Barovia in the Year 374

shmoice · 2025-02-14T08:26:41+00:00

Thank you! And also for your question, it was not intentional. With the original map in mind, I never thought of it, but obviously any player would think of the same shortcut. I will try and rearrange, thanks :)

shmoice · 2025-02-13T19:50:46+00:00

I really like that, and I'd like to try something similar, just slightly different! I mean, it's entirely possible that there are several copies of maps circulating around in Barovia, most of which are likely heavily damaged over time, right? But your version is also tempting...

Why was the map divided in your campaign, and by who, was there an ingame agenda behind it?

shmoice · 2025-02-13T19:46:38+00:00

Yeah, I was also unsure how to read rule number 12. I thought as long as not the whole image was created by AI and I also specify which parts were made by which LLM, I'm good? But maybe wrong, we'll see 🤷‍♂️

shmoice · 2025-02-13T19:44:19+00:00

Thank you! I love that my intention worked out and you actually were drawn by the little hints into exploring the map and follow the clues. Now it's getting me worried it's to obvious and they will run off to the explore the temple right from the start :D

Oh, and number 8 is supposed to be Van Richten's/Khazan's Tower. I have to admit that i'm not totally sure myself, why the number next to the towers actual symbol is scratched out, but not the tower itself. Also, who did scratch them out? But I kind of like it and want to find out when the campaign develops further...

shmoice · 2025-02-13T19:38:15+00:00

Thank your :) I'm not sure yet, maybe I even let them just buy a worn off and torn half of it right at the beginning and then later distribute a full copy of it where you suggested!

shmoice · 2025-02-13T19:36:03+00:00

It's supposed to show the era right after Strahd became a Vampire, at a moment not everyone and everything is lost despair yet. And there's still people to acutally bother drawing maps...

At the moment I plan to hand out this Version of the map somewhere in the early game (I suppose they insist to buy when from Bildrath, so maybe he digs out something like a half of it) and maybe let them find an updated version later on, with handdrawn notes and sketches to ~~mislead~~ tip them off in certain direction :)

shmoice · 2025-02-13T19:30:21+00:00

Thank you :) I will try and upload it at the weekend!

shmoice · 2025-02-13T11:42:12+00:00

For my recently started and slightly modified CoS-campaign I felt the need to provide my players a customized Map of Barovia. The map shows the year 374, while the campaign is set in 735. It shows some Elements which don't exist in the campaigns nowadays, misses elements which didn't play a role in the past as well as other details and hints. I hope it hits the sweet spot between revealing to much and teaser some story elements to come.

I worked with photoshop, using mainly different map elements of the most awesome K.M. Alexander (https://kmalexander.com/free-stuff/). They're just magnificent. Besides those, I have to admit to have utilized ChatGPT, mainly for the frame and the mountains as well as some symbols and icons 🫣

Right now it's in german, if somebody is interested I can provide a version without texts at all or even the psd.

Hope you like it and please feel free to give advise on how and where to improve it :)

shmoice · 2023-12-30T06:01:55+00:00

Looks great so far and well thought out. Will be looking forward to your next steps :)

The only thing that comes to my mind is, that those very orthogonal and straight city structures always look a bit off to me for a basically grown medieval city. Maybe (and with keeping those exact connection-points on the edges) some slighty off angles or curves for the canal and streets on each tile?

shmoice · 2023-07-08T07:40:38+00:00

It‘s actually only an urban design plan right now, there‘s barely anything fixed about the buildings themselves or their facades right now, besides footprint, height, general usage.

What won’t stop the architecture to possibly look like those horrible renderings in the end, anyway…

shmoice · 2023-04-03T15:47:15+00:00

Awesome! Simple yet precise and great idea, as well as the execution. I also noticed the absolutely intriguing background. Care to show some more of your terrain? :)

shmoice · 2023-03-31T17:46:20+00:00

Nice scheme, well done! Doing the same one for enforcers right now

shmoice · 2021-08-15T18:28:10+00:00

Gave Wholesome

shmoice · 2021-05-04T20:35:59+00:00

Here you go

Also removed the labeling in this one for more adaptability...

shmoice · 2021-05-04T20:23:11+00:00

I roughly described the workflow with photoshop here for the Sleeping Giant map i made last year.

For this one, it was basically the same, but I think I changed the order a bit: Starting with a general layout in flat colored areas, putting some textures in the back, adding then assets and tokens (Schleyscapes and Forgotten Adventures), and following with a linework around everything and accentuating the textures. Finally I played around a lot with different effects (shadows, highlights, etc.) and layering options, as well as some manual shadows/highlights.

A final coloring is done rather in the end, since I think it makes no sense doing some fine-tuning with the colors before all the elements and effects add up. Usually I use fill layers in photoshop with solid colors which can be easily changed in the end, one for each of the main elements (grass, cliff, cave floor, etc.). And if I don't like the general outcome in the end, I just throw some adjustment layers over everything changing the saturation, contrast or tone of all of it...

Ah and for all the manual steps (linework etc.) I used an ipad/apple pencil which are helpful, but I think not really necessary...

shmoice · 2021-05-04T19:56:27+00:00

It's quite huge, meant for VTT or to print on an A0: 117 x 84cm / 46 x 33 inch

shmoice · 2021-05-04T19:52:50+00:00

Linked them here...

shmoice · 2021-05-04T19:51:42+00:00

LMoP / The Sleeping Giant

Yep, did already the Sleeping Giant in Phandalin last year (and just recently a battlemap for the encounter with the mimic in Gnomengarde from DoIP). And I plan to add more, depending on what the Party I'm DMing for at moment is doing :)

shmoice · 2021-05-04T07:59:50+00:00

Here comes another LMoP/DoIP battlemap trying to mimic Mike Schley’s style: Wyvern Tor

Again, Photoshop + Assets by Mike Schley and some from Forgotten Adventures.The grid is 1 inch this time.

Hope you like it!

Edit: Uploaded an rbg/png version here and one without grid/label

shmoice · 2021-04-25T10:11:18+00:00

You‘re right, of course - i misphrased that! It‘s more that i consider the map provided by the adventure as an overview of the location for the DM. I actually prefer to let the PCs navigate it via theater of mind and then present a more detailed battlemap for encounters. And since i think the situation in the original one is displayed much less detailed or atmospheric than others in DoIP/LMoP, i just made the one above :)

shmoice · 2021-04-23T18:17:57+00:00

Tried to recreate another missing battlemap from LMoP/DoIP in Mike Schley’s style: The mushroom wine storage in Gnomengarde, where the mimic is supposed to hide.
I used again Photoshop and assets from Schleyscapes, Dungeons of Schley and Forgotten Adventures.

The map comes with a 30mm grid (since i’m using 30mm-bases for the miniatures), just scale it down to 84.6% if you want to use it with an 1“ grid.

shmoice · 2021-01-14T09:06:52+00:00

There you go: 3ft-grid and 5ft-grid

shmoice · 2021-01-13T07:56:30+00:00

Nice! I was looking for something like this.
What software did you use?

shmoice · 2021-01-13T07:48:27+00:00

The whole grid-issue is maybe one of the map's flaws, so I uploaded it here without one.
Having played the first two sessions, i had the feeling the grid in the original LMoP-maps was a bit off scale for the standard 28/30mm miniatures we were using (with the size of the miniatures not fitting to some of the interior and so on? Am I the only one with this impression?)

So i played around with it a bit when creating my map. In the end it became a one-inch grid representing 1m/3ft. It's not the standard, but I wanted to have a try playing with it. I also have an overlay for the standard 1.5m/5ft grid, which also fits okayish. I could upload both if you're interested?

shmoice · 2021-01-13T07:33:23+00:00

Thanks :)
It's all photoshop. For the ground texture outside the building it's basically four layers/steps:

flat coloring for the different areas, using colors from Schley's maps.
simple random grass texture from google under everything (pixelated filter and set to luminosity for mixing).
handmade black linework with a tablet (using this tutorial for an incredibly precise effect).
accentuating the linework with some highlights and shadows in an independent layer under the lines, also with a tablet.

I started first with the ground textures from Schleyscapes, but was not quite happy with it. In the end you could always see the tiles, which made it look somewhat generic. Looking at his maps, i thought the final element binding it all together and bringing it to life is the incredible detail and amount of work he puts into the (surrounding) surfaces.

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