Campaign Map

[Jack Zander]

Hey everyone! I'm starting up a new campaign series and I thought I'd make a scroll of the overall map of the "known world." Please let me know what you guys think, and most of all, I'd like help coming up with some creative names for geographical features. Thanks!

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd109/sexaypattimon/100_0345.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd109/sexaypattimon/100_0347.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd109/sexaypattimon/100_0348.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd109/sexaypattimon/100_0349.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd109/sexaypattimon/100_0352.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd109/sexaypattimon/100_0357.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd109/sexaypattimon/100_0358.jpg

P.S. If anyone else wants to use these images for anything, you have my permission as long as it is not for commercial use.

[Endalia]

First: Did you draw those maps by yourself, by hand?

Second: awesome maps!

[Dagren]

Hmm, looks a bit like the bastard offspring of the Forgotten Realms with the World of Warhammer to me. Probably is just me though.

[Lappy9000]

Hmm, looks a bit like the bastard offspring of the Forgotten Realms with the World of Warhammer to me. Probably is just me though.Mmm...nice and constructive :smallannoyed:

Any chance we could get some descriptions about the area? The races who live there? The climate? I could totally help you, but I need a tad of information first.

[Xondoure]

I'm guessing you just twisted Europe, but it is still an impressive map.

[Mewtarthio]

What's north of the giant mountain range with a door in it? And what is that door representing?

[Jack Zander]

First: Did you draw those maps by yourself, by hand?

Second: awesome maps!

Yes, and thanks.


Hmm, looks a bit like the bastard offspring of the Forgotten Realms with the World of Warhammer to me. Probably is just me though.

Never played or seen either.


Any chance we could get some descriptions about the area? The races who live there? The climate? I could totally help you, but I need a tad of information first.

So far it is your standard DnD, but magic is much less prevalent. Thousands of years ago magic was used widely, but now most all magic items are relics of the past. An organization (or guild) called the Seekers is a group dedicated to unearthing and studying these ancient mysteries. The climate is moderate through most of the map except for the far northern ice caps and the far eastern desert. Elves live in the forests next to the desert. The desert is inhabited by orcs (I'm not sure yet if I want to get rid of their sunlight vulnerability, or if I want them to look like tusken raiders during the day). Humans can be found anywhere almost. Dwarves are mostly all to the north where you see that gate, which is the main entrance to their underground catacombs and cities. Halflings are spread out and nomadic, but have a central city to the south in the woods. Gnomes are mostly in the hills, but have no central city or even government. They mostly use their illusions to keep well hidden. The spire on the crescent island (I refuse to let it be named that) is home to many monstrous tribes who were forced to flee after many bitter wars on the main continent. Now they live together in various hierarchical layers with the weaker creatures living below while the more powerful and ruling monsters live at the top of the spire. The more "civilized" races would love to travel there and stomp them out for good, but sailing a fleet of ships there is too dangerous to go through the bay. Magic has not been entirely lost to elves and gnomes, but it is much less readily available than your standard DnD.

This is all 3.5, btw.


I'm guessing you just twisted Europe, but it is still an impressive map.

Yeah, that's where I got my main inspiration from. In fact, the Colosseum you see in the middle is in fact a shameless ripoff of Rome. It's intended to be the cultural capital of the world. The orcs are based off of middle eastern culture, and have build a large gate to defend their lands from the "evil" attacks from elves and man for countless millennia. The small desert you see between the elven city and the orc gate is the location of a battle that took place thousands of years ago when magic was still widespread. The magics which were used in that battle were so powerful, that they tainted the earth, and now nothing will grow there. The land still emanates a powerful magic aura.


What's north of the giant mountain range with a door in it? And what is that door representing?

Polar ice caps, and see above.

Thanks everyone for your input. I'll be happy to answer any questions, and I'd love to provide more information, but I don't know where to begin, and I'm still figuring everything out for this campaign, so nothing is really set in stone (well, except for map features, I'm not redoing this thing at all).

[Dagren]

I figured it was done by twisting a real map. I'm pretty sure that's where the maps I mentioned came from, hence the similarity.

[Atelm]

First of all, that's one fine looking map you've made. As someone who makes all his campaign maps with a computer, what with my total lack of hand drawing proficiency, I must say you've put some serious effort into it.


Please let me know what you guys think, and most of all, I'd like help coming up with some creative names for geographical features.

A dictionary is your best friend here, as it seems you have thought about the history behind the different areas of the world it should be reflected in the name as well.

Thus what I do is I take a word which summarises the past of the place in question, then find a synonym (or something with a similiar connotation) for it that is not in common everyday use and combine it with a word that describes what the place is.

For example, this is how I came up with the name for a haunted forest in which a massacre supposedly took place decades ago in a campaign of mine; Pogrom Forest.

Of cource, this won't work so well with all places, but it's one method of naming that can be put to good use.

[J.Gellert]

I figured it was done by twisting a real map. I'm pretty sure that's where the maps I mentioned came from, hence the similarity.

Just because Warhammer (and I imagine many others) twisted a map doesn't mean that everyone who twists the real world is stealing from Warhammer.

(I am pretty sure Howard did it before anyone else, anyway).

[Dagren]

Just because Warhammer (and I imagine many others) twisted a map doesn't mean that everyone who twists the real world is stealing from Warhammer.What? When did I say that it did?

[Jack Zander]

First of all, that's one fine looking map you've made. As someone who makes all his campaign maps with a computer, what with my total lack of hand drawing proficiency, I must say you've put some serious effort into it.

Thanks. It did take quite some time, but mostly because I'm lazy and didn't get around to working on it on a regular basis. I'd say it really only took me about 10 hours total time.


A dictionary is your best friend here, as it seems you have thought about the history behind the different areas of the world it should be reflected in the name as well.

Thus what I do is I take a word which summarises the past of the place in question, then find a synonym (or something with a similiar connotation) for it that is not in common everyday use and combine it with a word that describes what the place is.

For example, this is how I came up with the name for a haunted forest in which a massacre supposedly took place decades ago in a campaign of mine; Pogrom Forest.

Of cource, this won't work so well with all places, but it's one method of naming that can be put to good use.

Thanks, that's a really good idea, and I like the Pogrom Forest name.

Most of my names have usually come from doing something similar, but using different languages instead (mostly latin). However, I'd like to keep most of the names of this map English sounding, so this is a really helpful idea. Thanks again!