As I love anything Lovecraft or Lovecraftian, I am extremely eager to see this. You've got all weekend, so hop to it!
October 2021 Challenge: Abandoned R'desh
Tempting as it is to simple do a version of the Corbitt House from the "The Haunting" (aka "The Haunted House"), the original Call of Cthulhu RPG scenario, I need to do a map for my current game that'll fit the theme, so I'm doing that.
In "The Mound", one of the stories Lovecraft "co-authored" while doing the vast majority of the work, the reader learns of K'n-Yan, a vast underground realm, lit with a blue radiance and inhabited by an ancient, immortal, and decadent race of humanoids. Also, down here, thousands -- millions -- of years of biological experiments, psychic power, and sorcery have created beings that serve various roles as domesticated beasts or slaves. Additionally, they can reanimate the dead to serve as telepathically-controlled zombie-like creatures. While the main region is under Oklahoma, with the population largely moved to their capital city, my focus is down in Texas, not far from the Mexican border, where my players' characters have gained access down to the blue-litten realm of K'n-yan. Here they will find R'desh, once an important town engaged in scientific research. But it is all but vacated, the inhabitants long-departed, save one.
R'desh is haunted by Glot-tesh, the Y'm-bhi, and the Gyaa-yothn. Additionally, the people of K'n-yan were possessed of great psychic power. Some potent psychic impressions may linger, still active after millennia. Glot-tesh is a man of K'n-yan, a biological and cybernetic researcher who reach decadence more slowly than most, focused on his work. He grew alienated from his fellow citizens as they drifted away and now lingers. Like all of his people, he lives in a half-spirit state, capable of dematerializing himself and spending much of his time wandering the Dreamlands, though intruders in the city will get his attention soon enough. The Y'm-bhi are reanimated dead, serving various functions, or standing forgotten where they last worked centuries ago. The Gyaa-vothn are horrific creatures built like beasts but with human or anthropoid features and a single horn growing from the forehead.
The area around R'desh contains a number of old experiments of various types (the player-characters have already encountered old products of K'n-yan's weird science, somewhat hybridized and cybernetically augmented bears, coyote-wolves, and a mountain lion) as well as a tribe of degenerate humanoids of the troglodyte caveman variety. These last will have a witch-queen, though I haven't decided yet whether she'll be a terrifying old crone centuries-old or full pulp-fiction anomaly, not only of superior intelligence but also beautiful to the surface-human's eye.
As I've been going through Lovecraft and other Mythos readings lately, I have come to realize that Gygax's Lovecraftian influence is shown as much in his penchant for underground expeditions as in the various horrible elder gods imprisoned around the world of Greyhawk awaiting their release to wreck havoc on the world. It's surprising that there seems to be little game material devoted to K'n-yan, the original Underdark.
For the challenge, I'll be producing a map of R'desh itself, though I'll have to work out additional maps of the surrounding caverns and some of the more important buildings for game use.
As I love anything Lovecraft or Lovecraftian, I am extremely eager to see this. You've got all weekend, so hop to it!
Ambitious project!
And, The "Haunted House" was the first scenario I did as a Call of Chtulhu player, btw(Like many others, I suspect).
My priority, of course, is getting to something that I can put up on Roll20 for my players to use as they explore the city. Artistic touches and even labeling will follow as time may allow. This is a grayscale map and at this time I have no intention to do a color version.
What is done so far: the great cavern where this mile-wide city stands and the major passages out of it. The grand arena in the center of the city (not done: the surrounding park, long gone wild or claimed by the Gyaa-yothn or other creatures), much of the ordinary buildings of basalt with gold-tiled roofs (though ordinary only in the terms of K'n-yan, their height will probably call for a Sanity check from characters who have no concept of a skyscraper), the four gates of the city (for show rather than security, the all-enclosing wall that exists in the present is largely crudely built in later times by Y'm-bhi under the direction of Glot-tesh, to prevent all forms of underground creatures from invading the now all-but-emptied city), a few of the governmental buildings, and five of the eight great temples that flank the gates.
The Temple of Tsathoggua (top) squats ugly, amorphous, and terrible above those who pass it. On the right, you may see the Temple of Shub-Nigurrath, which includes an enclosed garden/park area. Next to it is the cylindrical upper portion of the Temple of Ghatanothoa, the majority of which lies in chambers dug into the rock beneath. At the bottom of the map, the step-pyramid Temple of Yig neighbors the Temple of Tulu, where a large pond may hold secrets better left undisturbed.
### Latest WIP ###
Added the paired temples of Nug and Yeb, called the Twin Blasphemies (though, presumably, not by their worshippers) and the temple of the God That Shall Not Be Named. Added the massive slave pens, the Quarters of the Dead (dating back to before the people of K'n-Yan became immortal), the atomic power plant, and a smattering of other buildings.
My players made it to the city today, noted the gates were not unguarded and did not attempt to enter. Circling the city, they entered a couple of the crypts that were left outside the walls, found some artifacts, and departed. They have what they want for now. I don't even think any of them picked up on the repeated mentions of the golden roofs. Well, there are ways to lure them back later, assuming they don't die trying to hunt down a ghost.
### Latest WIP ###
Added trees for the park surrounding the arena and trees and fountains in the Temple of Shub-Nigurrath.
Still to do: labels.
### Latest WIP ###
This is the final version, except any possible corrections. Labeling is done in Gondola SD, the title is Gothic Birthday Cake, and the flavor text below the key is in AquilineTwo Medium.
### Latest WIP ###
Funny enough, my players are tromping around in a large cavern deep within Kyber (the underworld), so I totally vibe with this concept! I'm sure some great roleplaying moments will take place here, I like your choice in names, and the layout too.
IR
As predicted, a correction ("obedient" was spelled "obient"!):
### Latest WIP ###
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