OLD SCHOOL MAPPING IN THE ONLINE AGE

Been thinking about mapping a lot as I began a G+ campaign using an old school module where the task of mapping is a lot of the challenge & though at first I felt some responsibility in aiding the players in finding an "online" mapping solution, I finally had to step away... Mapping should be the players' responsibility, not the DM's.

As the players started getting dazed & confused in the dungeon & mapping became of ultimate importance (we've been walkin past this same freakin doorway for three hours now, wait, is that the same door? is that the iron spike i left?), it became clear: if one provides instant mapping for players (reveal-as-you-move mapping, etc.), a key element of the game is being nixed. All of those old school dungeon tricks to confuse the mapper(s)? Out the window. You're now holding your players' hands through the dungeon.

You may be using reveal mapping if you do not consider this bit from Mike Carr to be sage advice:

"...allow them to draw their maps from your descriptions as they wish - but make certain that your verbal descriptions of the areas they explore are accurate... avoid the considerable temptation to correct their maps once they have drawn them. It will not be uncommon for players to show you their map (especially if they're confused) & ask you, 'Is this right?' In most such instances, you should avoid correcting any mistakes there, unless it would be obvious through the eyes of the adventuring characters. Encourage good mapping skills & an attention to detail rather than falling into the rut of continual player map questions."

P.S. We do use Twiddla, though not for actual mapping (was initially a disaster for the players). We use it for situations like battles, deeper explanations of a room, etc.

MOOR'S END

NICODEMUS CASTLE: RINGO'S TALE

Me & Dunwoody were passin through the Black Forest as part of a caravan led by a tangly, black-haired sot goes by the name, Migellito. He put up a tent, but prolly woulda looked more at home in a tree, me & Dunwoody got to wanderin & fell in w/ another dwarf named Farley, two fighters walked from back talking bout a nearby town called Bridgewater, maybe go to the tavern for some cups…  we saw some smoke risin up over there & walked toward it in the road when we come up on an old fellow luggin round a batch of kindlins on his back, asks us where we headed, tells us not to keep on this main road, a band of orcs been trashin this place called Bridgewater, we ask him some other questions but the fellow don’t seem right, he guides us to a hidden door to get into the town unnoticed, I’d tell ya where that is, but I’d hate to be leadin ya to trapped, so we didn’t feel right bout it, turned round, decided to head up where Migellito said some ruins of a castle were he said it was Nicodemus Castle, the old man said he’d never heard of no Nicodemus…

It didn’t take us too long to get up there, Dunwoody helped me take some load off so I could keep up & the fighter Taurus started movin around all stealthy, talkin bout scouty orcs, sayin we needed to get in these ruins quicklike, I spotted where some breakage in the walls may let us in northeastside, I tied Dunwoody up to some branches & we all upped over rubble & into the wall, I could hear Taurus sniffin & he started talkin bout smoke & orcs, we could see to the west what may be the main tower up a slopey bit & Taurus was talking bout probly a good place to start or get down underground but then we decided to near some stairs east that were closer to where we'd entered the rub, I worked the stairs, slow eyeing where they meet lookin round for anything tricky seemed okay & Farley was up behind me checkin it out as well we got up to where we could see down another corridor where it got darker & led to a dark doorhole… me & Farley moved through the hole & crept inside, Taurus & Leo, the paladin, who kept tellin Taurus on the way here orcs were no deal cause he’d slayed 100 of’m in one sittin before, me & Farley's eyes adjustin see it’s a pretty big room, a courtyard or somethin, stuff wasted & broken all about, Taurus & Leo come in, Leo now talkin about his collection of light stones… I get to creepin round the west wall & not too far from the doorhole I notice another door not too far way, an old, wooden door, it opens up w/ no problem, I listen for a bit & then move into wherever it goes wanderin if maybe this’ll lead down somewhere, but then somethin furry hits my helm & I jump back & there’s a spider wigglin hissy beside me, I hop to the side of the door & Leo is on the spider before I know it, I pull my flail, Leo slashes the thing & then I pound it w/ my flail, it retreats up into the sky by some rubble & wood where we look up & see its webs up there, Taurus inches in, pullin on his bow, readies up & darts the spider down, pop onto the ground; Taurus throws a lit torch up at the webs but it just comes back down again & Leo throws down a light stone we notice some tinkling over in the corner of the closety room, looks to be silver & copper all sprayed about, we get to pickin some up & I started goin through some refuse over in a corner & come up w/ a small, empty, ivory box, I put it in my backpack, help gather the rest of the coins, then as there’s a thin stair @ the back of the closet, going up, against the wall, I decide to climb up there, get my head up over a rotten, wooden flet & see where rub has caved in all above it but not onto it, there’s a dark space between the rub & flet but I cant see nothing in there & I inch back down look to see maybe what Farley's seen in the rest of the room which isn’t much, but as we all wander further we see a stair leadin up in the northeast corner & move that way, gettin up there to find lots of broken marble about, Taurus is goin round w/ his torch collectin a few sizable chunks that may be of value & I spot him one that's an intact, small statue & after snoopin a bit more we see there’s a west corridor on the west wall, we peak into it & see two doors to our left & right & then down the corridor bout thirty foot there some double doors, Leo busts into the door on the southwall of the corridor & we funnel in, there aint much there, bunch a trash, not even worth goin through it doesn’t seem but then there’s somethin about the west wall of this room that looks fishy to me, perhaps somethin on the other side may lead to that room behind the double doors, I start talking bout lookin for a secret door, passageways i got a thing for secret constructions & Leo gets miffy & starts arguin about how he doesn’t wanna take no time, he just wants to bust down doors & no need to have a secret door to a place he can just bust into but when he gets back out in the hall he realizes those double doors don’t lead to the south but the east & he’s all turned around while I’m back in hall now thinkin I woulda been done creepin the wall by the time he stopped goin on about it anyway so Leo steps up & pounds in the door across the hall now, on the northwall of the corridor & we funnel in where there’s a fireplace back on the northwall, we all split to search different stuffs & Farley nearby has the same thing happen when he examines a cask as I have touchin some cabinet, collapse & crumble & then Leo now back there @ the fireplace w/ Taurus, throwin one a them light stones in there & stickin his head in the flue & next thing he knows he’s got a giant tick problem comin down that shoot onto him he’s shakin around, Taurus swings his torch @ it, but it doesn’t light fire, but like I always heard, you put that fire on it, it at least keeps that head in retreat from stickin in ya, so Farley runs over there, I'm movin that way so lightin another torch to maybe by time I get over there delay that head from gettin in there but Taurus sayin he already tried w/ the fire…  they’re all scramblin & I watch as the tick finally gets splattered all over Leo’s shiny, plate mail who knows what kinda blood that thing had last sucked on & so we all go back to lookin around & find some various things under the collapsed cabinets I pull out a large, iron spoon & slip into my pack…  talk turns to getting back to the caravan before everyone's sleep & so we rest for a few moments, bag up turn back out we came, takin us a bit, & it’s pitch black out there now, I light a torch up too & when I get near Dunwoody I can hear him makin that noise he makes when he knows it’s me, we get back to the caravan where a gypsy lady likes that ivory box enough to fork 50 gold for it, though I only got three silver for the spoon, it was better than nothing we split it all up which came to bout 14 gold, 9 silver & 17 copper each. Found a nice little niche to ride out the night, pulled out my drum & Dunwoody got to hawin until someone started yellin, perhaps I’ll run into these blokes another time…

- Ringo the Dwarf

NICHOLAS OF THE SWAMP

NICHOLAS OF THE SWAMP

Lawful Elf~ Master Thief, Level 12

AC: 6/13; MV: 8/20; HD: 10+1; HP: 33; #AT: 1*; Treasure: H (w/o maps & magic)

A plump drover w/ a quiverin' belly & a snow-white beard; a negative burglar (thiefy abilities but lawful). Wears a musk-rat suit, dirty w/ ashes & soot. Guides a skiff w/ a long pole stick, pulled by eight alligators. Particularly fond of sherry & strawberry jelly. His treasure is never in coinage, but items inside 1d6 large sacks are worth that value. Nicholas always has 1d10 sleep scrolls tucked away & @ the ready, though 10% may be either invisibility or haste.

*will always attempt to avoid combat, but if unable, uses heavy bag of gifts as weapon. Gators will fight to the death to protect Nicholas. 

~see The Night Before Christmas:  “He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf”

Inspired by Cajun Night Before Christmas by "Trosclair".  Illustration by James Rice.

FURTHERMOOR ADVENTURE EXPRESS (FAE)

Our Coach is a late invention of the Jesuits, being, to speak bluntly, a Conveyance, wherein the inside is quite noticeably larger than the outside, though the fact cannot be appreciated until one is inside. For your Benefit, DePugh, the Mathematickal and Philosophickal Principles upon which the Design depends are known to most Students of the appropriate Arts, - so that I hesitate to burden the Company with information easily obtain'd elsewhere. That my Authorial Authority be made more secure, however, it may be reveal'd without danger that at the basis of the Design lies a logarithmic idea of the three dimensions of Space, realiz'd in an intricate Connexion of precise Analytickal curves, some bearing loads, others merely decorative, still others serving as Cam-Surfaces guiding the motions of other Parts...  Bound through the nocturnal fields, the land asleep, the sky pressing close, losing at an ever-unadjourned game of All-Fours, dyspeptic from the fare at the last inn, restlessly now and then scanning the dark outside for any Light, however distant, I was bounced out of a disgruntled reverie by the Machine's abrupt slowing and eventual halt, out in the middle of a Night already grown heavy with imminent snow. Waiting at the Roadside were two Women, who prov'd to be mother and daughter, dresses flowing as homespun was never suppos'd to, and Faces that were to drive me, later that night, unable to sleep, beneath the Beam of my writing-lanthorn, to diaristic excess... As the pair of Creatures boarded the Machine, I mutely ask'd, - not "pray'd," for all my Prayers in those Days must be Questions, - Are these now come for me, to be my own guides across the borderlands and into Madness? - Mason & Dixon, pgs. 354-355, Thomas Pynchon

Faced w/ the question of how my not-quite-one-off-session-players get from adventure to adventure*, I got to thinking about the above passage from Pynchon's Mason & Dixon. In the novel, by his telling, the Reverend Wicks Cherrycoke appears to travel in a TARDISesque "conveyance". This got me to thinking about the FURTHERMOOR ADVENTURE EXPRESS (FAE).

There are FAE Stations throughout Furthermoor. Some towns/cities embrace the concept, whereas others do not, for various reasons, & any station (if one does indeed exist), may be hard to find. In other words, if you board the FAE in Talbot, & end up in Debthaven, you may want to take extensive notes as to where it is you do "end up", b/c when you walk ten paces & turn around, things may appear quite differently.

The FAE infrastructure is maintained by various factions in different areas. The station in Talbot is maintained by the White Widows, a female sect of the Church of the White Widow. Most of these women are most beautiful & all have lost lovers to adventures in FAE land. There is a good chance that any adventurer will become infatuated w/ one or more of the Widows & gift a percentage of any booty to woo them on return. The Widows, however, are forever cold. They will never emotionally respond to any adventurers' doting & will donate any material possessions gifted them to the Church of the White Widow.

*Currently, my players are all involved in an ongoing weekly campaign game through G+; however, for those weeks when everyone can't make it, different characters are used & it's a separate deal altogether. Currently, the 2nd game is playing B5. But after B5, using the FAE, I may aim these sessions more as true "one-offs" & begin developing other locales throughout Furthermoor w/ nearby adventures, depending on my free time, as well as opening it up to random G+ players live.

HORROR ON THE HILL - SESSION 2

With the distraught, yet determined Neanderthal @ the lead, waving them on, the party continues SW until they start descending, & as they do, to the west, a pond of water can be seen through the trees. They continue on path & come to a crossroads, the Neanderthal waves them westward & after a bit they see a path that cuts north, but they keep on westward...

They eventually step into a clearing where sits a white-washed cottage w/ bright green shutters. Gravel walkways connect the cottage to each passage out of the clearing & pleasant gardens of flowers surround the home. White curtains hang over each window. The Neanderthal quickly moves to the SW passage & urges them on, the party however, intrigued by the house, waits around in the opening, contemplating what may be inside, perhaps it is the witch's house? Two ladies scramble out of the front door & happily invite the party in for some tea & cake. The party declines, the Neanderthal still grunting @ them from the SW, they exchange pleasantries w/ the ladies & move on...

Entering the SW trail, the party travels for a bit before it gets dark & Guido turns on his lantern. About 30 mins later, 7:30 PM, the party sees 4 Giant Bats swooping down from the west... Before they know it the Bats are on them & battle ensues. It's a nasty one. The weakened Neanderthal gets killed & Howel takes substantial damage. Otherwise, they kill the Bats. Devedos who had dropped the dead Neanderthal he was carrying before the bats, moves both of the bodies off trail, & Gilleegan, along w/ Guido, finds a spot for them to camp for the night... Gilleegan grills Howel, who is hurting, what spell he has available...  "Protection from Evil," says Howel, "If tonight you find it necessary, just let me know," he falls asleep. Devedos decides he will stay on watch all night. The night passes uneventfully & they wake & ready themselves for the day. Given his state, Howel decides to wander off & commune w/ Kushdar for a while, replacing his mind w/ a Cure Light Wounds spell, casting it upon himself in the wilderness & replacing 2 of his HP. He returns to the party, feeling a bit better, ready to move on...

Curious as to exactly where the Neanderthal has been leading them, the party keeps on down the W trail, eventually coming to a 240’ drop that proves to be the end of the hill. They look down on the trees below.  They do not notice anything out of the ordinary. Around them, to the N & S, the elevation drops more gradually than the dead drop to the W. The party decides to head back to the cottage in the clearing.

They attempt to be sneaky about entering the clearing, but within minutes, the two ladies are out the door & greeting them once more. This time the party is more receptive & agree to enter the cottage & visit w/ the women. Their names are Rosabella & Rosalinda. They are sisters, & each is a plump, gray-haired old lady exuding vitality & a rather pleasant manner. Rosalinda has a rolling pin poking from the strings of her apron & Rosabella is empty-handed. The party is cordial to the ladies & take them up on their offer, Gilleegan being particularly “nice”. The party is led into the cottage where they notice the inside to be quite a bit larger than would be expected, about 40’ square. Two hallways lead off the first room & the ladies lead to party down the N hallway, past a sweeping stairway, into a large parlor where they partake of tea & spice cake. Many fine paintings, gold & silver ornaments, & bejeweled knick-knacks are displayed throughout the home. As the party gobbles up their refreshments, the ladies gab about their garden, the weather, & the woods around the Hill. As the party joins in the conversation, the ladies offer to divulge information about the Hill, but say this information cannot be given freely. As the party seems interested in what they may learn, the ladies say that for 100 gp they will tell the party all about the monsters that lurk atop the Hill. Devedos is particularly disgusted by this high price. Gilleegan on the other hand decides to haggle w/ them. Finally, Gilleegan hands over 50 gp from the ogre bag for the information. Pleased, counting the gold, the ladies take turns informing the party of what they can expect to find about the hill: a hobgoblin camp is to the E, beside a pond, the ogres’ cave is to the W, a cave of steam weevils is also to the W, the neanderthals’ cave is to the NW & also, a graveyard w/ ghouls is further to the NW. Devedos seems a bit irritated by this information, feeling that it wasn’t worth the price. The meeting remains civil, however. Gilleegan asks if they know anything else of interest, as Guido & Howel munch another slice of cake. Rosalinda cracks a smile, “I do, but it will not be free.” “How much?” asks Gilleegan. “For 150 more gold I will tell you where you will find the ruined monastery.” Devedos is once again disgusted. “150 gold? Are you kidding me?!” Gilleegan calms him down & tries to haggle again, but ultimately, the ladies will not divulge any more info for any less than 75 gp. The party politely declines the offer, & says farewell. Though disappointed to see Gilleegan hoist the ogre bag back w/ his belongings, the ladies lead the party back to the door where they wave goodbye.

It is 11:30 AM.

SESSION 6 - CRACKENMORE

Magus is now back to the land of the moving & in that time also the party notices some mechanism on the north wall, w/ a lever.  After examining the lever, giddy & daring w/ his new, shiny shield, Djarel decides to pull it w/o any real discussion w/ the others.  A few seconds later they hear a massive crashing on the other side of the door.  They decide to leave the room & check it out.  Magus tries the door but fails.  Amadi steps up, twirls & gives the door a well-placed kick, opening it up...  They file into the E-W corridor, noticing a portcullis that is now to their direct east, blocking the dead end.  Also, they notice someone running their way from the W, a human, & behind the human, turning the corner, three Orcs.  Leif bolts to the northside of the corridor & whistles off an arrow @ one of the orcs, hitting it in the jugular, dropping it...  The other orcs approach after the thief nearing the others, swinging their clubs, one misses while the other strikes Gnolan in the ribs; then Magus, bumbling through like a tail back, plants his battle axe through the skull of one.  The last orc is now between them all, overwhelmed.  Having now composed himself from his flight, Telal the Thief (who the orcs had been chasing), circles around & jabs his dagger through the last orc's midsection.  The orc falls.  The party rests & Talel tells them of his previous party's demise, in some other twisted part of the dungeon.  They were lost & ambushed by orcs.  Telal was the only one to survive.  He thanks the party & joins them.

Viewing their map, they weigh their options.  They decide to head back to the secret door Leif located previously.  Leif opens the secret door & they find a relatively empty room save a 2" pile of rubble in the NW corner, chalky, white rubble, compared to the black, smooth obsidian walls.  The party spends some time searching the rubble & end up finding, @ the very bottom, a golden ring.  They put it in a bag w/ their other finds.

They exit the room & S, coming to an E-W passage.  They go W, then S, then E, S, W, until they come upon another S passage & a door on the north wall. Amadi steps up, circling, kicking; but his attempt fails; next thing Magus is barreling forward, crashing into the door, budging it open...   They enter the door & find the room quite familiar: an outcropping of cyrstalline rock shining from the NW corner.  The door shuts behind them & suddenly, Leif notices the water he had put on the floor previously appears, though not quite as much of it.  The party rolls out of the room, & once more disoriented, finds themselves in a N-S passage.  They go N, cut W, S, E, S, W, then S...  They go for a good while S, then cut E & S, coming to a door, they decide to skip the door & continue W where they pass another door, go S, then E, ultimately coming to a dead end & a door on the north wall of the corridor.  Amadi spins & kicks the door open.  The party moves into a 20' x 20' room w/ a stack of large, wood logs in the NE corner, a hole in the floor to the SE & a door in the NW wall.  Also of note is a large, iron ring protruding from the south wall, near the 3" wide hole.  After searching over the pile of wood & finding nothing, Amadi hangs his lantern down the hole a bit, but from what he can see it is just dark space, then, suddenly his lantern burns out.  Telal lights a torch & they decide to send Magus down the hole.  Using a 50' rope, they lower Magus down & after 40' he hits bottom, seeing that he is in a small room of a rough cavern w/ an opening to his NE.  One-by-one, the remainder of the party safely make their descent, leaving the rope hanging, tied to the iron ring in the wall above.  They travel NE out of the room, then S, then SW, slow through the cave, much more rugged & rocky than the corridors above.  They turn E & come to a junction where to the north they can see the cave open into an ante-chamber, & there is a glowing object on the north wall...  As they near, entering the room, they see that the glow is coming from a large, chunk of rock which appears to be mica.  It radiates magic strongly.  Suddenly, standing in the shadows just out of the glow of the radiating stone, the party notices two Gnomes standing there.  They appear to be just as surprised to suddenly find the party standing in the room.  Magus greets them in gnomish, "Howdy there, fellas."

9:30 PM