VERY IMPORTANT: Beneos 4.0 is the biggest update we've ever shipped.

Every download consolidated into one system, the module rebuilt from the ground up, new tools added, and existing content across both Battlemaps, Creatures, Spells, and Loot reworked.

All of it is included for existing patrons at no extra cost.

Highlights:

• Downloads via Module and Cloud. Everything you need lives inside Foundry or on our Website, everything runs via the Beneos Cloud. No more Moulinette, no more Google Drive.

• Personalized access with one account. Your Beneos Account automatically tracks your Patreon status.

• Reimagined module as your central hub. It's not just a fancy new download manager (although it looks pretty snazzy). It has been completely rebuilt, with a whole set of new functions built in, from the Creature Codex, to Shot Generators to the Item Forge.

• Massive Updates for every bit of content. Every map got a technical overhaul to increase performance, every creature has a new top-down token, items gained full Origins (and that are just a few examples).

• Accessible online library. Every SRD creature, spell, and item alongside all of our own Beneos content, browsable, rollable, and downloadable in one place - beneos-battlemaps.com

• Get started for free! A free Beneos Cloud account gets you four complete releases and a handpicked selection of free creatures, spells, and loot right away.

Check out the massive FAQ below if there are any unanswered questions left!

Thank you for your support, and for the chance to share the burning passion we have for this hobby. 

Over the next weeks, we will be especially vigilant regarding any issues, hiccups, bugs, or missed opportunities for quality-of-life adjustments. We are very, very eager to listen to your feedback, and you help us tremendously by reporting any problems you come across.

1. General 

1.1. What has changed?

Almost everything. The Foundry VTT module, the Beneos Cloud, the website, and every asset ever released.  This is the largest update in Beneos history, built around one core idea: Reliable access via a single account for everything. 

1.2. Where do I actually download content from now?

Two options, same content either way: install directly inside Foundry VTT through the Beneos module, or download from your Library on the Beneos Cloud website to use locally or in another VTT.

Make sure you use your Patreon email address; it will then be linked automatically. If your email address is different, you can permanently link it in your Library under Settings.

1.3. Do I still need Moulinette?

No. It's been fully removed as a dependency. Everything runs through the Beneos Cloud now, both inside the module and on the site. Moulinette will continue to be populated in parallel as a backup for a short time, after which it will no longer be maintained.

1.4. Can I still use Moulinette?

There is no reason to. All of the 4.0 improvements are available via the Cloud. Anything on Moulinette is untouched and stays at its old state; it does not get upgraded automatically. Moulinette is being kept in place purely as a temporary emergency fallback for now, not as an ongoing way to get updated content. To actually get the 4.0 improvements, install or reinstall through the Beneos Cloud. 

1.5. What happened to Google Drive downloads?

Also gone. All tiers now get their files — including zip downloads — through the Beneos Cloud Library instead.

1.6. Do free downloads also go through the Beneos Cloud now?

Yes. Both free content and patron content are delivered through the Beneos Cloud, not through direct download links. Whether you're grabbing something free or something tied to your Patreon tier, you go through the same Cloud-based search and download flow, either inside the Foundry module or in your Library on the website. 

1.7. What actually changed in the maps themselves?

Every MP4 and WebM video, for every map, in every release, was re-encoded with modern streaming features built in. This can speed up playback by up to 30%, both streamed and local, with smaller downloads and smoother looping.

2. Account, Login & Patreon Verification

2.1. What is the Beneos Cloud, exactly?

It is our very own CDN (Content Delivery Network) that we develop and maintain. Everything now runs through our own infrastructure, with passwordless login, automatic patreon verification and more reliable downloads.  It also connects our webshop and your full user account, and every download, battlemaps, creatures, spells, loot — now goes through it, whether you're inside Foundry or on the website.

2.2. How do I access this cloud? 

Open beneos-battlemaps.com or our Foundry Module. Everything you see is stored on the cloud, accessible via your Beneos Account. You create your account the same way you log in: enter your email (either directly inside the Foundry module or on the website), and you're issued a one-time code. Enter that code, and your account exists. You're in.

2.3. How do I log in and where's the password field?

There isn't one. Login is fully passwordless: enter your email, we send a one-time code to that inbox, you type the code in, and you're signed in. This is the same flow whether you're logging in through the Foundry module or through the website.

2.4. I didn't get an email with my code. What do I do?

Check your spam or promotions folder first, because one-time codes can occasionally get filtered. Double-check you typed your email correctly, since a small typo will silently send the code nowhere. If it still doesn't arrive after a few minutes, try requesting a new code rather than reusing an old one, and reach out on Discord if the problem continues.

2.5. I'm an active patron. How does the Cloud know that?

Your Patreon benefits link automatically if your Beneos Cloud account uses the exact same email address as your Patreon account. No extra steps needed in that case.

2.6. Can I use the same account in Foundry and on the website?

Yes. it's one account. Logging in inside the Foundry module and logging in on beneos-battlemaps.com both point to the same Cloud account and the same library.

2.7. I already had a Beneos account before 4.0. Do I need to make a new one?

No, it just has become easier for you to log in. 

2.8. What if I use a different email for Patreon than for my Cloud account?

You can link your Patreon email to your Cloud account afterwards, and once linked, the two stay connected permanently. Look for the account linking option in your Cloud account settings.

16. I support both Patreon pages (Battlemaps, and Creatures/Spells/Loot). Do I need two Cloud accounts?

No. One Beneos Cloud account covers both. Your access to each Patreon's content depends on which Patreon tiers you're actively subscribed to, but the download experience is unified under a single account.

2.8. If I cancel my Patreon support, what happens to my account?

Your Cloud account itself stays.  It simply drops back to whatever free content is available to everyone, since patron-only access is tied to your active Patreon status.

2.9. What if I want to change the email on my account later?

You'd want to re-link your Patreon email to whatever new address you're using, to keep your benefits connected. If you change your email without updating the link, your Patreon match can break. Please contact us for such special cases.

2.10. I just joined or upgraded on Patreon — why don't I have access yet?

Give it a little time. Unlocking typically takes 2 to 5 minutes, depending on how quickly Patreon notifies the Beneos Cloud of your new status. If it's been noticeably longer than that and your emails match (or you've linked them), check Discord for support.

3. The Module 

3.1 What's new about the Foundry module itself?

It's completely redesigned. Open it from the button on the left after installing content, and browse and install all your creatures, spells, loot, and battlemaps from one place. Even without patron status, you get a full selection of free content in the same interface.  We also added the Creature Codex, Loot and Shop Generators, the Item Forge and fully implemented the Origin system.

3.2 What is the Creature Codex?

Every creature, including SRD creatures, now has its own Codex entry: lore and descriptions, story hooks and foreshadowing, ability checks players can attempt, and read-aloud prompts for combat start, defeat, and key abilities. The codex now includes:

• The Tactical Guide In depth tactics for each trait, action, bonus action, reaction, and more, plus meta strategy for how to actually play the creature, SRD or Beneos.

• The Autopilot.  An optional feature that opens when a creature comes up in initiative and tells you, round by round, how it should behave in combat. Toggle it on or off anytime.

• A built-in PDF viewer for full stat blocks, with a printer-friendly version.

3.3 What makes Beneos Loot different from standard magic items?

All SRD items are already included for every patron. Beneos Originals add mechanics that actively shape your story, with a focus on unique mechanics and the Origin system.

3.4 What is the Shop Generator/the Loot Generator?

The Shop Generator builds a fully stocked, randomized shop by archetype and size at the press of a button.  The Loot Generator recommends fitting items based on the environment, rarity, and tier of play. Every item also has a balanced price based on factors like tier of play, its impact on the different pillars of gameplay, and the action economy. The Shop Generator builds a fully stocked shop of your chosen size in seconds, favoring different item types and Origins depending on the chosen merchant archetype.

3.5 What is an Origin, and what are set bonuses?

An item’s origin influences the essence an item carries, how it came to be and how that shapes its identity (forged by dwarves, blessed by gods, awakened in battle, from the Feywild, etc.) . This carries real mechanical weight. Attuning to several items of the same Origin earns balanced set bonuses, encouraging players to build toward a theme and allows you to use functionalities like the Forge or Item Radar.

3.6 How do I use the Beneos Forge?

Open the Forge in the module, then add either a homebrew item created by you or any SRD item, along with an Origin of your choice. The item is then imbued with an Echo of Origin feature that makes it count towards the Origin’s set bonus.

3.7 How can I use the Item origins?

Beneos Original items automatically have an origin, and you can use the Item Forge to attach an origin to any SRD item. These origins grant different set boni and access to different functions.

3.8 What is the Item Radar?

Players attuned to an Origin sense nearby items of that Origin. The more they carry, the further it reaches. As GM, you set an item's distance from the party in the Beneos Codex; attuned players get a sound cue, a blinking sheet icon, and a compass pointing toward it.

4. Downloads & Your Library

4.1 Do I need to reinstall old maps for any reason, or is that just optional polish?

It's optional, but worthwhile: reinstalling is the only way to get the newly re-encoded, streaming-optimized videos (up to 30% faster playback) and the newly added ambience files on older releases. Your existing installed scenes stay fully valid and playable without reinstalling. 

4.2 Do older maps get ambience now too?

Almost every release now includes ambience files in the same 10-minute format used for new releases — including older maps, Curse of Strahd–compatible maps, and sceneries, which previously had none. Redownload or reinstall to get it.

4.3 How do I know if a release has changed since I installed it?

Releases now have a visible lifecycle in search — you can see which are new, and when one you own has changed, you're offered an update directly in your world. Consider everything you installed before this post as outdated content.

4.4 Can I search for a single map now instead of downloading a whole release?

Yes, that's new in 4.0. Search now covers individual maps as free text, not just full release names, so you don't have to dig through an entire release to find the one map you want.

4.5 What are bundles, and do I need to pay extra for them?

Bundles are linked releases grouped into a single list, so you can download them one at a time or all at once. They're not a new purchase, access still follows your existing patron tier for each release in the bundle. This is a new, limited rollout for now; more (and larger) bundles may follow depending on how the infrastructure holds up.

4.5 Do I need to update a release I already installed?

Reinstall it through the Beneos module downloader. If the scene is still recognized in your world (i.e. you haven't renamed it), the module asks whether to overwrite it with the current version.

4.6 If I update/overwrite a scene, do I lose my changes?

Yes. The module matches scenes by their internal ID, not by name, so a renamed scene is still recognized as installed. However, a regular re-install deliberately will not touch it: a matching ID with a different name is treated as a safety conflict and skipped with a warning in the install report (this protects unrelated scenes from rare ID collisions). No duplicate scene is created. To update a renamed scene, run the install with the overwrite option; note that this restores the scene's original name.

4.7 I renamed my scene — will updates still find it?

No. The module matches on the original scene name to detect an existing installation, so a renamed scene won't be recognized as the same release. In that case a reinstall would create a new scene rather than update the old one.

4.8 Where are the SRD creatures that were automatically placed?

They've moved into the Creature Drawer. Previously, NPCs came pre-placed directly on the map, which caused confusion for anyone running a different scenario or their own campaign with that scene. Now every scene with creatures keeps them tucked away in the drawer instead of placed on the map by default. Press the Creature Drawer button, and all creatures for that scene — including SRD creatures — appear at their correct, intended positions in one click. The map itself stays clean until you actively bring them in, which also helps performance. 

4.9 Is there anything free I can download without being a patron?

Yes, quite a lot. Every battlemap release offers all of its static map images as a free download, and PDFs/cards for creatures, spells, and loot are free too. On top of that, four full releases are entirely free (see below), and every content category has some free items in it.

4.10 I install through Foundry, but can I also get the zip files?

Yes. Go to your Library on the Beneos Cloud (same login, same search), and download the MP4/WebM zip for local use or another VTT, exactly like any other tier would.

5. Online Tools & Documentation

5.1 What can I do on beneos-battlemaps.com besides downloading things?

The online library lets you search and open any SRD or Beneos creature, spell, or item right in the browser . You can view stat blocks, download PDFs, and even roll attack rolls, saves, and ability checks live.

5.2 Where do I find help if something doesn't make sense?

The Beneos Documentation covers accounts, installation, and usage, reachable via the website, the question mark on any installed scene, or the module settings.

5.3 Can I print physical materials for my table?

Yes. Spell and item cards and creature sheets are available as print-ready PDFs in Foundry and in your Library.

6. Technical Notes

6.1 Which Foundry versions are supported?

Foundry V14 is supported, and V13 remains supported.

6.2 What languages is the module available in?

Fully localized in 13 languages.

6.3 Does Beneos track my usage?

There's an optional, anonymous usage insights feature. GM-only, opt-out, and containing no personal player data.

6.4 My download failed partway through, or a file seems missing. What now?

This should be rarer now: after every install, the module checks that all files actually landed on disk, and retries automatically if a connection drops mid-transfer. If you're on an unreliable connection, there's also a slower-but-safer transfer mode designed specifically to avoid partial/missing files.

6.5 Does a dropped connection mean I have to start the whole download over?

No. that's one of the specific improvements. Downloads can resume instead of restarting from zero if your connection drops.

6.6 Why does my download come from a different server than my friend's?

We now run our own content delivery network (CDN), which routes each download through a server close to you geographically. This is automatic — you don't need to configure anything.