Rock Lobster (Spelljammer) Battle Map - Launch

Hello Adventurers! This map release is a fun one! With the Spelljammer book on the horizon for DnD, I’ve created my own ship design based on a lobster. I imagine this was originally designed as a mining vessel for collecting rare minerals from asteroid belts. However, those claws can do as much damage to other ships as they can to rocks, so it becomes a go-to for pirates as well.

Next Maps

I’m going to be making the Prison of the Old Gods map next. I’ll then look at a wilderness map, which will be a den of some wild animal (outside and inside a cave). I’ll then look at creating a city map based around the docks.

• Prison of the Old Gods (Ancient ruin with locked portal)
  I want to create a ruin with a weird arcane design that incorporates the entire structure. Something that locks away an ancient evil or prevents another dimension from spilling into our own. Think lots of strange architectural elements, circles and symbols. Should be great for a climactic battle or weird encounter with a tentacled horror.
• Animal Den with Cave (Exterior and Interior)
  I want to create a simple wilderness map with an animal den inside a cave. I’ll create the outside and inside of the cave. Should be a really useful map for people needing to run a simple animal encounter.
• City Dock
  I want to create another City themed map and was thinking about creating a grungy City Dock. It would have a waterfront with some stalls, a proper pier and a few smaller jetties for every size of boat and ship.

Thanks so much for your support, each and every one of you is amazing and I can't thank you enough :) I hope your week goes well and as always happy adventuring! Now let's go where no one has gone before!

Map Descriptions

General Description

The ship's design is inspired by a crustacean, with two giant crushing claws at its bow and smaller ‘swimming’ legs along its sides. The bow is covered by a thick crystal shield which protects a huge harpoon. The ship's hull is fairly traditional until you get to the stern which is shaped like a lobster's tail. Made from metal painted a dull red, its segmented sections are attached by strips of thick rubber, allowing for limited articulation. Domed portholes run down the length of the tail, the glass so thick it's difficult to see inside.

Notes and Tips

• 30x45 Grid Map
• When designing the ship I had the idea it could have been used as a mining vessel. Its claws are used to crush asteroids into small enough pieces to be collected and stored in the hold. Its legs could be used to attach itself to asteroids, and its tail could be used for stability or locomotion. Those claws also work on other ships, so it would make a fantastic pirate ship.
• Astral Sea whaling ship. This ship is used to hunt astral sea creatures, which the crew harvest for parts, very much like old whaling ships. Have your party sign on and take inspiration from Moby Dick.
• Have your party find this ship derelict and abandoned. Something has happened to the crew, but what?
  • The ship was experimenting with a new form of magical fuel which attracted elementals. They are feeding off the fuel cells in the engines and will attack if they are disturbed in any way.
  • The ship has gone through an astral anomaly. At points, the ship seems to flicker out of existence for a moment, during that time the party hear wailing and other disturbing sounds. Before the party can leave, the ship blinks into an ‘evil dimension’ where they encounter the crew which has been absorbed by a Gibbering Mouther.
  • A swarm of astral sea creatures has taken up residence in the ship. Like piranha but of an astral sea variety, their asteroid nest was destroyed by the crew and the swarm took the ship as its new home.
• The ship has been taken over by pirates and the crew is being held in the brig. The pirate crew know very little about its operation and when the party encountered them it should be heavily hinted that something is wrong.
• The ship runs on magically infused rock collected from asteroids, the crew also collect rare metals and gems to sell. Because of the high-value cargo, they are often targets for piracy. They hire the party as protection.
• The asteroid nursery. Have the ship encounter a dense cloud of asteroids, with promising signs of profit. While navigating into it the crew encounters a nursery for some astral creature. They must retreat while fighting off the creatures.

Variants

I've created a lit and unlit version.

I've also created versions for a nautical-themed adventure!

And if you have other backgrounds you'd like to use I have cutouts as well!