Every adventure needs a good adventure map and sandboxes are no exception to this rule. This map has multiple purposes: On the one hand the map is a handy way to show players the many possibilities inside the open world, on the other hand it can also be used as a boundary to define the edges of the sandbox.
So first I needed a good region to use for my world. Since I’m no writer myself, I only use things I can find in books and on the internet, I decided to use an existing world: Greyhawk. The Greyhawk map is rather large. Too big for my purpose. I don’t want to give my players too much options because I want the region to be controllable.
But limiting the options, doesn’t mean there won’t be any options left. So I started lookin at the map in the hope to find a good region filled with unpredictable terrains, like mountains, jungles, oceans, … for the players to explore. I decided to use the Amedio Region as the main location for this sandbox. With the Amedio jungle and Hellfurnaces, two rough terrains are present. The sea of dust to thewest and the Vohoun Ocean to the east and south are two natural borders for the sandbox. For the map with “known” locatons at te start of the adventures I’ll use “The Amedio Region” map that can be found on the poster in the Scarlet Brotherhood.
Various regions are clearly visible on this map. A few islands, jungle cities, a large lake, jungle rivers and various forts along the coast. This region offers the possibility to combine pirates and indians with jungle and coastal adventures. On the other hand, the mountains and volcanoes in the west give easy access to the mountain, cavern and underworld adventurs. Variation is always a major asset in a sandbox.
Later in the game, the “Isle of Dread” will be added a little bit to the south. This map can be found in the savage tide adventure path. The Island itself could be the goal of an expedition, while the expedition could be a way to visit some of the other islands.
This map also adds the city of Sasserine, good place to start the sandbox. A complete map of the city can be found in the free pdf “Savage Tide – Player’s Guide”, which can be downloaded at Paizo. The city itself has submaps of every district including small descriptions. I like the fact that Sasserine is large, but not so large. So it’s possible for the players to find the things they want to, but getting some special items will take some time.
A second city, named Cauldron, can be found a bit further to the south. A good map of this city exists in the “Shackled City Adventure Path”. Some small villages can be found in the Cauldron area: Redgorge, Kingfisher Hollow and Hollowsky.
The maps of the Sasserine and Cauldron Region also exist, including some points of interest. These should be good enough as a start.
Finally, I will also use Anna B. Meyer’s cards. These add extra information to this region.
Big Sandbox 