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Royal Scribe

Royal Scribe

About

Username
Royal Scribe
Joined
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8,376
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Member
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3,074
Birthday
February 5, 1968
Location
San Francisco, California
Real Name
Kevin
Rank
Mapmaker
Badges
16

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  • What got you into cartography?

    For me, like I guess many others, it was the maps in the Lord of the Rings.

    I forgot about my early mapping influences from fantasy/sci fi literature, prior to discovering D&D. The Lord of the Rings was huge, naturally (I even had Karen Wynn Fonstad's Atlas of Middle Earth). And then the maps from Pern, and The Land from Stephen Donaldson's Thomas Covenant novels.

    But I forgot that the earliest for me was the maps from The Wizard of Oz books. I was obsessed with those books from around the ages of 7 to 10. I would draw the map from memory over and over again. I started to do a version in CC3 but got distracted by other projects. (The map is now in public domain so no copyright infringement!)

    Around the same time, while our teacher was reading stories to us, I would doodle side-view maps of underground mansions inspired by an illustration from the children's book Babar and Father Christmas, which you can see on the bottom of this page:

    https://imaginaryelevators.blog/2021/12/21/babar-je-taime/

    Loopysue
  • CC4 Overland Development Thread

    However... that doesn't mean you can't set up your own alternative template to make it so ;)

    I probably will! I've started doing that when mapping with Mike Schley's overland and city styles.

    Loopysue
  • Working on Atlas maps....

    Jack heard “mouse” nd had to take charge.

    Loopysue
  • Problem with layers

    How large is your map? I just fiddled around with Spectrum Overland on a small 50x50 map, and the Edge Fade, Inner effects on the FARMLAND sheet was too much for a tiny map. I had to reduce the edge width for it to work.

    Don Anderson Jr.
  • Annual Dark Fantasy

    What a fun adventure for them. "Castle Measles" made me laugh. Sounds like a very dangerous place!

    Ricko
  • Tell me all about your DnD campaigns!

    @KertDawg I haven’t really given it thought. I’ve never played with people where I wasn’t already friends with at least most of them in real life. Maybe! I will see how much time this Pathfinder game takes first.

    Loopysue
  • Tell me all about your DnD campaigns!

    I have played D&D off and on since around 1980, but the last longer campaign I was in ended around 2009 or so. Some time around 2016, I decided to start building my campaign world in preparation for getting a new group together. I spent some time researching mapping software before settling on Campaign Cartographer. In the years between buying the software and finally learning how to use it, I was writing up a lot of the lore for my campaign world, first in MS Word before finding a few Wiki plugin for my WordPress website. Lots done in the Religion section, along with some in History and Geoscience.

    Still haven't actually DM'd in this world yet. Another group of friends who I had never played with invited me to join a campaign they were launching. We had a few sessions before COVID hit, and then tried one remote session on Discord that was a complete disaster, and everything fell apart. So I got back into my own worldbuilding (which can be a fun activity in its own right), and then started getting into map-making. I admit that Campaign Cartographer has taken over my hobby time and I've neglected the world-building.

    Meanwhile, the old group that I played with in the early 2000s is getting back together. One friend who was part of that group, and whom I've played with off and on since 1989, moved back from New York and decided to DM a Pathfinder campaign for us. So my world is still off on its own as I dive into his world...but my Wiki still exists. And so I present to you: the World of Adnati.

    Loopysue
  • Accidentally Deleted Sheet Effects Preset

    Others here are savvier than I am, but what about reinstalling the main software?

    Don Anderson Jr.
  • Atlas Submission: Doriant - Gold Coast - Tyr Alomere

    Third floor.

    Toggles

    PARCHMENT layer to hide/reveal the layer of parchment that provides a sort of sepia filter over the outdoor areas.

    TEXT LABELS (NUMBERS) layer to hide/display the numbered labels.

    TEXT LABELS layer to hide/display the legends describing the labeled numbers. 

    Files

    Description

    The third story of the Villa Citri and its estate.

    Outside

    1. Muri Magni Parapet

    The open-to-the-sky crenellated rooftop walkway of the Great Walls can be accessed through arched doorways from the corner and gatehouse towers. Metal doors protect the towers from intruders. Stairs ascend to the rooftops of the corner and gatehouse towers.

    2. Portae Turres

    The upper stories of the gatehouse towers have spiral staircases descending to the second floor, and arched doorways providing access to the parapet. It also provides access to the Porta Rampart, a parapet over the gates. 

    3. Porta Rampart

    A parapet over the gates from which guards can address visitors to the villa. 

    4. Turrim Cubiculi

    The chamber at the top of the corner towers. Each has a staircase that descends to the second floor and arched doorways that provide access to the Great Wall’s parapets. 

    5. Gradus Superiores

    Staircases that ascend from the crenellated parapets to the rooftops of corner and gatehouse towers.

    Balneae

    6. Scalae Graecae

    Walled staircase that descends to the second floor.

    7. Horreum Cenaculum

    An attic used primarily for storage.

    8. Camini

    The chimney venting smoke from the hypocaust’s furnace.

    Villa

    9. Viridi Residentiae

    The “Green Apartments,” so named for the color of the tiled floor, is one of the two luxury suites. In prior generations, the Lord and Lady of the villa sometimes maintained separate residences. This suite is currently used by the Earl of Westford when he visits his mother. 

    10. Viridis Vestibulum

    An outer reception area for the Green Apartments.

    11. Viridis Zotheca

    A private lounge and dining area for the Green Apartments.

    12. Viridis Bibliotheca

    An office and small library.

    13. Magnus Cubiculum

    The main bedroom for the Green Apartments.

    14. Caeruleum Residentiae

    The “Blue Apartments” are named for the blue tiles on the floor. Unlike the Viridi Residentiae, the floors here are heated. The Dowager Countess of Westford occupies this suite as her own residence.

    15. Caliduct

    Hot air from the hypocausts vents from here to heat the floors of the apartment,

    16. Caeruleum Vestibulum

    An outer reception room for the Blue Apartments.

    17. Caeruleum Zotheca

    A private lounge and dining area for the Blue Apartments.

    18. Caeruleum Bibliotheca

    An office and small library.

    19. Magnus Cubiculum

    The main bedroom for the Blue Apartments.

    Toggles

    PARCHMENT layer to hide/reveal the layer of parchment that provides a sort of sepia filter over the outdoor areas.

    TEXT LABELS (NUMBERS) layer to hide/display the numbered labels.

    TEXT LABELS layer to hide/display the legends describing the labeled numbers. 

    Loopysue
  • Atlas Submission: Doriant - Gold Coast - Tyr Alomere

    Here's the second floor.

    Toggles

    PARCHMENT layer to hide/reveal the layer of parchment that provides a sort of sepia filter over the outdoor areas.

    TEXT LABELS (NUMBERS) layer to hide/display the numbered labels.

    TEXT LABELS layer to hide/display the legends describing the labeled numbers. 

    Files

    Description

    The second story of the Villa Citri and its estate.

    Outside

    1. Muri Magni

    On this level, the great outer walls of the estate have a ten-foot-wide central corridor that allows for defenders to be protected while shooting arrows through arrow slits. 

    2. Portae Turres

    The second story of the gatehouse towers includes a spiral staircase that extended from the first floor all the way through to the third floor. Arrow slits allow for defending the main entrance to the villa’s estate. 

    3. Turres Anguli

    The corner towers can be accessed from the ground floor via external staircases. Each has a spiral staircase leading to the third floor.

    4. Scalae

    These external staircases, unwalled on one side, provide access from the outside grounds to the second stories of the corner towers.

    Villa

    5. Portico Roof

    Windows from the second story provide a view of the roof of the covered portico, or front porch.

    6. Scalae Graecae

    Staircase enclosed by walls on both sides.

    7. Scala Spiralis

    Spiral staircases that provide access to the third story.

    8. Cenaculum

    The private upstairs dining room on an upper floor of Roman houses.

    9. Heating Caliduct

    Hot air from the hypocaust is piped through here to heat the second story floors.

    10. Puteus & Puteal

    A chamber (puteal) that houses a wellhead inside the villa. Water is piped in to the well from the river.

    11. Lavatrina

    On this floor, the lavatories do not have a direct connection to the sewers. Instead, each has a cabinet over a chamber pot that is periodically emptied and clean by the villa’s servants. 

    12. Cubiculum

    The guest bedrooms on this floor are a bit nicer than the ones below.

    Balneae

    13. Colonnade Roof

    As the colonnade is only one story high, the views here provide a glimpse of its roof.

    14. Scalae Graecae

    Walled stairs connects this floor to both the first and third floors of the bathhouse.

    15. Hypocaust Chimney

    Brings the smoke from the hypocaust’s furnace to be vented to the outside.

    16. Armorium

    A closet.

    17. Bibliotheca

    The villa’s main library has a vast collection of books and scrolls, as well as several seating areas, including a lounge overlooking the tepidarium.

    18. Palaestra

    This exercise area includes a promenade overlooking the tepidarium.

    19. Gymnasium

    This room includes exercise equipment for use here or in the palaestra. 

    Loopysue