The Inn of the Laughing Giant

[Turgenev]

I'm working on an old school adventure/source book that I plan on self-publishing. It is based on a town located in the valley of a mountain pass. This town is a merchant hub as traders pass through the mountain pass. One of the town's busy spots is the Inn of the Smiling Giant. I won't be adding a legend and room numbers until I finalize the write-up.

laughing_giant_inn1-1.jpg laughing_giant_inn2-1.jpg

The inn owner's grandfather was an adventurer who killed a hill giant and had him stuffed and magically preserved. The "smiling giant" is on display in the main common room (the star symbol). The ceiling of this room is very high to accommodate the size of the stuffed giant. The smell from the privy (ground level left hand corner) is kept under control via a minor magical item (also found by the owner's adventuring grandfather).

I have many more maps to draw and info to write before this project is finished but I thought I would share the maps of the inn.

[Ascension]

Dude, that's cool. I love the hay, never thought of doing it like that, sweet.

[Turgenev]

The straw was created with the Grass 1 option from the Custom Shape Tool (Photoshop 7). Isn't it amazing how the little things can add the right amount of atmosphere to a map. I also plan on adding some more details to the caverns but I need to work out my general plan for the area.

This is just one building out of many. I plan on detailing a few more for the project I'm working on (at least two temples, a general store, a Dwarven Mining Company outpost, and the thieves guild). Then there will be the town map and then the regional map. I started the regional map (with hand drawn mountain peaks and hills so far) but I decided to start small and then work out from there. That way I'll know the shape of the specific buildings before I go to map the town.

This is a big project and doing the maps is the easiest part. Getting the writing done - that's a different matter.

[Steel General]

Cool stuff here Turgenev!

[torstan]

That's a really clean map. It's great.

[Turgenev]

Thanks guys. My other work took me away from mapping for a bit so it is good to be back at it. I'll be doing a detailed legend once I finish all of the maps. Off hand, the symbols that might not be obvious at first glance is a shelf at the wall behind the bar and in the room to the left of the bar. In the room with the barrels are some sacks. In the cellar there is a room with snowflake symbols. That is the cold room for perishables (the low temperature is aided with the help of magic).

[Sigurd]

Good Job!

Looks like the Harn maps - very old school.


S

[zenram]

Here are a lot of people who like old school maps, you are gonna have lots of fans.

[Turgenev]

Thanks Sigurd. The Harn maps have always been one of my major influences (especially the town/city maps).

Zenram, I have a feeling that I'm known around here and other parts of the web as the 'Old School Map Guy.'

[zenram]

Then it's "You have a lot of old-school fans". XD