Posted on No Comments on City Streets Battle Map – Launch

City Streets Battle Map – Launch

Hello adventurers! This week’s map is called City Streets. I wanted to create an urban map which could help out with general street encounters. Sometimes you just need a street or back alley for a quick encounter… so hopefully this will do. I cut the map up into three different smaller maps, or you can go with the full 30×30 version if you need something a bit bigger.

I’m looking at creating an Underground Lake map next, it should be full of stalactites and stalagmites, I’m thinking there will be a small island in the middle for something fun to appear on. It’s possible I can get it done for Friday (end of the month) but likely it will turn up early next week instead.

Welcome to the new Patrons, let me know if you have any questions. Thank you all for your continued support, have a wonderful week and as always happy adventuring!

Free version

CityStreets_freeDownload

Introduction

All manner of people pass by as you make your way along the packed street. The evening is setting in, stallholders are packing away their wares, street hustlers are moving from person to person trying to find their next mark, while urchins dart in and out of the crowd. You slowly scan the throng of people, trying to pick out any suspicious activity. Your client walks at the centre of your companions, glancing at him you notice a bead of sweat run down his neck.

The city guard assigned to escort your client to the safe house wasn’t pleased you insisted on coming along but your client refused to leave without you. Now you glance back and find to your horror the four guards to your rear have vanished, the guards in front have pulled ahead and as you watch they peel off into the crowd and vanish. You swear under your breath, city guards can always be trusted to take a bribe.

Your companions don’t need to be alerted to the deteriorating situation, they have already closed ranks around your client and drawn their weapons. Ahead the crowd parts to reveal a group of very large armed men standing in the middle of the street. To your left and right more thugs materialise from alleyways and shop entrances. You look back up the street to find your escape blocked by a giant of a man, grinning while pounding a huge cudgel into his palm. “Good evening” he growls. “The Broker sends his regards”.

Notes and tips

  • 30×30 grid map (individual street maps vary, see file names for grid size).
  • City encounters can be hugely diverse, try thinking out of the box.
  • A group of hunters have captured a griffin and are taking it to the arena. If the party doesn’t want to free it, maybe it escapes and starts attacking the hunters or civilians.
  • You meet a drunken band of adventurers that seem to have a vendetta against the party, they want to fight!
  • Someone is being beaten up in an alleyway, what does the party do about it?
  • Two gangs are having a fight and the party walks in on it, it could be something really fun like a scene from Big Trouble in Little China.
  • Things can appear from the sewers, for example, your party hears melodic flute music shortly followed by rats swarming out of the sewer grates or after heavy rain slimes start to ooze from the sewers.
  • A circus is in town and during the parade, an animal goes berserk.

Variants

Three single street maps for those times you just need a street

Night dark and lit versions

And a ruined/raided version for those times there is something going down in the city and you need some chaos in the streets!

Posted on No Comments on Man of War Battle Map – Launch

Man of War Battle Map – Launch

Hello adventurers! The Man of War map is here! This was interesting to work on and turned out to be a fairly big release. There are four levels to the map, the upper decks, upper decks interior, gun deck and the cargo hold. I think I got the essence of a ship of this type about right, it’s a fairly big ship with a good amount of space for combat. Just as a side note, I imagine the sailors normally sleep in hammocks on the gun deck, I decided not to add them into the map as it looked a bit confusing visually, so in your description mention hammocks hanging from the gun decks ceiling.

I’ll be straight onto the City Streets map this week with an eye on getting that out next weekend. Thank you for your support, have a great week and as always happy adventuring!

Free versions

ManOfWar_lvl1_freeDownload
ManOfWar_lvl2_freeDownload
ManOfWar_lvl3_freeDownload
ManOfWar_lvl4_freeDownload

Introduction

The lookout calls from above, pointing to aft. You run to the ship’s stern and look across the deep blue green ocean waves. Out below the rolling water you see a dark shadow, it seems to be keeping pace with the ship, leaving a wake in the water behind it. Whatever is under the water is huge and moving at speed.

The captain frantically shouts orders to the crew, men run up and down the rigging, sails are unfurled and within moments you feel the ship surge forward, spray leaping across her bow as she cuts through the waves. After several minutes you hear the captain curse. “Its gaining on us gods damn it’s dark heart! Arm the men!” he shouts to the first mate. As you watch the shadow slowly closes the distance and vanishes below the stern of the ship. With a mighty crash the ship jolts from the impact of something massive. You are thrown off your feet, while those in the rigging cling on for dear life. As you regain your footing you hear a strange sound, guttural yet high pitched emanating from the water around the ship. You run to the side and look down. 

Below you, crawling up the sides of the ship are strange humanoid creatures, green and scaly with webbed hands and feet, claws digging into the wood of the ships hull. You shout a warning and look to the captain just as a huge black tentacle whips up above the stern of the ship, wraps itself around the man and drags him overboard. You back away from the railings and draw your weapon, the creatures strange cries get louder as you wait for them to crest the railing and swarm the deck.

Notes and Tips

  • 30×45 grid.
  • The map contains 4 levels: The Upper and Main deck. The Gun Deck and the Hold.
  • The sailors sleep on the gun deck in hammocks. The officers and captain sleep in the upper deck officer’s quarters.
  • The officers could have bunks, allowing for four or even six places.
  • The sickbay is at the stern on the gun deck.
  • The ship could be invaded by sea monsters such as Sahuagin, Kuo-toa, Merfolk, Merrow or Chuul.
  • Monsters could get onboard through the lower decks by way of the gun ports, or even through a breach in the hull of the ship.
  • The ship is carrying something weird and evil below decks which gets loose and starts making its way to the upper decks.
  • Use the lower decks as an interesting meeting place for a clandestine port encounter.
  • Have a roc or Harpies attack the ship while at sea, flying creatures can attack the sails or pick hapless sailors off the deck and throw them into the sea.

Upper Decks, officers and captains’ quarters


Gun Deck


Cargo Hold

Variants

Cutouts for all the decks (can be placed on any background)

A full set of sky ship maps (inspired by sky ships from the Critroll Tal’dorei setting!)