The Kingdom of Estlond

Dungeon Master Gaz · July 2015

Hi Everyone

Just thought I'd post my latest map for you all to take a look at. I used the Classic Fantasy style from the May edition of the 2015 Annual with a few modifications on my part.

The map is of the kingdom where my players have begun their D&D 5e adventures, and is described in the Player's Bible as...

THE KINGDOM OF ESTLOND
Government: Hereditary monarchy, currently ruled by King Urian Tormont.
Capital: Torcaster.
Population: 92% Westiri, 6% Icari, 2% other.
Religion: Paternism (65%), Aethism (28%), Galaerionism (7%).
Military: 2,000 Huscarls, 700 cavalry, 1,000 archers, 3,500 foot.
The strong island kingdom of Estlond has maintained its sovereignty for over 1,200 years. It has repelled invasion, survived plague, and suppressed rebellion thanks to the fierce pride of its inhabitants, and only became part of the empire 300 years ago through the marriage of the Princess Halena Tormont to the then emperor, Diodus Arathan.

Hope you enjoy.

For Larger Image: Click

Ralf · July 2015

Wow... that's wonderful! Love what you've created there.

CharlesWayneRobinson · July 2015

Awesome job!

Barliman · July 2015

That's really beautiful. What styles did you use?

Grimur · July 2015

What a beauty

Very clean and authentic. Fantastic

Dogtag · July 2015

Gorgeous! Your choice of style and colors works perfectly for that map. Bravo! I especially like the waves and color fills along the coasts. Beautiful!

Also, I heavily applaud your "Player's Bible" details. Do you make the bible available to your players online or do you put it all in a PDF or other printable document (or both, natch)?

Cheers,
~Dogtag

kilma.ard.venom · July 2015

An outstanding map! Great!

What's the name of a city near Archos?

Dungeon Master Gaz · July 2015

Thanks for all your great comments, guys. Much appreciated. And Ralph - the Wow should go to CC3+ for giving me the tools to express my imagination!

Posted By: BarlimanThat's really beautiful. What styles did you use?

Hi Barliman - I used the "Classic Fantasy" overland style from the May issue of the 2015 Annual to create the map. I just added a few sheets and changed some of the sheet effects to develop the style to my idea. The heralrdy was created a while ago using the "Heraldic Symbols" style from the March issue of the 2008 annual (hoping for a CC3+ patch for previous annuals), exported as a .png and re-inserted into this map with the Draw > Insert File command. The inset map is an exported rectangle from the world map I'm creating in the same style. I just hid most of the sheets before exporting it to put the emphasis on the distinction between land and sea.

Posted By: DogtagAlso, I heavily applaud your "Player's Bible" details. Do you make the bible available to your players online or do you put it all in a PDF or other printable document (or both, natch)?

Cheers,
~Dogtag

Thanks, Dogtag. I create the Player's Bible using some old DTP software I have, then export it as a PDF so I can view it on my tablet at the gaming table. I also print out a hard copy for my player's so they have a physical "tome" to hold and read. They really enjoy it, and I regularly update it and add pages as they uncover new information and explore new places, during the course of the campaign.

Posted By: kilma.ard.venomWhat's the name of a city near Archos?

Hey kilma.ard.venom. Archos is the imperial capital in my setting. The city itself lies either side of a narrow strait - like Istanbul. The half of the city on southern penninsula serves as the imperial capital, while the half situated on the northern shore of the strait serves as the religious capital. I did originally place a single city symbol, but the position hid the fact that there is a strait there, so I decided to represent it with two symbols instead.

Thanks again for your comments and questions :-)

All the best

DMG

ArgoForg · July 2015

That's some really awesome work... I love how stylized it looks, and the inset is a grand touch!

bobifle · July 2015

Do you have an estimate of the time passed on this piece of art ?

Dungeon Master Gaz · July 2015

Posted By: ArgoForgThat's some really awesome work... I love how stylized it looks, and the inset is a grand touch!

Thanks, ArgoForg. Glad you enjoyed it :-)

Posted By: bobifleDo you have an estimate of the time passed on this piece of art ?

Well, that depends, bobifle. To physically create this particular map in CC3+ took about 4 hours. The Classic Fantasy style is really easy and quick to use. The only laborious part of the work was the sea contours, which probably took up at least 1.5 hours out of the total 4. To imagine the setting, create the places and their names, develop the background, history, mythology, and adventures took a lot longer. :-).

This map is really just the latest version of a map that I've been drawing in various styles since the D&D Next playtests began a couple of years ago. So, just the fact that I've drawn this map multiple times meant that creating this latest version was a pretty fast job.

Just to show... here are a couple of "previous versions", and the links to the larger files, done at 10 miles per hex.

The first was created by customising the Annual Vol I, 2007 (yes, I have been using campaign cartographer for about 10 years now, and I don't use any other software to alter or enhance my maps - CC only!) "Mercator Historical" style, while the second one was created with the "Mike Schley Overland" style when I upgraded to CC3+

Mercator original: click here

Mike Schley original: click here

Hope your like these too

DMG

Dungeon Master Gaz · July 2015

And the Schley version...

kylania · July 2015

Can I live there? Please?

Barliman · July 2015

I like both a lot, but the Schley style is particularly gorgeous.

kilma.ard.venom · July 2015

Posted By: Dungeon Master GazHey kilma.ard.venom. Archos is the imperial capital in my setting. The city itself lies either side of a narrow strait - like Istanbul. The half of the city on southern penninsula serves as the imperial capital, while the half situated on the northern shore of the strait serves as the religious capital. I did originally place a single city symbol, but the position hid the fact that there is a strait there, so I decided to represent it with two symbols instead.

I'd an idea that they are two parts of the same city, but I also had some doubts because of two different lables of those lands.

Wow! Those "previous versions" are cool. Especially, Mike Schley Overland. And now it's clear to me, that there are two parts of the city.

Very interesting idea for fantasy setting.

Mako1975 · July 2015

The Mike Schley version is stunning.

Dungeon Master Gaz · August 2015

Undoubtedly, the Mike Schley style is stunning, and one of the reasons I decided to upgrade to CC3+

Just shows how CC has evolved over the past eight years too.

Mako1975 · August 2015

Could you possibly create a few video tutorials on how you did it? I have been busting my hump on a map and just deleting over and over because I cant get anything to look right.

Mako1975 · August 2015

?

Dungeon Master Gaz · August 2015

Hi mako1975

Sorry, been busy. I'll see how I can help on your post :-)

Shinrei · November 2017

Hey Dungeon Master Gaz,

I really love the feel of the first map. I especially love the inlaid map in the top right hand corner that depicts the larger world surrounding the main map.

Is there any chance you have your notes (the player's bible and/or other things) about this world somewhere on the internet? A place i can visit? I'd love to hear more about the setting and maybe even see more maps of other parts of the world.

Cheers
S.

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The Kingdom of Estlond

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