City of Lightkeep

[jcarrieres]

Intro

I was referred to this site by someone on the D&D 5e facebook group. I've been running an unusual D&D campaign and I'm finding myself in need of someone to map a particular city in it. The city, named Lightkeep, is the home base of my players. I (narratively) killed their characters in the first (very epic) session as they saved the world. Now, every few decades, they are reincarnated in different bodies and have to save the city from something that could destroy it. Every time they reappear, the city has grown and evolved, so it's a familiar-yet-new place every time.

Project

What I'm looking for is someone to map that city (which, as mentioned above, is constantly growing) through its various stages (there will be a total of 10, as my campaign has 10 chapters). I'm thinking of going black and white to keep the cost low, but we should keep coloration options open for the future (if that's conceivable--I'm ignorant when it comes to map making). I'm also curious about buying all rights in case I ever decide to do something commercial with it down the road. I'd like to start with the first iteration of the city, which is home to about 3,000 people. I'm already into Chapter 4 of the story, so my hope is to find someone who's productive and interested in catching up to where I am, then keeping up with the campaign.

I don't currently have even a rough map of the city, but can whip one up once we've agreed on the terms. I'm looking for professional-level quality, something that would be publishable in a gaming book. Format & size should be Letter & Portrait. Style-wise, I'm a big fan of Max's Maps (maxmaps.com), but I'm open to different ones.

Description

LightKeep is a coastal town set on the western coast of the Dragon Isle, a few kilometers away from the lighthouse. The port, set on the westernmost point, has only three quays and about half a kilometer away from the town center, named Parade Square (though that is a misnomer—it is actually a large "plus-shaped" crossing of two wide alleys, bordered by willow trees; the rest of the "square" is 4 parks). At the intersection, a large Dragonborn statue looks toward the west, hands raised above his head in prayer, calling silently for the return of the Dragon gods (unlikely to be visible in the final map). The alleys of Parade Square are made of cobblestones while the rest of the town streets are made of packed dirt. Parade Square is packed with markets and merchant stalls, and bordered by more permanent stores & inns for visitors and pilgrims. The center of town is extremely pretty and well maintained, but that changes gradually the closer you get to the port. The exception is Whitecoast Road, which leads from the port to town center. The buildings on that wide road have a painted facades and are well patrolled, providing visitors with an array of brightly colored shops that they can explore in relative safety. It is also well lit at night and provides locals & visitors alike with a variety of entertainment options. The city has grown outward from Parade Square and the port, met in the middle, then expanded further outward with no concern for urban aesthetics or needs. The northern sector of town is a bit more posh (wider streets, bigger homes). That's where merchants, politicians and prelates live.

The port, located in Silver Bay, cannot accommodate boats with over 8' of draft, and has enough docks for 6 normal-sized ships. A few dozen small fishing boats also rest on the wide beaches on both sides of the port. Mooring for up to 10 ships is available in Silver Bay if the docks are full. Because of a coral reef at the entrance of Silver Bay, ships can only enter and exit at certain times (6-8AM and 6-8PM) or risk damaging their hulls.

Winding to the north of the town, a narrow path leads up a steep slope to the city's lighthouse, a large and robust stone building designed by Dragonborn priests, who now reside in it. It is flanked by a presbytery, where the priests reside, and a small chapel for prayer.

I don't know if I've missed anything important, but if you have any questions, feel free to respond here or to email me at jean--at--jeancarrieres--dot--com.

Jean C.

[Wired]

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[jcarrieres]

Thanks to everyone who's contacted me regarding this project, it's now taken.