Thread: Craefort - barbarian hill-fort/village

OK, I haven't fixed the bridge shadow or the orange rope yet, but on to the next map.

This is a druid's circle on a slight hill - nothing fancy, just needed a place for the Crae's to worship. I've insribed the central stone with Runes surrounding a Pictish symbol for the old gods.

The runes say, "Caillech Bheur the mother of the World" - as in the Pict belief, the Caillech Bheur or Winter Hag is the first goddess from the time of the first Ice Age, when only giants and ogres walked the earth, before the rise of man.

GP

PS: next I'm creating a Barrow of the Chiefs - a burial mound, maybe a place for Wights to visit those who visit them...

Both good maps there GP. I think the rocks at the chasm look suitably hard and pointy

OK, SG and Korash, I made the fixes. Surprisingly I figured out how to change the color or the rope and keep the ropey look.

The shadows were a bit problematic. Since these shadows are an afterthought. I used a 3D app to try to recreate the chasm is it should look in 3D, but I couldn't quite match the terrain. I placed a plank bridge, put the sun to the southwest and let it cast a shadow.

Then I cut the shadow out, sliced it moved it around, applied some transparency and ended up where I am.

I'm not completely happy, but it will work for now. Is it an improvement?

GP

PS: on looking at the Druid's Circle, I'm think too boring. Yes, I've tried to keep the barbarian structures somewhat historically accurate, but after the Ogre's Den, I want to create something more elaborate for the worship area. I'm thinking barrow hill with semi-circle of stones outside, entrance under barrow to burial culdesacs and internal pagan altar. That sounds more fun to me anyway!

PPS: which is giving me ideas for my game as well. I was going to have the Donal clan having stolen the Crae Sword of Chiefs, and the party has to retrieve, it, but now I'm placing the sword in the Donal's Barrow Altar in the hands of the Donal that thought the sword should have been his. So party will have to steal from the dead, and cause a wight to rise up in revenge - bwa ha ha ha...

The Donal Clan lies north and west of the lands of Crae, and led the last Pictish Defense against the Invasions of the Winter Hag and her host (frost giants, ogres mounted on mammoths, the meaner beasts - wooly rhino, dire wolves, sabre tooth cats, and her champion a winter werewolf, said to be a fallen Donal.) They're are one of the most powerful great clans among the Pictish peoples. The Crae clan is greatly respected by other clans as well.

67 years ago, Chief Angus of the Donals fell in love with a lovely lass from the clan Epper in the south. She spurned him to run into arms of Bran the son of the Crae chief. The Donals ambushed the two and slaughtered them. The Donal's druid betrayed them as their act was sacriledge to the druidic way.

This began a feud which has no end, though at times there seems an uneasy peace. Recent activities have involved the death of the current Donal's eldest son in an initiation rite of the Craes. This will bring a resurgence of hostilities in the immediate future.

42 years ago the Donals made a lightening raid on the Craes while they were defending their northern border from ogre incursions. The chief of the Donals stole the ancestral blade of clan Crae. It is said to be kept in the Donal Barrow in the arms of the chief who stole it. He who takes the blade from the dead, can expect a chief's revenge. But to touch any other treasure in that hall of the dead, would mean doom with all the Chiefs rising. Can the heroes return the Sword of the Craes with their souls intact?

Donal Barrow - this one is 36" x 48" at 100 ppi, no grid, 1.94 MB JPG.

GP

Stunning work, Gamerprinter. Especially considering the fact you have spent only a few hours on each map...

As always GP, great stuff! I especially like the barrow and I think it's the best of what you've posted so far. Though all of them are really quite good.

Originally Posted by Steel General

As always GP, great stuff! I especially like the barrow and I think it's the best of what you've posted so far. Though all of them are really quite good.

Of course you think its best, SG - its a temple (sort of)

Got a few more ideas then I'll be done with the barbarian part of this...

GP

GP -- Lol, too funny. True though

Maybe I should change my Alias from 'Steel General' to 'Steel Priest'?