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A Malazan inspired 5eD&D game- Personal Project

Being a big fan of the Malazan Books of the Fallen by Steven Erikson, when it came to making my own D&D campaign it was obvious what to base it on. When my Roll20.net DM asked me to take over for a while I realised that most of the art assets that already existed would not be enough.

Inspired by Alex Drummond and his Amazing Epic Isometric RPG assets I decided to start making my own art for my games.

I'm trying to skirt the balance between practising my skills and producing good quality work, and not spending too much time on assets for my casual game with friends. Especially as some times, as is the nature of RPG's, they don't even see some of them.

Some maps here are designs that belong to Wizard of the Coast that I have adapted for my private games, other are bassed off of the maps in the Malazan books, and a few are entirely my own design.

My players start of as Caravan guards hired to travel to the city of Capustan. So they of course need some carts to defend.

My players start of as Caravan guards hired to travel to the city of Capustan. So they of course need some carts to defend.

Barghast Gravyard There is something very frustrating about being on a Digital map and wanting to leave the edges. So as a DM i made the most stupidly big map imaginable. This thing is a PSB file.

Barghast Gravyard
There is something very frustrating about being on a Digital map and wanting to leave the edges. So as a DM i made the most stupidly big map imaginable. This thing is a PSB file.

To show you, this happens just up and to the left of the destroyed bridge at the bottom of the map. It was hell to open and save, but it made the game so much more fluid when playing.

To show you, this happens just up and to the left of the destroyed bridge at the bottom of the map.

It was hell to open and save, but it made the game so much more fluid when playing.

The Barghast in the books use "Stick Snares" to stop the spirits of their dead from wondering. I expanded this and used to re-skinned Scarecrows to terrify my players.

The Barghast in the books use "Stick Snares" to stop the spirits of their dead from wondering. I expanded this and used to re-skinned Scarecrows to terrify my players.

And what is at the top of the map? Something is buried, something with a hand visible..and hand with too many knuckles. For fans of the books, I worked very hard to replicate the stages from the story as closely as possible.

And what is at the top of the map?
Something is buried, something with a hand visible..and hand with too many knuckles.

For fans of the books, I worked very hard to replicate the stages from the story as closely as possible.

Returning the the Caravan from the forrest the players are accosted by a "Little yellow daemon." here I went again for the large map, adding trees to the left side of my standard road map that I use.

Returning the the Caravan from the forrest the players are accosted by a "Little yellow daemon."

here I went again for the large map, adding trees to the left side of my standard road map that I use.

The Little Yellow Daemon tears holes in the world and bloated corpses fall through. If the portals are left open for too long the shapes you saw from the other side come through. Yes, that is a Giant Catfish.

The Little Yellow Daemon tears holes in the world and bloated corpses fall through. If the portals are left open for too long the shapes you saw from the other side come through. Yes, that is a Giant Catfish.

I used the "Strahd Zombies" for this fight which made for an interesting challenge, as their body parts needed to be fully detachable. Here is a screenshot of them from Roll20.

I used the "Strahd Zombies" for this fight which made for an interesting challenge, as their body parts needed to be fully detachable. Here is a screenshot of them from Roll20.

Beneath the city are the Catacombs and many things besides. I made use of the D&D book Tales from the Yawning Portal. From the Forge of Fury I created this simplified map in my own art style. The original design belongs entirely to WotC

Beneath the city are the Catacombs and many things besides. I made use of the D&D book Tales from the Yawning Portal. From the Forge of Fury I created this simplified map in my own art style. The original design belongs entirely to WotC

Even deeper belong I used another map. This time I added a little more as I felt it needed more stalagmites. I made use of the D&D book Tales from the Yawning Portal. From the Forge of Fury I created this simplified map in my own art style.

Even deeper belong I used another map. This time I added a little more as I felt it needed more stalagmites. I made use of the D&D book Tales from the Yawning Portal. From the Forge of Fury I created this simplified map in my own art style.

Capustan North Gate I set myself the challenge of sticking to the books as closely as I could. As such this gate is based directly on a zoomed in version of the map in Memories of Ice. It was interesting trying to extrapolate from such a simple drawing.

Capustan North Gate
I set myself the challenge of sticking to the books as closely as I could. As such this gate is based directly on a zoomed in version of the map in Memories of Ice. It was interesting trying to extrapolate from such a simple drawing.

Capustan East Gate. Due to the time period of the setting I could not add too many advanced defensive features, there are no Machicolations here. I simple dry moat wasn't taking too many liberties to add.

Capustan East Gate.
Due to the time period of the setting I could not add too many advanced defensive features, there are no Machicolations here. I simple dry moat wasn't taking too many liberties to add.

Capustan West Gate Based on a world with magic being possible, I did however make sure that the gate controls and murder holes are covered, preventing players from simply flying up to them or dragons breaking on them.

Capustan West Gate
Based on a world with magic being possible, I did however make sure that the gate controls and murder holes are covered, preventing players from simply flying up to them or dragons breaking on them.

Capustan South Gate This one was especially hard to work out from the map in the book. Due to there being Redoubts outside the city I took some of the shapes to be redoubts as well.

Capustan South Gate
This one was especially hard to work out from the map in the book.
Due to there being Redoubts outside the city I took some of the shapes to be redoubts as well.

Capustan details. These maps are very alrge to give my players the freedom to respond how they want. This can lead to large spaces with nothing on them however, especially as next to each gate is a large concourse market.

Capustan details.
These maps are very alrge to give my players the freedom to respond how they want. This can lead to large spaces with nothing on them however, especially as next to each gate is a large concourse market.

Capustan Stable. This is my first try and doing a multi level house. I have no architectual knowledge I'm afraid so a lot o this was based on making it up, what shapes could be seen on the original map, and what would make for a good fight.

Capustan Stable.
This is my first try and doing a multi level house. I have no architectual knowledge I'm afraid so a lot o this was based on making it up, what shapes could be seen on the original map, and what would make for a good fight.

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