Not only is this trap designed to harm the victims physically, it will also teach an unfortunate tomb robber the true meaning of loss and despair. How the trap works The three trapdoors opens when (and only when) pressure is applied to all three simultaneously. This means that the trap will trigger only when there … Continue reading “Dungeon Crawl – a creepy crawly dungeon trap”
Do not fall into the pit, and if you do: do not pull the lever. When the three-hundred metric tonne dormant golem “LORD SLABATHOR” comes crashing down he’s not getting up again. There is little that could save you from spending eternity in this dark tomb. This is a one-time trap, and you need to … Continue reading “Dungeon pit trap – Entombed”
Yet another unfair and deadly dungeon trap to make your players hate you. The “Leap of Faith” trap consists of two pits with spiked floors. The first one is easily spotted and likewise easy to jump over unless you are encumbered or wearing heavy armor. The other pit, however, is more sinister as it is … Continue reading “Dungeon pit trap – “a Leap of Faith””
Traps should be unfair, deadly and combined. The poor sods triggering the boulder trap (by opening the doors) will get a chance to dive into the alcoves for cover. Too bad for them the alcoves are really pit traps. Depending on your playstyle, you can either let players roll suitable saving throws (such as reflex … Continue reading “Boulder Dash – rolling boulder dungeon trap”
In the mood for a classic dungeon crawl but don’t have a map? Please feel free to use this old-school style top-down dungeon map to get started. Fill it whatever monsters, treasure and traps you like and throw your players in there! I call it the Malign Marathon but that’s just a working title – … Continue reading “Free dungeon map – the Malign Marathon”
The sturdily built and fortress-like Angel’s Spit inn and alehouse is located on the edge of the borderlands. It is the last homely house before the vast and wild frozen tundra and is frequented by trappers, adventurers, couriers and outdoorsmen. While the name of the inn might sound peculiar, even off-putting, it was originally meant … Continue reading “Angel’s spit inn and alehouse”
A potential client asked me if I could draw an isometric hex map, and I realized I don’t know! I’ve drawn plenty of isometric maps, and plenty of hex maps – but never a map with isometric hexagons. So naturally I had to try it out While it started out as an experiment, I decided … Continue reading “Isometric hex map – the ruins at Boulderwood Crags”
Sometimes when I post my dungeon maps online I get angry comments pointing out design elements that “doesn’t make sense” because they don’t serve a practical purpose. Such elements can be anything from a simple alcove to a corridor dead-end or more fantastic features such as a bottomless pit or a unpractical trap. The people … Continue reading “Dungeon design tips: the balance between flair and function”
My name is Niklas Wistedt, and I’m an amateur fantasy artist from Sweden. My aim is to create maps and illustrations with a strong sense of storytelling. I wish to tell tales about magical worlds and invoke a sense of wonder and wanderlust. Drawing is one of my biggest hobbies, and I try to spend … Continue reading “About me – who is Paths Peculiar?”
Some dreams are real and dangerous, as mankind’s imagination can breathe life into beings and places most sinister. This is what happened when Miranda van Sonner dreamt about the Rickety Man in the Sandstone quarter. Miranda is no more, but her unfortunate creations are very much still in existence, and poses terrible danger. When and … Continue reading “Miranda’s terrible dream – isometric dungeon map”
