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[balatrodnd]

Ritual Summoning! Calling to planes beyond and pulling creatures into this one. Never once has it been a bad idea! A battle map set in a ruined castle during a forbidden rite with 9 variations!

“Little unknown fact. Most evil summoning rituals are actually just teleportation spells. They just are open for a few moments and the portals are right in the worst possible place. Or best I suppose. Depending on how into monster invasions you are.” - Ida Holly.

Rain pelts the cobblestones as the characters approach the crumbling castle on the hill. The glowing light off the magical circles coloring the falling rain. All round standing astride fallen stones the cultists chant all their voices combining into one horrid hum, a call into the slowly opening window into the other realm. A call that is returned from the otherside.

This battlemap was originally inspired by the opening scene from Guillermo del Toro’s amazing 2004 Hellboy. One of my absolute favorite movies. The scene where Rasputin opens the portal seemed like it would make for an amazing D&D encounter. And I decided to make a whole series of maps inspired by similar Magical Evil Summonings! Including Calling to the Void, Demonic Resurrections, Eldritch far realms portals, Kraken Waking, And Fairy Circle rites. As well as a repaired version of the castle before it fell to ruin and a Dieselpunk Tank outpost! Check out all my work at balatro.carrd.co All of these maps are available tonight at patreon.com/balatroart

[balatrodnd]

Mountains of Madness, 9 phased battlemap set in the high peaks of Leng, Below the eons dead Land of the South Pole. At the heart of the ruined city of elder things the Shogoths stir awake.

“Takali-li… Takali-li”

You can find all of the variants and phases for this map and many others from hundreds of different battlemaps, on Patreon! See all my work at artstation and all the other stuff I’m up to over at balatro.carrd.co

Below the unknown tallest mountain on earth, where the elder things fled into the vast unknown darkness 50 million years before the first vestiges of humanity would crawl from the mud. Below an abandoned city wracked by polar ice as the planet froze over made it uninhabitable. 

The howling abyss leading infinitely down, below the mountains of madness.

But what is it that howls?

My first call of Cthulhu inspired map! This map is based on what in my opinion is Lovecraft's best work, Mountains of Madness.. The book spends almost all of its length describing the growing mystery of the origins of life on earth starting with as little as a mysterious fossilized footprint and ending with-  well the scene I duplicated here as our encounter!

The rise of the shaggoth who built the massive city and in all likelihood were responsible for its ultimate demise.

If you dig this map you can grab it at patreon.com/balatroart

[balatrodnd]

Plummet into Darkness, an 8 phased battlemap where the characters are crossing blades with creatures in the dark underground when the floor below them collapses, sending the lot of them falling hundreds of feet into the Sunless Sea below! “The Sunless Sea is the dark ocean below our world. Below its motionless tides deep below the surface of the world hide countless bottomless caverns and twisting mysteries. It really is the barrier of hell.  Not the kind of place I’d want to take a quick dip to cool off..” - Ida Holly You can find all of the variants and phases for this map and many others from hundreds of different battlemaps, on Patreon! See all my work at artstation and all the other stuff I’m up to over at balatro.carrd.co

The drow gathered in the stands looking down on the crumbling arena above the pit. Cheering and roaring with each monster your captured party slew. The gates opened again and out came a colossal Cave troll, its slack jaw and empty eyes told you everything you needed to know. And just as planned with a few carefully dodged attacks the floor shattered and sent all gathered Plummeting into Darkness. The crowd roared with delight as all combatants fell to what must be their doom. Luckily you arranged for the first match to be in the arena above the Sunless sea. Hopefully it cushions the fall. But about that troll…

For this map I wanted to create an encounter where the players could engage in a free falling combat as they descend to a watery landing in the underground ocean. By the rules of DnD falling is instant and you reach the bottom in one round no matter the height, But I say let's dream a little bigger and offer the players a cinematic skydiving battle in an underground cave!

You can find this map at patreon.com/balatroart

[balatrodnd]

Nautiloid Vs Spelljammer, A Giff bombard spelljammer is ambushed by a hostile Mindflayer armada Nautiloid in This 13 phase boarding action battlemap. “The Illthid’s true strength is not their ability to quickly repopulate a hive, Their tactical genius, or even their psionic abilities. Their power is in their reach and secrecy. It is nearly impossible to know exactly when they will appear and it’s never when you're prepared.” - Ida Holly

You can find all of the variants and phases for this map and many others from hundreds of different battlemaps, on Patreon! Or purchase the maps individually at ko-fi.com/balatro/shop See all my work at artstation and all the other stuff I’m up to over at balatro.carrd.co

This map is the first of a three part series I’m calling “The Battle of Tu’Narath” which imagines a chaotic clash between the powers of Wildspace all converging on the dead-god city and seat of the Lich queen of the Gith. Starting with the first approach to the city itself harried by the Gith’s ancient rivals, the Mindflayer. Grab it now at patreon.com/balatroart

[balatrodnd]

The Elemental Nexus, An ancient lost temple constructed at the meeting point of the four primary elemental Leylines. Where the turning of a lever shifts the behavior of the natural world around you!

“Yes, tampering with the natural order. I’m sure that went great for the ancient civilization who built this temple. Shame they were all mysteriously wiped out by unknown cataclysmic forces.” - Ida Holly

You can find all of the variants and phases for this map and many others from hundreds of different battlemaps, on Patreon! Or purchase the maps individually at ko-fi.com/balatro/shop See all my work at artstation and all the other stuff I’m up to over at balatro.carrd.co

This map was the winner of my December patreon vote. Every month my patrons can add ideas to a poll on discord and then select maps from a poll and the winner is made! Elemental Nexus has been on there for quite a while and at last it gets its time in the sun! The design of this map is actually inspired by the entry temple area from the Indiana Jones ride at disneyland.

Check it out tonight 10pm at patreon.com/balatroart

[balatrodnd]

More lore reimagined!

This one I took a look at the Tabaxi and how I do them in my setting of Crudilex!

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRVqev65/

[balatrodnd]

The greatest enemy of all adventuring parties. The true BBEG. Doors! Dungeon Door Puzzle is a 7 phase battlemap where the heroes are tasked with solving the riddle on the mural surrounding the dungeon’s entrance to discover what needs doing to open it. “In my experience the more members of a party the harder a door is to open.” - Ida Holly You can find all of the variants and phases for this map and many others from hundreds of different battlemaps, on Patreon! Or purchase the maps individually at ko-fi.com/balatro/shop. See all my work at artstation and all the other stuff I’m up to over at balatro.carrd.co

At the heart of the mountains, hundreds of miles from civilization and deep in an unforgiving forest was a gulch where the mountains split in two. The towering cliff side was sheared smooth and filled with mosaic tiles, ancient paintings, and unreadable script long eroded all surrounding a 50 foot tall solid stone door. With the language of the structure not spoken for at least 1000 years there is no way to know other than what can be gleaned from the paintings how the dungeon is opened. What series of tasks must be performed to gain access. That is your goal, because beyond… well it requires your attention.

This map is my attempt at making a dungeon puzzle that can be solved without an external clue. Something a DM can show their players and the group together can come to a conclusion as to what they need to do to open the door. I think it’s close, But just in case I also provided a DM Key as to what each clue hints at, as well as a hand out for the players if they feel too stuck a letter from Ida Holly herself, who managed to decipher some of the text on the mural.

Grab this map tonight at patreon.com/balatroart

[balatrodnd]

Page Turner Bookstore, Even in our world there is something about a warmly lit bookstore that is mysterious and magical. Imagine the mystery that can be found in a bookstore in a fantasy world! “It is my belief that we are simple vessels for hungry spirits, and it is our goal to feed them wonder. And perhaps it’s only me, but there is majesty and splendor in being lost in a book, just as in an adventure.” - Ida Holly. This map pack contains many variations on the fantasy bookstore to allow all kinds of ways to use it. From a lair of a book hoarding dragon, A magic Item shop, a Hunting lodge, all the way to a spell bound tome that opens a literal portal when read, depicted as a PNG with a transparent hole in the center so the DM can lay the map over any other to show what lies within the book’s portal. My hope is that Page Turner Bookstore will be the kind of location players will want to vist often to see what matter of chaos is unfolding at the shop. As we all know there is little more dangerous in fantasy roleplaying than messing around with mysterious books. Grab this map tonight at 10pm at Patreon.com/balatroartSee the rest of my work at balatro.carrd.co

[balatrodnd]

Airship Pirate Skyport! A floating tortuga rife with criminals and vagabonds. It hovers miles above the ground built of ramshackle wood walk walkways on a floating island. With 10 variations including the island under attack, a flying market festival and more!

“La Gaviota. Home of the Airship pirates who plague the skies from Prossporo to Daven. But you have to give it to them- Who wouldn't want a hideout that moves!” - Ida Holly.

The heart of the crews is the Covens. The mother matrons set the rules on the Mote here and all crews obey them. They may not have the mustering of our numbers or strength to fight us off but that isn't the point. Their power comes from the pirates, The hags set a rule and the crews all agree, That's the only way La Gaviota stays flying. That's the only way we stay free.

Aint nothing no merchant zep captain, nothing no Royal Areonavy admiral, and nothing no on the outs raff crew can do about it. On this crew mate, We respect the Hags. That or you take the short walk and the long drop to feed the hungry sky.

This map is a little bit of my own lore, The skyport of La Gaviota was invented for my setting Crudilex. It's a Floating Island mote “ruled” by a mysterious Hag called Granny who dotes upon her “Children '' the many superstitious airship pirate crews who call the island home. While it may not be how you choose to use the map I also included loads of variations, A flying Market on the backs of airships, An imperial Raid, The island ablaze, flying over seas, deserts, Two airships battling it out off the side of the island and more.

Check it out at patreon.com/balatroart See the rest of my work at balatro.carrd.co

[balatrodnd]

Boarding action! The Kraken Wakes variant. This 9 phased battle map sets the party against an enemy when a greater foe arrives forcing you to work together or die alone!

The tides are callous and unkind to those who disrespect them. There is a reason “Here there be monsters” is only marked over the ocean. - Idia Holly, Balatro’s Cartographer.

Two ships, both equally matched in crew and firepower meet on the tides among a small shallows. Closing the gap they unleash their cannons as soon as they are within range at nearly the same moment, Between blasts, our heroes and villains alike board the other ship and begin to engage in melee combat!

This map includes 3 variants, I’ll be sharing them separately but the simplest breakdown is that in one version the top ship wins, another the bottom, and in the third they both sink from a surprise third-party attack!

available for download at patreon.com/balatroart

[balatrodnd]

Atop the Colossus, 9 phased battle map where our adventurers find themselves astride a titan of steel and death as it marches towards a coastal castle. To turn it into a crater. I have read of wars and plagues. Of the horrors of man and monster. But I have never known the meaning of devastation until today. ~ Idia Holly Artificers have built golems of Iron, bone, and clay but the ability to build a Colossus is lost to a forgotten area, and with good reason. A lone standing Goliath whose shadow blocks the sun for a mile from its foot has stood silent vigil on the coast for centuries. But something horrible has awoken it. Something with intentions to change the face of this world forever. The Colossus marches its unstoppable march forward. Forcing the Castle’s soldiers to attack as best they can, Leaping the 100s foot plummet to reach its shoulders and do what they can to return it to its eon’s slumber before it’s too late. This map was a labor of love, My patrons asked for it and I put everything I had into making it. It was- well it was a lot more work than I realized. It required well over 100 hours and two full weeks to get to where it is now. I intended to include a “Win” phase where the Colossus falls before delivering the final blow, and maybe I will. But I hope artists out there can agree that sometimes it is better to just say “I need to be done”. I hope it’s well-received by the TTRPG community, but even if this dies in new, I’ll be proud I took the leap to make something, way out of my comfort zone, something I think is truly epic. If you like this map, You can get it on Patreon.com/balatroart If you hate it tell your enemies about it, really stick it to them.

[balatrodnd]

Atop the Cardillo Express, an 11 phased battle map that puts our heroes on top of a munitions train heading into a station, but not before being attacked by three Skiffs and a large, powerful airship!

“The city is completely locked down. There is no way in or out. I mean other than their supply trains but the airships guide them in from the farms… why are you looking at me like that?” - Ida Holly

riding atop a wartime cargo train, the skies turn dark, and a storm rolls in. The rain hits you like bullets due to the speed the train is traveling towards The Factory. Cardillo's forces close in boarding the train from small skiffs to stop you, monsters and soldiers alike, The distinction between them grows blurrier every day as the mad machinist experiments bring the dead back to life. Machine guns posted on bridges fire down the tracks as your train passes under. 

The storm only grows more and more violent as from the clouds above a massive, black airship descends and casts the train in an ominous shadow.

The second time the Iron frigate gets a feature in one of my maps! This one is pretty specific to settings but that's the joy of fantasy, It can really be whatever you like, no need to hold ourselves to medieval alone. I went with 11 phases on this one, which is over my normal amount but I had to get that climatic explosion in at the end, If you’ve followed my content you know I love to spend hours upon hours building the most beautiful settings I can than hours more absolutely destroying them!If you dig this map check out my other maps Monster Factory and Clash with the Colossus, which are meant to be played in sequence. 

Get this map now at patreon.com/balatroart

Check out my other content at balatro.carrd.co

[balatrodnd]

Erupting Volcano! A 7-phased battlemap set on a violently awakening mountain on an island deep at sea. As lava pours over the sides of its cliffs and into the ocean and volcanic lightning cracks overhead! “The temperament of nature is calm until it isn't.” - Ida Holly What sleeps below, The roiling powers of the earth that boil and churn away from our gaze. Inner chaos that hungers for release. The mountain waited for an age, far from mortals who would build their towers and fish the sea, where it could truly contemplate, and consider its turmoil alone, a few thousand years of thought. Interrupted, a band of misfits comes to disrupt the silence. And at long last, the choice of settle or erupt is made clear. The Mountain chose violence. This map was created for annex theater’s Kaiju battle arena, where each player in the stream played as a legendary monster and went toe to toe in PvP! This map was set it at the center of 9 50x50 battlemaps and forced them to explore the rest through the eruption! It was extremely fun and can still be watched, and perhaps even soon a second Kaiju battle will happen! You can grab it 10 pm tomorrow night over at patreon.com/balatroart Check out what else I’m up to over at balatro.carrd.co

[balatrodnd]

Anyone playing cyberpunk Red?!

I’m super proud of these AVs guys made for a flying car chase map I’ve been playing around with for ages

[balatrodnd]

Airship Dogfight. A battle between two airships descends from high in the clouds and weaves through the narrow canyon below. Trading artillery, Smashing into walls, before ending in two crashes from a risky maneuver, allowing the battle to continue on foot. 9 Phased Battle map.

“Speaking from experience, Shipwrecking at sea isn't so bad when you’ve been shipwrecked in the sky. Though that's not one of my theories that I recommend testing.”

-Idia Holly

Our adventurers find themselves crossing a vast dryland on the HMS Affinity. A long journey cargo-merchant airship converted into a personal vessel by it’s captain. With many days of travel ahead they expect a fairly uneventful trip. That is before they reach the Canyon that marks a border to a nearby Tyrannical empire. One who doesn't take kindly to whom they have declared as Airship pirates. Which, it just so happens, was once true of the Affinity’s captain. Must have slipped her mind, She gives a wicked smile, and recommends you hang on tight, Those new Empire Airfrigates are fast. Look at the bright side, at least it's not pirates! This map, Gridless and shipless variants, and transparent airship tokens are available for download at Patreon.com/balatroart

[balatrodnd]

Escape to the ONE place not corrupted by Capitalism! SPACE! Across Wildspace is a 13 Phased battlemap where you take a tour through a swarm of space guppies, A cloud of Ethereum, Past the docks of the Rock of Bral, and into the Astral Sea and its dead gods!

“I consider myself something of a multi-versal explorer. I wrote the book on it. But I draw the line at “Space Clowns” - Ida Holly, Autor of Ida’s Guide to Worlds Beyond Our Own.

The Vale to at the edge of Wildspace pushes right up against the docks, and rumor has it there drifts a massive skeletal dead god. I don’t want to say it’s valuable without having seen one, But I know the Dohwar are sending a merchant fleet to scour it. So- I’m not saying we STEAL anything, I'm just saying we’re closer…

Do with that what you will captain. As a completely unrelated aside, I’ve upgraded our Spelljammer’s forward thrust.

To celebrate the release of Spelljammer I decided to make a phased map that tour some of the locations we’ve heard about in interviews! I’m super excited to dive and really play with those good good Treasure Planet vibes! I was super inspired by the art we’ve seen so far. I have no idea if everything here will make sense once we know more about the new cannon lore for spell jammer but I knew I had to make something to release in tandem!

Grab it at patreon.com/balatroart

Check out my other content, lore, and my book all at https://balatro.carrd.co/

[balatrodnd]

Check out my other work over at balatro.carrd.co

The Treasure of Captain Goldfang! A rapids boat encounter where the party is hanging on to a rickety boat flying down river through a pirate-controlled jungle following the legend of the ancient pirate captain Goldfang. “Captain Goldfang. The legendary big boisterous cat-man pirate. I heard a tale that the guards finally caught him by employing a strategic use of Pspspspsps.” -Ida Holly Here be the last will and testament of the dread pirate king Captain Goldfang Cronen, Terror of the seas and amasser of a horde of treasure that’d make a dragon blush. I lived a life of plunder and gluttony fat on the liquor of the land and never wanting for a single thing but now my time on this mortal land comes to its end-setting sail to unknown waters. Me father always said the Goldfang boys only die at the end of swords or the end of ropes. So to whoever what reads this here massive I present to you my last dagger in the back of fate. Me treasure is out there at the end of the river rapids with rocks like teeth, through the bones of me old crewmen, and into the guts of me ship rotten now as the hearts of its swabbies. Should you whistle in the darkness the walls will fall and there too you can claim it be yours as I did. That terrible treasure of captain Goldfang. Yarr! This map is a second shot at my river rapids map I made about a year ago now but this time inspired by pirate-treasure hunting adventures. Specifically, I was inspired by the goonies and one-eyed willie’s treasure, but more in tone and energy than anything else.

Grab this map tonight at patreon.com/balatroart