The Hive Battle Map - Launch

For our final map this month I wanted to create one of your Patron suggestions. Looking through the list this one caught my eye. I think insects are really awesome in general, giants insects are better, and Insect races like the Thri-Kreen are really fun to drop into a campaign. I incorporated the Thri-Kreen into my home campaign (with a little home brew tweaking) and they made for some really unique encounters.

When it comes to the layout, I tried to imagine what the inside of a wasps nest might look like, while trying to keep it flexible enough to be used for any number of insects. I wanted plenty of space in the central chamber to allow for a fun boss fight and well, all those holes around the walls should really worry your players :)

Introduction

The air in the tunnel is warm and moist, a slight draft brings the sent of earth, mould and a strange acidic aroma from the depths below. Ahead you spy a small clump of luminous yellow mushrooms sprouting from the mud wall, casting an amber light across the tunnel. As you move forward you sense something new and unsettling. It feels like the air is becoming thicker, your eyes struggle to focus for a second in the dim light. Instinct makes you reach for the tunnels wall. Almost imperceptibly the walls are vibrating with a low hum that you feel more than hear. You realise, without consciously doing so, you have taken two steps forward, your hand keeping contact with the wall as you do so. You feel a need to continue, to find the centre of this place and the source of the now audible hum.

You press forward, passing multiple small chambers, until finally you reach your destination. This new chamber is huge, its walls and ceiling covered in glowing mushrooms. More ominous are the hundreds of dark holes that line the walls and ceiling. From each one you sense the same hum that has guided you to this place, along with the hum you now hear clicks and high pitched tweets. Walking to the centre of the chamber you wait, anticipating what is to come. Something is watching, no, many things are watching, waiting for a sign, or a signal. You sense your next action will determine the outcome of this encounter. One way or another.

• 30x30 Grid map

Variants

• Mushroom (Base)
• Desert
• Ice

Notes and Tips

• Make sure to describe the sound of many creatures, lots of clicks, ticks and tweets. Try to creep out your players a little! (assuming they are all OK with it obviously)
• Have things climb along the walls or across the ceiling.
• This nest could be the home of any number of huge insects, including Wasps, Ants, Bees or Termites.
• Other creatures that could live here: Small snakes could cover the floor (Indy style), while huge snakes slither in and out of the tunnels. Rats or Moles, or giant killer rabbits. Just add Dire to the start and you're good to go!
• This could work as a Tri-Kreen village.
• You could link some of the tunnels together, so mobs vanish into the tunnels and leap out at the players from somewhere new.
• The players could enter from any number of tunnels or from the ceiling if they have maybe found an entrance from above.

I think thats about it for this release. Thanks for your continued support, welcome to you new people and expect an update message this weekend with an outline of whats to come over the next few weeks. As always happy adventuring!

Alternative versions this release include:

Desert

Ice