Map Pack - Mind Flayer Lair [90 x 90] (Patreon)

[Cover art by 000Fesbra000]

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Joren woke with a start. His heart was racing, skin slick with sweat.

Joren sat up with a groan before closing his eyes and took a few deep breaths. His stomach hurt, twisting and writhing like he’d eaten something rancid. Bringing a hand to his forehead, he forced his eyes open and glanced about the stone cell in which he sat.

It was bathed in blue light, emanating from what appeared to be some type of fungal growth. He was seated on a long metal bed, suspended by thick chains, and the blankets smelled of mold and dampness. A slatted cell door opened into a dark, shadowy chamber illuminated by the same soft blue light. As he rose, waves of nausea overcame him and he had to sit back down.

A voice from another cell said, “Careful, lad. You’ll fall and crack your head open, try that again.”

Steadying himself, Joren squinted toward one of the adjoining cells. Inside was an older man with thick white hair, blue eyes and a scraggly white beard. He was dressed in the same ragged gray clothes as he, and leaning against a slat in the wall.

“W-where am I?”, Joren asked, as his head began to clear.

“Nowhere good, lad – that’s for sure.”, said the man, as he ran a hand roughly along his patchy beard. After a moment, he turned back to Joren and asked, “What’s the last thing you remember?”

Joren blinked a few times. His head was fuzzy. It was hard to focus his thoughts. Squinting, he forced his mind to focus on the task. “I was…I was walking in the woods, making my way home...I was near my village…” Joren turned his head slightly, and gave it a slight shake, “…there was something in the wood, something in the shadows…I heard voices…they were…t-they were…”

“…inside your head?”, the man offered.

Joren glanced up sharply, nodding mutely.

“Yes, what was it?”, Joren asked, his brow furrowed and eyes narrowed in a tight squint.

The man began to answer when the shadow of a tall figure fell across the bars of his cage. Out in the main chamber, something was gliding toward them with the soft rustle of silk.  It was nearly seven feet tall and moved with effortless grace. Wrapped in shadow, it neared Joren’s cell before coming to an unsettling halt just beyond his door. As the blue light slid over its features, Joren reeled in shock as a horrific visage was revealed; a mouth of writhing tentacles, a tiny circle of sharp teeth and two huge eyes like inky pools of darkness.

Joren slid back against the wall instinctively.

The creature held out a spindly-fingered hand and opened it. Inside, resting upon its palm was a milky white worm the size of a large grub.

“Eat.”

Joren understood the phrase, but didn’t hear the words spoken aloud. Giving a slight shake of his head, he closed his mouth and shrunk further into his cell.

“Eat.”, the distant voice came again, this time more insistent.

Joren felt his body tense suddenly, as something slipped over his body like a firm hand. It was like that tight, involuntary constricting when nausea comes, but it swam across his entire body. He felt himself rise from the bed. Felt his legs carry him toward the cell door and watched in shock as his hand stretched outward to take the worm from the slender, outstretched hand.

As he brought the worm toward his mouth, he tensed for just a moment and resisted. Blinding pain shot through his mind like shards of invisible glass, assaulting his senses and nearly dropping him to his feet. It was the most intense pain he’d ever felt. But not only pain, something else.

Dispproval. Disappointment.

He felt his hand move, despite his wishes, and place the wriggling worm in his mouth. Felt his mouth swallow it whole. Once it was gone, the feeling immediately disappeared and he fell to his knees, coughing and gasping for breath.

“It’s better if you don’t fight it. Better if you just do what they want.”, the older man said, watching him from his cell. A hint of anger and resignation tinged his voice as he stared out of the bars of his cell into the darkness.

“You’re just going to do it anyway.”

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This Map Pack includes a map of a Mind Flayer Lair [45 x 45], which I modeled after the nervous system of an Octopus (image attached to post). I wanted to resulting map to feel very alien and organic, with many of the rooms and architecture having the look/feel of living organs and the color scheme to reinforce something shadowy, dark and cold.

You will also notice a white fibrous material along many of the walls, sometimes lit with white pulses of light. This was my attempt to represent a material that the Illithid could touch and instantly communicate to the Elder Brain (or which each other), sort of like a telepathic PA system. The strands could be cut, frozen or otherwise slowed, but they would slowly begin to repair themselves.

Tier 3 Patrons will also receive a Legended Map alternate version.

Tier Rewards will be released soon, and I'm excited to hear about any adventures you may have with your party! =)

Best,

Jeff @ Morvold