Category: News

This week’s map is a pine forest with a bit of an infestation of… something 😉 I wanted to create a wilderness map with a bit of a twist and I think pine forests have an amazing ominous vibe to them and so ‘The Weaver’s Way’ was born. I know many of you will not have watched this film but I may have had some scenes from Hawk the Slayer in mind when I drew this. There is some very dark spider webby woodland in that film, along with pythons hanging from branches, which I feel may not be too accurate for a medieval European setting but hey it’s fantasy!

As always I can’t thank you enough for supporting me here, especially my amazing Patrons, without your help I simply wouldn’t be able to spend the time creating these maps. Thank you all, have a wonderful week and happy adventuring! Now let’s get onto the map notes.

Introduction

Oxen with perpetually bored expressions pull the merchant wagons, ears switching once in awhile to brush away flies. The wooded terrain around you is thick with brush, boulders litter the ground often half covered by ferns and tall grasses. You notice the road is moving downwards into a hollow in the landscape. Slowly cliffs rise around you, pines replace deciduous trees, the sun, now low in the sky is blocked by the high cliff walls, plunging the road into a twilight darkness. 

As you walk alongside the wagons you notice something strange and ominous, the trees here are covered in webs. Long strands of silk hang between branches, swaying slightly in the still air. You glance at your employer, a portly merchant with a friendly disposition. He sits atop his wagon, face ghostly white, holding a silver dagger in his shaking hands. He notices you watching him and tries to smile, it looks more like a grimace of pain.

With movement almost to fast to see, something leaps across the road, grabbing a cart driver from his seat in a single movement. Before you can react the driver is gone, the creature that took him was large and incredibly fast. Again another creature jumps across the road and another driver is picked from his seat, this time you make out spindly legs and a large black abdomen.

Your employer jumps from his seat and crawls under his wagon, with a wave of his dagger he points to the forest. “Save us good adventurer!” he pleads in a terrified voice. You get the impression vital information related to the dangers of this route were left out of the job listing. However, it feels a little petty to bring it up quite at this moment as a dozen large spiders drop from the trees around you and attack the caravan.

Notes and tips

• 30×30 grid map
• This forest could be used as a spider themed encounter or a spooky, ‘cursed’ or just old part of a forest.
• If you do go down the spider route, imagine how they would reveal themselves. Have them snatch a NPC or two, or even a PC.
• Give your party a good chance to notice the spiders as they hang amongst the trees, passive perception is great for this!
• Webs cover certain routes around the map, they could hinder movement.
• As you move into the trees visibility is low, both because of the light and the foliage.
• There are a few small caves along the roadside, and there are two openings on either side of the map which could be used as larger cave entrances or be simply ignored.
• Maybe this area is near a hags hideout, have poppets (corn or stick people) hanging from the trees, Blair Witch style!
• Will-o’-wisps could dart through the trees, pretending to be someone walking around deeper in the forest. The whole forest could be haunted but any number of ghosties!

Variants

Even spookier night version

General forest version (day/night) – when you just need a simple forest travel map!

Desert canyon (day/night)

Hello Adventurers! The Green Bastion map is here! This is quite a big one and I hope useful for DMs looking to run an encounter in a ruined keep, city or outpost swallowed by the forest. For those with access to the variants there are also coastal, grassland and desert locations. I like to imagine a green dragon perched on the gatehouse looking down on a group of unfortunate players before things go very badly 😉

I think that’s about it for this launch, thank you all for your support and as always happy adventuring!

Introduction

You pound along the overgrown path, jumping fallen logs and splashing through puddles of fetid mosquito infested water. Behind you the creature roars again, hidden by the greenery you can’t tell the exact position of your foe, but it’s getting closer, and it’s very angry!

Ahead sunlight punches through the canopy indicating a thinning of the trees. The path rises slowly up an incline, cobbles peek out of the mud and vines underfoot. And then ahead you see it, a wall, crumbling and ancient but still standing. It appears to be the entrance to a long abandoned keep, walls still intact but gate smashed and hanging from its hinges.

You rush through the gateway. Now high enough to see across the canopy you glance back and watch trees being violently pushed aside, the sound of splitting wood and an ominous low-pitched thudding can be heard as something huge stomps towards the keep.

The inner courtyard is largely open, ruined buildings further back could make for useful cover. You look to your companions, silently agreeing this will be where you stand and fight. Now all there is to do is wait and see what climbs over the wall. Another roar splits the air, this time right outside the walls. Silence for a moment and then it appears. In one great leap it crests the wall lands amongst your party. It’s teeth are bigger than you imagined.

Notes and Tips

• 30×30 grid map
• This could be used for tropical or temperate forest locations.
• Have the party seek shelter here from a dangerous forest creature.
• The players can use the ruined buildings for cover. The buildings can have roofs or not.
• The boulders could be used by very large creatures as throwing weapons. Maybe they are the ones that destroyed the keep in the first place.
• Giants, Trolls, Ents, or any other giant creature would work well on this map.
• A tribe of monsters could be using this place as a temporary shelter, the party walks in on them. Throw in some tents and campfires from my free travel encounter pack.
• This would be a great place to fight a dragon, there is adequate space and cover for those players that don’t like being incinerated, frozen or generally ‘upchucked’ on.
• A garrison of soldiers is trying to take the keep back, your party is along for the ride, things attack and climb the walls!

Variants

Desert day/night

Coastal day/night

Grassland day/night – for a bit of extra place to drop more mobs to kill your party.

Our next map is here! This one is The Longhouse / Guild Hall suggestion from you lovely Patrons. I went with a viking longhouse style theme for this map, I thought it could work well for encounters in the wilds with barbarians, hunters or rangers. A small village that lives in one of these halls would be a fun variant on a standard village setup.

I did some research for this map, I think the size and basic layout is fairly accurate but I’m certainly no expert. I’m sure I got something wrong, so lets just all agree this is a fictional Longhouse and not a proper viking version!

As always thank you for your support, you really are the best! Have a wonderful week and happy adventuring! And now onto the map notes.

Introduction

The hall is thick with smoke and lit by a huge fire pit running the length of the cavernous building. Rough wooden pillars disappear into darkness above, supporting the thatch roof. Sleeping pallets line the sides of the hall, covered in furs and roughly woven cloth. Along the length of the hall simple wooden tables play host to the Grey Moor hunting party, the group of wild men you recently met in the wilderness. They seem friendly, if not a little strange in their ways. Your wizard companion looks at you dubiously totally out of her element.

A cacophony of sounds fill the air, laughter, singing and boisterous shouting make for a lively atmosphere. A huge wild boar roasts over the fire, pots of broth and root vegetables bubble away, sending an earthy aroma into the already thick air. A huge metal tankard is thrust into your hand, it contains a strong aromatic mead. “Drink! Drink friend!” shouts the thickly bearded man seated to your right, he lifts his own tankard and drains the contents in one. These hunters seem to like their mead, you imagine there is little else to do out here once night draws in.

From outside you hear a long ragged howl above the raucous shouts and singing. You look around in alarm, but no one else seems to have noticed. You glance to your right and realise your bearded friend is staring at you, eyes no longer clouded with alcohol. “She rises…“ he growls at you, grinning widely. You notice a gleam of yellow in his eyes, more than simple firelight. Looking around you notice a change in atmosphere, the sounds of revelry are louder, frantic and somehow more savage. One of the revelers collapses to the floor shaking violently. You look back at your bearded friend, he grins, showing distinctly sharper teeth than before, a low guttural growl begins to emit from his throat.

Your wizard companion leans towards you and shouts into your ear over the howling and barking. “I think these guys might be werewolves.” “Really? What gave it away?” you shout back with as much sarcasm as you can muster.

Notes and Tips

• 30×20 Grid size
• Large creatures can enter the hall from the three entrances. You can use doors to bar the entrances but these can be broken down.
• The fire pit can be jumped with a dex roll.
• The pillars can be used as half cover.
• The storeroom could hold prisoners the party needs to rescue.
• Try a From Dusk till Dawn scenario. Have the party spend a night in the hall with a group of hunters or rangers. Once the moon comes up things go very badly.
• This could be a Ranger or Fighter’s Guild hall.
• Have the party find this hall deserted, once they are inside the owners return.
• The smell of cooking has attracted some wild beast and the villagers request the party remove it.
• The hall master begs you for help, each night a monster enters his hall and attacks his people, Beowulf style!
• A group of old warriors rest here, each one must die in battle to reach their afterlife, will the party willingly fight one to the death?
• This could be the home of some Herne the hunter type forest spirit. They could test the party before sending them on a quest.

Variant maps

Day/night variants, with and without a Throne

No fire – for when no ones home

A Feywilds version! – I like the idea the fire is keeping the weirdness at bay.

Snow version – Added in update v.02

Hello Adventurers! The first of our new map ideas is finally here, it took a little longer than expected but hopefully it was worth it. I was inspired by a few places I’ve visit over the years, the British Museum in London and the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford being two of the biggest inspirations. I wanted to keep the play area fairly open to allow for more tactical positioning in combat while also trying to create an interior that felt suitably full of artefacts.

Finally welcome to my new Patrons, you know who you are 🙂 And as always thanks to every one of you for your support, it really does mean a lot and keeps me motivated to create new maps for you wonderful people. Have a great weekend and happy adventuring! And now onto the map notes!

Introduction

The streets are busy, all manner of people hurry along the grubby cobbles on one errand or another, from high born ladies to low born street urchins. A scruffy looking youth dressed in an ill fitting suit rushes up to your wizard companion. He waves a flyer in her face and starts to reel off an obviously rehearsed patter. She shoos him away with some irritation but not before he thrusts a flyer into her hands, she pauses momentarily to read it before handing the crumpled piece of paper to you. The flyer reads as follows:

“New exhibit unveiled today! See the statue that inspired a thousand sacrifices. The tools of BLOODY SLAUGHTER! The manuscripts of summoning and the blood stone that made it all happen! Be the first to hear the infamous tale of the Arcarnon cult, and their Arch Lord of the Nether Planes. Come for the drama! Stay for the history!

Visit the Royal Museum today, entrance fee 50% OFF with this flyer!!!”

You look up at the old stone building before you, columns flank the entrance, a brightly polished bronze sign proclaims it to be ‘The Royal Museum’. Leaded windows, caked with dust and yellowed from lamp smoke reveal nothing of the interior except a dim red light that flickers ominously. You cross your fingers hoping it’s part of the exhibit, a shrill scream and echoing demonic chanting emanating from inside dashes those hopes.

Notes and tips

• 30×30 Grid map
• The museum is split into three areas: The centre is anthropological, left is arcane and right is natural history.
• Other than the main entrance you can enter the building by the sky lights, windows or through the two staircases at the rear.
• The Museum employees are reporting ghosts in the museum at night, the party is hired to deal with them.
• The Museum is worried it is going to get burgled and employs the party as night watchmen.
• At night the museum curator is trying to summon something terrible.
• The museums artifacts are coming to life:
  • Have the beetle flap its wings and create powerful winds.
  • The dragon skull could unleash a breath weapon.
  • Any one of the magical artifacts on display could activate when the party gets too close with any number of weird effects.
  • Swarms of insects could attack from the insect collection.
  • The manuscripts could glow and when they are examined could force the viewer to read them aloud.

Variants

Museum night/candle lit

Library

Library night/candle lit

I’ve finally finished off our latest map, it took a little longer than expected but hopefully it was worth it. This one is the final idea from our old map list, a giant snail shell. I wanted to create something a little different and decided on making a small village with a giant snail shell at it centre. I think it could be used as a humanoid settlement in a swamp, on the edge of a lake or the coast. It should work for kobolds, goblins, a few aquatic races or just some weird cult. I imagine encounters based around attack or defence would work equally well, saving the villagers from some external threat or fighting your way in for some reason.

As always thank you so much for your support, have a wonderful rest of the weekend and happy adventuring! Now lets get to the notes.

Interior

Introduction

The swamp is never quiet, it could even be described as oppressively noisy. Frogs croak incessantly, from low booms to high pitched squeaks. A multitude of flying, and often biting insects create a droning that fills the humid air. Water collects and drips from every surface, nothing is ever truly dry here. A low white mist begins to form above the murky water.

You glance down at your unlikely ally, the small lizard man leans against the giant snail shell that makes the centerpiece of his strange shabby little village. He looks up at you and offers a dirty cloth bag, inside you see something wet and glistening. You politely decline. The kobold shrugs, picks out a fat pale grey grub and pops it into his mouth, chewing noisily.

The evening progresses slowly, you watch the swamp, waiting for the inevitable attack. They have come every night for a week, at least according to the wizened old shaman. As you watch, you sense a change in the swamp. It’s as if the background noise changes pitch, dropping half a tone to a minor key. Out in the mist and darkness, beyond the torch light, you hear the sloshing of many legs wading through knee deep water. A gravely laugh drifts to your ears. Your little friend jumps up and bangs his spear on the snail shell’s exterior, a warning signal to the other watchmen.

Shadows begin to appear in the glowing mist, they are large and bulky, outlined in armour. As you continue to watch, more shadows appear, more than you were led to believe, far more. You curse under your breath, it turns out kobolds can’t count past three. Your small innumerate friend looks up at you expectantly, a mixture of fear and hope in his beady green eyes. Who could say no to a face like that?

Notes and Tips

• 30×30 Grid
• This map can be used as a swamp, coastal or river area.
• I like the idea of a village defence. Make the villagers weird! Kobolds are awesome little creatures that can be fun to use as NPCs. Give the ‘clan’ a few quirks.
• This could be a fishing village or it could be somehow connected with the snail shell itself, maybe they herd snails!
• Have ranged enemies on the upper shell, they will be harder to reach.
• There are multiple directions to attack the village.
• The water can be as shallow or deep as you like!
• Crocodiles and other swamp creatures can lurk in the water. Maybe the villagers have guard crocs!
• The wood could be slippery! Roll some dice!
• Reinforcements could come from the interior, remember there is more than one entrance.
• The village could be the home of some secret power. All the villagers are unnaturally healthy. If they are kobolds or some other normally ‘evil’ race maybe the influence has changed them somehow for the better, or worse!

Variants

Day/Night

Blood Cult (with weird heart like lump of meat in the centre)

Tropical versions (a few trees and a brighter colour pallet!)

Hello Adventurers! This month is the one year anniversary of me creating my Patreon. To celebrate and thank everyone that’s supported me over that time I’ve created a free asset pack, which I hope you’ll find useful when running travel encounters! 

It contains a cart, a merchants/farmers wagon and a Stagecoach with variants (Vampire Stagecoach!). You also get a range of tents, camp fires and bedrolls, as well as a few road obstacles including fallen rocks and trees. I’ve created day/night versions of them all, they should fit nicely with most of the maps in my back catalogue! I’ll continue to expand on this pack with new parts as time allows.

I really can’t thank you all enough for the last year, its been an amazing experience!

Hello Adventurers! Here is our latest map, The Kraken’s Garden. It’s based on our suggestions list idea ‘An underwater Lair’. I knew I wanted to go with corals for this one, something really bright and tropical (although the deep version could be used for a more temperate location). With the idea that this could be the home of some giant sea creature I went with the idea of enlarging the coral, anemones and Urchins. I think they look cool super large and those Urchins will certainly ruin someone’s day if they get to close.

I think that’s about it, thanks again for the support, have a wonderful week and happy adventuring! And now onto the map notes.

Introduction

Sunlight ripples across the steadily approaching white sand a few fathoms below your feet. The water, crystal clear, fades into an infinite turquoise void as you descend to the ocean’s bottom. The weights attached to your ankles drag you downwards, the water breathing spell keeping you alive.

You land lightly and begin to make your way across the ocean floor. You can see, looming in the blue haze ahead, an escarpment of rock and coral. The giant oversized living corals are brightly coloured and teaming with life. Fish, sea anemones and spiny urchins the size of trees occupy every crevice.

You spy the wreck resting amongst the coral forest, its skeleton protruding from the sand. You bounce slowly forward hoping its cargo is in better condition. Your contact assured you it would be there, buried just below the sand. You begin to dig, shovel slowed by the waters resistance.

A shadow blocks out the sun, you wait for it to pass and when it doesn’t you look up. Above you, gracefully gliding over the coral cliffs edge, is a huge inky black shape. Tentacles break up the silhouette of the creature. Tentacles are almost universally a bad sign you think just before the creature jets towards you, aforementioned tentacles flailing.

Notes and Tips

• Be sure to read up on underwater combat rules and make sure to inform your players about these restrictions well before combat.
• The party could be dropped from a boat directly above, or they may have to make their way to the location.
• Even clear ocean water has a limited view distance, make sure to define it and remember to use it during combat.
• Creatures and monsters can hide within the coral, allowing for a number of vectors of attack.
• There are a few caves along the cliffs edge which can be used by both the players and monsters.
• If a creature can produce ink to obscure the battlefield utilise it! Or have your humanoid enemies use squid ink like smoke bombs!
• The sea urchins have very sharp spines. If a player is thrown against them it’s going to hurt!
• Sahuagin are always a good choice for humanoid underwater encounters, however there are lots of other choices including Kuo-toa, sea hags or Merfolk.
• Merfolk bandits could be raiding ships. The party must go below to follow them to their hideout.
• Throw in a Chuul or two, they are challenging by themselves but can also be servants of Aboleths.
• If someone starts to bleed have a shark or twenty appear. The longer the party sticks around the more sharks appear. 
• Have sharks circle the party, darting in and out, then at some tipping point have them go into a feeding frenzy!
• Salvage and treasure is always a good motivator for getting your party to jump feet first into a dangerous situation. Have them hear about sunken wrecks from local fishermen or old salty pirates.

Variants

Ship wreck deep/night

Ruins with weird floating crystal, shallows and depth versions!

Hello Adventurers! Here is the final map of the month, another one from our Patron suggestions list. This is the ‘Fortified Bridge’ idea, with a little more ‘Fort’ thrown in 🙂 I wanted to create a bridge with a little bit of a twist, so it ended up with a guard post style mini fort/keep in its centre, hopefully it will be useful for a travel encounter or a specific location. I imagine this would work well as a border crossing between Kingdoms.

As always thanks so much for supporting me, have a wonderful week and happy adventuring! And now to the notes!

Introduction

As the wagon trundles along the dirt road you look over your shoulder, checking the cargo once again. Everything appears normal. The barrels of high quality brandy rock gently back and forth. You hope your calculations are correct, that you’ll get across the border before the spell wears off.

Ahead you see a river winding through tall grasses. The road ends at a bridge, spanning the river with three graceful stone arches. Cobbles replace the dirt road. You can see a guard post positioned at the centre of the bridged, heavily fortified and manned by at least a dozen royal guards. As you approach a guard waves you down.

“Evening sir, I’ll be needin’ to inspect your cargo”, you smile and nod casually. He walks to the back of the wagon and jumps up, tapping each barrel with the pommel of his sword. You hold your breath facing forward trying to appear relaxed. You hear him jump down and begin to sigh with relief when you hear frantic knocking from the ‘special’ barrel. The guard turns back in time to see the barrel tip off the end of the wagon, splitting open on the hard cobbles. Its contents spill across the bridge, a brandy soaked Bard gasping for breath. He blinks the brandy from his eyes and grins sheepishly up at the guard. “Pleasant evening for a drink officer”.

Notes and tips

• 30×30 map
• You could be trying to smuggle a person across the border. If they are discovered things can go south very quickly.
• You are defending the bridge from a roving band of monsters. Have hordes of Goblins (or other monster types) swarm across the bridge, while your characters blast them from the ramparts.
• You could be tasked to inspect cargo coming cross the bridge.
• The bridge is manned by brigands, take it back for the local lord.
• Bandits have made the bridge home and demand a ridiculous toll.
• The bridge is controlled by an enemy’s army, infiltrate it, plant explosives, or sabotage it in any way you can!

Variants

Night time by touch light!

Day/Night bridge crossing

This week’s map is a group of mineral pools in a desert/rocky canyon. It’s another one from our slowly shrinking list of Patron suggestions! This could be used as a travel encounter map with some fun environmental elements or as a destination in itself.

That’s about it for this launch, as always, it’s wonderful to have you aboard, thanks so much for the support!

Introduction

Reaching the base of the rocky cliffs you are nearly overcome by sweltering heat and sulphurous vapours. The canyon is filled with strange formations built up over many years by springs of mineral rich waters. Boiling turquoise pools fill the canyon with drifting clouds of mist.

In the middle of these pools you catch a glimpse of bleached white bone, first one piece, then another, shattered and crumbling across the rocks and jutting from the steaming waters. If the legends are true this really could be the final resting place of the beast. Its bones, you have been told, are the key to finding its horde and riches beyond your wildest imagination.

The mystic standing at the edge of the clifftop points towards the middle of the canyon, indicating a bone from the beasts chest, closest to its heart, would be most advantageous for the ritual. You slowly make your way through the rocky pillars careful not to put a foot into the boiling water. As you reach the middle of the canyon you see a promising group of bones, a ribcage splintered but still recognisable. Reaching down to pick one up you hear a low hissing sound, a menacing anger infused within its tones.

“Who dares disturb the slumber of my mate? Someone that grows weary of life it seems.”

You try to come up with a witty one liner but your mind is muddy and slow, stricken by dragon fear. You look up into huge lantern eyes and a maw filled with dagger like teeth. You wish you’d heeded the advice of your mother to stay at home and look after the turnips. Turnips don’t seem quite so bad any more.

Notes and Tips

• 30×30 Battle Map.
• This could be the resting place of some ancient dragon or beast. It is rumoured that one of its rib bones can be used in a ritual to find its horde, or some hidden treasure.
• The cliffs at the edge of the map could be fairly shallow or be big enough to create a serious obstacle to the party.
• The water could be superheated, making for some serious problems if a party member falls in.
• These could be acid pools.
• The mists could roll across the map, obscuring the view for certain players and monsters randomly.
• Water could erupt from a pool once in a while making for a fun time for all.
• There are quite a few ages and types of dragons available for this map.
• Any number of enemies could ambush the party here, hidden from view by the steam clouds and by the rocky formations.

Variants

Dragon’s blood pools

 Underdark/Acid caves 

Lava pools

The Bathhouse battle map is finally here, this was another suggestion by you, my wonderful Patrons. I loved this idea and I’m really happy with how it turned out. I spent some time researching Onsen (Japanese Hot Springs/Bathhouses), I’ve never actually been to a bathhouse so YouTube really helped with finding out all about them. I also wanted to make sure this could be used in a more general fantasy setting, so although its certainly got a Onsen look, it should fit into most fantasy towns or cities without much work. Lets face it, every campaign should have at least one Bathhouse episode 😀

Thank you all for your support, I’m so happy to have you along for the ride, have a wonderful week and happy adventuring. And now to the notes!

Just to clarify for new patrons, each map launch contains a launch post like this one, and a single downloads post for your Patreon tier. In that download post is everything you need, include map download files and a PDF of these notes.

Introduction

You lower yourself slowly into the uncomfortably hot water, steam drifts off its surface creating a dreamlike haze in the humid interior. Dark stone tiles line the baths, contrasting with the blond wood that makes up the walls and walkways of this traditional establishment. Translucent paper screens split the bathhouse interior into discrete bathing areas, a skylight above allows for an uninterrupted view of the heavens. You lean back with a sigh of satisfaction. You can hear murmured conversations from nearby bathers and further off the rushing of water from the fast moving stream behind the bathhouse.

As your eyes begin to close the light from the skylight is obscured for a moment, you catch a glimpse of a humanoid shape silhouetted against the sky. Without thought you jump to your feet but the shape is gone. Glancing towards your weapons propped against the door you signal your comrades. From next door you hear a cry. Shapes flash across the paper screen separating your rooms. Two figures struggle, shadows playing across the paper, then with a crash the figures burst through tumbling into your bath. From above, you see black clad shapes drop from the skylights. It seams bath time will have to wait.

Notes and Tips

30×20 Battle Map

• This makes for a great place to meet clandestinely.
• Assassination attempts are always fun, either by the party or have the party trying to prevent one.
• Mob Bosses love bathhouses.
• Every adventure needs a hot springs/bathhouse episode.
• Water elementals can invade from the river, or any number of creatures could climb into the Bathhouse from the open area at the rear.
• Glowing spectres or ghosts can haunt the place, lighting up the paper walls so the party can see them from other rooms.
• Have enemy casters heat the water creating steam clouds to obscure the view or freeze a bath trapping players in place.
• This would be a fun and uncomfortable place to hold a murder mystery.
• If the Bathhouse has paper walls you can easily have people crash through them, opening up the battle area.
• The large room at the back is open at the rear, with just a fence and drop off between it and the river.
• Remember to take into account that players may not be wearing armor, so adjust your encounter strengths with this in mind!

Variants

Day/Night

Candle light – For those romantic assassination attempts

The Boiling House – A Nine Hells location or pocket plain