Crossroads, boggles, and an exemplary map

Tim at Gothridge Manor posted a nice list of random encounters for crossroads. I’m a sucker for local legends. Tim’s post caused me to grab one of my favorite inspirational references, The Lore of the Land: A Guide to England’s Legends, which relates this:

The boggle infecting Bringham Lane end, where four roads meet, is a white dog, known as Willie Sled’s dog. Willie Sled used to attend to those who came to Bringham sand-pit; and as nearly every pit in Riding has its goblin, this one is named after him…

Boggles are, of course, shape-shifting bogey beasts that haunt places of transition, like crossroads and streams. They’re prone to play (sometimes deadly) tricks on passersby.

While I had the book open, I noticed this map and key:

map from Lore of the Land book

The key would be a good basis for a series of random tables to spice-up a hex map.

Churches & holy places
Devils & demons
Ghosts, apparitions & screaming skulls
Giants
Heroes & villains
Hidden treasure
Humorous tales
Legendary beasts
Local landmarks
Phantom beasts
Place-name stories
Prehistoric remains
Royalty
Sunken cities
Witches & wizards

8 comments:

The Jovial Priest, June 12, 2011 at 1:10 PM

I agree excellent

Tim Shorts, June 12, 2011 at 1:33 PM

Great addition Paul.

Jeff Rients, June 12, 2011 at 1:48 PM

Hotcha!

Paul, June 12, 2011 at 2:01 PM

Yeah, I’m pretty much in favor of any list that includes “screaming skulls”. I don’t know when I’ll have time to expand this, so everyone feel free to riff on it.

Spawn of Endra, June 12, 2011 at 4:08 PM

I like the fact that it’s plural screaming skulls. I’d expect maybe one per county at the most. Yorkshire must be a creepy place.

David, June 12, 2011 at 7:27 PM

That is an awesome list and map!

Justin S. Davis, June 22, 2011 at 12:59 AM

Found this list via Tower Of The Archmage.

Consider it snagged.

Paul, June 22, 2011 at 7:58 AM

Thanks for dropping by, Justin.

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