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The maps in this file were developed using native PowerPoint objects: imported textures or shapes were strenuously avoided. That makes it easy for anybody to edit or expand upon these maps. Any artwork is by either DALL-E or Stable Diffusion. Any and all original content by me in this file (maps and descriptions) is Creative Commons

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GM’s Maps

The Keep

Batterstorm keep was established several hundred years ago by the local lord of the time. Its purpose was to ensure law & order in the surrounding countryside. It’s not designed to support full-scale siege warfare. Instead, this keep was designed to provide a secure location from which a local sheriff or constable can conduct operations as necessary against local gangs, bandits, roving bands of orgs, etc. Against that class of threat, the keep has proven to be very effective.

That having been said, the keep was placed strategically to identify and respond if necessary to foreign threats. The rocky beach provides one of the few landing spots along the nearby coastline for any sea-based approach, and the keep is within a short ride of nearby land borders. If push came to shove, the keep could hold its own until reinforcements arrived.

Military Strength

The keep is home to three separate fighting forces:

• Two experienced and well-equipped knights (Fighters lvl 6) call the keep home. Their commission from the local lord is to serve the sheriff. In practice, this means they usually undertake missions at the direction of the local lord. When needed, the knights also support the keep’s soldiers. The knights are served by two experienced squires (Fighters lvl 2), bringing this total fighting force to 4 people. There is also a junior page in service to one of the knights.
• Twelve soldiers (Fighters lvl 1-3) are led by two officers (a lieutenant (lvl 4) and a captain (lvl 5)) and their marshal (Fighter lvl 6) – for a total force of 14 soldiers. Their commission is to conduct patrols of the countryside to ensure the safety of the citizenry. Conditions permitting, they patrol daily as 3 patrols of 4 soldiers, with each patrol lead by either a sergeant, the lieutenant, or the captain. If one of the knights (or the marshal) is not on a mission and is feeling restless, he and his squire will also opt to join a daily patrol. The soldiers welcome the additional arms.
• Twelve guards (Fighters lvl 1-2) work directly for the sheriff and are responsible for the security of the keep itself. Over the decades, sheriffs have extended this duty to include security for the few homes and businesses that are immediately outside the keep as well. Though not soldiers, the keep’s guards are experienced fighters. Two guards is usually sufficient for daylight patrol, but six or more guards remain on watch each night (one at least in each guard tower) – more as deemed necessary. One of the twelve is designated as captain of the guard (Fighter lvl 3).

In total capacity then, the keep can muster a fighting force of 31 fighters – sufficient to secure the keep and the local countryside.

Batterstorm Keep

Local Industry

Because the keep has been successful at enforcing law & order, local villages have been thriving. The nearly 50-person keep is a steady customer for village consumables: fruits and vegetables, meats, wine and ale, lamp oil, candles, etc. The rocky beach provides good access to fishing as well. Nearby industry includes fishermen, boatwrights, rope and net makers, etc. Other local businesses include small farms as well as hunters & trappers. In fact, there’s enough local industry near the keep to support a tavern. The tavern is kept busy by local villagers, the nearly two dozen guards and soldiers of the keep, and the occasional coastal merchant.

The weather near the keep tends to be overcast and stormy, as implied by the keep’s name. Decades ago, one of the sheriffs commissioned a simple lighthouse to be built on a rocky island just off the beach. On foggy evenings, if fishermen or other boaters are believed to still be out at sea, one of the keep’s guards will light a large oil lamp on the top floor of the lighthouse, so that boaters might better find the dock in the dark.

The Keep’s Staff

In support of the fighting force, the keep employs:

• A chaplain (Cleric lvl 3), who serves also as the keep’s healer
• A stable master and stable boy. The seven riders at the keep are: the 2 knights, their 2 squires, the 2 military officers, and the marshal. The sheriff usually travels by cart when he travels. The soldiers are infantry
• A blacksmith who makes horseshoes and can perform simple repairs to weapons

In terms of keep operations there are:

• A steward, overseeing the operations of the keep. The steward’s wife also helps in the kitchen. The steward serves as the sheriff’s secretary & clerk as well.
• Though not part of the fighting force, the steward and chaplain both are considered senior personnel by the sheriff. Informally, the keep’s hierarchy is effectively this: the sheriff, then the marshal & chaplain, two knights, and finally the steward.
• A cellarer, who ensures that consumables remain well stocked
• Two cooks (who get help from the steward’s wife), a butcher, and a baker
• Three maids, and a laundress

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Structure

Batterstorm Keep was built on a mostly flat tract of land overlooking a rocky beach on the sea. The foundation of the keep is a raised, stone foundation, rising approximately 4’ above ground. The keep’s three floors rise to a height of about 50’ above that, providing a commanding view of the local countryside. The keep’s construction is very solid, its framework being thick stone walls. Entry to the keep is achieved via a raised courtyard that is itself protected by a low (3’) stone wall. Broad stone steps lead up to the courtyard, through a wooden gate that can be manually raised and lowered.

Curtain Wall

The keep is surrounded by a stone outer wall. This was not designed to be a proper siege wall though; this wall is only about 5’ thick and only 20’ high – easily overcome by a committed army. Near the top of the wall, wooden platforms have been constructed to form a narrow parapet for the keep’s defense. Access to the parapet is via ladders spaced along the wall. The parapet would be manned only if the keep were under attack, which has rarely occurred in the keep’s history.

At each corner of the outer wall is a 4-story guard tower. These towers rise to a height of about 50’. By day, only 1-2 towers are manned (there’s no perceived need to keep guards in all four towers during peaceful seasons). By night though, all four towers are always manned. There are accommodations in each tower that make guards comfortable for standing shifts in the tower. In fact, some guards prefer the relative quiet a good night’s sleep in a tower to the ribald sport of the guardhouse.

On the east side of the wall, entry is achieved via a gated portcullis. On the beach side there is a conventional wooden gate with a stone ramp leading down to the lower elevation nearer the sea.

Batterstorm Keep

Sea Dock

After the keep was first constructed, locals took advantage of its safety by building just outside its walls. This included local fishers, who worked together to build a simple dock off the rocky beach. A wooden ramp leads down to the dock. In addition to being the home to small fleet of fishing boats, the dock is nowadays also visited by coastal merchants looking to do business with the keep and its surrounds.

Lighthouse

Built decades after the main keep, the lighthouse has become a de facto part of the keep. The lighthouse is usually unlit and unmanned. Only on foggy evenings when the captain of the guard feels that local fishers and boatman might need assistance does he order a guardsman to man the lighthouse and ignite its oil-fed flame. As with the guard towers, there are accommodations in the lighthouse to make it comfortable for such shifts. As with the guard towers, over the decades there have been some guards who prefer a quiet night’s sleep in the lighthouse, especially when the weather is warm.

The lighthouse’s outer shell is stone construction, with wooden interior work. The lighthouse was built on a small rocky island near the beach, easily accessible via a skiff.

Outer Fence

First came the keep, then a local fishing industry, then a lighthouse…eventually it became evident to one of the previous sheriffs that the low side of the keep needed more protection. So a thick wooden fence was built to extend from the keep to the beach. The fence is about 6’ high and is usually well maintained. It has no gate; The fence is not intended to stop incursion so much as channel it.

The guards consider this lower area to be part of the keep also, so they include the dock, the local industry in and around the fence, and especially the tavern to be part of their routine patrol.

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Tips & Tricks for editing this map:

• This is the background layer, made up of PowerPoint shapes for easy editing. It’s best to copy-and-paste this as a picture into slides when you want to use it for a map.
• As usual, I use semi-transparent “shading” objects to break up the monotony of the basic texture.

Guard

Tower

Gate

House

raised courtyard

Guard

Room

Stable Master’s Cottage

Great

Hall

Blacksmith

Stable

Blacksmith’s Cottage

Tavern

Fishermen’s

Cottages

farm

Trappers

lower gate

inner gate

upper gate

Great Hall

Council Chamber

Chapel

Kitchen

Lavatory

Inner

Guardhouse

Raised Courtyard

Larder

Sheriff’s Study

Main floor of keep

Second floor of keep

Chaplain’s Apartment

Soldier’s

Barracks

Officer’s

Quarters

Steward & wife

• Maid
• Maid
• Maid
• Laundress

Cellarer

Baker

Cooks’ quarters

Butcher quarters

Interior walls of timber have been added to the load-bearing stone framework to create additional interior chambers

Staff

salon

Third floor of keep

Sherriff's Solar

Garderobe

Marshall’s

Apartment

Knights Chambers

Dovecote

Squire’s Barracks

Balcony

Sub-floor of keep

This level of the keep is buried only about 3 feet into the ground, with an additional 4 feet above ground, providing a raised foundation for the main level. This dark and damp sub-floor was constructed windowless.

Undercroft

Stocked to withstand short sieges or storms, if necessary

Dungeon

Cells are usually empty and are never full for long. They typically hold bandits or other criminals awaiting execution

Armory

The armory is plentifully stocked, with weapons of poor to medium quality. The keep’s soldiers keep the weapons clean and well oiled

Guard Towers & Gatehouse

1 square = 5’

Guard Towers, top floor

just a central table & the ladder down

= ladderway down

Guard Towers, 3rd floor

shift bunks & another ladder up

Guard Towers, 2nd floor

table & another ladder up

Guard Towers, ground floor

weapons chests & ladder up

The towers on the east side are a mirror image of this

= vertical timber

Gatehouse, ground floor

portcullis mechanism

Gatehouse, top floor

a lookout above wall height

Stable & Guardhouse

1 square = 5’

Guardroom

stable boy’s loft

stable

loft

tack shed

Cottages, Smith & Paddock

1 square = 5’

Blacksmith

Horseshoes, nails, hinges, latches, simple tools

Blacksmith’s Cottage

Stablemaster’s Cottage

with husband & son

Paddock

Battlestorm Tavern

1 square = 5’

Kitchen

Tavern

root cellar

Cottages

1 square = 5’

Fisherman’s Cottage

with wife and two daughters

Fisherman’s Cottage

widow

Fisherman’s Cottage

father and son

Trappers’ Cottage

mother and daughter

Farm

farmhouse

A small root cellar is located beside the house

chicken coop

barn

Lighthouse & boats

1 square = 5’

Lighthouse, top floor

just a central flame pit & seaside windows

= ladderway down

Lighthouse, 3rd floor

lamp oil kegs, and another ladder up

Lighthouse, 2nd floor

Small table, supply chest & another ladder up

Lighthouse, ground floor

Lighthouse on rock island

25’ fishing boat

10’ skiff

40’ Coastal merchant

hatch to cargo & sleeping mats below

steering board

(starboard)

Sherriff

Like his predecessors, this sheriff is a skilled administrator who has earned the loyalty of the people he protects. He is well-spoken and is a shrewd judge of character. Despite his noble bearing, he is approachable and friendly, willing to listen to people’s concerns. He is a skilled diplomat.

• Sheriff Alaric Nightshade, Wood Elf, 187, Male

Knights

These knights are 3^rd and 4^th offspring of regional nobles, with little prospect to inherit. So they take their charter at the keep seriously; supporting the keep is their livelihood.

• Sir Belathorin Goldheart, Dwarf, 126 years old, Male – Fighter lvl 6
• Squire Kethril Darkblade, Dwarf, 27 years old, Male – Fighter lvl 2
• Sir Althea Moonsong, Elf, 212 years old, Female – Fighter lvl 6
• Squire Gwendolyn Firestone, Human, 17 years old, Female – Fighter lvl 2
• Page – Glimmer Goldenfire, Gnome, 13 years old, Female

Soldiers

• Marshall Fae'ryn Windrider, Wood Elf, 143, Female – Fighter lvl 6
• Captain Jaren Silverkin, Human, 35, Male – Fighter lvl 5
• Lieutenant Drogan Stonefoot, Dwarf, 56, Male – Fighter lvl 4
• Sergeant Aria Lightfoot, Halfling, 31, Female – Fighter lvl 5
• 11 Infantry – Fighters lvl 1-3

Guards

The soldiers and the guards have a friendly rivalry, each claiming that the other’s job is “cushy”.

• Captain Darian Blackwood, Half-Elf, 43, Male – Fighter lvl 3
• 11 Guards – Fighters lvl 1-2

Military Support

• Chaplain Aelarion, High Elf, 342, Male – Cleric lvl 3
• Stable Master – Dykstra Ironheart, Dwarf, 107, Female
• Husband & infant son – Leif & Derek
• Stable Boy – Tiberius Grey, Half-Elf, 20, Male
• Blacksmith – Soren Sunflower, Halfling, 32, Male
• Wife – Lauren

Population, about ~65 full time residents

Keep Staff

Though each staff member has a primary role, they of course assist each other in their assignments as needed to maintain the keep.

• Steward – Erivian Tautwood, Wood Elf, 256, Male
• Steward’s wife – Kethryllia Summerglow, Half-Elf, 138, Female (assists the cooks)
• Cellarer – Mirielle, Halfling, 55, Female
• Cellarer’s husband – Thurmon, Halfling, 42, Male (the keep’s pigeoneer)
• 2 Cooks – Lucian Shadowblade (human), Miranda Stealheart (dwarf)
• 3 Maids – Xanthe (human), Panandra (elf), Avanti (human)
• 1 Laundress – Crystaline (halfling)

Villagers

• Tavern master – Rurik Ironfist, Dwarf, 167, Male
• Tavern master’s wife – Kaida Stormcaller, Dwarf, 175, Female
• Fisherman #1 – Eregyn Nightshade, Wood Elf, 256, Male
• Wife – Kethryllia Starweaver, Half-Elf, 38, Female
• 2 Daughters – Kaelarion & Zyra
• Fisherman #2 (widow) – Cedric Stone, Human, 62, Male
• Fisherman #3 – Valtor Firebeard, Dwarf, 149, Male
• Son – Baltor Firebeard, Dwarf, 50, Male
• Trapper (mother) Avani Moonshadow, Wood Elf, 154, Female – Ranger lvl 3
• Trapper (daughter) Galadriel Moonshadow, Wood Elf, 75, Female, – Ranger lvl 2

Farm

• Farmer husband – Thunderbeard Taproot, Dwarf, 68, Male
• Farmer wife – Evelyn Taproot, Halfling, 50, Female
• 2 children – Torgar & Aycorn

Coastal Merchant

The merchant’s docked boat is offers various goods normally available only in a city: spices, fine fabrics, knitted and embroidered items, pottery, glasswork, cutlery, lanterns, locks & keys, etc.

• Father – Ariam Brightblade, Half-Elf, 76, Male
• Son – Triston Brightblade, Half-Elf, 26, Male

Danté Blackheart - The Bandit King

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Age: 32

Class: Bard

Level: 10

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Danté is a bard who travels the countryside, often in disguise, seeking out the most ruthless gangs of bandits and brigands to incite. With his charm, charisma, and silver tongue, he can easily convince these groups to conduct raids of his design, but always leaving them with the belief that it was their idea in the first place. He takes a cut of their loot as payment for his planning and support.

Danté is a tall, lean man with long, jet black hair and piercing blue eyes. He is quick-witted and clever, always thinking two steps ahead of his enemies. When not in disguise, he dresses in light, black leather armor adorned with silver studs. He carries a silver recorder in his cloak.

Danté uses his bardic magic to support his criminal activities, often using his spells to inspire and enable his minions. He is also skilled in combat, wielding a rapier with deadly precision.

Despite his evil alignment, Danté has a magnetic personality that draws others to him. He is a master manipulator, able to convince even the most virtuous of individuals to join his cause. He is a dangerous foe to have, and even more dangerous ally to betray.

Armor Class: 17 (Leather Armor + Dexterity bonus)

Hit Points: 85

Rapier: +9 to hit, 1d8+4 piercing damage

Shortbow: +9 to hit, 1d6+4 piercing damage

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It has taken Sheriff Alaric Nightshade a decade to even learn the name “Danté”, and Alaric still has no good description of the man. Though he cannot prove it, Alaric suspects that Danté is the cause of much of the banditry and raiding that happens in Batterstorm Keep’s domain.

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Local Villains

Grommash – Orc Battle Master

Race: Half-Orc

Gender: Male

Age: 34

Class: Barbarian

Level: 9

Grommash is a brutal half-orc who has made a name for himself as a fearsome warrior in the region. However, he harbors a dark secret - he has been secretly organizing the goblins and orcs in the area, teaching them better tactics and strategies to make them more effective in their raiding and pillaging.

Grommash is a towering figure, standing at over 6 feet tall and weighing more than 250 pounds. He has a shaved head, a thick black beard, and piercing green eyes. His body is covered in scars and tattoos, evidence of the many battles he has fought and won.

As a barbarian, Grommash is a formidable opponent in combat. He wields a massive greataxe with deadly precision, and his rage makes him almost unstoppable. He is also surprisingly quick and nimble for his size, allowing him to close the distance to his enemies quickly.

Despite his cruel and calculating nature, Grommash has a commanding presence that earns him respect and loyalty from the goblin and orc tribes he has organized. He is careful to maintain his power and influence from the shadows, keeping his true intentions hidden from those who might seek to stop him.

Armor Class: 16 (unarmored defense)

Hit Points: 108

Greataxe: +10 to hit, 1d12+5 slashing damage

Javelin: +7 to hit, 1d6+5 piercing damage

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Captain Jaren Silverkin and his patrols have come up against raiding parties organized by Grommash on several occasions. Jaren has even seen the imposing half-orc in combat. He suspects that Grommash is a ringleader, but Jaren does not know that Grommash is the ringleader. Grommash has always been clever enough to retreat with his forces intact whenever the tide appears to be turning against his raiding party. By that time, the raiding party usually already has what it came for anyway.

Adventure-Specific Maps

Carrier Pigeon

1-3. Gameplay begins enroute to the keep

4. Attack begins while in the Great Hall

9. Players make their way to the kitchen

10. Then upstairs to the dovecote

12. Then somehow get to the tavern

14. Then to the lighthouse

15. Finally, fight their way back inside. END

Utility Graphics

Player Maps

Guard

Tower

Gate

House

raised courtyard

Guard

Room

Stable Master’s Cottage

Great

Hall

Blacksmith

Stable

Blacksmith’s Cottage

Tavern

Fishermen’s

Cottages

farm

Trappers

lower gate

inner gate

upper gate