I also don't use any particular style, but use plain colours for both contours on an Altitude map and the same for biomes (Climate) map. Also the same about names as Calibre has outlined, with the addition of very important landmarks eg Desert of Pithin.

This is my world of Myirandios, both in Hemisphere AE version, and Equirectangular version.

Equirectangular, Altitude

Equirectangular, Climate

Hemisphere AE, Climate. I have used a simple brush pattern to depict hills and mountains.

Another non-cat photo of MY mapping assistant

When I was 12, I was obsessed with Lord of the Rings, and wanted to create my own world. Then I went on a school expedition to Norfolk Island, and 'fell in love' with the map of Phillip Island, 5 km south of Norfolk island, and denuded of all vegetation by rabbits imported there by the prison officers for their 'hunting entertainment'. They have actually got rid of the rabbits and the island is being revegetated, but when I visited it in 1964, it was like a moonscape!

Anyway, this is the Google map of Phillip Island, and the first map I ever did (by hand) of the fantasy land of Al'Ayn - again for a book I will never write. And also, the third map is the newer version made when I got CC2, then the fourth when I got CC3+.

I don't know which I love the most - the maps or the write-ups. both so marvellous and inventive.

I too bought the original three book D&D set along with Chainmail back in the 1970's. But my favourite world setting (apart from any of my own), is Mystara, which has an enormous fan-club. And the best adventure of all time (IMO), the Night's Dark Terror. I admit I could never get into Forgotten Realms, and Greyhawk didn't have enough published for me to get that interested, although i did run a Wild Coast campaign based on the city of Safeton, for about a year while I was at uni (as a tutor, not an undergraduate - that goes back to the 60's!)