Saltmarsh: Ingo the Drover's House
Added 2025-08-26 17:20:19 +0000 UTC
Hello everyone, and happy New Release (Tuesday)! I normally release on Mondays, but I was out of town yesterday and couldn't make it back home in time to post. Sorry about the delay on this one.
Today, I am releasing my 20th location map for the town of Saltmarsh: Ingo the Drover's House.
"Ingo the Drover" is an ex-army general from another Kingdom and is hiding out in Saltmarsh after a failed coup. He lives peacefully in his small cottage near the coast on the outskirts of town. He spends his time training up guards and mercenaries to be hired by the various ship captains who need muscle. He still lives a life of paranoia, though, and has some security measures to ensure would-be assassins do not claim him. These include a massive Shield Guardian within his home, ready to defend him at a moment's notice. Additionally, he has a secret escape route from his cellar that leads out to the beach, where he has a small boat and a "go" bag in the event he needs to bug out.
For this map, I wanted to create a sense of solitude, peace, and serenity for Ingo as he lives out his days as the hermit who is strangely good with a sword. His home is a simple one-room cottage surrounded by moss-covered stone walls and blooming flowers. Here, his home sits on a small bluff overlooking the glinting waters of the coast as the waves crash into the rocks below.
Standing as a silent sentinel within his home is a Shield Guardian, programmed to defend Ingo at all costs. This is a last measure, of course, as this construction of stone, wood, and metal would surely destroy this simple cottage! I usually don't add creatures or NPCs to a map, but the thought of this was too cool not to add, so instead I created two versions of the interior: one with and one without the Shield Guardian.
From the beach, there is a small cave where seaweed and flotsam have washed up from the shore. Unbeknownst to anyone who visits the cave, the back wall leads to a hidden tunnel that Ingo has carved out with the help of some Dwarven miners. This tunnel is where he houses his former medals, armor, and sword from his previous military career. The last remnants of his former life. Should Ingo ever have the need to leave his home quickly, this secret tunnel can be accessed via a hidden door from either the cellar or the beach cave, where he has a "go" bag full of supplies and a boat ready to paddle out to the choppy waters of the harbor.
For my VTT crowd, I created a transparent file of the house exterior so you can use this for any Levels-type module you might be using. I really wanted to also provide a .png of the Shield Guardian, but this was made with mostly Inkarnate assets from their early access catalog, so I didn't feel it was allowed under their T&Cs, so you'll have to cut this out on your own if you want it as a .png.
Click on the download link below corresponding to your tier to download all the map files.
Download Ingo the Drover's House Here!
Download Ingo the Drover's House Here!
Download Ingo the Drover's House Printable PDFs Here!
*I should have the VTT Module ready in Foundry within a few days.
Download Ingo the Drover's House Here!
Download Ingo the Drover's House Printable PDFs Here!
Download Ingo the Drover's House Here!
I hope you have enjoyed this next installment in my Saltmarsh series! It's such a vibrant contrast from working on Gothic Horror maps, which I truly enjoy. And I have just ten more locations before I can officially say I've made fully detailed maps for every Saltmarsh location, which would be a massive feat.
Next week I'll be taking some time off for Labor Day as it's a five Monday month and I need a little catch-up time. However, the week after, I'll be working on my rework of the Wachterhaus from Curse of Strahd! I'm very excited about this project, but I also know, like any other manor map, it'll be a heavy lift, so be prepared for a two-part release on these (Some manor maps can take me 2-3 weeks of work to do). But I don't think you'll be disappointed! I'll also be working on integrating some of the changes from CoS Reloaded into this map as well for additional versatility.
I say it every week, but THANK YOU to you all for your support of my work! I'm also so honored when you choose to use my maps at your table, and I hope I can continue to deliver quality work. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your support.
Cheers friends,
DM Andy
Comments
Thanks so much, Eledryll! I really appreciate you saying so <3 I've been so heads down on my current projects, it's crazy to think there will be an end at one point, haha. I'm more than half way through w/ Vallaki for CoS but still have Berez, Krezk, Yester Hill area and Tsolenka Pass to "re-work" plus I plan to build my own gothic castle to rival that of Ravenloft. Ghosts of Saltmarsh I still have another ten locations to flush out from the towner and all of the adventure maps so I'll probably be there a while, and I only have four maps under my belt for the Lothburgh campaign setting so there is still lots to expand there. I think going forward into another published campaign setting, I'd love to get feedback from the community and see what everyone would be interested in seeing next. Saltmarsh allowed me to play with a coastal / ocean biome, and of course, CoS scratches my gothic itch. Lothburgh has allowed me to explore more of a darker, grittier Victorian setting, so I think if anything, I'd like to expand on setting style/biome to something totally new. Maybe go into the Nine Hells? Explore the FeyWild? Jungle? Dessert? I've also wanted to do a Norse-themed series. There are just so many themes I've wanted to explore, but have not yet had the time. The other thing I'd like to do is create a more expansive city series of maps that can be used for cities like Waterdeep or Neverwinter (or any other major city hub in a game). Just so many ideas bubbling over and so little time to do it all. I feel like I could be mapping for 100's of years and never run out of ideas. Why can't we have the lifespan of an Elf or Dwarf??
Andy D'Amato
2025-08-27 18:07:55 +0000 UTCAhhh, that's so awesome to hear! I can't wait to hear how that session goes, and I hope I did Ingo justice building his home (and security measures, haha). Next up, I am planning on tackling the Carpenter's Guild building and then Crabber's Cove after that. I'm trying to go in location order from the book but I did skip Oweland House and Solmor House (for now). Only because manor maps are massive efforts, and I want to make sure I'm not going to burn out from doing one after another. They will be done eventually, however, as well as all of the other locations in Saltmarsh. Then I'll be moving onto the adventure maps (like Danger at Dunwater, Salvage Operation, etc).
Andy D'Amato
2025-08-27 17:57:10 +0000 UTCThe Saltmarsh campaign goes so well with your usual creepy and realistic style! It's a pleasure to see every release. Do you have an idea as to which campaign might come next once you're done with the Ghosts of Saltmarsh?
Eledryll Maps
2025-08-27 09:19:47 +0000 UTCI'm back for more Saltmarsh! This is just what I need. One of my PCs is trying to be Ingo's lover. This escape tunnel will be a nice surprise to spring on her! Love your creativity as always! PS: Which Saltmarsh map is next?
Akira
2025-08-27 06:11:04 +0000 UTC
