04-Thursday – Maps, layout, Extras

Thursdays we will focus on the extra details such as maps, additional information or details and the layout of the adventure that the party will go through.

Deep Cavern

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Tonight the deep cavern under Lithia calls to us as we explore the calling lights from beyond the halls. A few large boulders lay in the cavern but this large open area has a waterway running through the centre and down into the passage way the party was following. Perhaps the waters lead somewhere and perhaps not.

So for now let’s sit back, grab a coffee and roll into map!

Deep Cavern

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Deep Cavern under Lithia – Created in Inkarnate

Several boulders lay in the cavern to provide cover, block line of sight as well as to, generally, make the map a bit more interesting. The river that runs through the cavern has a sharp rocky edge that makes getting in and out a bit more difficult if rushing through the water. Gems glow faintly in the walls but, cease glowing when touched. This gives the cavern an other-wordily feel that, with the gloom, makes everything feel a bit more foreign.

A large rocky outcrop sits in the middle of the cavern which rises 30 or so feet into the air, but the edges are sharp and cut at exposed skin when pressed against.

A fun one tonight; the main reason I went with a cavern theme for this adventure actually, with us exploring multiple overlapping textures, foreground and background texture and the night filter over the top make up the general stone floor. The walls, rock formation in the middle and even river bed are made of different art assets with an attempt to blend them together and the different gems add a bit more to the room.

Gems provide a source of faint light and then attempting to provide a light source (above the night filter) per gem provides a more realistic view of what overlapping sources of light would accomplish. A single torch wont reveal much where multiple may.

Thanks for tonight to stay up to date with this weeks adventure. If you find yourself using any of these maps in your own game (downloadable via the link) let me know! Don’t forget to come back tomorrow and this weekend as we continue on this adventure and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Korvak’s Camp

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Tonight we take a look at Korvak’s camp both in the daytime and at night time. This isn’t the most defensive structure (or series of structures) but I’d imagine having a wyvern in the camp adds to its defensive capabilities. But more on that tomorrow night.

So for now let’s sit back, grab a coffee and roll into map!

Korvak’s Camp

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Korvak’s Camp Daytime – Created in Inkarnate

Both the night and the day time versions of Korvak’s camp feature unstable walls, trees (perhaps with traps in them) as well as tents and a barricade wall. The ground raises relatively steeply upwards and only by carefully approaching can you avoid the gaze of those on watch. However that’s not the biggest worry as a trained Wyvern watches from the trees as well, the colour of its scales blending in with the stones, bark and plants to hide it effectively.

A large tent houses Korvak, or so it would appear to, while a cage in the middle of the compound houses Prince Keldard. During the night several braziers are places near potential walkways with some, for some reason or another, left open without light. A paranoid person would be suspicious of this.

Korvak’s Camp Night – Created in Inkarnate.

A simple one tonight with overlapping assets to create the craggy-rocky formations around the camp. Tree’s produced wood for the barricade which is evident from the stumps around the encampment. Not too many layers for texture apart from the rocks as I wanted it to be a simple one tonight – but overlapping light sources from braziers and the camp fire give it a bit more of an impact.

Thanks for tonight to stay up to date with this weeks adventure. If you find yourself using any of these maps in your own game (downloadable via the link) let me know! Don’t forget to come back tomorrow and this weekend as we continue on this adventure and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Entrance to Wellford

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The entrance to Wellford has evolved with time and the knowledge of how the wilds around the village are changing. Once peaceful lands have turned to ones seething with opportunity for those who wish harm upon civilised races and so the town created a wall to protect its people. But that wont be enough if they are all afflicted with this strange blight.

So let’s sit back, grab a coffee and roll into map!

Entrance to Wellford

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Entrance to Wellford – Created in Inkarnate

A simple one this week with 100 feet either direction of the map. The crude wall (and a moveable tower) is there to safeguard and to provide a place where archers can mount a defence of the wall. However these are pretty crude and its evident that they were not made by master craftsmen – so discretion whether they are safe to stand upon is advised.

Now no town is complete without something in the plain beyond. A smattering of trees on the field as well as two small hills gives depth and elevation to the land which can provide a place for an ambush or, perhaps, a way of impeding attackers if used correctly.

Not overly complex this week with the use of maybe seven assets types to create the buildings, hills and trees as well as the overlapping of, albeit different shades, two different texture brushes to create the grassy plains, road and indents that carts have previously made.

Thanks for visiting my tabletop tonight and for continuing on with this adventure with me. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow and this weekend as we continue on this adventure and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Flints Butchers Hideout

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Flint was a brute long before starting his own gang and since moving to Traves his gang needed a place to set up shop. This is where the Flints Butchers Hideout came to being. A multi-story ramshackle building in the slums that houses Flints gang members, the Butchers.

So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into encounter location.

Flints Butchers Hideout

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Flints Butchers Gang hideout in Traves – Created in Nightcafe

This week we move away from a hard-set map and look to something a bit more theatre of the mind. The building itself appears to be crudely made between existing, ruined buildings. The walls aren’t hard to scale nor tall if one was to try but there are multiple areas where there could be a lookout. However there appears to be none. Frequently there are people walking around the camp but they carry themselves with arrogance and the swagger of someone who has not been stood up to.

The biggest defence of the gangs hideout is that is is a ramshackle mixture of crudely constructed walls, towers and barricades amongst the ruined shells of houses. This created dead ends, rooms and buildings that lead nowhere except to gang members quarters or a storage room.

The idea behind this map is to describe it as a maze without needing to have a maze. The easiest way would be over the walls and into the central rooms but without knowing where to go to meet Flint you will just start fighting through the gang members in smaller skirmishes. But the more fights that the party start the more noise is made and the higher chance that Flint will flee, or, mount a stronger defence.

But more on that mechanic tomorrow.

Thanks for coming to visit the blog for another night where we had a brief look at a potential ramshackle fort. There were a few options created in nightcafe tonight of which this fitted what I had in mind, mostly. Don’t forget tomorrow we reveal the stat blocks, and potentially the encounter with the spectral acquaintance. So don’t forget to come back for tomorrows content and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Corneth Bank Street

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This week we find ourselves looking at Corneth Bank Street and the quaint Tavern where the first encounter with a deadly duo occurs. But there is also the streets, other buildings and a small section of the sprawling market that takes over this street to potentially explore.

So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s map.

Corneth Bank Street

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Corneth Bank Street – Created in Inkarnate
Corneth Bank Street and Tavern – Created in Nightcafe.

This weeks map is accompanied by a lively image of the imagining of these streets. As these streets are busy during the celebration it only makes sense for them to be bustling with activity. However when the action occurs too many details can muddy what’s important and take away from the combat.

A quaint, small tavern that really serves as a front for serving food rather than accommodating guests is this initial encounter for this week. However it wont be the last.

Not much in this week with several art assets, some light blending of different coloured cobblestone as well as some extra detail to add “more” to the world. Not my most intricate map but I tend to find that street maps end up like this.

Thanks for coming to visit the blog for another short map night. Tomorrow we have a reveal when it comes to our mercenaries this week so don’t forget to come back for tomorrows content and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Manaeva Warehouse

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So after some suspicions may have been made about a Manaeva Warehouse where a wagonload of crates were delivered the party have a hard decision to make. Strike first or second. This weeks adventure map is about tying up loose ends and making the most of the situation you are in.

So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s map.

Manaeva Warehouse

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Manaeva Warehouse – Created in Inkarnate

A few buildings make up this weeks map. A main one and three side ones which, are largely vacant. Each is constructed from heavy, yet degrading walls and slated roofs but there is something different about the large warehouse. Tables with alchemical supplies and racks filled with weapons, ammunition and other items that don’t speak of curing the ill. But there are more ways into the building than just the messy front door and smarts may be rewarded here.

Featured for the third of three battles this adventure has, unless you enter the city the hard way that is, this one has a lot of fun and is featured in night time – but it wont be hard to make it day with removing a filter.

As always multiple, four, blended and re-coloured backgrounds make up the maps décor with dozens of stamps? Assets that make up the walls, doors, crates, lanterns, candles, lights, roofs and shelves. Nothing too hard or fancy this week but something I am quite happy with considering the time I invested in it.

Thanks for coming to visit the blog for another map night. Tomorrow we have some pretty standard stat blocks to reveal but with some twists to add a bit of potency to the combat. So don’t forget to come back for the last few days of this week and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Krencham Fields

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This week we have an ambush, whether during a hasty retreat or a noble rescue but regardless of the when it happens in the Krencham Fields. These fields are long overgrown with the now wild crops of the previous farms that used to flourish in this area. Now these fields of high wheat, corn and other plants make it difficult to pinpoint where dangers are lurking.

So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s map.

Krencham Fields

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Krencham Fields – Created in Inkarnate

The raised road provides good visibility in the surrounding area but it is rather narrow. Trees have fallen or dropped limbs from the recent storm and so there are hazards scattered near the roads. The real hero of tis map is the 4 feet (1.2 meters) high crops that basically hide anything that is medium sized from view if its sneaking through them.

A few blended background textures tonight and some simple tree placement to follow the narrative of the map. Different shades of the background texture add a bit of depth and add to the appearance of a blended crop-grass field. Many, many wheat crops n the field, some craggy hill assets to hide the raised section of the road (still don’t know how to use the dig tool effectively so this works ok, for now.).

Other than that a simple map that with some small adjustments could be extended indefinitely if you want to turn it into a chase scene. Fitting for either rescuing the Orster’s or moving out of the area surrounding the town.

Thanks for coming to check the map tonight. Tomorrow we reveal the stat-block for the creature so don’t forget to come back for the last few days of this week and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Stonebridge Fort

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A simple map tonight with quite a few overlapping textures and some stamps that were blown up to be gigantic proportions – but what to expect for Stonebridge Fort. This massive, somewhat abandoned fort looms over the country side and dominates the landscape.

So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s map.

Stonebridge Fort

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Stonebridge Fort – Created in Inkarnate

The massive stone blocks and, surprisingly intact slabs of stone that make up the shingles for this roof are a testament to the size of the inhabitants. Blocks of stone easily 10ft in length and 5ft in height and depth make up some of the stairs leading to the large gate and door. The landscape itself is rocky and treacherous with beasts hunting around its edges to make a meal out of the lost or desperate.

About five layers of blended paint make up the background with some of spilling over to the foreground to blend in the stonework. The stairs and walls come from the same art pack with the roof and doorway coming from another which… gives it a bit of a disjointed appearance which I don’t overly hate – but not a super fan of. The stone under the walls had to be colour adjusted to get somewhat close – it will do but I would’ve preferred a closer colour match to the background.

As this is in the mountains away from people splashes of grass would appear amongst he rock – taking inspiration from rocky-mountainous hikes I have gone through where plant life finds a way to survive.

Thanks for coming to check the map tonight. It’s a rather big one this week and I think it will make for some interesting encounters. The weeks not over so don’t forget to come back tomorrow for more content and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Black Throne

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The Black Throne sits within the Black Tower and waits for the ritual that invigorates the corrupted Deva that calls the hallowed halls home. That is what a wise prophet once said about such a cursed place but many know it as the birth place as the righteous power of the Hero of Verone. This is where we find our final battle and encounter this week and there was a bit of fun in making this map tonight.

So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s map.

The Black Throne

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The Black Tower Throne – Created in Inkarnate

The Black throne sits resplendently bathed in angelic light in the middle of the platform at the tallest part of the tower. The seals and symbols that surround it only allow the hero of Verone to sit within. But this in itself is the trap of the week.

Sharp glasslike walls make up most of the towers interior giving it a cursed and somewhat organic look. The crumbling metal and stone walls are studded with spikes, some intentional and some from the metal baring rusting and snapping inwardly that snare and impale the unweary. The smooth obsidian-black marble stairs are slippery when wet – which is an issue when fighting things that bleed. But there are mysterious wyrdlights that cast a blue, red and purple glow through the tower.

A few overlapping textures here, dark stone, stone tiles and a shadow make up the majority of the background art assets where overlapping and layered stone makes up for the edge of the void. Pockets of light, a throne, two magical seals and then walls makes up the rest which, I think, gives the rest of the room a forbidden and foreboding vibe.

Thanks for visiting tonight but don’t think the Black Throne will let you get away that easily. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow to meet the foes for this week and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Arkensol Arena

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Welcome back to another Map night but this week we have an actual map with the Arkensol Arena! This thing is probably the largest map I have tried in a while and for good reason. 40 squares (200feet) in diameter makes it a very large map and even the longest ranged weapons will struggle. But that’s something that we can investigate later.

So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s map.

Arkensol Arena

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Arkensol Arena – Created in Inkarnate

Various walls, barricades, crates and platforms make up this magically sealed arena. Towering walls sink into the ground where a sandy battlefield with battlements, trees and other obstacles make it easy to hide, but harder to stay hidden as the hunters become the prey.

A lot easier this week as there isn’t soo many overlapping layers and only a few asset packs involved. This means that is quick to get out and created without spending hours working on the map.

Not much of a description tonight as we have one more night left in which to explore. So don’t forget to come back tomorrow as we wrap up this adventure and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe