A better map already, simply for the name-change, of course 😉.

The sea looks a bit odd now though, as if it's actually a sea of mist, not water. Previously, the base of the cliffs had hints of white about them, a little like spray, and the sea surface had some texture to it. Now it just seems oddly textureless and flat.

For the crescent moon, we've had this discussion before, sort-of, in regard to using the CA22 Star Systems dynamic-lighting planet symbols. It's not really possible to use the dynamic lighting to create a proper crescent, though you can get a crude earthlit-crescent-ish effect, using a negative value for the Global Sun's Inclination (try around -20 to -40 degrees). Beyond that, you could simply take a suitable flat planet image, even a photo of Earth's Moon, and create a mask for the unlit part of the crescent using one of the darker Solid bitmap fills.

No, it was just as if it were a glitch that happened when I reopened the Dark Fantasy map today Sue. I think it's somehow been a hangover from the Handdrawn Fantasy style I was using the day before, as if the program was somehow "remembering" that, instead of only using the correct set of tool templates.

I wanted to flag it here, since it seems possible there's something going on in the software causing this to occur, as I couldn't think of an alternative explanation for why it happened.

After it switched back to the correct tools, it never happened again, as I was reusing the river drawing tools (as amended) for some time after that. As I said though, weird 😁!

You should though check your card provider's terms and conditions before carrying out the transaction, as you may find there's a small extra fee to convert the currency (about 3% of the transaction value is common, though not universal). Like Loopysue, I'm in the UK, but have carried out transactions this way for some years for US, Canadian and New Zealand Dollars and Euros, for instance, and the transactions have always been pretty straightforward.

Also, if you're concerned, you can pay through PayPal (even if you don't have a PayPal account), and that shows you exactly how much you'll be paying in your own currency, including the conversion fee (and your card provider shouldn't charge you any extra).

As mentioned elsewhere on the Forum, I've again been mapping with this new style recently. So here it is, Blackmarsh (higher-res version in my Gallery):

Like the previous Wyvern's Wood map, this isn't intended for the Atlas, since as those familiar with RPG settings may realise, this is actually my own redrawing of the map from the free PDF of the Blackmarsh setting, published by Bat In The Attic Games, and available here on DriveThru RPG.

I've had a soft spot for this for some years (I mean, c'mon, it has undersea features as well as those on land!), as it's heavily based on the old Judges Guild "Wilderlands" maps and settings from the late 1970s. That's not surprising, because Blackmarsh's author, and owner of Bat In The Attic Games, Robert S. Conley, knew and worked with one of the two founders of Judges Guild, Bob Bledsaw (Snr), and until a few years ago, had his own published updated versions of those old Wilderlands settings and maps available also on DriveThru. The fact they're no longer available came about for reasons those familiar with the sad history of Judges Guild after Mr Bledsaw died, will need, nor wish for, any reminders. Those unfamiliar are perhaps better off in that happy state of ignorance.

I've had a print-on-demand version of Blackmarsh for some years, following a Kickstarter run by Bat In The Attic. While I've tinkered around with the setting a little since, I've been prompted to actually compile a proper new map for it now, with some of my own tweaks, because Robert Conley is currently running a fresh Kickstarter for the Northern Marches setting, from his own Majestic Fantasy Realms world. This Blackmarsh area is just one small part of that whole. For anyone interested, it's easy enough to find on Kickstarter without a link here, and the project runs till June 28th this year. It's already doing very well, and for those keen on the older style of simpler setting descriptions and maps (though these latter are more sophisticated than the old Judges Guild style - and they're in colour!), it could well be worth a look. While the original had only hex-maps, I felt this hand-drawn style seemed ideal for this translation.

If you want to find out more about Blackmarsh, the free PDF is the place to go, since all the mapped locations are described there, and you can then discover what the great significance is of that Mountain That Fell...

Just finished catching-up with today's livestream on replay. Didn't manage to get along in time for it, unfortunately.

I've been mapping a lot with this style over the past week, beyond my Wyvern's Wood map earlier, and as Ralf asked for extra symbol suggestions, these are things that occurred to me that I either needed (so had to hunt for them elsewhere) or felt would be useful as possibilities along the way.

• The style really needs some ruins markers to accompany the array of settlement/structure options.
• A non-Oriental temple/shrine.
• A shipwreck.
• A whirlpool.
• Options for undersea features more generally would be good - such as settlement markers for merfolk. If there were some ordinary flat-topped hills, they'd work as seamounts too, for instance, but coral reefs would be a nice addition, and although the conifers can be used in a pinch, some "genuine" giant kelp would be handy.
• The creature sketches are good now, but it would be useful to have more. Such as, from the "cave art" concept, bears, lions (how can there not be a big cat - yet?!), bison, humanoids (a varicolor option for these could work for different types of fantasy humanoids; actually, varicolor options for all would be useful). Not sure if boars would be needed, given I just used the wolves as boars earlier (and deer for nomadic centaurs)! The sketchy nature of these really works well, so one design will often work for multiple creature types.
• Might be interesting to have a skeleton option in the creature sketches as well. And maybe a dragon or two (one of which would obviously be a wyvern 😉), perhaps a hydra and a roc (which would work as an eagle or any other larger bird of prey). And giant ants...
• Some more rustic settlement designs - including a single hut for those witches, warlocks and hags to lurk in - and some nomadic-tent/campsite options.
• On the terrain side, something to represent farmland would be useful.

I'm sure others will come up with far more as well!