Category: Castles and Forts

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The Fortress City of Finbarr’s Marsh – Ground Level

As long as that took to draw, I can’t believe it didn’t take longer.  And Finbarr’s Marsh isn’t even half finished.  Still to go, we have: upper levels, which most buildings will have, as well as basements, sewers, three crypts, the walls, towers and gatehouses.

I don’t like plugging my Patreon, but I figure this is a good time to say that, if you like what I’m doing and you want to help keep a pen in my hand for as many hours a week as possible, please consider supporting me.

There is a Patrons’ Edition version of this map with over 150 buildings and rooms marked.

Also, here’s a version of the map without annotations.

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The Elven Citadel of Oakenhold

 

This one took some time.  Whew.  The annotated version is below.  Since the image is big enough as it is, I decided to write the DM notes here:

  • Let’s get this one out of the way first:  You’re not burning it down.  Well, not without a lot of effort, anyway.  The tree is 40 feet in diameter at the base of the trunk (that’s 125 feet in circumference).  That’s a hard log to burn.  And getting there to start the fire means getting shot at by a whole lot of archers.  Levels 2, 3, 6 and 7 are all lined with arrow slits.  And from 100-200 feet up, they have the range advantage for sure.  You have a mage who knows fireball?  Check the range.  He’s a pincushion long before he gets that close.  Brought a catapult?  Ballistas?  Level 5 has three ballistas with bows almost 20 feet across.  They are there specifically to disable war machines.  Is burning Oakenhold impossible?  No.  But the elves who built it did take that into consideration when designing its defenses.
  • Oakenhold is not designed to be a seat of power, from which a king rules.  Rather, it is meant to serve as a military stronghold for defending the land around it.  This is why there is relatively little in the way of luxury or space devoted to the nobility.
  • If you want to make it a seat of power, I would recommend changing the archery range at 24 (see annotated version below) into a throne room/audience chamber and devoting most or all of the 8th level to the nobles.  Change out the rooms for a bath, a dining room, a sitting room, a study or two, maybe a vault.  You get the idea.
  • So, what do you do with a ten-level elven tree fortress?  I’ve got a few suggestions:
    • Attack it
    • Defend it
    • Infiltrate it
    • Steal something from it
    • Sabotage it
    • Kill someone in it
    • Escape from it
    • Help the elves take it back from the people who took it from them (possibly involving one of the above).

Also, I started a Patreon today, if you’re interested in giving me some support so I can spend more time making stuff like this.  If not, its no problem at all.  Just wanted to mention it.

Finally, here’s the annotated version:

 

Edit: And here’s a version that’s easier to print: Page 1, Page 2