Strang Beorn Dev Log 03

A Trio of Maps

We wanted to have maps in Strang Beorn to help the GM and players visualise the stronghold. But the random, ever-changing nature of the dungeon makes them difficult to design. We saw this as the perfect opportunity to do something a little different and play around with unreliable information — at the GM’s discretion, of course. 

We eventually settled on a couple different styles:

The first is an overview of the whole stronghold. It’s drawn as an in-world item, something the players might find, but the keyed sections have been scribbled on top by a nervous thief.

The way is shut.

We follow on from this with the internal map. The thief who acquired the map of Strang Beorn has gathered rumours and hearsay to sketch a speculative blueprint of inside the castle. These are much rougher, more hurried drawings — and a lot vaguer. The thief isn’t certain of the layout, but these images are his best guess. 

A thief's sketch

This helps hammer home the random nature of playing within the castle. GMs can use these maps as-drawn, so the players have an idea of what’s around each corner. The rooms can be filled however you like; use the d12 ‘thief notes’ table, only use the main ‘story’ rooms, or go wild and put a horde of goats in one of them. It’s really up to you. 

You can also use the internal maps as an in-game item, like the main map. Allow the players to think they know the way through the castle, but when they actually enter it’s clear the thief was wrong and the layout doesn’t match their map at all. Or wait ‘til they’re fleeing the Berserker, and when they turn a corner looking for escape, they’re met with a dead end. Spooky right?

The final map in the game is of the area surrounding Strang Beorn. There’s some subtle information in there about local clans and landmarks that you can use to continue your adventure after your players leave Strang Beorn. You could couple this with the treasure hoard generator and pick a spot on the map for your players to travel to, through forests and over mountains.

Will has done an amazing job on the art for these maps and I think we’ve been successful in balancing immersion and useful information while keeping it a little vague so GMs can play around with them. I can't wait to show them off in all their glory.

If anyone has any requests for what I should write about next time please get in touch!