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"Blend in?! You're a 400 pound bugbear for fuck's sake. How the hell do you plan on blending in? Just... try using your heads for once instead of throwing yourself at the first idea that crops up in those pea brains of yours."
— Marlog, Demon Marauder
Choosing a Sandbox
A dungeon exists in a rather localized region. Its static nature means it can only affect a limited area. You work together to create a sandbox, a small region full of dominoes for you to knock over. First, you choose a map, whether from this book or another source, then define a series of light, neutral, and dark factions that exist within that sandbox. This gives each player input on the type of factions they want to interact with.
It's important that the region is local. Keeping the travel distance from the dungeon to the edge of the map to about two to four days is ideal. The Wicked Ones can't spend long periods of time away from their dungeon. Giving minions such an opportunity to turn against you is foolhardy and your hoard would surely be raided while you're gone.
Once you have your map, you fill it with factions, the groups that inhabit and control points on the map. This sandbox, filled with factions of varying size, power, and motivation, creates a pressure cooker environment where any interaction is likely to see a faction angered, setting events into motion.
Factions
Factions are the groups that inhabit the sandbox prior to the arrival of your dungeon. Each sandbox has likely hit a balance, with factions pushing and pulling against each other until their relations have hit some kind of equilibrium. Everything on the map is under some faction's sway and if you want your dungeon to grow, you're going to have to take that power from another faction. Factions are split up into the following three basic categories:
Light factions often consist of races generally seen as "civilized" such as humans, elves, dwarves, and halflings. Light factions speak a common tongue called the Light Tongue.
Dark factions often consist of races generally seen as "monstrous" such as bugbears, goblins, kobolds, orcs, slissiks, trolls, ogres, troglodytes, cyclopes, hobgoblins, and dark elves. Dark factions speak a common tongue called the Dark Tongue.
Neutral factions often consist of races that don't generally get placed within the above two groups: gnomes, ratfolk, centaurs, lizardfolk, satyrs, dryads, nymphs, merfolk, sprites, pixies, and giants. Neutral factions might speak their own language or one of the other common tongues.
"Good" and "evil" aren't the best way to represent factions, as a tribe of evil humans could certainly exist, though they speak the Light Tongue and never consider cooperating with more "monstrous" races. "Civilized" is another loaded term that mostly just correlates to having organized kingdoms. These lines and where factions exist within them are up to each group. It's important, however, for a hard language and cultural barrier to exist between the light and dark factions. The lack of communication helps explain their animosity towards each other.
Factions are rated from tier 0 to tier 4 depending on their size and the threat they represent to the dungeon. A faction's tier determines how quickly they work towards their goals and how difficult it is for your dungeon to raid targets that belong to them. Their power is relative to each other, with tier 4 factions established first and then all other factions compared to them as they scale downwards in relative power. This hierarchy might look something like this:
Tier 4 factions: A large orc tribe, a walled town with a few hundred people, and a garrison of the far-away duke's soldiers.
Tier 3 factions: A reclusive wizard's tower, a gargoyle colony, and a river town.
Tier 2 factions: Woods filled with various fae, hill trolls, and forest rangers attached to the garrison.
Tier 1 factions: A traveler's tavern, farmers around the walled town, and a goblin cannibal tribe.
Tier 0 factions: Displaced kobolds, river sylphs, and a tiny forest shrine.
A single large entity on the map, such as a large town, might have multiple factions within it. For example, you might split it up into a tier 4 noble faction, a tier 2 clergy faction, and a tier 1 farmers faction. Tier 0 factions are not detailed on the map.
Faction Clocks
Each faction has a clock or two that represent goals the faction is working towards. Between each session, no matter how the cycle of play is progressing, the GM should roll the faction's tier as a fortune roll and tick away at their clocks, representing progress towards their goals and simulates the world moving. The GM can also do this narration together at the table from time to time, to get players involved.
When the clocks fill up, the goal is realized and the GM brings this new situation into play. These goals generally focus on interactions with other factions or even the dungeon. When a faction clock brings them up against another faction, opposed fortune rolls to determine how the confrontation goes down work well. The clocks are set and managed by the GM. Events within the game might also tick or even finish them. The segments on the clock are determined by how hard the goal is to accomplish. Check out the pre-made sandboxes for examples of faction goals.
Pre-Made Sandboxes
Over the following pages, there are four sandbox maps that you can use with lists of example factions and faction clocks. The examples make for interesting campaigns, though it's recommended that you actually make your own factions and clocks together. This helps get players more invested in the world! Some sandboxes may also need a special rule or two to represent what is unique about them, such as Colonial Seas needing ships to play a big part of the campaign, or the importance of moving unseen in the City Sewers sandbox.
Quiet Valley
Fangtooth Goblins (Tier 1 Dark Faction)
Hungry cannibals
Zealously worship Labisha
Pit traps in the woods
Eat the wooden gnomes
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Kidnap the town priest
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Town Clergy (Tier 2 Light Faction)
Want to replace the mayor
Have the townsfolk' backing
Secretly ruled by a demon
Witch hunt
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Work with the garrison
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Wood Gnomes (Tier 1 Neutral Faction)
Raid for knick knacks
Incredibly greedy
Horribly selfish
Trap the woods (+tier)
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Summon the wood spirit
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Stoutheart Abbey (Tier 2 Light Faction)
Dwarven brewers
Warrior monks
Sees trouble brewing
Destroy the cliff path
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Reinforcements (+tier)
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Woodtown (Tier 4 Light Faction)
Run by a powerful mayor
Strong loyal guard
Wants to remain independent
Wipe out the goblins
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Request troop withdrawal
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Garrison (Tier 3 Light Faction)
Troops of the far-off baron
Unwanted by Woodtown
Trying to expand the barony
Frame the mayor
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Manufacture crisis
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Farmfolk
Poor and downtrodden
Pressured by the clergy
Secretly thinking of revolting
Build harvest god shrine
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Refuse to work
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Elven Conclave (Tier 4 Light Faction)
Never seen by other factions
Sees trouble brewing
Wants to avoid a war
Approach the crossing
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Approach the farmfolk
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Rivertown (Tier 3 Light Faction)
Run by a merchant family
Old trade hub
Hurt by the ferry crossing
Pay tribute to ettins
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Send tradeboats south
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Undertown (Tier 2 Neutral Faction)
Gnome town under the ruins
Live in deep caves
Mix of light and dark factions
Ally with the wood gnomes
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Ally with the satyr tribes
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Mountain Ettins (Tier 2 Dark Faction)
Led by a powerful zealot
Worship Nezame
Standoffish, but greedy
Flash flood ritual
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Demand tribute
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Sorceress's Tower (Tier 3 Dark Faction)
Wants her castle back
Tower full of servants
Building an army
Create flesh golems
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Enslave forest spirits
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Satyr Tribes (Tier 3 Neutral Faction)
Live in the haunted woods
Serve an ancient ent
Mostly capricious
Sink the ferry
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Sink a river tradeboat
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Bugbear Horde (Tier 4 Dark Faction)
Fled from baron's conquest
Occupy the castle ruins
Lurk in the deep forest
Deserters (-tier)
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Raid across the river
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
The Crossing (Tier 1 Light Faction)
Run by a few ex-adventurers
Built to facilitate trade
Angered mayor of Woodtown
Make a deal with garrison
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Quell the river fae
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Likely Dungeon Locations
Glowing chapel (center)
Woodlands (top left)
Ruined castle (center right)
Estate's basement (bottom left)
Questions
What haunts the eastern woods?
What causes the ruined chapel's red glow?
Why is the castle in ruins?
What danger lurks in the river?
Colonial Seas
Treasure Fleet (Tier 3 Light Faction)
Pressures for more gold
Protects shipping lanes
Demand gold from natives
Plunder islanders
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Dispatch treasure ship
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Port Windfall (Tier 4 Light Faction)
Regional power, oldest town
Governess on her deathbed
Want to avoid war
Elect new governor
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Arrest pirate captain
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Harpies (Tier 1 Dark Faction)
Worship Iziza
Sing sweet songs
Despise trespassers
Cause shipwreck
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Raid the firebreathers
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Pirate Crews (Tier 3 Light Faction)
Several pirate captains
Loosely working together
Prey on the treasure fleet
Establish a pirate town
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Kidnap important figure
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Firebreathers (Tier 3 Dark Faction)
Shabaz-worshipping kobolds
Burn down settlements
Empowered by volcano
Raid New Greylon
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Eruption (increase tier)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
New Greylon (Tier 3 Light Faction)
Pious townsfolk
Loyal to the fort
Spreading religion
Build defenses (+tier)
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Armada arrives
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Goblin Islanders (Tier 2 Dark Faction)
Heavily trapped forest
Ride large apes
Camouflaged skin
Move to a new island
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Kidnap New Greylonian
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Fort Landing (Tier 4 Light Faction)
New presence in the region
Highly expansionist
Commander is insane
War with Port Windfall
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Destroy goblin islanders
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Seabird Manor (Tier 1 Light Faction)
Original explorer of this area
Retired pirate captain
Has a flying machine
Become Windfall governor
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Gather support (+tier)
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Condor Prince (Tier 1 Neutral Faction)
Magically awakened leader
Hostile towards outsiders
Hates colonizers
Expand territory (+tier)
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Feast on townsfolk
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Port Bonanza (Tier 2 Light Faction)
Wild, gambling town
Mayor is very corrupt
Disobey Port Windfall
Peace with the pirates
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Defect to New Greylon
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Gnome Islanders (Tier 1 Neutral Faction)
Sun worshippers
Practice witchcraft
Doomsday cult
Appease merfolk
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Eternal sunset ritual
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Merfolk Kingdom (Tier 4 Neutral Faction)
Regularly feast on sailors
See themselves as heroic
Can speak the Dark Tongue
Lure in a ship
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Wrangle the leviathan
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Forest Folk (Tier 2 Neutral Faction)
Mysterious fae creatures
Live in the treetops
Despise trespassers
Destroy the orc islanders
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Awaken the wind drake
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Orc Islanders (Tier 2 Dark Faction)
Enemies of the forest folk
Worship Talazar
Brutal warriors, but dumb
Fae hunt
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Merfolk hunt
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Likely Dungeon Locations
Skull mountain (top right)
Within the volcano (center left)
Lighthouse basement (top center)
Foothill forest (bottom right)
Questions
What is the leviathan that lives in these waters?
How long ago did civilized factions arrive?
Who originally built the skull mountain?
Warzone
Mountainhome (Tier 4 Light Faction)
Large dwarven kingdom
Need trade to the east
Massive long-range artillery
Bombardment
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Order assault across river
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Troll Raiders (Tier 2 Dark Faction)
New to the area
Came down from mountains
Looking for war spoils
Raid the dwarven aviary
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
More trolls arrive
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Dryad Woods (Tier 2 Neutral Faction)
Healing waters in center
Only the pure may enter
Highly distrusting
Stronger protections
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Abandon the region
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Ghost Town (Tier 1 Dark Faction)
War-torn town
Haunted by dwarven ghosts
A necromancer hides here
Terrorize Tradetown
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Haunt the trade route
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Tradetown (Tier 2 Light Faction)
Run by halfling merchants
Halfling kingdom to the west
Stay completely neutral
Supply the dwarves
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Supply the horse lords
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Clan Thunderfalls (Tier 1 Neutral Faction)
About ten giants in the clan
Twice as tall as a human
Highly reclusive
Feed the minotaurs
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Throw stones at pirates
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Monster Pirates (Tier 3 Dark Faction)
Council of pirate captains
Trade pirated goods
Too much hassle to oust
Light the torch of Gimosha
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Festival of Gimosha
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
2 Dwarven Aviary (Tier 2 Light Faction)
Raise and ride griffons
Alchemy labs to make bombs
More concerned about trolls
Kidnap a moon elf
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Map the east bank
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Dwarven Bunkers (Tier 3 Light Faction)
Led by a grizzled sergeant
Extensive defensive tunnels
Pushing for a fallback
Withdraw from the front
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Request fresh troops
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Dwarven Foresters (Tier 1 Light Faction)
Recently started logging
Heavily trap in the forest
Strong static defenses
Fuel the war machine
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Foresters arrive (+tier)
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Moon Elves (Tier 4 Neutral Faction)
Strong nature magic
Speak their own language
Tired of the war
Ritual of flooding
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Stop the logging
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Wasteland Vermin (Tier 2 Dark Faction)
Loosely banded tribes
Various monster races
Consider the ruins home
Destroy the bridges
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Invite the minotaurs
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Fort Point (Tier 3 Light Faction)
Powerful mercenary captain
Contract with the Horse Lords
Incredibly brutal
Kidnap the sergeant
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Extend the war
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Minotaur Camp (Tier 2 Dark Faction)
Once hired on as mercenaries
Now opposing the horse lords
Currently starving
Send envoy to the dwarves
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Raid for food
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Horse Lords (Tier 4 Light Faction)
Human horse riders
Strong cavalry
Self-sufficient
Assault the minotaurs
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Destroy the bridges
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Likely Dungeon Locations
Broken bridge (center)
Within the rift (center)
Ruined city (center right)
Cliff cave (bottom left)
Questions
How did the war start?
How long has it been running?
Why is the town in the center demolished?
What lives in the cave in the bottom left?
City Sewers
Pixie Island (Tier 1 Neutral Faction)
Campfire festivals
Blinking lights in trees
Fascinated by people
Lure in a fisherman
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Move into the city trees
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Baron Pointyears (Tier 1 Neutral Faction)
Ratfolk tribe in the sewers
Ride sewer gators
Incredible hunters
Expand territory (+tier)
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Feed the gators
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Admiralty (Tier 3 Light Faction)
Control the navy and docks
Recruit from Shanty Town
Admiral is from Mucktown
Round up shanty towners
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Get wind of merfolk
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Shanty Town (Tier 1 Light Faction)
Loyal Prosperity believers
Exploited by the temple
Hardworking, honest folk
Tithe the temple
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Praise the Prince Day
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Mentwick Manor (Tier 2 Light Faction)
Ex-adventurer and family
Very wealthy
Blackmailing the Prince
Marry into royalty
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Blackmail the merfolk
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Baron Bigteeth (Tier 1 Neutral Faction)
Ratfolk tribe in the sewers
Live on sewerboats
Powerful warriors
Tear down the statue
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Join with the pointyears
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Noble Estates (Tier 1 Light Faction)
A few minor noble families
Jealous of the Mentwicks
Loyal Prosperity followers
Hire proper guards (+tier)
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Challenge the Mentwicks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Mucktown Gangs (Tier 2 Light Faction)
Five constantly warring gangs
Loose loyalty to the "top" gang
Want to exterminate ratfolk
New gang takes over
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Smuggle goods for nobles
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Prosperity Temple (Tier 4 Light Faction)
Highly corrupt priesthood
Seek to run the city
Forsaken by their goddess
Persecute a heretic
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Frame the High Wizard
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
The Royal Family (Tier 4 Light Faction)
Led by the Prince
Belong to a secret cult
Don't trust the royal guard
Curtail the temple (-tier)
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Destroy the Mentwicks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
City Guard (Tier 2 Light Faction)
Loyal to Prosperity Temple
Keep the muck out of the city
Patrols within the walls
Bust Mucktown heads
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Uncover blackmail
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Royal Guard (Tier 3 Light Faction)
Greatly diminished power
Accompany the Prince
Easily bribable
Shakedown the college
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Shakedown the Mentwicks
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Merfolk Coven (Tier 1 Neutral Faction)
Thought of only as a myth
Prince has a merfolk lover
Want to stop the dirty waters
Convince Prince to help
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Ritual of cleansing
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
College Arcanum (Tier 2 Light Faction)
At odds with the temple
Strongly against the ratfolk
Loyal to the Prince
Expose the royal guard
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Exterminate Whiskers
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Baron Whiskers (Tier 1 Neutral Faction)
Ratfolk tribe in the sewers
Practice strange magics
Universally hated
Capture a merfolk
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Raid the College Arcanum
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Cult of Prosperity (Tier 2 Light Faction)
Led by the Prophet
Preaches of true prosperity
Directly opposes the temple
Kidnap the high priest
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Spread the faith
1
2
3
4
o
o
o
o
Baron Longtail (Tier 1 Neutral Faction)
Ratfolk tribe in the sewers
Contacts with the Prophet
Swim through the sewers
Convert to Prosperity
1
2
3
4
5
6
o
o
o
o
o
o
Join the Cult
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Likely Dungeon Locations
Under the prison (top right)
Bottom of a slum well (bottom left)
Prosperity Church crypts (top center)
Arcane College warrens (center)
Questions
Why doesn't the city clear out the ratfolk sewer barons?
What else stalks the city's sewer system?
Who is the statue near the harbor of?
Note
An intricate sewer system runs under the entire city. The red circles are manhole covers leading into the sewer. The drainage rivers also lead there.
Sandbox Creation
The recommended way to play Wicked Ones is to choose a map, then each player helps define the factions that exist within that map. Creating this sandbox together really gets players involved with the setting and also helps let the GM know what kind of monster shenanigans they intend to get up to. As you define the factions, you're really choosing the types of raid targets you want to hit and factions you want to interact with.
Players take turns establishing factions by finding interesting things on the map and detailing what faction occupies that area. The GM can also take a turn in this, or just leave it to the players. When you establish a faction, give a detail or two about them and then the GM can ask a follow-up question or two to further flesh them out. Don't go into too much detail - you're just painting in broad strokes here and can hone in on the factions more through play.
It's highly recommended that PCs not be from the area. You're new arrivals, unaware of all of these factions. The PCs don't have any connections to them, which lets you find out in play how all of this weaves together.
Sandbox Creation (Process)
Choose a sandbox map. Pick one of the four from this book or find one from some fiction that you prefer! Make sure it's a small, regional area.
Choose a dungeon location. Find a spot on the map to locate your dungeon in. Centralized locations tend to work best!
Detail two or three tier 4 factions. This is best done as a group, as these are major powers and will have a big impact. Two light factions and one neutral faction works best.
Detail four tier 3 factions. Two light, one dark, and one neutral is best.
Detail four tier 2 factions. Two light, one dark, and one neutral is best.
Detail four tier 1 factions. Two light, one dark, and one neutral is best.
Establish distance. Choose two points on the map and establish how long it takes to travel from one to the other. A day or two works best.
Answer some questions about the world. The GM poses a few questions about the map that help give it more detail or clear things up.
The timing of the sandbox creation depends on the group, but the best way is to choose the sandbox map and dungeon location before you do anything else, including picking a dungeon theme or making characters.
The first session usually covers the initial establishment of your dungeon. The beginning of the second session is great timing for detailing the factions as you now have more information about your characters and dungeon so you can make informed choices about what might be fun factions to go up against.
Follow-up Questions
Throughout sandbox creation, the GM's job is to push the players through the creation process and ask probing questions about the factions they detail. You're building little hooks that you can later use to pull the factions into the story. These probing questions are how the GM can get really involved in the process, guiding it towards themes that you want to focus on. If you want to establish the gods as an active element in the story, ask about them! If you want each faction to have small, interesting quirks, try to get those details instead.
Finally, it's the GM's job to ask a few more questions about the sandbox itself. You can ask about the relationships between factions, the environment or weather in the area, or just try to add some detail to something interesting on the map. While these are helpful during sandbox creation, the GM should also be asking these as the campaign progresses whenever a certain area of the sandbox needs a bit more fleshing out!
Here are some questions a GM might ask:
Why do the halflings live by the river? What are their boats like?
Who's the leader of this faction? Is it something like a council or just one powerful individual?
Why have these elves forbidden stepping foot outside of their forest?
What do these hobgoblins sacrifice to their god?
Which faction does this one hate more than any other? How did
that faction wrong them?
Why do you think there's nothing living in these mountains?
These two factions have been at war for a while. What do you think the original reason was? What do they fight for now?
This castle seems to be in ruins. What caused that?
Where's this griffon here in the corner taking the goblin?
What caused this rift in the ground? What's inside it now?
Who's the most powerful wielder of ancient magic in this region?
What gods were worshipped hundreds of years ago here? What
happened to their followers?
After the session you create the sandbox in, the GM gives each faction a clock or two. From then on, the GM controls the factions and judges how they respond to the events in the game. If you're not sure what a faction would be doing, that's fine. Put a pin in it until that faction is relevant, then think of what they would have been doing up to that point and make a few rolls on the faction clock to simulate their progress up to that point.
The World Turns
Events are in motion, with the werewolf and the dungeon sowing chaos throughout the land. A lot is up in the air and there's some clocks about to get finished, so the GM decides to run through the factions together.
GM: So what we've seen so far is the town mostly hysteric over what's happening, with livestock getting slaughtered and people disappearing. That merchant has somehow kept his son's condition secret so far. The mayor's setting a trap with that dire wolf. It's caged in the town center, under guard. Let's start with the farmfolk and see what they're doing.
The GM rolls 1d fortune (farmfolk) and gets a mixed! It fills their "angry mob" clock!
GM: The farmers have probably been getting the brunt of the werewolf attacks, so are not so pleased that the mayor hasn't fixed the problem. What do you think this angry mob does?
Ulrot [Orc Brute]: Maybe they go straight for the mayor? Demand he steps down?
Crag [Kobold Shaman]: We're sorta pushing towards the next raid and finishing our master plan here during the next full moon. What if this all happens together?
Ulrot [Orc Brute]: Like, the farmers get together, knowing the full moon is coming and more death along with it? Maybe one of their leaders whips them into an angry mob and they're just busting into town, with demands for the mayor to kill the dire wolf, when our next raid happens.
GM: Ohhh, I like it. That'll make the town nice and chaotic. Let's see what the town clergy are up to.
The GM rolls 2d fortune (town clergy) and gets a failure! It doesn't tick their "expand the faith" clock.
GM: Looks like they're not doing much. What's their inaction mean?
Slem [Slissik Shadow]: Maybe they look at this as some kind of divine punishment and have shut the church's doors to the townsfolk? They see this entire situation as a trial the people must overcome on their own.
GM: It also plays pretty well into how the farmfolk built the harvest god shrine earlier. Now let's see what the mayor's doing.
The GM rolls 4d fortune (mayor) and gets a critical! It fills their "hold off the garrison" clock!
GM: Okay, that makes things pretty interesting. A few sessions back, we were talking about how the baron's troops in the garrison were offering protection but wanted the town to swear loyalty to the baron. The mayor's back is against the wall with all the unrest. What does he do?
Slem [Slissik Shadow]: The mayor wants the garrison gone. Maybe they leave?
Ulrot [Orc Brute]: I don't think the garrison captain would just abandon their post with all the craziness happening. She has orders and it's a perfect situation.
Crag [Kobold Shaman]: Ohhh, I got it! Maybe the mayor blames them for the situation and the townsfolk drive them off?
GM: Ah, that makes sense. Let's make it opposed fortune rolls. If the garrison wins, they'll stay out of the mayor's way but remain in the region. If the mayor wins, the garrison will be abandoned.
The GM rolls 4d fortune (mayor) and gets a success!
The GM rolls 3d fortune (garrison) and gets a success!
GM: Huh... ummm, any ideas for the tie? We could narrate and roll again?
Crag [Kobold Shaman]: What if the garrison drops a tier, sending some soldiers away? They still have a presence, but they're not the threat to the mayor they were.
GM: That makes a lot of sense. Cool, let's go with that. What's it look like?
Crag [Kobold Shaman]: The garrison commander brings a group of troops right up to the mayor's front gate. The mayor comes out, sword in hand, and whistles. Several archers pop up over the wall, arrows trained on the commander. "Consider this a final warning. We've had enough of your meddling. The town's behind me. Now back across the river with you."
Ulrot [Orc Brute]: She didn't expect the mayor to have the backbone for this. "Fine, fools. Die by yourselves. We'll be back to pick up the scraps."
GM: Perfect. So I think just dropping the tier doesn't make sense. The garrison relocates across the river instead. Finally, let's do the elves.
The GM rolls 4d fortune (elven conclave) and gets a failure! It doesn't tick their "offer assistance" clock.