MAP: Speaking Chamber
Image: A pair of layered black & white ink maps, the bottom of which is of a square chamber featuring a fallen pillar and debris on one side, the upper level level shows stairs leading to a corridor connecting balconies suspended above the chamber below, one balcony has crumbled causing the debris, the other untouched.
At the center of the monastery is this proud chamber, once akin to a lecture hall somebody would take center stage to deliver wisdom and advice to the others who had taken up residence here... but that was a long time ago, and this place of learning has crumbled into ruin. More than that, for some strange purpose an unusual crystal has been placed in the center, and appears to be guarded by some manner of golem - In a cavity in its chest floats a jewel made of the same crystal. As its head turns towards you, the crystal glows brighter until a beam of electricity cascades towards your party.
Greetings adventurers! Welcome to my first multi-tiered map! Whether you're fighting a single large opponent like the golem above, or a party of pirates here to investigate the crystal (or both at the same time as I had in my game), this cramped space has some great opportunities to make clever use of the surroundings to outmaneuver your opponents or for the DM to outmaneuver the party.
This map was part of a dungeon delve my party recently took into an uncovered monastery, that was in the process of being raided by pirates and being defended by automatons and golems. This particular chamber had the party fighting on the lower floor while assailants fired crossbows from above.
If you would like to see the full building mapped out like this then please do let me know! If there’s enough demand I may also write up the adventure to go along with it. Both map levels are 11x11 inches for easy scaling and lining up on VTTs and can be downloaded here - Inside the zip, you’ll find three maps; one lower level, and two upper levels. One version of the upper level shows a blurred background of the lower floor, whilst the other has a transparent middle in case you would like to layer the maps separately (or even use the balcony for a different chamber entirely!).
[Image: A black and white inked map featuring a square room with a north and south entrance, the south door is blocked by a large pile of debris with one of the 4 large stone columns inset into the room having also fallen. The center, just inside the four columns, has shallow stairs leading down to a giant central crystal. There are stairs just outside the chamber by the north entrance.]
[Image: A black and white inked map featuring stairs on the north side leading up to a corridor that runs vertically, with doors for two balconies - one on the north end of a square chamber, the other on the south. The north balcony features two tiers of simple wooden seating and a large plant pot where the plant has long since died. The second balcony is similar except much of it has collapsed. The middle shows the floor below, though slightly washed out and blurred.]
[Image: A black and white inked map featuring stairs on the north side leading up to a corridor that runs vertically, with doors for two balconies - one on the north end of a square chamber, the other on the south. The north balcony features two tiers of simple wooden seating and a large plant pot where the plant has long since died. The second balcony is similar except much of it has collapsed.]
