afternoonmaps

Abandoned Camp Battle Map - Launch

Added 2023-11-30 19:45:13 +0000 UTC

Hello Adventurers! Here is our next map release, this one is an abandoned campsite in the ruins of an old shack or cabin. It could be used as an overnight campsite during travel, a hideout for someone on the run or a place recently abandoned due to some danger in the region. I made sure to create many paths leading to the site and added some elevation for interesting combat tactics.

Next Maps

I’ll be working hard to get the Hell’s Keep map done next with the Guarded Way coming towards the end of the month.

Hell’s Keep
I have an idea for a strange ‘reverse’ Keep inspired by a real castle in Czechia (Czech Republic). The Houska Castle was built on the site of a gateway to hell, preventing hellspawn from escaping, or so the folklore goes. It's a cool idea, so I’m going to make a Keep battle map with its fortifications pointing inward, including stakes, fortified walls and some kind of pit with a rusty metal elevator that can be lowered into the darkness below. Should have some Army of Darkness vibes :D
The Guarded Way
It's a classic troupe, the party needs to get somewhere quickly and the fastest way is through a narrow path guarded by some ancient magic or evil curse. I’ll make a narrow ravine full of jagged rocks, scraggly trees and strange statues that guard the path. I’m not 100% sure of the exact theme, but it's going to work as a short gauntlet-style combat.

Thanks to you all for your support, both new people and veterans, I’m looking forward to these next maps, they will be really fun to work on. Keep those ideas coming for new maps, you have inspired some of my best creations! I truly hope you have a wonderful start to December. I know this month can be stressful, so please take time to enjoy it when you can and I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful time.

Now let's take a break, set up camp and cook some food. OK, I agree this place does smell of Owlbear, and yes, those bones do have beak marks, and sure, that's a giant Owlbear pellet with goblin bones in it. But that just means it's eaten recently and we’ll be safe for tonight!

Maps Download Page

You can find all the downloads for this and all the other releases on the Map List Page. Remember you need to be logged in and signed up to the relevant Tier to get access to the links.

Map Descriptions

The air is warm, the evening sun low in the sky. A gentle breeze rustles through the stunted trees and yellow grasses lining the trail. Large rocks litter the landscape, poking through dusty soil that crunches underfoot. A narrow path leads off the main trail, weaving up a crumbling cliffside.

As you reach the top you see a natural clearing flanked by cliffs and weathered rock formations. At the back, nestled against the rear wall is a small ruined stone structure, its walls partially collapsed, the roof long since gone. In front of the ruin is a ring of bricks surrounding a cold campfire. Inside the ruin, fastened against a wall is a waxed sheet of cloth, creating a simple shelter. Around the camp, you see small personal objects scattered haphazardly. A cookpot, a ripped bed roll, the contents of a fire-starting kit.

Notes and Tips

30x30 Grid Map
This more arid location has limited water supplies. The old well could attract locals, monsters and animals from miles around.
The ruin will give a little protection from ranged and melee attacks. You can decide how high the walls are.
There are lots of elevated places on this map, which creates both shelter (blocking line of sight) and advantages when setting up an ambush.
When the party arrives at the camp describe things that look odd or out of place:The tarp/tent has been ripped or has a layer of dust on it.
Examining the tent they may notice it has been ‘marked’ by some animal.
The fire has been disturbed as if someone has stepped into/through it.
Tracks and markings on the ground show multiple footprints and drag marks.
A pot lays on its side, the half-cooked stew untouched by scavengers.
Hunters Folly: A group of hunters have tracked down a juvenile Owlbear (or another monster) and killed it, unfortunately for them, its mother was nearby and it took revenge. It now has a taste for humanoid (as if it didn’t beforehand).
Night Terrors: As the party goes to sleep, something awakens from the ruins. A lone spirit or undead haunts the ruins. Maybe it doesn’t even realise it's dead. It comes and sits by the fire to get warm, only attacking if the party triggers its aggression.
The Darkness in the Well: Below the campsite is a cave that houses something dangerous. Maybe it’s a flock of Vampire Bats or Stirges. Along with the flying menace is a clan of eyeless subterranean goblins (if you’ve ever seen ‘The Desent’ you get the idea). These monsters live in a strange symbiosis. The Stirges kill their prey and the goblins drag the bodies into the well to be eaten below. Use one of my cave maps to extend the combat below.