Ridgebury Inn Battle Map

[Caenwyr]

Hey all!

Ridgebury Inn is a fun little resting area along the High Road between Cailltir and Ostwyc (two cities you can find on this map). It has a few rooms to spend the night if you stay too long, a tavern on the ground floor (the main reason for staying too long), a well equipped pantry and a kitchen that's famous for dozens of miles in every direction. Oh, and it serves beer too. Exquisitely exotic beers. Rumour has it the innkeep spent his younger years as a sword for rent fighting wars in faraway places. Which sounds weird if you know he's one of the fattest people in the known world, but his stories are so terribly detailed that you're almost tempted to believe the rumours anyway. And then there's the band of mercenaries who tend to drop by each spring on their way to the summer wars, bringing grim silence to the otherwise pleasant inn, but also, unfailingly, a casket of exotic beer from places so strange that even their names can hardly be pronounced by civilised folk. Although the fat innkeep always manages. And then, on top of all that, there's the scrawny little girl he keeps calling his daughter, even though she was dropped off by the mercenaries only two years ago, incapable of uttering even a single civilised word, her skin several shades darker than his own.

Maybe it's the marvelous food, maybe the exotic beer that draws travelers to Ridgebury Inn from all over the world. But possibly more than all that it's the curious, mysterious atmosphere brought to it by its keeper, the fat but oh so frivolous Sim Castyrio.

Ridgebury Inn is one of many along the High Road, part of a vast network sponsored by the Hansa. The Hansa even has a small, regional Kontor on the grounds of the inn, allowing travelling merchants to buy and sell wares, change currencies, loan and deposit money in their accounts of the HansaBank. Loyal customers can even leave messages to be sent to distant parts of the world, all using the massive infrastructure of the Hansa penetrating almost every segment of society. And all of that at a cost, naturally. The Hansa is by far the most powerful organisation in the known world, counting Kings and Cardinals among its vast collection of debtors. Many believe that the Hansa is the real ruler of the world, richer than the Gods, and twice as powerful.

But all that means nothing to the frivolous innkeep. He just rules his inn, pays his debts (to the Hansa, naturally), and enchants his guests with tales and objects from marvelous places.


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This is my first ever attempt at this kind of map, so be harsh (I have to learn!) but not TOO harsh

[Schwarzkreuz]

Excellent! I never know how to do these 3D views...! So this is impressive.

[Ilanthar]

For a first one, it's looking great, Caenwyr !
The building and plans are gorgeous.The trees could be improved, imho.

[Wingshaw]

This is very nice, Caenwyr Since you asked for honest critique, I think the 3D image of the inn looks a bit too neat and clean Perhaps - if I may say so - it looks like you made a Sketchup model and then copied it a little too closely, not allowing the lines to wander. At least, that's my opinion. And the roof texture looks too much like a photoshop pattern.

Overall, though, great job!

Wingshaw

[MitchellLloydCameron]

I concur with Wingshaw's point. I think that the general form and composition are all spot on--it does a good job of conveying the space to me (which is the most important part of any map)--but I also think that some of the finer details are in need of improvement. The background texture is convincingly old-timey, but the line work is clearly digital. I'd recommend examining a few historic building diagrams, to see how they handle things.

Either way, I really like what you've done here, you're definitely on the right track. Keep at it!

[Caenwyr]

Thanks guys, it's all valuable advice!

[Kellerica]

I kind of have to agree with Wingshaw on the lines and Ilanthar on the trees, but even so it's a damn good first attempt at this kind of thing. And I should also note that the linework on the individual floor plans looks fantastic. Great job!

[thomden]

I really like the layout and design of this map.
I think someone else mentioned how the interior shadows don't feel right, they should be more ambient.
The trees don't bother me like some others have noted, though I agree the lines should feel a little more hand drawn and less perfect. A little variation in thickness, places where the line accidentally overlaps a tad, and a bit of wiggle would improve the overall feeling.

Just my 2 cents, I do think it's a gorgeous map.

[Caenwyr]

I kind of have to agree with Wingshaw on the lines and Ilanthar on the trees, but even so it's a damn good first attempt at this kind of thing. And I should also note that the linework on the individual floor plans looks fantastic. Great job!

Thank you Kell! It's a never ending process of learning here, and one I really like!

I really like the layout and design of this map.
I think someone else mentioned how the interior shadows don't feel right, they should be more ambient.
The trees don't bother me like some others have noted, though I agree the lines should feel a little more hand drawn and less perfect. A little variation in thickness, places where the line accidentally overlaps a tad, and a bit of wiggle would improve the overall feeling.

Just my 2 cents, I do think it's a gorgeous map.

Thanks Thomden! You know, those overly straight lines on the ISO-plan are actually that straight because I aimed for it . I did everything by hand, no ruler involved, and spent a silly amount of time getting every line as straight as possible while still allowing for a little bit of wiggle. Turns out the level of wiggility was FAR too small. But hey, it's an important lesson! I since have started using more wiggly lines, and I have to agree that that works far better.

[ThomasR]

For a first it's a wonderful first. I'd love to see a bit of variation on the roofs or less regular lines but it's already stunning ! Congrats Pieter