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Thread: *** August 2010 Challenge - In the Beginning: a Campaign Starter ***

  1. #1
    Community Leader Immolate's Avatar
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    Default *** August 2010 Challenge - In the Beginning: a Campaign Starter ***

    Like many of you, I have spent my share of hours slaying orcs and calculating the proper blast radius of a fireball. We've murdered countless monsters and stolen all of their tangible assets in pursuit of glory and experience points. But frankly, one sliced and diced dragon looks pretty much like another. The thrill is there... oh yes... but it is fleeting.


    But there is one place: a fascinating and memorable locale of various description that lingers long after the smell of burning flesh and coppery blood fades. It is that place where the real magic happens. In this place, a collection of stats and back stories coalesce into something more; something tangible and worthwhile. They become a team.



    This place might be a tavern or an inn. Okay, more often than not, it is a tavern or an inn. It might be a peaceful village; a humble place for humble beginnings or a lively town perched on the edge of a world decending into chaos. It could be a remote monastery or a rugged keep on the edge of civilization.


    The nature of the campaign jump-off point is as varied as the game masters who imagine them into existence. Still, they are a gathering place where diverse characters meet each other for the first time or old friends gather to venture out into the bigger world.

    Create a map of a place specially designed as a starting place for a campaign group in an RPG. Your starter doesn't have to be for a fantasy game. Science fiction, horror, any genre is acceptable. Use your imagination. The tavern has been done many, many times. Still, that doesn't mean you can't do it again and make it memorable!

    You are encouraged to add text to your creation to guide those who might wish to use it. You can create a legend for the various parts of your map, or an encounter guide, or even a back story to make it reach out and grab us! Some people will judge your creation on whatever the thumbnail scraper picks up, but you can add more material as appropriate and at least some will reward you for it with a vote, if it is worthy.


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    Great presentation Immolate... looking forward to seeing the entries!
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    Guild Artisan Juggernaut1981's Avatar
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    Yeah this does look awesome, and it tickles all of my GM-storyteller tendencies... and it would mean I would have to stop playing so much Civilisation IV and do some more mapping... and... and... *pouts*
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    Professional Artist Guild Donor Sapiento's Avatar
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    Sounds interesting. And a good opportunity for me to make one of my rare building maps.

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    Thoughts running through my head of a slightly different approach, though still a hand-drawn piece, and in the same genre flavor of my July entry, a Celtic themed map. I think I'm going to create the Broch Tower hall of a tribal king and surrounding stone round houses and courtyards with a meandering path to the tower entrance. The PCs will either be members of the tribal royal clan, or one of the tribal member clans that recognize the royal clan for leadership. One aspect that's kind of cool, is that kings were responsible for visitors and travelers in providing both an inn and tavern before such things existed. So either the king's hall also served as a hostel for any and all travelers, or he funded a "burgh" or independantly operated hostel/public house that served that purpose. This being a less civilized reach of the Celtic expanse, the King's hall serves as tavern, inn and perhaps home to the PCs of the setting. It falls under border keep, home village and tavern/inn so it covers all the bases as a campaign starter.

    Oh, and the big experiment for me, is that I am going try and create hand drawn text for this piece only. I'll probably trace and detail an existing font, but I don't intend to type out text directly on the map itself. It will add more time, but I think it will be worth it.

    GP
    Last edited by Gamerprinter; 08-03-2010 at 03:58 AM.
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    Professional Artist mmmmmpig's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gamerprinter View Post
    ...Oh, and the big experiment for me, is that I am going try and create hand drawn text for this piece only. I'll probably trace and detail an existing font, but I don't intend to type out text directly on the map itself. It will add more time, but I think it will be worth it.

    GP
    if nothing else, you are always ambitious. Looking forward to seeing some of these, and I am hoping to make the time to create one as well
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    Community Leader mearrin69's Avatar
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    Awesome challenge. I suck at actually completing an entry but might give it a go. Is there a requirement to post the WIPs as you go along or can I just see if I'll finish it and then post everything at once (I'd save WIPs along the way to show it in progress)?
    M

  8. #8

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    Some people only post one map when they're complete. I always post in WIP form, allowing people to see the processes I use to create a map - I don't think there is a right or wrong way here, as long as you complete the map in time. There is no 'requirement' beyond following the rules of the challenge. Do what works best for you.

    GP
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    Community Leader Jaxilon's Avatar
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    Lately, I've been trying to post the stages of the process I am using because I hope to get a few pointers on what I might improve on along the way rather than just the finished piece. That said, I'm pretty sure I will at some point just post my finished entry.
    “When it’s over and you look in the mirror, did you do the best that you were capable of? If so, the score does not matter. But if you find that you did your best you were capable of, you will find it to your liking.” -John Wooden

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    Community Leader Jaxilon's Avatar
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    Hey, is this supposed to be a place they will come back to in between adventures or could it just be the first place they would meet before heading out on an epic adventure?
    “When it’s over and you look in the mirror, did you do the best that you were capable of? If so, the score does not matter. But if you find that you did your best you were capable of, you will find it to your liking.” -John Wooden

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