Gerozato: The Port town of Gekkōshima
My party in my wild west hexcrawl game nearly TPKed, and after a discussion, we decided we'd rather start a new story vs make new characters and continue on.
So, I've been working on a new hexcrawl inspired by Historical Japan and Japanese folklore! The hexcrawl is set on the fictional island of Gekkōshima during this world's sort-of equivalent of the Warring States period. It is a small island being explored by smaller clans and wannabe Daimyo, while the larger clans skirmish on the mainland.
We recently played our first session of it, and I had a great time. I've got the first town and its adjacent hexes written up, so I'll be sharing them below.
All art used is public domain, which I've found to be a wonderful source of inspiration for hex contents! I used the Metropolitan Museum's online catalog as my primary source of art, and you should check it out too, especially if your game is directly inspired by a particular region.
Gerozato
A bustling and overpopulated port town that is the first thing a lot of folks see when they arrive on the east coast of Gekkōshima.
Architecture
Older homes in Gerozato are long, narrow buildings, with small courtyards just large enough for gardens. These buildings, called Machiya, have no side windows, allowing natural light in through slatted windows on the front and back. Shops have similar architecture but are wider than they are narrow to accommodate multiple patrons. Buildings are packed tightly; most residences barely leave room to walk between them.
Newer citizens live on the outskirts of town in pit houses. The bases of these homes are dug directly into the ground, and wooden poles are erected to hold roofs made of grass and reeds. These homes are built on the north side of Gerozato where the elevation is high to prevent flooding.
Inhabitants (1,200 — small town)
Residents of Machiya houses have been in Gerozato for years and have witnessed its growth. These individuals often lament the population growth and complain about the ugly pit houses.
Pit house residents are usually newer to Gerozato and have arrived seeking opportunity. Though this group is defined by their hope for the future, they are also growing frustrated with their living conditions.
Regardless of residence, most citizens of Gerozato are of commoner status, though a handful of Yahagi clan samurai reside here as well.
Administration
Gerozato is in the domain of the Yahagi Clan, and its management has been left to Administrator Yahagi Yayoi. Yayoi was given this position as a reward for driving off bandits that attacked the town, but she has no political acumen.
Her only idea to solve the population issue is to clear out Castle Katsutoyo to the northwest and move the pit house residents there. However, the castle is rumored to be cursed, and she's had trouble putting together a group of volunteers to investigate.
HD 3 AC 14 SP 22 Saves D11 R12 H13 B14 S15 Att Yari (+2, 1d8) Speed 20 Morale 10 XP 40
Reaction to newcomers
Newcomers to Gerozato get mixed responses depending on who you ask. Those most frustrated by population issues dread newcomers and wish the Yahagi Clan would limit the number of new residents. Less jaded members of the community welcome newcomers, seeing them as potential assets.
Either way, newcomers are expected to prove themselves quickly. If you can bring the town value or have enough money to buy from the shops, you'll quickly become a beloved part of the community. Otherwise, you'll struggle to keep a roof over your head, and nobody will feel bad about it.
Services
All standard equipment and adventuring supplies are available in Gerozato.
1 Gerozato Manor
An estate composed of several single room buildings connected by raised open-air corridors. The estate has planked wood flooring and roofing, and internal walls are constructed from movable panels.
Shinden: This central, south-facing building is the largest of the estate. It is Yayoi's private quarters, which contain a few pillows and a small table. A small portion of this chamber is surrounded by solid plastered walls and accessible only by a single door, which is kept locked. Yayoi sleeps in that chamber. 2x Yahagi Ashigaru guards.
Eastern Pavilion: Connected to the Shinden by a corridor, this pavilion contains straw dummies and racks with training swords. Yayoi uses it to practice privately, and she's often found here. She occasionally invites lower-ranked samurai or commoners to train with her, which is considered an honor. 1x Yahagi Ashigaru guard.
Western Pavilion Connected to the Shinden by a roofed bridge, this pavilion is outlined by movable panels with designs of owls hunting prey. A table with a tea set sits in the center. Guests meet Yayoi here. When Yayoi hears public concerns, she removes the tea set and uses this room. 2x Yahagi Ashigaru guards.
Northern Pavilion Connected to the Shinden by a corridor, Yayoi has gifted this pavilion to Eiko, an artist in town that she's become infatuated with. Eiko has turned it into a studio, covered in canvases and scrolls of poetry. 1x Yahagi Ashigaru guard.
Eiko: An artist who came to Gerozato months ago by boat. She is a moderately successful poet who wants to chronicle Gekkōshima since there's little art about the island. Eiko is headstrong and a little bored.
- Wants to explore the island and see its most impressive sights, but Yayoi wants her to stay in Gerozato, where she can keep her safe.
- AC: 10, HD: 1, SP: 3, Mv: 60', Att: 1 (+0 1d6), ML: 6, Saves: D14, R15, H16, B17, S18 XP: 5
Ocean Pavilion: Connected to the western pavilion by a roofed bridge. A small room over the ocean. Yayoi uses the room for fishing, while Eiko uses it during full moons for viewing parties and poetry writing. 1x Yahagi Ashigaru guard.
Gerozato Shrine
Gerozato's largest shrine sits directly on the shore and is best known for its Torii, partially submerged in the water, which appear to rise and sink with the tide.
Gravel path: The path to the Shrine's sacred hall is flanked by stone lanterns on one side and a fountain on the other for cleansing one's hands.
Sacred Hall: Also called the Honden, the sacred hall is fenced off from commoners and locked. It is only to be opened by priests and shrine maidens.
- Inside is a bowl that can be filled and stirred to summon Suijin, a water kami, for 1d4 hours. If the bowl is removed from the shrine, Suijin will attack her summoner. If she is defeated and shown a Kagura by a divine caster, she will assist that caster during future summons. After each summon, Suijin must rest for a week before being summoned again.
- AC: 14, HD: 4, SP: 19, Mv: 60', Att: 1x Scalding blast (+2 1d8), ML: 6, Saves: D13, R14, H15, B16, S17 XP: 125
- Suijin can create rain in a half-mile radius around her.
- Whirlwind form: 5 rounds to transform (or change back). 70’ tall, 20’ wide at top, 10’ wide at base. Moves at 120’ (40’). 2d6 damage to all in path. Creatures with less than 2HD swept aside (save vs death).
Offering Hall: In front of the sacred hall. A large building where citizens can make offerings. Two stone lion-dogs stand beside a Torii in front of the building. Townsfolk usually offer something related to their work. Fish are the most common offering.
Occupants:
2x Yahagi Ashigaru
Denzou: A bald, middle aged priest. Kind, but strict. He will correct improper behavior at !the shrine gently once, but harshly if he has to repeat himself. Stressed out as he has not been able to find a new shrine maiden since the old one, Jura (See Twin Heavens Dojo) left suddenly.
- Wants to find an experienced shrine maiden as no kagura has been performed in weeks.
- AC: 10 Hd: 1 SP: 4 Mv: 60' Att: 1 (+0 1d6) ML: 6 Saves: D14, R15, H16, B17, S18 XP: 5
3 The Fickle Fish
A wide 2-story inn that is buckling under the increase in population over the last several years. One of the oldest buildings in Gerozato is beginning to sag.
Sign: A yellow carp with X's for eyes, a spear through its body.
Common Room: Several low tables and pillows to sit on throughout the room. Divided into two sections by folding walls. The left half is rowdy and loud, a popular destination even among those who don't sleep at the inn. On the right, a quieter room is filled with the sound of a shamisen and the clack of shogi tiles.
Guests Fisherman and dock workers make up most of the raucous half of the inn's guests, while administrators, samurai, and those who wish to become samurai frequent the shogi tables.
Staff
Sakura: owner of the fickle fish and bartender. Kind and chatty with big spenders but throws anyone who doesn't make a purchase quickly out.
Keiko A travelling shamisen player who has been performing each night at the Fickle Fish. Very single-minded, disinterested in anything but music, and condescending to non-professional musicians.
- Wants to make her coin and for Genji to leave her alone.
Ryoma: serves food to the shogi players and acts as the inn's bouncer, has muscles on his muscles. Throws people out at a hint of violence or if they fail to buy anything for a few hours. Raspy voice, but a gentle giant if you don't give him trouble.
- AC: 11 Hd: 3 HP: 13 Mv: 40' Att: 1 (+1 1d6) ML: 9 Saves: D11, R13, H12, B14, S15 XP: 35
Notable Guests
Yahagi Genji: the third child of Yahagi Tomoe. Spends most of his days getting drunk out at the shogun tables and flirting with Keiko. Flirtatious, constantly telling women they are his true love. Perfect complexion, fine robes, a pair of swords at his belt.
- Wants to sleep with Keiko.
Jin: A pit house resident often thrown out by Ryoma.
- Wants to spend time under a solid roof.
Haruka: A small-time criminal who eavesdrops at the inn for rumors. Buys newcomers a drink and chats with them to see if they'll make good targets for theft.
- She is planning to rob the shrine's sacred hall, but wants someone to be her lookout.
4 bathhouse
The bathhouse contains public baths for men and women available for 100 months. Private baths are available for 500 mon per hour. Taking a public bath grants a rumor from the rumor table. Private baths are often used for clandestine meetings away from prying ears.
For regular private clients, Jubei also offers discreet escort services, most often used for adultery.
Occupants
Jubei: Owner of the bathhouse, and information broker. Very secretive about his private clients. Loose kimono with a very sweaty chest. Murmurs a lot.
- Wants New workers for the escort business, particularly in need of men.
Hajime the Bicep: A hulking martial artist who bounces disruptive guests and keeps Yahagi Ashigaru away from Jubei's business. Soft spoken, extremely loyal. Former competitive sumo wrestler and loves talking about it.
- AC: 10 Hd: 3 HP: 14 Mv: 40' Att: 1 (+1 1d8) ML: 9 Saves: D11, R13, H12, B14, S15 XP: 35
5 Little Frog Tea Parlor
A tea parlor with outdoor seating below a wooden pergola. Known for its sweets.
- Dango 300 mon (skewered rice flour dumplings)
- Zenzai 400 mon (sweet red bean soup)
- Amazake 250 mon (sweet fermented rice drink)
- Matcha 150 mon (green, sweet tea)
- Sencha 200 mon (steamed green tea, balanced flavor)
- Gyokuro 250 mon (strong umami tea)
Owner
Akari A young woman with a bubbly personality. Cheerful tone, every sentence ends in an exclamation point. She was a shrine maiden for a time in a different town, but after injuring herself during kagura she is convinced she has angered the spirits.
- Wants Plums from a perfect plum tree she found in the forest to the west. She made pastries from them once and has never been able to find the plum tree again.
6 Docks
Bustling with hired hands moving boxes on and off of merchant ships, and confused travelers getting their bearings.
Occupants
Hanzo: a scam artist. Finds confused looking travelers and asks them if they need a guide before leading them down an alley and mugging them. Fast talker.
- Wants to target weak looking people, alone or in groups of 2. Mainly pit house occupants or travelers who are less likely to seek the aid of the Ashigaru.
- AC: 12 Hd: 2 HP: 8 Mv: 40' Att: 1 (+0 1d8) ML: 7 Saves: D12, R13, H14, B15, S16 XP: 20
Captain Willem Kogelman a Dutch sailor who trades in Gerozato. Commands a crew of 10 sailors. Willem is respectful of the town, but his men can be rowdy and disrespectful of local tradition. They mostly spend their time at the docks or at the Fickle Fish and own the only guns in Gerozato.
- Wants to prove to the town that he is here in good faith, and to build trade relationships with as many businesses as possible.
- AC: 12 Hd: 4 HP: 16 Mv: 40' Att: 1 (+2 1d8 40' range matchlock rifle) ML: 7 Saves: D12, R13, H14, B15, S16 XP: 20
7 Market
A strip of town with market stalls up and down the street, including:
Greengrocer
run by Genzo, a hard of hearing old man.
Sells fresh produce
Fishery
Run by Kimiko, whose husband and son own a small fishing boat.
Sells fresh fish caught daily. What is available and how much of it varies from day to day.
Apothecary
Run by Daichi, a young man researching medicine to become a better healer.
Sells herbal remedies and healing potions (50 ryō each)
Smithy
Run by Eiji and his apprentice Aimi. They sell simple weapons and leather armor to anyone but will only sell martial weapons or heavier armor with Yahagi Yayoi's permission.
8 Pit House District
A disorganized section of town where all houses are built directly into the ground with flimsy roofs above them. Most of the people here are poor, but there are as well off as those living in Machiya houses. There just aren't any available Machiya to be moved into.
Unrest
Pit house residents are growing tired of the housing situation, particularly wealthier residents. A fiery farmer named Josuke has built up a group of 6 Bandits who intimidate the Machiya owners in Gerozato in an effort to drive them out of town and free up real estate. They wear paper masks when they attack and haven't been identified yet.
Gerozato Events
Yahagi murders
4 weeks ago, a young commoner married into the Yahagi family, holding a ceremony on a bridge a few miles south of town. The next week, he and his wife were both found dead in their bed, their home broken into.
Each week since, a Yahagi has been found dead in their home at the same time. The deaths are bloody and violent.
A vengeful demon that lives under the bridge where the marriage took place is methodically killing the entire Yahagi clan in Gerozato. A party that keeps watch the night before the next killing sees the demon, there is a 3 in 6 chance they see her entering town; otherwise, they see her leaving.
Hashishime
A demon woman wearing a white robe stained with blood, along with an iron crown bearing a trio of torches. Attacks lovers or Yahagi on sight, otherwise she flees conflict to her bridge.
- HD 7 AC 14 HP 35 Saves D10 R11 H12 B13 S14 Att 2x Hands (+3, 1d8) Speed 20 Morale 12 XP 400
Nighttime Encounters (2 in 6 chance)
- 1d4 Bandits from the pit house district harass a couple walking home from the market. (See pit houses)
- A gullible looking traveler is being led down an alley by a man in a well-groomed kimono. It's Hanzo (see Docks) and he plans to mug the traveler.
- Eiko (See Gerozato Manor) is playing her shamisen and has drawn a crowd. 3 Yahagi Ashigaru are with her.
- A pair of Giant toads has wandered into town and is harassing citizens. 2d6 Yahagi Ashigaru will arrive to attempt to oust the toads in 2d6 + 10 Minutes.
- HD 2 AC 12 HP 10 Saves D12 R13 H14 B15 S116 Att 1x tongue lash (+1, 1d6) Speed 20 Morale 12 XP 25
Rumors (these reference hexes I'll add to the blog in the next week or two!)
- Did you hear that 3 Yahagi Ashigaru have died in the last few weeks? Each one on a Thursday too. Weird. (See Yahagi murders event).
- Whatever happened to the old shrine maiden? There hasn't been a Kagura in a long time, I hope the fisherman don't have a bad season. (See Twin Heavens Dojo).
- Can you believe the Yahagi haven't taken care of that creepy castle out west? Sometimes I see it when I go foraging, gives me the shivers. (I modified my Ronin adventer Castle Katsutoyo for this one)
- There's a little inn west of town, but I've never heard of anyone staying in it I wonder how they stay in business. (See The Hanging Turtle)
- Did you see the body the Ashigaru dragged into town the other day? It was absolutely torn to shreds. I've heard of bandits south of town, but I've never seen someone killed like that by a human. (See Whirling Demon Followers Camp)
- My son was out in the swamps west of town collecting wood last week and he told me he saw a toad twice as tall as he was. Now he won't go out for wood anymore because he's afraid the toads will get him. I think he just doesn't want to work anymore. (See Ōgama lair)
Stat blocks
Yahagi Ashigaru
Low ranking soldiers serving the Yahagi clan. Blue and silver accents on leather armor.
HD 2
AC 14
HP 9
Saves D12 R13 H14 B15 S16
Att Yari (+1, 1d8) or Yumi (+1 1d6)
Speed 30'
Morale 9
XP 20
Bandit
Thieves, muggers, and trouble makers.
AC: 12
Hd: 1
HP: 4
Speed: 40'
Att: 1 (1d6)
ML: 7 (9 with a leader)
Saves: D14, R15, H16, B17, S18
XP: 5