These maps are very nice and I will deffinately be using them in my campaign as the official city of Rel Astra.
I do have some observations from both a personal and researched standpoints. (constructive criticism for discussion purposes)
Personally, I wish the city would have been filled with ALOT more buildings. This problem plagues alot of good maps. Rel Astra is a city described as having a population of 57,000 (as per WGR7: Ivid the Undying, page 89 of the Alman layout.) I'm fully aware that the work has been kept generalistic for home campaign purposes and only places of interest to PCs are detailed, but these maps hardly reflect that statistic. (which would have been nice)
Another thing is there are 2 primary docking areas in the wharf quarter and the barbarian city without designating a specific area to Rel Astra's Navy. Given the city's stature in regards to the Scarlet Brotherhood not far to the south, Barbarians not far to the north, and the desire to annex the Sea Barons, I would have liked to see an area exclusively designated for the Navy which I think Drax would invest alot of resources into.
Also, in WGR7, the Barbarian City is described as being alongside the Wharves of the city. In these maps, they are on opposite ends of one another.
Furthermore, there are 2,200 militia in count amongst the city, all of which are confined to the 1 building in the Solnor Castle district? Yikes.
The Old City is suppose to be filled with a ridiculious amount of towers, mostly considered part of the universities and guilds, but also as noble residencies. Another small detail that seems to have been overlooked.
Where did the name Kerry come from for the outcity? It was my understanding from other WGR7 and perhaps even the LGG, that the outicty was considered part of the Barbarian City.
On the area maps, I dislike the inclusion of Spikerift as a marked locale. Spikerift is deffinately suppose to be an area not well known and filled with mystery. I just can't fathom the idea that adventuristic places would be included in a cartographer's work (within the WoG, I mean.)
2 points that I do enjoy very much however is the tower of Andromansis is not given a specific location and that a lighthouse was included.
Overall, I still gave the works solid 5 ratings (how could you not with those kind of cartographic skills), but I think some better research could be used next time around.
Very nice work by boslok_the_elder, and I can't wait for more of his maps. _________________ Kneel before me, or you shall be KNELT!
firstly, i have to say that i'm pleased with the attention that the maps have generated so far, and i'm quite surprised that i haven't been burnt for heresy
now to the meaty goodness...
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I wish the city would have been filled with ALOT more buildings. This problem plagues alot of good maps.
i have to agree, but logistically its just a pain to draw in all those tiny buildings!, IMO i have the pop. set to 72,500 a number that reflects closer to LLG's number and the original WoG. i believe with the destruction of medegia thousands of refugees have settled in rel astra.
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Another thing is there are 2 primary docking areas in the wharf quarter and the barbarian city without designating a specific area to Rel Astra's Navy. Given the city's stature in regards to the Scarlet Brotherhood not far to the south, Barbarians not far to the north, and the desire to annex the Sea Barons, I would have liked to see an area exclusively designated for the Navy which I think Drax would invest alot of resources into.
Also, in WGR7, the Barbarian City is described as being alongside the Wharves of the city. In these maps, they are on opposite ends of one another.
I had just sort of assumed that the navy was docked at the north dock along side the wealthier merchant ships, but you make an excellent point.
I'm always up for improving the maps, i could move the barbarian city to the northern end of the city, that would be an easy work around for me.
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Furthermore, there are 2,200 militia in count amongst the city, all of which are confined to the 1 building in the Solnor Castle district? Yikes.
another good point. what would you suggest, another fortress/castle type building, and where, in the city, near the first castle?
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The Old City is suppose to be filled with a ridiculious amount of towers, mostly considered part of the universities and guilds, but also as noble residencies. Another small detail that seems to have been overlooked.
do you meant that the buildings in this area look too wide and square, i'm not sure how to show the height using the overhead view. perhaps i could add circles representing towers to these buildings. i'm open to suggestions.
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Where did the name Kerry come from for the outcity? It was my understanding from other WGR7 and perhaps even the LGG, that the outicty was considered part of the Barbarian City.
the town of Kerry (just outside of rel astra) has been in my campaign for 10+ years. i figured it was easy enough for others to include or exclude it in their campaigns.
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tower of Andromansis
this is a building i'm not familiar with, where is the source for it?
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On the area maps, I dislike the inclusion of Spikerift as a marked locale. Spikerift is deffinately suppose to be an area not well known and filled with mystery. I just can't fathom the idea that adventuristic places would be included in a cartographer's work (within the WoG, I mean.)
funny you mention it, i have a version of the rel astra environs map that includes towns from your spikerift article. if you'd like to see it i can send it to you, or post a link to it here. i didn't include it previously since it had your int. property on it.
i use the maps for my DM use, that's why everything is included. if anyone wants a version with certain towns/features not showing PM or e-mail me and i'll send you the custom version.
i'm very open to compiling a list of fixes for the map and then applying them. one thing i need is a list of street names, after playing D&D for 20+ years my ability to name has dried up.
i have to agree, but logistically its just a pain to draw in all those tiny buildings!
I can imagine, but that would have acceled your maps to THE maps of Rel Astra. There is still room for some one to "out-do" you now.
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I'm always up for improving the maps, i could move the barbarian city to the northern end of the city, that would be an easy work around for me.
Nope, they're done and they look great. I think it easier to ignore a sentence in a book than fix your map layouts. But my point was with a little attention to detail, it would have never made a difference.
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Another good point. what would you suggest, another fortress/castle type building, and where, in the city, near the first castle?
I would imagine that they also serve as the "City Watch." This would lead me to believe they would have 1 or perhaps 2 buildings in each quarter of the city, save the foreign area, which I doubt would have any.
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do you meant that the buildings in this area look too wide and square, i'm not sure how to show the height using the overhead view. perhaps i could add circles representing towers to these buildings. i'm open to suggestions.
Yah, I mean that I thought a brick ton of circles added here (rather than squares added everywhere else) would have sprung it.
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the town of Kerry (just outside of rel astra) has been in my campaign for 10+ years. i figured it was easy enough for others to include or exclude it in their campaigns.
heh, I like this touch. Its always sweet to give a project a touch of your home campaign. I'll be using these maps I'm sure, so I'll indded, be using Kerry.
Luckily Rel Astra is not very established in my home campaign as of yet. We started with a Scarlet Brotherhood Campaign and am now in them iddle of a Northern Rhizia Campaign.
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this is a building i'm not familiar with, where is the source for it?
Andromansis is from the Death Knights of Oerth article by Gary Holian in one of the Greyhawk related publications. He lives in Rel Astra and is studying ways to reverse his curse of death.
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funny you mention it, i have a version of the rel astra environs map that includes towns from your spikerift article. if you'd like to see it i can send it to you, or post a link to it here.
i'm very open to compiling a list of fixes for the map and then applying them. one thing i need is a list of street names, after playing D&D for 20+ years my ability to name has dried up.
There's tons of free name generators a guy can download these days _________________ Kneel before me, or you shall be KNELT!
These maps are phenomenal. Do you plan to "finish" them, or are they already complete, in your eyes?
Without question I will use this map as the definitive Rel Astra for my own campaigns, should the action ever wander so far east (it hasn't in 20+ years, but there's no reason to give up hope!).
you know, you bring up something that others have also brought up. which is leading me to feel the pressure of finishing them. since i've had them on canonfire! i've added more buildings and mapped out the sewers, so what i guess what i'll do is give it a few months, add all the buildings and post them again.
btw ive been working on several maps for irongate city and it's environs. these have been developed from Denis Tetreault's original drawings, and as soon as i get his permission and decide what needs to be added from living greyhawk (i also have maps of idee and onnwal), i'll post them. the problem with them is that they go against what many others in greytalk sort of suggested, for example irongate is on the north coast (not south), their are no canals, if anyone remembers those debates.
I'll have to start a campaign in the area just to put them upgraded maps of Rel Astra to use! _________________ Kneel before me, or you shall be KNELT!
The sewers are not really detailed, i still need to put in access points and guard stations, but the general idea is there. I have the thin lines as 5 ft. passages, and the wider as 10 ft. and the squares and circles as being access points, guard stations, or anything i need to throw in :)
I've also used these maps for Rel Astra ever since I found them. They are some of the best city maps I've seen. Period. These maps are one of the main reasons the PCs in my campaign have even been to Rel Astra.
Keep up the good work. More people than just Abysslin and myself appreciate the effort. We've talked about your maps on Greychat quite a few times. Your work is excellent!!! _________________ - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
I've been working on mapping out the Sorcerer's Nexus. Here's a couple of early ideas, very basic, nothing's labeled and I'm sure much will change, but if your interested take a look and let me know what you think.
just a side note, I've only found a few references to the Sorcerer's Nexus and the LGG describes it as 'labrinthine', so I'm thinking i might start heading that may. I also found Gary Holian's excellent write-up in GJ#3, which as far as i know is the only bit of crunch on it, besides references here and there.
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