Sidebars and Subterranean Passages

Maybe it’s an odd tick, but when I’m stressed I like to break out graph paper and scribble. I find it therapeutic—some people have little sand gardens at their desk, I’ve got an old pad of graph paper. When I’m about to scream at my computer screen or say un-Christian things about a coworker or a government agency, I instead just take a moment to draw a few lines or just shade the negative space.

Levels 1-2 of my stress dungeon. Very inspired by the webcomic “Castle Greyhawk” I decided to draw a small castle with a multi-level dungeon beneath it. Being made by a mad wizard, it doesn’t have to have rhyme or reason, though some may slip in.

The benefit of this is that I may actually get to use them playing with my friends sometime, and humans were created to do creation.

Process wise, I usually draft the layout up just to make neat passage paths, and maybe I have an idea for a room or trap here or there. Then I number and key the rooms. They aren’t great, but it’s fun. I tried to limit my “bestiary” to a handful of creatures to see just how I could implement them with variety. It’s a fun brain exercise.

They’re by no means “well thought out” layouts, the thought comes into how to work with what I’ve given myself throughout the week.

For my sidebar RPG endeavors, I’m slowly using spare 15mm figures along with 1/72 to create little character miniatures. This one is a Knight errant/hedge knight/robber knight with his pack mule. Who knows what happened to his steed? He’s a free lance ready to undergo adventure and tribulation to gain some coin and make a name for himself!

And a map I’m going to use for an overland portion of an adventure. Some day. I haven’t decided if I’ll use it for a future campaign with friends, a solo war game campaign myself, or both.

Thanks for reading! Next time I should have a massive paint log due to what I’m working on this week in the Barony of Brush and Battle!!! *queue serial music*