Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Sea Princes: Hand Drawn Greyhawk Map

My Monday Greyhawk game requires a lot of travel from port to port and I neither have the inclination to bring old maps because of wear and tear, and my campaign specific South Seas map is printed, but in a glass frame at a friend's house. So what I did instead was hand draw a player friendly hex map of the south seas map. I think my results are pretty good. Here is a pic:

I used some hex paper that I got last GenCon for this map. Let me tell you, there is nothing more satisfyingly nostalgic for a Greyhawk fan than drawing a map on hex paper. I suggest trying it some time. Anyhow, I went and used the crappy colored map from the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer as my example for scale (1 hex=65 miles, why?!). Then I noticed it. This map has been out since when? 2000? But I just now noticed 13 years later that this map, alone of all published maps I'm aware of, has hexes that run left-right instead of north-south. Curses on that map!

Anyhoo, a little dab of colored pencil for effect and tada, my results turned out good despite the crooked hex scheme. Another thing that irks me about the LGG map is the inaccuracy of the coastlines but hey, for a nautical chart I wasn't put off by that. Most maps of earth back in the days of exploration were pretty strange, so why not this one?

If I get around to it I'll try to scan this map for general download, otherwise enjoy and I'll share more of my Greyhawk handouts later.

6 comments:

grodog said...

Hey Mike---

Is that Black Blade hex paper? If not, it sure looks like it :D

Allan.

Mike Bridges said...

You are certainly right Allan! I got a pad last year.

grodog said...

I'm glad you're getting good use from it :D After we sold out of that version last year, we reprinted it as duplex hex paper in the same basic pattern, but with Wilderlands-sized hexes on the front, and Greyhawk-sized hexes on the back. They'll be at the OSR booth again this year (#2033), in case you're interested!

Allan.

Dyvers said...

Thanks for posting this map! I really love the way that it turned out and I have to admit that I'm jealous that I can't take part in this campaign you're running.

Mike Bridges said...

grodog: I'll be by that booth several times this year. Thanks for the preview.

Malcontent: You're welcome. Here's a thought, would you mind if I use your screen name for a pirate ship name. The Malcontent is awesome sounding.

Argon said...

Mort,

That is one sweet looking map. Who said pen and paper mapping was dead?

Later

Argon