The old cartographer stood in the center of the meeting hall and smiled at old friends and new members. There were so many fresh young faces and unwrinkled eyes now. His heart swelled with the thought of all the talent and all the possibilities in this room. He stood a bit closer to the fire to warm old bones grown brittle from so many years and so much travel. He thought back to all the places he had seen and all the maps he had created. To be sure he was a map maker first and an artist second. There were many of his friends who could bring a tear to the eye from their beautiful work. He had always been fascinated with the story behind the places he mapped. The city wall built to protect from raging Orcs, the tavern mostly mundane but built by an ex-adventurer to fill his last years with story. The great castle where drama and intrigue were as thick as Southrun mead. He had seen much in his years and still had so much to see...so much....

If you've been here for any length of time you know I tend to wander in and out. My inspiration comes and goes (as I suspect is the case with most of us) My head it seems can only contain so much and then I have to go out and "fill it up" again. Motivation is both my ally and worst enemy, there are spans of time when I can map like crazy for months and then *poof* All anyone hears is the sound of my boots striding out the door. I truly love this community for all the support,encouragement and help that we provide. In a world of bitterness,anger and disenchantment, it is so nice to be able to come here and feel "at home". I have been a member of this wonderful community for almost 3 years now and when I look back at some of my earliest work I find it hard to believe how far I have come. I could not have done that without the gracious, kind (and often amusing) feedback I have received here. For any new members who may be hesitant to post for fear of ridicule I say: FEAR NOT !! This is the finest example of people sharing a common love and a common interest. We all love maps and we all want to make the best maps we can. I cannot thank everyone enough for everything you have all done for me. There is much to see and much to map......

John Tougas