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Message: <blockquote data-quote="grodog" data-source="post: 2990728" data-attributes="member: 1613">I posted my spoiler-laden renditions of the Rob Kuntz's Maure Castle levels "The Statuary" (Dungeon 112) and "The Chambers of Antiquities" (Dungeon 124) @ <a href="http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/temp/maure_castle_mapping_analysis-grodog.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/temp/maure_castle_mapping_analysis-grodog.pdf</a>Digging into the diagrams for the Maure Castle levels shows them to be very different levels, in terms of how their maps are organized.  The StatuaryThe Statuary appears to be, and is I think, pretty complex:  the encounters are grouped toward the lower- and the right halves of the map, while the use of many secret doors prevents the quick detection of the level's interesting challenges.  Compensating for this (and shown on the map as a blue path) are the footprints of Tomorast and his cronies, which may help to guide the PCs toward that foe (or serve as a deterrance tactic, if the PCs opt to explore areas that Tomorast hasn't frequented yet), as well as to one of the key nexus points on the map (where many secret doors and access points to other levels converge).  (FWIW, the adventure doesn't detail the exact path to 117 taken by Tomorast, that's my artistic license showing).  I don't think that The Statuary is quite as complex as B1 In Search of the Unknown, but that may be a matter of opinon; it's certainly in the same league, at the least.  It also resembles the right half of D1 as Melan mapped it, but with even more access points to the large chambers, which creates many looping paths to and from various encounter areas.  In addition, the secret doors really are gateways to discoveries (unlike in B1, where they mostly provide an alternate path to a location that can be reached through other means).  The Chambers of AntiquitiesWhile the Chamber of Antiquities is certainly simpler than The Statuary, I think that the map for this level appears to be much simpler than it is.  At first glance, it looks like a circular route, with side branches (like S2 White Plume Mountain), but Kuntz added many branches and side-tracks to the map, to the point that the PCs can in fact avoid the central area completely and access the west, north, and south branches (if they manage not to awaken the juggernaut).  They thus have complete freedom to choose the order in which to tackle the level's challenges.  Also interesting is the area within the large central chamber, which is almost like a mini B2 cave complex---PCs can choose to approach any of the encounter areas (I almost mapped it like a starburst, but thought that the fishbone skeleton better reflected the progression of the challenges as the room is crossed).  A good level, given the vast number of options it makes available to PCs; I also think that this map provides a relatively simple mapping expericence, which would be a nice change of pace from The Statuary (which is also the only level that connects to this one, via a secret area, which makes the discovery of The Chambers of Antiquities level a reward in and of itself).  Melan mentioned that is may be possible for some maps to be too complex:    I debated about whether or not The Statuary crossed that line, and I think it skirts it closely, but manages to stay within the realm of "not too frustrating."  I'm curious to hear what other folks think, though (I haven't run any of the new MC levels yet, though I'm looking forward to doing so in the autumn).  I probably won't have time to map The Whispering Cairn and A Gathering of Winds until after this weekend, but I'll post here when I make them available too.</blockquote>

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