04-Thursday - Maps, layout, Extras Archives

Draws the Eye

March 23, 2023March 23, 2023thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Welcome to Thursday night where tonight we look at what draws the eye in the castle! These little things elude to the overall plot, the twist and the extra little bits that make this adventure fun. However this can’t be all. We have a few other things to explore, some to reveal this weekend and some things below to go through tonight. So let’s not spend time away from the main event and let’s roll into tonight’s adventure!

Draws the Eye

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The bedroom

The Kings bedroom – created in NightCafe

The kings bedroom is well lit with a table to one side of the wall. A tangle of fine sheets cover a large bed opposite it and a wardrobe lies open with a mixture of men’s and women’s clothes. Next to the bed is a chest that is mostly covered by a blanket.

The desk is well made from dark wood and brass. On top of it lies several papers in various stages of being written as well as an open ink bottle and quill. The rug that covers the ground is comfortable and a quick glance reveals that it would be quite expensive.

The dining hall

The cacophony of sound that comes from the dining hall is immense. In fact it is so loud in here that even without the masks muffling the sound of peoples voices you need to lean into people to hear their conversations. The King and Queen sit at the end of the table in masks as guests come to greet them. However peaceful it looks there are some obvious guards dressed and scattered amongst the guests, almost too obvious. In fact if anyone with a keen eye for these types of things cared to look they would notice that there are many things that are out of place. However despite these things that draw the eye the room is merry. The table is well stocked with food and drink and the company is overall pleasant.

Thanks for joining me tonight for some additional content. With this week somehow coming to an end I want to thank you all for joining me this week. Now don’t forget to come back each day for the rest of this week as wrap it up. And, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Cults Crypt

March 16, 2023March 18, 2023thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Welcome to another Thursday Night which we keep for maps and other things that build up the adventure. This week will bear witness to the Cults Crypt and look a bit more into the informants from last night. Tonight’s map is situated beneath the new city in a long forgotten crypt. Long forgotten but not undiscovered. But I wont spoil the surprise for you on this one. So let’s roll into tonight’s content and continue on our adventure!

The Cults Crypt

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Shirkwall Crypt

Descending into the crypt – Hidden beneath the city the crypts housed a statue to the great behemoths that used to stalk the lands. From there the cult grew and soon they created a large altar and worshipped the beasts. This obsession turned the peaceful prophets into maddened cultists, obsessed with the return of the giant creatures. But as the city unearthed more and more of the ancient ruins, bones of the behemoths were found.

This gave credence to the cult’s prophecy and they started to look into dark magic, necromancy, convinced that they could bring them back and restore the city to the natural order. A few of the order stay and guard the crypt and so the need to have beds and a mess hall was required. The leader of the cult has a study that enables him to study the ancient texts and spells needed for their great ritual.

But, they are toying with things they don’t fully understand and with necromancy, there is always a price.

Darker map: Shirkwall-Crypts Download

The Informant

The party followed the directions to the Greasy Hog with low expectations. However they were disappointed to actually find a reputable dining establishment with a good name and good food. Entering they quickly saw a young lady at the bar being served by an older gentleman.

“Welcome, welcome. The Greasy Hog is one of Shirkwall’s finest dining establishments. If you’re not here for the food then surely you’re after some of the potent magic relics that Shirkwall has to offer. We have a small room out back if that’s of your interest” the man said with a grin.

“Oi, those relics are nothing but our history. We should be keeping them and putting them in a museum.” A girl at the bar said, a large goblet of wine in her hand, most of it on the table or herself.

“I think you’ve had enough to drink lass. I’ve already told you that if you’re going to cause trouble then you’re not welcome here.” the man chastised her. With that she went back to eating roasted meat and sipping her wine.

“We just need directions. To the Red Tulip…” One of the party said as they approached the bar.

Directions

“Ah. Well you can’t miss it. It may be closed now but if you have business with the proprietors of that place there is a key, a hidden one. But they may not take kindly to you using it. When you look to where the sun rises, you can see where the key is hidden above the buildings. It should be at the base somewhere but I am not quite sure.”

“Wait. The only thing that’s that way is the old Obelisk. The Tulip is on the other side of town.” The girl spoke up after a moment but caught herself. “Anyway. Thanks for the meal Rit’, it was as good as ever…” she said before standing and leaving.

“You best hurry if you want to reach the place you are searching. I heard they are closing shop.. tonight..” Ritley responded giving them a knowing look. “Your employer has already paid me, so just make sure that you keep your end of the bargain as I have now mine.”

Thoughts

Trying to keep it still slightly ambiguous, but I probably don’t need to as its beginning to be pretty obvious. Tomorrow night will reveal a bit more and then this weekend, maybe Saturday, I will have the full adventure published again with all the little bits and secrets.

Thanks for joining me tonight to look at the Cults crypt, its map and the informant. Tomorrow we look at the stat blocks for, you probably guessed it, some undead nasties. So it will be an exciting adventure this week. Don’t forget to make time for your own tabletop this weekend and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Defence of Heartsfern

March 9, 2023March 9, 2023thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Welcome to Thursday Night which we keep for maps and other things that, this week will aid in the Defence of Heartsfern. Tonight’s map is created in Heartsfern where I wanted to have a grander scale than something that is a localised battlemap. So we have a eagle-eye view of the town, the forest to the right (East?) and a general lay of the land.

This will enable the party to plan a defence. Whether its constructing fortifications, moving people into the woods or what ever they think is prudent for this week. So let’s roll into tonight’s content and continue on our adventure!

Defence of Heartsfern

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The town of Heartsfern isn’t much more than a collection of houses localised together, a general store-come inn and a few smaller farming families. As there isn’t a standing guard, hasn’t had need of one for generations, or any form of fortification the thought of being under attack is distressing to say the least. It just so happens that the town has been visited by a group of heroes who may be their salvation.

The trees in the forest could offer resources in a pinch. However the guardians of the woods, the elves, may need to be convinced that their trees are worth sacrifices for the town. There is plenty of hay and stray bales that could work in makeshift defensive structures, as long as fire isn’t involved. The buildings themselves are sturdy and robust but not designed for the defence of Heartsfern.

The general store run by Shelly doesn’t have much but there are some who may know the art of fletching and who could make bows in a pinch. There is also farm tools a plenty.

Thoughts

This week we give the control over how the adventure runs to the player. Do they entreat the elves for safe passage or sanctuary for the villagers until the fight is over? Would requesting supplies and weapons or even aid from the elves be the best course of action? Do they create defensive structures or reinforce what’s already there? Or do they want to try and fight away from the town?

The choice is theirs. In fact with the choice going to them this gives us a variety of diverse reactions we can do for our encounter. I cant wait!

Thanks for joining me tonight to get a glimpse of what’s to come. Don’t forget that tomorrow we look at the encounter that lies ahead for us. These undead revellers and performers will have tricks up their sleeves and even veteran players won’t be expecting it. Don’t forget to make time for your own tabletop this weekend and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Night life of Drileah

March 2, 2023March 2, 2023thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Welcome to Thursday Night where tonight we are looking at the Night life of Drileah! Instead of relying on a map for this weeks adventure I want to kick it back old school and explore the theatre of the mind. So instead of a map some descriptive passages about some of the places the party may find themselves. So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s adventure.

Night life of Drileah

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The city of Drileah is a bustling mixture of bright lights, vibrant colours and bubbling music. But there is a darker side as well as the gleam from all that wealth and exuberance creates darkness within the streets.

This is where we meet the party and also the antagonists of the party. Amongst the distortion of light and shadow, colour and drag and loud and silence.

The night life

The rich and opulent of the city of Drileah need to find ways to flaunt their wealth to any and all who will listen. Traders, cooks and those with a eye for business know how to make the most out of any situation and that they do. After the sun begins to set the shops undertake a transformation. Bakeries start to serve warm wine, cured meats and cheese along with their breads. General stores start to usher in maids and servants as they swarm to fuel the festivities that lay before them.

The less reputable trades come out to offer their illicit or tantalising wares and services where the wealthy and bored are quickly separated from their gold. Makeshift taverns appear in the streets and drinking, laughing and dancing becomes the norm as the dusk departs and candles, lanterns and occasionally magic appears in the streets.

Behind closed doors

As the maids and servants return to their employers residence the true parties begin. Nothing screams wealth as having your own party and those wealthy enough to afford servants and help display their wealth with endless food and drink. Night after night a new family opens their doors and the wealthy and reputable are welcomed in to join in the festivities in an endless parade of wealth and excess.

At such places, these estates and houses of luxury display their wealth for all to see, or occasionally they hide their most prized possessions in secret rooms.

The Darkened Alleyways

With all this light, noise and extravagance the presence of such exuberance will bring those from the dark to the surface. Criminals, cut throats and thugs patrol the shadowy alleyways, hiding from the authorities that patrol the well lit streets. Those not lucky enough to be blessed with wealth know enough to not go into the alleys at night. The maids, servants and revellers do not go near any of the darkened alleys for the rumours of assassins and robbers are rife.

Even the guards avoid the dark as many a time they have had their patrols ambushed which only feeds the criminals with high quality weapons in which they use on the innocent population.

Thanks for joining me tonight to get a bit of inspiration in what is to come. Don’t forget that tomorrow night we look at the encounters of this week. In fact we have a chase, a investigation-stake out and a good old fashion brawl. However despite the promise of combat don’t forget to come back this weekend also. We have more to go through and I am excited to write this adventure up. So before I leave you for the night. Don’t forget to set some time aside for your tabletop this weekend. In fact why wait for the weekend and put some time aside during the week. Adventure waits for no one and we have to seize the moment. Don’t forget to visit again this week and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Killbow Ridge

February 23, 2023February 24, 2023thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Tonight versatility is key and we have two such maps of killbow ridge which enables the map to be used in Soulbound, D&D or another TTRPG. The Kruelboyz love to bring the mists and environment to play and this week we have that in spades. Mist, check, height advantage, check, cover, check, ambush, maybe check… Regardless of what sinister planning I have in store for this adventure let’s grab a coffee, sit back and roll on into another night at the tabletop.

Killbow Ridge

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Created for zones or the GM that doesn’t like grid on their maps the one shows the low hanging mist across the ridge. The bottom floor is a far ways down and to fall would mean certain death, unless you can fly. the ladders are rickety and work, the trees and large rocks provide some cover but its a hard adventure for the melee inclined. That is until we bring the good fight to them.

Some GMs like grids. This makes measuring distance a lot easier and this one is fairly big. essentially 200ft wide by 150ft tall this is a large area that provides people with more options than just “run and cut”. There is more emphasis on movement, careful planning and cunning rather than just slash and smash.

Thoughts

The perfect battlefield for large ballista’s, some orruks and hobgrots as well as the finale of this part of the story – the Boss and Vulcha. The rickety bridges give the opportunity for dexterity based checks to avoid falling through and down. The mist and trees provide a chance to sneak up or the rocky pillars provide an opportunity to climb. There is a lot that can be done with this area wither its in Soulbound or another TTRPG.

Soulbound Zones may be harder to see here but we have one or two zones before we get to the pillars. The area around the road and the area past the ladders and under/around the pillars. Then each pillar can be another zone as moving along the pillars would be treacherous. Special rules about shooting up to the pillars can be established with each pillar being about .5 zone higher than the previous. So the first pillar (from the right) would be 1.5 zones from the ground, the second 3 and the last 4.5 (Rounding up to 2, 3 and 5).

I hope you like tonight’s map. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed toying with the layers to give the illusion of height on a 2d image. Tomorrow night I will cover the creatures in more detail so I hope that I can do them justice. So as I prepare for the end of my day, I hope to grant yourself rerolls on your saving throws this weekend. The weeks are long and hard and we can all need a bit of time to relax. So I hope you spend some time on your tabletop this weekend and, perhaps, give one of my adventures a go,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Lands of Taloncrest

February 16, 2023February 16, 2023thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Welcome to another map night where tonight I have the first of two maps for this week, the lands of Taloncrest. First we have a regional map which looks at the hilly and mountainous land around Taloncrest. The second image is of the Giant Kings camp where he resides with his forces, or some of them if the party plan the attack right. So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s adventure around Taloncrest!.

The Lands of Taloncrest

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The city to the bottom left of the map is where our adventure begins as we encounter the young prince Aarakocra and continue onwards. To the north of that we have a lake and a mountainous ridge, known as Taloncrest as within the cave systems and a sacred site to the Aarakocra’s lies Taloncrest itself. To the southeast of this, across a lake lies the hills where the king sits. This set of ruins amongst the hills speaks of a ill-fated human settlement that tried to conquer the area. After the land literally ate their settlement alive they headed further south out of the hills and colonised from there. Trading with the Aarakocra’s where it suited the avian folk.

Taloncrest and surrounds – Created in Inkarnate

The Giant Kings Camp

Hills, rocks and ruins await those who live or enter these hills. Fabric tents, not more than a scrap of cloth on posts provide some shade for the giant and his kin. The ruins from a long lost age him that there was once something more here, but that’s lost to time.

The hills provide an interesting challenge of height, being lower provides shadows for blending in and sneaking, but having a height advantage gives those with dark vision, like the giant and his followers, an advantage as well. This wont be easy unless there is a surprise install those investigating the lands of Taloncrest.

The Giant Kings Camp – created in Inkarnate.

Thanks for joining me tonight but don’t forget to come back the last few days. Tonight was another fun map creating night and tomorrow we look at wrapping it up with some creature stat blocks. Don’t forget that these maps can be used with other game systems so use and enjoy them as you will! With the weekend approaching fast I hope you don’t forget to set aside some time for your hobbies and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Pines of Pine ridge

February 9, 2023February 9, 2023thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Welcome to another map night where tonight I have the first of two maps for this week, the Pines of Pine Ridge. The hills surrounding pine ridge are heavily wooded which puts the town itself in an ideal place. Positioned with resources for building houses and structures as well as providing food and shelter for game and stock. But there is a darker side of the hills and that will come this weekend. So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s adventure.

The Pines of Pine ridge

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The heavily wooded hills provide ample places for the party to hide and make ambushes for potential enemies. But the other way around is also viable. Hills with trees and bushes of varying sizes and heights provide a uneven and complex environment for the party to move through as well as to perceive threats. However a well worn path can be seen where several deep drag marks indicate the frequent movement of heavier items. Whoever made these tracks either wanted them to be seen or was in too much of a hurry to care.

Thoughts

A great place for an ambush on the party or for the party. A series of skill checks to get here first (rangers provide this benefit for free – a pity point for them) can mean that the party arrive and have time to plan when there is one or two enemies around. But getting there later its a different story.

Tomorrow night we will look at the ins and outs around the encounter but also the creatures we are encountering this week. But On Saturday I will release another map for the final encounter of this weeks adventure – and its going to be chilling.

Thanks for joining me tonight but don’t forget to come back the last few days. I have a bit more planned for this adventure and hopefully finally catch up on a few Zines. So I hope that with this weekend approaching fast you wont forget to set aside some time for your hobby and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

A Port to Call Home

February 2, 2023February 2, 2023thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Welcome to Thursday night where we look at a port to call home for our pirate crew this week. The birthplace of a famous pirate may be romanticised in some instances but this week with Lamberk we aim to look at the darker nature of it. The encounters, to be covered tomorrow will likely involve a mixture of battlemap and theatre of the mind. This is one of my preferred methods as it gives a lot of flexibility for the DM. We don’t need a map every week but it can aid in tracking combat and positioning. So for this week I will scour my older posts and see if I have a ship and a house. For the eventual reveal, well you’ll just have to come back and see.

A Port to Call Home

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The Flying Owlbear is a massive ship that is rumoured to be able to travel across land as well as the seas. As the party look up at its ripped sails, ghostly lights and rotting wood as it rests in the middle of the town of Tarmak the rumours are true.

The Flying Owlbear – Created in Nightcafe.studio

The town of Lamberk has developed around a successful port. The majority of the infrastructure and commerce involve the sea and in the last few years after the installation of a naval guard the seas have become a safer place. Except for the rumours of ghostly sails that stalk the waters.

Due to its proximity of the water and the wealth that travels the sea its also the birthplace of many pirates, thieves and other criminals who prey on those that live or pass through.

Port Town of Lamberk – created in Nightcafe.studio

A rather short one tonight but its just the beginning steps to inspire this weeks adventure. So I do hope you will not forget to visit daily and, as always, don’t forget to roll it with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Research Outpost

January 26, 2023February 20, 2023thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Tonight we expand our game with a map that looks to capture parts of the Research outpost. Whether the party is flying in their Kharadron ship or waiting at night for the right moment to dash for it there will be blood spilt here. So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll on with tonight’s map overview.

Research Outpost

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The outpost itself is set in a grassy yet sandy part of Ghur. Surrounded by tall hills the normally rough and primal landscape of the realm of beasts is broken up by valleys where grass grows. However these plains make of excellent grazing grounds for herbivore herds. And, for the predators that prey on these creatures.

This however also led to the first discovering of a Amberbone deposit – the realmstone of Ghur and the reason that the Stormcast eternals guard and protect the people of Ghur in researching the stone. Perhaps Sigmar is trying to find a way to stabilise his anvil of apotheosis or find a way to combat the threat of Kragnos.

Research Outpost – Map

The Zones

The immediate area around the central tent is the primary zone, zone one. The distance between the central tent and the cliffy-hills in any direction is the second, third and fourth zone (in any order and then the bottom, top left and top right parts of the map and beyond can have a line drawn from the hill to the to either the tent of cloth covered boxes is an additional zone each. This gives range, requirements for movement and versatility in how we run our encounters.

Thanks

A bit of a shorter one tonight as there isn’t much more to update. Come back tomorrow for our encounter of the week and a further glimpse into the Soulbound adventure. As we move onwards with the adventure I am creating don’t hesitate to send through questions or comments. I would love to discuss the adventure as it can be the best way to drive discovery and creation of the world. Don’t forget to re-roll those dice and come back soon,
The Brazen Wolfe

Reused and Recycled

January 19, 2023January 19, 2023thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Welcome to a night filled with maps that I’ve dragged back from previous adventures, Reused and Recycled if you will. Part laziness but part emphasising the key part of creating maps for TTRPGs is that you can have a lot of variety and diversity in your world. But you can also say that the forest you are walking through today is similar enough to the one you walked through last week or last month even. This doesn’t make us lazy as Game or Dungeon Masters it makes us efficient.

So tonight I am going back to a few maps used in the past to give them a new take on life and to show that all maps can reused and recycled.

Reused and Recycled

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Road-Ambush (Surveying the Battlefield)

Something that could work for either a forest encounter heading to the manor, moving away form the manor or as part of a dream scape. It’s also an re-use of an older map because diversity is extremely important as a DM.

Inn in a strange town (Doorich Cottage)

The feat of waking up in a strange and unfamiliar place can be quite crippling. But what if your mind told you that this isn’t new, what if your allies around you acted like nothing was wrong. Running out into an unfamiliar street where people greet you like an old friend can send someone into a mild, or severe, panic attack. This could be another dream scape for us and another great example of a may being reused and recycled for a new purpose.

Hidden Waterfall (Welcome Rest, Unwelcome Guests)

I adore this map. Out of all my maps I think that this one is probably one of my favourites. A soothing camp fire, soft noises that lull you into a sense of security then something goes wrong. The perfect recipe for a nightmare and yet again another example of a map being Reused and Recycled.

Well I want to say thank you for joining me tonight for my lazy-Map night. When I first imagined the content I would bring up for Brazen Wolfe Tabletop it was about having variety, versatility and promoting reuse. That’s why I have a tag under each blog (i.e. 303ThReRe) so I can go back and refer to content I liked and want to reuse. Tonight I looked through the 50 or so Thursdays I have created a map for this blog and selected but a handful. There is a lot already here and any of them will make excellent maps for a diverse set of adventures.

Now we have the weekend fast approaching so don’t forget to plan some tabletop time and let’s not forget to roll with advantage while you’re at it,
The Brazen Wolfe