Animal Den Battle Map - Launch (Patreon)

Hello Adventurers! Here is our next map release, a more general themed map I think most of you will find useful in your campaigns. It's an Animal Den or Monster Cave, or a simple place to shelter for the night. I do enjoy creating these maps, they are almost meditative in how they are created, although I do curse myself a little when it comes down to drawing the grass, as the technique is rather laborious.

Next Maps

I'll be working on the City Docks next, with the Lighthouse Isle coming later in the month.

• City Docks
  I want to create another City themed map and was thinking about creating a grungy City Dock. It would have a waterfront with some stalls, a proper pier and a few smaller jetties for every size of boat and ship.
• Lighthouse Isle
  I’ve heard stories of disappearing lighthouse keepers and thought it would be cool to create a small rocky island with a lighthouse. It will have a small outer area surrounded by the ocean, with a few levels of a lighthouse interior. Should make for a fun one-shot or ocean travel location.
• Crime Lord’s Alligator Pit
  I’m still trying to think this one through. I’m imagining some kind of underground location or maybe a kind of hideout. Basically, it's the place for a crime boss to get rid of inconvenient people, bodies and the like.

As I say with every release, your kind support allows me to make these maps and the notes that come with them. I can’t thank you enough, but that doesn’t mean I’ll not continue to do so ;) I hope your week is going well and as always happy adventuring! Now let's shelter in this completely empty cave, ignore the musky animal smell and gnawed bones on the floor.

Find the download links to this release here: Map List 

Map Descriptions

The Clearing

The path slowly opens out into a small muddy clearing, the soft dirt making it easy to pick out multiple animal tracks. There is a sheer rocky cliff on the opposite side of the clearing, a dark cave entrance splits its base. A small stream trickles out of the cave’s mouth and along the edge of the clearing.

The Cave Entrance

The entrance is narrow, the rubble and dirt covered in lichen and glistening slime. A shallow stream runs along the cave floor and out of its mouth. Sounds echo off the cave walls, making even the lightest gust of wind howl through the dark interior.

The Cave Interior

As you make your way deeper into the cave it opens out into a larger chamber. To your left is a small pool of cold water which appears to be the source of the stream. Leaves and pieces of wood litter the floor of the chamber, along with many bones of different shapes and sizes.

Notes and Tips

• 30x45 Grid Map
• Cut the map in half and use the entrance as a way into a different location, or use the cave without the forest exterior to use in other locations.
• The clearing could be used as a place to camp at night, only once the players have set up camp and lit a fire do they notice the cave entrance (maybe they have a bad passive perception?).
• Have a two-stage encounter, with the party fighting creatures outside the cave, the final encounter being inside.
• Local farm animals have been going missing. It's obviously a monster(s) of some type. The players are hired to hunt it down, and this is its lair:
  • It could be a simple pack of wolves or a lone wolf. Remember to use the rocks for height and cover. Wolves could jump on top of the rocks and then jump onto the party from above, going for their throats!
  • Combine two groups of monsters! I like the idea of finding a heavily armoured Bulette in the cave, if that wasn’t bad enough a nest of Stirges roost in the cave, the armoured Bulette being immune to their bite.
• A group of bandits are hiding out in the area, their tracks lead to this location. Unfortunately for the bandits, they picked a cave previously occupied by an Owlbear. Have the party track the bandits to the cave, if they are good enough at tracking have them notice the other tracks stalking them. Do the party encounter the Bandits before the Owlbear attacks, during or after?
• Werewolf larder! Every full moon a werewolf uses the cave as its hideout and a place to store its victims. Villagers have gone missing and it's a race against time to find them before they are eaten.

Variants

Day/Night versions for all variant maps

A Winter version for those of you running a mountainous or northern setting

And a desert version for those of you... well running is dryer climates

And a Shadowfell or Nine Hells Devil's Cave map