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Buried Artifact Battle Map - Launch
🕑 Added 2025-01-31 20:38:34 +0000 UTCHello Adventurers! I’ve been digging in the sands to reveal this new map, a set of ruins with some weird magical properties. I don’t think you can have enough strange ruins in your map collection, so welcome to the Buried Artifact :) This could work quite well as a staged fight, with each obelisk creating different effects. I’ve left some suggestions in the map notes.
Next Maps
I’ll be working on the Crumbling Stair next, with the Teetering Shrine coming later in the month.
Crumbling Stair
I want to create a sequence of stairs leading into a hole or ‘abyss’. A way for you to introduce an underground area to your party with a few unique obstacles as they descend. One may be a break in the stairs, a gate that needs to be opened or climbed over… I’ll think of maybe three versions for the base, with a few different themes for the variants.Teetering Shrine
I recently watched a video on buildings falling into the sea due to erosion. It gave me an idea for a map with a ruin falling into the ocean, balanced on the edge of a cliff. I think a small temple or shrine would be cool.
Thanks as always for your support. If you have any ideas for new maps, let me know. I love getting ideas from all of you wonderful, creative people!
Now, grab your shovels and start digging! We'll be fine if we dig up the artifact before sunset. Allowing it to activate would be bad… so maybe put your backs into it!
Downloads
The files, thumbnails, and tags can be accessed on the Map List Page. You must be logged in to Patreon and signed up to the correct tier to access them. Remember, you are only charged for map releases; you can download all the old maps at no extra cost!
Map Description
In the distance, you notice several sandstone obelisks, their tips piercing the cloudless sky while the rolling dunes obscure their bases. A rough path, defined by stones and only partially covered by drifting sand, weaves towards them.
Cresting the final dune, you see a diamond-shaped area paved with slabs of stone, surrounded by collapsed brick walls and an entrance flanked by stone pillars. Obelisks sit at three of its four corners, with weathered steps leading up to each one. At the centre is a much taller obelisk. All four are intricately carved with geometric shapes and symbols. Attached to the obelisks are bronze panels and spheres of different sizes, their metallic surfaces gleaming in the desert sun.
Notes and Tips
30x30 Grid Map
This ruin could have recently been uncovered, buried in the sands for aeons.
The symbols on the obelisks could be ancient mystical writing, warnings or instructions.
The sand around or under the ruin is unstable. When a party member steps on a specific part of the stone pavings, they begin to collapse. It's likely something horrible will appear from the hole. However, this could also lead to a tomb or further underground encounter.
The metal spheres could spark with energy or charge energy that will arc to a player with either damage or some strange magical effect.
Obelisk Effects: Low Gravity - Jumping distance is tripled. Mist - Vision distance limited to 10 feet. Mind Swap - Twitch control of player characters. Static - Getting too close to the spheres or each other has a chance to shock players, monsters or both. Teleport Zap - Lightning shoots from the spheres, hitting random players or mobs and teleporting them around the arena.
A Dangerous Shelter: This could be the best or only place to shelter in a sand storm, its walls the only protection from the winds. But other creatures could be sheltering here as well.
Gems are the Key: At the base of the main obelisk is a sealed door with three diamond-shaped indents. Each of the other obelisks has a gem of a similar size attached to its face, pointing towards the centre. Removing each gem triggers some kind of combat encounter. Engrave each gem with a pictogram of progressively more horrible monsters. I think you can work out the rest ;)
The Binding Spell: A secret message will reveal itself only at a certain time of day or night. This could be instructions to renew the binding spell holding some evil entity at bay. Have one party member stand at each obelisk and read the text as it appears, with the added distraction of some monsters trying to stop them.
Variants
You get Day/Night variants of each map biome.
Every dark forest needs a weird buzzing ruined artifact!
Or how about a jungle with an ancient machine that shoots lightning?
Or a frozen wasteland with a ruin that generates an Aurora Borealis effect?
And a couple of variants without the spheres/globes for a more generic ruin. 
Comments
Afternoon Maps
Thanks Alex! OK, so many good ideas here. I will think about how to do at least a couple of these. I like the idea of teleporting your party to the moon for an epic fight :D
Afternoon Maps
Thanks for the suggestions Evan, I like the Chest board idea and more interiors would be useful. I'll have to think of areas. Maybe servant's quarters would fit in nicely with the Lord's Quarters.
Evan TM
Great map! Would love to see more of the castle interior pieces to match the exterior castle courtyard you did. In line with the fantastical, more Fey stuff is always appreciated. A giant chess board? As always, my favourite maps are the ones which have an area or two separated by something, with another possible entry point. These ones really shine for one-shots!
Alex
Great maps. Your artstyle is fantastic as always. For some ideas, there has not been a delve into the fantastical for a while. Maybe some fire/lava, space/desolation, elemental or extreme hazardous locations. A map going into the 'domains' of magic. Somewhere in the dying corpse of a deity to harness/stabilize/interact with the source of magic. It's a deity though so it isn't a fleshy thing, but a place of insanity or wonder. A crystal forest, reflective surfaces, hidden deadly pitfalls, illusions. A desolate moonscape. A corrupted/infested village to be cleansed. Asian/eastern inspired villages. There are a few bamboo forested/shrines/temples you have done already.
