*** Saturday and Sunday campaign spoilers ***
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*** Saturday and Sunday campaign spoilers *** ***
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*** Saturday and Sunday campaign spoilers ***
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*** Saturday and Sunday campaign spoilers ***
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*** Saturday and Sunday campaign spoilers ***
Level 1
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I still rather like the design of the first level, but decided that I needed a bit more "breathing room" while running the current crew of players in it, and began to expand it earlier this month. The original map was designed on 4 spi graph paper, and I began to worry that the players would soon exhaust its exploration potential, and that they may need a bit more breadth to pick-and-choose their level of challenge across the encounters among its inhabitants. Unlike my revisions to the second level, I preserved most of the first level as-is, and simply extended its expanse, primarily to the south and a little to the west too.
The original design for the first level spans ~660 feet (4 spi = 33 squares on each of 2 sheets @ 10' per square) by ~840 feet (4 spi = 42 squares on each of 2 sheets @ 10' per square), with a total area of ~554,400 square feet.
The new level is drawn on Black Blade Publishing 11x17 6 spi graph paper, which significantly increases its size to ~1320 feet (6 spi = 66 squares on each of 2 sheets @ 10' per square) by ~1020 feet (6 spi = 102 squares on 1 sheet @ 10' per square), with a total area of 1.34 million square feet. So it's more than twice the area of the original design, which should help with providing more exploration options for the players. I hope!
My old 11x17 scanner is still on the fritz, so these are pictures taken with my cell phone:
| grodog's Castle Greyhawk map - level 1 - revised and expanded |
As you can see, the original first level ends about 1/4 of the way into the bottom half of the new design.
Level 2
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The second level shows remnants of old changes---particularly around the entry location in the top center, and in its level name as "The Lair of Thelmon Onvalth"---as I wrestled with whether to step away from Castle Greyhawk and all its lore, canon, and known history. Hard to believe, eh? :D
| grodog's Castle Greyhawk map - level 2 - revised and expanded |
The second level maps were expanded, and significantly revised to create a tighter adventuring environ. Unlike the first level, while I did preserve aspects of the original second level design, I mostly took inspiration from the old level, cherry picked some specific elements I wanted to keep, and then began a wholesale revision.
The new design replaces and builds out further from my old 6-sheet map for level two (on 4 spi paper). The old level included 193 rooms and the level was 1300 feet across at its greatest length. The new 4-sheet level (with two added half-sheets, so I suppose it's really a 5-sheet level!) is built using Black Blade Publishing 11x17 6 spi graph paper. I haven't tried to count rooms or to fully measure the level yet, since it's not completely designed, but the sheets' width will accommodate a level 2040 feet wide, or so.
Good Enough To Play
Neither level's design is complete. The first level is prett close, probably about 85-90% or so, while the second level is more like 65-70% or so.
However, both are good enough to DM with as-is, along with the expanded keys (which I'll touch on in my next update). I'll plan the next design work in response to the players' explorations, since they may-well decide to delve into a sub-level, bypass the second level for a deeper one, jump outside the Castle to follow a treasure map, or whatever.
You just never know where they'll take the game, which helps to keep me on my toes! :D
Allan.
P.S.: Feel free to explore previous entries in my "Mega-Dungeon Mondays" series if you enjoyed this one.