Kickstarter - Maps For Fantasy RPGs Old School Workbooks 3 & 4

Workbooks with hand-drawn, old-school maps! Write notes & stock YOUR dungeons, on YOUR shelf! DnD 5e, OSR, OSE, D&D, Pathfinder, & Runequest.

Sometimes, small Kickstarters are the best option. The Maps For Fantasy RPGs Old School Workbooks 3 & 4 Kickstarter looks like one that I want to back.

I hand draw and digitally color LOTS of maps. I sell many of them in royalty-free digital packages so people can use them in their commercial projects. I always wanted a book of maps to put on my shelf, and thought: “Why not make the maps into a workbook that DMs/GMs can write in to stock each dungeon? That way the book becomes a living document they can keep on their bookshelf and re-use for new game groups, saving them time and effort!” 

MAPS For FANTASY RPGs Workbook 3 & 4  are 150-page & 138-page softcover books/PDFs with 36 (Workbook 3) & 33 (Workbook 4) black & white old school grid and grid-less maps from the MAPS FOR FANTASY RPGs 1 & 4 Digital Maps Packages and include spaces provided to name maps, stock dungeons and/or add notes as you run players through your adventures! 

These DM's/GM's Workbooks are ideal for anyone who wants to keep their dungeon/adventure notes organized and in one place - on your bookshelf, in beautiful books with gorgeous hand drawn, old school maps!

 

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Kickstarter - Arduin Fantasy Map Art Collection

First, it's time to get the disclaimers out of the way. I've known George & Dave at Emperors Choice for a few years. I talk with George on the phone about once a month on average (Dave slightly less). These guys are passionate about Arduin and the legacy that they are stewards of. If only the D&D IP had such individuals steering that ship, it wouldn't be as off-course as it is. But I digress.

Last week Emperors Choice sent me copies of everything in the Kickstarter (except for the new mailing tube - it wasn't in stock yet). Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING was packed with precision and care. I need to find time to take some photos of it all - hopefully in time for this week's Talking Crit Live! on Wednesday Night, when George & Dave will be joining us for the live stream.

New Arduin Mailing Tube

So, what can I say about the Arduin Fantasy Map Art Collection Kickstarter? This is high-quality stuff. No slight intended to DriveThru's POD maps as they do their job as intended, but the quality of the paper (parchment-like) of the Arduin maps is second to none. You WILL be tempted to get these professionally framed. As for the art prints? They literally scream Arduin, and also are worthy of framing. The map index makes me want to sit on the floor with the map and check the hexes, but my back won't allow that, and tables apparently need to be used for meals and such. Trust me, I'm working on it :)

Everything exists and is completed and printed. This isn't a Kickstarter on a wish and a prayer. These are high-quality maps and prints that will look amazing framed - but the maps probably want to get used at the table. You know, you might actually want two sets...

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Humble Bundle - Maps Extravaganza Revisited

Campaign Cartographer is pretty much the go-to mapping program for RPGs, and the Maps Extravaganza Revisited Bundle is an amazing value for CC3+.

Design maps for your own tabletop campaigns, fantasy settings, and more! This bundle includes everything you need to create stunning, print-worthy works of art that will bring your worlds to life. Get powerful software like Campaign Cartographer 3+ (including a Lifetime License), City Designer 3, Dungeon Designer 3, Tome of Ultimate Mapping, and more. Unlock a treasury that will take your tabletop games and fantasy stories to the next level, and help support Save the Children with your purchase.

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DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar

Time to Pick the Map for My First Pocket Setting

I've been toying with the idea of Pocket Settings for years. I see a Pocket Setting as something that can be detailed in 16 pages or less - preferably, much less. A setting that will handle adventuring from 1st level, through about 5th or 6th, after which the world the PCs will likely be exploring the world at large (or the outer and inner planes).

These generated maps are from https://watabou.itch.io/perilous-shores , and are free for anyone to use. Heck, if you do decide to turn one of these maps into a setting of your own, I'd love to hear about it.

I'm partial to the first map, as it has a natural barrier to the southwest, that could be inhabited by humanoids and serve as a borderland, while there is also a water route to the mainland.

Three Lakes is definitely cool. Surrounded by mountains, it serves as a natural barrier to keep the PC's in the local area, at least for their initial levels.

Nice sized area with plenty of locations to explore and a large, centralized lake.

Another isolated setting, with water to the south, mountains to the west, east, and north, with a marsh as a possibly method to access the large world.

Tell me what your thoughts are...

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Toying With the Idea of Detailing a Small Setting Via The Tavern

Map 1

I'm always stunned by the amazing apps available at watabou for GMs. I'm even a Patreon backer.

Now, I'm considering designing a small "pocket" setting here at The Tavern, shared via the CC and likely "generic" OSR.

The first thing I need to decide on is the style of Map to use at Perilous Shores.

Note that this is probably not the map I'll be using, but I'm looking for some input on style to go with. Let me know in the comments which color/presentation you prefer and why.

Map 2

Map 3

Map 4

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DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar  

Bundle of Holding - Black Scrolls Map-Tiles

I used to view maps as less essential parts of RPG sessions. Give me Fog of War and a scanned map from a module, and I'm good. Slowly, I've become aware that maps, and visual aids like tokens, are useful in retaining a player's attention when gaming via a VTT (which is where I do all non-convention gaming these days).

JoetheLawyer scrounges the internet and beyond to find maps that fit the night's adventure, and I must admit that high-quality, full-color maps do look awesome on the computer screen.

The Black Scrolls Map-Tiles Bundle on Bundle of Holding looks like it would fit Joe's sessions perfectly, and probably save him hours of scrounging time ;)

Adventurer! We've resurrected our June 2021 Black Scrolls Modular Map-Tiles Bundle featuring beautiful full-color digital battlemat tiles for tabletop fantasy roleplaying games. Created by Hungarian graphic artist Antal Kéninger of Black Scrolls Games and funded in a November 2017 Kickstarter campaign, the mix-and-match tiles in the Cities of the Black Scrolls series depict medieval city and village buildings, castle and fortress walls, inns and arenas, cathedral aisles, and dungeon crypts. Print these modular PDFs and assemble them into gorgeous battle sites for your game table, or import the digital .JPG and .PNG images into your favorite virtual tabletop (VTT) like Roll20, Foundry VTT, or Fantasy Grounds.

Each Black Scrolls set includes dozens of digital tiles. Many outdoor scenes have day and night versions; many room tiles are provided both empty and furnished. Each set includes "cutout" props and accessories like tents, doors, gates, and dungeon traps. With the hundreds of tiles in this bargain-priced offer, you can build any inn, village, castle, fortress, or dungeon on the spot, and expand it by just placing another tile.

Note: These high-quality Black Scrolls image sets compose one of the largest offers we've ever presented. Each set is hundreds of megabytes in size, and the whole bundle measures 5.5 gigabytes. Clear space on your hard drive!

For just US$7.95 you get all four titles in this revived offer's Village Collection (retail value $35) as DRM-free titles, including Medieval Fantasy Village, Modular Inn, Cemetery, and – newly added in this revival – Docks and Canals.

(If you purchased this Black Scrolls offer in its original June 2021 run, you also receive the newly added Docks and Canals automatically on your Wizard's Cabinet download page and in your linked DriveThruRPG Library. When you buy a Bundle of Holding early, you never worry about missing a title added later – even much later.)

And if you pay more than the threshold price of $19.59, you'll level up and also get this revival's entire City Collection with seven more titles worth an additional $60, including City (plus the free City and Fortress Transition Tiles), Fortress, Castle, Moat and River, Cathedral, Dark Crypts, and – also newly added this time around – Trenches, a set designed for World War I scenarios but easily adapted to medieval fantasy battlegrounds. (And, again, if you bought the June 2021 offer, you get this new set automatically.)

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar  

Humble Bundle - The Cartographer's Vault: A Treasury of Expertly Crafted Maps (Campaign Cartographer 3)

Campaign Cartographer 3, in skilled hands, makes some beautiful maps for fantasy RPGs and beyond. The Cartographer's Vault: A Treasury of Expertly Crafted Maps Bundle is a collection of maps created with CC3, and you can also snag your own copy of CC3.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar   

Kickstarter - Even More Isometric Mapping Content for MapForge

Developing great new content to better support isometric mapping in MapForge in various genres.

I'm a huge fan of map-making software and apps for my fantasy RPGs, largely due to my love of maps and my lack of artistic ability. Ah well, you can't win them all.

MapForge is one of the more interesting mapping apps I've found that works on both PCs (WinDoze) and Macs. Yes, as a Mac user, that is a huge selling point for me. You can also give the software a spin for free.

MapForge is easy-to-use software for Windows and Mac OS that makes high-quality maps for printing or for use in virtual tabletop software (e.g., Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, Foundry VTT, etc.).

It can be used for free (no license required for low resolution output).

Comes with 52 free content Add-Ons (covering a variety of game genres and mapping styles).

You can download and try the software out for yourself, to evaluate it and see if the program is what you want/expect it to be.

MapForge is from the same folks behind the BattleGrounds VTT, one of the first VTTs that I got my hands on. Heruca is second to none when it comes to supporting his customers (I've reached out in the past and he's been golden). The current Kickstarter is for Isometric Mapping Content, but you can also grab a license for MapForge itself if you are new to the app. 

                               Talking Crit Live! with Alex Macis - ACKS II

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar    

Humble Bundle - The Maps Bonanza Encore (Campaign Cartographer 3+ Bundle)

In the right hands - not mine - Campaign Cartographer 3+ is a huge powerful mapping tool. For 35 bucks, you get a lifetime license to Campaign Cartographer 3+, along with Fractal Mapper 3+, Fantasy World Mapper, Fantasy City Mapper, and nearly a dozen other titles and support materials.

The Maps Bonanza Encore (Campaign Cartographer 3+ Bundle) is 30 bucks - or less for less ;)

Our popular fantasy map bundle returns! Prepare your adventurers to explore vast dungeons, vibrant cities, and expansive worlds with this collection of maps and mapmaking resources. Get creative with Campaign Cartographer 3+ (1-year or lifetime license), Fractal Terrains 3, and sci-fi focused Cosmographer 3, and discover a treasure trove of pre-made maps to add exciting new destinations to your virtual tabletop games. Plus, your purchase will support Cool Effect and Oceana!

  The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Humble Bundle - Virtual Maps: Caves, Camps, and Crypts

Maps can be amazing, and if you game using a Virtual Table Top, they can be invaluable. A Humble Bundle offering maps and tokens for VTT gaming? Not what I would have expected but a very pleasant surprise.

Virtual Paps: Caves, Camps, and Crypts offer 64 items for 18 bucks, including Borderland Providences, a setting book in the Lost Lands for 5e. 

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DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar    

Kickstarter - TileForge: Software to Batch-Generate Mapping Tiles (Mapping Program)

This software for Mac & Windows PCs will create batches of custom geomorphic tiles for use in creating top-down battlemaps for RPGs.

I've been a huge fan of Heruca/BattleGrounds Games for over a decade. Not only did he offer a useful VTT, but he also offered links to the VTTs of competitors, and he also offers links to competitors of his mapping software. 

BattleGrounds Games used to be best known for offering a competitive VTT, but now I believe they are best known for their popular mapping software, MapForge.

The TileForge Kickstarter is BGG's latest offering, to allow one to design and print out battle maps on demand for their game sessions.

25 bucks is a very fair price, especially when you consider the price and storage issues of Dwarven Forge terrain and the like.

TileForge is a new program that I would like to develop, to support the creation of maps for tabletop RPGs (e.g. Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, etc.). It should serve quite well as a companion app to my map-making software, MapForge, but that software is not required.

Whereas MapForge is focused is on creating battlemaps, TileForge is for creating geomorphic mapping tiles and stand-alone assets. These tiles and assets can later be used in your favorite image editor, map-making app, or even in a virtual tabletop app (e.g. Roll20, Foundry, Fantasy Grounds, etc.), to quickly assemble custom map layouts from the modular assets.

Creating geomorphic mapping tiles can be a tedious and labor-intensive process. TileForge will automate that process. Simply choose a few textures (you'll be able to drag-and-drop texture images right onto the app), and TileForge will apply the necessary shape masks, drop shadows, bevels and other effects, and create an entire set of geomorphic map tiles using those textures.

And TileForge won't be limited to creating just modular hallways or roads. You will also be able to create rooms or buildings, including multi-tile ones. Even create them without a background, so that you can place them anywhere on your maps.

Depending on the textures you use, you can make tilesets for a variety of genres: Fantasy, Modern Day, Sci-Fi, etc. Some examples of tilesets you could create include space station/base, dungeon, fantasy castle corridors/rooms, modern city roads, etc.

Entrepreneurs take note: If the textures that you utilize in a tileset allow commercial use, you could sell your TileForge-generated tilesets on sites like DriveThruRPG, the Roll20 marketplace, Etsy, Fiverr, and/or other online stores that cater to RPG fans. Or run your own crowdfunding campaign to deliver your tileset/s printed on card stock designed for use with dry erase or wet erase markers.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern. 

You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Humble Bundle is Awash with Tabletop RPG Bundles Right Before Christmas

There are a number of Tabletop RPG Bundles available at Humble Bundle at the moment, and I will list them below. It should be noted that you can gift Humble Bundles (I was gifted a bundle a number of years ago) and said bundles can make for nice gifts for the gamemaster in your life (if you wish to steer them towards a new system - hint, hint) or inexpensive gifts (at the lower price points) for the players in your group.

It should be noted, that if you use any of the links below, they are affiliate links that will go to support The Tavern. If that makes you uncomfortable, you can always go directly to the Humble Bundle site and avoid the affiliate links completely. The choice is yours.

In no particular order, the Tabletop RPG Bundles are:

Cyberpunk by R. Talsorian - If you are looking for Cyberpunk 2020 you'll likely be well covered. You can even get the Cyberpunk Red Jumpstart Kit. 18 bucks get you 30 releases, and as always you can scale down to pay less.

Digital Dungeon Maps, Tokens, & Assets featuring Alyssa Faden - a true smorgasbord of gaming resources. Alyssa's attention to detail in her maps is second to none.

Pathfinder Second Edition Beginner's Bundle - one of the best values in tabletop RPGs was the Pathfinder First Edition Beginner Box. It was a version of Pathfinder I would be willing to play, but the value of the included pogs/tokens is second to none. The PF2 Beginner Box ALSO has the pogs/tokens (I own it - my only PF2 purchase - can't speak for the rules but the contents give value for money). This bundle gives the option of receiving a physical Pathfinder Second Edition Beginner's Box. There is also a Fantasy Grounds Pathfinder First Edition Ultimate GM Kit Bundle available. (edit - I initially mislabeled this for 2e)

Star Trek Adventures by Modiphius - I should pick this bundle up just to see Gareth Skarka's pen name in print ;)

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You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Kickstarter - RPG Maps Zine - Issue 1 - with Descriptions and Plot Hooks

10 Highly Detailed, Hand Drawn, Town Centre, Black and White, Building Maps for RPGs by Dark Realm Maps.

An RPG Zine about maps? Can there be anything cooler?

RPG Maps Zine - Issue 1 is one of those rare Kickstarters where there are more backers at the digital level than at the physical level, which makes sense. Digital is a perfect fit for VTTs, and if you need a physical copy you simply print it out at the size you need.

At 5 British Pounds, or approximately $7 US for 11 maps (as the Zine has hit a stretch goal) for the PDF I can't pass up on this. You never know when your party will go off the path, and maps like this are simply a great tool for the improv DM toolkit.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar

Noble Dwarf - Print on Demand Canvas, NOT Beholders & More - 30% off Sitewide Through Tomorrow

Stepping away from the ZineQuest coverage for a brief moment (but you can grab more ZineQuest Fireside Chats at either YouTube.com/ErikTenkar or anchor.fm/tavernchat depending on how you consume your content)

I'd heard of Noble Dwarf in the past as a patron of Allyssa Fayen's Patreon but hadn't had the opportunity to peruse its wares, so to speak. Then a friend told me earlier today that there was a 30% off sitewide sale expiring end of the day tomorrow, so I figured it was time to take a closer look. I am glad I did.

3d printed minis, print on demand canvas prints (my God, some are simply gorgeous looking - I ordered the Whisper & Venom map as I simply love the boxed set and all the art and maps), mugs, apparel, challenge coins (they need more challenge coins - I think we need a Tenkar's Tavern challenge coin ;) and more.

So, this is the map I ordered at 14" x 18". It came out to less than 20 bucks shipped (with tax and delivery included). I'll be more than happy to report on its quality when I receive it.

As stated above, the 30% off sale expires end of the day tomorrow, so peek now before the sale is over, and maybe if you have some cash leftover from all of the ZineQuest shopping you'll find yourself with a new wall hanging or beholder. Or more :)

Oh yeah, Beholders! Alright, technically most certainly NOT Beholders, but Beholders are in the eyes of the beholder ;)

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are the affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  

You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube, 

or wherever you listen to your podcast collection.