Slave Mines of the Borderlands - map for a homebrew Basic D&D campaign

[SJS]

I'm writing a little module for old-school Basic D&D to run with my kids. It's set in the B2: Keep on the Borderlands setting, for those of you familiar with that. The idea is that a high-level magic user is running several gold/copper/gem mines in the area trying to find special supplies for the creation of magic items and using the proceeds from the gold and copper to fund the research. The party has been exploring the B2 Caves of Chaos, and will learn that friends have been captured as slaves to work in the mines (set in B2's Cave of the Unknown) and must be rescued.

All I really need is a few hand-drawn maps on graph paper, but for the fun of it I've been instead creating the maps in Adobe Photoshop, inspired by Turgenev's style (he posts here I believe but has a huge mapping thread at Dragonsfoot). That led me to here, learning even more techniques, and so I've kind of stopped writing the module to learn map-making!

I think I have a pretty neat idea for the way the mine operates, which I've detailed in my own thread at Dragonsfoot. I've been working most on the "active mine" level, where the worker slaves are busy with pick axes while bugbear slavemasters look on. Here's the latest version:



Here is the key I've sketched out:

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KEY:

1a - This is a major active mining area, and a huge room with high (50') ceilings. The party may enter from the cavern level via the arrow in the lower right; if so, they might take the winding path down into the room or the gently sloping, straighter path to 1b. From b, the party will be 30-40' above the main floor of 1a and might observe the mining operation undetected. Lots of strategic possibilities here.

2 - Except something might be lurking in this area!

3 - A second active mining area.

4 - The shaft of the elevator which connects the Refinery Level to the Command Level. A secret door permits access for rarely used shortcuts for the mining bosses. If this party discovers this, strategic possibilities arise (and dangerous ones as well).

5 - A prep room for the slavemasters; b holds mining tools and c holds weapons and personal treasure.

6 - Another staging area. Ore is stored here before transport to area 7. 6b contains tools.

7 - The floor trap door here connects to the ceiling trap door in the Refinery Level. The floor slopes severely to the trap door, which is easily triggered by weight. Ore is pushed into the pit with large brooms and into the refinery below. Battles in this room could be interesting.

8 - Much of the time (75% chance) visibility in this area is very low due to the humidity (fog) created by an underground stream in area 9.

9 - An underground stream. This area is completely flooded, but only by about 2.5' of water. The current does not flow heavily, but a steep waterfall exists as the stream empties into area 12a.

10 - Quarters for this floors' slavemasters, who watch over the slaves kept in area 11.

11 - Slave pens. Slaves are kept behind bars in areas 12b and 12c. All the slaves on this level are male, mostly human with some other races present; these work the mines. Slaves work in 12-hour shifts; area b or c will have slaves (50% chance); the other area will be empty (slaves will be working in area 1a or 3 or possibly area 7). Slaves are typically marched through the cold water in area 9; the water serves as an additional barrier to escape (making escape easier to hear). Guards from area 10 can bypass the water thanks to the secret door connecting area 10 and 11 to area 8.

12 - Underground lake. The lake shown as area 12a is actually on the Refinery level, including the greyed-out land area in the east side of this room. The ceilings are very high here however. The water, which is not deep, could be reached by the rope bridge connecting area 12b to 12c, or conceivably by the waterfall from area 9. (The waterfall is not a gusher, but climbing down the very wet walls at the opening of the waterfall should be treacherous to all but the most skilled thieves). The bridge is wide enough only for single-file traffic; the drop is a good 40'.

13 - Second slave pens. Slaves are kept behind bars in area 13b and 13c; mining tools are stored in 12d. Similar details to area 11 but the slaves here work in area 15, 16, and 17.

14 - Quarters for slavemasters.

15, 16, 17 - Active mining areas. The arrow between these areas leads to the Refinery Level.
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The water areas need a lot of work - next on my list. The elevator shaft may need a bit of tinkering too. Posted for feedback and suggestions.