Unfortunately, it appears as if they were correct. The architect designed the keep with a flaw, designing the arrow slits incorrectly. As the keep neared completion the young bride grew ill and died suddenly. Distraught, the lord ended up engaging in a foolhardy battle and was soon slain.
Today, locals proclaim the keep haunted by the lord while the bride haunts the shrine, never to meet and lost in despair and remorse for a love lost and lives wasted.
Black and White version.
A faded color/black and white version, creates a strong contrast for the walls.
If you enjoy these maps, swing over to my Patreon page to download the full resolution. While you are there, feel free to toss me a few quarters of support. https://www.patreon.com/msjackson
I like that it's built directly into the hill, as much a guardhouse as keep. But what I really like is that passage in the lower right-hand corner, bleeding off-page. What deeper denizens might also be interested in the shrine? Or, with the keep originally designed to keep ugliness out of the hill, perhaps now it need be used to keep the ugliness within?
ReplyDeleteGood question. Does it guard the cavern from the outside world...or vice versa? ;-)
DeleteWhy not both? With the PCs stuck in the keep in between, hiding behind ruined walls and cockeyed arrowslits?
ReplyDeleteTrue. Maybe they are trapped between two evils they cannot defeat and are forced to choose.
DeleteBy the way, you (and later Dyson) were my inspiration for drawing and posting maps of my own (hellahexi.wordpress.com, or the link in my name). For that, thank you.
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