D&D General Maps, Maps, Maps! Dungeons, Ruins, Caverns, Temples, and more... aka Where Dyson Dumps His Maps.

[Dyson Logos]

the Mound on the Silent Road

The Silent Road leads from the city’s necropolis out into the hinterlands, a broken and erratic trail of cobblestones left long ago to the depredations of nature and time. At the end of the Silent Road is a solitary dromos-style tomb that has been here for so long that the mound above it became the foundation for a set of standing stones and then for a watch tower, both of which have also fallen to the intractable force of time.

Today’s map focuses on the surface of the mound – the entrance to the tomb overlooked by stones and an old tower. Both the stones and tower were built for the same reason during different ages; to protect against the restless dead, foul spirits that were believed to reside within the tomb, angry for vengeance against the living who have moved on without them. The stones were erected here first, a cromlech / circle of eight ‘liths, a mix of menhirs and dolmens around a central massive pierced monolith. The monolith toppled some ages ago, smashing the pierced top and taking down one of the other menhirs in the process. In the original configuration, the pierced monolith “looked” down directly upon the dromos-style entrance of the tomb, “watching” for the restless dead to emerge.

At some point prior to the fall of the monolith, the watch tower was added right beside it, with the entrance stairs leading directly to the northern dolmen. The tower shows the signs of time much more than the circle, with much of the upper level falling away, raining rubble down into the interior. Stairs still lead up to the second level, but the stairs up from there are collapsed and are part of the rubble on the ground floor. Amid the rubble is a secret stone trap door that opens to a set of rusted iron rungs set into the stone that leads down into the tomb below.

The 1200 dpi versions of the map were drawn at a scale of 300 pixels per square and are 10,800 x 7,200 pixels (36 x 24 squares). To use this with a VTT you would need to resize the squares to either 70 pixels (for 5′ squares) or 140 pixels (for the 10‘ foot squares that work with the furnishings as shown) – so resizing the image to 2,520 x 1.680 pixels or 5,040 x 3,360 pixels, respectively.

the Mound on the Silent Road

Illo by Mikołaj Ratajczak The Silent Road leads from the city’s necropolis out into the hinterlands, a broken and erratic trail of cobblestones left long ago to the depredations of nature and…

dysonlogos.blog

 

[Eyes of Nine]

View attachment 439440

the Mound on the Silent Road

The Silent Road leads from the city’s necropolis out into the hinterlands, a broken and erratic trail of cobblestones left long ago to the depredations of nature and time. At the end of the Silent Road is a solitary dromos-style tomb that has been here for so long that the mound above it became the foundation for a set of standing stones and then for a watch tower, both of which have also fallen to the intractable force of time.

Today’s map focuses on the surface of the mound – the entrance to the tomb overlooked by stones and an old tower. Both the stones and tower were built for the same reason during different ages; to protect against the restless dead, foul spirits that were believed to reside within the tomb, angry for vengeance against the living who have moved on without them. The stones were erected here first, a cromlech / circle of eight ‘liths, a mix of menhirs and dolmens around a central massive pierced monolith. The monolith toppled some ages ago, smashing the pierced top and taking down one of the other menhirs in the process. In the original configuration, the pierced monolith “looked” down directly upon the dromos-style entrance of the tomb, “watching” for the restless dead to emerge.

At some point prior to the fall of the monolith, the watch tower was added right beside it, with the entrance stairs leading directly to the northern dolmen. The tower shows the signs of time much more than the circle, with much of the upper level falling away, raining rubble down into the interior. Stairs still lead up to the second level, but the stairs up from there are collapsed and are part of the rubble on the ground floor. Amid the rubble is a secret stone trap door that opens to a set of rusted iron rungs set into the stone that leads down into the tomb below.

The 1200 dpi versions of the map were drawn at a scale of 300 pixels per square and are 10,800 x 7,200 pixels (36 x 24 squares). To use this with a VTT you would need to resize the squares to either 70 pixels (for 5′ squares) or 140 pixels (for the 10‘ foot squares that work with the furnishings as shown) – so resizing the image to 2,520 x 1.680 pixels or 5,040 x 3,360 pixels, respectively.

the Mound on the Silent Road

Illo by Mikołaj Ratajczak The Silent Road leads from the city’s necropolis out into the hinterlands, a broken and erratic trail of cobblestones left long ago to the depredations of nature and…

dysonlogos.blog

Nice one, looking forward to future maps of this location!

 

[Dyson Logos]

Tomb Beneath the Mound

The Silent Road leads from the city’s necropolis out into the hinterlands, a broken and erratic trail of cobblestones left long ago to the depredations of nature and time. At the end of the Silent Road is a solitary dromos-style tomb that has been here for so long that the mound above it became the foundation for a set of standing stones and then for a watch tower, both of which have also fallen to the intractable force of time. Today we explore the tomb itself.

While the tomb is significantly older than the tower and stone circle on the hilltop, it has survived the ages in much better shape than the structures above. There are two entrances to the tomb – the dromos-style entry in the hillside that leads to the fallen front door, and a series of iron ladder rungs that were added to the northwestern stairs chamber that lead up to the tower above (these are clearly newer construction than the tomb proper). The crypts near the entry have been violated and looted, but most of the ones further into the structure are still sealed. Inscriptions in an ancient tongue describe this as the resting place of the last priestesses of the second dawn, whose deaths brought about the beginning of the third age. It also warns that if disturbed, they will arise powerful and vengeful and seek to return the world to the second age.

The main hall of the upper level has a double stairway down to the chambers beneath, as well as a further set of stairs down in the chamber to the northwest (that also links up to the tower above). The crypts in this chamber are still sealed, but the floor of one has given way and the massive sarcophagus within has fallen into the hall below.

There are two chambers on the lower level. The southern chamber is pillared and has a pair of niches where two consorts of the priestesses of the second dawn were sacrificed. The north chamber contains more crypts, with an elevated platform leading to the three crypts of the high priestesses, believed to be identical triplets who all died at the same moment as the sun set upon the second age.

The 1200 dpi versions of the map were drawn at a scale of 300 pixels per square and are 10,800 x 7,200 pixels (36 x 24 squares). To use this with a VTT you would need to resize the squares to either 70 pixels (for 5′ squares) or 140 pixels (for the 10‘ foot squares that work with the furnishings as shown) – so resizing the image to 2,520 x 1.680 pixels or 5,040 x 3,360 pixels, respectively.

Tomb Beneath the Mound

Illo by Mikołaj Ratajczak The Silent Road leads from the city’s necropolis out into the hinterlands, a broken and erratic trail of cobblestones left long ago to the depredations of nature and…

dysonlogos.blog

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Love the detail of the triplets and the "sun set upon the second age".

Also, folks should click the link, because the illo by Mikołaj Ratajczak if most excellent!

 

[Dyson Logos]

Barrow of the Great Mothers

Deep into the woods west of Saryer’s Overlook is Greenshadow Vale, a secluded valley of whispering pines and moss-covered ruins. Among the ruins is the hamlet of Mother’s Watch, a settlement of hunters, herbalists, and charcoal-burners who believe the valley is watched over by the spirits of the Great Mothers, the fabled original founders of the settlement. On the west embankment of the valley, looking down over the small lake at the heart of the forest, is a massive ancient barrow mound that is sacred to the locals as it is claimed to be the resting place of those same Great Mothers. The only locals that visit the area of the mound regularly are the charcoal burners who have been tasked with keeping the area clear of trees. Hunters in the woods who see people in the valley will keep an eye on them in case they are travelling to the barrow. If either hunters or charcoal burners see anyone going into the mound, they will bring reinforcements to ambush them as they depart.

Large moss-covered steps descend down to the heavy stone door at the entrance to the mound. The door has obviously been handled and damaged recently (the charcoal burners resealed the door behind a would-be tomb robber, trapping them within). Beyond the door is a small sump with a gravel bottom to collect rain water that leaks under the door. Most of the barrow is constructed of large stone slabs set as walls and ceiling with dirt packed in behind them forming the mound proper. The two rear chambers are set on the actual rocky floor of the valley, and the lower chambers were painstakingly cut from that same rock.

Each of the chambers is a tomb for one or more of the Great Mothers. They were legendary forest‑speakers, able to commune with the beasts and trees of the valley. They chose this vale as their resting place so their spirits could continue to watch over the wilds. But even their powers failed to unveil the dark evil that exists beneath these lands, the dark heart of the woods that has slowly twisted the residents of the vale to their current xenophobic, superstitious culture. The dark heart of the woods has corrupted the eternal slumber of the Great Mothers, and they are now ghouls, ghasts, and wights. And they hunger.

The 1200 dpi versions of the map were drawn at a scale of 300 pixels per square and are 7,200 x 10,800 pixels (24 x 36 squares). To use this with a VTT you would need to resize the squares to either 70 pixels (for 5′ squares) or 140 pixels (for the 10‘ foot squares that work with the furnishings as shown) – so resizing the image to 1,680 x 2,520 pixels or 3,360 x 5,040 pixels, respectively.

Barrow of the Great Mothers

Barrow of the Great Mothers (300 dpi promo, no commercial license) Deep into the woods west of Saryer’s Overlook is Greenshadow Vale, a secluded valley of whispering pines and moss-covered ru…

dysonlogos.blog

 

[Dyson Logos]

Hollowshore Cairn

In a small bay south of the Persimmon Sea is a stony island that is being reclaimed by the waters, revealing chambers cut within. The island is a collection of rocks and heavy dirt that was then built up as a tomb for a slain king and his chancellors (who were sacrificed just before the tomb was sealed). The tomb consists of a false tomb and then a secret mausoleum and tombs and then a treasure chamber that has a secret door to the final tomb of the slain king. Centuries of erosion have broken the tumulus island and exposed the secret tombs within.

The old king remains sealed in his secret tomb, but his chancellors “live” on, powered by spite after being sacrificed for their liege’s funeral. The Salt-Wight Court rule this island. They are trying to rebuild the glory of their lost kingdom by enthralling sailors and coastal villagers – luring them to the island with lights and strange songs in the night and then trapping them within to attempt the rebuilding first of the island and then of the whole kingdom. The songs are sung by the maidens that were entombed here also, the wailing songs an echo of their screams when they were sealed into their sarcophagi still alive.

The Salt-Wight Court still guards the secret access to the king’s tomb, as they fear that awakening the king will destroy what little power they currently wield. Each of the three undead nobles of the court wears tattered and mouldy robes that were once rich, and upon their heads sit crowns of coral. They speak only in whispers, quietly ordering the maidens to sing, and the captured folk to work on shoring up the island.

This map is a re-imagining of a map I released in 2019. Zzarchov was looking for a version of the map with a pathway to get around the island from the outside, adding stones and small beaches along the way on the south side of the island. In the end, this redraw didn’t quite cut it for what he needed for his adventure, so I’m putting it out here instead.

The 1200 dpi versions of the map were drawn at a scale of 300 pixels per square and are 9,600 x 9,600 pixels (32 x 32 squares). To use this with a VTT you would need to resize the squares to either 70 pixels (for 5′ squares) or 140 pixels (for the 10‘ foot squares that work with the furnishings as shown) – so resizing the image to 2,240 x 2,240 pixels or 4,480 x 4,480 pixels, respectively.

Hollowshore Cairn

Illo by Mikołaj Ratajczak In a small bay south of the Persimmon Sea is a stony island that is being reclaimed by the waters, revealing chambers cut within. The island is a collection of rocks and h…

dysonlogos.blog

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

View attachment 440022

Hollowshore Cairn

In a small bay south of the Persimmon Sea is a stony island that is being reclaimed by the waters, revealing chambers cut within. The island is a collection of rocks and heavy dirt that was then built up as a tomb for a slain king and his chancellors (who were sacrificed just before the tomb was sealed). The tomb consists of a false tomb and then a secret mausoleum and tombs and then a treasure chamber that has a secret door to the final tomb of the slain king. Centuries of erosion have broken the tumulus island and exposed the secret tombs within.

The old king remains sealed in his secret tomb, but his chancellors “live” on, powered by spite after being sacrificed for their liege’s funeral. The Salt-Wight Court rule this island. They are trying to rebuild the glory of their lost kingdom by enthralling sailors and coastal villagers – luring them to the island with lights and strange songs in the night and then trapping them within to attempt the rebuilding first of the island and then of the whole kingdom. The songs are sung by the maidens that were entombed here also, the wailing songs an echo of their screams when they were sealed into their sarcophagi still alive.

The Salt-Wight Court still guards the secret access to the king’s tomb, as they fear that awakening the king will destroy what little power they currently wield. Each of the three undead nobles of the court wears tattered and mouldy robes that were once rich, and upon their heads sit crowns of coral. They speak only in whispers, quietly ordering the maidens to sing, and the captured folk to work on shoring up the island.

This map is a re-imagining of a map I released in 2019. Zzarchov was looking for a version of the map with a pathway to get around the island from the outside, adding stones and small beaches along the way on the south side of the island. In the end, this redraw didn’t quite cut it for what he needed for his adventure, so I’m putting it out here instead.

The 1200 dpi versions of the map were drawn at a scale of 300 pixels per square and are 9,600 x 9,600 pixels (32 x 32 squares). To use this with a VTT you would need to resize the squares to either 70 pixels (for 5′ squares) or 140 pixels (for the 10‘ foot squares that work with the furnishings as shown) – so resizing the image to 2,240 x 2,240 pixels or 4,480 x 4,480 pixels, respectively.

Hollowshore Cairn

Illo by Mikołaj Ratajczak In a small bay south of the Persimmon Sea is a stony island that is being reclaimed by the waters, revealing chambers cut within. The island is a collection of rocks and h…

dysonlogos.blog

Yeah, this one is getting used ASAP.

 

[Dyson Logos]

The Archives of Ash

The Archives were part of a desperate experiment as the world slipped into shadow. Seeing the end approaching, the despair and darkness creeping across the people of the land, a group of alchemists and sages collected all the tomes, scrolls, and other records of the encroaching darkness in this guarded underground bunker.

The church caught wind of this archive (as the archivists expected) and declared the whole archive to be a nest of heresy most foul. They launched a few expeditions to destroy it, and several groups of fanatics also attempted to breach the vault. Finally, a holy army was assembled to destroy the archives, and they arrived to lay siege, only to find the archives already burning, the last defenders falling from the doorways, charred and burned.

Only the stone and metal furnishings remain along with the charred corpses of the archivists. Every page, every record, every document destroyed in the magical conflagration. Then, when the charred corpses of the archivists began to rise again, the holy army carried them back within and sealed the doors.

Within the archives everything is a charred and blackened husk. Even the stone and clay tablets collected in the archives were shattered in the firestorm. Only a few books remain – those stamped onto metal sheets. But the conflagration was so hot that the pages of these books softened to be smooth, warped plates. The bindings on many of these still open, but the books contain nothing but pain and scream when opened.

This was always the plan for the archives. To collect all the data on the encroaching darkness and end times, and then destroy them in a magical fiery ritual that they hoped would prevent or at least slow the fall. The whole process was in vain, as all they managed to do was destroy records and liturgies and spawn even more darkness. The bodies of the archivists still wander the halls, ashen and burned, lifting up clouds of ash as they wander. This very ash is hostile to life – a drifting grey fog that seeks to fill the lungs of the living.

The 1200 dpi versions of the map were drawn at a scale of 300 pixels per square and are 7,200 x 10,800 pixels (24 x 36 squares). To use this with a VTT you would need to resize the squares to either 70 pixels (for 5′ squares) or 140 pixels (for the recommended 10′ squares that match the description) – so resizing it to either 1,680 x 2,520 or 3,360 x 5,040, respectively.

The Archives of Ash

The Archives were part of a desperate experiment as the world slipped into shadow. Seeing the end approaching, the despair and darkness creeping across the people of the land, a group of alchemists…

dysonlogos.blog

 

[Byrd]

View attachment 440156

The Archives of Ash

The Archives were part of a desperate experiment as the world slipped into shadow. Seeing the end approaching, the despair and darkness creeping across the people of the land, a group of alchemists and sages collected all the tomes, scrolls, and other records of the encroaching darkness in this guarded underground bunker.

The church caught wind of this archive (as the archivists expected) and declared the whole archive to be a nest of heresy most foul. They launched a few expeditions to destroy it, and several groups of fanatics also attempted to breach the vault. Finally, a holy army was assembled to destroy the archives, and they arrived to lay siege, only to find the archives already burning, the last defenders falling from the doorways, charred and burned.

Only the stone and metal furnishings remain along with the charred corpses of the archivists. Every page, every record, every document destroyed in the magical conflagration. Then, when the charred corpses of the archivists began to rise again, the holy army carried them back within and sealed the doors.

Within the archives everything is a charred and blackened husk. Even the stone and clay tablets collected in the archives were shattered in the firestorm. Only a few books remain – those stamped onto metal sheets. But the conflagration was so hot that the pages of these books softened to be smooth, warped plates. The bindings on many of these still open, but the books contain nothing but pain and scream when opened.

This was always the plan for the archives. To collect all the data on the encroaching darkness and end times, and then destroy them in a magical fiery ritual that they hoped would prevent or at least slow the fall. The whole process was in vain, as all they managed to do was destroy records and liturgies and spawn even more darkness. The bodies of the archivists still wander the halls, ashen and burned, lifting up clouds of ash as they wander. This very ash is hostile to life – a drifting grey fog that seeks to fill the lungs of the living.

The 1200 dpi versions of the map were drawn at a scale of 300 pixels per square and are 7,200 x 10,800 pixels (24 x 36 squares). To use this with a VTT you would need to resize the squares to either 70 pixels (for 5′ squares) or 140 pixels (for the recommended 10′ squares that match the description) – so resizing it to either 1,680 x 2,520 or 3,360 x 5,040, respectively.

The Archives of Ash

The Archives were part of a desperate experiment as the world slipped into shadow. Seeing the end approaching, the despair and darkness creeping across the people of the land, a group of alchemists…

dysonlogos.blog

That...is a LOT of hatching!
How long did that take?

 

[Dyson Logos]

That...is a LOT of hatching!
How long did that take?

I drew that map while on the road and my "on the road" kit isn't the fastest and starts to lag when drawing quickly - which is how I do my hatching. So unlike the vast majority of my maps, that one is using a scan of my hatching as a fill layer instead of me actually hatching it.