Large Dungeon Near College Town

[Adfor]

As I know only one DM personally, the collaborating thing is still just a pipe dream. No, I'm creating this for other DMs/GMs to use out in the world.

The cave ending up below the college is a great idea! Thanks! I will do that as another map that shows what is below ground on the College map itself.

Well shucks! I'm glad you like it.

I like the elevation work, but it's a little hard to tell what is supposed to be low and high terrain. I supposed you could make a legend, but I've always been a fan of easily legible elevations. Even something as simple as a numerical representation could really help distinguish what is high and low.

I'll see if I can dig up some old cave maps of mine to show you want I mean.

IR

Edit: Here's a decent example of some of my cave/ruin work. Keep in mind that this was a dungeon I ran for a group, so it still has all the monster placements and such, and still remains fairly unfinished.

Trivium Ruins, by Ian Ringler.jpg

[XCali]

Well shucks! I'm glad you like it.

I like the elevation work, but it's a little hard to tell what is supposed to be low and high terrain. I supposed you could make a legend, but I've always been a fan of easily legible elevations. Even something as simple as a numerical representation could really help distinguish what is high and low.

I'll see if I can dig up some old cave maps of mine to show you want I mean.

IR

Edit: Here's a decent example of some of my cave/ruin work. Keep in mind that this was a dungeon I ran for a group, so it still has all the monster placements and such, and still remains fairly unfinished.

Trivium Ruins, by Ian Ringler.jpg

I agree that a map is better if it illustrates clearly what it needs to. Though, I am intrigued that you find it hard to tell the difference. I am looking at the image from a distance and from close up and it is still entirely clear to me. (A note of Highlights and shadows, take for example a picture of a person's nose. The highlighted area of the nose is clearly protruding, whereas the shadows show a depression in the skin. Same basic thing exist the majority of the time where Highlights show something that is lifted and the shadows portray something that is going down or hidden.)

That said, I am looking at the area just to the left of the H of hope and there seem to be some confusion on what kind of height that southern part of the chamber is. I will look into it to making things like that a tad more clear.

[XCali]

Hi!

Today, I wanted to give the elevation a tad more clarity after thinking about the feedback. Also, I added a secret entrance leading somewhere to one of the chambers. Does this version of the bigger map more clearly define the higher areas to the low areas?

Cave_byOmri.jpeg

Question, the scene close to the bodies of water on the left where the colour of the rock is changing, what does it brings to mind? (Without me placing an idea in your head )

### Latest WIP ###
College_Dungeon_Elevation_v2.jpeg

[Adfor]

Hi!

Today, I wanted to give the elevation a tad more clarity after thinking about the feedback. Also, I added a secret entrance leading somewhere to one of the chambers. Does this version of the bigger map more clearly define the higher areas to the low areas?

Cave_byOmri.jpeg

Question, the scene close to the bodies of water on the left where the colour of the rock is changing, what does it brings to mind? (Without me placing an idea in your head )

### Latest WIP ###
College_Dungeon_Elevation_v2.jpeg

I suppose I've just never seen it used, myself. I'm fairly new to the wide world of cartography styles as a whole, and I have never used digital means to make a map, either. I can definitely tell now that you've said about it, and now that the colors are more starkly contrasted, I can really tell. Though the one you magnified looks more like a mound, than a pathway.

Regarding the rock, it makes me think of a pathway into further reaches of the cave, based on your shading.

[XCali]

I suppose I've just never seen it used, myself. I'm fairly new to the wide world of cartography styles as a whole, and I have never used digital means to make a map, either. I can definitely tell now that you've said about it, and now that the colors are more starkly contrasted, I can really tell. Though the one you magnified looks more like a mound, than a pathway.

Regarding the rock, it makes me think of a pathway into further reaches of the cave, based on your shading.

Yeah, cartography styles vary sooooo much across the board.

I do see what you mean, so I tried to make it more like a pathway in this one. It is hard without sacrificing the cave entrance. Let me know if you think it is better.
Cave_Less of a mound.jpeg

I was also thinking that the cave might lead to a deeper region, maybe even to the forgotten system that ends up under the College.

Another thing, I was pondering about, I want to try and to make the left bottom exit go to a place with a frost like curse there. Do, you think it would work, or do I need to rethink that idea?

Thanks again for taking the time to drop by here.

[Adfor]

I enjoy hashing back and forth about dungeon building, one of my favorite topics, so it's my pleasure!

I can definitely make out a pathway a bit better now, but overall I'm still not sold on the style. I think my main issue is that there isn't a sold differentiation between solid rock and cavern, just a bold black line, but that could be my personal preferences coming into play.

Leading to a deeper section would be my natural inclination. It could be fun to have it blocked in some fashion maybe, like some form of magic barrier, maybe tie that to the frost curse cavern in some way, forcing the players to embark down that direction to proceed deeper into the complex.

[XCali]

I enjoy hashing back and forth about dungeon building, one of my favorite topics, so it's my pleasure!

I can definitely make out a pathway a bit better now, but overall I'm still not sold on the style. I think my main issue is that there isn't a sold differentiation between solid rock and cavern, just a bold black line, but that could be my personal preferences coming into play.

Leading to a deeper section would be my natural inclination. It could be fun to have it blocked in some fashion maybe, like some form of magic barrier, maybe tie that to the frost curse cavern in some way, forcing the players to embark down that direction to proceed deeper into the complex.

I am a bit confused, what is it that you don't like about the style? Even Schley's maps often use a solid line to differentiate between floor and the rock that is around the playable areas. I would really like to hear why it doesn't work for you.

[Adfor]

Not that I don't like it, I just prefer a thicker style to separate cavern from solid stone.
Example.jpg
This is generally my approach, just as an example of what I mean by "thicker style".

[XCali]

Hi everyone.

Today, I wanted to go a bit of a different route with the rock.

### Latest WIP ###
College Dungeon -Different Rock_byOmri.jpeg


EDIT:
Pathway Battlemap_byOmri.jpeg

[Adfor]

Solid improvement! What did you decide with the frosty room?