Hexplorations: Shrine
Our 5th Hexploration helps you brainstorm a shrine: Why is it there? Is it a small display along the roadside or part of a large temple? Why do people visit? What secret does it have?
To use this chart simply roll for each column or look at the options for inspiration and pick what seems best. Or use a combination of the two approaches. For example, you may roll 6-2-6-4-2-3 resulting in an old and badly damaged shrine, established because it is located at the place of birth or death of a holy leader. It is located in a dead forest with 5′ of greenery directly around it and was already part of a building. The faithful believe pacts made in/near it are observed by angels who enforce the agreements, and at times a strange unexplained whimper is heard nearby.
Based on the above results, I would make the shrine about the death (instead of birth) of a holy leader. The land has never recovered from some magic or divine explosion even though it happened a long time ago. However, in recognition of the leader’s devotion, a small area near the shrine is filled with life. The holy leader death was caused by a betrayal. Therefore his spirit observes agreements made at the shrine and if broken notifies the other party. The whimpering is the ghost of the leader’s betrayer, which is spiritually chained below the shrine.
Use the below as a source for brainstorming and customize the best results to your game world’s religions and the specifics of your campaign!
| d6 | Age/ Condition | Reason it was Established | Environs (choose based on terrain or roll) | Part of a Building? | What the Faithful Believe About the Shrine | Secret |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New | War memorial | Peaceful grove | Solitary, but maintained meticulously by a few volunteers | Visitors who touch it (or drink from it, take a clover, etc.) are healed | The shrine was dedicated to another religion in the past… it may still have some old allegiances |
| 2 | Recent, in great condition | Death or birth of a holy leader | Small island in a lake | Solitary, but maintained meticulously by a few volunteers | Pacts made in/near the shrine are observed by angels who will enforce them | The shrine is on an intersection of magical energies |
| 3 | Recent, but badly damaged. | A god’s emissary has been seen near it regularly | Desert crossroads | A small shelter has been erected around the shrine | This is one of several shrines that must be visited in order to have a happy afterlife | At times a strange whimper can be heard beside it, but the sound has no obvious source |
| 4 | Old, but fully restored | Astronomical or Meteorological | City garden | The shrine was already part of a building | Leaving a gift at the shrine ensures a healthy baby, or good harvest, etc. | A key portion of the shrine (a statuette for example) has gone missing |
| 5 | Old, intact but showing signs of wear | Home of an artifact of the religion | Cavern entrance | A temple has been built up around the shrine | The shrine enhances some ability of believers who stay there or perform a ritual correctly | A cave entrance is found near the shrine and tunnels lead under it |
| 6 | Old and badly damaged. | A place the deity is known to have visited | Dead forest, green within 5′ of shrine | The shrine is a small but key part of a large basilica | The deity will return here or perform a major miracle at the shrine | If the proper ritual is performed, one can ask the deity related to the shrine a question |
I assume one of the first two entries for “Part of a building?” is meant to be something like: “Solitary, but maintained meticulously by a single caretaker,” or “solitary and maintained only by pilgrims.”