Big Castle

[Jacktannery]

Just trying to get a feel for the layout.

Concept3.jpg

[Larb]

Fancy looking castles aren't actually unrealistic. You just won't find them on the frontier. The "fairy tale" castle is just a show castle taken to the extreme and Neuschwanstein is a real example of one (even if it was built a while after the medieval period). But less elaborate "show castles" were built.
As a general rule, the nobility will build what will impress people and in areas where defence is less of a concern, there will be more emphasis on how it looks, following the fashions of the time and culture. That's why you get the country villas of ancient Rome and the country manors of late medieval England. There's no reason why a very rich and powerful noble family wouldn't build such a show castle if they had the means and thought it would impress everyone else.

Errr, but anyway. I have been planning to do a castle plan of one I drew myself so this is inspiring. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

[atpollard]

A subtle point of semantics, but the 'keep' is the strongest point of last defense in a castle, so the tall tower may be the 'keep' and the big square building is the maor house.
The tower way out back might even be more of a 'keep' depending on the details.

Labeling nit pick aside, it looks like a good project off to a good start.

[Jacktannery]

Good to know Larb.

Thanks Atpollard - however I might retain 'keep' for the large rectangular building because I don't like the term 'manor house' (too loaded with the anglo-normans) and I can't think of a better word. The tower is there for a captive princess, or wizard.

I also need a good name for the castle; something a little better than 'Big Castle'. Castle Jacktannery?

[Jacktannery]

Here's a placeholder background - I intend to make the background 'swappable' to make the castle more useful.

Concept4.jpg

[Jacktannery]

This is still very conceptual -used google maps of paris to cut out some shapes. I just want to see how the various elements might mesh together, and to see if I can get away with reusing some of my pre-existing maps.

I'm also having doubts now about my original colour palette. I will need to give this more thought.

Concept5.JPG

EDIT: I've divided up the map into 5-feet grids and 100 feet x 100 feet encounter maps. I think I will start with the bridge one since it will be the easiest.

Concept6.jpg

[Jacktannery]

This is just a study piece for courtyard A: thinking about how to show the flags and turrets etc. on the maps - one way is by shadows. On this map I try it out for size - I think it will work great; I just need to put a bit of thought into it. It should also work with the chapel's buttresses.

shadow idea.jpg

[anomiecoalition]

All this stuff looks great. Really like how you did the shadows on your last post. But shouldn't these castles have a few more auxiliary buildings in the courtyard area (i.e. stables, barracks, other what-not)? Or are all of those miscellaneous things supposed to be housed in the keep/manor?

[Jacktannery]

No you are quite right - that's a great point. I'll put the barracks in the keep's western tower with the donjon, and I'll place the stables on the west side of the courtyard. I also thought I should have a well. Can you think of anything else?

[anomiecoalition]

I suppose it would depend on how self-sustaining you imagine this castle to be. Does it need its own trade shops within the walls (i.e. blacksmith, potter, carpenter, etc.)? Are servants housed within the manor house or do they have their own small dwelling/common house within the castle?

I wouldn't want to go overboard with it or crowd up the map, but it might be cool to see a few small buildings for these sorts of things along the walls (maybe on the south-west side)