The Ziggurat of Pyre series of battle maps

Lorelei

So, as some of you may recall, my players have made their way underground for the latest story arc of their adventure. Pyre, in my homebrew, is the God of Fire and Forge - he is a neutral god whose totem animal is a dragon. The majority of Pyre followers are relatively benign, but within the realm of followers is the renegade Cult of the Dragon. So, deep in the far depths below, where rivers of lava flow is the Ziggurat of Pyre, home of the Cult of the Dragon where i hope my PCs come across if they choose to cross The Burning River

Monsen

Looking at your maps just rises two questions in my head:
- Are you looking for more players?
- Are you willing to pay their travel expenses?

Ok, I have a third one:
- Would you make all my floorplan/encounter maps for me?


Great work as usual. But what is up with the shadows from the pillars in the middle one? They don't make much sense based on the placement of the light sources.

Lorelei

Always looking for more players

Online is virtually free

ANYTIME you want a floorplan, just ask.

I know, i was getting some strange artifact. Then i tried Dungeon lighting and that was an epic fail. I was trying to give the illusion of the room being dark with the exception of the fire glow and the glowing floating orb in the stairwell - I'm not happy with it - but as i've mentioned my guys are such a bunch of murder hobos they'll never notice (our warlock came really close to being enslaved due to his murder first ask questions later position - the trade city in the underdark has some pretty strict laws - and slavery is usually the punishment for any crime - the worst of which fight in the arena i posted here months ago) lol

Monsen

Posted By: LoreleiOnline is virtually free

Never played online actually, I prefer the social setting of a face-2-face game. Luckily, I still have enough local friends to do that (although we always play 2 days in a row (fri+sat) because some people come from further away than others, so they don't have to make the journey for just a few short hours.

ANYTIME you want a floorplan, just ask.

Be careful, you may regret such statements


I guess I should be grateful that my players are NOT murder hobos. They're characters are actually pretty decent folk. However, they are still controlled by players, and you know what that does to the adventure and all plans you might have had. My biggest challenge is often figuring out what is worth to map at all, gambling a bit on where and what they decide to visit. A few sessions ago, I gave them some pieces of a chess-like game (I 3D-printed the pieces as props). Asking around, they learned that this game was not very popular here on the islands where they lived, but it was supposedly popular back on the mainland (quite a long journey from here). So, immediately, without having any real clue what this was all about, they decided to just head off to the mainland. I mean, sometimes I can use a warhammer to hammer down heaps of clues on their heads, and they still doesn't manage to go to the correct location, but on other times, just a mention of something they have no clue about in a faraway land, and off they go, basically so they can go ask a local in a tavern in this faraway land about the game.

Josh.P.

Damn these are nice!

Shessar

These are wonderful Lorelei! And I agree with Monsen, can you make my maps too?

Monsen, it sounds like you need a Clue Bat I've actually thrown a printed copy of this at my players at those times when they turn stupid. Hah!

Lorelei

Posted By: daplunkDamn these are nice!

Posted By: ShessarThese are wonderful Lorelei! And I agree with Monsen, can you make my maps too?

Thank you, guys And Shessar, the invitation is always extended to you, too. I've so many maps for my own campaign that my guys will never even get to - i'd love a challenge - and some fresh inspiration

And daplunk, like I said on my post your FB group page - I highly recommend anyone with technical questions really should come visit these boards - I've noticed quite a few people asking questions that have already been explained in detail in several of these forum posts - and coming from those behind the scenes i've found that's the best advice.

And just be careful - i've found, in the past, people of FB have taken MY and others maps and reposted them on other pages and groups without my and others permission, which caused quite a stir on copyright infringement on another Cartographer's forum (the Cartographers Guild) for several other users - subsequently his page was closed. (Saltcliff Village has already been reposted all over the internet which is why i shared it - and Poseiden's Temple was created for public use - so i figured i'd post it and give a little advert to our wonderful Atlas )

robotrock

These are great!

LadieStorm

Great work as always Lorelei... my one question would be, how do you get into the circular room? I don't see a door, is it a secret door?

Monsen

Posted By: ShessarMonsen, it sounds like you need aClue BatI've actually thrown a printed copy of this at my players at those times when they turn stupid. Hah!

hmm, too bad the 3D printer can't handle objects that large, it would end up being a tiny thing (at least when compared to the size a bat is supposed to have)

Lorelei

Posted By: LadieStormGreat work as always Lorelei... my one question would be, how do you get into the circular room? I don't see a door, is it a secret door?

Thank you, Storm. Yes, its a secret door - with trapped mirrors inside (insert evil laugh here)

JimP

Take a deep breat and say 'Bwa-ha-ha !' loudly and smile, just before a game session. Then don't smile or frown during or after the game session.

It puts my player's nerves on edge.

Dogtag

Simple questions can do that.

Examples:

• "Are you sure?"
  
• "Which hand do you use?" *
  
• "Do you say that out loud?"
  
• "Do you actually pick it up?"  Or, a variant, "Do you pick it up/move it, or just touch it?"
  
• "When you listen at the door, which ear do you use? Are you standing kneeling?"

Also, the occasional roll behind the screen and casual glance at the die works well, especially when it precedes one of the above. Slight eyebrow motion after looking a the die can work wonders, too. Of course, this is only effective if, every now and then (once every game session or three) the roll — and the result — is real.
 
* A personal favorite.

Dogtag

Looks wonderful, as usual. I like that you continue to include fun stuff in the fills between walls. Also, that square pit in the interior map is great.

One suggestion, if I might? I'd recommend trying a lighter color and, maybe a thinner line along the edges of the ziggurat in the top map, maybe even a little transparency or blend? The thick dark line stand out to me and it messes with the illusion of shape. Again, it may just be me. I love that stone fill, though, and you used the shaded poly command to great effect.

Also, what are the mirror traps?

Amazing work, as always. I'm envious of your players!

Cheers,
~Dogtag

Lorelei

Posted By: Dogtag
Also, whatarethe mirror traps?

Amazing work, as always. I'm envious of your players!

ahh....well IF someone takes from the piles on the floor in front the mirror, they are pulled through the mirror into a pocket dimension of sorts, where a young Shadow Dragon is being raised....and unfortunately for the greedy player, FED

Tonnichiwa

These are some fantastic looking maps Lorelei! You should force each and every one of your players to try to make a map so they know what you go through for them!

Loopysue

Incredible!

I love the things that emerge from your imagination. They are all just so fantastic!