Champion Tier - Gate to the Misty Realm - V2.0 - [40x30]

Update: March 21st, 2025: Uploaded Printable PDFs .zip file

Hey everyone, and Happy Release Monday!

This is a special milestone map for me that I'm very excited to share with you for a few reasons. 

Most importantly, one of our very own community members has graciously donated some custom art for the statues and fallen heads! Please join me in thanking Waywardsoul for their contributions! This map would not have been the same without such stunning art. 

Two years ago (almost to the day!) I released the first iteration of this map, and it was some of my earliest work. You can view the original here. Thanks to all of your continued support and trust in me to create battlemaps for your games, I've been able to hone my skills for hours a day, nearly every single day. There is a huge sense of accomplishment in seeing our community grow, hearing your game stories, and seeing your inspiration. DM'ing is a hard job, and we all just want to give the absolute best for our players. I could not have gone this far in my map-making career without all of you! 

So, dear patrons, a huge thank you from both my wife from the very bottom of our hearts! 

This map is built on a 40x30 grid, and I've included a total of 8 core color moods along with weather effects. Additionally, all versions of this map come with and without the tree canopies for those who want to have some tactical flexibility under the trees. 

The colors moods in this release are:

• Gloom: This is the map as I intended it, and it creates a dark, foreboding feel as your players approach the rusty gates. This version comes with and without fog. 

• Dark Fairytale: The colors are more vibrant here, but I've maintained the dark and gloomy feel to it. This is a great transition map to show the change in the world as your players enter the gates. This version comes with and without fog.

• Dry: A hot and acrid feeling map with mounds of dead grass and dried foliage. This version comes with and without sun rays. 

• Ghostly: A different take on the dark fantasy vibe with hues of green to give a ghostly and eerie feeling. This version comes with and without fog.

• Night: A great way to showcase the gate is with two orbs of torchlight flickering in the distance between the looming pines. I created a version with and without lights as well as fog. 

• Overcast: It wouldn't be a dark fantasy map without the rumble of thunder, the crackle of lighting, and the sound of pouring rain splashing into the muddy ground. This version comes with and without rain. 

• Sunny Day: Not all old, crumbling gates need to be in a dark fantasy setting! This variant brings out the greens to create a cheery and sunny feel to it. This version comes with and without sun rays. 

• Warm: This mood darkens up the color scape and gives it a nice, warm feel to it. This is a great map for dusk while your players set up camp on the road. 

For my Champion Tier patrons, this map release comes with the following:

• 8 Color moods

• With and without fog, rain, and sun rays on various color moods.

• Night version with and without lights

• All versions have a "no tree" variant which removes the tree canopies

• 4k / 8k resolution

• Jpg & Webp files for all

• VTT sizing guide

Now that we have this map redone, I'm excited to move forward with my other projects. And in case you missed it, I updated the Amber Temple Floor 2 release with a set of four blank amber sarcophagi so you can make your own dark vestiges. 

Coming up next, I'll be working on the first of three dungeon maps for a very special dungeon encounter that both myself and Pyram King are collaborating on together. Those that know Pyram know how incredibly detailed his CoS guides are, and he's bringing that magic to explore an alternate way into Castle Ravenloft; by ascending within the pillar stone itself! The first dungeon will feature a cave and entry point to a long-forgotten ancient temple built by the Dusk Elves to worship a fourth fane. Have your players explore a ruin long forgotten, but not at all uninhabited. I'll be releasing a total of three levels of this map over the course of the next few months while Pyram works on the content. It'll be worth the wait!

Thanks as always for your continued support! 

Cheers, 

DM Andy