The Under Abbey: Catacombs

[morganPotPie]

underAbbey.jpg

Created in: Photoshop

Here is a quick dungeon I threw together for a DnD campaign i'm running. Very Basic and almost featureless. I've been trying to find a good way to implement stairs...and this is my first attempt! Any feedback or suggestions are appreciated (on anything) for future references as i'm calling this map finished.

Thanks for viewing!

-Morgan

[Mornagest]

Hi,

As D&D DM, I would ask : what is the purpose of the mid-southern corridors ?

Good look, anyway. This is clear ; maybe a bit too much ? You could add some settings such as statues, stoups, fountains... things you could find in catacombs. But that depends on their state : used, abandoned, something else ?

[morganPotPie]

Hey!

Thanks for replying!

This is a long abandoned Abbey, though people near town notice undead starting to rapidly come from there

For the mid-southern corridors i was going for a 'tunnel" part of catacombs. I was going to fill it with the undead who haven't made their way out yet. The backwall has 3 secret passages(i didn't put them in because usually i just throw most the map on screen so everyone can see, and giving them the passages would be too easy!) I figured if the players were to go down, fight through, and find it it would be a reward to "surprise" the enemies i have set up in the lower rooms(and not have to walk through the trap filled long side corridors.)

when you say a bit too much, do you mean the "tunnels" being too much, might cause some annoyance amongst players?

Thank you for your thoughts! I really appreciate it, especially from a D&D DM!
Your ideas with the fountain and stoups are exactly what i need!
Thanks again!

-Morgan

[Bogie]

There are 2 common ways to do stairs, the way you did, with a stair element, or a stair shadow overlay which turns the floor texture into stairs. Both work, just depends on the look you are going for.

couple examples:
StairsRock94_CG_bg.pngstair_rough_shadow.png

[Mornagest]

Hi,

No, I don't think the catacombs may be too wide ; they seem to be short enough to be interresting without getting boring (that may happen when a dungeon becomes too long to explore, in my opinion). I was saying that because of the lack of settings. By figuring them on the map, players will be more able to imagine the display of a room or a corridor, I think.

If the catacombs are abandoned for a long time, the setting elements could be easy to imagine : damaged statues, empty fountains (or maybe full of some rotten liquid because of the undead creatures ?), some rubbish on the ground, and so on... this can greatly arouse imagination in players, and that is important when roleplaying.

[morganPotPie]

This is great! you have many good ideas, you must be a good DM!

you're totally right about the lack of fixtures and what should go in.
you've made me want to work on this more, and i say thank ya!

imagination is key in dnd and throwing these little things in will help a lot!

Thanks again for your thoughts! you've really helped me along with this map and those to come

[Mornagest]

You're welcome glad to help !

[arsheesh]

The bottom left-hand corner of the map is a bit dark, but that aside it look nice. Good job.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh