I always look forward to your dungeons and the traps and tricks you include. It's great having friends with excellent DM imaginations....you ALL know i've stolen ALL your ideas, right haha. Great work, Jim.
Here we go. Room descriptions and the first level/entrance map. 1000 pixels wide.
I think I need to reduce the number of secret doors. Any suggestions ?
Berend’s Waste Region
Berends Waste is well named, for not only is it a barren and arid land, dotted with tall solitary pines, half dead in appearance, stunted shrubs that crawl with nasty prickles and harbour deadly scorpions, with huge rocks thrown around as if by an ancient giant, but it is also the final resting place of the luckless explorer and amateur archaeologist,
Sir Norbert Berend.
But although it is so bleak and uninviting, certain ‘peoples’ do eke out a living here. In particular, there is the settlement of mangy huts and feasting halls of the Redfoam goblins, many of which hunt in small bands across the Wastes, particularly after the adders and lizards that seem to love this environment – even scorpions make a fine meal, after they have been specially treated. Ugh!
In the mountains, near Hagen’s Column by an extraordinarily beautiful lake, is the entrance to the Halls of Brokagun. This is the under-mountain mansion of a slowly dwindling clan of black dwarves. They are extremely isolationist, and rather hostile to strangers. It is thought that because of their isolationist policies, paranoia, and dwindling numbers, that many abandoned areas deep below their living and working areas are now inhabited by fell denizens of the dark.
And for the intrepid, foolhardy, and obviously suicidal adventurer, there are the infamous Jimpa caverns, once home to a side-branch of the Brokagun Dwarves, but now, long gone. Who know what treasures are there. Certainly there are dangers, because remarkably few have emerged from the dark entrance to the light of the world again.
Dungeon level 1, for Quenten.
1) 60' x 60'. Mold, 2 debris piles. Bird guano. Maybe bat guano to. No door to the entrance. South exit has no door. South east exit has a reinforced wood door.
2) 60' circular room. Stone stairs go down into the water. A dead ? monster lies in the water. East entrance is blocked by a portcullis.
3) 40' x 40' a hidden room. Secret doors block seeing the open doorway, and the reinforced door, entrances. Small chest with coins.
4) 50' x 110' a castle wall, one tower. Water well behind the tower/wall.
5) 50' x 40' a broken open wood chest is here.
6) odd-shaped A small metal box in one corner.
7) 70' x 50' 3 pits, 2 have skeletons. One has a small chest. Another small chest in the northwest corner. The two treasures are of small value, its to discourage adventurers. Hopefully convincing them that there is nothing here worth looking for.
8) 40' x 30' The spiral stairs lead down, or up. If up, they come out into a small cave overlooking the entrnce to this dungeon. A lookout. Of course, it could go down to another level, and up to the lookout.
9) 80' x 50' Secret door on east side. Nothing here. After 5 minutes a nonchalant whistling can be heard. The sound will drift around the room for a few minutes. Then stop. After 2 minutes, a dirge plays for 5 minutes. Then all music stops.
10) 30' x 30' A cool breeze of unknown origin sometimes whispers across this room.
11) 40' x 30' armory and weapons. Mostly rusted, but a magic weapon might be found here. A few scattered coins.
12) 200' x 110' large cracks in the floor. Skeleton partially in the water. Debris, and a skull, in the northwest corner looks like it might have been a last stand for someone. A wood pile in the center, north of the water. The small debris area to the left and below the wood pile has bones sticking out from under the rotted wood.
Secret door leads to room 2 then 9. The way down to the next level.
13) 100' circle The green painted spiral stairs goes downwards into a small tunnel which dead ends. The dwarves considered this a distraction and part of the defenses. It didn't save them.
14) 60' x 40' Contains a stone wall with two small towers. The stairs lead up onto the wall. The small wood trap door in the northeast corner leads to the tunnel. It goes to the reminas of a stone house in room 17.
15) 40' x 40' Somone, or some Thing, has stacked dwarf skulls in two corners. No other bones are here.
16) 20' x 40' a few rotted tables. Blood splotches on one of them.
17) 60' x 60' ruins of a stone house. Both entrances to this room are secret doors.
18) 40' x 60' The pit has a loose rock on one side. A small wood box is behind it.
19) 10' x 30' one door is secret
20) 10' x 40' booth doors are secret
21) 30' x 10' damp and moldy walls
22) 30' x 10' At random iintervals: a warm breeze flows through, or a cool breeze in the opposite direction.
23) 30' x 10' whispering in this small room. And occasional word might be understood. 'Doomed', or 'flames !'.
24) 10' x 60' At random intervals; marching feet can be heard here. Sometimes a dwarven voice can be heard exclaiming 'Attack !' or 'Defend our families !'.
25) 20' x 10' overly dusty floor. No foot/claw prints here.
26) 20' x 10' pile of dwarf skulls. A portcullis blocks entrance to room 3. Rusted, but noisy to get past it.
27) 20' x 10' pile of dwarf skulls. A few coins under the pile.
Almost forgot. I have some debris to place in various areas. I'll leave the monsters out for whomever uses the map to place. Unless that is wanted as well.
While this particular map is going into Dwarf Home Two, an alternate dungeon, it contains some ideas for level 2 of this dungeon I'm drawing for Quenten.
One of the debris piles in room 89, covers a floor area, that when pulled up with great effort, opens up a tuennl to the room 97. Thats also why all the skeletons are in there, some Dwarf and some Orc.
Note that the walls and towers are hastily built. Otherwise the dwarves might have won.
I do much of my reading here via my cell. So I missed it. I'll leave the monsters out. But I can put things in like claw marks in the stone that hints at monsters if that is okay.
Here is a preliminary level 3. I am thinking about a pit in the lower left of the map, and a Dwarf passageway or tunnel reaching it. They send an expedition downwards to look for treasure and iron ore. They awaken The Beast.
This level is not directly under level 2, the spiral stairs here connect to the spiral stairs in level 2.
A last ditch stand in room 4, amongst the mine carts and some wood barriers, convinced The Beast to go back down into the depths. Unfortunately, it came back up and created room 8, and attacked the already weary Dwarves. Working its way into Room 1 being the spiral stairs going up to level 2.
Please comment on the text and maps. If nothing by Saturday US time, I'll submit to Monsen.
text for Level 3:
1) 70' x 80' A room to connect the new level to the upper works. It became the entrance for The Beast to attack the dwarves.
2) 80' x 70' Debris, rocks, and a skeleton. Maybe a future store room ? It became the path to the pit in room 8.
3) 50' x 50' debris and a few skeletons. No sign of The Beast's digging. So what killed these dwarves ?
4) about 140' x about 100' A pit worn by ground water, leading down to the lair of The Beast. It vaguely remembered rock falls in the past, and what arrows and spears felt like. It was being attacked ! Upward !
A staunch defense turned it back.
It went to an older cave. And then slowly went upwards.
5) 60' x 30' rubbish and small rocks do not a defense make.
6) 50' x 60' Pit can control and help the defenders; however, when some of the attackers can fly or leap, all are doomed.
7) 80' x 60' Only one tower was completed before The Beast and the others came up from below. For want of a moat, the room was lost.
8) 180' x about 50' to about 90' wide. The Beast using its sense of smell worked to find its tormentors. Then once decided, dug its way to room 1.
I hope the beast finds the staircase too narrow for it - the footprints distance from each other indicate a wide and long critter - don't know if you meant it like this. But the detail is fabulous, and your use of effects also make this terrific. However, for the ashphalt(?) floors, I would put them on a separate sheet, with no effects, or a smaller inner edge fade effect. Just a suggestion.
Something is wrong with level 02 map, likely some symbol or text way off the map as al i currently have is a blank mapping area. Good thing I have several earlier saved maps. I'll fix it and get back here.
What about a cave anywhere in Elen Daelarion in Artemisia, else whatever cave you like in my Dunor Valley series. And thanks from me and everyone who uses these maps for a tremendous set of dungeons.
Comments
I make maps so other folks can use them.
Mapping will continue.
I think I need to reduce the number of secret doors. Any suggestions ?
Berend’s Waste Region
Berends Waste is well named, for not only is it a barren and arid land, dotted with tall solitary pines, half dead in appearance, stunted shrubs that crawl with nasty prickles and harbour deadly scorpions, with huge rocks thrown around as if by an ancient giant, but it is also the final resting place of the luckless explorer and amateur archaeologist,
Sir Norbert Berend.
But although it is so bleak and uninviting, certain ‘peoples’ do eke out a living here. In particular, there is the settlement of mangy huts and feasting halls of the Redfoam goblins, many of which hunt in small bands across the Wastes, particularly after the adders and lizards that seem to love this environment – even scorpions make a fine meal, after they have been specially treated. Ugh!
In the mountains, near Hagen’s Column by an extraordinarily beautiful lake, is the entrance to the Halls of Brokagun. This is the under-mountain mansion of a slowly dwindling clan of black dwarves. They are extremely isolationist, and rather hostile to strangers. It is thought that because of their isolationist policies, paranoia, and dwindling numbers, that many abandoned areas deep below their living and working areas are now inhabited by fell denizens of the dark.
And for the intrepid, foolhardy, and obviously suicidal adventurer, there are the infamous Jimpa caverns, once home to a side-branch of the Brokagun Dwarves, but now, long gone. Who know what treasures are there. Certainly there are dangers, because remarkably few have emerged from the dark entrance to the light of the world again.
Dungeon level 1, for Quenten.
1) 60' x 60'. Mold, 2 debris piles. Bird guano. Maybe bat guano to. No door to the entrance. South exit has no door. South east exit has a reinforced wood door.
2) 60' circular room. Stone stairs go down into the water. A dead ? monster lies in the water. East entrance is blocked by a portcullis.
3) 40' x 40' a hidden room. Secret doors block seeing the open doorway, and the reinforced door, entrances. Small chest with coins.
4) 50' x 110' a castle wall, one tower. Water well behind the tower/wall.
5) 50' x 40' a broken open wood chest is here.
6) odd-shaped A small metal box in one corner.
7) 70' x 50' 3 pits, 2 have skeletons. One has a small chest. Another small chest in the northwest corner. The two treasures are of small value, its to discourage adventurers. Hopefully convincing them that there is nothing here worth looking for.
8) 40' x 30' The spiral stairs lead down, or up. If up, they come out into a small cave overlooking the entrnce to this dungeon. A lookout. Of course, it could go down to another level, and up to the lookout.
9) 80' x 50' Secret door on east side. Nothing here. After 5 minutes a nonchalant whistling can be heard. The sound will drift around the room for a few minutes. Then stop. After 2 minutes, a dirge plays for 5 minutes. Then all music stops.
10) 30' x 30' A cool breeze of unknown origin sometimes whispers across this room.
11) 40' x 30' armory and weapons. Mostly rusted, but a magic weapon might be found here. A few scattered coins.
12) 200' x 110' large cracks in the floor. Skeleton partially in the water. Debris, and a skull, in the northwest corner looks like it might have been a last stand for someone. A wood pile in the center, north of the water. The small debris area to the left and below the wood pile has bones sticking out from under the rotted wood.
Secret door leads to room 2 then 9. The way down to the next level.
13) 100' circle The green painted spiral stairs goes downwards into a small tunnel which dead ends. The dwarves considered this a distraction and part of the defenses. It didn't save them.
14) 60' x 40' Contains a stone wall with two small towers. The stairs lead up onto the wall. The small wood trap door in the northeast corner leads to the tunnel. It goes to the reminas of a stone house in room 17.
15) 40' x 40' Somone, or some Thing, has stacked dwarf skulls in two corners. No other bones are here.
16) 20' x 40' a few rotted tables. Blood splotches on one of them.
17) 60' x 60' ruins of a stone house. Both entrances to this room are secret doors.
18) 40' x 60' The pit has a loose rock on one side. A small wood box is behind it.
19) 10' x 30' one door is secret
20) 10' x 40' booth doors are secret
21) 30' x 10' damp and moldy walls
22) 30' x 10' At random iintervals: a warm breeze flows through, or a cool breeze in the opposite direction.
23) 30' x 10' whispering in this small room. And occasional word might be understood. 'Doomed', or 'flames !'.
24) 10' x 60' At random intervals; marching feet can be heard here. Sometimes a dwarven voice can be heard exclaiming 'Attack !' or 'Defend our families !'.
25) 20' x 10' overly dusty floor. No foot/claw prints here.
26) 20' x 10' pile of dwarf skulls. A portcullis blocks entrance to room 3. Rusted, but noisy to get past it.
27) 20' x 10' pile of dwarf skulls. A few coins under the pile.
One of the debris piles in room 89, covers a floor area, that when pulled up with great effort, opens up a tuennl to the room 97. Thats also why all the skeletons are in there, some Dwarf and some Orc.
Note that the walls and towers are hastily built. Otherwise the dwarves might have won.
1000 pixels wide.
14 rooms of debris and skeletal remains. I labeled it Level 2 to help me keep track.
The broken floor in room 8 is because something huge tried to come up to this level. I need to adjust the text sizes.
There is nothing here but debris, rotten wood, and skeletal remains. And yet, the doors are in good condition.
Here is the text for this level:
Level 2
1) 140' circle. Meeting room. A few bones, some wood debris.
2) 30' x 100' A room for warriors and their families to gather before going to a tribal meetng. Swept clean.
3) 140' x 70' Quarters/barracks for fighters. Debris and skeletal remains.
4) 40' x 110' Living quarters for the families of the dwarf fighters.
5) 120' circle. Dining room for the dwarves.
6) 90' x 90' kitchen. Fireplaces that have gathewred dust. Several old tables that are falling apart.
7) 100' circle Armory and storage. Rust and wood dust.
8) 70' x 70' transit room down to third level. Hasty barracades. Broken floor shows something huge tried to come up the spiral stairs. Bones.
9) 50' half circle.
10) 80' x 70' defenses for stopping enemies coming from the surface. But they came frm below.
11) 50' x 30' food storage.
12) 30' x 20' food storage
13) 40' x 80' home of the Dwarf leader
14) 80' x 80' home of the sb-leaders
15) 30' x 70' fighter store room
The other thread about monster tracks is part of level 3.
This level is not directly under level 2, the spiral stairs here connect to the spiral stairs in level 2.
text for Level 3:
1) 70' x 80' A room to connect the new level to the upper works. It became the entrance for The Beast to attack the dwarves.
2) 80' x 70' Debris, rocks, and a skeleton. Maybe a future store room ? It became the path to the pit in room 8.
3) 50' x 50' debris and a few skeletons. No sign of The Beast's digging. So what killed these dwarves ?
4) about 140' x about 100' A pit worn by ground water, leading down to the lair of The Beast. It vaguely remembered rock falls in the past, and what arrows and spears felt like. It was being attacked ! Upward !
A staunch defense turned it back.
It went to an older cave. And then slowly went upwards.
5) 60' x 30' rubbish and small rocks do not a defense make.
6) 50' x 60' Pit can control and help the defenders; however, when some of the attackers can fly or leap, all are doomed.
7) 80' x 60' Only one tower was completed before The Beast and the others came up from below. For want of a moat, the room was lost.
8) 180' x about 50' to about 90' wide. The Beast using its sense of smell worked to find its tormentors. Then once decided, dug its way to room 1.
But the detail is fabulous, and your use of effects also make this terrific. However, for the ashphalt(?) floors, I would put them on a separate sheet, with no effects, or a smaller inner edge fade effect. Just a suggestion.
Hmmm... I could put more cracks around the spiral, on both levels. The gray floors are Evil Terrain Light.
Here it is with the gray floors and corridors on a separate sheet, no effects.
I was estimating the beast's size. Long and narrow is okay.
Which one is next ?
And thanks from me and everyone who uses these maps for a tremendous set of dungeons.