Aeash - redoing a DnD map as a present for the DM

[Caenwyr]

Hey all,

So I recently took on another commission to create a revamped version of a map used in a long-running DnD campaign, as a present for the dungeon master. The known world is called Aeash, but there's supposed to be unexplored regions beyond the edges of the map as well.

So this is the base map:
Aeash_1.png

And I've now started reworking it in my own style, based on the suggestions by the client. Here's the first update, showing the coastlines, the horizon (yay, always wanted to do that!), and the first few mountains. Way more to come though!
Aeash (3).jpg

[Adfor]

I love love love what you've done for revamping the Fractured Isles, spectacular work, I can already tell they are going to be blown away by this!

Cheers!

IR

[arsheesh]

This is already looking really nice! I how you've shown the horizon. The swirling archipelago is really fun as well. Look forward to seeing this develop.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[Caenwyr]

Thanks guys, you're too kind!!

Here's the next update for this map:
Aeash (4).jpg

[Caenwyr]

And the next update!

Aeash (5).jpg

[Caenwyr]

Aaaaand here's another one for ya guys! You'll notice I worked in the region called Istoria, where most of the action seems to have taken place up till now. In the original Istoria map (shown below), which I actually liked a lot, there was something of a classic river problem: a bunch of rivers connecting other rivers, or otherwise bifurcating where they shouldn't (they never should ever, really, but let's not get into that argument!)

Istoria_New.png

So I talked with the client and managed to convince them to drop some rivers, and turn some others into a weird hilly delta. But I guess it kinda works. I also cut some connecting rivers up so now each half springs close to where the cut happened, and runs in opposite ways to the other one. That way each "half of a connecting river" is now a proper river in its own right, and a nice 'n' tidy tributary to one of the rivers they used to connect.

Aeash (6).jpg

I might still make some changes to those rivers depending on input from the client, but this is where I am right now!

Any thoughts?

[QED42]

giphy.gif

The river police are always watching!

[Falconius]

The new map is crazy good. I don't think the river issues are as noticeable in your version. That said I'm not quite sure why the client doesn't want you to split it into a couple of river systems. Alternatively I'd suggest to him you could do the mountainous terrain in a basin of water and get something like fjords and islands. The problem is even if it's mountains and a silted up basin it would still develop fairly distinct river systems (even in the Florida Everglades you can see it).

Edit: I don't think the client would lose too much by going with something like:
possibleRiversplit.png

[Caenwyr]

giphy.gif

The river police are always watching!

I know right! I'm a proud RP member myself, but sometimes one has to be lenient, especially to first offenders

The new map is crazy good. I don't think the river issues are as noticeable in your version. That said I'm not quite sure why the client doesn't want you to split it into a couple of river systems. Alternatively I'd suggest to him you could do the mountainous terrain in a basin of water and get something like fjords and islands. The problem is even if it's mountains and a silted up basin it would still develop fairly distinct river systems (even in the Florida Everglades you can see it).

Edit: I don't think the client would lose too much by going with something like:
possibleRiversplit.png

I had proposed the same thing, but apparently (and who'm I to argue!) the interconnectedness of the rivers was important to the story, so it was not to be fiddled with. I did make some more corrections to the connecting rivers though - now they have their own springs in the mountains instead, which looks nice and plausible!

I also worked in the larger terrain features in the rest of the map, and currently I'm slowly filling in the whitespaces (but that is for another update).

Here's what I've got right now:
Aeash (7).jpg

[Falconius]

Ah well, the customer has the final say

Yeah, those changes are very nice. And filling in all those white space makes a big difference. Coming along great.