Hobgoblin Encampment with a story
Gday everyone. Have dusted off the map making skills after a bit of a hiatus. Real life got in the way, deck renovation, working in the garden, summer etc has kept me busy and I didn't really have the need for any map making so I didn't. However me and a couple of friends are going to start a new D&D 5E campaign and thus need a reason for the characters to meet and also, explain why on earth my character would be a gnome barbarian. Yes you read that correctly.
So, a slightly long winded story to follow, then a map.
I have been keeping a lazy eye on the forums, some great maps have been produced lately. Monsen's community atlas is an awesome idea. I'd be keen to contribute with some maps for taverns/dungeons etc when things get down to that sort of detail.
Ok, here is the story of Inkling Thistledown. For any authors out there, please tear my story to shreds with constructive criticism. I have absolutely no plans on becoming a writer, but always keen to learn and improve in anything I do....
In the Year of the Third Circle 1472DR a small forest gnome was born from the happy union of a gnome druid and herb farmer. They lived in a community tucked away in a secretive commune in the Star Mounts, some 100 miles west of Loudwater. Named by his proud parents, most favourite aunt and the village elder, Inkling Jebediah Dallynot Purvel Thistledown weaved his way through the early part of his childhood with minimal disruption and caus to upset close family relations. There was forever an impish twinkle in his eye however, that foretold a future where that may not always be the case.
Inkling always had a fascination with the arcane; in particular the study of magical items. Such items were either a relative rarity or closely possessed and very well hidden in the small gnome village. In his late teens, full of puff and vigour, Inkling and three of his close friends would hunt rumour and lore in search of relics amongst the ruins and secret places hidden and forgotten in the forested valleys at the base of the Star Mounts.
After a successful delve into the abandoned ruin of a wizards tower on the edge of the High Forest, the young group of gnomes came across a small hobgoblin raiding party. Flushed with their success of finding some magical items, but without the proper time to study them correctly, the young gnomes formed a rash plan to try their plundered items and lay waste to a bunch of good for nothing hobgoblins.
Inkling, drawing what he thought was a wand of fireball, attempted to let loose a barrage of destruction upon the oblivious hobgoblins. The wand however twisted and bucked as if it had a life of its own and detonated in his very hands. The gnomes were thrown outwards by the blast and lay stunned on the ground. With bleeding eardrums and scorched fingers, Inkling looked up to find himself surrounded by six somewhat surprised and slightly amused hobgoblins.
Bound and gagged, the naïve and foolish gnomes were marched back to the hobgoblin camp to an unknown but presumably short future. Huddled together, shaking with terror, the gnomes were led past large iron pots straddling cooking fires and marched into the depths of a cave burrowed into the hillside. In a small chamber there were several iron cages containing other scared and desperate humanoid captives. As the gnomes were roughly thrown into one of the battered cages a robed hobgoblin, exuding magical menace entered the chamber and inspected the new captives. “Hmmm unusual but worthy of the testing…”
The hobgoblin party was led by Nashthrok, a hobgoblin devastator. Nashthrok studied a mixture of arcane disciplines, all aimed to increase the prowess of hobgoblin forces during battle. One by one, using bitter acrid potions and macabre magical implements, Nashthrok began to test and break each prisoner’s body and soul to transform them into weapons of war. Prisoners could be discarded, thrown away while Nashthrok perfected his brutal augmentations before empowering his hobgoblin soldiers with minimal risk. Over the following weeks, the prisoners were systematically tortured and altered with crude experimentation. Those few that survived were irrevocably changed forever.
One by one, Inkling saw his fellow gnomes butchered and torn, their small bodies unable to adapt to the changes Nashthrok inflicted upon them. After a particularly vile, burning concoction was forced down Inkling’s throat he felt part of his mind snap, almost with an audible scream. An all-consuming rage burst from within, growing stronger and stronger, feeding ravenously upon the potent liquid roiling and boiling in his stomach. Shaking with venom and towering fury, Inkling shook and thrashed on the table he was secured to. Chains straining to their limits, the metal cuffs of the manacles digging deeply into his wrists, Inkling howled like an ethereal demon, his body and mind a battleground for the unnatural forces raging within. All rational thought was gone, replaced with the urge to kill and maim and rip and tear.
With a look of satisfaction, Nasthrok stood over the small thrashing gnome “at last…progress”. From a swift blow to the head from an iron strapped cudgel, Inkling sunk into darkness and oblivion.
The following days were a blur to the young gnome. Whenever the pain and torment became too much, Inkling’s sanity and sense would retreat to the depths of his mind. An ugly, raging monster within would roar to the surface in defence of body and soul. Surviving this treatment, Inkling became harder and stronger. All too often, his pain and fear would flash into uncontrollable rage. A horrible transformation, but one that seemed to keep him alive.
One morning, Inkling woke from the floor of his cage to see a fresh group of prisoners led into the chamber. Among the captured humanoids, two were very well beaten and must have struggled fiercely during their capture. Seeing the defiant look in their eyes, rather than the cowed subjugated looks of the other prisoners, Inkling felt a surge of elation. Perhaps, with the help of these new prisoners, escape will be possible.
The hobgoblin guards, after throwing the prisoners in the cages left with the prisoner’s equipment. Nasthrok briefly entered the chamber to inspect the new prisoners with an evil appraising eye. Stalking from the chamber, he growled in the common tongue to a couple of fawning goblin servants. “Prepare the restraints, tinctures and unguents. When evening falls a new round begins. I must rest and gather my strength for the breaking. Do not dare disturb me”.
In the dim light of two guttering torches, the prisoners are left alone with their thoughts….
So, a slightly long winded story to follow, then a map.
I have been keeping a lazy eye on the forums, some great maps have been produced lately. Monsen's community atlas is an awesome idea. I'd be keen to contribute with some maps for taverns/dungeons etc when things get down to that sort of detail.
Ok, here is the story of Inkling Thistledown. For any authors out there, please tear my story to shreds with constructive criticism. I have absolutely no plans on becoming a writer, but always keen to learn and improve in anything I do....
In the Year of the Third Circle 1472DR a small forest gnome was born from the happy union of a gnome druid and herb farmer. They lived in a community tucked away in a secretive commune in the Star Mounts, some 100 miles west of Loudwater. Named by his proud parents, most favourite aunt and the village elder, Inkling Jebediah Dallynot Purvel Thistledown weaved his way through the early part of his childhood with minimal disruption and caus to upset close family relations. There was forever an impish twinkle in his eye however, that foretold a future where that may not always be the case.
Inkling always had a fascination with the arcane; in particular the study of magical items. Such items were either a relative rarity or closely possessed and very well hidden in the small gnome village. In his late teens, full of puff and vigour, Inkling and three of his close friends would hunt rumour and lore in search of relics amongst the ruins and secret places hidden and forgotten in the forested valleys at the base of the Star Mounts.
After a successful delve into the abandoned ruin of a wizards tower on the edge of the High Forest, the young group of gnomes came across a small hobgoblin raiding party. Flushed with their success of finding some magical items, but without the proper time to study them correctly, the young gnomes formed a rash plan to try their plundered items and lay waste to a bunch of good for nothing hobgoblins.
Inkling, drawing what he thought was a wand of fireball, attempted to let loose a barrage of destruction upon the oblivious hobgoblins. The wand however twisted and bucked as if it had a life of its own and detonated in his very hands. The gnomes were thrown outwards by the blast and lay stunned on the ground. With bleeding eardrums and scorched fingers, Inkling looked up to find himself surrounded by six somewhat surprised and slightly amused hobgoblins.
Bound and gagged, the naïve and foolish gnomes were marched back to the hobgoblin camp to an unknown but presumably short future. Huddled together, shaking with terror, the gnomes were led past large iron pots straddling cooking fires and marched into the depths of a cave burrowed into the hillside. In a small chamber there were several iron cages containing other scared and desperate humanoid captives. As the gnomes were roughly thrown into one of the battered cages a robed hobgoblin, exuding magical menace entered the chamber and inspected the new captives. “Hmmm unusual but worthy of the testing…”
The hobgoblin party was led by Nashthrok, a hobgoblin devastator. Nashthrok studied a mixture of arcane disciplines, all aimed to increase the prowess of hobgoblin forces during battle. One by one, using bitter acrid potions and macabre magical implements, Nashthrok began to test and break each prisoner’s body and soul to transform them into weapons of war. Prisoners could be discarded, thrown away while Nashthrok perfected his brutal augmentations before empowering his hobgoblin soldiers with minimal risk. Over the following weeks, the prisoners were systematically tortured and altered with crude experimentation. Those few that survived were irrevocably changed forever.
One by one, Inkling saw his fellow gnomes butchered and torn, their small bodies unable to adapt to the changes Nashthrok inflicted upon them. After a particularly vile, burning concoction was forced down Inkling’s throat he felt part of his mind snap, almost with an audible scream. An all-consuming rage burst from within, growing stronger and stronger, feeding ravenously upon the potent liquid roiling and boiling in his stomach. Shaking with venom and towering fury, Inkling shook and thrashed on the table he was secured to. Chains straining to their limits, the metal cuffs of the manacles digging deeply into his wrists, Inkling howled like an ethereal demon, his body and mind a battleground for the unnatural forces raging within. All rational thought was gone, replaced with the urge to kill and maim and rip and tear.
With a look of satisfaction, Nasthrok stood over the small thrashing gnome “at last…progress”. From a swift blow to the head from an iron strapped cudgel, Inkling sunk into darkness and oblivion.
The following days were a blur to the young gnome. Whenever the pain and torment became too much, Inkling’s sanity and sense would retreat to the depths of his mind. An ugly, raging monster within would roar to the surface in defence of body and soul. Surviving this treatment, Inkling became harder and stronger. All too often, his pain and fear would flash into uncontrollable rage. A horrible transformation, but one that seemed to keep him alive.
One morning, Inkling woke from the floor of his cage to see a fresh group of prisoners led into the chamber. Among the captured humanoids, two were very well beaten and must have struggled fiercely during their capture. Seeing the defiant look in their eyes, rather than the cowed subjugated looks of the other prisoners, Inkling felt a surge of elation. Perhaps, with the help of these new prisoners, escape will be possible.
The hobgoblin guards, after throwing the prisoners in the cages left with the prisoner’s equipment. Nasthrok briefly entered the chamber to inspect the new prisoners with an evil appraising eye. Stalking from the chamber, he growled in the common tongue to a couple of fawning goblin servants. “Prepare the restraints, tinctures and unguents. When evening falls a new round begins. I must rest and gather my strength for the breaking. Do not dare disturb me”.
In the dim light of two guttering torches, the prisoners are left alone with their thoughts….
Comments
The FCW should open pretty well for anybody who has the Dungeons of Schley. I think the only custom symbols I used were the tents.
Wanted to limit it's size so I could print onto A3 paper but hopefully left enough room for a couple of close quarter fights without disturbing Nashthrok who would annihilate three level one characters.
Suggestions and comments welcome as always. The outside seems a bit boring to me. Should there be more junk and rubbish? Dunno.
I love stories with maps. It makes them come alive. :-)
Where are those tents symbols from?
Thanks MDing. Ummm this did take awhile. I guess just to get the basics down, perhaps 3 or 4 hours but I spend heaps more time (hours and hours!!) fiddling with effects. So all up hmmm maybe 15+ hours. Off and on of course. It had been awhile since I had made any maps too, so took a bit to remember my tips and tricks.
Not sure, couldn't remember. I thought it may have been from the Dunjini website. However I have just done a google image search for "tent.png" and I found that symbol as one of the search items. I'm not sure about privacy/piracy issues here so had best not post the link, but it can be found pretty easily. I'm not making any money from that map, so hopefully nobody takes issue with using the symbol.
Thanks Loreli. Yup where would I be without Mike Schley!!
Personally, I especially like the moat you created, looks very realistic (3d impression)!
Oh and I found the tent symbol in and can see why you didn't want to post the link. I had to do a google image search Dundjinni tent.png to find it.
I'm pretty sure it was originally on the Dundjinni forums.
Any more questions, ask away.
I must admit though, the "moat" is actually supposed to be a palisade, the exact opposite to a moat! Think heaped up ridge of soil with wooden stakes hammered into the top.
Anybody else reading this:
Out of curiosity; moat or palisade, what were your initial impressions?
Ok now I wanted to find out how that wrong impression happend to me. First, my screen resolution doesn't show the whole picture, so the first part I saw was the upper right, and this determined the rest of the perspective of the picture. Now after you wrote me it's not a moat, I scrolled up and thought - yeah it's indeed not a moat. There I could only see the lower part of the palisade. At the upper part the outer part at the top right edge seemed also convincing as a palisade now. But - the inner part of the palisade still looks to me like a moat, and that - as written above seems to have made my brain interpret the rest also as a moat, because it's the first thing I have seen. When I rest on the outer part and continue to the inner part, then also I can perceive the inner part as a palisade. But it still snaps back to a moat after a while. Unfortunately I can't tell you the reason - (I hope it's not my brain :-O). If there is one, it should be found at the upper inner side.
Please some other more talented people help me out here!
Moat vs palisade? I can see it either way depending on whether I focus or relax my eyes. My first impression was palisade.
New sheet on top of the palisade but below the palisade poles
On the new sheet put a white smooth polygon covering most of the palisade, but short of covering the edges
Blur effect
Blend effect [soft light] at about I dunno 50% opacity
Should lighten the top of the palisade and hopefully that will trick the brain into thinking the light areas are higher than the darker edges and viola, a palisade!
Watch this space....