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<blockquote data-quote="WayneLigon" data-source="post: 3500035" data-attributes="member: 3649">Right now I'm running an Eberron adventure that deals with a massive archeological dig site. I sat back after coming up blank for maps and had a realization:Don't bother. Don't bother mapping the thing; there are people that spend their entire lives mapping ruins and digs and such with not half the complexity of a recently devestated city and they still find new things on ground that has been covered a dozen times before. Mapping such a thing in anything but the very broadest of terms is futile.Instead, find some nice 'devestated city' pics on the web and print those out. 'This is what the thing looks like' you say and via the magic of pictures the players should realize that no way in hell are they mapping this thing or uncovering much of anything other than what you want them to uncover.I have a generalized 'stick map' that looks kinda like a subway route map: simplified, but you can get a general feel for the ebb and flow of the ruins; what parts are totally impassable, and what parts are somewhat intact. Then just do a series of set encounter areas representing typical areas they can find, or lairs of whatever creatures have moved in. A decent sketch map of a much smaller area would be the Stormreach city from the Secrets of Xendrick book. <a href="http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ag/20060731a" target="_blank">http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ag/20060731a</a></blockquote>

[QUOTE="WayneLigon, post: 3500035, member: 3649"] Right now I'm running an Eberron adventure that deals with a massive archeological dig site. I sat back after coming up blank for maps and had a realization: Don't bother. Don't bother mapping the thing; there are people that spend their entire lives mapping ruins and digs and such with not half the complexity of a recently devestated city and they still find new things on ground that has been covered a dozen times before. Mapping such a thing in anything but the very broadest of terms is futile. Instead, find some nice 'devestated city' pics on the web and print those out. 'This is what the thing looks like' you say and via the magic of pictures the players should realize that no way in hell are they mapping this thing or uncovering much of anything other than what you want them to uncover. I have a generalized 'stick map' that looks kinda like a subway route map: simplified, but you can get a general feel for the ebb and flow of the ruins; what parts are totally impassable, and what parts are somewhat intact. Then just do a series of set encounter areas representing typical areas they can find, or lairs of whatever creatures have moved in. A decent sketch map of a much smaller area would be the Stormreach city from the Secrets of Xendrick book. [url]http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ag/20060731a[/url] [/QUOTE]

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