Author: MattMilby

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Brazenthrone – The Common Quarter – Ground Level

This is the first of three levels of Brazenthrone’s common quarter. This is the central hub of most of the city’s residential areas. The Amethyst Arcade in the lower right is a large arcade market with all kinds of shops and vendors’ stalls, built to keep the Quarter’s merchants in one place (and off the streets). There’s also a theater, a park, two fountains and a variety of bars for all your drinking needs.

There will be two more floors for this map, but it’s pretty big, so I’m going to do them separately. Next up will be the Airship of the Line, chosen by you in the Great Vote. After that, we’ll come back to the Common Quarter with the second (and maybe third) levels. Then it’s last month’s Cartographic Congress winner, the Library of Alexandria.

Here’s a version of this map without annotations. There’s an expanded annotated version of this map and DM notes available to patrons.

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Brazenthrone’s Common Quarter – Work in Progress

Just wanted to show you all how the ground level of the Common Quarter is coming. The big building in the lower left is a huge arcade market. To the right of that is a park. There’s also a theater, a temple and more than a few places to get liquored up, as you might expect in a place full of working-class dwarves (or any dwarves, really).

For comparison, this is about half the size of the Great Hall. It’ll be a few more days to finish the inks and color it. Speaking of which, I’d better get back to it.

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The Lighthouse Fortress of Torchguard

This map was chosen by the Cartographic Congress, based on the proposal by Parker. Originally, I wasn’t sure how I’d combine a castle and a lighthouse, but I really like how it turned out.

Torchguard is built on a rocky outcropping in the middle of a harbor. This puts it in a good position to defend against attacks by sea, but it also makes it a thing that ships might run into at night. Thus, the lighthouse atop the keep. An array of artillery, as well as docks to host its own fleet, help Torchguard keep unwanted ships from marauding the surrounding city.

Next up is Brazenthrone’s Common Quarter. It’s one of the bigger parts of the city and it’ll take a little while to draw, but I’ll give you some work-in-progress pics along the way.

Also, something I wanted to share: the other day, I went to the dentist and I had to fill out a form, which had a space for “occupation.” Writing “Fantasy Cartographer” on that line was one of the sweetest, most delicious moments of my life. I still can’t believe I do this. My god. Thank you so much.

There’s an annotated version of this map and DM notes available to patrons.

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The Great Vote – Huge Category Results

The last of the Great Votes has finally ended and the winners are Mont-Saint-Michel and the Deepspire. Those are both excellent choices and I congratulate all my patrons on your collective good taste.

I’d also like to say thanks for getting me this far. The Great Vote began when my patreon reached the point that I was able to live off your pledges exclusively and that is a really, really big deal to me. I used to say that being a freelance illustrator was my dream job. It was, for a long time. Right now, the only thing that would make me quit this to do freelance illustration is a gun to my head. This is literally the best thing I can imagine doing for a living. Thank you all very, very much. You are amazing.

To recap all the Great Vote winners:

  • Small Category: Old Madeleine’s Country Inn and Fighting Pit, Floating Market
  • Medium Category: The Great Garden, Aarakocra Village, Airship of the Line
  • Large-ish Category: The Fallen Tower, Greenskin Rock
  • Large Category: Merchants’ Trade Port Island, Fortified Oasis
  • Huge Category: Mont-Saint-Michel, The Deepspire
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Brazenthrone – The Underdark Trading Outpost

This is the bottom of Brazenthrone, as far down as the city goes. While dwarves aren’t typically a nautically-inclined people, they’re happy to trade with those who are and deep gnome, drow and orog merchants come here to do business. The thing across the harbor’s entrance is a chain boom, which can be raised or lowered to control access to the outpost.

Next up is the map chosen by last month’s Cartographic Congress, the harbor fortress of Torchguard. Like the Underdark Outpost, it’s looking like it’s going to be bigger than I’d originally planned. It might actually be approaching the size of Neuschwanstein.

I suppose it wouldn’t be the first time I made modest plans and then went way overboard. I originally planned for the Great Hall of Brazenthrone to be four floors before I added another two. And that’s the biggest map I’ve ever made. How do you look at that and think, “It could be bigger?” Well, anyway, I hope you’re cool with that because I’m probably not going to stop.

EDIT: Here’s a version without the annotations.

There are DM notes and an expanded annotated version of this map with the rooms of the numbered buildings marked available to patrons.

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The Great Vote – Large-ish Category Results

The winning maps in the large-ish category are The Fallen Tower and, after two grueling runoffs to the death, Greenskin Rock. I’ve wanted to do a map involving sea stacks for a while now and I’m glad to finally get the chance.

The large category vote will be posted on the patreon shortly. The next map, Brazenthrone’s Underdark Trading Outpost, will be a few more days. I’ve got slightly bigger plans for it than I originally anticipated. It’s not going to be huge, exactly (not by Brazenthrone standards, anyway), but we’re looking at around 30 buildings and 100 rooms across 2 floors. Anyway, I think you’ll like it. Also, The Grey Huntress will be there.

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Old Madeleine’s Country Inn and Fighting Pit

This is the first of the maps chosen by patrons in the Great Vote. It’s been in my idea book since just after I started the website and I’m glad to see Old Madeleine’s turn finally come around. If you’re looking to make a pit stop for a little booze and violence in your campaign, maybe consider having your players drop by. As Old Madeleine herself always says, “There’s nothing better than sitting by a warm fire, eating a nice, home-cooked meal and watching two people fight to the death.”

So, next up is Brazenthrone’s underdark trading outpost. After that is last month’s Cartographic Congress winner, the harbor fortress of Torchguard. Then it’s back to Brazenthrone with… I haven’t decided yet. Probably either the Noble, Common or Anvil Quarter.

There’s an annotated version of this map and DM notes available to patrons.

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The Great Vote – Medium Category Results

The voting has ended for the medium category and, after the Great Garden was chosen in the first round, the runoff between the Aarakocra Village and the Airship of the Line ended in a tie. Which is good, because I really want to draw them both. So I’m declaring them both winners and drawing all three maps.

The polls are now open for the large-ish category, so if you’re a patron, have a look at your choices and cast your votes.

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Brazenthrone – The Pits of Justice

This is where Brazenthrone sends the few criminals whose crimes are deemed too severe for a flogging, yet not quite warranting execution (they do love a good flogging).

The prisoners are housed in a series of oubliettes, sleeping in the narrow alcoves around the sides. Those deemed especially naughty are placed in the isolation pits. Gates at the entrance and the guards’ area prevent access by potential escapees. This could be an interesting place to have your players escape from or stage a rescue.

Next up is Old Madeleine’s Inn and Fighting Pit, then we’re finishing off the lower part of Brazenthrone with the Underdark Trading Outpost. If you’re a patron, there’s still time to vote in the runoff between the Airship of the Line and the Aarakocra Village in the medium category (the vote ends later tonight). When it ends, the large-ish category vote will begin.

There’s an annotated version of this map and DM notes available to patrons.

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The Shattered Gates – The Last Remnant of an Ancient, Forgotten City

Normally, when I finish a map, I just open up my ideas notebook and pick another to do next. This time, as soon as I picked it up, I realized that all those ideas were up for a vote and I couldn’t draw them yet. So, I came up with this.

This is something I thought would be an interesting place to run an adventure. I didn’t have any particular sort of story in mind. Mainly I thought it’d make a unique lair for goblins, bandits or whoever else is getting their ass kicked this week. If you’re using it as an uninhabited ruin, here’s a version without the bridges.

After this is the Pits of Justice, then I think I’ll get started on Old Madeleine’s Inn and Fighting Pit. That’s an idea that’s been in the book for a long time and I’m really glad you guys picked it.

There are DM notes for this map available to patrons.