Oct/Nov 2014 Lite Challenge: <The Druid's Gift>

[Chick]

Protection from things that glow, or go splash in the night!

[Chick]

When the hard adventuring work is done, you need a holiday in a pleasant vacation spot, to rest, relax, and sharpen your weapons for the next challenge.





I think I need a brochure for this home! The druids could make a fortune selling them!!

[Bogie]

Love the Swamp Thing picture!

[Chick]

Well, as the deadline for this challenge is drawing close, I guess I better quit playing around with settings and post the final version.


### Latest WIP ###

[Wingshaw]

Looks good, chick. One suggestion: how about adding some labels to the plan and/or elevations to make it clear what each feature is?

THW

[Chick]

Looks good, chick. One suggestion: how about adding some labels to the plan and/or elevations to make it clear what each feature is?

THW

I did that once earlier, asking if it was repetitively redundant with the obvious, and no one commented, so I figured it wasn't needed, but I'll post a labeled version.

[Chick]

The Druid's Gift

In my adventuring group, about two adventures from now, the party is going to rescue the lover of one of the nine Archdruids in the world. I've been thinking for some time about how the Archdruid will reward the party, and this challenge has given me the answer.

A small stone shelter, with a Shrink and Permanency spell cast on it!

Measuring only about two inches on a side when shrunk, this small chunk of sandstone is actually a stone shelter made using the druidic Stone Shape spell.

Because the Shrink will work only on exactly one object, the entire shelter must be a single piece of stone, so all the walls, tables, beds, and other contents must be Stone Shaped into one.

The caster of the Shrink spell, under Permanency, can shrink or enlarge the object at will.

The druids will create this object using sandstone for the walls, floor, and roof, marble for the interior fittings, and some diorite for a firepit, casting Stone Shape spells as needed until all the stone is melded into a single piece.

The party's mage is able to do Shrink, and the Archdruid will then make it Permanent.

This will be the perfect reward!!


### Latest WIP ###

[Wingshaw]

Sorry to be giving you suggestions at this stage. I didn't start watching this thread until quite recently.

I think the labels help, but I preferred them in this version, because they fit more neatly (eg 'lower bunk (bench)'). Labels should try to fit entirely on the item they are describing, or completely off it but nearby. If this were my map, the firepit label would be moved to diagonally above the firepit in both instances. I also think the labels might look good if done in a darker colour--perhaps dark grey/brown.

Another thing that, in my opinion, would improve this map is if you added shadows. I don't know what software you've been using. I'll assume photoshop. You have a single point of light (the firepit) so figuring out where the shadows will be cast is relatively easy. I think shadows would improve the elevations, plan, and exterior view. The way I would do them is, on a new layer, using a low opacity brush and a dark colour, just start painting shadows: under the bunks, in the deeper parts of the shelves, behind the interior wall, behind the table legs, etc. Go over all shadows lightly first, and then repeat on the darker areas, constantly building up layers of darkness until it looks right.

Hope those ideas aren't too problematic.

I won't have internet access for the next few days, probably until the voting, so good luck!

THW

[Chick]

I preferred them the other way, too, but unfortunately the shape doesn't fit well or look good turned 90 degrees in the composite. As a "map" of the structure, I really think I like it better without the labels at all, since everything is pretty obvious when you look at the three views. There are shadows in all the places you mention, although not very dark. And yes, I'm using Photoshop for this.