The two maps given in the rulebook ase not terribly helpful with determining the post ion of the things on the ground; library, sitting room etc. Can anybody help by telling me how they solved this problem?

This will probably not help much but what I did with my group was strictly keep the adventure in the theator of the mind. I keeped everything loose, I.e you walk out into the center of the main hall and Otto the librarian notices you as he is walking down the stairs from the 2nd floor balcony. I would explain things vaguely and alow the pcs more freedom when telling me where they wanted to be. This approach also alowed me to direct them a little easier when they were a little stumped or a lull in the story occurred.

Furthermore this is almost a gothic horror approach. Describing things loosely allowing the players emaginations to fill in the blanks. If u play it off as though it's not important they won't pic up on the fact that u think it is.

Just my 2 cents

Gitzman's Gallery has modules for Map Tools, including one for Eye for an Eye, http://www.gitzmansgallery.com/wfrp-maptools.html

I loaded Map Tools and Gitzman's Eye for an Eye module and then took screen shots to create maps of the areas I needed.

I took the "theater of the mind" completely out. It is a lot of work, but I created a scale model of the entire lodge and surrounding buildings.

The lodge itself measures about 24"x18". Two story. Made it out of 3d model paper walls from the Tavern set by Fat Dragon Games and mounted it on MDF.

We had a blast running our minis through the lodge and chasing down the cultists. It made the adventure considerably more real and added a very nice tatical touch to the combats. I noticed my players were doing things like jumping on tables, throwing over chairs, and using the corners of walls as cover MUCH more so than they ever did before because they had a permanent visual. This helped them to remember were they had already been, what they had searched etc. I also used the cluecards

You only get to play it the first time once, and I am glad we used the 3d terrain.. Now, I only need to build a full scale table top for the rest of all the campaigns,…..

The theatre of the mind approach is tough. In a perfect world it would work but keeping everything in the same place would be tough for me.

The gitzman map is super helpful. That is exactly what I was hoping to find. I don't know why if they gave the maps of the bedrooms why they wouldn't give the map of the more important areas, library, kitchen etc.

A full scale model would be amazing, but the materials at my fingertips are not so much.

WOW. A full scale model would be lots of fun! Almost like a Mordheim version of the game. I think it's interesting how people perspective on what is hard can be so different. While I think a full scale model would be a hurculean task, and much harder than just "theator of the mind". It never occurred to me that my approach would be considered difficult, it's just how we ran games in my groups 20+ years ago.

The cardboard 3d terrain u used? Where did u get it? How much was it? Is it reusable, or is it a one time kit? I.e if I build a church, are all of my pieces used and I can't turn them into something different for next game session?

Thanks

I have used several different "kits".

The reason I started doing paper models was the price. While I LOVE the Dwarven Forge stuff, I simply can not justify the expense.

In doing some research as to what I could use, I came across the "paper models". If you are not familiar with them, they are TONS, and TONS, of different packages you can purchase and many different companies that make them.

I found them at: http://www.wargamevault.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=346&term=fat%20dragon and: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/index.php?keywords=free+paper+model&filters=100_0_0_0_0&x=22&y=20&author=&artist=&pfrom=&pto=

What I like about using the paper models:

1. They are very inexpensive

2. They are fairly easy to make once you have done just a few

3. They are available instantly - simply purchase, download, and print

4. Once you have the download you can make as MANY AS YOU WANT

I have threatened to post some pics in the past,.. so here are a few. Please keep in mind that nearly all of these pics are still a "work in progress" and were NOT set up to do pics. I just grabed the camera and snaped some shots. I will, in the near future clear my table and do a FULL set up with ALL the pieces, snap some shots and post if anybody wanted to see it fully set up. Also, I had a !@#$ing mouse think the lodge would make a great home and ate through some of the accessories! I added rice and corn to the accessory pieces to give them a little weight. The little SOB decided that would make a good dinner I suppose. (traps were bought the next day) I have yet to replace the damaged pieces.

wait a sec,… how do I place a pic in a post ??? *&^%$!!!!!

MAYBE this will work ??

I do have some close ups, but I want to see if these work first,…. ?!?

ok,… I'll try something different,….

TEST:

nope

maybe just a link??

test 2: https://www.dropbox.com/s/xtybb4a7bdnnots/front%20lodge.JPG

ok that at least works so here are some others,…

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e1zebrbk36m23as/overall%20full.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4r5pu23xnoywpuy/1st%20floor%20full.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mndqu3pehq3kixq/2nd%20floor%20full.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/07kn3mv8tsjil1y/2nd%20story%20half.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/v2x7tszegx2yrnb/2nd%20story%20hall.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/epdjeboykjo101v/lodge%20dining%20hall.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/as0e3w69cq8ham8/lodge%20kitchen.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gav60cmtv15ycpy/Lord%20Aschaffenberg%27s%20room.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wo7m1nlhdjl66qv/front%20lodge%20close.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ai9x6unkfzwxgoq/road%20and%20walls.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sqb3cbwz6w9ckdy/forge%20full.JPG

Hope those work,…

test 3: actual photo in post -

OK,. I think I have it now,…

test 4, maximum width:

Will you please be my GM? Wow!

Woah!

That would be a nice set to have played it in.

OK….you win! Theator of the mind may take less work and prep, but that ROCKS!

Gary

Wow! Those are absolutely amazing! Can I come play with you?

Great stuff Flynn. I found three things to be of absolute necessity:

1. The map from gitzman (scribbled out the secret stuff). I enlarged it and put it on the table to represent where people were. I was just going to draw it on the battlemat, but the Gtizman map was quicker and easier.

2. A list of NPCs and their jobs that I gave to the players. Again, this gives players a chance to focus and make notes.

3. A MAP of what's OUTSIDE the mansion was scribbled on the battlemat. Nothing complicated. I just drew an exterior wall, and boxes or circles with the names of the external locations. .Pplus, I ALWAYS tell them that NOT EVERYTHING IS DRAWN ON THE MAP. When players aren't told that, they forget to think outside the box. They forget to look for secret doors, bookshelves, ladders covered over in vines, etc.

. My players spent most of their time outside checking out each of the kennels, etc. One lone player who thought he'd sneak around the inside of the house was driven insane by You-Know-What, and then later beastmen cornered him in a room and "skrinded' his bones."

Some of the things that I embellished on:

* The NPCs moved the You-Know-WHat after the first viewing by the PC (who was driven insane) and replaced with a picture of an old woman (but there was still a dust stain on the wall that the other PCs could see later

* I had the kennelmaster feeding beastmen to the dogs (because there wasn't any meat around otherwise and he saw no harm in it), which made the PCs paranoid about it all.

I think I only killed off one PC in that finale.

jh