Champion Tier: Vday 2023 Special - Countessa Valentina's Garden of One Thousand Roses [30x40]

Hey everyone, and happy Release Monday! Well, it's the start of Feb, and love is in the air... or is it blood? You can never tell with these vampires. For today's release, I bring you Countessa Valentina's Garden of One Thousand Roses, A gothic-inspired chapel, garden, and graveyard map! 

This release is very special to me as I have partnered with several talented map makers to create a Vday 2023 series of maps that will be publically available to the community. For my patrons, you get the first release along with all of the variants and higher resolution files that I usually create, but on Sat, Feb 11th, I will be posting my public version along with URLs for all of the other map makers' public versions for you to enjoy!

While there is no adventure for this map, I have written my inspiration which I hope will act as a story hook for you to create a fun encounter using this map.  

Life is hard in the Pale (named after the pale light from the moon shining in the perpetual darkness cast over the land) and especially for those of the town of Willow's Reach. The local Burgomaster had petitioned the ruler of the land, Countessa Valentina, for funding to reconstruct the destroyed bridge to the east, bringing more commerce into their town. He knew of her unnatural thirst, and the blood fountains of her garden are known throughout the village. The Burgomaster knew he had to do something for his village to bring in more money or risk starvation for his people, so he marched up to her keep and would not relent on his petition. Finally, Countessa Valentina agreed, under one condition; A Blood Debt owed. A debt to be paid by him at any time, for any reason. With the only other option to see his town wither away into nothingness, he agreed and sealed the deal. With new trade, Willow's Reach flourished, and the city was bustling again. For years they enjoyed the surplus of commerce, and the people lived well, despite the hardships of the Pale. Five years later, the town was abuzz with a wedding invitation at Countessa Valentina's Garden of One Thousand Roses. Who could their dark ruler be getting married to, they wondered. She had been a singular ruler for so long that the thought of two dark overlords ruling them spread fear and anxiety amongst the people. It was not until the Burgomaster saw the royal coach of the Countessa stop in front of his manor that he realized who her betrothed was to be, for it was his daughter's birthday, and she would be coming of age to begin courtship to be married. The blood debt has been called. 

This map has several key features for your players to enjoy! It starts with a gothic-inspired road leading to the dreaded chapel and blood fountain. Ominous red lights illuminate the path and create an ominous approach while weeping willows and dead trees surround the chapel with reaching branches. Maybe your players will attempt a more stealthy approach and try to sneak over the open grassy areas where sits two gazebos with callous laughter from within. Surrounding the chapel are ancient and old graves with soaked, muddy soil. Let's hope the undead are not stirred from their eternal slumber! As you approach the blood fountain, you spot "guests" dipping their wine glasses in the crimson liquid and getting drunk off the never-ending fountain of blood. As the ceremony begins, the dark chapel houses many who would be in attendance to watch the union of the Countessa to the Burgomaster's daughter. Hopefully, your party can stop the wedding in time before she sinks in her teeth to complete the ceremony! 

For my Champion Tier patrons, you get the following variants with this map: 

• Grid / Gridless
• 4k / 8k Resolution 
• Clean Versions (No fog or lights)
• Interior / Exterior versions of the gazebos and chapel 
• Gloom Color mood
• Day / Night Variants 
• Rain Version 
• Webp files in 4k / 8k with a VTT sizing guide

Don't forget to check out my post on the 11th, as you'll find links to many other map makers' public Valentines' maps. 

Next, I'll work on the final official floor for Castle Ravenloft, the Dungeon & Catacomb! Once this map is done, I will officially have mapped out all of the locations from the CoS module after 2 years. But don't worry; I have much more still planned for CoS in the near future. I will also work on the next map for Chapter 12 of the Tome of Strahd; The Burgomaster's manor and garden. And finally, since we missed the LBH adventure last month with all of the OGL drama, I am making maps for one of their first adventures ever released (before I started making maps for them), which I will release here on my page for you to enjoy. I have a busy month ahead of me but excited to show you all these projects!  

Cheers,

DM Andy