White Dragons Lair - Complete Variant Set (Patreon)

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This is the complete set of variants for this weeks maps. It includes Day, Night, Blizzard, Frozen Party, & Clean variants.

Background

The Great White Dragon Zhixal has resided in this icy cavern for many decades. What was once a lush green mountainside has fallen under permanent winter. In his youth Zhixal was a proud Dragon, but over time has become more and more paranoid and vicious. He is prone to outbursts of rage at the slightest annoyance that cover the cavern and surrounding area in blinding sleet and blizzards for days and have even been known to trigger avalanches.

A group of minions live in the cavern system with Zhixal. These creatures were once delighted to serve such a mighty master, but as he has changed, they have come to hate him and only continue their service out of fear and the knowledge he would kill them all if they stop being useful.

Out of sight of the dragon they have been slowly digging ice tunnels around his sleeping quarters, stealing parts of his hoard from within the ice. But this is not their true plan. They know that somewhere in the caves there is a single dragon egg. They wish to find the egg, hatch it and raise a new white dragon that would serve them and take Zhixal’s place.

Grid Information

GRID SIZE – 44x34 (300DPI)
VTT SIZE – 6160x4760 (140DPI)
RECOMMENDED PRINT SIZE – A0/ANSI E

Design Notes

White Dragons Lair 01 Frozen Stream

• 01 – Frozen Lake – The cave opens out on to a large frozen lake. The only way to access is by walking across the brittle icy surface.
• 02 – Rock Fall – This passage is usually used by the dragons’ minions to bring fresh kills to his ‘dining table’ but one of his recent tantrums caused the passage to collapse.
• 03 – Frozen Stream – Once a beautiful river flowed from within the cave and fed the lake beyond. Since Zhixal made the mountain his home the river, lake, and entire region beyond has been covered in snow and ice.
• 04 – Side Caves – A small reprieve from the slippery frozen floors of the tunnel.
• 05 – Lower Cavern – The tunnel opens out into an enormous cavern, over 150ft high. Ice crystals are growing from the ground and sprouting from the walls and ceiling above
• 06 – Frozen Waterfall - The frozen remains of a waterfall blanket the southern wall. Over time the ice has been covered in a layer of hard packed snow from Zhixal’s outbursts making it possibly to climb if one was foolhardy enough. A fall from the top would do serious harm and may also send you straight through the ice to the frozen waters below. (Leads up to 11)
• 07 – Dining Hall – Despite all evidence to the contrary, Zhixal believes himself to a civilised dragon and will only eat at his ‘dining table’. An enormous rock slab upon which live food is sometimes chained down on.
• 08 – Minions Lair – Zhixal’s minions do his bidding purely out of fear, but they have a deep hatred for the beast. This small cavern offers them some reprieve from his anger as he is too large to enter.
• 09 – Ice Tunnel – Out of sight of Zhixal, his minions have dug an ice tunnel that leads to a hidden area behind his sleeping quarters above.
• 10 – Ice Shaft – Metal rods have been embedded in the ice wall allowing a treacherous climb all the way up to the rest of the ice tunnels around the upper chamber (Leads up to 16)

White Dragons Lair 02 Ice Chamber

• 11 – Opening – The large opening in the floor allows Zhixal to easily fly in and out of his chambers.
• 12 – Zhixal’s Chambers – This large area is Zhixal’s private chamber. The greater part of his hoard is buried in the icy wall on the western side. Occasionally a foolish group of adventurers will attempt to enter the cavern and slay Zhixal or steal from his hoard. His preferred method of dealing with them is to freeze them in place and leave them as a warning to others, until his rage takes over and he tears them apart.
• 13 – Zhixal’s Mound - The dragon sleeps on top of a frozen pile of gold.
• 14 – Dragon Egg – Zhixal has a single white dragon egg that he keeps close and hidden. He is torn by its existence though. A child would continue his legacy, but also could threaten his position.
• 15 – Ice Wall – Zhixal’s treasure is buried in a thick wall of ice.
• 16 – Ice Shaft – Metal rods have been embedded in the ice wall allowing a treacherous climb all the way up to the ice tunnels (Leads down to 10)
• 17 – Ice Tunnels – These tunnels have been carefully melted and carved out by Zhixal’s minions while searching for the Dragon egg. They have to be incredibly careful to not alert the dragon to their plans. So far they are obscured from the main chambers by the thick ice wall, but if they continue to dig they may find themselves exactly where they don’t want to be.

Watch me make this map!

You can watch the 'Speed Draw' time lapse of how I made these maps over on my YouTube channel, where I release weekly videos on how I make my Battlemaps. This weeks Speed Draw video can be found HERE