Overview - I'm a DM based in NYC, originally from West Virginia, running a homebrew campaign. I’m struggling to convey the feel of my mining town-inspired city of Portents. My players aren’t grasping the idea of a small, decaying city with remnants of a once-thriving mining industry. I’d like to commission a map that can help them visualize this better than a basic overhead layout.
Quality and Size - This would be a full color map with lots of shades of black, brown, and orange; think the shades of a
coal mine or
an abandoned factory.. Size isn't important as I'll be sharing the map via a discord link, and I have 0 interest in copyright.
Style - Since Portents sits in a valley, I’d prefer a more dynamic perspective than just a top-down view—unless you think top-down would work better. I’ve attached a rough sketch to give an idea of how I see the layout.
Time constraints - This is my adventure and I'll be running it for many years. 0 time restraints other than my eventual demise.
City Description - Portents lies in the Burnt Sands, once a hub of mining and manufacturing. The small town exploded into a city before quickly fading into ruin as the mines were exhausted. Now, what’s left is a broken city, where scavengers and the few remaining families try to survive among crumbling buildings.
Districts:
Homes (and other Discarded Things): The last few families live in houses missing roofs and walls, while the churches stand intact. They scrape by, selling what they can, though they often fall prey to Kat's Krew, a gang controlling the Forge.
The Forge: Perched on a hill, the Forge is only accessible by a railcar system. Its towers still shoot fire, but it now builds weapons for Kat’s Krew rather than luxury goods. The rail system connects it to the Homes, the Remnants, and the Strip Mine.
The Strip: This massive mine was dug to extract the last bit of iron, leaving an empty, dangerous pit. Now, deserters from the army have made it their home, turning to banditry in the face of abandonment.
The Remnants: Once a place of leisure, it’s now stripped bare. Some remnants of wealth remain in the golden streets, but the area is a battleground for scavengers, Kat’s Krew, and the deserters.
Elite Barracks: Overlooking the town, the barracks offer a vantage point of the valley. They’re a simple structure, more functional than grand, with a view of the town square and the Tower of the Dead.
Tower of the Dead: A dark, imposing structure where soldiers are laid to rest. Rumor has it that spirits from the tower have moved into the Nursery.
The Nursery: Once a greenhouse, the Nursery has mysteriously come back to life. But now, it’s haunted, and no one dares approach for fear of angry spirits.
I have included a (very bad) MS paint drawing of how I see the city. The purple represents paths too and from each district while the blue represents the minecart system needed to get in and out of The Forge.
Let me know if you have any other qualifying questions.
the town of portents.png
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DnD Ruined City Map - A Fantasy Holler
Originally Posted by ebaynetflix
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