# Prettiest fantasy maps



## Mercurius (Jan 18, 2008)

Basically a straight forward question: What do you think is (or are) the prettiest map(s) for an rpg setting? OK, they don't have to be THE prettiest--just some of the nicest fantasy maps you've seen. No limits--they can be from a published game, a web-site, or your own, even from a novel--just include a link to it so we can bask in its glory. And try to keep it to one or two, three at most.

Here are a few I like:

Arda (early Middle-earth): http://www.geocities.com/area51/7990/map1.htm 

Kulthea, the Shadow World: http://web.mit.edu/starflt/Rolemaster/Current/kulthea_fh8.pdf 

Warhammer's the Old World: http://uk.games-workshop.com/warhammer/brief-guide/1/


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## HeavenShallBurn (Jan 18, 2008)

Mercurius said:
			
		

> Arda (early Middle-earth): =http://www.geocities.com/area51/7990/map1.htm]http://www.geocities.com/area51/7990/map1.htm



This map was I believe taken out of the Middle Earth Atlas, which I have in one of my storage bins.  All the maps in that book are of equal or better quality, great cartography.  They show maps for every stage from the beginning of Middle Earth to the 4th Age.


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## DrunkonDuty (Jan 18, 2008)

There's someone, sorry can't remember her name, posting her own home made maps of the World of Greyhawk. They are truly stupendous. Go to Canonfire and have a search for "maps", they'll show up.

EDIT:  or possibly _his_ maps. Eric Anondsen perhaps?

EDIT: just looked. Eric Anondson. Very nice maps. Amazing detail.


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## Agamon (Jan 18, 2008)

The maps for Kingdoms of Kalamar are pretty spiffy.


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## Mercurius (Jan 18, 2008)

HeavenShallBurn said:
			
		

> This map was I believe taken out of the Middle Earth Atlas, which I have in one of my storage bins.  All the maps in that book are of equal or better quality, great cartography.  They show maps for every stage from the beginning of Middle Earth to the 4th Age.




The one by Karen Wynn Fonstad? I don't think so--that one is ok, but nothing like the map I linked to.


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## GrumpyOldMan (Jan 18, 2008)

*Hârn (and Kethira)*

This
http://www.kelestia.com/?q=node/16&size=_original 
This
http://www.kelestia.com/?q=node/15&size=_original 
This
http://www.kelestia.com/?q=node/36&size=_original 
This
http://www.kelestia.com/?q=node/191&size=_original 
And this 
http://www.columbiagames.com/cgi-bin/query/cfg/zoom.cfg?product_id=5001A
(Despite it being 30 years old) are surely beautiful.


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## Jorjowsky (Jan 18, 2008)

The maps in _Artesia: Adventures in the Known World_, by Mark Smylie, are my favouritest ever. Plain gorgeous.


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## Aus_Snow (Jan 18, 2008)

Anyone got a list of the ENnie winning / nominated things, map-wise? That might be a good source.


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## Mercurius (Jan 18, 2008)

GrumpyOldMan said:
			
		

> This
> http://www.kelestia.com/?q=node/16&size=_original
> This
> http://www.kelestia.com/?q=node/15&size=_original
> ...




I forgot about Harn--great choice.


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## Vascant (Jan 18, 2008)

Eric Anondson and Chris West are the two I enjoy most.


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## Filcher (Jan 18, 2008)

Aus_Snow said:
			
		

> Anyone got a list of the ENnie winning / nominated things, map-wise? That might be a good source.




Last year, Áereth (a.k.a. DCC world) was nominated for best cartography. 

http://www.goodman-games.com/images/DCC35-5.jpg
http://www.goodman-games.com/5034preview.php


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## Rodrigo Istalindir (Jan 18, 2008)

Jorjowsky said:
			
		

> The maps in _Artesia: Adventures in the Known World_, by Mark Smylie, are my favouritest ever. Plain gorgeous.




Everything in the book was pure awesome.


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## Gez (Jan 18, 2008)

I like this one (large image). It's fan-made and for a CRPG mod project, but it's really great.


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## jdrakeh (Jan 18, 2008)

The official Harn map is very, very, nice.


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## Mercurius (Jan 19, 2008)

So far I'm wanting to check out Aereth and Artesia, although the latter makes me think of water...hmmm, yum.


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## Mercurius (Jan 19, 2008)

Gez said:
			
		

> I like this one (large image). It's fan-made and for a CRPG mod project, but it's really great.




That is well done, however call me a luddite but I have a hard time getting into maps when they look like they're from computer games--I prefer hand-drawn. Certainly there are some nice computer-made maps, but once they get into that computer game look I just get a bit turned off.


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## MadWand (Jan 19, 2008)

I also cast my vote for Harn. I'm pretty fond of my Kalamar atlas, too.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Jan 19, 2008)

From the Wayback Machine...

I always loved the old Judge's Guild maps.  Not glossy or flashy...just huge sepiatone hexgrid maps with lots and lots to explore...


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## jdrakeh (Jan 19, 2008)

Dannyalcatraz said:
			
		

> From the Wayback Machine...
> 
> I always loved the old Judge's Guild maps.  Not glossy or flashy...just huge sepiatone hexgrid maps with lots and lots to explore...




Yep. Many of those are very nice, as well (although some of the World Emperor maps seem to be composed largely of blank hexes).


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## James Heard (Jan 19, 2008)

Let me cast another vote for Eric Anondson's maps. Seriously, it's one thing to check out the awesomeness that's the thumbnail previews, and it's a completely different, totally mind-boggling thing to actually download the beasts and scroll around them.

Another impressive set of maps can be found at Virtual Verduria.


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## GrumpyOldMan (Jan 19, 2008)

James Heard said:
			
		

> Let me cast another vote for Eric Anondson's maps. Seriously, it's one thing to check out the awesomeness that's the thumbnail previews, and it's a completely different, totally mind-boggling thing to actually download the beasts and scroll around them.
> 
> Another impressive set of maps can be found at Virtual Verduria.




Nice

Though IMO not as nice as the Harn maps


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## phindar (Jan 19, 2008)

I prefer to homebrew my settings, and so that pretty much leaves me with maps I draw myself (although I'll cannibalize anything really).  While admittedly my level of artistic ability isn't up there with professionals, or even some kindegarteners, I still enjoy it.  When I'm sketching out a place, I'm thinking about how it developed, who lives there and what goes on.  Most of that background info won't come up much at the table, but sometimes I come across random thoughts that are worth using.


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## Gez (Jan 19, 2008)

Mercurius said:
			
		

> That is well done, however call me a luddite but I have a hard time getting into maps when they look like they're from computer games--I prefer hand-drawn. Certainly there are some nice computer-made maps, but once they get into that computer game look I just get a bit turned off.



Well, the actual in-game map will look a lot more hand-drawn, so as to be more in the style of the map from the game.


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## LostSoul (Jan 19, 2008)

There are some cool maps on this thread on story-games.  Nice stuff.


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## Geoffrey (Jan 19, 2008)

I think Peter Bradley's maps for James Mishler's Wilderlands of High Adventure products look to be the best FRPG maps I've ever seen:

http://www.adventuregamespubs.com/previews.htm


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## Vascant (Jan 19, 2008)

Funny how different people's opinions are, maps have become more art then of function.

Don't know if it was ever posted on the web but Chris West's Lands of Mystery in Dungeon issue 150 is very nice.


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## Jorjowsky (Jan 19, 2008)

Mercurius said:
			
		

> That is well done, however call me a luddite but I have a hard time getting into maps when they look like they're from computer games--I prefer hand-drawn. Certainly there are some nice computer-made maps, but once they get into that computer game look I just get a bit turned off.



I heartily agree. In fact, one of the things I loved about the maps in Artesia: AKW (apart from the good overall craftmanship) is that they are _entirely_ hand-made. Not only pencilled, inked and (looks like) water-coloured manually -- but even the names of the countries, mountain ranges, forests, rivers, etc. are all skillfully written by hand. Smylie obviously intended them to look as if they had been made by the royal cartographers living in Artesia's world (each map has a "fictional signature" in that vein), and the effect is beautiful.

According to an ad at the back of the book, Archaia Studios Press released the map set separately as posters, and I would love to buy and frame them; but I can't seem to find a shop that carries them, let alone ship them to Australia safely and without having to pay a kidney for it. Appartently they made them in very small quantities.


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## Hussar (Jan 20, 2008)

Thanks for this guys.  Some beautiful stuff here.  I'll post the some more links later when I get home from work.


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## Aus_Snow (Jan 20, 2008)

Vascant said:
			
		

> Funny how different people's opinions are, maps have become more art then of function.



You might be onto something there, but check the thread title anyway.


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## GrumpyOldMan (Jan 20, 2008)

There is no reason why maps can't both look good, and be functional. The original Hârn map, even though its close to 30 years old is IMO, a case in point. Of course function is fairly easy to define, it’s simply the amount of information given to players & referees. Beauty, however, is more a matter of personal taste.


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## Hussar (Jan 20, 2008)

Going through some of my bookmarks, and saw:

True North Cartography
The Kyngdoms
Santharian Dreams has some gorgeous maps.
The Cartographer's Guild has some gorgeous stuff.


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## Mercurius (Jan 20, 2008)

Jorjowsky said:
			
		

> I heartily agree. In fact, one of the things I loved about the maps in Artesia: AKW (apart from the good overall craftmanship) is that they are _entirely_ hand-made. Not only pencilled, inked and (looks like) water-coloured manually -- but even the names of the countries, mountain ranges, forests, rivers, etc. are all skillfully written by hand. Smylie obviously intended them to look as if they had been made by the royal cartographers living in Artesia's world (each map has a "fictional signature" in that vein), and the effect is beautiful.
> 
> According to an ad at the back of the book, Archaia Studios Press released the map set separately as posters, and I would love to buy and frame them; but I can't seem to find a shop that carries them, let alone ship them to Australia safely and without having to pay a kidney for it. Appartently they made them in very small quantities.




After checking the website and previews, I'm sold--just bought the book.


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## Mercurius (Jan 20, 2008)

GrumpyOldMan said:
			
		

> There is no reason why maps can't both look good, and be functional. The original Hârn map, even though its close to 30 years old is IMO, a case in point. Of course function is fairly easy to define, it’s simply the amount of information given to players & referees. Beauty, however, is more a matter of personal taste.




Function = quantity AND clarity of information.

Of course the Art vs. Function is synonymous with right vs. left brain, or aesthetic/imaginative vs. analytic/rational. Both are important and valuable, but depending upon one's personal tendences (of right vs. left), I would think one would feel one is more important than the other.

EDIT: And to break down even further, there are two main aspects of the art/aesthetic aspect: pure visual beauty and the quality of the world that the map conveys--how interesting it is to visually explore. A map can be beautiful (purty colors) but not that interesting, or vice versa.


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## Mercurius (Jan 20, 2008)

I'll break my own rule an add a couple more: 

Emer, from the Shadow World. Simple, but pretty:

http://www.vroomfogle.com/wp-content/Shadow-World/Emer/Emer-Map-Large.jpg

Agyris has some interesting maps:

http://www.agyris.net/v3/encyclopedia/places/maps/dl_static.asp


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## Mystaros (Jan 20, 2008)

GrumpyOldMan said:
			
		

> There is no reason why maps can't both look good, and be functional. The original Hârn map, even though its close to 30 years old is IMO, a case in point. Of course function is fairly easy to define, it’s simply the amount of information given to players & referees. Beauty, however, is more a matter of personal taste.




This was my goal with the new Wilderlands of High Adventure maps Geoffrey mentions above. Originally I wanted to recreate the original look and feel of the classic Judges Guild maps, but discovered that the process these days cost as much as printing in full color (and the paper JG used is incredibly expensive, too). So I decided I wanted to go with colr after all. But I hate beautiful, colorful maps that are, frankly, useless in game (Planescape, I'm looking at you!) So the new maps not only had to look good, they had to be eminently functional.

My first thought was to get Mark Smylie, the artist and creator of Artesia, to draw my maps; unfortunately, though he was very interested in the project (Mark's a Wilderlands fan, and worked on the Necromancer boxed set), he was far too busy. Then I contacted Diesel, who used to do cartography back in the day at TSR, but he's busy with his sculpting career. And Lazzeratti, Kauth, and Gamble are all busy working for WotC or Paizo, so I didn't even bother trying to contact them.


I mentioned my inability to find a good cartographer to my artist and graphic designer, Peter Bradley. Peter said, "Um, hello, I too am a cartographer." So after a "D'oh!" moment we talked about what I wanted to see in a map, which was unlike any he had ever really done before. After much going back and forth, trial and error, Peter didn't merely exceed my expectations, he completely blew them out of the water and produced an amazing map; no, not a map, but instead a piece of cartographic art. It's absolutely amazing, and I can't wait to see what the next map will look like (next up: the Roglaras, the heartland of the Wilderlands, where can be found the City State of the Invincible Overlord, the dwarven realm of Thunderhold, and much more).

Check out the link on my website; you can see 1/4 of the map on the product page.


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## Dan Bell (Jan 20, 2008)

For Harn, IMO the prettiest city map is:
http://www.columbiagames.com/pix/5741golothamap-1200.gif
I also like the atlas maps:
http://www.columbiagames.com/cgi-bin/query/cfg/zoom.cfg?product_id=5000-D9


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## quindia (Jan 25, 2008)

I have a collection of maps I've done on my neglected D&D campaign site here


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## Melan (Jan 29, 2008)

Dannyalcatraz said:
			
		

> From the Wayback Machine...
> 
> I always loved the old Judge's Guild maps.  Not glossy or flashy...just huge sepiatone hexgrid maps with lots and lots to explore...



And it becomes all the more impressive when you take your maps... all of them... and lay them out on the living room floor. Bliss.


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## WayneLigon (Jan 29, 2008)

*Russel Kirkpatrick*

I ran across the first book I've seen by Russel Kirkpatrick. I was totally blown away by the maps in his books and I went to his website. Well, no wonder, since he has authored atlases as well. 

http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/novels.cfm and look under the maps and diagrams sections. Especially The Three Continents  and his ethnic migration chart. The beautiful map from the books (which you can glimpse behind that second chart) isn't up yet, though.

*Holly Lisle*

Her Matrin novels have an very reduced map of her world, just large enough to make out tantilizing bits but not nearly enough to show details. Fortunately her website has her large working map of the world.

http://hollylisle.com/jpg/WholeMatrin.jpg

I always loved the map of the Deryni 'Wales/Europe' area as well.

Mongoose's Conan map is pretty darn good.

The map of the Midnight world is a favorite of mine.  

The Artesia map is indeed fantastic.


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## Matrix Sorcica (Jan 30, 2008)

WayneLigon said:
			
		

> Mongoose's Conan map is pretty darn good.



It's been updated.
As far as I know, a newer version will be posted as well since there's supposedly a new version in _Return to the Road of Kings_


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