Confusion about the Gold Goblin basement maps

[Samnell]

I just got to preparing copies of these maps for my players. I run a PBEM, so my floor maps also double as battlemats. The Goblin's a big, frequently-used location that the players should know the layout of upfront, so I went and did the first and second floor already. They've never been down to the basement, but I have some spare time and thus here we are.

On page 63, Area 32 is the Wrangler's Chamber. The reader is told that Bjoask hangs out here and there's a portcullis that controls access to the hallway beyond. It's not on the map on page 60. Furthermore, there's a secret door and a guard post between Bojask's bedroom and the arena, so what use is the portcullis? The writing suggests that this is a security measure to keep people away from the arena and/or Sublevel Two, but the staircase down to the sub-basement isn't hidden by the secret door and said door and it's guard post already secure access to the arena for those coming Bojask's way.

I can see that access through the Red Room is probably controlled by the bartender (and the bar is right next to the door) and the flavor text generally hints that Saul keeps his arena on a need-to-know basis, but I'm lost as to how the portcullis and secret door are supposed to work out for the casino. Is it a change that got tangled in editing? Is the portcullis that Bojask controls supposed to be where the secret door now is and the reference wasn't caught in time? Anybody have any ideas?

[Jal Dorak]

I've asked the same question in the GM Reference thread, so far no reply.

I think your "portcullis over the secret door" idea is pretty good. I'll go with that until I hear otherwise.

[Greg A. Vaughan]

Samnell wrote:

I just got to preparing copies of these maps for my players. I run a PBEM, so my floor maps also double as battlemats. The Goblin's a big, frequently-used location that the players should know the layout of upfront, so I went and did the first and second floor already. They've never been down to the basement, but I have some spare time and thus here we are.

On page 63, Area 32 is the Wrangler's Chamber. The reader is told that Bjoask hangs out here and there's a portcullis that controls access to the hallway beyond. It's not on the map on page 60. Furthermore, there's a secret door and a guard post between Bojask's bedroom and the arena, so what use is the portcullis? The writing suggests that this is a security measure to keep people away from the arena and/or Sublevel Two, but the staircase down to the sub-basement isn't hidden by the secret door and said door and it's guard post already secure access to the arena for those coming Bojask's way.

I can see that access through the Red Room is probably controlled by the bartender (and the bar is right next to the door) and the flavor text generally hints that Saul keeps his arena on a need-to-know basis, but I'm lost as to how the portcullis and secret door are supposed to work out for the casino. Is it a change that got tangled in editing? Is the portcullis that Bojask controls supposed to be where the secret door now is and the reference wasn't caught in time? Anybody have any ideas?

Sorry, for my delinquent reply (see my post under the GM Reference thread).

The portcullis was inadvertantly left off the map. It should be in the corridor 5 feet south of the door into Bojask's room (32) and controlled by a winch and peephole from within his room. Between it and the secret door, access is blocked for any beasts that may escape from the chambers below.

The stairway down to 35 is not accessible to customers. The secret door hides access from the south and the only other entrance is through the kitchen. There should actually be no wall to the east of 34 (another map error) which is a passage leading the bleacher-style arena seating that looks down into area 39.

[Jal Dorak]

Thanks Greg. That definitely clarifies things a bit. Timely reply, as the next session the party is assaulting the goblin with Kwava.

[Greg A. Vaughan]

Glad I got to it in time (if just barely). :-)

[Samnell]

Greg A. Vaughan wrote:

Glad I got to it in time (if just barely). :-)

Thanks, Greg. :)