Kobold Den Battle Map - Launch (Patreon)

Hello Adventurers! I wanted to make a dungeon map full of nooks and crannies that would work as a Kobold Den, and I think it turned out pretty well. The actual dungeon is rather simple in layout but there are lots of extra passages and rooms to explore. I wanted to allow for almost every room and passage to have an encounter that would make for a densely packed mini-dungeon. So there is the potential for traps at almost every step.

Next Maps

I’ve added in a wilderness map for the end of the month and decided on a river/waterfall. I love drawing water and I want to refine my techniques here.

• Waterfall
  A large river with a waterfall, lots of rocks and cascading water. Maybe a couple of little islands right at the edge.
• Dwarven Mine ( suggested by Scrowyrtha)
  I have completely missed creating a general Mine, so I’ll be making a Dwarven mine with cut rock walls, shafts, open caverns, mine machinery and a mine face or two.

Updated Map List

I also wanted to let you know I’ve updated the map list with all the download links for each map. The links will only work if you are logged in and are at the correct Tier on Patreon. But hopefully, this will make downloading your maps a little easier. And again, just to be super clear, these links only work for Patrons.

Map List - Now with download links (links will only work for patrons).

I want to thank you all for continuing to support me in making battle maps. I try my very hardest to create useful resources to help you tell your stories, and dang it’s cool and fun to be doing it :) So again, a very heartfelt thanks from me. Now let's go travel through this dungeon, looks easy enough, just some low-level mobs, no biggy ;)

Map Notes and Descriptions

This map is designed as a fun encounter with a Den of Kobolds. They really don’t like adventurers invading their home and have devised some nasty if rather crude traps to hinder their progress. You could place this in a larger dungeon, something the party happen upon accidentally while making their way to their true goal. Or you could task your party with removing the Kobold threat! They do not have to be Kobolds, it could be any number of other small clannish monsters, but I would recommend using Kobolds because they are awesome ;)

Entrance

The dungeon is dark and musty, mold grows on every surface. The stone passage is cracked and worn with age, in places the walls and ceilings have collapsed, leaving piles of rubble partially blocking the way.

• Boulder Trap - Entering at the bottom of the map, your main trap is the rolling boulder. Remember to mask off the sides of the passage. The boulder tunnel is high up and not easily reached. If your party realise it is a tunnel rather than just another collapsed section of the wall they can investigate. If they do, a boulder rolls down as they are making their way up. Can they outrun a boulder? As they enter the main room can they stop before going down the pit? The pit could lead to the Dung Pit.

The Main Room

The floor in this room is unstable and in places, gaping holes have swallowed the tiles. Rubble and smashed pieces of wood litter the floor. Opposite you is a doorway partially blocked by a makeshift barricade. To your left are two doorways and to your right is a doorway with a flight of steps leading downwards.

• Pit Traps! - The Kobolds have undermined the floor here, creating pit traps. I would argue that pit traps should be used sparingly. Make players aware this part of the dungeon's floor looks unstable. Hint they need to be careful here and make them roll accordingly. Once the danger is past, describe how the floor seems more solid. You don’t want your players to be investigating each tile they step on for the entire dungeon.
• Wack-a-Kobold - Kobolds could pop up from the holes and take pot shots at the party. If the party try to follow into the holes the kobolds collapse the tunnels.

The Old Crypt

The corner of the passage has collapsed making a dark tunnel leading down into the earth. On either side of the muddy walls, sharpened wooden spikes have been pushed into the soft dirt, making the way forward almost impassable.

• Poisoned Spikes - The spikes make the way down treacherous, every surface is covered in slime. One slip will have your party sliding down the passage and into the spikes. Poison covers the spikes, it will irritate the skin and any body part exposed to the poison will swell up. Not deadly, but amusing ;)

The passage opens out into a small cave with broken tiles littering the floor. Towards the back of the chamber are three caskets, their lids cracked in place, obviously ancient and partially buried.

• Undead Trap - The undead in this room are unable to leave because the way up is too slippery and full of spikes. The small passage to the right is too slick and small for them to climb through. Simple Skeletons or something more deadly would work well down here.
• Casket of Crawlies - The caskets have been filled with creepy crawlies. They are angry and also hungry for adventurers!

The Damp Way

As you make your way down the steps you reach an unlocked rusty iron gate. It protests as you push it open. Beyond is a passage to your left, and to your right is a collapsed wall with water running from it. It flows in a rivulet along the floor of the passage and off into the darkness beyond.

• Water Trap - If the party makes their way into the passage and past the gate, a Kobold will sneak up and lock the gate. Once some or all of the party are in the passage the Kobolds will break the dam and release the water. Strength rolls all around to see if they get swept down the passage and into the well at the end. A Dexterity check or save could also be used to see if they catch themselves before going down.

The Dung Pit

The smell is overpowering down here, you feel yourself begin to gag with every breath. The centre of this chamber is filled with refuse of every kind. Rotten food, broken pieces of wood and rusted metal, it also seems like someone has been using this as a latrine. The walls of the chamber are covered in glowing mushrooms, which give off just enough light to see how disgustingly filthy you are.

• Creature Trap - If someone falls down the well or the pit in the main room they will end up here. Describe a ‘Goonies style’ slide if you think your players will get the reference. The dung pit could be home to lots of things that creep and crawl. Giant slugs would be fun, leeches, millipedes or cockroaches. Make sure your players don’t have any specific phobias before you throw something icky at them ;) They can escape using rope and a grappling hook. If they don’t have either they could find them amongst the rubbish.

The Greased Way

The barricade is easily removed. Behind it is a long flight of steps leading downwards. The walls on both sides are half destroyed, the stones pushed out of place.

• Grease and Fire Traps - This could well be the deadliest trap in the dungeon, depending on how you run it. The Kobolds have made holes in the walls on either side of the passage, they can stick spikes through the holes to poke the party. The Kobolds also have a vat of grease they have been boiling just for this occasion. They will empty it down the passage once the players are on the steps. At which point the steps become extremely slick and treacherous. Sliding down the steps and into the spikes at the end could be painful. Add fire to this and things go from amusing to… well less amusing for your players, maybe more so for you.

The Kobold Den

As you round the corner you see a narrow passage between two tall rock walls. On either side are defensive structures, spikes are hammered into the walls making them harder to climb. At the top of the walls are rough barricades, behind them, you glimpse movement and hear whispered voices.

• The Kobolds Last Stand - The Kobolds will defend their home valiantly with everything they have, which to be fair isn’t that much. They will throw rocks and bricks down onto the party, and tip waste on them, including grease which could be set alight. The barricades will give them some cover from ranged attacks and climbing the walls to get to them will be harder due to the barricades and spikes.

Variants

Hidden traps and tunnels - To help hide the traps and tunnels from the players I have created a version with intact walls. I have also provided wall assets to drop over the base map. I would recommend using the wall assets for VTT play and remove them when/if the traps and tunnels are revealed.

No Kobolds - I have also created a version without the Kobold camp and traps, in case you wish to use the dungeon for other encounters.

I have also created a desert version of all the variants

And a frosty version for those far north campaigns