Back in February, we celebrated hitting 500 Instagram followers by running a contest for a free map commission. The lucky winner received a free Journeyman quarter-page map and content for the game system of their choice. Our winner wanted a Dungeons & Dragons throne room themed map fit for a fire king. He wanted the map to specifically feature dragons in the throne room. I had a lot of fun creating this map, and I’m excited to present the Fury of the Ember Lord!
The Request
My conversation with the winner yielded a few specific, yet reasonable, requests:
- The throne room is fire-themed.
- There are statues of defeated foes, including a mounted red dragon .
- There must be a secret labyrinth located beneath the throne room.
It didn’t take long at all to come up with a layout based on his requirements. I knew that the throne room had to be the dominant feature, considering that the entirety of the map must fit within a 4 1/4″ by 5 1/2″ space. Surprisingly, much of my research revealed that a majority of royal throne rooms were fairly small, but I knew no self-respecting tyrant would have such a tiny room!
I was able to fit the desired rooms into a standard quarter-sized page and still include a few extra rooms to flesh out the interior. The final version includes more traps and secrets than what I am showing here, but let’s take a closer look at each aspect of this map.
Throne Room
The throne room features the aforementioned statues and stuffed red dragon. It also features eternally-burning ember pits to add an air of menace to the room.
The Antechamber
One of the last rooms I made was this antechamber: a waiting room for adventurers to stew in before meeting the king.
The Labyrinth
Beneath the throne room lies the landing to a vast dungeon, as gargoyle statues stand watching in the gloom. To the south, a set of double doors stands behind a perpetual wall of fire.
Secret Doorway
A secret doorway to the north hides access to the labyrinth that holds those who displease the Ember lord.
Treasure Hoard
Lastly, a magnificent treasure hoard lies deep within the labyrinth, and only the Ember lord knows how to reach it.
This was a great piece to work on! Our winner knew what he wanted but was flexible with his ideas and any suggestions I had. I left multiple open-ended doors on the map so he could expand upon his piece and customize it beyond what I made. If you want to collaborate on a commission with us, please check out our Commissions process and reach out to us!
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