The Bathhouse Variants

An Introduction Sign up to my Patreon to get access: patreon.com/afternoonmaps

Y
ou lower yourself slowly into the uncomfort-
ably hot water, steam drifts off its surface creating
a dreamlike haze in the humid interior. Dark stone
tiles line the baths, contrasting with the blond wood
that makes up the walls and walkways of this tradi-
tional establishment. Translucent paper screens split
the bathhouse interior into discrete bathing areas, a skylight above
allows for an uninterrupted view of the heavens. You lean back
with a sigh of satisfaction. You can hear murmured conversations
from nearby bathers and further off the rushing of water from the
fast moving stream behind the bathhouse.

As your eyes begin to close the light from the skylight is obscured
for a moment, you catch a glimpse of a humanoid shape silhouetted
against the sky. Without thought you jump to your feet but the
shape is gone. Glancing towards your weapons propped against
the door you signal your comrades. From next door you hear a cry.
Shapes flash across the paper screen separating your rooms. Two
figures struggle, shadows playing across the paper, then with a crash
the figures burst through tumbling into your bath. From above, you
see black clad shapes drop from the skylights. It seams bath time
will have to wait.

Notes and Tips

• 30x20 Battle Map
• This makes for a great place to meet clandestinely.
• Assassination attempts are always fun, either by the party or have
the party trying to prevent one.
• Mob Bosses love bathhouses.
• Every adventure needs a hot springs/bathhouse episode.
• Water elementals can invade from the river, or any number of
creatures could climb into the Bathhouse from the open area at
the rear.
• Glowing spectres or ghosts can haunt the place, lighting up the
paper walls so the party can see them from other rooms.
• Have enemy casters heat the water creating steam clouds to ob-
scure the view or freeze a bath trapping players in place.
• This would be a fun and uncomfortable place to hold a murder
mystery.
• If the Bathhouse has paper walls you can easily have people crash
through them, opening up the battle area.
• The large room at the back is open at the rear, with just a fence
and drop off between it and the river.
• Remember to take into account that players may not be wearing
armor, so adjust your encounter strengths with this in mind!

The Bathhouse
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