The Campaign Builder's Guild

It's been a while since anyone has posted updates or new maps of their campaign world. To kick off a new thread, I'd like to share my revised Campaign Cartographer 3 maps of Deismaar.

World Map - http://ogy.cc/Oct24.JPG

World Map, Western Region http://ogy.cc/wh_nas.jpg

Very nice map, Moniker.

Here's a new map of Shadowfell, created for me by Phoenix (beware, it's huge):

http://www.shadowfell.org/i/Alsa-Eru-with-Compass-and-Names.PNG

Seriously, Phoenix rocks.

I have a lot to do to make the location and place names look nicer, but it's a slow project with other priorities right now.

I like the compass you added, Ish.

Moniker, I'm impressed. Either CC3 way out-classes CC2, or you totally rock with it. Or both.

Wow, I definitely skipped over the part where you said you did that with CC3, Moniker.  Very impressive!

Here are two quick maps I made for a setting my friends and I tried to make (but they waffled and it died :( ). -  URL to more complex map (http://www.freewebs.com/ruengoya/Greater%20Imperium.png) &  URL to simple map (http://www.freewebs.com/ruengoya/Greater%20Imperium%20wo%20Topo.png)

Myrenia (http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/7793/myreniakg1.jpg)

There's the latest map for the mortal world of Haveneast. I haven't got the Nightmare equivalent done yet. The map of the primary region of Anselvar was drawn around for reference.

Neat and very detailed map, Troll... I still love hand-drawn maps.

Okay, here's a WIP map I'm working on.  This is actually a rough draft more than anything, to figure out what styles I like best.  I have my mountains down, I think, but have some problems with making nice-looking forests.

This area of Alsa Eru is called "The Crescent (http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/index.php/The_Crescent)."

(http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/images/f/fd/Crescent-Full.png)

Those are some really great maps, awesome work guys.

I've slowly been working on flushing out my Afterworld Map, however its been slow work because I've been having to build up the existing Empires and everything before the invasion, then translate that onto a map that shows what is currently known about the condition of the world.


All the map currently consists of is a rough sketch scanned in and a few photoshop elements tossed on top, it is only a rough WIP.

 AFTERWORLD MAP (http://gmwsolutions.com/Alex/DND/5.13.08/Afterworld.png)

- Dashed lines are Nation borders
- Orange Dots are remaining cities/towns and the yellow surrounding them is to give an idea of what area they patrol/protect. These points of civilization are points of the lights in the darkness that has consumed the world.
- Purplesque/Blue squigglies and brown cross hatched areas are rough ideas for locations of lakes/rivers
- The underlayed black thick lines are Leylines that run under the world
- Brown stuff is the mountain ranges
- Purple Filled Shaded areas are current locations known/expected to house the remnants of the invading armies

Wow, very nice stuff here.

(http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/images/0/0d/Melseh_Ubau_Map.png)

Raelifin I love the map! Did you create it in photoshop? The land texture just seems to fit perfectly what did you use?

(Grumble to myself: I think I made the sea too bright.)

Thanks. I used the GIMP, not photoshop.

The land's texture was a composite of clouds (noise), parchment, forest images and hand-drawn shading to form the mountains.

Here's another map of mine from a while back:
(http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/images/c/c7/Kyal_Yabazu_Nobanu_Map.png)

I need to give GamerPrintshop credit for creating the new Celtricia maps, which I will try to give him the honor OF SHOWING.
Hopwefull, I can convince him to show some of his great work.

Samples of my work?

Here's a continental map, I am completed with for a private client - who also requires 12 or so regional maps, 24 or more city maps (10K to 200K populations), complete continental underdark maps, a dozen or so sites of interest maps, and finally once initial regions and cities are created, tactical scale maps (1" = 5' scale) with useable geomorphic properties, one a week for at least a year.

 Continent of Edara map (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/edara.jpg)

If you want to see a sample of a hand-drawn castle map for a lich-priest...

 (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/portfolio/images/lhessadrak-thumb.jpg)

 Lair of Lhessadrak (full size) (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/lhessadrak.jpg)

Here's a link to my June Map Challenge Entry at Cartographers' Guild (though I won't win this one, its still a nice map!)

 Town of Darkovia, map illustration (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/darkovia.jpg)

GP

Fig. 1: "Mainspring" educational world map, Iskite

Though superficially resembling any dendronautical world map found in the Clockwork Jungle, this particular example is clearly one that belonged to an Iskite pupil.  The map has only a few navigational points, between which a few angles and mathematical calculations have been scribbled; this was likely a practice map for a hunter or canopy scout pupil which never saw much use.  The map is of the "Mainspring" type, designed with both mathematical and cultural instruction in mind.  The 14 Harmonious Virtues of the Mainspring Analects are printed around the heptagon, and in the center is a stylized glyph for 2Ï' (also an ideogram for "world," one of the only ideograms in the Luminous Tongue).

Mainspring maps are not restricted to educational purposes, and in fact the well-known Etzaszik "Authority Map" shares the Harmonious Virtues and the central 2Ï'.  The Etzaszik map, however, has thousands of navigational points, not something that Iskite pupils would require for their day-to-day studies.

[spoiler=Figure 1](http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee254/MithridatesNES/clockmap.png)[/spoiler]

Carp: I'm jealous, that's a neat little map with a neat little concept! Hmm, maybe I should try something similar for my next map (i.e. doing something weird and cool that isn´t really just another standard European-style Map).  

Thanks.  I think "weird" maps can be really helpful in exploring how a culture views the world they live in - in the case of the Iskites, they see their universe as mathematically and geometrically consistent.  Of course, nobody has ever been to the "edges" of the world, but in the Iskite imagination a heptagon is the obvious way to represent the world.  Think about medieval T-O maps, with the continents arranged in a T shape and Jerusalem at the center - Jerusalem might not have physically been at the center of the earth, but it was at the center of the medieval Christian mind, so that's how the world was depicted.

I don't like making really detailed world maps because I seldom want my characters to see the whole world; such maps are for my benefit only, so they don't need to be fancy.  Instead, I make a lot of local maps and a few "thematic" or "special" maps like the above.

Quote from: Polycarp!Thanks.  I think "weird" maps can be really helpful in exploring how a culture views the world they live in - in the case of the Iskites, they see their universe as mathematically and geometrically consistent.  Of course, nobody has ever been to the "edges" of the world, but in the Iskite imagination a heptagon is the obvious way to represent the world.  Think about medieval T-O maps, with the continents arranged in a T shape and Jerusalem at the center - Jerusalem might not have physically been at the center of the earth, but it was at the center of the medieval Christian mind, so that's how the world was depicted.

I don't like making really detailed world maps because I seldom want my characters to see the whole world; such maps are for my benefit only, so they don't need to be fancy.  Instead, I make a lot of local maps and a few "thematic" or "special" maps like the above.

That´s actually a briliant solution that, I honestly hadn´t thought of... It keeps the players from asking too many questions about other cultures beyond the 'player zone' but at the same time doesn´t feel limiting and etc...! I suppose my biggest questions would be, (1) do you provide your players with the above map and an english version, or just the above one? And (2) do your players like the idea of using the above map instead of a normal one?  

Quote from: Map Translations[table=The 14 Harmonious Virtues]
[tr][th]Self[/th][th][/th][th]Others[/th][th][/th][/tr]
[tr][td]Knowledge[/td][td]IshEngo[/td][td]Wisdom[/td][td]unÉngss[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Industry[/td][td]szIkÉl[/td][td]Excellence[/td][td]kazIj[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Orientation[/td][td]Ilassk[/td][td]Humility[/td][td]ssewa[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Discipline[/td][td]jÉngEsh[/td][td]Honesty[/td][td]tzutze[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Courage[/td][td]szussÉ[/td][td]Duty[/td][td]s'alEj[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Tranquility[/td][td]a(s')ngE[/td][td]Gravity[/td][td]Esthak[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Respect[/td][td]asskÉw[/td][td]Solidarity[/td][td]Éngs'Ij[/td][/tr]
[/table]
The map starts with the Virtues of Self going clockwise from the top and continues with the Virtues of Others on the left side, so each virtue is opposite its counterpart.  Knowledge is internal; when it is rightly shared with others, it is wisdom.  One who has the self virtue of industry shares it with others through excellence in their work.  One who knows their place in the world (orientation) expresses it to others through humility.  You get the idea.
[/spoiler]

Quote from: Polycarp!That's a good reason.  Here are three more of mine:

*snip*

I like the ´Doesn't burn out' part... Sadly that is exactly what happens to me, which is why I have never actually-factually posted a real campaign setting on the CBG (none are detailed or complete enough to deserve such an honor). I think, I will try this 'context map' out, when I get back home (in 4 days, woot!). I´d make one now but you´d be suprised how many Internet Cafe computers don´t have the basics, like you know Photshop CS3 and MSWord, or even (heaven forbid!) MSPaint and Notepad!!!  x.

This is the latest map for my campaign setting Wetra. Most of the work was done by one of my players, since I am Photoshop-illiterate.

http://picasaweb.google.com/neubert/Wetra/photo?authkey=0z5cogYCuPY#5219469900626046786

It's a nice looking map Neubert, some of the rivers strike me a little odd, but I like the overall design of it.

Here's a map from a large island intended for a generic-ish stand alone campaign setting for my first 4e campaign. The map is from an earlier design point so most of the names have changed. Still its a nice map... even though Photobucket raped it and made it small... I'll update it with the correct names and size when I get home (just 3 more days!).

[spoiler=The Map of the Isle of Canumbra (tentative name)] (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v614/RHO1/BIGQiansucopy.png) [/spoiler]

Odd in what way Ish?

EE - I thought you could select the various sizes on Photobucket, after uploading it? I used google photos, good if you have a gmail account anyway. link (https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?hl=en_US&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Flh%2Flogin%3Fcontinue%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fpicasaweb.google.com%252F&service=lh2&passive=true)
It says you can download Picasa, but that is not needed.
You can also choose if it should be public or not.

Quote from: NeubertOdd in what way Ish?

EE - I thought you could select the various sizes on Photobucket, after uploading it? I used google photos, good if you have a gmail account anyway. link (https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?hl=en_US&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Flh%2Flogin%3Fcontinue%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fpicasaweb.google.com%252F&service=lh2&passive=true)
It says you can download Picasa, but that is not needed.
You can also choose if it should be public or not.

Its a VERY large file but, when I get back I shall look into Photbucket more (maybe I'm doing something wrong).

I think the google one allows 1 gb of pictures.

Lol, I must have taken a wrong turn at Albuquerque... Anyways, I'll try Google's hosting site when I get back home (3 Days, w00t).

Anyways, not to derail this thread on a tangent... Neubert, I like your map, its ver cool. It has a nice handdrawn 'I could use this map' feel to it! I'm unfamiliar with your setting, will you eventually include cities (?) or is that for a different map (I've known people that do such things).

I want to have a handout like that, just to show the general lay of the land. Then make a copy and turn it into a political map with some cities. Since each square on that map is 300 miles, I will only include major or important cities.

Dusted off my old maps created by exporting from Fractal Terrains into CC3.  Haven't gotten much else done on it.  I am hoping being a member of The CBG will motivate me to work some more!
Check it out here: Candalar (http://www.candalar.hedgewriter.com/candalar.htm)

Very interesting. Solothra's central sea is certainly a style you don't see often. Though it is a fractal program. However, that is the nice part of those things, you never know what you will get.

Quote from: NomadicVery interesting. Solothra's central sea is certainly a style you don't see often.

I actually did some massaging with FT to create a much larger inland body of water.  I haven't yet decided if it will be fresh or salt.  Could be some awesome saltwater marshes if I went saltwater/brackish.  This would also create some interesting social issues  Maybe the salt content is so high that it cannot support "normal" aquatic life, so the normal fishing villages would have to have some other type of livelihood.  Hmm, new creature that can live in it maybe?  With the size of it you could have an entire race living there.  

Quote from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerpafavorite aquatic animal[/url], which lives exclusively in an inland sea. :)

Wait, your favorite aquatic animal isn't the holy polycarp?

Oceans incapable of sustaining life are always enjoyable (although probably a bit too fancy and pretentious for most worlds).
I have found a coastline that I'm rather content with now, so hopefully i should be able to get a map made soon (of course, that's the same thing i told myself the other 7 times).

Quote from: NomadicWait, your favorite aquatic animal isn't the holy polycarp?

Carp is better for puns!

You should make a forsaken race of duck-billed, beaver-tailed, egg laying poisonous beast men!

Quote from: Polycarp!Please consider something inspired by my favorite aquatic animal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerpa), which lives exclusively in an inland sea. :)

Quote from: Elemental_ElfYou should make a forsaken race of duck-billed, beaver-tailed, egg laying poisonous beast men!

Nerpites or Platypussers?  I can see a mixture of the 2, the race is born from an egg planted in a sacred area of the lake and guarded by some sort of subservient creature.  Once hatched they live the beginning stages of their lives completeley in the water (Nerpa stage.)  As adolescents they learn from the elders that have "evolved" and are taught all the lore of their race.  Once they complete their education they go off on a journey of transformation where they visit another sacred site that changes their physical form, turning them into humanoids and giving them the poisonous "spurs" on their legs, a razor sharp bill and allows them to breathe water and air (Platypus stage.)
Maybe a shamanistic type religon with a semi-militaristic structure (different clans fighting over a common feeding ground?)  Herbivores in initial stages shifting to Omnivores when the change.
Obviously the names of the stages would need to change and I would need to do quite a bit more development work on it, but thanks for the great ideas!

Tremble, mortals, and behold the World of Aeryl! Reforged for a new age, Aeryl shall be the stage for a new drama that will unfold before us. Who dares to discover the secrets buried beneath the dust of the ages, who dares disturb the enternal rest of the remains of Bael Turath and Arkhosia? Only time will tell...

(//../../e107_files/public/1215997306_233_FT43819_aeryl_old_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1215997306_233_FT43819_aeryl_old.jpg)

Very nice, Ra.

I just learned how to make GoogleGameworld! it freakin rocks
File: 1216007681_541_FT43819_cleaner_googlepanisadore.zip (//../../e107_files/public/1216007681_541_FT43819_cleaner_googlepanisadore.zip)

 this will load into googlearth automatically when you dbl click after unzipping

Much thanks to RobA and waldronate at the Cartographer's Guild Rob even put a tutorial on Youtube to show how he converted the two polar maps to a single equirectangular projection (which I've been playing with in G.Projector and GIMP)!

Heres a map (http://forum.cartographersguild.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4977&d=1215380820) I posted over at the Cartographer's Guild ) when I was just starting to get the hang of GIMP & Photoshop for doing maps

Great map Steel General.  I like the colors, and textures for the mountains, and woodlands.  It is very easy on the eye.

Quote from: Steve Landers (Landorl)Great map Steel General.  I like the colors, and textures for the mountains, and woodlands.  It is very easy on the eye.

Thanks... I'm slowly getting better. Finding out what works for me and what doesn't.

I love the topography of this meta-archipelago! Is this the entire planet? (Not sure of scale.) This place looks like seafaring would be primary regarding transportation and trade and would lend itself extremely well to maritime themed gaming.

VERY nicely done.  If this is going to be referenced often, though, might I suggest using different colors for landmarks?  (I mean not yellow for two different things.)  That gets confusing.

@Snargash Moonclaw - No, this is only one continent. There are 3 others know, with a possibility of 1-2 more as yet undiscovered.

@Ninja D! - This was actually an experiment, I probably will not even use it for anything. But I understand where you're coming from.

Thanks both of you for your comments.

You, sir, are far more skilled than I.  Your "experiment" is equal to at least a week straight of work out of me.

In fine tradition of maps that are simply too damn huge...

GENTLEMEN, BEHOLD! (http://fc03.deviantart.com/fs31/f/2008/227/e/7/Dilandri__the_World_of_Five_by_stargate525.jpg)

I've got a really great map of my world, but it's 20+MB and I can't find any place to put it up.  Shrinking it makes it unreadable: the town names turn into little red splotches.

Le sigh.

deviantart puts up to thirty megs.

Have you tried a different format?

You inspired me to take another look for hosting sites.. and I found one!

Here it is... all 23 megs of detailed goodness. (http://one.xthost.info/acrimone/Blowupbasemap.JPG)

Quote from: AcrimoneYou inspired me to take another look for hosting sites.. and I found one!

Here it is... all 23 megs of detailed goodness. (http://one.xthost.info/acrimone/Blowupbasemap.JPG)

Dear god, man, the detail is maddening.  All CC3, or did you enhance with other programs?

Quote from: Ninja D!

Quote from: AcrimoneYou inspired me to take another look for hosting sites.. and I found one!

Here it is... all 23 megs of detailed goodness. (http://one.xthost.info/acrimone/Blowupbasemap.JPG)

Dear god, man, the detail is maddening.  All CC3, or did you enhance with other programs?

All CC3.  My computer moves like molasses whenever I edit it, but I'm pretty much done with editing. Rendering that JPG out of CC3 took almost 20 minutes.

CC3 is capable of wonderful things, if you have the eye and the patience for it.  The problem is the basic things they give you look awful unless you work at it a lot, as you have.

Moniker, that map is gorgeous! It makes me want to go make a pretty CC3 map of my city and surrounding area..now if only I could make decent city maps with CC3

Edit: All of these are great. Some of the handdrawn ones are fantastic. Wish I had that level of skill.

Acrimone, I love the detail in your CC3 map. That program really does have some great abilities.

Ninja D!, I always thought the default stuff looks pretty good to me. It looks like alot of what Acrimone used was default images in it. Making your own terrain types is fairly easy and helps out a bunch though.

Okay, a scan of a had-drawn map:
[spoiler=map](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v619/khyron1144/goodmap.jpg)[/spoiler]

That is the current map.  Here's the key: [spoiler=key]A: Terran Empire
B: Freeland
C: Arcanum
D: Grand Khanate of the Halflings
E: Aelfheim
F: Known Goblinoid Lands
G: Beast Lands
H: Dwarven Mountains/ Svartaelfheim
I: Unknown/ Unexplored/ Undeveloped
J: Barbarian Humans (mostly)
K: Jotunheim
L: Fabled, Long- Sought Elven Homeland Across The Sea
M: Fabled, Long- Sought Human Homeland Across The Sea[/spoiler]

This is kind of my basic starting point at the start of the campaign.  A lot os stuff marked I will get filled in as players go there.  It's very sketchy on physical geography because it's zoomed out so far that I don't think much other than oceans and big mountian ranges would remain the same kind of teerian for a whiole 300 miles.

Been mostly working on City-level maps lately, here are some links for those
interested...

Ag-Zurak (http://forum.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=2724)
Arvaandor (http://forum.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=2678)
Seagaard (http://forum.cartographersguild.com/showpost.php?p=29445&postcount=12) (nearly finished)
Osengaard (http://forum.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=2732) (still WIP)

Related to my Temporal Anamolies thread, this is the southern third of the Continent of Celanta, note this is the same name as the goddess in Neubert's Build a City thread from a few months back.

I haven't divorced the idea of temporal anamolies, but may offer it as an optional thing. For now I am just working on the southern reaches of the continent map. Pretty much completed, though.

GP

Southern Celanta (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/southern-celanta.jpg)

Here is a fun little map I did of Karros. Sadly photobucket shrunk it because the image size was too massive. Oh well.

[spoiler=large image warning]
(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c140/doomyperson/Karrosfinal.png)
[/spoiler]

Here's two larger maps I've always wanted to post up but couldn't because the file size was too big.  

[spoiler=Here's the (full-size) map of Karasend and the Murkmire ] (http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs31/f/2008/233/d/a/Rough_Draft_Map_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

 [spoiler=Here's the map for my as-of-yet-unnamed-amalgamation setting] (http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs32/f/2008/233/6/4/Karasend_Map_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

Hey Elf... I ain't tryin' to be a critic, because I really do love your maps.  (I wanna have transparent shadow lettering on my maps, now, and I'm particularly fond of the color combinations.)  I'm just curious about something.

I'm looking at these two maps and the bottom one is clearly supposed to be something of a section of the larger one, rotated 90 degrees or so clockwise.

But the scale and layout between the two maps is so radically different it's hard to say that they're from the same geological epoch.  I'm wondering if there's a story here, or if it's just the author (you) changing your mind about things.

I think I like the bottom one better, though.  The Castleberry Sea looks more realistic there.

Bravo, in any case.

I love criticism, as long as there's no name calling :)

I have to agree, the first map is much weaker but that's partly due to its rough draft status. As for the scale, I was just messing around yesterday placing pieces next to each other with little regard for their scale or placement :)  I thought it looked ok last night but, wow, it isn't cool today! That's why I whipped up a new one that really is from my new setting (that combines Murkmire/Karasend with my 'standard' setting of Amalga).

Anyways, here's the rough draft of Kaspamala (?) [spoiler=Map](http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs31/i/2008/233/c/9/Caspamalga__Map_of_by_Elemental_Elf.png)[/spoiler]

Quote from: Elemental_ElfI love criticism, as long as there's no name calling :)

I have to agree, the first map is much weaker but that's partly due to its rough draft status. As for the scale, I was just messing around yesterday placing pieces next to each other with little regard for their scale or placement :)  I thought it looked ok last night but, wow, it isn't cool today! That's why I whipped up a new one that really is from my new setting (that combines Murkmire/Karasend with my 'standard' setting of Amalga).

Anyways, here's the rough draft of Kaspamala (?) [spoiler=Map](http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs31/i/2008/233/c/9/Caspamalga__Map_of_by_Elemental_Elf.png)[/spoiler]

I like it.

Quote from: NomadicI like it.

Thank you!  :)

Oh, and if anyone cares, here's a larger version of the last map I posted  :D

 [spoiler] (http://fc06.deviantart.com/fs32/f/2008/233/6/0/Bigger_map_of_Kamalga_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

Here is a new world map for the remake of my setting Tu'lorain. Its a flat disc world, arctic is in the middle, the outer edge is the hottests. This is just a rough in, to mess around with tecniques and styles, and to figure where i want all my civilivations/cultures to go based on geography so i can tell how they will relate to each other.  

Nevermind, i cant attach it for some reason...

AH HA! Got it! had to make a smaller lower res version...

.  (//cbg.jpg)
(//../../e107_files/public/1219291400_729_FT43819_cbg_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1219291400_729_FT43819_cbg.jpg)

Nice job Lath!

Just a suggestion, a layer of clouds  might be worth a try to see how it looks (if you haven't already).

Lath,

That really is pretty.  I swear, you all make my maps look like cartoons.

Excellent, Lath!

Wow... Thanks for all the praise guys.

Quote from: Steel GeneralNice job Lath!

Just a suggestion, a layer of clouds  might be worth a try to see how it looks (if you haven't already).

Do you mean a layer for cloud cover or a cloud layer to break up solid colours? I did that once for the land and two cloud layers for the sea. For cloud cover i am testing extracting the cloud cover images/templets from Fractal Terrain PRO Terraformer Add-On. There actuall cloud and storm maps from NASA. Still working on that tho.

I will probebly make up a tutorial post here and the cartographers guild, however most of the techniques can already be found in tutorials there, however the style shown is a very simplified and quick way so i can edit and sculpt my world as i go.

Yeah that's what I meant, but apparently you're doing something else to accomplish the same thing so you can just ignore it.

Nomadic/EE/Lath - good maps. :)

I like the "old paper" look in Nomadic and EE's maps, especially.

Thanks. Yes I always loved the old parchment style look for maps. Especially if you want to print out world maps for your players. Of course that was just a look map. Would want to give it a hex grid for actual play but even then its a good way to immerse your PCs in the story.

I also have to agree with you that EE and Lath's maps are stunningly good (lath's looks like something chiseled from gemstone while ee's could have come right from the front pages of an ancient atlas).

i am still trying to mess around with my style (or styles) and i really like the OLD natural looking map styles. I did a "painterly" version of my map but it didnt turn out quiet right. There is no way i would want to print out my map as it is, the canvas style is perfect for print and looks. Good Job EE and Nomadic and i cant wait to see more great maps in this thread.

Here's a map concept I had... I'm still refining it but tell me what you think!

[spoiler] (http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs36/f/2008/243/b/c/Map_of_Flags_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

Here's a map concept I had... I'm still refining it but tell me what you think! [spoiler] (http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs36/f/2008/243/b/c/Map_of_Flags_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

I like those a lot. The only thing I would suggest is to make the main devices on the flags more unobstructed.

I like them along with the others.  Like a political map.  If those are to be your main / only map, I do not like.

Working on a new style of hand-drawn/digital maps with parchment background. This is my September Challenge map for cartographers guild...

 (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/september-map-final-thumb.jpg)

Below is a link to the full scale map (26" x 26" 100 ppi, JPG, 1.4 MB) - the text blocks are too small to read on the thumbnail, posted here.

 Regional Map of Archean League (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/september-map-final.jpg)

GP

Very nice.

I've come to realize that I lack the attention span to create entire worlds. I do however have creative spurts that have to be fully realized in as short as time as possible. As an example, I've created bonus material for this month's mapping challenge at Cartographers' Guild. A 3 page Gazeteer of the Region of the Archean Trade League, and a 1 page "Gazette" as a hand-out to players, should someone decide to integrate this into their existing game.

I'm best at creating regions, histories, politics in an environ involving a map.

 Gazeteer PDF (1.2 MB) (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/archean-gazetteer.pdf)

GP

Here's a map from my newest long term setting, codenamed Å edý. Essentially its a bare bones, gritty Dark Ages world. Each Kingdom is represented by their "King's  Crest" which changes as time and dynasties pass. This map is supposed to be the "best map ever produced" in the the world but is still full of inaccuracies. Though I have not yet indicated as such, the map is oriented with East at the top, not north; east is where the sun rises and is thus seen as more important than magnetic north (which in and of itself is an unknown concept). The largest landmass is codenamed Å edý, while the lower landmass - Modrý - and the upper one - ÄŒerný.

Here's a small version of the map:  
(http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs36/i/2008/256/9/a/Map_of_Sedy_by_Elemental_Elf.png)

 Here's the biger version: [spoiler] (http://fc07.deviantart.com/fs37/f/2008/256/3/c/The_Map_of_Sedy_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

Like I said, not a lot of detail yet but I hope to have some basic info both on the map and on the site by weeks end!

GP, I love the style of maps in your pdf.  Is that part of your particular setting, or part of the CWBP?

Ishmayl, it is neither, rather its the region chosen for this month's mapping challenge ar CG, not the CWBP or my own. Though I am developing more on the region with the bonus content that I am creating. I've created my version of the challenge map, along with a Gazeteer, a Gazette and am currently working on a D&D 3.5 adventure module based there - with a 3 page PDF teaser in my challenge thread at CG.

Basically and conceived and developed in 12 days, still working on it. I'll post the completed adventure in its own post here, when I'm complete.

Glad you like my style!

GP

Here's the map to a new Sci-Fi setting - Eldersa Saga - I've been toying with for a while. I found some time the past few days to draw up a concept map of what I believe the local group of star systems would look like. I've never done a Sci-Fi map before and I have to say its A LOT more difficult than fantasy, or rather the nature of the beast is just very different. I think the map came out good for what its trying to convey, now the hard part begins in drawing star system maps (ugh).

[spoiler=The Map of the Eldersa Saga](http://fc26.deviantart.com/fs39/f/2008/318/7/b/Map_of_the_Eldersa_Saga_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

Ok, i got a new version of my world map of the Discworld of Tu'lorain up on Photobucket. I would suggest you download the picture (right click, save file as...) and you can Zoom in on it to hell and back. You need to in order to read the lables. Photobucket did some weird stuff to them... but they are still very readable blown up.

http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/rr17/Lath_album/new-1.jpg

http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/rr17/Lath_album/tuloras.jpg

Ok i am not impressed with that Photobucket did to my pictures you cant see anything. So with a little help from Redrobes at the CartoGuild i have my original 17mb file hosted up at filefactory.com. Here is the link, unfortunently you have put a little 4 digit code in (bot detection) and download it, you can't view it in your browser.

http://www.filefactory.com/file/a00eh1e/n/new_jpg

http://www.filefactory.com/file/a16550a/n/tuloras_jpg

Quote from: LathOk, i got a new version of my world map of the Discworld of Tu'lorain up on Photobucket. I would suggest you download the picture (right click, save file as...) and you can Zoom in on it to hell and back. You need to in order to read the lables. Photobucket did some weird stuff to them... but they are still very readable blown up.

http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/rr17/Lath_album/new-1.jpg

http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/rr17/Lath_album/tuloras.jpg

I still want a Ninjas! island :P

Nomadic's been helping me with my setting's map. Here's what I have so far:

[spoiler=altitude](http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq131/Xeviat/Three%20Worlds/terran_alt.jpg)[/spoiler]

[spoiler=climate](http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq131/Xeviat/Three%20Worlds/Terran_Climate.jpg)[/spoiler]

Using the climate map, I can lay down the terrains, which is what was I have been working towards since the beginning. I've also got to draw in the rivers, and then I can figure out where all the different cultures and races originated. Yay science.

Only then will I be able to make my hand-drawn "in game" map.

I am completely jealous of you and your maps Captain!

Well, we'll just see if I can get the artistic look I'm looking for.

Those are great maps Kapn, i like the use of purple for the arctic regions, makes it clear and colorful. Those should give you a very solid foundation to build your world upon.

OK, this really belongs in my Northlander Pict campaign, but I thought I post it here. Everything will eventually go into the WIKI.

I took some suggestions on doing my hills differently and to use illustrative city/site icons. Really this is a combination of my hand-drawn map style, plus my hand-drawn illustration style within Xara Xtreme for uses of color, feathering, beveling, shadowing and transparency.

I like how this turned out. I am now going to map the Donal Lands - enemy of the Crae by Blood Feud.

Critiques and comments are always welcome!

GP

 (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/crae-lands-thumb.jpg)

Link to larger file:  The Crae Lands (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/crae-lands.jpg)  

I really dig that GP.  Especially the hand-drawing-esqueness of it.  I'm tempted to try my hand out in that style for a few locations in Memory Fading.

Thanks Ish, I know you've been dropping by the CG now and again looking for hand-drawn style mapping. I tend to do it now and again, switching off to different map styles - I enjoy the experimentation.

My regional map is more "digital" in design and though I like the style, I think it looks too modern for a "barbarian" region map. So I will probably redo the whole thing in the above style. For the time being I am creating all major encounter subregional maps in this style.

GP

Here is a map i made yesterday during a day off. It depicts the "top right" area of my Discworld. Shown at the bottom left near the center of the world is the continent of Rhime which has three major cultures Dwarven-Glingaddin's Hold, Norce-Farwein, and Anglo-Saxon/Celtic-Caeladonia. More to the "south" are the "twin continents" that used to be one. Thai-Buddhist Elves live on the lower continent with India flavored Dragonborn more to the rim. The upper continent i havent figured out yet. I know humans landed on its shores just under a thousand years ago, Hin (Halflings) have lived their for a while, and Ogres. As a disc world their the is the stone edge that keeps the water from spilling out. (maybe gaps? i haven't thought about it too much yet) The galaxie clusters are supposed to represent divine realms... but there are a bit many i think i will have to redo that layer... anywho hope you like the map!
(//../../e107_files/public/1236389130_729_FT43819_rhime_and_twins_style_map_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1236389130_729_FT43819_rhime_and_twins_style_map.jpg)

Lath, that's a fine map you have there. Do you have a version that covers the entire Discworld? (read as 'Is interested to see the entire map!')

i have older versions which span the whole disc from Rhime to Rim. But this version i am doing in peices. 4 accually and i got mostly done with the continent just below the twins. Which has my "East" Gnomish Musket weilding Samuri, Mindflayer Commie Slave Empire, The Vast Thai Jungle that the Buddhist Elves on the lower twin came from. Rocky Savanna Cannon-Weilding Ogre Tribes warring against Mongol Hobgoblins. You get the idea... here is what i have to far
(//../../e107_files/public/1236433764_729_FT43819_eastern_continent1_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1236433764_729_FT43819_eastern_continent1.jpg)

(//../../e107_files/public/1236433764_729_FT43819_eastern_continent2_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1236433764_729_FT43819_eastern_continent2.jpg)

I could have sworn I already posted this map here. Oh well...

Here is the Urbis World map (warning - huge!). Actually, it's not the whole world - just the continent-sized region that's the main focus of the setting.

[spoiler](http://urbis.wdfiles.com/local--files/known-lands/KnownLands.png)[/spoiler]

Made with Inkscape. One day I will make it look a bit fancier, but right now I have other priorities - thus, it is sufficient for the moment that the map is functional.

Hey, Jürgen Hubert do you have any smaller versions of any of your maps? Big is cool and all but I'd like to look at one of your maps with out scrolling around  :)

Quote from: Elemental_ElfHey, Jürgen Hubert do you have any smaller versions of any of your maps? Big is cool and all but I'd like to look at one of your maps with out scrolling around  :)

Well, when you read the regional descriptions in the Urbis Wiki (http://urbis.wikidot.com/known-lands), you can see the same map spliced up into its components. They are not at a smaller resolution, but you can take a look at them in one go.

Rescaling the large map wouldn't have worked well - there's an awful lot of detail in that map, and almost all locations listed on the map have their own descriptions...

Quote from: Jürgen Hubert

Quote from: Elemental_ElfHey, Jürgen Hubert do you have any smaller versions of any of your maps? Big is cool and all but I'd like to look at one of your maps with out scrolling around  :)

Well, when you read the regional descriptions in the [link=http://urbis.wikidot.com/known-lands]Urbis Wiki[/url], you can see the same map spliced up into its components. They are not at a smaller resolution, but you can take a look at them in one go.

Rescaling the large map wouldn't have worked well - there's an awful lot of detail in that map, and almost all locations listed on the map have their own descriptions...

Hmm, I guess I just crave a smaller, less detailed map so I can begin to wrap my head around your your world (and your other beautiful maps).

How about this map?

(http://fc54.deviantart.com/fs45/i/2009/069/9/c/Urbis_Political_Map_by_jhubert.jpg)

It only shows the political boundaries. It's available in a larger size (though not as large as the detailed map) here (http://www.deviantart.com/download/115464989/Urbis_Political_Map_by_jhubert.jpg).

That one's definitely better for getting a handle on the overall world.

Much better, thanks you!  :)

This is the map for my new world - Aeolond. Enjoy!

[spoiler=THE MAP OF AEOLOND!](http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs43/f/2009/114/4/d/Map_of_Aeoland_by_Elemental_Elf.png)[/spoiler]

I like the texture and the mountains. Pulls off the old-timey authentic feel, though the color impedes it a little.

Some of the roads seem to do odd things, if roads is what they are.

The mountains and the background paper texture are good, as is the border. The central lake is bizzarre; it seems to be the source of several rivers that flow out on all directions to reach the sea. Better watch out for the river police :ninja:

What's with the straight horizontal line going west from Lythwyn? It seems like it's supposed to be the border between "Uplands" and "Westlands" but doesn't look like a natural border. With all those mountains and the river there, you'd think that political divions would be influenced by the geographic features - as appears to be the case with the other colored areas of the map.

Map legend looks a bit out of place, style-wise. I think it could be improved a lot with a texture of a natural material, such as wood or paper. Other than these points, I think you've got a fine map here.

BTW, is this setting supposed to feature christianity? The map gives me the impression that is does.

First off, thank you both for your comments! I really, really appreciate them! :)

Quote from: PhoenixI like the texture and the mountains. Pulls off the old-timey authentic feel, though the color impedes it a little.

Some of the roads seem to do odd things, if roads is what they are.

The color impedes it? ... Yeah I suppose so, however the map looks MUCH better with the color than with out (IMO).  [spoiler= The Map w/o Colored Countries] (http://fc06.deviantart.com/fs42/f/2009/114/d/2/Map_of_Aeolond_with_no_color_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]. Would it be better if I increased the opacity of the colors, to make them look more faded?  [spoiler=A more faded map] (http://fc08.deviantart.com/fs42/f/2009/114/c/d/Map_of_Aeolond__with_faded_col_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]  

As for the roads, they were there (originally) to help guide the placement of my cities and towns, I'll be redoing them for the next update :)

Quote from: GhostmanThe mountains and the background paper texture are good, as is the border. The central lake is bizzarre; it seems to be the source of several rivers that flow out on all directions to reach the sea. Better watch out for the river police :ninja:

The central lake is bizarre. Long story short, God is weird :).

Slightly longer story: God created the world by placing every blade of grass, every tree and and forging the rivers with his own hands. God did not follow true physics when he forged the world, he did things with a little less tact. He had mountain ranges that perpetually lit them selves on fire, discs of floating earth and much more. When the Empire of Man fell, God took it hard and crafted 6 axes and ordered his angels to kill him. The world, like God, was sundered. Most of the great particularities left Aeolond, except for the 7 rivers coming from the great lake. In modern times, the 7 rivers represent the 7 columns (aka, this world's 10 commandments!). Also, just a note, there is a tiny portal at the bottom of the lake that connects it to the Elemental plane of Water; this portal perpetually fills the lake with water and sustains the attrician of the 7 rivers.

Quote from: GhostmanWhat's with the straight horizontal line going west from Lythwyn? It seems like it's supposed to be the border between "Uplands" and "Westlands" but doesn't look like a natural border. With all those mountains and the river there, you'd think that political divions would be influenced by the geographic features - as appears to be the case with the other colored areas of the map.

Indeed it is a border forged with a straight line. Currently the Uplands and the Westlands are at war, their border isn't formalized in any fashion. Many claim the Uplands will once more be apart of the Westlands a few years hence. The line is merely for mapping purposes.

I think I will revise the map to indicate this!

Quote from: GhostmanMap legend looks a bit out of place, style-wise. I think it could be improved a lot with a texture of a natural material, such as wood or paper. Other than these points, I think you've got a fine map here.

I'll keep that in mind, thanks! :)

Quote from: GhostmanBTW, is this setting supposed to feature christianity? The map gives me the impression that is does.

It isn't Christianity but the religion is definitely inspired by it (with a little Norse and Islam thrown in). :)  

EDIT [spoiler=Here is the map with an improved border between the Westlands and the Uplands.] (http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs42/f/2009/114/4/b/Map_of_Aeolond__with_an_improv_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

Nothing wrong with god not being a physicist, however, unless god has made erosion a non-existing process, the lake would eventually erode down to one river exiting only. You can't tell me, god took away erosion!

Just so you know, I was the first deputized River Police man over at the CG, so I'm watchin' you!

GP

PS: you're house is now surrounded, I pulled rank and canceled the call to a negotiator. I'm callin' in SWAT, we'll fix this situation - one shot, one kill. Take care of things nicely, I think... (adjusting mirrored sunglasses.)

Quote from: Gamer PrintshopNothing wrong with god not being a physicist, however, unless god has made erosion a non-existing process, the lake would eventually erode down to one river exiting only. You can't tell me, god took away erosion!

I actually like this idea, it definitely makes for interesting plot points. I think it would be interesting if the 3 north-western rivers were slowly drying up, while the 4 south-western rivers are as well but the kingdoms are frantically pumping water out via massive magical Archimedes' screws... Actually this works well with in some of the trans-national guild network this world has  :D  

Quote from: Elemental_Elfmountain ranges that perpetually lit them selves on fire,

Wow, what a cool idea. It'd be awesome to have still some lone mountains still flaming, even if most of them ceased long ago.

Quote from: Elemental_ElfWhen the Empire of Man fell, God took it hard and crafted 6 axes and ordered his angels to kill him.

That's an interesting twist. Certainly not something I expected.

Quote from: Elemental_ElfIt isn't Christianity but the religion is definitely inspired by it (with a little Norse and Islam thrown in). :)

I think it was the terminology and map symbols used that led to the impression. Anyway, it seems you've come up with something more than a typical fantasy adaptation of archetypical monotheist elements.

As for the map, I like the new improved border, but I also prefer the more faded colors. I'd combine those to one map were I in your shoes - but do as best suits your own tastes.

Oh and don't let the river police get you! :)

Here's a link (file too large to attach!) to a new map from Sorol - it shows the country of Kaleex.
http://sorol.wikispaces.com/file/view/Kaleex.jpg

-Rob

Quote from: GhostmanWow, what a cool idea. It'd be awesome to have still some lone mountains still flaming, even if most of them ceased long ago.

That's an interesting twist. Certainly not something I expected.

I think it was the terminology and map symbols used that led to the impression. Anyway, it seems you've come up with something more than a typical fantasy adaptation of archetypical monotheist elements.

As for the map, I like the new improved border, but I also prefer the more faded colors. I'd combine those to one map were I in your shoes - but do as best suits your own tastes.

Oh and don't let the river police get you! :)

Thanks for the compliments and suggestions!

 [spoiler=An Updated Map of Aeolond] (http://fc06.deviantart.com/fs44/f/2009/114/1/7/A_Newer_Map_of_Aeolond_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

Here is another peak at what i am working on... nearing the finishline!
(//../../e107_files/public/1242023809_729_FT43819_cartoguild_show_4_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1242023809_729_FT43819_cartoguild_show_4.jpg)

Pretty impressive. The mountains and forests are excellent, but the rivers look like they're floating above the terrain. The map symbols and fonts are nice. The shape of the landmass kind of reminds me of North America.

yea I am having issues with the rivers, getting the same comments on the CartoGuild Gimp dosent have a bevel layer effect and i dont know now to mimic the same look to "dimple" the paths down. Anyone know Gimp?

Update on the Contienent of Rhime. This is the Final of the map before details and cartography pieces. I also broke the map into each region as presented in my setting.

Continent of Rhime
 http://forum.cartographersguild.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13258&d=1242175849 (//hyperlinkurl)
Empire of Skuld
 http://forum.cartographersguild.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13263&d=1242177293 (//hyperlinkurl)
Kingdom of Farwein
 http://forum.cartographersguild.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13260&d=1242176120 (//hyperlinkurl)
County of Caeladonia
 http://forum.cartographersguild.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13259&d=1242176086 (//hyperlinkurl)

Quote from: LathUpdate on the Contienent of Rhime. This is the Final of the map before details and cartography pieces. I also broke the map into each region as presented in my setting.

Continent of Rhime
 http://forum.cartographersguild.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13258&d=1242175849 (//hyperlinkurl)
Empire of Skuld
 http://forum.cartographersguild.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13263&d=1242177293 (//hyperlinkurl)
Kingdom of Farwein
 http://forum.cartographersguild.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13260&d=1242176120 (//hyperlinkurl)
County of Caeladonia
 http://forum.cartographersguild.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13259&d=1242176086 (//hyperlinkurl)

Very beautiful maps, Lath. I really like the pseudo-realism of the topography, as well as the maps over all clarity!

Thanks EE, I learned alot doing the Celtricia map for Vreeg. Maybe I can hunt out another setting in need of an updated map now that I am done mapping Rhime, before I start the continent of "Istramahala".  

Speaking of which... is there a bigger/better map than this Ish?

 http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/images/c/c0/AlsaEru-LargeMap.jpg (//hyperlinkurl)

This is the map I'm working on for my current campaign... its not yet fully complete.. still have a few locations to add, but please critique!
(Colors are off a bit and a little too bright... was going for more flushed.. need to tweak em')

Okay... color redone.. critique away...
(//../../e107_files/public/1242682793_919_FT43819_khask_overland_map_color_redo_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1242682793_919_FT43819_khask_overland_map_color_redo.jpg)


Btw... if anyone can help me out with some more names for towns on the map it would be greatly appreciated

Nice map...
If you want some city name ideas though; could you please place a few dots, that will give us some idea of thematic elements.

cdeyss26: I really like the map! It has a nice old world feel about it! The only thing I would change would be the title, I'd make it a little more dark.

The town "dots" have been added... as I said before.. any help in naming towns is greatly appreciated...
I also darkened the title line... I agree with you elemental.. hopefully the color changes I made before stuck as well in the new conversion to jpg...and unfortunately they didnt ... reposting...

reposted....

I tried to think of evocative names that may encourage players to venture forth...
(Left to Right)

-Mountainhall/Trademeet.

-Blood Plains/Ogre's Well (the city in the middle of those plains must have an interesting story- it's in the middle of nowhere. And appears to be quite vulnerable.

-Delta/ Agrippa's Point / Endcastle

-(North) ???
-(South) Gallop

-Lake Vulcan

-(North) Candleglen/ Ilsnian's Tower [Wizards build in the middle of nowhere...]
-(South) Wyste/ Slaver's Den/ Askraggia

---
I am not certain, but the lake in the center may not be realistic in that it has too many exits... But I will leave the technical river-worrying to Nomadic and others.

Ok... went off of some of ur names dragon... I believe I have a finished map
(//../../e107_files/public/1242689833_919_FT43819_khask_overland_map_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1242689833_919_FT43819_khask_overland_map.jpg)

Just a quick note, you spelt Capital wrong. if you spell it with an 'o' it refers to the building where the congress and senate gather in the USA :)

Other than that, the map is very pretty!

thx for the spellcheck :S my players would've given me shit for that lol

Very nice style. The way that text and the compass symbol blend with the underlying texture makes them look a more natural part of the map. Too bad that the town dots don't use the same effect.

Is the map supposed to be an accurate representation of the land's geography? If so, that T-junction in the river just before it flows into the sea looks very unnatural. One would expect the river from the central lake to flow smoothly to the sea, and for the western tributary to curve southward before joining it.

This is no problem if the map is supposed to be an "in character" item, ie. drawn by some cartographer living in that world, since in that case these kind of errors would be expected.

Thx ghost.. and yes... its done in a way I didn't want to look perfect... I was going for like someone stated before an "old world" look to it. I'm currently working on individual mini maps for each town & possibly each region in more detail as well... we'll see about that tho... I've got a couple more weeks until my playgroup starts my campaign.. so it may be possible. This one took me about 5 or 6 hours from start to finish...

Quote from: Elemental_Elfif you spell it with an 'o' it refers to the building where the congress and senate gather in the USA :)

It's pretty weird that they do that.

I figure Thomas Jefferson spelled it wrong and nobody had the guts to correct him.

Handsome Rob- the atlas-like maps of Sorol are quite amazing. They remind me of an old Rand McNally atlas from the 1970s.

Quote from: sparkletwist

Quote from: Elemental_Elfif you spell it with an 'o' it refers to the building where the congress and senate gather in the USA :)

It's pretty weird that they do that.

I figure Thomas Jefferson spelled it wrong and nobody had the guts to correct him.

Actually its the same reason the plural of Mongoose is not Mongeese, i.e. different etymology... Though the idea of a Ninja Pirate Robot Jefferson brutally murdering those that disagree with his spelling is a very funny idea...

In case some missed it, here's a map of my campaign setting with each country's flag superimposed over it, cropped to fit within the borders of the country.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v614/RHO1/flagMap.png)

Quote from: Light DragonHandsome Rob- the atlas-like maps of Sorol are quite amazing. They remind me of an old Rand McNally atlas from the 1970s.

Thanks!

@EE, I like the idea a lot. But some of the flag images need to be shrunken so that more of them is visible within the borders.

In the case of the SW country, it doesn't matter much. But some others, too much is obscured, in my opinion.

Quote from: Elemental_ElfActually its the same reason the plural of Mongoose is not Mongeese, i.e. different etymology... Though the idea of a Ninja Pirate Robot Jefferson brutally murdering those that disagree with his spelling is a very funny idea...

Yeah, and I was being serious.  :huh:  :morons:

Anyway, nice map. That thing with the two mountains seriously looks like someone's corporate logo, though. Is it? :P

Yeah, it kinda does look like a logo.

Oh, and cdeyss26, I like the map, too. But I also agree you might want to blend the city dots into the background to maintain the feel.

Quote from: sparkletwistAnyway, nice map. That thing with the two mountains seriously looks like someone's corporate logo, though. Is it? :P

Actually I nicked it from a city in Japan, Hakone, Kanagawa to be precise.

Agreed on blending the dots... I think I'm going to blend the black outlines PERIOD... after looking at what I thought was a finished map... I have to agree with you... its been nagging at me, lol

[spoiler]
(//../../e107_files/public/1243200628_406_FT43819_kherennem_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1243200628_406_FT43819_kherennem.jpg)
[/spoiler]
Okay, this map has nothing on most of the others but it is a work in progress. I have no skill whatsoever in picture editing so will take me some time to get it to look right.
in-game info: this is a map of the continent of northern Kherennem as well as a yet-to-be-named close-to-polar and somewhat desolate continent. A few nations and city-states (mostly the latter) are scattered across northern Kherennem while the desolate continent is home to a single isolationist country in the north and a abandoned ex-country in the north which is shunned after some strange calamity. I'll get a thread up soon-ish...

CC I have to play with the drainage a bit (rivers a lakes) the erosian Wilbur gives me pulls my eye to channels and riveins, also the lake river system on the map dosent quite work. I marked the area where the water flows (both ways) and where a lake has no drainage, not going all "River Police" on you but I wanny try and straigten them out. There will still be the two exits to the Sea (against the rule) to keep it true to YOUR map, but maybe simplify it to one Lake with two drains instead of two lakes with a river between...


(//../../e107_files/public/1243217623_729_FT43819_kherennem_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1243217623_729_FT43819_kherennem.jpg)

Ok Official First Draft/Update. Lots of work to do, still some mountains/hill ranges to flatten out. One river set shown as a sample.
(//../../e107_files/public/1243218712_729_FT43819_kherennem2_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1243218712_729_FT43819_kherennem2.jpg)


I defiantly need to know if there is anything glaringly wrong with it CC. The map you gave was *cough* *cough* lacking in detail so i kinda took some license to create. If anything needs to go back to exactly the way the map is just lemmy know and i will change it look just like your map if you wish. (I know the hills between the two southerly ranges need to go (or moved) and a lake needs to be their but things like that let me know) I cannot be insulted unless i feel like i have failed.

Hmm, the point was that the water came down from the mountains from the southern lake, then crossed a plateau and entered a valley to the southern lake, which was then boosted by water from the northern range and then drained out into the sea? So the water goes one way from south to north. The other lake was meant to be a basin, so filled by rainwater and melted snow and emptied by evaporation. I'm pretty sure those exist, like Lake Tchad for example. (else correct me :) )  
The lower part of the eastern continent, which i believe is the part you refer to as lacking in detail, is actually mostly terra incognita. I have no idea how you show that :p
I should probably have colored the map or something, but as i said i'm not a whiz at this and with my coloring skills the map would probably just have been even more confusing.
As for desired changes to the design, i need some more space in two locations: the large peninsula in between the eastern continent and the long claw-like peninsula should have a bit more space on the western coast since there is a nation there. Likewise, the northern-most part of the eastern continents coast (the part just to the left of the big mountain chain) should preferably have a bit more space as well.
Otherwise this is looking really nice : D

Ok new update, Sculpted some mountains out and push other back and away. Is that enough open space for the kingdoms you have planned? remember most fantasy maps are flat or mountain, mine has the hills in between and all... very little FLAT land the way i do my maps, so i hope there is enough clear land (I can still flatten and push back in more in some places but i think i will start to loose the style if i do much more). Hows the water ways and lakes now? I think the only problem from befour was i thought the northern lake emptied into then nearby bay AND the southern lake. There just VERY roughed in at the moment but i dont see any glaring river anomalies. Look about right to you? Also what do you mean by Terra Incognita? "Here be monsters" or "i dunno whats there yet"?

Dont worry it wont be so green, still got dirt and stuff to add.
(//../../e107_files/public/1243280813_729_FT43819_kherennem2_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1243280813_729_FT43819_kherennem2.jpg)

Okay, i think you moved some wrong mountains:
You moved stuff from area A, but i actually wanted a couple of mountains moved from B (west coast part). C is a desert, while D is a tundra. the stuff below D is a shunned area, but it goes to reason that they have old maps or some such (of course, this is also more of an overview map than an actual in-game one :) )
The rivers seem to work out rather nicely and all in all this looks really good :D
Are you going to add some gradient of some sort to the oceans or is that beyond the capability of your program? (what are you using?)
And by the way, thank you very much for doing this :)
 
(//../../e107_files/public/1243291429_406_FT43819_kherennemtemp_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1243291429_406_FT43819_kherennemtemp.jpg)

The ocean will be all fancy, i just usually do it last now as the texturing of it sloooooows the computer down so much while i work i just leave it to last.

Thanks this is perfect, the more information i have the more i know what i need to do! I was going with the idea that the "random details" of the map might spur you on in your writing (hey, thats a neat little hill top over looking a lake, something should go their, hmmm..) But i do want as much information as possible as i was a little lost on what to do. I hope the mountain range that i just "Created" on the bottom of the North continent is ok, maybe give you some ideas for that "unknown land"

I am using Gimp, and a couple Textures. One of a bunch of gravel for the mountains, and one "bumpy dots" for the ground which will probebly be changed. I am trying to get my high resolution Genetica textures from my now dead laptop.

I like the Volcano mountain island in the South East. Can i turn it into a volcano? I havent done one yet... please :)

I will be flattening out some "plains lands" "deserts" and such, leaving some of the hills still.

In my experience this can only be answered by you... do you want me to add more rivers and show the little ones or do you want me to stick with just the major ones. This is totally about how you want the map to look. My Rhime map has ALOT of rivers because its like Scandinavia in terrain, very mountainous, so i wanted to show every little creek filled valley.

Area A is going to be had because you show a mountain range their but i dont know how much smaller i can make it so i think i am going to reduce the tip of that mountain range to a "hilled land" like Scotland. would that work?

ok... hows THIS! HiYA!
(//../../e107_files/public/1243315935_729_FT43819_kherennem2_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1243315935_729_FT43819_kherennem2.jpg)

wow, that's pretty damn nice Lath. You got some skill :) (or a lot is perhaps more accurate)
a few last requests: 1) make the ocean slightly less fancy; it kind of takes attention way from the beautiful landscape now. 2) Remove the river in the desert. That place is supposed to be quite nasty and dry without much water outside the few oasises. 3) maybe enhance the map rose a bit, it's difficult to see. Pretty neat that it surrounds the small islands.
There seems to be a good amount of rivers and i really like how the lakes look now :)
And again, thank you very much. Hope you had some fun doing it and it wasn't all work. :p

Very nice Map Lath!

Oh, another point, i love the rivers you put in the tundra. They look really nice and i hadn't thought about that. Very good idea and well carried out. :)

Sooo..... what ya think? :)
(//../../e107_files/public/1243364367_729_FT43819_kherennem2_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1243364367_729_FT43819_kherennem2.jpg)

That's pretty damn neat Lath. Close to perfect i might even say. I will now spend a few hours exploring the terrain or something :p
I will put up a thread tonight or tomorrow probably accompanied by the map and an acknowledgement.
How do you make those badge-thingies? Paint? :p
you can have one if i figure it out.
Thank you very much!

oh but wait... i got more... Can i post them on the CartoGuild as they have a 4-7mb sixe limit and i am having to hack the resolution down to post here... I made 4 "finals" of the map and i will LINK them back to this thread

Ok here are the four finals for your pleasure. If you want me to do some labeling in the future just lemmy know!

http://forum.cartographersguild.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13647&d=1243368851

http://forum.cartographersguild.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13648&d=1243368915

http://forum.cartographersguild.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13649&d=1243369065

http://forum.cartographersguild.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=13650&d=1243369283

nice. a large picture such as the first will probably come in handy. Is there any specific reason the third one has a yellow border?

You mentioned my style was more for an over view than something to be printed for use at the table, so i wanted to give some more printer-friendly options. the yellow border i dunno, looked better than black to me...?

Here's the latest map of for my setting The Kingdoms of Aeolond, which now includes the dreaded Northlands and the Boggart Kingdom of Boggartia.

 [spoiler] (http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs45/f/2009/146/5/7/Aeolond_with_the_Northlands_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

Thats a nice map EE, awesome job on the Cut-in's, the legend, title and those little touches. They make it look like a MAP. I like it.

I agree; that is a very nice map. Might actually look like something a wealthy person in the setting itself might have lying around somewhere. :)

Quote from: LathThats a nice map EE, awesome job on the Cut-in's, the legend, title and those little touches. They make it look like a MAP. I like it.

:o Thank you! I mean... Wow that's really high praise coming from a Cartographer of your caliber, thank you!  :)

Quote from: Cataclysmic CrowI agree; that is a very nice map. Might actually look like something a wealthy person in the setting itself might have lying around somewhere. :)

Thanks! My intent is usually to make my maps look more authentic than realistic, so a wealthy person probably would have a map like this lying around... Hehe, that's a really cool idea. :D  Actually that style of idea reminds me of Volo's Guide to the Dalelands, where an ingame character wrote an entire review of the Dalelands (from Forgotten Realms). He rated pubs, told you about the people, the history of each Dale, provided maps and colorful descriptions... If Aelond ever gets developed to a much larger extent, I am so going to write something like that :)

i LOVED Volo's Guide to the Dalelands. For Tu'loras i was thnking of making a prime narrator (like Volo or how Eleminster was originally before the power creep) Rifts also had Erin Tarn who as an old lady who "used to" be an/with adventures and traveled the world.

The extra details and the look of your maps would be perfect for an "in world" approach to showcasing information like that. (I have always wanted to figure out an image of an antique globe, but the globe shows a map of the setting)

Scribble some notes on the Map in a very scripture-like text and add a drink stain to it and i would call that perfect for in-book or on-table.

And maybe blur the pixalization of the edges...ok NOW i am nitpicking

Also as far as being a Cartographer i am nothing special and just learning. Search "RedEpic Cartography" THAT guy is my idol

Ok, I've been working on the roads of my map... Let's just say it is a constant battle. I never seem to get the right number, I'm either way off and have too many or way under and have too few. My latest idea was to come up with a theme for my roads, to give them more structure.

Basically, Newkipp (being the capital of the Second Empire) and Alecaster (as the home of the Wizards Guild) would both be hubs. Each Port (i.e. any town whose name ends with 'port') would need at least 2 roads in and out (counting the rivers). The Highlands and the Westlands, as well as the whole northern coast, are less developed and thus require fewer big roads. Having done that I then said any town that does not have a minimum 2 roads in and out (counting rivers as roads) would need a compelling reason for its existence (e.g. Anhorn and Eastpoint both serve as mid points on ship travel around the continent's coasts, while Geburn is a distant shanty town of Trippfield's).

At any rate, here's the map. I welcome all concerns and criticism!

 [spoiler=The Map] (http://fc03.deviantart.com/fs43/f/2009/149/9/2/Aeolond_with_Roads_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

P.S. The roads are colored Aqua for your ease of use.

Hmm, maybe most transporation between Blweport and Hadwyn would be by ship? The land route seems awfully mountaineous.
Maybe you should make a mental note of where there are major forests and swamplands so the main roads take on a more natural shape.
Also, if there are rivers between two cities a large road might not be the most important since barges could easily transport most things.
Lastly, there is probably a difference between a main concourse and a small road; maybe it's enough to put the really big ones on the map. Of course, just ideas to think about. Nothing wrong with this design as such :)    

Hmm, now those are the kind of ideas I wanted, thanks Crow! :)

Ok, I re-did my roads taking into consideration the ideas Crow had.

The red roads are roads officially maintained by the Imperial Road Company and were founded almost 200 years ago at the behest of Emperor Jarvis I with the aim of connecting the largest settlements on Aeolond at the time. The yellow road is referred to as the Coast Road and was founded to commemorate the Bicentennial anniversary of the Second Empire's founding. Finally the blue roads are heavily trafficked roads maintained by the Kingdoms themselves.  

[spoiler=Map] (http://fc00.deviantart.com/fs45/f/2009/150/d/c/Aeolond_now_with_roads_by_Elemental_Elf.png)[/spoiler]

Perfect EE... Perfect... I always wanted to see a bit more relief to the map but couldnt for the life of me come up with a suggestion that would fit the style of your map. I love it.

Maybe as one final touch, mark the largest, undeveloped/unclaimed impasssable dence forests. Simple not to many and blocky...

And show which ports go to Boggartia and the north lands?

Sutlands label needs to represent the land it names better... wow that was complicated way of saving... move the lable a little more to the center of the land. Still on the coast... Between Alcaster and the Fartlands?

Revised my Crystalstar map, to add rivers, more detail, and more places:

http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/images/3/37/CrystalstarMap.jpg

That's a nice map there Sparkletwist, nice choice of colour palette... as a critique maybe punch the mountains up a little more?

Over all, I would use it at my table, GJ :)

@Sparkletwist. I really like the natural feel to it. The mountains, forests, and even the oddly central desert seem to be in a "natural" place; like if it was a piece of a real world map. Okay, i had trouble explaining it, but i hope you get it :p

Hey Sparkle, it looks good. It doesn't seem that different from what I remember, but maybe it's just been a while since I looked at it.

@EE, I like the map. But the bright colored roads jar me against the muted color map. To me, they seem tacked on something that might otherwise be worldish.

Quote from: LathPerfect EE... Perfect... I always wanted to see a bit more relief to the map but couldnt for the life of me come up with a suggestion that would fit the style of your map. I love it.

Oh that, hehe, that's just the elevations I developed to help guide where I was placing the roads. I didn't realize anyone would like it, good to know :)

Quote from: LathMaybe as one final touch, mark the largest, undeveloped/unclaimed impasssable dence forests. Simple not to many and blocky...

Forests have *always* eluded me. Its hard with this style map (and at this size) to really show off any big geographic features. Currently, I'm making a larger map of the North East section, however the more I develop it, the more I think I should just make a larger map in general :)

Quote from: LathAnd show which ports go to Boggartia and the north lands?

Hmm, that's an interesting idea. On another map I created, I drew in shipping lanes, to show off where most boats traveled, so something like that could be developed for Aeolond, which would obviously include the Northlands and Boggartia.

Quote from: LathSutlands label needs to represent the land it names better... wow that was complicated way of saving... move the lable a little more to the center of the land. Still on the coast... Between Alcaster and the Fartlands?

Yeah, the name is a problem. Its a tad too large to squeeze in between the Farlands and Sutlands, however, I might be able to fit the name between Valasport and Gydenport...
 

Quote from: Phoenix@EE, I like the map. But the bright colored roads jar me against the muted color map. To me, they seem tacked on something that might otherwise be worldish.

The colors are by no means final, they were just used to help others convey what I was doing right and wrong with the roads. Its a lot easier to say 'yeah the red road is this or that' compared to 'the medium bolded road should do this or that.' On the final product all roads will be brown and faded :)

Thank you very much for your responce Lath and Phoenix, they mean a lot to me :)  :heart:

May was well show this off seeing as how I'm moving to a more ambitious project...

Here is a map of the North East section of Aeolond. The map was originally conceived of as the larger map of the Midlands, however given its unique shape and size, the map wound up encompassing a much larger portion of the whole continent than intended.

Some may wonder what the difference between an Chartered town and a regular town are. The easiest answer is that Chartered Towns are towns given special rights by a monarch and are always overseen by a Duke. Chartered Towns also tend to be larger than regular towns, though this is not always the case. The other towns are typically ruled by a Count and do not have the same privileges as Chartered Towns.

At any rate I'm babbling (and enjoying it way too much), so with out further adieu here is the map:

[spoiler=The Map](http://fc00.deviantart.com/fs43/f/2009/155/0/6/The_North_East_by_Elemental_Elf.png)[/spoiler]

Roads look much better EE.

Thank you all for the nice words. :D

Quote from: Lathas a critique maybe punch the mountains up a little more?

I did have trouble with the mountains. I'm not sure how to "punch them up" any more, honestly, but you're right, they do currently look a bit flat. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, though, so I don't want to mess with it too much.

Quote from: PhoenixIt doesn't seem that different from what I remember, but maybe it's just been a while since I looked at it.

It's not that different. I just added a lot more labels, mostly, because the old map had a bunch of open, unnamed spaces with no character to them at all, and that's no fun for the feeling of a realistic, living world.

Here is the regional map for my upcoming publication for the Kaidan: Japanese Ghost Story campaign setting for OGL/Pathfinder compatibility... The Gift

I'm currently working on all the encounter scale maps, town/city/village maps, still a few more to go.

The island of Yonshu, Empire of Kaidan:

 (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/yonshu-thumb.jpg)

GP

Here's my latest Cartographers' Guild Challenge Map (June 00). The challenge was to create a "home away from home" such as a starship, sailing ship, dirigible, or a location accessed to by a teleportation device. I chose the latter.

The Assassin's Lair is accessed by using the Amulet of Cerene (God of Death & Murder). All explanations are on the map itself.

This is completely hand-drawn, and scanned. Then I used Xara Xtreme to create beveled shapes beneath the scanned images to give it color and some 3D depth. I had fun with one.

I thought being both a map and a magic item, it might find more use than a normal map might for gaming purposes.

Enjoy!

GP

 (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/cerene-map-thumb.jpg)

Link to larger file:  Cerene: the Assassin's Lair (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/cerene-map.jpg)

OK, here's a commission I map, I just created. There is an NDA involved, so I can't provide a link to a larger file, or tell you much about it, but I'm using some new techniques creating hand-drawn mountains and forests with this one. I thought you might enjoy it's style.

GP

 (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/mythic-map-thumb.jpg)

Gamer Printshop, I've always admired your works. I really enjoy how crisp and clear your maps are, as well as all the extra details you add, like the border on the Forgotten Gods map. :)

Yeah, the knot style is cool.

Are dungeon maps still welcome?:P

I created a lava set. The map isn't for anything, I just made it to work out the terrain.

 [spoiler] (http://www.routinedelirium.com/forsaken/lava.jpg) [/spoiler]

Looks good Mina. I wouldn't go adventuring there.

Hey Mina, is there more of that awesome Dungeon?

The lava looks very cool, and by 'cool' I mean hot! :D

Quote from: PhoenixLooks good Mina. I wouldn't go adventuring there.

Ahh, but you don't get to choose whether to go there. Muwahaha.

Look on the bright side; it's the one place you never have to worry about getting eaten by a grue.

Quote from: Elemental_ElfHey Mina, is there more of that awesome Dungeon?

Nah, like I said I just created it to work out the technique to make the terrain, but now that I've done it it will be much faster to create subsequent maps because I can literally just copy the same layers I have there and modify them into different terrain.

Here's one with a different lava texture. I'm not sure which one I like more. Or rather I'm not sure which I like less. Or is it which I dislike more? Which I dislike less more. Which...

 [spoiler] (http://www.routinedelirium.com/forsaken/lavatry1.jpg)
(http://www.routinedelirium.com/forsaken/lavatry2.jpg)  [/spoiler]

I wish I had adventure maps that awesome :)

Quote from: PhoenixI wish I had adventure maps that awesome :)

Me too!

Not a world map, but a city map for my Kaidan: The Gift - for the first and third installment of my initial adventure campaign.

This is the provincial capital of Oniba Province on the island of Yonshu, Tsue-jo castle town.

This map was completely hand-drawn, then scanned, colored, bevels applied, drop shadows, feathering and transparency all within Xara Xtreme Pro 4.0 Final map is 24" x 48" at 100 ppi JPG. The thumbnail is the almost finished version - the link is to the larger final map.

Enjoy!

 (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/tsue-jo-thumb.jpg)

Link to larger file:
 Tsue-jo Castle Town (Final) (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/tsue-jo.jpg)

The districts of Tsue-jo, an explanation...

The height of the shoreline above the river is about 9 feet above the river water level, thus the wharfs sit closer to the water with walkways down from city ground level. The spit of land on the western end of the island is frequently flooded during the spring.

Each bluff rises 50 feet above the previous. Those long walled roads leading from the main town level, upwards rise a total of 50' on their overall length. The samurai district rises 50 feet above the artisans district though the ramp road is much steeper between the two.

Thus the samurai district sits 150 feet above the waterline, with the elevated portion 25 above the lower portion of that district. Thus the bridge crossing over to the next islet and the first bailley sits 175 feet above the water. Though the road winds back on itself, as much as for defensive reasons, the road is rising another 50 feet from the west bridge to the east bridge.

The provincial palace grounds on the furthest west islet sits at 225 feet above the river, while the fortress is on a rise 50 feet higher than the palace grounds, at the total height of 275 feet.

Each section of town:

The western edge of town sits outside the city walls, but still on the island is the towns "Floating World" red light district controlled by the Yakuza. The river has flooded this district in the past, as it sits on the lowest slope perhaps 4 feet above riverline.

Within the city walls is the main town area, with two sets of docks. The west docks are primarily for official imperial or military use. The city maintains a small fleet of fast patrol ships used to inspect passing cargo, use for war, and anti-piracy on the river. Many shops and "unguilded" crafters, dockworker laborers and fisherman families dwell in this part of town.

The Kirin district on the next bluff accessed by the first rising road from the lower town is home to the smithy industries and their three famous sword smiths, and a large population of sohei monastic priests of the Kirin Order, these priests are fanatically loyal to Lord Hachiwara of Tsue-jo castle, even moreso than many of his samurai.

The Artisans distict sits above that with their own Artisan Zao temple on its western end. Despite its dominance on the end of that bluff, many small shrines populate that crowded region of buildings at the center. Gated alleys and a labrynth of alleys lead between the many master craftsmen that work here. Some of the finest manufactured goods on Yonshu are created in this district.

The senior 42 samurai and their families dwell on the samurai district, as well as the Hatamoto police chief, and several lesser nobles, with those on the far northern side of the Samurai district.

The Palace on the furthest islet to the east, is the administrative offices and residence of Lord Hachiwara Oda (Samurai 21st LE). The grounds within the complex of palace structures houses a demon-spirit bound to the control of the Lord and his onmyoji wizard, protecting his household and this level of the castlegrounds.

The fortress on top of the hill on this furthest islet is used as a watch tower and storage barn of military goods and the treasury when not used for defense under siege.

All the walls surround the castle and entire town have stone bases rising 20 feet above the street level to enclosed corridors with slate roofs. These wall corridors serve as archer shooting positions, for arrow storage, barracks, military messhalls, private shrines and worship areas. So none of the walls of the city are empty. The military is the largest employer on the island.

Without giving away key NPCs, safe houses, secret society halls and other goodies in Tsue-jo (all that's for the publication) this is the description of the town of Tsue-jo, so you can understand what you're looking at.

GP

Here's the latest campaign setting my group will adventure in. It's unnamed but has a definite Reconquista theme to it. The Kingdom names are all placeholders, though I am fond of Leonamarca...

[spoiler=Here's the Map! ] (http://fc09.deviantart.com/fs23/f/2009/240/c/1/Unnamed_Spanish_esque_World_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

I have to admit a softspot for the paper looking maps. Looking good.

I feel like I'm spamming this thread, but here's the latest map for my Forsaken (formerly abandonment) setting. It's kind of funny how inconsistent the scale is, like the Oasis actually being visible.
 [spoiler] (http://www.routinedelirium.com/forsaken/forsakenmazta.jpg) [/spoiler]

Here's my newest
[spoiler](http://sorol.wikispaces.com/file/view/Heepha.jpg)[/spoiler]

Holy crap, that looks professional.

Thats because he is. :)

Wow, Rob. Wow!

My latest map is just a side personal project, not for Kaidan. I wanted to do a non-Kaidan creation just to clear my mind of my current work.

I call this the Slaver's Map, being a map for slave traders to obtain Celtic slaves from Dernallion in the southeast, for delivery to Ambrathas and the Farm Tenancy to the West. This map reminds me of Middle Earth, now that I look at it, except the bad guys are where the Shire should be and the good guys where Mordor should be.

This is completely hand-drawn, except for labels and the Celtic knotwork border which are fonts.

Enjoy!

(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/slavers-thumb.jpg)

Link to larger map:
Celtic Slave Trader's Map (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/slavers.jpg)

GP

/jealous

That map is soooo good looking. It definitely has a Prince Valiant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Valiant) feel to it (but that's probably because of the texture and color choice rather than any content).  

It reminds me of the Wheel of Time Map (!)

Quote from: Light DragonIt reminds me of the Wheel of Time Map (!)

Never read the Wheel of Time, nor seen its map, though I have heard of it. Robert Jordan? I think.

Thanks for the comments!

GP

Here is the latest version of my setting - Amalga.

For those who don't know, Amalga is a setting I developed by combining all of the one shot adventures I ran early in my DMing career. Many of the place names are named after my player's characters. Further, most of the countries are led (in some form or another) by idealized versions of those same characters. Galtara is ruled by the mighty warblade Margath who helped bring down Braezel (a Dragon) and his construct horde. Kroma, Holy See of the 8 (a religion), is led by a paladin who is also a Saint - O'Rion. Colibera, a nation who is waging a holy Reconquista in the name of their Jesus-like god Leona, is led by the charismatic paladin Marshal Pride. Haramil, a common bard from the Transulfa rose to prominence by leading the defense of Sutbridge from an Orcish horde, his valor and leadership rewarded with the Chancellorship of the Kingdom. Nargosa famed island of Half-Dragons, houses the Great Library of Ixen which is the largest library in the known world (both names coming from Half-Dragon PCs)... I'm probably boring you guys. Anyways, here's the map!

Please Enjoy! :)

[spoiler=Amalga] (http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs50/f/2009/308/b/b/The_Continent_of_Amalga_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

EDIT: The great guys and gals over at the Cartographer's guild have helped me refine the map, I think it looks much, much better! :)

 [spoiler=The Updated Version] (http://fc08.deviantart.com/fs50/f/2009/309/7/c/Amalga__Land_of_Beauty_by_Elemental_Elf.jpg) [/spoiler]

Love the canvas-like effect on that map EE, great color scheme too.

Quote from: SarisaLove the canvas-like effect on that map EE, great color scheme too.

Thank you very much Sarisa, I'm glad you liked it!  :whoa: :) :cool:

[spoiler=Here is the latest version of the map](http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs50/f/2009/311/7/4/Forested_Amalga_by_Elemental_Elf.jpg)[/spoiler]

Not a world map, but an encounter scale map. This map represents the topside ground level over an Under Street Thieves Guild. I've yet to finish the guild map itself, but since its for publication, I'm just might not post it at all, however, I will post the topside map, as its complete and everyone seems to like the style. All hand-drawn and bevels, shading, transparency applied in Xara Xtreme Pro, as usual.

The building to the top right is the Cat o' Nine Tails Tavern, to is left under a roof is a barrel makers shop. The roofed long structure on the far right is an access tunnel to the sewers. The tiny shop in the southwest corner with the single blue bed in back - is a bootmakers shop. The trapdoor beside the bed leads to the Guildmaster of Thieves office directly below, as the Bootmaker is the guildmaster (and a Gnomic Syndicate man...) A carters shop and stable dominates the bottom end of this map. An outhouse sits in a culdesac in the court area.

Enjoy!

GP

 (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/topside-of-guild.jpg)

I really like the map, it's very pretty and well detailed. Heck, I wouldn't mind living in an area like that! :)

Quote from: Stargate525In fine tradition of maps that are simply too damn huge...

GENTLEMEN, BEHOLD! (http://fc03.deviantart.com/fs31/f/2008/227/e/7/Dilandri__the_World_of_Five_by_stargate525.jpg)

 Great map! But...you have a town named Breast.

Quote from: SurvivormanGreat map! But...you have a town named Breast.

So does France. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brest,_France)

Thank you, though, for the compliment.

http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/006/d/8/World_Map_by_stargate525.png

And that's the new version of that map...

Wow that looks awesome. Do you use a certain program? Because if you do I want in on it.

[spoiler](http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/images/c/c4/Map-Euria-Small.jpg)[/spoiler]
A map of the region of Euria from my Savage Age. Had to be resized a lot to be uploadable to the wiki; the original picture is 5400x3400 pixels and 4.34 Megs in size.

Where does one find these map-programs that everyone is using to make such fine maps.

Quote from: Ghostman[spoiler](http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/images/c/c4/Map-Euria-Small.jpg)[/spoiler]
A map of the region of Euria from my Savage Age. Had to be resized a lot to be uploadable to the wiki; the original picture is 5400x3400 pixels and 4.34 Megs in size.

o_O That looks great Ghostman!

Quote from: DungeonMasterWhere does one find these map-programs that everyone is using to make such fine maps.

Most use either Adobe Photoshop or GIMP. The former costs a fair amount (but it's worth it) while the latter is free to download and use (though like all open source programs it takes a bit of getting used to).

This map is not yet complete (and I don't have a thumbnail yet), but this is my entry (so far) for the One Page Dungeon Contest (for prizes.) This is concurrently my entry for this month's challenge at the Cartographers' Guild. The thread is titled Necromancer's Lair, but I've since tweaked that idea to be the lair of a Lich. This part of the map is closed off from the rest of the dungeon, accessed via an A-B Portal. The B-end shown as the magic circle at the base of the stairs in the Blood Canyon chamber (far left) is activated automatically by evil beings without mishap. However, neutral and good aligned beings must fail as Fortitude check DC 25 to pass through. If they fail their save which activates the portal, neutrals lose a single life energy level, while good folks lose two levels. This makes it extra nasty to enter the inner sanctum.

Also see the skeletal dragons surrounding the Skull Altar - the skull's open mouth is a direct portal to the Negative Energy Plane. The altar is surrounded by a moat of blood.

I'll post the final when I am finished!

Enjoy!

GP

 Lair of Lhessadrak - Inner Sanctum (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/inner-sanctum.jpg)

Quote from: Gamer PrintshopLair of Lhessadrak - Inner Sanctum (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/inner-sanctum)

The link doesn't work :(

Forgot to place ".jpg" after the file, it works now, chcck it.

GP

Here is a close-up view of a part of my Euria map, to let you actually see some detail:
[spoiler](http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/images/6/64/Euria-Closeup.jpg)[/spoiler]

I almost thought about not doing this due to the amount of work involved, but I bit the bullet and gave it a shot. I created a detailed Boneyard, as part of my One Page Dungeon Contest entry. This took a better part of four hours to hand-draw, scan, import to Xara Xtreme Pro 4.0, then apply colors, beveled shapes and drop shadows. I hope to never have to do this again, but I'm satisfied with the results!

Enjoy the Boneyard!

GP

(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/boneyard-thumb.jpg)

Quote from: GhostmanHere is a close-up view of a part of my Euria map, to let you actually see some detail:
[spoiler](http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/images/6/64/Euria-Closeup.jpg)[/spoiler]

Mmm, even better  :yumm:

I give it 4 !turtle 's out of 4! :)

Quote from: Gamer PrintshopI almost thought about not doing this due to the amount of work involved, but I bit the bullet and gave it a shot. I created a detailed Boneyard, as part of my One Page Dungeon Contest entry. This took a better part of four hours to hand-draw, scan, import to Xara Xtreme Pro 4.0, then apply colors, beveled shapes and drop shadows. I hope to never have to do this again, but I'm satisfied with the results!

Enjoy the Boneyard!

GP

(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/boneyard-thumb.jpg)

Wow looks like you went through a lot to get that map completed. Well, let me tell you, your effort was not wasted! It looks great (as does the pic quoted from above!).

Wow GP, I hope you got payed well for that sucker.

No pay, this is for an entry to the One Page Dungeon Contest, now in case I ever do get a commission for a boneyard, I'll already have created this, so I'll be paid for this some day.

One Page Dungeon Contest map entry is complete!

Notice the webpage link at the bottom of the legend - it doesn't exist yet, but I will be doing this tonight. This map is completely hand-drawn, scanned, color/bevel/shadows done in Xara Xtreme Pro 4.0 - got almost 20 hours in this map, probably my most time consuming map ever.

Enjoy!

GP

(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/necromancers-crypt.jpg)

Link to larger file:
Crypt of the Necromancer (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/crypt-final.jpg)

.

Here's a map for a print publication supporting Iron Crown Enterprises game systems of Rolemaster and High Adventure Role Playing (RM and HARP), called the Guild Companion.

This map is for a small one-shot adventure of first level characters. Basically how to make a simple map into something complicated. The main map features the effective "downtown" area of the village where all the adventure takes place. The inset at the top describes the Woodpecker Inn. The other inset describes the entire village and immediate environs.

Enjoy!

GP

 (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/tomme-thumb.jpg)

Dang GP you are making me feel bad that I don't have time for mapping (and have sort of abandoned you wonderful folks at the CG). Gosh dang it, I think I may have to make a map here in a few weeks after I've finished my term finals to show everyone over there that I'm still alive and kicking (especially since I just re-downloaded CC3 and CD3 to my comp).

Here's my newest map for my brand new InnerSOL campaign setting.

 [spoiler= Map of InnerSOL] (http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/056/9/a/InnerSOL__Sagas_of_Leistung_by_Elemental_Elf.png) [/spoiler]

This is one of the first Sci-Fi maps I've ever created. Its a very different task than making fantasy ones. I hope you like it :)

So I'm guessing Ceres I - IV are space stations?

Nice map, Elemental Elf - and you're right Sci-Fi maps are different animals than fantasy maps.

Nice job!

Quote from: Gamer PrintshopSo I'm guessing Ceres I - IV are space stations?

Indeed, large Space Stations built inside of large asteroids (and slowly expanded as population and resources require). They're placed at roughly equal distances so ships returning from the outer Solar System can easily find a port.

Quote from: Gamer PrintshopNice map, Elemental Elf - and you're right Sci-Fi maps are different animals than fantasy maps.

Nice job!

Very much a different beast. They really require a totally different skill set to make them look palatable (let alone good)  :)

And thank you! :)

This thread is always great to look at. I wish I had this kind of skill.

Quote from: Ninja D!This thread is always great to look at. I wish I had this kind of skill.

Practice makes perfect. Well that and finding your own unique artistic voice. :)

This map is a Work-in-Progress, though I am almost done. This is for this month's challenge at the Cartographers' Guild - the winner (or an alternate chosen by the publisher) will receive prizes from Wolfgang Bauer's Open Design Project - this map will be used for part of a Cthulu-like setting be developed for Pathfinder RPG. The map will be featured in a large publication. Prizes include RPG material, a year's membership at Open Design Project, and the adventure will be shipped to the winner.

Apparently Iwaizumi, Japan is a real place, though today its a large town, while in 1287 it was just a tiny village, so while the rivers are relatively correct, the village is completely made up as their is no reference for the original.

This is my first real attempt at an isometric map - still using my hand-drawn and soft color technique in its development.

Here's a link to the larger file:  Iwaizumi village map WIP (http://gamer-printshop.com/cbg/iwaizumi-progress.jpg)

(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/iwaizumi-thumb-small.jpg)

Enjoy!

GP

I finally finished this map - only five days of work, though work it was.

All hand-drawn, textured and composited in Xara Xtreme Pro 4.0 as always.

Enjoy!

GP

(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/iwaizumi-thumb.jpg)

Link to larger file:
Village of Iwaizumi (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/iwazumi-opd-map.jpg)

As always your maps astound GP.
 I love the angled view on this map and the hand drawn style.

OK, another "not a world map" but an encounter scale map and one of my very few, sci-fi themed maps. This I call the Avatar Infiltrator Module. Using the technology from the movie Avatar, a neural link bed connects an Assassin/Spy/Saboteur operative for the Bureau of Naval Intelligence to upload his consciousness into one of the five alien-life forms in the cryrogenic pods surrounding the uplink chamber at the center of this map. Top right is the operatives stateroom. Top left is a decontamination tank and armory locker.

This month's Mapping Challenge at the Cartographers' Guild is to create a single room without obvious doors and windows, perhaps used as an extra-dimensional space with a teleport chamber. Fantasy, Sci-fi, or any theme - so I went for sci-fi, as I said, I almost never make sci-fi maps.

Anyway, 3D models of the aliens and the cryrogenic pods - almost done, I'm placing some equipment between the pods and will call this complete.

What do you guys think?

GP

(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/avatar-module-thumb.jpg)

Link to larger version:
 Avatar Infiltrator Module (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/avatar.png)

Here is the new Avayevnon Map:


(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2770/4469212736_3be309f9a3_o.jpg)

Yesterday afternoon, I sat down a made a map for my friend's and my collaborative setting called Engaku. The Kingdom for which the map was made is called Reiketsu, which is a country that lies behind a Great Wall. The country has been flooded with immigrants and refugees over the past decade or three and has thus expanded exponentially. What was once a small kingdom with a single large capital and many smaller towns has swelled into a massive close-to-fully-urbanized Kingdom. To counter the wave of refugees and immigrants(and keep them at arms length), the Noble Families walled off their domains but even this did little to stem the tide. If it were not for the Chichidon Monastic Temple's creation of magically conjured food (which is handed out like a dole to the poor) then Reiketsu would have surly collapsed under the enormous weight of its people.  

The Kings of Reiketsu live with in the walled District called Roiyaru, while the four great noble families (each descended from the First King) - the Mizukara, the Mizumaki, the Mizuwari and the Mizuumi - each owns a very large district for themselves. The Monarchy is elective, with all noble houses (both large and small) possessing one of more votes. The current King (who is on his death bed) is from the Kimi family, he was the first King not to be chosen from a Mizu- family in over 200 years. He was a liberal King who cared for the plight of the poor. The strongest candidates for his replacement are not so kind (the Mizukara candidate going so far as to say he'd simply torch the slums and thus permanently remove the problem).

Since the Campaign is round robin style of DMing (each person is allowed to DM and when they are not DMing they have a character), I fully intend on giving the players a chance to vote in the election of the new Monarch (the current DM has given me the perfect excuse and he doesn't even know it ^.^ ).

At any rate, here is the map :)

[spoiler=The Map!] (http://ashige.wikispaces.com/file/view/reiketsu1.png/160700341/reiketsu1.png) [/spoiler]

EDIT: Sorry I didn't realize how much the map was stretching the page.

new map of my discworld.

http://lathorien.deviantart.com/#/d30td5e

The map gives the impression of (half of a) a planet viewed from space. Is this supposed to represent the entire world?

The landmasses do look very beautiful and realistic.

its a disc world, i used a polar projection of a globe to get it.

Hmm, but the way the lower-left continent is distorted makes it seem like it's on a curved surface.
But I agree that those are some very beautiful landmasses!

yea polar projection causes distortion around the equator (the outer edge)

Really like the map Lath!

Castle Marlbrook

Haven't had much time to work on any non-publication mapping, but I squeezed this illustrative castle maps for this month's mapping challenge at the CG, really only about 3.5 hours in work, mostly in the hand-drawn portion of the map. You might not call it a map though, more an illustration really, but from experience it qualifies at the CG.

Instead of isometric map, I based the perspective on a 3D model of the castle itself, printed a lineart version that I used for reference in the hand=drawing. All other elements of the map are taken from the same aerial vantage point, so the house in the foreground is almost a top down, and the town in the upper portion of the map almost an ideal view. But I wanted to show as much of the interior areas of the castle grounds, which is why I chose this vantage point.

The final version of the map is uploaded at the CG (there's additional shadowing than this sample, I uploaded from my PC, not placed in online, so no link).

Oh, the castle is called Castle Marlbrook, it was the birthplace of one of my PCs in a 3.5 campaign that ended early this year, but started about 3 years ago (we went Epic). He was the second son of the Earl, and became an adventurer rather than taking a responsible life at court.

 (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/marlbrook-thumb.jpg)

Link to larger file:  Castle Marlbrook (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/cbg/marlbrook.jpg)

Enjoy!

GP

That looks very nice. I like the isometric perspective!

WIP starting to lable the beast, 100% GIMP

http://lathorien.deviantart.com/#/d33o5pe

http://lathorien.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d341hoj

I really like the map, very well detailed! Honestly, I'm jealous of your style, its so real feeling.  :)

The one with the names and countries is a bit hard to read. Have you considered lowering the Map's opacity a bit to help make those names stand out a bit more?

I intended to have a lable set with town names and locations, and then one with the region names and boundries, i accidentally left them all on this time. The lables are on top so still messing with their opacity to get the large names to fold into the terrain. not sold on the forest/hills lables, wife thinks their a little big.

Thanks for looking and criticing. Cant learn to get better without feedback.

The Icons for towns and etc. are very well done, just big enough to be understood for what they are but small enough to not get in the way of the map. The Labels for the icons are also very clear to read.

I agree with your wife - the geography labels could be a bit smaller, perhaps put spaces in between the letters to stretch the label out enough to cover the geographic region while at the same time decreasing the font size?

I have had nothing to do with the creation or use of the following map, I just happened to see a full-print version of it when I came by a roleplaying club in Copenhagen a few weeks ago and I was completely enthralled by it. It's a very, very nice map if you ask me. Very old-school feel combined with a high level of detail, ease-of-use and dark but beautiful coloring. Anyway, thought you mapmakers might want to see it.

Vaniya (http://www.cartographersguild.com/feature/VaniyaMap.jpg)  

Yup that is a good one, made by Ramah over on the cartographers guild. Kinda cool some printed it out.

I think they were using it for their campaign... Can't really decipher whether they borrowed the map or Ramah is actively involved.

A warning on the link as to the size would be nice. :)

The Vaniya link? Or Lath's celtricia link? Didn't think the Vaniya image was all that big?

CC: Vaniya was amazing. Needless to say, I have been inspired.

CC-The best thing about the Vaniya map are the short semi-hidden story vignettes :) That is a great touch.

Quote from: Light DragonCC-The best thing about the Vaniya map are the short semi-hidden story vignettes :) That is a great touch.

agreed. I'm totally hijacking that idea and putting on the Arga map.

Quote from: Light DragonCC-The best thing about the Vaniya map are the short semi-hidden story vignettes :) That is a great touch.

whats a story vignettes? probebly simple i am just not getting it

Quote from: Kaptn'Lath

Quote from: Light DragonCC-The best thing about the Vaniya map are the short semi-hidden story vignettes :) That is a great touch.

whats a story vignettes? probebly simple i am just not getting it

vignette: very short story. If you look in the sea you will see faded text, supposedly left in the margin of the map by the sages who made it, telling the tale of a spreading blight if I remember correctly.

A map of the broken verge universe in this style would be beyond awesome.

So I've been working on a new map for my Amalga setting. Here's the rough draft:

[spoiler=Map](http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/013/5/9/blank_map_of_amalga_by_elemental_elf-d3743yw.png)[/spoiler]

wow thats some good rivers and relief... generated? I would hate to think you did all that by hand...

Quote from: Kaptn'Lathwow thats some good rivers and relief... generated? I would hate to think you did all that by hand...

It was done all by hand! It took a long time but its worth it in the long run (even if I have a bazillion rivers to name now). :)

Somehow your single lake manages to intrigue me ^^
What's with the purple circles?
The circular ripple patterns along some of the coastlines look a bit off, but I guess it's work in progress and you are perfectly aware of them.

Quote from: Conundrum CrowSomehow your single lake manages to intrigue me ^^
What's with the purple circles?
The circular ripple patterns along some of the coastlines look a bit off, but I guess it's work in progress and you are perfectly aware of them.

Huh, you're right I do need more lakes! Dunno where I can put them though o_O

 About 190 years ago, 4 of the most powerful Archmagi gathered together to form the Council of Nymane, which tasked itself with governing both Arcane and Psionic magic. The Council used their magic to create their own country via levitating 5 massive discs whose land came from the southern portion of the continent. Years later, following a war, the Council combined the discs and created a new (if small) moon to call their own.  The purple rings represent the magical after-effects of the levitation spell which altered the gravity within the rings - floating chunks of rock, massive sky-scraper-size trees and over-sized creatures, etc.

The Ripples actually represent islands that are commingled between the material and other planes. I'm not sold on the effect yet either.

It's a very nice lake, though.

Here's the last map for my first adventure for Kaidan. The assault on the town of Agoya. After a harrowing trek across a treacherous mountains pass, the PCs try to rest in the town of Agoya, however the protagonist, a hebi-no-onna (snake armed woman demon) arranges for an assault by a large band of bandits (nobushi) onto the town of Agoya. The PCs will need to lead the defense. The following map shows the GM the order, and direction the assault will be coming. Interesting how a battle map with arrows really makes the fight feel more real and impending.

 (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/gift/agoya-thumb.jpg)

Link to larger file:  Assault on Agoya (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/gift/agoya-assault.jpg)

GP

here is an update on the map for my setting.. started to do some labeling and finally settled how to depict towns and stuff (icons, symbols, ect)

http://lathorien.deviantart.com/#/d39um04

click "download image" on the top right, it opens the document in its own window so u can see it at full resolution.

Garden Shrine and Ruined Village Map, the first rest stop for the PC adventurers while trying to escape Lord Hachiwara's wrath. This is a part of the second adventure for Kaidan, called Dim Spirit. Lots of story development occurs in this ruined site. Note only two buildings are still standing and each one will be taken by the PCs or the merchant and his daughter to sleep for the night.

This is hand-drawn, digitally scanned then colored, beveled, shadowed and labeled in Xara Xtreme Pro 4.0.

Enjoy!

GP

 (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/gift/garden-shrine-thumb.jpg)

Here's am updated version of InnerSOL, hope you guys like it.  [spoiler] (http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/067/3/6/a_new_map_of_innersol_by_elemental_elf-d3b8eg8.jpg) [/spoiler]

That is awesome, wish you had colonies on the moons of the outer planets (io, europa, ganymede, callisto, titan, etc)

Looks nice. I laughed when I saw "O'Neil" and "Shepard". I might have to swing in and give the setting a proper look sometime.

Very clean and well-labeled. I like it - did you use a stock space background or generate it?

Quote from: NomadicThat is awesome, wish you had colonies on the moons of the outer planets (io, europa, ganymede, callisto, titan, etc)

I've been toying around with a reboot of the setting, which would include the moons of Jupiter. From what I understand, Io is basically unusable due to the radiation Jupiter pumps out. I have ideas for Europa and Callisto, I'm not sure what to do with Ganymede since it has radiation problems and no way to protect humans beyond going below the surface, which is much more viable on Callisto (comparatively low radiation) and Europa (lots of water). I also have plans for Jupiter's Lagrange Points 3, 4 and 5.

All of the major powers want control of Jupiter's vast resources but none can come to a definitive compromise that satisfies all parties. Thus no power can truly stake any claim for fear of sparking another system-wide war. Beyond politics, the sheer distance of Jupiter from the inner-solar system would present its own set of challenges. Everything within the inner-Solar System (excluding the Asteroid belt) is, at maximum, just 2.5 AU from one another, which when you factor in how quickly (comparatively speaking) the inner planets orbit, you can get from Mars to the Earth, even when they're on opposite sides of the sun, fairly quickly. Even the median distance from the sun to the asteroid belt is only 2.8 AU. Jupiter, on the other hand, is sitting at a whopping 5.2 AU. If Jupiter and Mars were on opposite sides of the sun, then the distance between them would be 6.7 AU! Given how slowly Jupiter orbits (once every 11 years), it makes travel to and from the planet quite difficult (requiring a lot of forethought and calculations). Thus the Jovian system would have a fairly "wild west" feel as it would be left to daring individuals and powerful corporations to found colonies and tap the resources there-in, thus giving it a VERY different feel from the more government-controlled colonization that occurred within the inner-solar system.

Quote from: Ninja D!Looks nice. I laughed when I saw "O'Neil" and "Shepard". I might have to swing in and give the setting a proper look sometime.

Hehe.

Quote from: JaercVery clean and well-labeled. I like it - did you use a stock space background or generate it?

Thank you. Yes, I did use a stock photo (that I found on Wikipedia). The same goes for the pictures of the planets :)

If you can colonize the moon or mercury you can colonize Io and Ganymede. Both moons could be colonized via shielded underground bases like NASA has talked about for years. In fact the bigger concern with Io would be hardening your base against Ioquakes (probably in a similar fashion to earthquake hardening via springs and hydraulic struts and such).

make the outer system like firefly?

Quote from: NomadicIf you can colonize the moon or mercury you can colonize Io and Ganymede. Both moons could be colonized via shielded underground bases like NASA has talked about for years. In fact the bigger concern with Io would be hardening your base against Ioquakes (probably in a similar fashion to earthquake hardening via springs and hydraulic struts and such).

Very good points. I guess I was just resistant to IO because it seems like such a hostile environment compared to the other 3 Jovian moons. :)

Quote from: Kaptn'Lathmake the outer system like firefly?

I hadn't really thought of it that way. My intent was to give the outer system a fairly different feel but, yes, in effect it would be a lot like Fire fly (just with less places to go).

primarily ment the feeling of being "alone out there. Make it so only smaller ships can go farther from sun? Large ships cant get through the asteriod belt safely? Massages through the belt like mountain passes, gaurded and fought over?

Quote from: Kaptn'Lathprimarily ment the feeling of being "alone out there. Make it so only smaller ships can go farther from sun? Large ships cant get through the asteriod belt safely? Massages through the belt like mountain passes, gaurded and fought over?

A ship would have to be really big to not get through the asteroid belt as the average distance between asteroids out there is on the scale of hundreds of thousands to millions of miles apart. It's actually harder to find an asteroid than avoid it in the belt. Also space is 3d, can't go through the belt? Just go around it.

So, over the weekend, I decided to blow off writing a paper and instead draw a map. I just started drawing and eventually the scribbles coalesced into a (rough draft of a) new map for a fairly old campaign setting of mine - Seladona.

For those that don't know, Seladona is a small piece of land trapped at the eye of a raging sand storm, which has persisted for centuries. The gods took pity upon the people of Seladona, and so sent a Magical Banner, called an Oriflame, to the King of Bokizmar. The banner allowed the King to provide enough food and water in quantities that could feed the masses. When that King perished, the banner was split amongst his 7 children, each of whom used their piece's magical properties to levitate a castle, thus creating what the people of Seladona call Alcazars. These floating castles slowly plod their way across the desolate landscape, traveling from one settlement to the next demanding tribute and slaves. Each Alcazar is completely independent from the others - alliances, war, betrayal, raiding - are all common facets of Alcazarian politics.

At any rate, here's the [spoiler=MAP] (http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/074/9/d/map_of_sleadona__first_draft__by_elemental_elf-d3bok88.jpg) [/spoiler]

Now that setting sounds badass. Reminds me of Dark Sun. F'n metal. Nice map, too.

My entry into the One Page Dungeon Contest 2011. Each year this contest calls for a one page dungeon (any adventure site really), but requires the whole dungeon, a grid for scale, a key that includes a title, a list of all monsters and traps (no mechanics), your name, and a link to CC license - there are lots of prizes (lots), more prizes than participants so far...

Here is my entry, inspired by my Kaidan setting, I call the Emperor's Playground. The boy-emperor of Kaidan received on his birthday a dungeon featuring all his favorite activities and things to see, as a gift from his grandfather, the Shogun of Kaidan. (Of course both are undead, not mentioned on the map...)

For extra detail I included tiny inset illustrations of the special encounters in each chamber.

Guests are invited for a royal visit, but when they arrive are told the emperor was called away on duties, but to stay in the imperial guest house for the evening. When they fall asleep they are instantly teleported to an identical guest house at the start of the dungeon - as an entertainment for the emperor and the entire court. Should the party survive the dungeon they aer showered with gifts by the court.

Of course, hand-drawn, digitally scanned and imported and finished in Xara Xtreme Pro 4.

Here's a thumbnail:

 (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/opdc/emperor-playground-opdc-thumb.jpg)

Link to larger file:

 Emperor's Playground Map full scale (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/opdc/emperor-playground-opdc.jpg)

GP

Looks like a fun Dungeon! I wouldn't mind playing through it :)

Thanks, EE!

I think of it as a microcosm of Kaidan, much of what best depicts this cursed land fits in 10 chambers of the Emperor's Playground. Without traps or treasures, its an entertainment studio watched by the court through divining devices - almost like a sporting event TV show. Those who survive gain appropriate prizes, so its a win for the entertainers and the entertained.

I wouldn't mind runnning it myself.

WARNING: this is a sketch. And not even a proper scan of it.

Much of the work in modern fantasy mapping seems to be focused on layout, coloring, and general "polishing", but there is some groundwork to be done before that: continents have to be designed and placed, coastlines mapped out, and all the while one must keep the concept of ones setting in mind as well as the aesthetic value of the map. It is this groundwork that I have been working on for some time now.

This is a pretty horrible sketch, but I think the coastlines have finally turned out right. Personally, I might even go so far as to call this an interesting map. A little unorthodox at the very least. What is your judgment? Could this turn into a good world map if I put some more time into it?  

EDIT: there is some superfluous detail on it, but many areas remain blank. It was mostly drawn in for my own sake. The map is contained by the drawn borders; I went too quickly through my paper reserves if I required an entire page per trial map.

 [spoiler]
     
(//../../e107_files/public/1302361382_406_FT43819_imag0028_.jpg) (//../../e107_files/public/1302361382_406_FT43819_imag0028.jpg)

[/spoiler]

Looks great Crow!

@CC

lurv the map. having the Sheltered Sea be the prime area would work great, as the other parts look far enough away to be totally exotic, but accessible.

Well, I just got done with a continent from my setting, so here it is in all of its unlabeled glory:
[spoiler] (http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/images/4/44/Kynetia_Geographic_Map.png) [/spoiler]
I'll be back at some point with a better, more detailed map.

I like the shape of the Continent, Clockmaker. That big Bay must attract a lot of commerce :)  

In anticipation for my summer project, I decided to make a new map for my Aeolond setting! The world is going to be rebooted slightly, and the time-line will advance a few years. There are now 9 Kingdoms on Aeolond proper, as well as three island-kingdoms. To the north lie the Bogarlands, home of the only independent Goblin country, and the frigid Northlands where the Orthodox Church crusades to bring the continent's monstrous inhabitants to the true faith. To the south lie the Mountlands, whose Emperor claims to be a descendant of the First Empire's Emperors, as well as the the virgin utopia of the Sealands.

 [spoiler=Here is the Map] (http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/109/0/6/a_new_map_of_aeolond_by_elemental_elf-d3eay3g.jpg) [/spoiler]

My that is a nice map.  I must say that those are some great city names, although after a second or two of serious thought, the city of Alecaster degenerated into a rum-summoning wizard class.

Quote from: The ClockmakerMy that is a nice map.  I must say that those are some great city names, although after a second or two of serious thought, the city of Alecaster degenerated into a rum-summoning wizard class.

Thanks! :)   Alecaster is the home of the Wizard Guild and one of the most prolific Brewing companies, so your thought is probably not far from the truth, especially on holidays :)

Quote from: Elemental_Elf

Quote from: The ClockmakerMy that is a nice map.  I must say that those are some great city names, although after a second or two of serious thought, the city of Alecaster degenerated into a rum-summoning wizard class.

Thanks! :)   Alecaster is the home of the Wizard Guild and one of the most prolific Brewing companies, so your thought is probably not far from the truth, especially on holidays :)

Wizards and beer don't mix. Also that is one sexy map, you almost have me wanting to get back into cartography again.

I'm creating a new map for the Celtic setting I am fiddling with in my REAMS of spare time.  It is a hand-drawn map, and I intend to keep it that way.  I just feel they have more charm.  That said, lacking color or fancy computer graphics as tools at my disposal, I am wondering how best to indicate grasslands/rocklands/bogs/snow-covered/hypothetical desert/etc.  I've tried both diagonal lines and little periodic tufts of grass for grasslands, but neither was satisfying.  Any suggestions?  I am taking suggestions on depicting any land-type.

Quote from: Seraphine_HarmoniumI'm creating a new map for the Celtic setting I am fiddling with in my REAMS of spare time.  It is a hand-drawn map, and I intend to keep it that way.  I just feel they have more charm.  That said, lacking color or fancy computer graphics as tools at my disposal, I am wondering how best to indicate grasslands/rocklands/bogs/snow-covered/hypothetical desert/etc.  I've tried both diagonal lines and little periodic tufts of grass for grasslands, but neither was satisfying.  Any suggestions?  I am taking suggestions on depicting any land-type.

Your quandary is the exact reason why I never draw those kinds of maps. Its a very difficult style to master. A good source for ideas might be maps made for kids, they tend to have an abundance of those kinds of maps (for what ever reason). Sadly, google isn't turning up any good results. :(

Ascension over at the Cartographers Guild was working on this kind of map, though he eventually colored it in, lots of the terrain features fall into the clumps of grass for savanah, etc.

I thought his symbols would work well with the style you are going for.

Regional Map Practice (http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?13962-Regional-practice/page4&highlight=experiment)

GP

Quote from: Gamer PrintshopAscension over at the Cartographers Guild was working on this kind of map, though he eventually colored it in, lots of the terrain features fall into the clumps of grass for savanah, etc.

I thought his symbols would work well with the style you are going for.

Regional Map Practice (http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?13962-Regional-practice/page4&highlight=experiment)

GP

I am looking at his stuff, and I have seen some things that might be useful.  I'll see if they actually get across what I want them to.  In any case, thank you for the link and suggestion.

Quote from: Seraphine_Harmonium

Quote from: Gamer PrintshopAscension over at the Cartographers Guild was working on this kind of map, though he eventually colored it in, lots of the terrain features fall into the clumps of grass for savanah, etc.

I thought his symbols would work well with the style you are going for.

Regional Map Practice (http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?13962-Regional-practice/page4&highlight=experiment)

GP

I am looking at his stuff, and I have seen some things that might be useful.  I'll see if they actually get across what I want them to.  In any case, thank you for the link and suggestion.

Yes!  I think this will do it.  Thanks GP!

I look forward to seeing your map!

GP

Ascension makes me feel inadequate every time I look at his stuff

I have the terrain pretty much done.  Now I am just using GIMP to make it pretty and labelled.

So here is one version of the Map that is OK, but not great.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5268/5675515137_1f48434832_t.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26747731@N06/5675515137/)
I had a go at making the parchment look happen entirely in GIMP, and while I am sure there is a way to do this, it just didn't work quite right.  I may just end up doing the coffee/tea trick again.  I generally like how that turns out.

I also will probably go back and draw the banner at the top by hand.

I don't quite like how the label for The Ice Shelf Turned out.  I might be able to fix the curve to work better, but if not, I'll just have it on a diagonal.

The little Castles represent fortified settlements, meaning, there are people there, and there is either a fortress or otherwise a force capable of defending the village/town from attack.

Every time I click the image to make it larger, it just redirects me to this page :(

There.  Should be fixed now.

[spoiler=Work in Progress](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5270/5691725049_1557142fab_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26747731@N06/5691725049/)
[/spoiler]

Looks good, I might suggest you give your letters a soft white and highly feathered stroke with a 100% to 0% opacity fade. This will make it so they still fit the feel of the map but are far easier to read. Right now they get a little lost in the jumble due to all the other symbols on the map. Btw I think you did awesome on the parchment.

I hate to admit this, but the Golarion world map is actually quite cool.
see it here (http://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderCampaignSetting/PZO9226-StolenMap.jpg)
I love the contrast between the golden parchment and the faded blue, especially in the western sea. Also very nice continental outlines, and an alternative design in general. My only complaint might be that the length of the continents is too similar, but I think the broken nature of the two eastern ones make up for this.

I wish I knew how to make creases like that.

I take a blank piece of paper, fold it in quarters or eighths. Stress out the folds by pinching and rubbing between your fingers. Then I take cigarette ashes toss onto the paper and rub it in with my hand. Then I take a dry cloth and try to remove as much of the ash from the paper.

Then I scan it, import it to Xara Xtreme Pro, apply a two-toned cream and dark tan (for parchment colors).

The result is a realistic and colorful parchment with real folds and aging in look.

Easy.

You can use tea to stain the paper, for additional effect.

GP

Hmm, but is there any way to create the same effect using only software?

Quote from: Superfluous CrowHmm, but is there any way to create the same effect using only software?

I found this tutorial  (http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?11641-Realistic-Fold-Marks&highlight=creases)on Cartographers' Guild.  It should be of assistance.  

Of course there is, as S_H mentions, but I do lots of things analog in my maps - whatever it takes to make the most realistic result in the easiest way possible. All my mapping revolves around speed - I'm the faster mapper you'll ever like meet (ask anyone at the CG, whose the fastest of them all...)

I'm not 'rushing it' though, as my design process for any design revolves around quick turn-around. I get bored if I can't finish something quickly, in fact I might not finish at all, if something takes me too long to accomplish.

Consider that most of the maps I have posted in this thread are measured in hours not days to create. Some might have taken me 3 days to do, but nothing over 10 hours total.

Here is the progress on my Cad Goleór map.

Most of the changes are subtle.  The parchment edge, angles of labels, simplifying the castles . . . But the effect is significant.
(http://th08.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2011/133/9/c/cad_goleor_map_by_seraphine_harmonium-d3ga0sr.jpg)


And for those bits that are still hard to see, I have a larger version.
[spoiler=Cad Goleór]
(http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/133/9/c/cad_goleor_map_by_seraphine_harmonium-d3ga0sr.jpg)[/spoiler]

Jonathan McAnulty, my lead designer has created two one-shot adventures to be run as Con Games, which he will be running at Origins 2011, though Steve Russell (the publisher) may run them at Gencon and Paizocon as well.

One is a 1st level adventure called "The Tolling of Tears" which I consider a 'Scooby Doo' mission, as the threat is supposed to be a haunted Temple Bell that the monks refuse to ring. It turns out that though the bell is indeed haunted, the haunt is a protective spirit. Actually a local onmyoji wizard has a grudge against the abbot of this temple and he is using Shikigami imps (least oni) in invisible form causing trouble with the bell. The PCs have to play detective and discover the true problem, reveal it and cleanse the bell of its problem...

The second adventure is a 9th level one called "Frozen Wind" which features a mountain region under heavy snowfall, which forces the party to seek shelter at a remote mountain monastery. Yamabushi monks (variant paladins) maintain this holdfast, though it's bishop is under a curse which will be activated on this day. Once the PCs have been given food and a bed they will sleep, but will awake in the middle of the night when the fires have gone out. They will find all the monks dead. Ice oni and a Yuki-onna (snow woman) oni greets the party to make them dead as well, unless the party can defeat them.

The map below is the one for the Frozen Wind...

Enjoy!

GP

Link to larger version: Frozen Wind Monastery (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/gift/frozen-wind-monastery.jpg)

(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/gift/frozen-wind-thumb.jpg)

That's a lot of dead monks...

Apparently the 'Bishop' of this monastery encountered what he thought was a powerful kami spirit in the crevice long ago, which in actuality was the Yuki-Onna 'snow woman'. She 'saved' his life with his promise to be able to take payment at some future date. He built the monastery here in celebration with this false kami encounter. It was inevitable that the Yuki-Onna would return many years in the future and take 'payment' in the form of the lives of the Bishop and his flock.

That day turned out to be the same day the PCs arrive at the monastery. The antagonist yuki-onna was predetermined to be able to kill so many easily. However, the PCs were not part of that bargain, so have avoided immediate death. Now they have to deal with the problem head on. The adventure is kind of cross between 'trapped on a mountain top in a snow storm', 'zombie apocalypse' (what the monks are now), and 'alone with the ice demons' in theme.

The playtest by the writer, Jonathan McAnulty had a party of five players, by the end of the adventure: one PC was dead, another at -9 hp, another a 0 hp and the remaining two were able to defeat the final oni. So it is definitely challenging though not a TPK adventure...

Okay, as someone who has no artistic talent and usually makes maps by scrawling doodles on looseleaf paper, I just want to post a general compliment on how amazingly awesome the maps in this thread are. They're gorgeous and provide a level of detail that really brings the world to life in my eyes as opposed to just my imagination.

Seraphine_Harmonium, your map is a prime example of this - the worldmap for Cad Goleór looks like it was scanned for the computer out of some old tome of maps. Simply breathtaking.

Wow, many thanks Xathan!

You're welcome. I wish I had half the talent of mapmaking you (and others in this thread) do - that's freaking incredible to look at and helps bring the world alive in ways I didn't get. Maybe I should practice mapmaking a bit more...

I'm with Xathan, though I'm pretty sure I've said it before. I wish I had the ability.

Here's my latest challenge map for Cartographers' Guild August Challenge - create a mountain themed map.

This is a tengu village on Akayama (red mountain), the village and road to summit is set up using the hierarchy stated in my "In the Company of Tengu" supplement.

Enjoy!

GP

(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/akayama-hi-res-thumb-small.jpg)

Link to larger version: Akayama Mountain Tengu Village (http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/akayama-hi-res.jpg)

Latest full map of the Islands of Kaidan, intended to be included as part of the gazetteer for the Gamemasters's Guide to Kaidan (softcover book to be released in Oct/Nov 2013). It will also be divided by province with additional labeling for mountains, ranges, rivers, lakes, marshes, forests, sites of interest and additional communities - of course these would be too small to show at the full archipelago dimension.

I've got a full 20 hours in hand-drawing and finishing the map - the longest time it ever took me to do a map.

GP

(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/kaidan_archipelago_map_thumb.jpg)

That's a truly beautiful map.  Very "it's Japan, except not," which is, of course, perfect.

It's really inspirational, the work you do, Gamer Printshop.

Thanks, Steerpike! ;)

I'm starting to work on the specific provincial maps for each main island - for the time being I am working on the provinces of Genshu, the northern island of Kaidan. And for the first province, Atosa, located on the southwest region of Genshu. All the added communities, mountain names, a site of interest and river names came from the gazetteer currently being worked on by Jonathan McAnulty. I'll be doing the same treatment to all the provinces eventually.

Atosa is ruled by Lord Kurashima no Takeshiko, both the last appointed daimyo by the Shogun of Kaidan, and the only one without a noble birthright (in reality he is a necromancer, having achieved a vampiric state from foreign shores.)

Kyobe is the largest city and provincial capital, a port city built in the mouth of the Jakubi river - it is called the Smuggler's City, as many of the surrounding isles in the Kaidan sea serve as pirate (wako) bases of operation, and rely on Kyobe for support.

Mount Hinomoto is currently the most active volcano in the Isles of Kaidan, though several active volcanoes sit on Genshu.

The fortress ruins of Kabutshuchi, sits atop Mount Onikirui, once the stronghold of a mighty oni-king that sought to rule Genshu. Though he was eventually defeated, the castle is now haunted and the mountain beneath honeycombed with dungeons and catacombs from the dark era, when the oni-king ruled here.


(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/atosa-thb.jpg)