persons, etc.)

Each of those categories would require rolls on more or larger tables. Tables are where things get personal. Season to taste for the type of game or play-experience you wish to create or consume. Settlements and 'dungeons' branch even deeper into their own pointcrawl generation methods.