Micro Map Monday - 2-17-2014

The Hidden Tower ( #micromapmonday #spirosblaak https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/100219562385457429873 )

In Holsfrin's Digs - several hundred feet from a barrier, past several short side tunnels,  the miner-made tunnel intersects with a natural hollow in the volcanic rock. The far wall of the chamber is the white and red stone of a tower swallowed by the mud, rock and lava of a  great eruption. A narrow window marks the center of the wall. The miners widened the opening with picks so that they could climb into the building and explore.

Tower "Ground" Level - The first level encountered of the building is roughly circular and about fifty feet in diameter. Stairs in the center ascend and descend. Possibly a lounge or library, the chamber has four pillars and two partitions. Eight windows mark the walls, some filled with flows of solid stone pouring onto the floor, while others look out onto more solidified lava.

Micro Map Monday - 2-3-2014

Freedom ( #micromapmonday #spirosblaak  https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/100219562385457429873) - 

Many prisoners have tried to escape the cells and chain gangs of Kraephos. Few have succeeded and most of those have fallen prey to the animals and monsters of the island. Over the years, a number have managed to find a narrow ravine leading to some ancient ruins buried during the great eruption. A small stream carved the ravine down through the stone of the island, unearthing the entombed village.

Three decades or so, one prisoner, only known as the "Old Man" or the "Old Man of the Island," found the ravine and settled there. In years since, if an escapee makes it that far, the Old Man appears to guide he or she to this encampment, marked by the word Freedom painted on one exposed wall.

Kickstarter Log Update - featuring The Gathering

Received my softcover copy of The Gathering (see below) and hence updated The Kickstarter Log

Micro Map Monday - 1-20-2014

For #micromapmonday   (https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/100219562385457429873) - The Lair of the Werebats - part 6: (Detail of one of their hidden rest stops.) Alchemists of the Werebat colony have learned to turn guano into potent explosives. Their traders carefully traverse the woods, skirting patrols, to trade with the Kav Duchy of Kirvos. To assist in their lengthy journey, rangers have found natural caves along their route and enlarged them to shelter their caravans from prying eyes. Featuring two levels, the lower for the carts and beasts of burden, and the upper for the drovers and scouts. #SpirosBlaak

Micro Map Monday - 1-6-2014

In the Micro Maps community (https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/100219562385457429873) I've contributed regularly to #micromapmonday - but I haven't posted the drawings to my blog (and whatever its audience is). So here's the first of potentially regular postings of my contributions.

For #micromapmonday - The Lair of the Werebats - part 5: (Detail of one of the concealed entrances.) Inside the summit of Smoke Lake Mountain are a number of natural and handmade entrances to the Underearth beneath. Most are concealed from direct view by vegetation or cunning rearrangement of the surrounding rock. Near one is a small raised area of rock bearing what appears to be a single dead tree trunk. That trunk has been magicked so that when a particular branch is blown, like a flute, an ultrasonic alarm sounds across the lake and into the forests beyond, summoning the Werebats to defend their lair.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone - updated the Kickstart Log

As someone once said, "Nothing going on, might as well go home ... " :)
Did however update the Kickstarter Log
and I would be remiss in not mentioning Christine Stiles' new fund-raising effort - Talented Adventurers of SpirosBlaak - wherein contributers will receive (and perhaps even contribute) fully developed NPCs (levels 1 to 20) for the campaign world of - SpirosBlaak - via the Talented Class guides from - Rogue Genius Games

HMES Rocinante - a flying castle of sorts

Below is my submission for Kobold Press' "Flying Castle" cartography contest. I went through a couple different concepts such as a druid's flying grove of trees and a space flier of crystal trees before going with a steam-punk/Dark Energy == Magic/ether-astral traveling Windmill. The building was Sir Peter Sorensen's laBORatory (with ye old emphasis) where he experimented with Dark Energy through arcane magic items. He lined the windmill's vanes with precious and magical papers and metals to collect the "mana." The energy was channeled into his lab below. One day there was a mystical storm and *boom* Sorensen found him, his staff and the entire windmill ripped from Earth into the spaces beyond. The circle of dirt about the lab was larger, holding two cars and other gear. As it began to break apart, items were tethered to the base of the windmill. Later they cannibalized the cars to create two propellers to propel the HMES (Her Majesty's Ether Ship) Rocinante through the magical spaces they discovered.