RPG Campaign Map - Esteria

[Immolate]

(edit)The name of this map was changed during editing to "Esteria". I am updating the map to the final revision so I can link to it. Ron an I spent a couple of hours in the cigar bar one Wednesday afternoon making name changes all through the map. If a moderator sees this, I would appreciate a name change in the title(/edit)

This is a Pathfinder campaign map created for a friend of mine, Ron, who will be launching his first campaign in about fifteen years in a month or two. I am lucky enough to play with a group of old-school D&D players with a great many talented game masters among them.

I am working on one other campaign map, Laramis, which I will also post here when it is complete.

Eldimar is a world in decline. The northern reaches of the continent were once a great empire, but that has long since balkanized, with much of it now covered by vast swathes of mature forest.

The interesting features of the continent are the great elven forest in the east, cut off from the ocean by a series of mountain ranges, and the massive range of mountains in the west, cutting off the western coast entirely from the rest of the land mass. Even the sea route is too hazardous for any but the bravest and hardiest souls, with the shoals menacing the hulls of ships that attempt to sail through.

The genesis of the map was a hand drawing, created by my friend Ron, with only the most rudimentary of details. To this kernal I applied Ascension's atlas methodology as described in one of his tutorials. There were many and significant departures from his method, so any unfavorable aspects are mine, not his.

Gold was the theme of the labels, rose and scale. The primary label text was Gabrielle. The compass is a many-layer contraption. I liked how it turned out, even if it does look a bit like a deathrace hubcap. The scale was also custom designed for this project. City, town and village markers were Photoshop brushes that I made for this.

The relative simplicity of the map itself (hopefully) lets me get away with the fancy shmancy frame.

Thanks to Alfar, NeonKnight, Steel General, Coyotemax, Ramah, Ascension, vhailor27, LonewandererD, and Gidde for their support, encouragement and criticism. Ramah, you probably don't know it, but your Vaniya was the map that set the hook the first day that I arrived at this site. I still pull it up and drink it in now and then. Thanks again.

Esteria.jpg

[Alfar]

I can't count the number of times I've felt stunned at the beautiful maps that come of this place. Good one here too. Repped and rated.

[Gandwarf]

It looks great Immolate. The frame is beautiful, though a bit overwhelming.
Really nice work, but we have come to expect that from you

[Coyotemax]

one word: niiiiiiiiiiice

[Steel General]

Wonderful job, love the Death Race Hubcap-Compass!

[Ramah]

Wonderful map Immolate. I still say it has the best mountains I have seen on a map spawned from Ascension's tut. It has really strong, bold colours that just work great.
And I'm glad that my map helped inspire you to get stuck in here.

[Karro]

This is very "Ascension", which of course is a very high compliment, around these parts.

Great job on hitting that style and making a very fine-looking pro-grade map.

[Lwaxana]

May I use this map for a forum game of mine?

[Immolate]

Lwaxana: as in the other thread, you are welcome to use this map for you own, non-commerical use. There is also a map from the January challenge that zooms in on the western empire that you may want to use if you decide to use this one. It will be in the link that I'm going to put in my sig as soon as I create one, but it's on this site already (somewhere).

[Immolate]

There's the link

V