Responding to Feedback about the Giant Hex

Last week I wrote about my idea for a "giant hex." It is a single five-mile hex on the map, but it is filled with giant trees and animals, and it takes 60 miles to cross it. What's really happening is that the party is being shrunk down to 1/12th their normal size when they enter it, and returned to their normal size when they leave.

I got three comments to that post. One actual comment, and 2 messages. I wanted to explore those here.

Ministroni

The first commenter, Ministroni, said:

There would be some things that hint at the difference. Like morning dew drops being the size of basketballs

This is absolutely true! To be honest, though, I don't know if I would have thought about that during the natural flow of play. This is why, around my table, it's important for players to be upfront about what they're doing and why. If this is a player's line of thought, he should ask me outright. "I'm thinking that we might be shrunken, so I'm checking the dew drops in the morning to see if they're the size of basketballs."

I've played with so many players that are reluctant to do that. My only guess is that they've played with a jerk GM that would purposely try to mislead them if the GM knew why they were asking. I am not a jerk. I am my players' biggest fan.

Ministroni also said:

I hope you have a "giant ant" that lifts something far heavier than a scaled up ant could lift

That's the spirit!

Zomus Prime

This one was left as a comment on the page itself. I like it when readers do that!

I am curious though, say that they've travelled into the hex and fight a group of "giant" rats. After defeating them, one party member decides to skin them, figuring the (assumed) novelty will fetch a good price.

So, then the question becomes, what happens to the pelt? Do they instantly shrink to 1/12th size when the party picks it up? Or would it remain large, but be unaffected as the party leaves the hex such that the skinner finds a small, smelly, rat pelt sitting in their bag?

The player's assumption would be a good one. From my previous post, it should be obvious that I'm a fan of "natural treasures." A giant rat pelt would be worth maybe 300 gold! Even better would be a giant beaver pelt...

Anyway. The short answer is that the rat skin would remain at normal size (i.e., it would shrink from the player's perspective). Leaving the hex just removes the enchantment that's on the players. Because they rat didn't have any enchantment on it, there's nothing to remove.

This would be a powerful clue as to what's happening.

Big Shadow Dragon

Big Shadow Dragon is one of my players from days gone by. He says:

Why are you playing with the size of the PC's? I just don't see why you're doing it.

I'm doing it because it seems interesting. Players seem to like interesting puzzles.

If I'm ever stuck for something to do, I have the party discover a small, elongated pyramid about the size of a 3x5 index card at the base. Inside it is the corpse of a 4-inch tall humanoid, with a larger head in proportion to the rest of the body. If they look carefully there are teeny-tiny footprints leading away from it. A party will literally spend an hour of real-world time investigating it.

Why?

Because it's novel and interesting and they want to know more.

Why?

Because they're adventurers and adventurers seek out the different. Otherwise they would stay in the safety of the town like everyone else, and wait for the heroes to save the day.

Why?

Because hex after hex of "you enter a wooded hex. Which way to you go?" is dull. It's my job to make sure the sandbox contains toys for the players to play with.

That's why!

Thanks for all the comments! Keep them coming!