Hex mapping Legend
by Robin
This is the Hex mapping Legend I make my maps with.
Icons are from Variant Canon Mystara Sources (being other existing maps) and many I created myself.
Fanon Sources are; Thorfinn Tait, JTR, Carilion, Sturm, John Calvin.
I'll update it when new Hex icons are created or added
Existing from Canon maps;
Mountain, Hills, Broken/Barren Land, Mountain Caves, Hill Caves, Giant Sinkhole, Named Mountain/Notable Peak, Pastorable Meadows/Grazable Land, Poor Grazing Lands, Choice grazing Lands, Sandy Dunes/Desert, Rocky Desert, Badlands, Light Forest Predominantely Deciduous, Heavy ForestPredominantely Deciduous, Forested Hills Predominantely Deciduous, Light Forest Predominantely Evergreen, Heavy Forest Predominantely Evergreen, Forested Hills Predominantely Evergreen, Jungle, Hill with Jungle, Great Home Trees, Hills with Great Home Trees.Active Volcano, Multiple Volcanoes, Aquatic Volcano, Sleeping Volcano, Dead Vocano, Volcanic Formation, Black Volcanic Sand,/Volcanic Ash, Steam, Reef or other Hazard, Water depths, River, Creek, Brook, Rapids, Waterfall, Dead Forest, Hills with Dead Forest, Light Cactus Scrub, Heavy Cactus Scrub, Fungal Forest (Altered color a bit), Fungal Jungle, Fungal Swamp, Active Hsiao complex, Spiders, Common Crabbing area, Common Fishing Area, Common Whaling Area, Good Magic Point, Bad Magic Point/Known Hakomon site, Captial, City, Town, Village, Village Nithian style, Tower/Keep, Castle, Fort, Ruins, Shrine, Statue, Henge.Menhir, Monolith, Camp, Post House, Horsefair site, Mining, Shipwreck, Lighthouse, National Border, Regional Border, Road, Trail/Path, Nithian Style Tomb complex, Nithian Style Pyramid, Moor/Bog, Fens, Mud Bog, water, Underwater hexes; Light-, Medium-, Heavy- Kelp Forest, Sea Grass, Submerged Broken Lands, Submerged Mountain, Underwater Whirlpool, Underwater Battle, Sehorse Feeding Grounds, Oyster Fields, Unnamed Fungal Color Broken Lands
Created by others, but altered to this hex style;
Taiga, Snow Covered Hills, Year Round Snow field, Snow Fields, Glaciers, Lair Monster, Dragon Lair, Ruined City, Ruined Town, Ruined Village, Naval Interdiction Point,
Created myself during Norwold map;
Dead Soil, Dead Swamp, Geyser, Seasonal Snow Fields, Permanent Frozen Mountain, Crystal Growth, Magical Effect, Gnomish Steam Vent, Syphon (clearer version from earlier canon version)
Created myself during Great Pass map;
Stone Giant Hatching Caves, Mountain Wall.Ridge, Alpine Meadows, Seasonal River, Hamlet,
Created myself during Dwarven Pass map;
Farmland Cattle, Farmland Produce, underground river, Underground Trail/road, Minor Trail, Bridge (there was a earlier canon version that was not clear enough) , introduced colored Dots on Ruins to differentiate source
Created myself during the Canolbarth timeline maps;
Hills with Fallen Trees, Grasslands with Fallen Trees, Transformed Hometrees, Hills with Transformed Hometrees (these two were equal to dead trees, I changed it to a lighter grey to differentiate), Ancient Lake border
Created myself during Canolbarth map;
Dimensional Wall/Wall of Fog, Dike High, Dike Low, Abandoned Hamlet, Forest Caves,
Earlier created myself for Broken Lands map;
Lavatunnels, Broken Lands with Fallen Trees, Swamp Trees (made clear version from earlier canon version), Mudflats, Marshland swamp (altered version to differentiate because canon version was equal to fens)
Created myself for Ethengar Map;
Mill, New Mage Towers, New ruins(Tower, Fort, Castle, village, city, Town), New Magic location symbol, Tomb, Grassy Hills, Toppled Monolith (intended to be used for the Pillars of the 3050BC Radiance Line made by Sturm), Heath , and Hills with Heath, Variable Ruins, Mage Towers, Deciduous/Evergreen Mix and Deciduous/Evergreen Mix on Hills, Tomb, Ruined Temple, Ruined Shrine, Harbour/Safe Anchoring Location, Sanddunes, Rock Formations, Bridges (straight and diagonal), Drowned Forest, Hardened Clay
Created myself for Karameikos Map;
Ruined Nithian Settlement, Ruined Manor, Coastal Evergreen hills, Coastal Evergreen Plains, Vinyard plains good, Vinyard plains poor, Wyvern and Werewolf Symbol, underground city, underground town, underground village , underground ruins, underground keep, underground fort, underground castle, Underground Pyramid, Seasonal Hunting Camp, Beholder Symbol, Mangroves, Coastal Palms/Oasis, Hippogryph, Gryphon, Seadragon/Seaserpent, Kraken/Squid/Octupus, Buoy, Observatory, Ruined observatory, Totem (From Gz14 Atruaghin Clans Tortle Clan Symbol used as general Totem symbol(mostly Humanoid)), Caravanserai, ruined Caravanserai, Watch Tower/Hunting Tower, Hutaakan Arch, Hutaakan Fountain, Hutaakan Shrine, Harpy Symbol, Thornbushes Hills, Thornbush Plains, Cactus Scrub Hills, Cloister, Harpy, Owlbear, Roc, Giant Evergreen Tree
Created Myself for the Ylaruam Map;
Hardened Clay,Thornbushes Hills, Thornbush Plains, Cactus Scrub Hills, extra Labelled Saltpits also Saltplains
Created Myself for the Before and After Great Crater Maps;
Empty Witch Cricle
Created Myself for the Lower Broken Lands Map;
Volcanic Ash Dunes, Fungal Moss Broken Lands, Submerged Lava, Surfaced Lava, Wurm Symbol, Stalactites-Stagmites-Pillars-Curtains, Fungal Bushes Broken Lands, Fungal Bushes Plains
Recreated myself from my own old Thanagioth Archipelago Venga Island;
Geyser Island. Concept based on; Dan Dare The Man From Nowhere comics 1955-1978
Remark; The color Pink I use predominantely to define Magic; As Stone Giant Hatching Caves are magical, I use a pink dot next to the caves, I use circles in pink around magic sites (pentacle) to define their radius of effect.
I use bright yellow lines to define the borders of former lakes.
I use White symbols or lines to define former no longer existing important locations or rivers respectively...if these are important with white text.(I did this in the Great Crater Maps)
I use brown lines on dead river/creek beds, and orange if seasonal.
They are dark-blue if underground or blue-purple if they are toxic (for the Ethengar Maps)
Heights and names are in Black. Country/area name is the largest at size 28/30, region like province at 20/22 , specific area, like a hill or mountain chain, a forest then at 20, and names of locations, heights are at size 10 (all in Windows Paint.) Names of Provinces are like the borders in Brickred, names of Ruins might be in Red as their name is unknown.
Ruins also often have colored dots, revealing its origine/average era they originate from) explained in the local legend, I may use puple labelling on Ruins to distinguish them from more modern ruins
Locations may be marked with a colored Dot, Rectangle or Triangle determining the important inhabitants.
And for those clever ones asking; "Why snow and magic in a pink box?" This I did to enable cut/paste in pain with a Pink background thus making the white section not translucent, Which it would be if I kept the background white. As these Hexes contain a lot of white which with transparent cutting/pasting (normally very handy) would become awkward if the background is white. This way I keep its white white instead translucent, when I change the background color to Pink, and the transparency where needed (around the hex) to enable best pasting.
Latest Editions
15-02-2016 added rocky coastline, saltwatermarsh, Lagoon, Reef or other Hazard for the creation of the Carytion map.
01-05-2016 added Vineyard and Orchard icons, new battlefield icon (with yellow to be seen on dark background too) For the Glantrian section of the Broken Lands map
04-05-2016 added Reedlands/Tall Grass icon (for the Ethengar Map Sorce of the Krandai River)
13-06-2016 added Broken Lands/Destroyed By Meteor icon(this is partially molted matter, compressed, broken, shattered, and/or even glassed in sand or small stones sized of flat) (for the Broken Lands map)
14-06-2016 added Broken/Destroyed Lands by Meteor; Large Fragments icon (Thes can be molten spires, large blocks, or similar) (for the Broken Lands map)
14-06-2016 added Salt pits (special volcanic terrain), new Surfaced Lava icon (for the Broken Lands map)
22-06-2016 added abandoned/Forgotten Trail/Road (for the Darokin Section of the Broken Lands map)
25-10-2016 added various Dragon icons for the various dragons (Red/Ruby/Crimson, Gold/Amber, White/Crystal, Green/Jade, Blue/Sapphire, Black/Onyx/Night/Any other)(for the Broken Lands map)
04-11-2016 added tower Magic-users (this version is changed 11-11-2018 and removed-it was a black tower with a pink dot)
31-05-2018 added Solid Rock for underground sections(for the Broken Lands map)
13-10-2018 added Mill, basic scale line , added most letters used to describe hexsymbols. (for the Ethengar/Glantri Map)
11-11-2018 added Variable ruins (dark Grey), redesigned Mage Towers as there was a clarity issue, Exchanged lettering in the legend on many locations for uniformity and clarity.(more will follow), improved clarity of Magic location and its uniformity (Pink star=magic). Added (for the equal Evergreen/deciduous , and equal Evergreen/deciduous on hills. Added General Tomb icon (for the Ethengar Maps)
06-12-2018 added Heath. Hexes with grass & Bushes and the same on hills (unlike the bare Hill Hexes which also have bushes and nome small trees often) these are grass covered and bear bushes up to 2-8'tall (like Rhododendron, berry bushes, Juniper, Heath bushes). (for the Ethengar/Heldann/Glantri Maps)
07-12-2018 added Slanted/toppled Monolith (used to distinguish radiance Line Pillars (for the Ethengar Maps) can be used to distinguish any pillars slanted or fallen(in effect making it a pillar ruin symbol)
23-01-2019;added Ruined Temple, Ruined Shrine, Harbour/Safe Anchoring Location (for the Ethengar Maps)
30-01-2019; added Sanddunes (for the Ethengar Maps)
12-02-2019; added Rock formations, Hardened Clay and new Bridge symbols which are better (for the Ethengar Maps)
16-03-2019; added Ruined Nithian style Settlement (for Dymrak SE Karameikos Map)
16-04-2019; added Underwater hexes; Light-, Medium-, Heavy- Kelp Forest, Sea Grass, Submerged Broken Lands, Submerged Mountain, Underwater Whirlpool, Underwater Battle, Seahorse Feeding Grounds, Oyster Fields as per PC3 Sea People (for Dymrak SE Karameikos map) and non-hexed same symbols
23-07-2019; Reorganized, made some symbols with white border and white background to be used over existing hexes. These are called empty...; Empty Hill, Empty Rock formations, Empty Battle, Empty Undead, Empty Monster Lair, Empty Dragon(all colors), Empty Undead, Empty Hsiao Complex/Abandoned Hsiao Complex, Empty Spiders/Webbing, Empty Common Crabbing Area/Common Fishing Area/Common Whaling Area, Empty Submerged Broken Lands, Empty Sea Grass, Empty Light/Medium/Heavy Kelp Forest, Empty Underwater Battle, Empty Seahorse Feeding grounds, Empty Oyster Fields, Empyt Capital City/Town, Empty City, Empty Town, Empty Village, Empty Mage Tower, Empty Tower/Keep, Empty Castle, Empty Fort, Empty Hamlet, Empty Shrine, Empty Temple, Empty Nithian Village, Empty statue, Empty Monolith Normal/Toppled, Empty Mining, Empty Posthouse, Empty Lighthouse, Empty Watermill/Windmill, Empty Horsefair Site, Empty Harbour/Safe Anchoring Location, Empty Ruined City, Empty Ruined Toen, Empty Ruined Village, Empty Undetermined Ruins, Empty Ruined Tower/Keep, Empty Ruined Castle, Empty Ruined Fort, Empty Abandoned/Ruined Hamlet, Empty Ruined Shrine, Empty Ruined Temple, Empty Ruined Nithian Village, Empty Monument, Empty Henge/Menhir, Empty Tomb, Empty Pyramid Complex, Empty Pyramid, Empty Camp, Empty Shipwreck, Empty Gnomish Steam Vent, Empty Caves(will be relocated soon), Empty Crystal Growth, Empty Magical Effect, Empty Good Magic Point, Empty Bad Magic Point/Hakomon Site, Empty Fallen Trees.
28-07-2019; Added; Drowned Forest for the Ethengar/Heldann Map
09-09-2019; Added; Ruined Manor, Coastal Evergreen hills, Coastal Evergreen Plains, Vinyard plains good, Vinyard plains poor and Wyvern Symbol, Werewolf Symbol for the Karameikos map
Also reorganized somewhat for clarity
02-11-2019; Added underground city, underground town, underground village , underground ruins, underground keep, underground fort, underground castle for the Karameikos map These locations are important enough to be marked on surface maps and have a clear access to the surface on the very location marked. Or these locations maybe underground close to the surface and have no deep connections underground elsewhere.
28-11-2019; Added Sphinx and Beholder Symbol for the Karameikos map
05-02-2020; Added Mangroves and Empty Coastal Palms/Oasis, Dragon Remains, Underground Pyramid, Seasonal Hunting Camp, Hippogryph, Gryphon, Seadragon/Seaserpent, Kraken/Squid/Octupus, Buoy Symbols for the Karameikos map
Added color codings blot, squares, stars for variant races to be used on other symbols for the Karameikos Map
Added Hutaakan Arch, Hutaakan Fountain, Hutaakan Shrine as per B10 map for the Karameikos Map
24-02-2020; Added Observatory, Ruined Observatory, Totem for the Ethengar, Glantrian and Karameikan maps
28-07-2020; Added Caravanserai, and Ruined Caravanserai for the Karameikan(and later Ylari) maps
04-08-2020; Added Watch Tower/Hunting Tower for the Karameikan Maps
12-11-2020; minor update. removed some minor flaws
21-03-2021; Added Harpy and Cloister Symbol, and 7-fold Elven Forest, Elven Hilled forest sets for the Karameikan and Alfheim and Darokin Maps
31-05-2021; Added Geyser Island as per very old Thanagioth Archipelago Venga Island map. Concept based on Dan Dare The Man From Nowhere comics 1955-1978
21-06-2021; Added Thornbushes Hills and Thornbush Plains, as well as Cactus Scrub Hills for the Ylaruam map and the overlap of the Karameikan map.
31-08-2021; Added Owlbear symbol for the Karameikan and Alfheim and Darokin Maps. Added label for the Ancient Lake Border line(Thin yellow line)
05-10-2021; Added Roc Symbol for Karameikan, Darokin, Alfheim Maps.
21-11-2021; Added Giant Evergreen Tree Symbol (like Giant Sequoia) for Karameikos, Heldann Maps
20-02-2023; Added Empty Witch Circle (overlay symbol) for Great Crater, Redstone Maps
01-05-2023; Added Fungal/Moss Broken Lands from Canon Gaz 10 (never mentioned in its own canon legend) and a lighter colored Submerged Lava Symbol for Lower Broken Lands Map
09-05-2023' Added Volcanic Ash Dunes from the Gaz 10 canon description of the terrain, for Lower Broken Lands Map
Also did some reorganizing/separating
15-05-2023; Added Wurm Symbol , for Lower Broken Lands Map
30-04-2024; Added Stalactites-Stagmites-Pillars-Curtains, Fungal Bushes Broken Lands, Fungal Bushes Plains , for Lower Broken Lands Map
10-11-2024; Added Buried Shrine for Ylaruam map