A Pen and paper RPG blog
Inktober happened already almost a month ago. I made this map where each each room (approximately, some are a bit larger or smaller) corresponds to a prompt. See if you can find them all. A fair warning, many of them make no sense at all…
This particular map is free to use according to CC-BY.
As long as the water spirits are happy, the rivers run smoothly, but if sacrifices are neglected, floods are sure to follow.
A simple – and dare I say self explanatory – map. There is a small pond in a forest where local villagers leave offerings for the various water spirits. Could serve as a small encounter map if the spirits are neglected or replaced by other malevolent beings.
A few alternative versions: With grid, without background, no background, no grid and just the inks.
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‘Uh sir… we found the tomb… Just like you said, but… Uh there’s… um… no gold… Sure, Let’s check deeper. But between me and you… some of the lads are feeling a little skittish so maybe we shou… Yes, there are exactly nine of us… Why is tha… …of course they’ll join us. You’re the boss.’
-Chief engineer Coppermill, excavator for hire
Unwitting(?) excavators have breached in a tomb that houses the remains of one of the most powerful prophets of beings from beyond and their four disciples. The magic circle at the middle of the main room could be used to bring them back or perhaps it is instead used to lock them away. The other hallways are filled with remains of ancient worshipers, cultists and sacrifices and most surfaces are filled with unintelligible writings and diagrams.
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“I am pleased to report that my trip North has been most successful! Much of the tribe’s life is centered around the worship of some sort of a god or spirit – I’Ktho I believe they call it. In a few days, I will witness one of their rituals, where the young acolytes will cast themselves into a ravine covered by unnatural mist. While the ritual fills me with unease, there is some morbid curiosity in observing such an event. I look forward to presenting my findings at the next symposium!”
-The last correspondence between the Explorer’s Society of Brassgate and lord Carrow
The map is a simple sacrificial platform. Could be used for willing and unwilling subjects. The platform itself is made of almost impossibly smooth, dark material and has undecipherable writings near the sides.
As an aside, on of the first maps I posted to this blog had a similar, admittedly not that original idea. You can check it out here.
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‘Look, I don’t like this any more than you do, but this is the only way to the chamber.’
It’s been quite a while since the last post, but there’s still one map in this decade. I’ve continued experimenting with fully digital process and the end result is not too bad!
Deep in an ancient mine, there is a mostly standing bridge where the magical lighting still works. Is the damage only due to time or is there something lurking in the water? Any residue from the ley crystals surely has no effect on the local fauna…
There’s also a version with a grid, a lighter one and the lighter one with grid.
I also have a tip-jar at ko-fi, If you’d like to check that.
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“I’d check 34B. That pilot should fit your budget. Just don’t show up before noon.”
60th map on the blog. It’s been a while since I’ve inked a map and I think it shows (I’m also much more comfortable with fantasy elements at the moment). Anyways, the map is a small hangar including a small workshop and a room for resting.
There is also a tip-jar at ko-fi. Check it out! All contributions will be greatly appreciated!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
‘Are you sure you don’t need anything? I have just come across a batch of only very slightly used blades of the finest steel and exquisite craftsmanship. How did I get them, you ask? Let me tell you exactly how! Just the other day I was taking a refreshing morning stroll – very good for the immortal soul you see! Oh, and you really should see how the sun glimmers on the scales of the obsidian lizards. Most fascinating creatures. Did you know that they get nourishment directly from leylines? Very popular with the mages, I hear. There was one here last month who had no less than six of them. Six! Can you imagine! Now, where was I. Ah, yes, beautiful swords in excellent condition!‘
Here’s a simple desert camp in a shallow canyon. Despite the harsh environment, the small pond allows for a semi permanent settlement. The camp is a popular place for making last minute equipment purchases before embarking deeper in the desert in search of lost treasures.
There a few alternative versions: without the dunes, without border and ink-only.
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Even with their temple in ruins and names forgotten, the spirits of the lake still linger. And they remember. As do the rangers who still guard the temple. Offerings are welcome, but visitors would be wise not to anger either of them.
It’s been a very long time without a map. Here’s one featuring ruined temple and narrow cliffs. There are platforms and makeshift bridges used by the guardians of the temple. They could also just be built by locals who still use temple.
There’s also a version without the borders and one with just the inks. This one was drawn with ink and colored in procreate.
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It’s been quite a while. I’ve been getting to know new tools (ipad + procreate) and also finishing the map too quite some time.
The map shows a simple, partially destroyed guard tower (with a basement) along a coast. I had a couple of related ideas on how to use this. First, the players could have learned that a valuable shipment is going to be transported to the shore. How they choose to intercept it is up to them. Or perhaps the players themselves are expecting something valuable, but the guard tower is occupied by hostile (?) forces.
There is a day version, a night version and one with just the drawing.
These versions are free, but if you want to join my generous patrons and tip me, check out my patreon page.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
This one took a really long time to finish. It is a small crypt that has a few sarcophagi and a number of smaller urns and offerings scattered along the walls. It could be housing the deceased of a holy order or just be a generic resting place for local nobles and other well to do. Some of the rooms were still under construction when the crypt was abandoned. You’ll note that one of the small rooms is sealed off. Feel free to put whatever undead monster there. However, the seal has started weakening and necromantic powers should be animating some nasty surprises – zombies/skeletons, spirits or even just maddened beasts.
You can put this underneath the chapel I posted earlier.
These versions are free, but if you want to join my generous patrons and tip me, check out my patreon page.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
