A friend of mine from Brazil asked me for a small map of a city in his campaign. Taking advantage of my Wielinkm moment, I told them to give me a map with the names in Portuguese, and here is a map with the literal translation - sorry for any mistakes.

Deforestation in Brazil began with colonization, when the Portuguese extracted brazilwood (no shure is the right name for "pau brasil") for export. Since then, fire has been the most accessible and effective way to clear large areas of vegetation, preparing the soil for sugarcane plantations and, later, coffee and livestock. Burning temporarily fertilized the soil, but with the loss of nutrients, new areas were cut down, accelerating the destruction of the Atlantic Forest and other biomes.

In the 19th century, livestock farming expanded, mainly in the Cerrado (in the center of Brasil) and, later, in the Amazon, with large areas of forest being burned to create pastures. In addition, the extraction of hardwoods such as mahogany, rosewood and ipê increased, feeding the great demand in Europe and the United States. In the 20th century, countries such as China and Japan also became large consumers, often acquiring illegally extracted timber.

Despite new clearing techniques, fire continues to be one of the most widely used methods for deforestation. Its low cost and the speed with which it transforms the forest into arable land or pasture mean that it is still widely used. The burnings, as we call them here, have always occurred before, during and after the infamous (J.B.), sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more. Incessant.

Yu Shi Gu – The Jade Stone Valley

Situated east of the Great River, Yu Shi Gu is the main city of the eastern region and a place of contradictory beauty, where fertile fields and lush hills hide the scars of a bloody past. Its fertile soil produces abundant crops, and the city benefits from the famous Lianguang Jade Mine, located in the heart of the forest, a natural resource that sustains both the local economy and the greed of nobles and merchants.

A Bloodstained Past

During the conquest of the region, Yu Shi Gu was a symbol of resistance. Its noble family, the Liangs, were revered by the population for their wisdom and generosity. When Ji Wenzhao led his troops to subdue the city, he encountered fierce opposition that delayed his campaign for months. Furious at the delay, Wenzhao ordered the summary execution of the entire Liang family after his victory, turning the family's former palace into ruins as a grim reminder of his power.

The disciplinary massacres that followed were brutal. Hundreds of peasants and artisans were killed or enslaved, and the survivors bore the burden of a deep-seated hatred for the crown for generations. Even today, the city maintains a tense relationship with Tiang Long Du, marked by mistrust and occasional revolts.

A Valley of Riches and Intrigue

Despite its tragic past, Yu Shi Gu has prospered thanks to its productive agriculture and the Lianguang Jade Mine. The stone extracted from the mine is renowned for its purity and shimmering greenish color, considered the best in the region. However, the mine is also a source of tension and suffering: directly controlled by emissaries of the Tiang Long Du crown, the site operates under a regime of brutal oppression.

Local workers and slaves captured in regional conflicts are forced to work in unsanitary conditions, often without seeing the light of day for weeks. The mine is a maze of narrow, poorly ventilated tunnels, where toxic gases from the depths cause respiratory illnesses, and constant cave-ins claim lives without warning. Armed overseers keep a tight watch, punishing any attempts to slow down with floggings or summary executions.

The forest surrounding the mine offers no solace. Those who attempt to escape face an equally grim fate: those who are not devoured by mysterious beasts or killed by jade smugglers end up lost forever, enveloped by enigmatic whispers that many attribute to the vengeful spirit of Liang Heshan. The belief that the last Liang patriarch protects the jade reinforces widespread fear, and some workers claim that shadows with glowing eyes watch them from the depths as they extract the stones.

The entire city lives in the shadow of this oppressive system. Jade from Yu Shi Gu is the basis for the luxuries and ornaments of Tiang Long Du's elite, but the price is paid in blood and suffering. For many, the mine is not a source of wealth, but a dead-end abyss, fueling murmurs of revolt and legends of imminent revenge against their oppressors.

Challenges and Legends

. The Ghosts of the Liang Palace: The ruins of the palace are avoided by locals, who believe that the spirits of the Liang still roam there, lamenting the injustice suffered. Residents say they hear ancient chants and see shadows dancing on the warmest nights.

. The Lianguang Mine Forest: The forest surrounding the jade mine is rich in animal life, but also in danger. It is said that dark creatures – a mix of man and beast – lurk along the paths, luring the unwary with whispers that imitate human voices.

. The Curse of Liang Heshan: Locals believe that the death of any local noble is the work of the curse cast by the last leader of the Liang. As a result, few nobles from Tiang Long Du dare visit Yu Shi Gu, preferring to send representatives instead.

. The River Smugglers: The region's jade is so valuable that it attracts smugglers who use the Great River to secretly transport the stone, either for their own profit or to finance local rebel groups.

Current Events

• The Mystery of the Missing: Mine workers are disappearing at an alarming rate. Could they be bandits, forest creatures, or something more sinister?

• The Liang Relic: The Liang family's jade amulet, lost on the night of the massacre, is said to bestow great power upon its possessor. Daring explorers search the ruins for the artifact, facing ghosts and ancient traps.

• Rebels on the River: An insurgent group plans to steal a shipment of jade destined for the Tiang Long Du court. The mission is to infiltrate the city and decide whether to aid or detain the rebels.

Not sure where to place this battlemap within Death Forest, I was more inspired by Sue's mix of beautiful styles to create an arid environment.

Here's a picture with names and "monster", and another without the player version maybe (?).

I'll leave it up to Master @Monsen to choose a spot for this battlemap 😅

The Lament of the Spectres

There was a time when Rheon and Lysara were just two souls who found solace in each other in the heart of the woods. He, a skilled hunter who knew every path through the trees. She, a healer whose delicate hands could save wounded animals and people. Together, they built a modest home at the edge of the woods, near a cliff that overlooked the valley, where they could watch the sunset tinge the world golden.

It was there that they promised each other eternal love, a vow whispered beneath the stars and sealed with a gentle touch amid the ashes of a smoldering hearth.

But then the fire came.

As volcanoes roared in the distance, spewing their fiery fury upon the land, hell spread through the forest like a ravenous monster. Flames devoured the trees, animals fled in madness, and the earth itself cracked and boiled under the weight of the disaster. Rheon and Lysara tried to flee, but the forest became a maze of flames and choking smoke.

The river water was already poisoned by corruption, and the only escape was the cliff. They ran, hands clasped, their skin already scarred by burns, their breathing shallow and ragged. But there was no escape.

The fire surrounded them. Trees fell like burning spears around them. Their only option was to jump into the swamp below, but their strength was already fading. They died there, embraced, swallowed by the heat, consumed by fire and despair.

And in death, something wrong happened.

The love that held them together was distorted by pain. Their screams echoed across the scorched earth, their souls unable to accept the end. The place where they fell became a poisoned swamp, and there, hidden among the dead trees and dry roots, a black cave opened its mouth to welcome them.

Now, Rheon and Lysara are no longer human. Their bodies have dissolved, but their shadows remain trapped in the world, feeding on the hatred and injustice of their deaths. Within the cavern, two specters roam, whispering words of love that become threats, memories of fondness that twist into promises of vengeance.

The few who venture into the tainted marsh find the entrance to the cavern. Skeletal figures dance among the shadows, their faces disfigured as if they still burn. The air is heavy and humid, and a double voice whispers in incomprehensible tongues, luring the unwary inside, promising eternal love.

But those who enter do not come out.

Some say that the specters of Rheon and Lysara do not just kill—they devour. They tear out the souls of travelers to strengthen their own corrupted existence. Others claim that deep within the cavern lies a lost shrine, where their ashes mingle with black stones, forming an altar of eternal mourning.

And they say that on nights when the wind blows hard through the dead trees, you can hear the echo of his last words, repeated over and over:

“If we burn together… everyone else will burn too.”

And a battlemap turned into a quick monster of the week adventure doing morning aerobic exercise for more than 40 minutes... these things happen. Usually it is the best time to come up with ideas, this time the sad story of a once happy couple. 😅

Herathglen

This place was once a haven for lumberjacks, its few wooden houses nestled among the towering trees of the forest. The sawmill, supported by the mill that turned to the rhythm of the clear tributary of the Slimy River, was the heart of the village. From it came the valuable Lenga planks, a noble and resistant wood, sent to the cities of the north to build homes and fortresses.

But the tremors brought ruin, and the ash that fell afterwards suffocated the land. The once pure tributary became a river of green and sticky liquid, its surface forever shrouded in putrid mist. The poisoned water eroded the hope of life and silenced the blades of the mill. The villagers fled in haste, leaving behind their tools, their memories... and the bodies of those who had already been buried in the now cursed soil.

Now Hearthglen is a place without purpose, forgotten even by the crows.

Bonehaven

Bonehaven, once a peaceful haven for farmers amidst fertile hills, now lies like a gaping wound in the earth. The sun refuses to shine on the ruins, shrouded in a thick, cursed fog that blackens the air. It was under a blood moon that the city met its end, when the undead horde of the infamous Lord Felrule emerged like a putrid gale, heralded by unholy chants and the unbearable stench of decaying flesh.

The night began peacefully, like so many others. But around midnight, the first wave of walking corpses broke through the perimeter. They did not scream, they did not roar; they simply advanced, driven by a dark purpose. Men, women, and children tried to resist, but their screams of terror were drowned out by the icy laughter of the Necromancer, whose skeletal silhouette watched over everything from a nearby hill.

Those who fell did not find eternal rest. Each body left on the ground rose again, soulless eyes glowing with a ghostly blue light, their minds now trapped in the grip of Felrule’s spell. With hands once calloused from labor, the farmers of Bonehaven wielded instruments of death, swelling the ranks of the undead army.

By dawn, Bonehaven was nothing but a husk of stone and ash, its fields covered in destruction. The river that once provided life for the village now ran with murky waters, infected with the essence of darkness. This once beautiful, now cursed place was but a piece in the macabre chessboard of the mighty Lord Felrule, who marches relentlessly, city after city, leaving nothing but despair and eternal servitude in his wake.

Those who survive in the shadows whisper the name Bonehaven only in desperate prayers, fearing that the city’s fate will one day overtake them.

One option I often use on my overland maps is to change the internal glow of the SHEET land to a lighter color (I usually use #29).

This color can simulate a "beach coast" in a simple and quick way.

Another way to further emphasize the coastal aspect is by mixing in other types of vegetation closer to the coast, as in the example.