World of Mystara Gazetteer Maps (CC3+)

[Xorne]

I've been creating the nation maps from the gazetteer (GAZ) series of BECMI modules in the world of Mystara for my 5E campaign in that setting, and want to share my work with everyone. I'll reply with a separate post for each map.

Each map is using an 8-mile per hex scale, created in Campaign Cartographer 3+, using the Mike Schley style set. I don't have an artistic bone in my body, so without the work of Thorfinn's hex maps I wouldn't have known how to start. I like the Schley style a lot so I've been sticking with it. I export the maps at 72 pixels per hex for use in a VTT (Fantasy Grounds) and using a 60% JPG quality to keep the file size down without sacrificing much resolution. Some of the maps are really big though and have gotten dropped down to a 30% JPG quality, but I'll always post the 60% here.

I'm also going to include a link to my Mystara Gazetteers Album in this top post. Enjoy!

[Xorne]

The first map is of the Grand Duchy of Karameikos, the most common starting area in the setting, and certainly the main nostalgia I remember. I spent a lot of tries on this one finding the style I would use before settling on this.

[Xorne]

The next book in the series is the Emirates of Ylaruam, a secluded desert nation with an arabic feel to it.

[Xorne]

On the western edge of the known world, the Principalities of Glantri is a french magocracy where being a cleric is punishable by death! This monster clocks in at ~4.5 MB so I use a 30% JPG for my VTT.

[Xorne]

The Kingdom of Ierendi is a group of ten islands that in the lore are essentially a tourist attraction, which made it kind of a joke of the Gazetteers. It's too bad, because there is actually some pretty good lore involved in this book. Was a fun map to do and quite a relief after the nightmare of political borders in Glantri!

The Kingdom of Ierendi.JPG

[Baron]

Very nice work, it looks like it would take forever! Thanks for sharing. I'm overjoyed that these are the Gazetteer versions, and not something later. When I think of Mystrara maps I always think of that published style, so this look makes it fresh and new.

Glantri is my favorite domain in Mystara, but I'll keep a look-out for the rest if you do them. Any plans to do Dawn of the Emperors, or Hollow World?

[Xorne]

The Kingdom of Alfheim (GAZ5) is finished! Lots of trees of course, and I wasn't sure how to represent the magical (good & bad) sites. Settled on big bright trees for good and black dead trees for bad.

Kingdom of Alfheim.JPG

[Xorne]

Finished up GAZ6 Rockhome. So many mountains and hills! (Shocker, right?)

Rockhome.JPG

[rdanhenry]

Pretty epic project you have here. Good luck bringing the old school to the new school. Your maps are certainly up to the job.

[Xorne]

Holy labels, Batman! So this is a... crowded map. I think there's more villages and towns on this map than any two of the previous gazetteers. I liked the mix of terrain on this one, but man it was hard to fit all those settlements in.

Northern Reaches.JPG