Danak's Library

Yesterday while waiting on something to download,  I doodled a small dungeon.  I kind of liked it, and decided it could go in the fantasy sandbox.  However, it was a rough sketch. I could probably recreate it fairly easy with Paint.NET, but I decided to try something, a virtual tracing/light box.

Here's the initial sketch, as usual click to enlarge.

I decided it was just the sort of place that a wizard would use to store his more esoteric or even dangerous books,and conduct magical experiments.  It's not really useable like it is, so I needed to redo it.  Back in the olden days, I would just trace over it.  Since I didn't own a light box I would tape it to a window, and start tracing.  However, using Paint.NET I can do practically the same thing.  All I have to do is scan the sketch, and using layers I can trace over the sketch.  Easy peasy.  If I make a mistake, no problem!  Just erase or undo, and viola, no more mistake.  Here's the somewhat finished map...

Yes, it is different from the initial sketch, but that's the purpose of the sketch, it's an initial idea to be built upon. In the finished map I added guard's quarters.  As I was working on it I began taking notes on what I did, otherwise I might forget, and I ended up with a good start on a tutorial.  Not sure if I will post it, but you never know.

I like labeling the rooms.  In a larger dungeon this would be problematic, but it works on a small scale.

Working on the map, Danak the Wizard began to take shape in my mind, as well as his henchmen.  I'm always amazed at how synergistic creative endeavors can become.  So, one doodled map, has snowballed into a group of NPCs, and plenty of adventure and plot ideas.

Danak doesn't like to keep all his eggs in one basket, so he has more than one place he stores his books.  After his first workshop burned to the ground he takes precautions.  ( He really shouldn't have tried to train a Fire Imp. ) When possible he has duplicates of his books stored in different locations.

This location is just about stuffed with books, scrolls, and maps.  The library chamber has many shelves over-flowing with books.  Others are stacked nearly everywhere except the entrance tunnel, where it's a bit too damp for books. The workshop has a modest alchemical lab.

He has hired several guards, mostly half-orcs, that live in one of the cavern's chambers.  The conditions aren't the best, but it beats living in the forest, or the slums of Viphtry.