V.

www.PocketLands.com
©2023 Alexey Aparin

INTRO
“Pocket Lands: Geomorph Cards” (PL Cards) is a series of decks of illustrated geomorph cards
(Map Cards) that can be assembled into world maps for your favorite role playing game. You can put
these on your table and build your world map, deal out a random landscape on a fly or follow simple
overland travel and explora�on rules.
PL Cards is not a stand alone game.
PL Cards is rules neutral, meaning it is designed as a supplement or game accessory for many
different games, thus it doesn't have specific content or heavy rules. You can easily plug in any
random encounters, specific loca�on tables or other specific content you want.

CONTENTS

Using the Cards ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2

PL Cards sets ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Map Cards …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4

CORE RULES OPTIONAL RULES

Game Overview ……..…………………………….. 5 Coordinates ………………………………………….. 11
Setup …………………………………………………… 5 Scale …………………………………………………….. 11
Travel …………………………………………………… 6 Save your Progress ………………………………… 11
Loca�ons ……………………………………………… 7 Explora�on Easy Mode ………………………….. 11
Encounters …………………………………………… 8 Hidden Loca�ons …………………………………… 12
Explora�on …………………………………………… 9 Piers ……………………………………………………… 12
Ac�ons …………………………………………………. 10 Customizing the Map Deck ……………………. 12
Rest ………………………………………………………. 10 Wind Rose …………………………………………….. 13
Terrain types ………………………………………… 14 Weather ………………………………………………… 13

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USING THE CARDS PL CARDS SETS
Many of the games we love have either overly complicated rules or no rules at all for overland Each PL Cards set represents a specific environment. You can use PL Cards sets separately or mix
travel. PL Cards may easily be inserted into your game to create, extend and improve this important them in one deck (see “Customizing the Map Deck”).
aspect!

For solo roleplaying games, PL Cards are a KINGDOM

perfect world map generator that replaces the
need for complicated tables and provides The "Kingdom" set is intended to map a medieval European type of
landscape with no deserts or wastelands. Instead, large forests and mountain
crea�ve freedom by allowing you to customize ranges will be found.
the deck to your needs! 68 cards: Roads (9), Grasslands (8), Hills (8), Swamps (8), Forests (12),
If you are a game master (GM) who prefers Mountains (11), Shallows (9), Deeps (3), 1 Reference card, 1 Rations tracker.
a “sandbox” play style, these cards allow the
player characters (PCs) to wander freely and
find instant spontaneous adventures while HIGH SEAS
travelling those dusty roads! You may also use
PL Cards as a building tool to help you easily The “High Seas” set represents a tropical sea with many islands, currents,
prepare a visually rich world map for your reefs, etc. and fits perfectly to a nautical themed game.
68 cards: Shallows (22), Deeps (23), Kelp Sea (23), 1 Reference card, 1
upcoming adventures. Wind Rose card.

When construc�ng an adventure, use the MARSHES

cards types (signified by the art on the back) to
pre-define a general landscape layout. This The “Marshes” set works the best as an expansion, it adds huge swamps to
your game world. Also great as a stand alone set for adventures in a wetlands
gives you control over the terrain but biome.
maintains the aspect of explora�on and 32 cards: Swamps (13), Bogs (10), Dead Forests (6), Forests (1), 1
surprise for your players as they travel and Reference card, 1 Weather card.
cards are revealed.

DESERTS
For those who love drawing maps, use PL Cards "Deserts" is a harsh world of dusty plateaus and hot winds where rare oases
keep treasurous water and only legendary flying islands cast their shadows to
as a map generator tool and a source of inspira�on. heated sands.
Do not build the map out of cards on the table but 32 cards: Dunes (11), Wastelands (5), Rocky Plateaus (6), Stone Forests
sketch their content directly onto your own map! (5), Shallows (3), 1 Reference card, 1 Water tracker.

FROSTLANDS
PL Cards also provide an op�onal fun way to roll “Frostlands” are vast, inhospitable regions with twenty-four hours of daylight
a six-sided die (D6). Each card has a D6 result on in summer, and complete darkness at mid-winter. These harsh areas range
them, allowing you to simply pick a card rather from snowy glades to green tundra, and from lush forests to high mountains.
than roll a die! 32 cards: Snow Barrens (8), Tundra (5), Ice Sheets (7), Mountains (6),
Deeps (4), 1 Reference card, 1 Light tracker.

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MAP CARDS GAME OVERVIEW
Every map card in PL Cards has a similar structure and The journey consists of turns (Days). Heroes can Travel (moving from square to square), Explore
consists of common elements. Here is example: (to expand the map) and visit Loca�ons (e.g. delve into a dungeon) by spending Time (⧗). Heroes
have 3 ⧗/day. When heroes are out of ⧗ or decide to do so, the Day ends with a Rest: ⧗ is then
restored and a new Day starts.
BACK SIDE
1. SET ICON [ Loca�on square ]
Shows the source set of the cards, so you may separate TRAVEL LOCATIONS
them into default decks.
Move (P.7)
2. CARD TYPE Pay the Terrain Cost
(P.6)
Each PL Cards set contains several card types which show
what kind of terrain prevails on that card. FLOW
REST CHART ENCOUNTERS
FRONT SIDE 1 . . . . . . Eat
2 . . Restore ⧗ (P.8)
3. D6 ROLL 3 . Heal wounds
(P.10)
From 1 to 6. A six-sided die (D6) alterna�ve. [ Edge square ]
ACTIONS EXPLORATION
4. TERRAIN
(P.10) 1 . . . . . . Direc�on
A wide variety of types (Grassland, Road, Mountain, Forest, 2 . . . . . . Roll a D6
Loca�on etc.). Terrain affects travel speed. 3 . . . . . Pick a card
4 . . Expand the map
5. CARD NUMBER (P.9)
Plug in tables and rules of your choice here.
Each card in PL Cards has its unique number.

GRID
SETUP
6. SQUARES Star�ng Point: Shuffle map cards. Pick cards from the Map deck un�l you get one with a Loca�on
Heroes move from square to square (even though these are square. Place it in front of you. The journey starts in a Loca�on square. Place a token represen�ng
rectangles). Each card has a 5x5 grid. your heroes there. Determine the type of Loca�on (check “Loca�ons” sec�on for details).
Map Deck: Shuffle all map cards in one deck and place it face down.
7. EDGE SQUARES
These squares are important during the Explora�on phase
(map extending).

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 I. TRAVEL ? II. LOCATIONS
Heroes move to adjacent squares. When heroes enter a square containing a Loca�on, determine randomly what kind of Loca�on is
Diagonal movement is possible only on a ship. there and make a note. Use tables of your choice (e.g. from another game) or roll on the tables
Heroes spend ⧗ for each square they enter depending on a Terrain Cost. provided here. Feel free to flesh out the details.

TERRAIN COST ⧗ ⧗⧗ ⧗⧗⧗ LOCATIONS TABLE (D66*)

Overland Road* Forest Swamp

OVERLAND
Grassland Dead Forest Bog
Hill Mountain 11. Camp site 31. Flying ship 51. Gold rush colony
Loca�on Volcano 12. Coaching inn 32. Caves 52. Farmstead
13. Monastery 33. Keep 53. Stone quarry
14. Village 34. Fallen temple 54. Tree top town
On a ship Shallow River* Reef* 15. Town 35. Ruins 55. Pilgrimage place
Deep Kelp 16. Castle 36. Necropolis 56. Brigand camp
Current*
21. Nature node 41. Forsaken mine 61. Cursed windmill
22. Shrine 42. Monster’s lair 62. Military camp
* - Some terrain types have also effects on gameplay. 23. Well 43. Watchtower 63. Smuggler's hideout
Check a complete list of "Terrain Types" and associated effects (p.14). 24. Teleporta�on portal 44. Forgo�en deity idols 64. Labyrinth
25. Tower of wizardry 45. Poisoned area 65. Tomb
26. Flying island 46. Burnt se�lement 66. Petrified giant body
ON A SHIP
If your heroes have a ship or boat, they may Going Ashore: Move the heroes to a Land ON A SHIP
move to adjacent Water squares (Shallows, square. This takes as many ⧗ as the Land terrain
Deeps etc.) or to adjacent Land squares cost. 11. Fishing pla�orm 31. Pirate nest 51. Ice castle
connected by a river. In both cases, a ship can If the heroes are on a River, they can go 12. Shipwreck cove 32. Magnet mountain 52. Statue of colossus
move horizontally, ver�cally or diagonally. ashore to the current square only. It takes ⧗. 13. Carcass of a giant 33. Invisible reefs 53. Coral forest
When the party goes ashore, put a token on the 14. Boat village 34. Living catacombs 54. Hanging reef
Wind Rose: To simulate the influence of wind card to note on which square their ship waits. 15. Free port 35. Waterfall from the cloud 55. Remains of a fort
direc�on on sailing speed, you may use an 16. City on a leviathan 36. Ancient floa�ng hulk 56. Iron spears grove
op�onal rule, “Wind Rose” (P.13)
21. Volcano island 41. Top of a fortress 61. Water mountain
22. Great swirl 42. Lighthouse 62. Floa�ng nests
23. Ghost ship 43. Ruins in a whirlpool 63. Boiling waters
24. Labyrinth island 44. Quaran�ne island 64. Sea god temple
25. Submerged wizard tower 45. Giant tree 65. Magical shipyard
26. Underwater ruins 46. Flying island 66. The floa�ng city of bridges

* D66: you roll two D6; the first one is the tens, the other is the units.

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 III. ENCOUNTERS IV. EXPLORATION
Roll on the Encounters table each �me the heroes travel to another map square. Some ideas for Your map grows by adding new cards from be based on the square determined by a D6 roll
encounters provided here, feel free to add anything you like (e.g. separate tables for Roads, specific the Map deck to the edge�s� of where your on that edge`s row or column, in reading order
Loca�ons, Ships etc.). heroes are standing. If they are in a corner �le� to right, up to down�.
square, i.e. the north�west �NW� corner, you e.g. If many squares on the western edge
ENCOUNTERS TABLE (D66) would make an Explora�on twice and add a card
for both the northern and western edges, in any
have a forest terrain it's very likely there are a lot
of forests to the West as well and therefore that
order. you will pick a Forests card.
OVERLAND You will pick a card from the Map deck and
a�ach it to your map. The type of this card will
11. Hunter’s camp 31. Vagrant 51. Corpse �ed to a pole
12. Lost stranger 32. Smoky clouds 52. Traveling blacksmith
13. Injured knight 33. Bad weather 53. Camp disease FOLLOW THESE STEPS:
14. Wandering minstrel 34. Food spoils 54. Troupe of entertainer
15. Fisherman 35. You become lost 55. Large beast is heard in the
16. Ranger 36. Woman looking for her lost distance 1. DIRECTION 2. ROLL A D6 3. PICK A CARD 4. EXTEND THE MAP
son 56. Lost child
21. Wagon train
22. Cul�sts 41. Walls blocking the way 61. Group of refugees
23. Witch 42. Escaped prisoner 62. Riderless horse
24. Animal typical of the area 43. Sheriff and his dogs 63. Group of robed monks
25. Dragon flies over head 44. Earthquake 64. Dancing lights
26. A mortally wounded 45. Band of mercenaries 65. Alchemist
messenger 46. Sleeping courier 66. Migra�ng beasts

ON A SHIP
11. Burning wreckage 31. Pirates figh�ng another ship 51. Naval fleet 1. DIRECTION 3. PICK A CARD
12. Survivors on a boat 32. Fog covers the area 52. Gnomish submarine
13. Mermaids 33. Giant tentacles 53. Hot air balloon Find the edge�s� where your heroes are The terrain of the rolled square �e.g. Forest�
14. Message in a bo�le 34. Traveling brothel ship 54. Ship infested with gremlins standing and decide which direc�on they dictates what card to pick. Pick cards from the
15. Barrels floats by 35. Prison ship 55. Storm sorcerer Explore �e.g. East�. Map deck un�l you get one with a corresponding
16. Coffin floats by 36. Iceberg floats by 56. Large school of fish backside �e.g. Forests card for the Forest
2. ROLL A D6 terrain�. If there is no such a card, pick a random
21. Merpeople 41. Witch appears on deck 61. Crab invasion card �e.g. a bo�om card from the Map deck�.
22. Water elemental 42. Enormous bubbles 62. Infernal cloud One of the 5 Edge Squares in the chosen
23. Kraken 43. Glimmer under the water 63. Big game hunters direc�on �e.g. you roll 4� possibly affects the card On a 6: Pick a random card.
24. Slavers 44. Large merchant vessel 64. Sea hermit type you will have to pick. As shown in the
25. Pirate ship incoming 45. Fish nets 65. Nobleman's boat grave diagram above, the D6 roll of 4 indicates the next 4. EXTEND YOUR MAP
26. Meteor shower 46. Ghosts on your ship 66. Sirens card will be of the Forest type, just like the
chosen square �4�. Place the chosen card on the map edge. Keep
the alignment consistent with other cards �do
not rotate them�.

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 V. ACTIONS OPTIONAL RULES
Heroes may perform diverse ac�ons when it's allowed by a loca�on, terrain type, equipment and
skills. It's up to you how much your game world is interac�ve: e.g. your heroes may try to replenish
COORDINATES
their ra�ons by hun�ng in forests and fishing in rivers, repair their armour in towns, guard caravans Some�mes you need to make a note
on roads, take quests in castles etc. regarding a specific square, such as if you are
using a journal. Here is the way to do that.
Ac�ons Cost: Don't forget to pay the �me cost for ac�ons your heroes perform. Subtract ac�on Choose one square on your star�ng card that
cost from the rest of your daily ⧗. will always be your ‘origin point’ �1,1� �bo�om
le� for instance�.
Here is the example list of possible ac�ons: Now your coordinate will be a pair of
numbers containing the distance of squares from
Animal taming Guarding Pathfinding
your origin point. The first number is your East/
Barter Healing Ques�ng
West distance, using posi�ve numbers to
Building Hiring heroes Repairing
represent East and nega�ve numbers to
Commanding units Hun�ng Praying
represent West. The second contains the North/
Cooking Interroga�ng Searching
South distance. Make North the posi�ve number
Cra�ing Inves�ng Sneaking
and South the nega�ve.
Cul�va�ng food Inves�ga�ng Spying
E.g. �4,5� � Stashed the Boat here; �3,�5� �
Delivery Magery Stealing
Hidden Loca�on: Necropolis.
Delve into a Dungeon Making friends / family Teaching
Since each card has a unique number, you
Felling trees Managing NPCs Tracking
can also use this number for reference.
Fishing Mapping Trading
Gambling Mining Training
Gathering herbs Naviga�ng Trapping

SCALE EXPLORATION (EASY MODE)

The scale can be anything you want. By This op�on is simpler but generates more
VI. REST default, the PL Cards rules assume ⧗⧗⧗ per randomness in your terrain layout.
day, plus one for a Road, so that the distance Draw a card from the bo�om of the Map
traveled in a single day will be 4 squares at most. deck �so you can`t see the card`s type� and
If the ⧗ reaches zero, the heroes must Rest. Rest in a Se�lement: If the heroes Rest in a a�ach it to your map.
Ea�ng: All heroes must eat one Ra�on per Se�lement, all ⧗ �and ⧗ maximum� is restored
day before they Rest. If they don’t, they should and a new Day starts. SAVE YOUR PROGRESS
suffer minimal wounds, depending on the set of Rest in the Wild: Roll a D6. On 1�2 some
RPG rules you are using. trouble happened: the heroes get the die’s roll as To keep a card layout you just built for later,
Starva�on: Every 3 Days without ea�ng in a a number of ⧗ for the next Day. On 3�6, all ⧗ are just take a picture of it with your phone.
row reduces the ⧗ maximum by 1. restored. In both cases a new Day starts.
Drinking and Thirst: Some travel condi�ons
force heroes to drink water. If they don’t, they
should suffer moderate life loss, depending on
the set of RPG rules you are using.

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OPTIONAL RULES OPTIONAL RULES

HIDDEN LOCATIONS WIND ROSE

Some�mes roads suddenly end on the edge Roll a D66 on a Wind Rose before each move
of adjacent cards. This happens because roads to a Water square. During the current Day the
can be quite old and damaged and the places heroes get a bonus ⧗ in a wind direc�on you
they are leading to may have disappeared a long rolled, however the opposite direc�on is blocked.
�me ago. But maybe something s�ll remains. Calm: Your ship can't move this Day at all.
Roll on a Loca�ons table �P.7� when the Storm: Roll on a “Wind Rose” again. Instead of
heroes enter a square following a road cut off on a normal move, the ship goes to an adjacent
the adjacent card. square in a rolled direc�on �if possible�, on 11�26
Remember that there must be a reason why the ship stays on the same square.
the loca�on is hidden. The se�lements are likely
to be abandoned or the inhabitants will try to
protect their secret.

PIERS
WEATHER
You discover a Pier whenever a Road meets
any water square. Piers are on a square following If you wish to add a weather factor to your
a road cut off on the adjacent card. adventure here are rules on how to use the
On a Pier heroes may Rest, buy or rent a boat Weather card �included in the “Marshes” set�.
or a ship. Star�ng Weather: Roll a d6 for a star�ng
weather and place a token on a corresponding
sector.
Weather Shi� Roll: Once per Day a�er Rest
weather may change. Roll a d6 : on 1�2 weather
shi�s one sector clockwise �CW�, on 3�4 stays the
same, on 5,6 shi�s counter clockwise �CCW�.
CUSTOMIZING THE MAP DECK That's for the Moderate climate lands.
Current Weather: Put a token on a
You can tweak the Map deck to your needs Follow these steps: corresponding sector to mark the current
by adding cards from other PL Cards sets, 1. Add Cards: Choose any cards you want weather.
merging sets together or changing amounts of and mix them into one Map deck. Keep your Arid or Wet Climate: If you travel through
specific cards. Even another copy of the same deck in a reasonable size, so it's easy to shuffle. Arid or Wet climate regions make the same
deck gives more freedom for customiza�on. For 2. Six: Choose a type of card to pick when Weather Shi� roll but use numbers on arrows of
example you may reduce the odds of Roads you Explore and roll a 6. Think of it as a way to corresponding color �Brown for Arid, Gray for Wet
cards, by taking some �or all� out of your Map increase the presence of one chosen card type climate�. If there is no number you rolled in the
deck if you want your heroes to travel through on your map. As a simple op�on you may choose current sector, apply numbers for Moderate
more wilderness, or add more Water cards to to pick a random card. climate �White arrows�.
change the land/water ra�o, etc. 3. Shuffle the deck.

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TERRAIN TYPES
Crystals: The magic is strong
Grassland ⧗ here. Roll a d6: On 1�2, the ⧗⧗⧗
heroes gain ⧗⧗.
Ice Sheet: The 2nd Ice Sheet Dunes: All heroes must drink
takes ⧗⧗, the 3rd � ⧗⧗⧗. ⧗* ⧗⧗⧗
one Water if they Rest here.

Road: Once per Day, you get a Glacier: Roll a d6: On 1, a

bonus ⧗ for moving on a Road. ⧗* ⧗⧗⧗
sudden ice avalanche occurs.
Rocky Plateau: The heroes must
spend addi�onal ⧗⧗ to enter or ⧗* Mountain / Volcano ⧗⧗⧗
leave a plateau.

Sands: All heroes must drink one

Water if they Rest here. ⧗ Ruins ⧗⧗⧗

Stone Forest: Winds here are

Tundra ⧗ strong and unpredictable.
Use"Wind Rose" op�onal rule ⧗⧗⧗
�p.13� to travel by foot through
this terrain.
Wasteland ⧗
Swamp ⧗⧗⧗
Dead Forest: Something drains
life from this land. The heroes ⧗⧗
have �1 to a Rest roll here. Current: If the heroes start the
Day on a square with Current,
Flying Island: Achievable from all they immediately move one ⧗
surrounding squares if the heroes ⧗⧗ square down the stream.
able to fly or teleport.
Deep ⧗
Forest ⧗⧗

Shallow ⧗
Hill ⧗⧗

Kelp ⧗⧗
Hot Springs: The heroes have +1
to a Rest roll here. ⧗⧗
River: Fording a River without a
bridge takes ⧗. On a ship the
heroes may move in any ⧗⧗
Loca�on ⧗⧗ direc�on following the River.
Iceberg: Roll a d6: On 1�2, your
ship is damaged, and its speed is
Oasis ⧗⧗ reduced by 1⧗ un�l it is repaired ⧗⧗⧗
at the pier.
Snow Barrens: Roll a d6: on 1�2 Reef: Going ashore from a ship is
the snow is too deep, you can't ⧗⧗ not possible from Reef squares. ⧗⧗⧗
leave this square today.
Bog: A living labyrinth. When the
heroes travel out from a Bog
square, roll a d6: on 1�2 they
appear on one of adjacent Bog ⧗⧗⧗
squares �including diagonal�
determined randomly.

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