Afternoon Maps

Hello Adventurers! Another map launch is here, this time it’s The UFO Crash Site, renamed The Last Flight. I’ve always loved the idea of sky ships in fantasy settings. Airships and Spelljammers are awesome to add into a campaign to open up the possibilities for your setting, at least in my opinion. This map could be used as a one off adventure as a piece of weird arcane technology fallen from the sky, or it could be used as a way to introduce air/space/sphere travel into your setting. Either way I hope you enjoy this Spelljammer inspired UFO!

As always thanks for your continued support, you really do make these maps happen! Have a wonderful weekend and happy adventuring! Now onto the notes!

Introduction

Ships log: Day 1
We have captured the sky ship! I say captured, it would be better described as salvaged. We found her adrift off the coast and boarded her without incident. The ship was deserted but for a lone survivor locked in a cage deep within the hold. He was mad with thirst and delirious, raving about voices in his head. We took him above deck and gave him a little bread and water. The hold contains boxes of equipment and a number of large cages. All the cages are unoccupied, except the one at the bow which contains a huge glass cylinder opaque with slowly moving purple gases, arcane symbols cover the floor around it. Something of this nature must be worth a fortune to the right person! Our captain has assigned ten of our crew, including myself, to sail her home.

Ships log: Day 2
We have yet to find a way to make the ship fly, but she sails well. The crew are in good spirits although some have had trouble sleeping in the hold. They complain of bad dreams.

Ships log: Day 4
We have lost a man overboard. He was on watch and when a crewman came to relieve him he was gone. I can only assume he somehow fell overboard and his cries for help went unheeded.

Ships log: Day 6
The men continue to complain about bad dreams, of tentacles and smothering. I have yet to have any trouble in this regard, my dreams have been peaceful, almost comforting in nature, as if the ship is lulling me to sleep each night. Another man has gone missing. The men will no longer take watch alone or sleep below decks.

Ships log: Day 7
The ship is speaking to me! It whispers in my dreams such wonderful secrets! The men are belligerent, they want to abandon the ship. I have cut the skiff free, the ship needs them, she must have crew!

Ships log: Day 10
The crew are converted, they realise now what must be done, the sacrifice that must be made by each of them. Soon we will take flight and return in triumph.

Hints and Tips

• 30×40 map grid (Including interiors)
• This could be a Mary Celeste style encounter. The ship seems abandoned but maybe has something lurking below decks.
• The ships brain wants a new crew and it will stop at nothing to get one. It will create illusions of any number of monsters and horrors to slowly break down the parties mental defences.
• Have the cages full of weird creatures from ‘off world’. Their cages could have been weakened in the crash and they can now break out at just the wrong moment for the party. Or have an ‘alien’ creature attack some locals as an introduction to the encounter.
• Have a ship’s log in the captain’s cabin with some creepy log entries.
• This could be an experimental ship full of Mindflayers. The ship wants to be free and has crashed in an attempt to rid itself of them. The Mindflayers are injured and the ship is blocking their psionic powers, making it an easier encounter for lower level parties.
• Have a few surviving ‘aliens’ attack the party before they enter, then use the interiors as a continuation of the encounter. 
• Have a group of ‘aliens’ attack a local homestead! This could lead the party to find the crashed ship.
• The ship could be crewed by pirates, or some kind of military force. It doesn’t have to be illithids.

Variants

Night variants for grassland and desert!

A desert variant so you can really get into the Roswell UFO style vibe!

A skying or sailing version!

Hello Adventurers! Our first map of the month is here, The Mangrove Swamp! As suggested by you wonderful Patrons. I really enjoy working on natural maps with lots of foliage and this one certainly has a lot of that. I think the mangroves look kind of cool and are a little different to the standard swamp style maps you see around.

Thank you so much for continuing to support my map creation, I’m having a blast coming up with these each month and it’s you that makes it possible. As always have a fantastic week and happy adventuring!

Introduction

The tribesman leads you along the swamp path, stepping through the explosion of green as if he was walking through a summer meadow. You struggle behind him, sword hacking away at vines and foliage that continually tangle in your armour and wrap around your legs. Your Wizard companion loses his temper and you hear a small eruption of flame as a section of forest is incinerated behind you, you would admonish him but if you could create flames with your mind you’d also be laying waste to this godsforsaken place.

You continue on and after some time your guide halts and beckons you forward. Ahead you see a break in the trees, the scent of salt is in the air and the crashing of waves can be heard in the distance, you see a glimmer of azure water and blinding sunlight through the trees. This is the place you were told about, the route to the fishing grounds the villagers use, or did use, until recently. Something has taken up residence here, the villagers are unsure what but a number of fishermen have gone missing over the last few weeks and some of their belongings have been found along this section of the path. Your guide looks nervous, he keeps repeating a phrase you have yet to translate, but he whispers it with fear in his voice. You thank him for his help and move silently forward.

The path leads into a small lagoon, stagnant briny water steams away in the sun’s heat. Bright green pond scum covers much of its surface, along with huge lily pads and other aquatic plants. A makeshift walkway made from rotting wooden planks crosses the deeper looking areas. As you step onto the walkway you see movement in the water ahead, you draw your weapon and continue forward. As you reach a small sandy island in the centre of the lagoon the Wizard makes a startled noise, you turn to see him peering into the murky water. Before you can react a giant pink tongue shoots out of the water, wraps itself around the Wizard and pulls him in. At the same time small robust figures spring from the water all around you, rudimentary spears held in their webbed hands, you look back towards your Wizard friend and see his legs kicking wildly, sticking from the mouth of a giant toad. As you watch the toad suddenly expands and explodes in a flaming mass of toad gore and the odd bit of Wizard. The frog people look stunned for a second and then with an angry cry (croak?) they attack.

Notes and Tips

• 30×30 map grid
• The lily pads can hold the weight of a small creature (1×1), or a medium creature (2×2 or more). More than one creature on any pad will make it unstable and result in some kind of penalty.
• The water can be as clear or as murky as you want! All the better to hide your ambushers! It can also be as deep as you want, shallows make for a larger battle area.
• Bullywugs would be great for this map, along with giant frogs and toads. Remember Bullywugs often capture their victims rather than kill them. 
• Drag your player characters off the walkways and into the water with rope traps or have giant toads or frogs grapple them. Although they don’t officially have a tongue attack, I think you could flavour their grapple as a tongue.
• Most aquatic races could work here as well, so Merfolk, Sahuaghin, Kuo-Toa or Merrow.
• Climbing through the mangroves could be possible but will certainly be difficult terrain but may also allow for half cover.
• Try a crocodile or alligator attack, it could be covered in pond scum and look like a floating log. Use those passive perceptions!
• Throw in a shark or two. You can never have enough sharks in my experience!
• This could be a place to harvest a special type of pearl, have your players dive into the water and then… well you know, try to kill them.

Variants

Tropical nights

General swampy version, Day/Night (basically a more temperate swamp)

A spooky glowing fog version, definitely no ghost pirates in there!

Hello Adventurers! For my final map of the month I went with the fantasy casino patron suggestion. I wanted a kind of gambling hall style layout and I decided early on to have some slot machines and neon to get the feel of a colourful and noisy environment. I imagine the slots and neon are powered through magic, those gnomes are ingenious when it comes to this kind of thing. I also think it would be fun to have this as a very new phenomenon with as yet no regulation, meaning the proprietor could be using any number of dirty tricks, so many magical possibilities, to cheat money from their customers.

Thanks to you all for making this map possible and for all your support! Have a wonderful weekend, and as always happy adventuring!

Introduction

The casino is brightly lit, furnished in polished wood and bronze fittings, gambling tables cover the ground floor. Well dressed patrons mingle among the tables and sit at a bar built along one wall. Glowing colourful signs hang from the walls promoting games, drinks and special offers. Once in a while they change, flowing like snakes of pure light into new messages. An entire room is filled with boxes covered in blinking lights and buttons, bells continuously chime in a hypnotic mix of light and sound. People sit in front of many of them, pressing buttons and pulling levers, intermittently feeding the contraptions with coin.

Your companion, the Bard, hasn’t lost all night. His run of luck is uncanny to a point of absurdity, it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Orc bouncers in tight fitting suits scowl from their posts on either side of the lavishly decorated front entrance. The dealer at your table adjusts his collar, sweat beading on his brow. Once in a while he glances up nervously at the balcony above.

A small crowd has gathered to watch your game, you’ve been noticed, the plan is working almost too well. From behind you a large hand slowly but firmly engulfs the Bard’s shoulder. The Bard turns slowly, you are amazed he can look so innocent after cheating so outrageously all night.

“Da boss invite you to play at ‘is table” the huge orc growls at you. He points towards the stairs and upper floor. You and the Bard are escorted to an upper balcony area, red carpets cover the floor, a few more gambling tables are situated up here along with some private booths, all are conspicuously empty. You are led to a gambling table, with only one occupant, a small gnome, fingers covered in rings and wearing an exquisitely fitted suit that exudes style.

“My friends! ‘Luck’ has truly been with you this night, come sit and let me try to win back some of my coin” he says gesturing to the seats opposite. As you sit down a number of large, dangerous looking men silently move to surround your table. The gnome clicks his fingers and with an audible pop you look around to see the balcony area has been sealed off with some kind of magical barrier. “Isn’t that better? Now we can play in peace without interruption” the gnome grins wickedly. The Bard glances at you with a panicked expression. This wasn’t part of the plan.

Notes and Tips

• 30×30 Grid
• The ‘upper floor’ sits above the Slot Machine room, make sure your players understand the map layout at the start of the encounter.
• Many of the items in this place are magical or powered by magic.
• The ‘pool’ tables are magical, each ball has a different magical effect on them, these could be utilized in combat.
• The slots and neon signs are powered by some kind of power crystal. Maybe the crystal is unique to a specific mine and the magic within it has been tainted with some ancient evil.
• The signs can come to life and attack or grapple, use the stats for a large snake and add some kind of lightning attack.
• Money could be exchanged for chips at the gaming tables and then locked in magical chests under the tables. They could be removed at the end of the night.
• The balcony or booths could have magical privacy barriers around them which can be switched on and off. Maybe have a hostage in one of these booths, the owner is the only one with a key to open it.

Variants

Night version

Light out version

Boxing ring version – For those times when a bit of fisticuffs is more the order of the day

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!