Mapvember 2022 - Illustrations & Photography
01. Crater
The Grand Patera
The remains of the largest meteor impact site, eroded over time and creating a small river and waterfall that flows down into the abyss.Exploration of the area by those game enough, may reveal a crudely made climbing path downward, leading into a network of underground tunnels.
Approx 6 hours drawing time.
03. Crypt
Etern Crypt
A small stone crypt housing remains and memorial displays.Below a heavy stone slab engraved with a pentagram sits a stairway into the caverns, lined with coffins and leading to a little alcove adorned with some suspicious items.
Approx 2 hours drawing time.
08. Island
Entrada Island
A small island at the edge of Port Entrada, sitting high on a cliff and housing a hospital and medical facility for the mentally deranged.The current darkness and 'dream invasions' have resulted in a huge influx of patients being brought to the island out of fear they are unhinged.
Approx 2 hours drawing time.
10. Cemetery
Exitus Etern
Port Entrada's 'dead centre of town.'With a morgue, chapel and underground crypts, this cemetery houses more than an observer may first think.
Approx 5 hours drawing time.
11. Dragon
Lost Pet
A substantial reward has been offered to locate a missing pet; a pseudo dragon owned by a gnome.The dragon's enclosure was a little pet house surrounded by white picket fences, nestled into the nook of a tree, where he was chained to the ground. The house and fence have been burnt, chain strewn across the fences rubble, indicating an escape. But investigation might show evidence of foul play.
The surrounding area is forest, and there is the possibility of magical interference, so the searching ground may be vast.
Miniature escaped dragon house and yard created by me as part of a series of fairy houses. Photo taken in Southeast Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
12. Ruins
Search the Rubble
In the blackened remains of a local house, some clues may be found as to the cause of the fire that so brutally destroyed the villager's home.Anyone entering the area should take care of the unstable ground and trip hazards, with wooden beams and metal sheeting slipping from the remaining roof frames, nails protruding from walls and floorboards, bricks crumbling from the movement and added strain of new plant growth, and other unknowns.
Photo taken in Southeast Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
14. Maze
Unnamed Hedge Maze - TBC
A hedgemaze, currently unnamed and unplaced.Approx 1 hour drawing time
15. Pool
Step On In
Amongst the rock pools at the edge of the sea, there appears to be the remains of stone giant that have become part of the landscape. The rocks form the shape of a loose skull, with uneven eye sockets and a humanoid form trailing down.Moving warily across rocks shaped smooth, jagged and full of holes, by the battering of waves and erosion of harsh salt waters, one may find that the larger eye socket forms a beautiful large pool. Clear water allows views of ocean life, plants, shelled creatures and small fish moving about.
The pool is large enough to be used for bathing, and acts as an entrance to a submerged wonderland of aquatic life.
Photo taken in the Bass Coast, Victoria, Australia.
21. Abomination
Elvira's Lair
Burrowed into the earth is a warm and darkly welcoming cavern, with soft ground and shelter from the elements.Tunnels run underground in every direction, alcoves creating the perfect resting place for weary travellers, or stash points for treasures.
Underneath the soft earth and leaf litter are silken threads, every step spent exploring the path sending signals back to Elvira, alerting her of the presence.
Elvira the Kotzman Bird Eating Spider. Photo taken in her enclosure.
23. Undead
Immortuos Hall
In the woods behind Exitus Etern Cemetary, a small storage hut hides the entrance to an undead hangout.A supernatural security guard determines who may enter, with patrons magically shrunk and able to enter the upcycled coffin buried underground.
Approx 3 hours drawing time.
24. Abandoned
Waste Not
When exploring the wilderness, coming across an abandoned house or structure, while potentially dangerous or hiding some unknown horrors, may just be the perfect place to stop for a rest.Photo taken in Southeast Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
26. Sand
Beach Combing
Tucked away from the beach front, a river flows through the picturesque sand dunes, an inlet between the salty sea and the freshwater rivers flowing down from the hills.Stories say that there was once a train station built atop the dunes, which specialised as a safe holding place for goods of all kinds. This place housed items of great value, including artifacts, treasures, and many things unknown.
The nature of sand dunes is in no way timeless, and despite many efforts to maintain and upgrade supports, the station eventually collapsed, swallowed by the sand.
Though an approximate location of the original station has been found, a long and ever-changing time has passed since it stood and may have moved it quite some distance in almost any direction. Any chance of finding the ruins and potential spoils will rely on arduous work, understanding of the tides and thorough scouring of the surrounding areas for any remnants.
Photo taken in the Bass Coast, Victoria, Australia.
by Sarah Thoonen
27. Haven
Take Shelter
Atop a hill sits the sturdiest of encampments, housing accommodations, cooking quarters, chapel and watch towers with some stunning views.When an adventurer is looking for a safe place for a long rest and a good meal, the encampment is the prime choice. In addition, there are always plenty of merchants, art dealers, performers, and even some practice dungeons for fighters and magic users to test their skills.
Photo taken in the Bass Coast, Victoria, Australia.
29. Harvest
Skord Ranch
A farm in the skarp region of Port Entrada, with numerous fields, paddocks and garden patches full of livestock and plants.The ranch grows vegetables such as tomatoes, pumpkins, cabbages and mixed greens, while also housing cattle, chickens, sheep and more.
Approx 4 hours drawing time.
30. Garden
Gather in Delight
Down a trail at the rear of the palace sits a densely enclosed, private garden.Adorned with exotic plants, vibrant flowers, and hand carved sculptures of the human form, the garden creates an enticing atmosphere that delights the senses.
Upon entry, a fragrance wafts towards the entrants, intoxicating and lowering inhibitions.
Photo taken in the Northen Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia.
Update, 26.11.2022:
With the combination of joining this challenge late, being a new WA user, and hand drawing all the maps to enter in this challenge, I kept my goal to the 7 minimum to be realistic.It's hit a few days off the end of the month and with varied efforts I've managed to reach that goal, with some interesting concepts explored.
I'd have to say that creating the cemetery, its crypt and the Immortuous Hall, was definitely my favourite part. I'm really looking forward to exploring the concept of the Immortuous Hall as a location in future games.
I'm going to call this done at the 7 maps... though if I find myself some time in the last few days, I may add to it, do some written entries, or continue the article later on.
I hope others may enjoy viewing these creations or maybe prompt some of their own ideas. Either way, this was fun to take part in.
Update, 28.11.2022:
I decided that to add a few more entries to the Mapvember challenge, I would use photos I've taken during hikes or wandering to inspire some basic map/story information, and share these for the related prompts.
Any photos are my own, with some taken with Nikon D5600, and others taken by whichever iPhone I had at the time. I will include some general information about the location each picture was taken.
As a brand-new World Anvil user, but semi-experienced DM running homebrew Dungeons and Dragons games in 5e, Mapvember is the perfect opportunity to explore the mapping functions, prompt creation of some specific world areas, and share the general maps that will become part of the world Olaga Avanoa and my next campaign.
All maps are original pieces, hand drawn in procreate, using an iPad Pro and apple pen and created specifically for this world. This includes the world map below and used in the header of this article.
See the description of each map for approximate drawing time.
The world of Olaga Avanoa was once a utopia but fell to ruin many ages ago from meteor impacts.
Civilisation has built itself up once again, the world thriving, but a strange darkness is taking hold, entering dreams of the citizens and nightmares are seeming to be now rolling over into reality.
All maps are original pieces, hand drawn in procreate, using an iPad Pro and apple pen and created specifically for this world. This includes the world map below and used in the header of this article.
See the description of each map for approximate drawing time.
The world of Olaga Avanoa was once a utopia but fell to ruin many ages ago from meteor impacts.
Civilisation has built itself up once again, the world thriving, but a strange darkness is taking hold, entering dreams of the citizens and nightmares are seeming to be now rolling over into reality.
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Happy to see someone else working from hand. Really nice stuff! Is the Procreate/Apple Pen combo worth the investment? My pointer finger can only take so many more trackpad coastlines.
Mapvember 2022
Thanks! I do a lot of other illustration, so doing the maps by hand is a nice way to zone out and brings a nice touch to games. Definitely worth the investment. I've had mine for a good 4-5 years now, so I imagine there are new gen now, but even outside of drawing you'll find good use for the iPad. It feels much more natural to draw onto the screen than fiddling with a mouse and procreate is cheap and easy to use.