Current version

06 Dec, 2025

INTRODUCTION TO A LOW FANTASY CONTINENT

This introduction serves as a primer for sandbox wilderness play in a low fantasy, mythic Antarctic region. It is intended for referees using rules light systems such as Knave, Into the Odd, Cairn, or more traditional B/X, Basic Fantasy, Old School Essentials, or similar systems.

The Brinemarch Run

THE BRINEMARCH RUN is a low fantasy overland hexcrawl set on a greened Antarctic coast at 70º latitude. A greened Antarctica means glaciers are gone. Here, it is perpetually cloudy and misty. Thunderstorms arrive from the plains without notice, and a full maelstrom may rise at any time of year. The coast of greened Antarctica is grounded in the facts of our own universe. The fiction of Brinemarch, Antarctica, is drawn over that quiet set of facts to create an alternate timeline or weird history with a fantasy twist. Consider approaching it differently than either another fantasy continent or a trek through mythic northern Eurasia.

The Land of Woven Shelter

In the greened Antarctica timeline, by the time of the map of Brinemarch, people have lived here for more than ten thousand years. The land first welcomed people around 8,000 BCE. The people traveled from what we call Tierra del Fuego and the Andes of South America. They call themselves the People of the Canoe and the People of the Tide, or Tide Folk and Canoe Folk. The Brinemarch was not the first place they arrived. It was a long time before the rivers of Brinemarch finally met the Tide Folk, the Canoe Folk, and people who call themselves the Namers of Stars. Together, they gave this region a name in their own tongue, “Woven Shelter.” To you, it sounds a bit like “Brinemarch.”

The Great Thaw of the South Pole

The exact details of how it happened are not known, but the Great Thaw of the South Pole started something like this. Annual asteroid strikes chipped away at the ice sheets and stirred earthquakes and volcanoes, which accelerated the process. Even tsunamis sped up the thaw. It was all just fast enough and just strong enough to uncover the coastline in time for the first people to arrive at a thriving green coastline around 8,000 BCE. At the same time, it happened slowly enough and gently enough that our Neolithic ancestors were not wiped out, and their descendants could not get masonry established in the various hearths of so-called civilizations. Convenient, right?

A Word to Worldbuilders

A word to the dreamers, the doodlers of timelines and maps, the worldbuilders. Think of how many archaeological sites are already underwater in our own timeline, and then imagine a world history in which sea levels are much higher because there has been no ice cap at the South Pole since the Neolithic Age. Some things might turn out the same, but this shifts the tidal zones and every other aspect of the atmosphere (climate, trade winds, and precipitation). Rivers would probably end up in similar places, but deserts and arable land could end up in dramatically different pockets around the world. Without the conveyor of ice-cold water from Antarctica to churn the ocean and the atmosphere at predictable intervals, we can speculate how even one significant variation in timing for our ancestors might result in dramatic and interesting meetings of cooperation, conflicts, food, songs, and so on. To say nothing of the political organizations that would need to form to cope with civilization-upending hundred-year deluges, now arriving multiple times a year, in random locations around the globe. So much room for speculation and worldbuilding!!

Assumptions (so far)

This alternatiative timeline narrows down all of the possiblities with two subsequent choices. First, anyone who has access to maritime lore knows all of the continents exist, that they are hospitable, and that they are inhabited. This is because Antarctica sends memos in the form of animals, seeds, fruit, art, technology, and microbiome cultural exchange, moving slowly and constantly with every other maritime people in the southern hemisphere, nonstop, for thousands and thousands of years. So much room for speculation!!

Second, despite that first fact, world history continues as it has been written in our history books right up until the 1400s, except for the inclusion of new chapter headings about Antarcticans. The map of Brinemarch then takes place in a subsequent time when empires have caravels and colonial outposts, gunpowder, and clockwork devices, but not industrial steam power.

New Saint Bastion and the People of the Flag

An empire has built a castle on an island here as a base to explore and exploit the Antarctic interior and called it New Saint Bastion. They wrestle for resources and land, and their reckless activities disturb ancient powers. The locals call them the People of the Flag.

It is assumed the players will be part of the People of the Flag or tangential to them. The reasons for this are that regardless of meager attempts to make Brinemarch distinct, it is neither possible nor desirable to disentangle it established fantasy. Why would such a thing need saying? the reality is that our imaginations tend

So Where Is the Magic?

Where is the magic? Where are the elves? Are elves low fantasy? What mythical beast does a rogue get to stab?

Yes, well. Funny thing. The greened Antarctica did not thaw completely. It remains mostly thawed. There are still small glaciers and extensive permafrost. Under the ice is a bit more ancient-er history. That history ends hundreds of thousands of years ago with a magical event, referred to by some survivors as the “Abominable Freeze.”

Most mortals who wake up from the cryogenic sleep wake up cranky. They survive a few hours, flailing, confused, coughing, suffering, and then perish. This has been going on in the subarctic climates for as long as humans have written records. Others have survived a complete cryogenic thaw. The children of those who have adapted to this new world are the Goblings and the Gnomes. The rest are rare, hidden, and live only in specialized conditions. These are orcs, elves, dwarves, a dragon or two, and other mythical beasts.

THE OSR ANTARCTICA DESIGN JAM

DESIGN GOALS OF THE BRINEMARCH RUN

The Brinemarch Run was created for the OSR Antarctica Design Jam as a survival-oriented hexcrawl in a low-fantasy setting. One requirement of the jam was that entries use role-playing systems that are freely and publicly available. A selection of such systems can be found in the appendices.

Rather than follow a single ruleset, this setting is written in a system-agnostic style. It is designed to work equally well with rules-light systems such as Knave, Cairn, Into the Odd, Basic Fantasy, Old School Essentials, or similar frameworks.

The structure emphasizes visual clarity over exhaustive prose. Formatting choices, such as bullet points, inline tags, and nested information, are intended to reduce page flipping and scrolling during play. This layout may not always read smoothly as narrative, but it keeps related material within easy reach.

Note to self: a future update will include a sidebar or bookmark key to explain any unique notational choices.

Another guiding principle is information density. Brinemarch covers a large region, and the aim has been to provide meaningful depth without attempting to detail every hex. Approximately ten percent of the landmass is directly keyed. The remainder is supported by terrain-specific tables and procedures intended to help referees improvise during play.

WHAT MAKES BRINEMARCH BRINEMARCH

The hexes for the OSR Antarctica master map come in a few classic terrain types. These include both elevation and arability:

• Farmland
• Desert
• Forest, conifer
• Forest, deciduous
• Forest, jungle
• Mountains
• Plains (other)
• Swamps

Brinemarch is meant to be a canoe focused region, so these have been regrouped into a simpler set of tags:

• Farmland becomes [wetlands]

  • Floating gardens that look like marsh and flooded fields

• Desert becomes [arid]

  • Black volcanic sands, gravel, and low brush

• Forest, conifer becomes [forest]

• Forest, deciduous becomes [forest]

• Forest, jungle becomes [forest]

  • The tag tells you “trees and cover” first; local details come from the hex key

• Mountains stay [mountains]

• Plains (other) stay plains

  • Often open country with a fungal twist, detailed later

• Swamps are not present in the original slice of the map

  • When they appear, they will use the [wetlands] tag

These tags are meant to play well with procedures for movement, encounters, and survival. They also keep the page footprint small while still hinting at how a hex feels at the table.

SAMPLE PROCEDURES FOR TRAVEL AND SURVIVAL

Below is a sample of procedures for travel, exploration, and survival. Many role-playing games already offer their own rules for these tasks. These procedures are meant to sit beside those rules, not replace them, and to give Brinemarch a consistent rhythm in overland and river-based play.

Assumed Conditions for Travel

• One hex is six miles across
• One hex of travel on foot under normal conditions takes one watch (four hours)
• River travel:
  • Move at twice normal speed when going downstream
  • Move at normal speed when going upstream, if the river is navigable
• Canoes ignore terrain penalties on flooded hexes
• Wetlands are navigable by canoe
  -Wetlands have a 50% chance to be impassable on foot (daily). Use a canoe.
• Bad weather, steep terrain, or overgrown forest simply reduces travel to ½ speed.

Assumed Frequency of Events

• Roll once per hex entered for possible events or encounters
• Roll once per watch at minimum, even if the group is stationary
• If the group is already being [stalked] or [watched], double the number of event rolls

DAILY PROCEDURES

For Each Watch (4 hours): Mark terrain crossed. Roll 1d6: 1 = Encounter 2 = Sign or trace 3 = Weather shifts 4–6 = Uneventful If Stationary: Still roll once per watch. If Being Watched, Hunted, or Hex is Dangerous: Roll twice per watch.

1d6 | Brinemarch Weather

| 1 | Mist and fog, visibility reduced to 1 hex
| 2 | Cold rain; speed: 1/2 on land, 2x on river but 1/6 lose 1 gear (player choice)
| 3 | Storm, waters rise, canoe anywhere, but 1/6 lose 1 gear (player choice)
| 4 | Clear skies, rare, full visibility
| 5 | Winds rise, ranged attacks and canoe travel penalized
| 6 | Maelstrom (arcane tempest), land dries out, roll on magical storm table (TBA) |

The Brinemarch Tile Map

Ashmire Hex Index

• Hex 1A — Forest, Wetlands (River)

• Hex 2A — Forest, Wetlands (River)

• Hex 3A — Forest, Wetlands (River)

• Hex 4A — Forest, Plains, Wetlands (River, Mountains)

• Hex 5A — Bog, Tundra (River)

• Hex 6A — Bog, Tundra (River)

• Hex 7A — Bog, Tundra (River)

• Hex 1B — Forest, Wetlands (River)

• Hex 2B — Forest, Wetlands (River)

• Hex 3B — Forest, Wetlands (River, Mountains)

• Hex 4B — Forest, Bog, Wetlands (River, Mountains)

• Hex 5B — Bog, Tundra (River)

• Hex 6B — Plains, Wetlands (River, Aquatic)

• Hex 7B — Arid, Island, Plains, Wetlands (River, Aquatic)

• Hex 0C — Forest, Plains, Arid, Wetlands (River)

• Hex 1C — Forest, Wetlands (River, Mountains)

• Hex 2C — Forest, Plains, Wetlands (River, Mountains)

• Hex 3C — Forest, Plains, Wetlands (River, Mountains)

• Hex 4C — Plains, Wetlands (River, Mountains)

• Hex 5C — Plains, Wetlands (River)

• Hex 6C — Wetlands (River, Aquatic)

• Hex 0D — Arid, Plains, Wetlands (River)

• Hex 1D — Plains, Wetlands (River, Mountains)

• Hex 2D — Arid, Plains, Wetlands (River, Mountains)

• Hex 3D — Arid, Island, Plains, Wetlands (River, Aquatic)

• Hex 4D — Arid, Island, Plains, Wetlands (River, Aquatic)

• Hex -1E — Plains, Wetlands (River, Aquatic)

• Hex 0E — Arid, Plains, Wetlands (River, Aquatic)

• Hex 1E — Arid, Plains, Wetlands (River)

• Hex 2E — Arid, Plains, Wetlands (River)

• Hex -1F — Aquatic (Ocean Coast) The Bay of Brightstone

• Hex 0F — Arid

• Hex 1F — Plains (River)

Row A Index

• Hex 1A — Forest, Wetlands (River)

• Hex 2A — Forest, Wetlands (River)

• Hex 3A — Forest, Wetlands (River)

• Hex 4A — Forest, Plains, Wetlands (River, Mountains)

• Hex 5A — Bog, Tundra (River)

• Hex 6A — Bog, Tundra (River)

• Hex 7A — Bog, Tundra (River)

Area: 1A

Biome: Forest, Wetlands
Climate: Temperate Rainforest — Cold, humid, fog-prone
Conditions: River travel, flooded Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:

1. Event & 3 sub-events
2. Event & 3 sub-events
3. Event & 3 sub-events
4. Event & 3 sub-events
5. Event & 3 sub-events
6. Event & 3 sub-events

Featured Hexes:

1. (Hex coordinate) Hex Title & 3 sub-points
2. …
3. …

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index

↑ Back to Row A Index

Area: 2A

Biome: Forest, Wetlands
Climate: Temperate Rainforest — Cold, humid, fog-prone
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
…

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row A Index

Area: 3A:

Biome: Forest, Wetlands
Climate: Temperate Rainforest — Cold, humid, fog-prone
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
…

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row A Index

Area: 4A

Biome: Forest, Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Temperate to Subarctic — Cold winds, wet fog, storms
Conditions: River travel, Mountainous
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
…

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row A Index

Area: 5A

Biome: Bog, Tundra
Climate: Subarctic — Freezing fog, brittle ice, windchill
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
…

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row A Index

Area: 6A

Biome: Bog, Tundra
Climate: Subarctic — Frozen marshland, rare sun, bitter cold
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
…

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row A Index

Area: 7A

Biome: Bog, Tundra
Climate: Subarctic — Chilling winds, permafrost, snow flurries
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
…

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row A Index

Row B index

• Hex 1B — Forest, Wetlands (River)
• Hex 2B — Forest, Wetlands (River)
• Hex 3B — Forest, Wetlands (River, Mountains)
• Hex 4B — Forest, Bog, Wetlands (River, Mountains)
• Hex 5B — Bog, Tundra (River)
• Hex 6B — Plains, Wetlands (River, Aquatic)
• Hex 7B — Arid, Island, Plains, Wetlands (River, Aquatic)

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row B Index

Area 1B

Biome: Forest, Wetlands
Climate: Temperate Rainforest — Cool, misty, humid
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row B Index

Area 2B

Biome: Forest, Wetlands
Climate: Temperate Rainforest — Cold fog, rain-heavy air
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row B Index

Area 3B

Biome: Forest, Wetlands
Climate: Subarctic Foothills — Dense fog, cool winds
Conditions: River travel, Mountains
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row B Index

Area 4B

Biome: Forest, Bog, Wetlands
Climate: Subarctic — Soggy ground, chill air, thunder
Conditions: River travel, Mountains
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row B Index

Area 5B

Biome: Bog, Tundra
Climate: Subarctic — Cold marsh winds, near-frozen water
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row B Index

Area 6B

Biome: Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Temperate Coastal — Rainy, shifting fog, humid breeze
Conditions: River travel, Aquatic (Ocean Coast)
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row B Index

Area 7B

Biome: Arid, Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Subarctic Island — Cold mist, wind-carved cliffs, salt air
Conditions: River travel, Aquatic (Ocean Coast), Island
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row B Index

Row C Index

• Hex 0C — Forest, Plains, Arid, Wetlands (River)
• Hex 1C — Forest, Wetlands (River, Mountains)
• Hex 2C — Forest, Plains, Wetlands (River, Mountains)
• Hex 3C — Forest, Plains, Wetlands (River, Mountains)
• Hex 4C — Plains, Wetlands (River, Mountains)
• Hex 5C — Plains, Wetlands (River)
• Hex 6C — Wetlands (River, Aquatic)

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index ↑ Back to Row C Index

Area 0C

Biome: Forest, Plains, Arid, Wetlands
Climate: Borderlands — Dry season winds meet floodplain humidity
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row C Index

Area 1C

Biome: Forest, Wetlands
Climate: Temperate Rainforest — Cold mist, steep canopy
Conditions: River travel, Mountains
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row C Index

Area 2C

Biome: Forest, Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Subarctic Steppe — Windy, scattered fogbanks
Conditions: River travel, Mountains
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row C Index

Area 3C

Biome: Forest, Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Subarctic Steppe — Rolling hills and peat bogs
Conditions: River travel, Mountains
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row C Index

Area 4C

Biome: Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Wetland Plains — Frequent fog and squall bursts
Conditions: River travel, Mountains
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row C Index

Area 5C

Biome: Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Temperate Wetlands — Shallow channels, dense reeds
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row C Index

Area 6C

Biome: Wetlands
Climate: Coastal Mire — Salt-flecked mist, long dusk
Conditions: River travel, Aquatic (Ocean Coast)
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row C Index

--

Ashmire Hex Index – Row D

• Hex 0D — Arid, Plains, Wetlands (River)
• Hex 1D — Plains, Wetlands (River, Mountains)
• Hex 2D — Arid, Plains, Wetlands (River, Mountains)
• Hex 3D — Arid, Island, Plains, Wetlands (River, Aquatic)
• Hex 4D — Arid, Island, Plains, Wetlands (River, Aquatic)

--

Area 0D

Biome: Arid, Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Dry floodplain — Dust winds meet marsh air
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row D Index

Area 1D

Biome: Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Temperate Marsh — Misty with brief downpours
Conditions: River travel, Mountains
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row D Index

Area 2D

Biome: Arid, Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Transitional — Arid dust over cool wetlands
Conditions: River travel, Mountains
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row D Index

Area 3D

Biome: Arid, Island, Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Coastal Arid — Warm air, red clay banks, island fog
Conditions: River travel, Aquatic (Ocean Coast), Island
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row D Index

Area 4D

Biome: Arid, Island, Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Subarctic Island — Sharp wind, grey skies, saltwater air
Conditions: River travel, Aquatic (Ocean Coast), Island
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row D Index

Ashmire Hex Index – Row E

• -1E — Plains, Wetlands (River, Aquatic)
• 0E — Arid, Plains, Wetlands (River, Aquatic)
• 1E — Arid, Plains, Wetlands (River)
• 2E — Arid, Plains, Wetlands (River)

Area -1E (Hex -1E)

Biome: Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Coastal Tundra — Frigid, salty mist, glacial runoff
Conditions: River travel, Aquatic (Ocean Coast)
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row E Index

Area 0E

Biome: Arid, Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Subarid Coastal — Dust-chill air and brackish marsh fog
Conditions: River travel, Aquatic (Ocean Coast)
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row E Index

Area 1E (Hex 1E)

Biome: Arid, Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Subarctic Inland — Cold sun, cracked earth, standing water
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row E Index

Area 2E

Biome: Arid, Plains, Wetlands
Climate: Windblown Foothills — Storm bursts, muddy flats
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row E Index

Ashmire Hex Index – Row F

• -1F — Aquatic (Ocean Coast)
• 0F — Arid
• 1F — Plains (River)

Area -1F (Hex -1F)

The Bay of Brightstone ** **Biome: Aquatic (Ocean Coast)
Climate: Coastal Chill — Saline winds, whitecaps, gulls overhead
Conditions: Oceanic travel, shoreline hazards
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row F Index

Area 0F

Biome: Arid
Climate: Dry Plateau — Blistering days, dust-slick rock
Conditions: Overland only; water scarce
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row F Index

Area 1F (Hex 1F)

Biome: Plains
Climate: Temperate Steppe — Grassy with cold wind gusts
Conditions: River travel
Dangers: TBA

1d6 Event Table:
...

↑ Back to Ashmire Hex Index
↑ Back to Row F Index

#BACK COVER BLURB

Into the Brinemarch is an RPG-system agnostic hexcrawl for the low-fantasy fog-shrouded coast of the greened Antarctic coast.

You used to have a map. A good one. It vanished in a moment of panic when a Terror Bird burst from the reeds. You dove into the marsh to escape it.

Now you are coated in mud, gathering tubers in black water. The mosquitoes are finally indifferent, but clouds of tiny flies bite your neck bloody.

In the reeds you find a plank of wood, perhaps from a shipwreck or a forsaken wagon. Deep scratches resolve into familiar lines: Queens Bay, St. Bastion Island, rivers, mountains. It is enough to hope.

The sun moves in frustrating circles this time of year. You cannot yet tell whether this river runs to the coast or toward the Red Forest.

You roast what you gathered. A pair of yellow-winged sun-crows watches the tiny fire with judgement. Across the water, the Terror Bird paces the far bank, unwilling to enter the bog, eyes never leaving the fire.

This is as safe as you will get tonight. Night never comes, but fatigue does find you. You lie down in the only dry spot you can find. You pull up your hood, eyes pressed shut against the midnight light. You dream of the earth swallowing a castle like the Legend of Fort Aardwolf.

Will you ever find dry ground? Will you find refuge before the snows return? Can you reach a harbor, earn passage, and see your home again?

Red River and Ammonia [Mist Exposure] Rules) ↑ Back to Row B Index