Thursday already, since beginning this blogging journey I can honestly say that the weeks go even quicker – hard to imagine that in a world with COVID and the longest lockdown.. worldwide now I think (as I am in Australia) but there you go.
Today we are looking at a few hand drawn maps that we can send out players to spend a comfortable night in filled with food, beer (or wine), and maybe a bar fight or two. Without too much more chatter let’s roll it up.
Two story Inn
06ThMa1
The concept of rooms for rent upstairs and a bar downstairs is a staple for most inns that are described to our players. This one here proudly sports 7 rooms with a combined total of 15 beds (2 queen sized beds) for any adventuring parties plteasure. Upstairs some rooms are furnished with a table or chairs or both with a centralised stairway going downstaris to the entrance of the inn.
Downstairs, the inn has 2 booths with a table and 4 tables with chairs while at the long bar there is 5 seats available. To the left of the stairs there is a bench where the patrons would checkin to get their room keys, maybe pay any fees or pickup some gear for the followign day. This area has a suitable amount of shelving and tablespace and to the right of this bench space (behind the stairs) there is a storage room where ‘fresh’ cooked food would be kept, perhaps a small hearth under shelving to cook small amounts of food for patrons. Outside there would be a small balcony to support the largest of rooms and to provide some shelter for patrons from the elements.
For a relaxed quite inn this would suit well enough – there is no facilities in here however so that could be a separate room elsewhere for bathing / cleaning purposes. Or perhaps an external room that leads to a cellar where the food is also cooked.
‘Traditional Tavern’
06ThMa2
This Tavern is semi-inspired by some of the artwork found in several D&D publications and has a second layer dedicated to drinking and eating. The ground floor has a lot of communal seating where people could share in platters of food, games of chance or other meriment and along the left wall there are some booths for quiter more private dealings. A large long bar demonstrates that this inn is for drinking and also services a rope basket system for perhaps pulling a smaller bartender (mayhaps a goblin..?) to the second story to service the patrons up there. Behind the bar is a dedicated food and beverage storage room with a double hearth cooks station in the room over.
Upstairs is several smaller tables for more intimate gatherings but the tables could be pushed together at a moments request to get the same vibe as down stairs. A small balcony hovers over the bar underneath so that food and beverages (and perhaps bartenders themselves) could be sent upwards to the second story as to not interupt the flow of drinks and enjoyment on the tavern floor.
There is no place for sleeping here but by increasing the landing along the right hand side of the building and removing the tables and chairs small, perhaps uncomfortably small, lodgings could be provided. Reminds me of times I have stayed in backpackers accomodation actually…
I looked at using some free web based applications to create tonights inns but felt like a personal touch was warranted to get my vision across. Hand drawn on grid paper; which I am almost sorry for – it was a long day at work…, both maps probably took around fifteen minutes to think of, measure and draw (half way through the second map I found my ruler! oops!) but it gave the full flexibility of size and design (and ease of use) that I couldn’t get using software such as inkarnate or one of the several generator applications out there.
Hopefully the maps will give a bit of undersanding into what the layout is for this weeks adventure and I am looking forward to trying to work out the potential encounters tomorrow night that utilise the maps and possible adventures planned.
As always don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe
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