Cartography - Paths to Adventure

I have created thousands of unique fantasy adventure, dungeon, and science fiction themed maps for tabletop roleplaying games (not counting individual map variations). My cartography has won awards including the 2014 Map Master award, and products including my maps have been nominated for over a dozen ENnie Awards.

In addition to the work I do for game publishers, I also have released two massive player-facing anthologies consisting of over 500 unique maps, released thousands of assets to be utilized by other cartographers, and also hundreds of maps via my Free Map series, which you can find more about in the Free Gaming Stuff section of this website.

I do not use any third party assets or specialized cartography software to create any of my maps. I am the sole creator of all assets, textures, and maps. I use Adobe Photoshop as my primary tool for cartography.

Several of my maps have been printed as large-scale tabletop mats for miniature game play, and all of my maps take virtual tabletop into consideration by default. Maps that I have created were released by publishers for the following VTT platforms: Fantasy Grounds, Roll 20, Foundry VTT, Shard Tabletop, 3D Virtual Tabletop, RPtools, and d20 Pro.

^{Some of my fantasy adventure themed maps…}

Maps for Various Genres

I have many years of experience in creating a wide range of map styles, types, and themes varying levels of detail and complexity. I work fluidly with both free-form and planned architecture and map sketches.

Campaign Setting & Global Maps

Which way are we going? Whether global, regional, or localized, know what’s where lends a sense of direction and a visual indication of distance and travel routes.

World Exploration & Wilderness Maps

From deep forests to desert barrens to arctic wintry wastelands, wilderness maps take into account natural hazards and varying elevation levels.

Day/Night & Seasonal Variant Maps

Particularly useful for outdoor maps and a great dual solution for campsites, variant day and night maps or variant seasonal maps can lend to the sense of immersion.

Cave, Cavern, and Subterranean Maps

Delve deep into the darkness below! Subterranean maps provide unique opportunities to build upon the contrasts of light and shadow.

Classic Dungeon Crawl Maps

The traditional dungeon crawl is a classic with sites often timeworn and overgrown. Once majestic architecture now laced with cracks and rubble… and monsters!

Castle, Tower, and Stronghold Maps

Fortifications, ramparts, portcullises and towers constructed to safeguard and protect. Often every element of architecture in these buildings is designed to serve a specific defensive purpose.

Fantasy City, Town, and Village Maps

Whether in the green of a remote little village or the seedier slums a big city. Sometimes adventure spills out into the streets, and dark ally-ways can become as dangerous as even the deadliest of dungeons.

Indoor, Tavern, and Storefront Maps

Taverns, inns, apothecaries, magic shops, blacksmiths, armories…. the list is virtually endless when it comes to the opportunities offered by civilization. Make each of those locales a stage for storytelling!

Sailing Vessel, Airship, and Boat Maps

Set sail! Whether through seas, upriver, or through the clouds, adventure awaits! With an array of sizes and styles, mass transports often become self-contained environs where the grandest of tales can unfurl.

Modern Era Building & Locale Maps

This all seems vaguely familiar… From a turn of the century provincial mansion to subway tunnels beneath a thriving sky-scraper laden metropolis, some stories need a touch of the modern or near-future to be properly experienced.

Futuristic and Science Fiction Maps

The year is 21xx and the technology has progressed into the age of automation and digital consciousness. The future can be a very strange place. Will it be a technological utopia or a cyberpunk dystopia?

Starship Fighter & Spaceship Maps

When one word just can’t contain your adventures, you’re going to need a good ship to carry you beyond the nearest stars. Be prepared, though, because who knows who else (or, what else) is lurking out there in the deep black!

Strange, Weird, and Wondrous Locale Maps

And, then, there’s everything else. When the ordinary just doesn’t cut it. Planar excursions, inter-dimensional trysts, and temporal anomalies. There are such strange sights to behold and explore.

_{Some of my science fiction themed maps…}

_{Speed Cartography – Watch How I Make My Maps}

This is the general process I use to create all my maps. The presentation condenses about three hours worth of work into a five minute high-speed video. I utilize a 2005 installation of Adobe Photoshop CS2 for making my maps. Primarily because it is the last version of Photoshop that was a stand-alone software application that doesn’t integrate online tools or AI. I prefer having my own static workspace when doing cartography rather than one that can change upon someone else’s whim.

Presenting Dungeon Maps Magazine! Each issue contains a full 14 virtual tabletop (VTT) ready map packs featuring cartography by Justin Andrew Mason. 7 maps with a fantasy theme and another 7 maps with a science fiction theme. Each map set is provided in high-resolution 600 dpi format and includes multiple variants including: blank gridless map, VTT-ready gridless map, gridded player map, and gridded and numbered game master map.

Introducing Fantasy Adventure value bundles! Each collection is a themed set with a 25% discount off individual map pricing. Fantasy adventure cartography by Justin Andrew Mason. These have been marked as featured titles in the Paths to Adventure shop!

Joining the best selling Fantasy Adventure value bundles, the long awaited Science Fiction value bundles are now available! Themed sets with a 25% discount off individual map pricing. Sci-fi cartography by Justin Andrew Mason. These have been marked as featured titles in the Paths to Adventure shop as well!