Friday Map [15]: The Mazeverse of Nubraxas Unhinged [CC-BY-4.0]

Today's free map is The Mazeverse of Nubraxas Unhinged.

Inside timeless halls I wander
Within the deepest thoughts I dwell,
Under ancient earth I slumber
Until the Worms of Madness swell.

Into the darkest hearts I shine
The searing madness now begins,
Penumbral shades of sanity
Mazeverse of Nubraxas Unhinged.

---

This year, the maps appearing in my Friday Maps blog feature are being released for free under a royalty-free personal and commercial license. So you can take these maps, use them as is, modify them, change and abuse them as you will for your personal games, even stick them in your commercial products if you want. The only thing you have to do is credit me, +Steve C, with the original cartography (or maps, blah blah) in your product.

If you should require it, the map on this page is also released by +Steve C under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License [CC-BY-4.0].

Downloads:
The "Mazeverse" hi-res .png


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Friday Map [14]: Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten [CC-BY-4.0]

Today's free map is titled Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten.

From darkened caverns and blackened halls creep the Children of the Night, worshipers of ancient Ghatanothoa. Wretched beings, they writhe forth from their hideous lairs shapeless, untouchable, unbreakable, unknowable ...

This year, the maps appearing in my Friday Maps blog feature are being released for free under a royalty-free personal and commercial license. So you can take these maps, use them as is, modify them, change and abuse them as you will for your personal games, even stick them in your commercial products if you want. The only thing you have to do is credit me, +Steve C, with the original cartography (or maps, blah blah) in your product.

If you should require it, the map on this page is also released by +Steve C under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License [CC-BY-4.0].

Downloads:
The "Unaussprechlichen Kulten" hi-res .png


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Friday Map [13]: Catawombs of the Charnel Priestess Salacia [CC-BY-4.0]

Today's free map is titled Catawombs of the Charnel Priestess Salacia.

The undead horrors Salacia births into the world of the living are eternally secured in the broken minds of those corrupted souls who lustfully enter the forbidden womb-crypts in search of her glorious treasures...

This year, the maps appearing in my Friday Maps blog feature are being released for free under a royalty-free personal and commercial license. So you can take these maps, use them as is, modify them, change and abuse them as you will for your personal games, even stick them in your commercial products if you want. The only thing you have to do is credit me, +Steve C, with the original cartography (or maps, blah blah) in your product.

If you should require it, the map on this page is also released by +Steve C under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License [CC-BY-4.0].

Downloads:
The "Catawombs" hi-res .png


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Friday Map [12] Darkened Shrine: Halls of Saurian Entombment [CC-BY-4.0]

Today's free map is titled Darkened Shrine: Halls of Saurian Entombment.

This year, the maps appearing in my Friday Maps blog feature are being released for free under a royalty-free personal and commercial license. So you can take these maps, use them as is, modify them, change and abuse them as you will for your personal games, even stick them in your commercial products if you want. The only thing you have to do is credit me, +Steve C, with the original cartography (or maps, blah blah) in your product.

If you should require it, the map on this page is also released by +Steve C under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License [CC-BY-4.0].

Downloads:
The "Saurian Tomb" hi-res .png


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

CONTEST FOR A FREE WHITEBOX MODULE!

I'm tying in a Hogtown Games giveaway with this map. If you email me at 'hogtowngamesosr' at-that-gmail-thingy-dot-com and tell me where I stole the name for this map from, I will put you in a draw to receive a free print copy of Golden Eye of the Kobold King, my 34-page Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox module for 1st and 2nd level characters. Please put 'Map Name' in the email subject line.

On Wednesday Feb 15 at 18:00 (Eastern Standard Time), I'll randomly determine a name from those who give me a correct answer. Within a few days, I'll go to the post office and mail that person a copy, anywhere in the world. I'll send it as cheaply as I can, for obvious reasons, so don't expect it too quickly if you live overseas from Canada. :-)

Cheers!

Friday Maps (11): Warrens & Tomb [CC-BY-4.0]

Well it's about damn time I posted some maps. Here ya go, two little maps for today, The Festering Warrens Full of Stinking Rat Bastards and The Tomb of Khad-Mazar II of the Nicely Marbled Stone Balls Clan.

This year, the maps appearing in my Friday Maps blog feature are being released for free under a royalty-free personal and commercial license. So you can take these maps, use them as is, modify them, change and abuse them as you will for your personal games, even stick them in your commercial products if you want. The only thing you have to do is credit me, +Steve C, with the original cartography (or maps, blah blah) in your product.

If you should require it, the maps on this page are also released by +Steve C under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License [CC-BY-4.0].

Cheers!

Downloads:
The "Warrens #1" hi-res .png
The "Tomb #1" hi-res .png


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Friday Map (10): ...And My Ending is Despair [Megadungeon - 1 of ??]

Hey folks, sorry I'm a couple days late with this map!

Today we have a special one. This is the first level of my new megadungeon with the working title ...And My Ending is Despair. That's vague and threatening and mysterious enough, isn't it? I'm using a sketchy name at this point since I expect my players will come up with a more evocative name for the dungeon as we play through it. You can thank The Bard for the working title. :-)

I am doing something a little different (for me) with this megadungeon: There is no overarching theme or history or mythology behind it, Or even any "purpose" to the dungeon at all. I am quite simply making it all up as I go, one level at a time. That may seem like a boring old hat for some folks, but for me it's a great departure from my standard operating procedure, which is to detail the heck out of everything about the dungeon all in advance so it's easy for me to run at the table.

Now, no doubt I will wind up developing some of that history-er themey-ery (thanks Captain Obvious!) stuff as I create each dungeon level, but how much? I don't know yet. I'm fairly certain that much of the megadungeon's contents and many of its occupants won't make sense when scrutinized under any "realistic" ecological microscope. The only plan I do have is that this megadungeon will have a kitchen-sink-strange-days-in-the-mythic-underworld kind of vibe.

For instance, on this first level, there is an astronaut-temple-section populated by centipedes, giant rats, giant crab spiders and a colony of savage baboons. Then there is the green slime. And a black pudding. Additionally, we find a small fire-themed section with flaming snakes and fire beetles, a larger chaos/death-themed section with fountains of insta-death, a gelatinous cube, fountains of chaos tentacles, skeletons, a gargoyle and a ghoul. I've also included a large section overrun by a goblin gang that worships a crocodile-demon-god. Yes, this level is for 1st level characters. The PCs kinda died and my players kinda crapped their pants playing it. :-) I have no idea if I will continue any of these themes on successive levels. We'll see.

Unfortunately, the subsequent levels of the megadungeon will not appear in quick succession on the blog. I have to work on them first. I'm aiming for one new level every couple of months, with the levels being sprinkled among the regular weekly maps I post here. As an extra special bonus (and the real reason the levels will take time) -- each level will be fully-keyed for use with OD&D-type games. I'm not going to spend a huge amount of time editing the heck out of each level key, so expect some minor typos, stat errors and other goofball silliness and references that don't get weeded out. Consider them starting points for use at your table. :-)

If you made it this far, thanks for paying attention to my long-winded post!

Download Links:
Megadungeon Map, level 1 - .png, hi-res
Megadungeon Map, level 1 - .png, low-res
...And My Ending is Despair, level 1, referee map - .png, low-res
...And My Ending is Despair, level 1, referee key - .pdf (3-column landscape)

Friday Map (9): Iltharn Keep & the Village of Longplank

Within the idyllic rustic countryside of the West Riding of Aldershire, resting along the banks of the lazy Lower Gulstoke River, and nestled in the verdant shadow of Old Iltharn Hill is the quaint village of Longplank. A dark secret festers in the heart of this sleepy village...

Named for the first bridge that was placed down over the Lower Gulstoke three centuries past, Longplank is famous for its robust cherry orchards and the spicy-sour black cherry liqueur known throughout the realms as Longplank Blacktooth. Local legend states that Blacktooth liqueur is aged in wooden barrels fashioned from the original oak planks set down across the Lower Gulstoke.

Longplank is ruled by Baron Aethelfrost Klinghorn, second-cousin once-removed to Count Viskel Rundelwine of the East Riding of Aldershire. From his keep atop Old Iltharn Hill, Aethelfrost plots and schemes to marry his rotund daughter Igwen to the lazy-eyed son of his liege Count Wideaxe Hinkelbeck of West Aldershire, thereby entwining his broodline with the two politically-favored families of East and West Aldershire, the Rundelwines and Hinkelbecks.

Adventurers may find the dozing village interesting for not only does Longplank boast the Perfectly Sighted Cyclops, one of the best taverns this side of the Gulstoke, but also Aethelfrost secretly worships the demon-prince Orcus. Not that anyone knows this other than the village drunk, Blacktoothed Worty, of course. Aethelfrost was converted to demon-worship by Ridinal Trasmus, the spiritual leader of Longplank and pretend-pastor of of the Church of Saint Cuthbert of the Cudgel. These two evil cohorts carry on secret sacrifices, rituals and corpse army-raising ceremonies at a hidden cave-temple within Blackhaunt Wood several miles north of the village.

Blacktoothed Worty just happened to drunkenly stumble upon a scene in the dark forest the day before the adventurers turn up...

Image Download Links:
Iltharn Map - .png, hi-res
Iltharn Map - .png, low-res

Oh ... and here's a link to the last tune from the classic 1985 Celtic Frost album To Mega Therion to set the mood. Necromantical Screams. Because metal. Enjoy! :-)

Friday Map (8): Fane of Hisrathi, map 3 of 3

Today's map is the final of a three-map set for the three-level Dungeon of the Fire Lord. This map shows the lowest level, the Fane of Hisrathi.

Herein we find a flaming magma-pit cavern-temple where Hisrathi the evil elemental resides (bottom right on map). Throughout the temple are spiked red-hot iron pillars to which sacrificial victims are chained as offerings to Hisrathi. Also on this level, we find a mine where azers cut crimson kyleth crystals (magicky do-special-stuff crystals) and precious metals to bring to the forges of the flame salamander warrior-smiths that occupy the long angular-shaped chamber near the top left of the map.

Rounding out the level, we have various small quarters and two big chambers for the azers (top left of map) and their boss Utemnaron, nephew of Amaimon, king of azers on the plane of fire. Additionally, there are metal, mineral and crystal storage areas (north of the chasm on the map), and the residences of the highest-ranking members of the Cult of Cleansing Flames (bottom middle-ish of the map), Bayabaset the Burnt Priest, Ignia the Flame Bitch and Vasroth the Impaler.

Of particular giddy referee note is the octagonal-shaped "pinch point" chamber with the four doors: the infamous (in my 3e era Greyhawk game anyway) Brass Gas Room of Doom. Once inside the solid brass chamber, the doors shut fast and a slow-working "knockout" gas-trap activates. Four bronze statues inside the chamber need to be positioned correctly to open any of the doors. A fifth bronze statue in the center of the chamber animates and subdue-attacks the party if the other statues aren't positioned correctly the first time around. It was a great trap encounter since most players hate being captured more than dying. Mwah-ha-ha-ha!

Image download links:
Map 3, Fane of Hisrathi - .png, hi-res
Map 3, Fane of Hisrathi - .png, low-res

Friday Map (7): Sanctum of Cleansing Flames, map 2 of 3

Today's map is the second of a three-map set for the three-level Dungeon of the Fire Lord. This map shows the middle level, the Sanctum of Cleansing Flames. This part of the dungeon contains the main temple of the Cult of Cleansing Flames, as well as the cult's reliquary, dormitories, library, private quarters, and numerous other chambers and caverns.

If you're a truly daring explorer, the great chasm through the middle of the dungeon connects all three levels, but gaining this level from the upper level (Caverns of the Mad Morlock) is usually done using the rough-hewn stairs near the top of the map. The primary inhabitants of this level have constructed a tunnel leading to the surface, which they access via the secret chamber in the bottom right corner of the map. The lower dungeon level (Fane of Hisrathi) is accessed via the staircase in the temple antechamber. The temple is the long capsule-shaped chamber in the top right corner of the map.

The Sanctum dungeon level is primarily populated by cultists, guards, and followers of the Cult of Cleansing Flames. However, Lishixa, the medusa-sorceress, and Reginald, her undead half-ogre lover (she's got creepy taste in men), inhabit the cavern areas along with a savage and drug-addicted pack of Lishixa's morlock slaves. The cultists have an uneasy truce with Lishixa.

Image download links:
Map 2, Sanctum - .png, hi-res
Map 2, Sanctum - .png, low-res

A Wee Bit of History: I used the Cult of Cleansing Flames back in the early days of 3rd edition D&D during a brief campaign set in Greyhawk. The cult is an offshoot of the elemental fire worshippers from the Temple of Elemental Evil. Led by Bayabaset the Burnt Priest (and his "lieutenants" Vasroth the Impaler and Ignia the Flame Bitch), the cultists escaped the destruction of the temple and established their own lair and temple, hidden in the northern reaches of the Lortmil Mountains. For the past few years, the cult has grown steadily, recruiting new followers and bulking its store of magic and arms. Recently, Bayabaset performed a summoning ritual that called forth the evil lord Hisrathi from the elemental plane of fire. Hisrathi is an elemental, but an evil demonic one. The cultists worship him as their true god—one who will oversee a new age once the infidels of the Flanaess are cleansed by his purifying fire!

Friday Map (6): Caverns of the Mad Morlock, map 1 of 3

Today's map is the first of a three-map set for the three-level Dungeon of the Fire Lord. I know, I know, sucky name. This map shows the uppermost level, Caverns of the Mad Morlock. This level is populated by morlocks, orcs, ogres, a troll, and their insane, sorcery-wielding morlock master, F'threezis. Cheers!

This level connected to a big cave above it. The sinkhole in the bottom left of the map is the entry. The stairs in the upper center lead down to level two. :-)

Just in case it wasn't obvious, the blog maps are free for anyone to use, alter, hack, or whatever in their personal games.

If you would like to use them for any commercial projects (or are interested in commissioning an original map) please feel free to drop me a line about licensing and rates and all that good stuff. Just so you know, I'm cheap 'cuz I'm a nobody! :-)

Image download links:
Map 1, caverns - .png, hi-res
Map 1, caverns - .png, low-res

Friday Map (5): The Ruins of Zog, map 3

Today's map is the last of a 3-map set for the Ruins of Zog (see here for maps 1 & 2). This map details the caverns and dungeon beneath the ancient ruins found along the banks of a small river-gorge oasis. Cheers!

I think from now on, I'll be dropping the markings from my maps for the blog, except for perhaps the "kris dagger compass," and maybe a legend if the map has very unusual features. I'm not sure that the titles, scales, room numbers, and other such notations really help anyone customize the maps for their own games. I've included them thus far simply because they were useful to me for my own games.

Plus, dropping the markings means I spend less time using Photoscape and more time drawing maps!

Image download links:
Map 3, dungeon - .png, hi-res
Map 3, dungeon - .png, hi-res, no markings
Map 3, dungeon - .png, low-res
Map 3, dungeon - .png, low-res, no markings

Friday Maps (4): The Ruins of Zog, maps 1 & 2

Today's maps detail the ancient ruins found along the banks of a small river oasis within a badlands gorge. The first map is an overview of the river gorge and the second is a detailed map of the ruined buildings. Next week's map will reveal the caverns and dungeon beneath the ruins.

In my Wastelands of Kreth campaign these are known as the Ruins of Zog, a place for adventurers to cut their teeth at lower levels.

The Ruins of Zog maps are not based on these ruins in New York of the mysterious King Zog of Albania. He was tough like Rasputin, apparently. Cool, thanks Google! :-)

Image Download Links:
Map 1, gorge - .png, 3366 x 2615, 300 dpi
Map 1, gorge - .png, 3366 x 2615, 300 dpi, no markings
Map 1, gorge - .png, 1666 x 1301, 72 dpi
Map 1, gorge - .png, 1666 x 1301, 72 dpi, no markings

Map 2, ruins - .png, 3366 x 2615, 300 dpi
Map 2, ruins - .png, 3366 x 2615, 300 dpi, no markings
Map 2, ruins - .png, 1666 x 1301, 72 dpi
Map 2, ruins - .png, 1666 x 1301, 72 dpi, no markings

Friday Map (3): Tomb of Imrat-Ustad

Today's map is a small tomb and cavern I'm calling the Tomb of Imrat-Ustad.

The name comes from Ustad Imrat Khan, who happens to be a great surbahar and sitar master. Imrat Khan is not dead (as far as I'm aware), so I'm not quite sure why I named a tomb after him, other than that I meditate and draw maps to his music from time to time. You can see a couple of his older performances here and here, if you're into that sort of thing. And this performance with his sons is absolutely mind blowing. ;-)

The layout of the tomb section is (to keen-eyed observers of Egyptian archaeology) based on the layout of KV62, the tomb of Tutankhamun, in the Valley of the Kings.

Cheers!

Image Download Links
Map - .png, 2866 x 2165, 300 dpi
Map - .png, 2866 x 2165, 300 dpi, no markings
Map - .png, 1400 x 1058, 72 dpi
Map - .png, 1400 x 1058, 72 dpi, no markings

Friday Maps (2): Gnarly Oak Coaching Inn & Tavern

Today's map set is The Gnarly Oak Coaching Inn & Tavern. This is a roadside establishment that has featured in or kicked off (under various name changes) many of my fantasy RPG campaigns since the 80s.

Speaking of the 80s, I used to play a lot of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay back then. What I loved about the game book and supplements, and the White Dwarf publication, were the cool maps and illustrations of the coaching inns and taverns (and the many other adventure locations).

I'm not an artist, so I can't do a proper homage to those great works, but I can draw a fairly decent (I hope!) map. This set has a color exterior map of the coaching inn grounds in addition to the black & white interior maps.

Enjoy!

Image Download Links:

Map, exterior, color - .png, 3141 x 2524, 150 dpi
(warning large file! 20+ MB)
Map, exterior, color - .png, 3141 x 2524, 150 dpi, no markings
(warning large file! 20+ MB)
Map, exterior, color - .png, 1666 x 1345, 72 dpi
Map, exterior, color - .png, 1666 x 1345, 72 dpi, no markings

Map, interior - .png, 2490 x 3257, 300 dpi
Map, interior - .png, 2490 x 3257, 300 dpi, no markings
Map, interior - .png, 1266 x 1645, 72 dpi
Map, interior - .png, 1266 x 1645, 72 dpi, no markings

Friday Map (1): The Demon Temple of Vaalisharat

Welcome to the new weekly feature here on the blog: Friday Maps.

I love RPG maps. So do you, right? Well, you've come to the right place. Every Friday I'll be posting a map I've created for use in my games. Some of these will have been used in campaign play, some not, and some will be be outright experiments.

To start with, I'll be providing marked and unmarked versions of the map at both 300 and 72 dpi. The marked versions will have the title, compass, and area numbers; the unmarked ones won't. The marked versions will likely vary in font and compass style as I figure out what I like and don't like.

I hope you enjoy!

Today's map is The Demon Temple of Vaalisharat.

Image Download Links
Map - .png, 3366 x 2615, 300 dpi
Map - .png, 3366 x 2615, 300 dpi, no markings
Map - .png, 1600 x 1243, 72 dpi
Map - .png, 1600 x 1243, 72 dpi, no markings

Wastelands Map Handout on Leather

Here is another map I've drawn .. this one done with an ultra fine point sharpie on a piece of leather.

Like many folks, I've always been a fan of cool handouts for RPGs. Items that are evocative of the setting and/or genre of the game. In this case, I thought it would be a nice tactile handout for the game. A bit more interesting for the players than giving them a piece of paper.

The PCs in my Wastelands of Kreth campaign do not possess a map of the Wastelands. They will soon. At least a photo anyway...

Unfortunately, in terms of using the leather map handout, our current campaign is played via Hangouts. So the players will have to wait a while until we all get together to actually get the tactile experience! lol :-)

Map: Golden Eye of the Kobold King

This is my first attempt at an "inked" map. It is from an adventure I ran many years ago called the Golden Eye of the Kobold King. I dug out my old pencil sketch map and decided to give a go with pens. I must admit, I cheated a bit, and sketched the cavern and chamber outlines in pencil first. The thought of putting a pen to a blank page was too terrifying!

I'll be posting more maps in the future as I work to try and develop a more unique style. I'm thinking some maps will be "colorized" (likely using pencils) and others black and white, but I'll work that out as I go. Hope you enjoy!

The Golden Eye is a cursed magic item possessed by the Greebok the Kobold King. The PC who slays Greebok must make a save vs Spells or become enamored by it. So much so that the PC removes it from Greebok's head, then plucks out one of his own eyes and replaces it with the magic Golden Eye. Any beneficial effects are left to the referee's discretion. :-)

Borderlands Gazetteer: Eastern Borderlands Map

Today we have the third of my "regional" maps of the Borderlands. I've tried again to get the colors a little fuller, and I noticed that doing so makes these maps look more and more like the maps from the 1st edition AD&D Forgotten Realms boxed set. Which is OK by me as those are actually my favorite set of maps of any of the campaign settings published by TSR, including the Darlene Flanaess maps -- although I still love the calligraphy of those ones. (Note: See Jeff's Gameblog here for a wonderful look at the Pekulish script detail of the Darlene maps.)

Fans of Necromancer Games will notice a few familiar names and a bit of geography. In addition to Bard's Gate, the pleasant little village of Fairhill turns up in the Borderlands, as does the infamous Rappan Athuk: Dungeon of Graves.

I plan to draw more localized maps of the Borderlands in the future. However, what areas get detailed largely depend on where the campaign sessions focus.

And yes, Yonder Bognie is named after a little village in Aberdeenshire in the northeast of Scotland. ;)

Borderlands Gazetteer: Central Borderlands Map

Here is the second of three "overview" maps of the Borderlands. This one covers the central Borderlands. I've tried to get the colors a little brighter and robust this time around. I'll post the third map, the eastern Borderlands, next week.

I should probably point out that these maps all line up side-by-side-by-side, west to central to east. The images may not scale exactly, but they flow into one another horizontally. Just in case it wasn't obvious! :-)

Gazetteer entries for this region of the Borderlands, as well as entries covered by the other two maps, will appear here in the future. Since my players visit this blog from time-to-time, gazetteer entries will reveal only the basic information about locales, "common knowledge" if you will.

I'm not yet sure how I'll provide entries detailing secret DM-only info. One option is to tag the blog post as "DM's ONLY!" or some such. Another is to offer PDFs via e-mail. At any rate, I'll figure something out.

Borderlands Gazetteer: Western Borderlands Map

I was finally able to scan my first "re-done" campaign map of the Borderlands today at work. (Unfortunately, I don't have a scanner at home. Drats.) I say "re-done," as the Borderlands have gone through several geographical "versions" over the years and each has had its own hand-drawn map. Most are just pencil skethes, but for this new campaign I wanted an old-school, tacky, hand-drawn and colored map. Like the ones I used to draw with pencil and crayon back in the early-to-mid eighties. Only using pencil and pencil crayons for coloring this time, not actual kiddie wax crayons! :-)

At any rate, this map covers most of the western Borderlands, which is the main area of the campaign. You'll see two different fonts on this map: a crappy hand-written one (done by me directly on the map, pre-scanning) indicating Vander's Post, the Keep, Crosspike, and various keys and titles on the edges of the map; and a cleaner one added via Photoshop indicating numerous other place names (much nicer).

I figured since I'm blabbing about the campaign setting here, I'd better bloody-well get around to posting a damn map! :-)