Widened the edge fade on most of the terrains -- considerably wider on the grassy ones, less so on some of the others.

Starting to add more forests and farmland. Also need to add more natural features like volcanos and cliffs.

Coincidentally, I happened to watch one of the remakes of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the 2007 Nicole Kidman film Invasion) the night before Mike Schley's latest monthly symbols were released. Just for fun, I decided to do a quick-and-dirty map with the new Hive Civilization symbols. I hadn't gotten a chance to play with the Mesoamerican symbols (busy making villages when those symbols came out!), it gave me an excuse to try them out, too.

If there's a Hive expansion next month (they tend to come in pairs), maybe I will revise this same map to show the Kheek'zit invaders' expansion onto the mainland.

Okay, I think it was just one mountain that was mirrored and needed to be switched so the shadows were consistent. I tried to look at all of the hills and trees, too -- please let me know if you spot any with aberrant shadows.

I'll be starting on the actual Haunted Mansion part of this Haunted Mansion Map today. But first, here's the rest (almost) of what's going on in the church and graveyard.

Here's the first level of the church's basement.

It may seem odd that a basement has so many windows. This basement is only about 75% below ground. The top 25% is above ground, and that's where windows to let light in are located -- close to the ceiling from the inside, but at foot level from the outside. There's a set of double doors connecting to a interior ramp that leads out to the graveyard. The mortician has two rooms here, one for preparing the deceased for funerals, and another that connects to a lower storage room in Basement 2. This level also has a few offices for the priests and clergy staff, a few storage rooms, and lavatories. Other than the doors from the graveyard, it is primarily accessed from the four stone spiral staircases (the two southern ones going all the way up to the bell towers, and the two northern ones going to balconies for the choir in the main chapel.

Continuing down into Basement 2, we find the mortician's storage rooms (including a stack of unused coffins) and the church's crypts for VIP decedents. I kept the shafts for the wells here so that I wouldn't accidentally create passageways through them. The two shafts that aren't connected to the crypts come from the lavatories in Basement 1 as well as the drain in the mortician's room. They connect to the not-yet-mapped sewers one more level below. (Sinister Sewers will come in handy again!)

But wait! Not all is as it seems here. There are two secret passageways off of the mortician's storage rooms. (I love that the cut-away polygons used to carve out tunnels can be moved to the "Secret" layer so that they can be hidden or revealed so easily.) The passageway heading west connects to a secret spiral stairway entrance to the Rectory. Who knows how many generations ago it was put in -- the church's current head priest, who lives in the rectory, doesn't even know it's there! The second passageway heading north connects below the Brambleheath Tombs, created by the Brambleheath family who also built the now-haunted mansion.

But wait again! One more secret here. If you remove the lids to the sarcophagi and coffins, you'll notice that a few have moldering remains but most are actually empty. They all have proper plaques naming the supposed occupants. It's unclear if the bodies were remove after burial, or if they never made it into their coffins. One on the northern side is filled with rocks, suggesting for that one, at least, it was interred without a body.

The sewers will come later, after I've done the Mansion. For now, let's head over to the Brambleheath Tomb. When you enter the tomb, a Glyph of Warding protects it from graverobbers. For a family tomb, it's surprisingly small: one large sarcophagus on the floor, two smaller ones on ledges to either side of it, and two urns with the cremains of other ancestors.

Visitors who make it past the Glyph of Warding can trace their finger along a sigil on the sarcophagus lid that activates a temporary levitation spell, raising the lid to reveal a staircase heading down. (I love this symbol set!)

The lower level of the tomb reveals a "small"" family crypt.

But wait, more secrets! A passageway heading south on the eastern side (this is the passage that connects to the mortician's storage room beneath the church, and another passageway that heads down stairs and then turns to head beneath the graveyard towards the mansion. If we open the coffins and sarcophagi here, we see that most do have bodies. It's hard to tell because they're in shadows, but the northeastern-most one was buried with a sword, and the one next to it was buried with a staff. Plot hooks!

That's it for now. Haunted Mansion and sewers still to come...

This is the second of three monasteries that I am collaborating with Ricko on. The ideas and text description are Ricko's. The mapping is from me, with his advice, but he is currently traveling and hasn't had a chance to see a lot of the newest stuff. Since he won't be back for nearly a week, I figured I would solicit feedback here in the meantime.

(Also, I have not yet added the clouds that Ricko includes so beautifully in his maps. I will be experimenting with that next.)

There's a full description that will be included when it's submitted for the Atlas, but for now, here's a synopsis:

The Sacred Path of Hei Shan Si

In the heart of the Black Mountains and surrounded by the Ancient Forest, amidst peaks that touch the sky, stands the Hei Shan Si Monastery (Temple of the Black Mountain), a sanctuary of spiritual peace in contrast to the chaos of the surrounding region. Founded by an anonymous sage, the temple is said to have been built with the help of divine forces, its black walls harmonizing with the eternal shadows of the mountains.

The Challenging Path

The road to Hei Shan Si is a test in itself. It begins in the fertile valleys, and ends at the final stop in the village of Yuan Lin Zhen, passing through the living heart of the forest, steep cliffs and narrow trails that wind dangerously through the mountains. Incessant rain, dense fog and biting winds are constant companions of travelers. Worn rope bridges span unfathomable chasms, and legends tell of guardian spirits who punish those who disrespect them.

I didn't have a lot of birds to work with, but I did use the cartouche from Forest Trails and a few other birds from Dundjinni Archives. Like with the last monastery, Chuan Bei Si, the monks use a labyrinth path for meditation (similar to the Labyrinth at the Cathedral of Chartres). But while Chuan Bei Si's stone-and-tile labyrinth is poorly maintained, cracked and worn, the brass-and-tile labyrinth at Hei Shan Si is immaculately maintained.

Clouds are coming, but that will require some experimentation to get it right. They will be on a separate layer that can be toggled on and off.

Here's how it's progressed so far today. (Still not wed to the name.) Still need to do more in the middle area that I am mentally calling the Midwest, even if it's just adding some hills with tiny rivers coming out of them. Trying to figure out where to place my existing maps and the future ones I'm planning.

I redid the two northern forests to add rivers, a road, and a few smaller settlements...and a henge of stones. That northernmost forest will be an elven community that is outside of the kingdom. (This style doesn't have a political borders tool, does it? I may have to create one, or just rely on labeling.) There's a tepui at the northern edge of the second forest. I haven't decided what will go on top of it. Maybe a castle? Maybe a temple with an oracle, like the Oracle of Delphi?

Here's a closer look at the desert. You can see where I plan to place my ziggurat. The obelisk to the south is apparently all that remains of an ancient temple that was long-ago swallowed up by the sands.

Added some cliffs near the coast. The whirlpool on the western side is about where my Octopus' Garden will go. The upper island, as I said before, will be a playground for the rich and famous, like a Monte Carlo.

And I made a little swampy river delta with a settlement akin to New Orleans that I envision being rife with smugglers and ne'er-do-wells.

In the southern mountains, which is outside of the kingdom's borders, there's a dwarven fortress. You can't see it, but you can see the pair of towers (towards the southeast corner of the map) that guard the mountain pass leading up to the fortress.

Let me know if you have thoughts, feedback, or ideas for more adventure hooks to add.

I wanted to share and get feedback on the third of three monasteries that @Ricko and I have been collaborating on. This is the only one where I have also mapped interior parts of the monastery.

For context, here is the description that Ricko wrote:

Situated in a hidden valley where the morning mist never quite dissipates, Zhao Guang Si (Temple of the Morning Glow) is a place where deceptive beauty hides a dark core. Despite its poetic name, the temple is synonymous with silent death and lethal precision. Here, under the first rays of dawn, apprentices learn the art of killing. The morning glow symbolizes the last moment many see before their silent and ordered death.

The Dark Environment

The temple, with its angular and austere architecture, is surrounded by twisted trees and a river of dark waters that flows silently like clotted blood. The black stone walls are decorated with murals depicting stories of betrayal, revenge and glory gained by force. The only constant sound is the echo of calculated footsteps in the cold corridors. Lanterns covered with red veils create a blood-red glow, making the environment even more somber and oppressive. Life and Training

Those who come to Zhao Guang Si are desperate, rejected, or ambitious, seeking a new identity. Under the watchful eye of their masters, known as the Shadows of Dawn, the apprentices undergo intense and cruel training.

• Physical Training: They climb cliffs without ropes, traverse fields filled with deadly traps, and duel to exhaustion, all to strengthen their bodies and reflexes.

• Mental Training: They are taught to hide emotions, manipulate the minds of their targets, and plan assassinations with surgical precision.

• Practice of Forbidden Magic: The temple houses ancient grimoires containing magics that grant temporary invisibility, silencing voices, and even cursing the senses. These spells demand sacrifices, often blood, making the price of power high.

The Bond with the Emperor

Although few would admit it, rumors persist that the temple has deep ties to the imperial throne. Men of the Emperor’s Personal Guard, known for their lethality and unquestioning loyalty, are said to have received secret training at Zhao Guang Si. Some claim that the emperor himself is the temple’s greatest patron, using its resources to eliminate rivals and consolidate power.

Legends and Intrigues

The temple is shrouded in dark tales:

• The Ritual of the Scarlet Mist: It is said that an assassin can sacrifice his soul to merge with the shadows, becoming invincible for a night. But few return from this ritual unharmed.

• The Echo of the Morning Glow: Legend has it that those who hear a whisper at dawn are marked for death by a blade that will emerge from the temple.

• The Faceless Master: A mysterious leader who never reveals his identity rules the temple. Some say he is an ancient spirit who has ruled the place for centuries.

A Haven of Questionable Morality

Zhao Guang Si is not just a temple; it is a training ground, a storehouse of forbidden knowledge, and a center for the trade of death. Those who enter rarely leave, but for those who survive the rigorous training, life outside the shadows becomes irrelevant.

In the dim light of dawn, under the treacherous glow of morning, Zhao Guang Si molds assassins, manipulates destinies, and remains a dark pillar in the region's balance of power.

And here is the exterior:

I will post the interior maps as follow-up comments in this thread.

I first joined the forums a year ago after months of watching YouTube tutorials (and years of owning the software but too intimidated to learn it). Map-making has become a soothing respite for me. The process taps into both my analytical side (figuring out all of the techniques to make things work) and my creative side (creating a work of art from a blank canvass). Thank you all for being such an important part of my year.

Apropos of Ralf's tutorial today (go "like" and subscribe!), I wanted to share my own holiday maps I designed for cards. You can see more in my galleries.

My first attempt was a country inn celebrating the Yuletide.

But I have found that for friends and family who aren't used to role-playing games or fantasy books with maps, some find the top-down maps to be a little confusing. I decided to go with a more isometric route using Spectrum Overland. This is the one I ended up putting on my cards. I call it "The Toy-Maker's North Pole Workshop."

(A friend commented that the castle is snowflake-shaped, which hadn't occurred to me. Love it!)

And for a more pagan solstice vibe, I also did this henge in a snowy forest. The henge radiates a magical purple glow.

Thank you, everyone, for your kindness and support this last year. I am very happy to have found this community.

Before attempting to do my entire campaign world in the new Fractal Parchment Worlds style, I wanted to try it out with a familiar spot: the Republic of Lumadair.

For this one, I exported Lumadair from Fractal Terrains in the Fractal Parchment Worlds style that Ralf demonstrated in today's Live session. But I also exported a contour map of the same view, and then copied a few of the elevation contours over, then used the Draw Like tool to convert them to the proper contour appearance.

Probably won't have a chance to finish this by the end of Halloween, as I had planned, but that's okay. Here's the second floor. It has a few guest bedrooms and some common space for the family: an office, a library, and a solarium or sun room. The ballroom extends into this level, as it has high ceilings, but it is from this level that the family and VIP guests can make grand entrances into the ballroom from the stairway.

Not really sure why my roads outside now have a visible white line down the center. I tried changing the color to brown, but that didn't work.

Just noticed that in addition to failing to furnish the office, I also neglected to put in a doorway!

Still to come: floor 3 (bedrooms), the top floor of the tower, Basement 1 (kitchens, wine cellar, staff quarters, etc.), a secret Basement 2, and the sewers that connect everything together.