By Phil “Secg” Benson
As an avid gamer and self-confessed “map guy”, I’ve enjoyed ProFantasy’s mapping tools for years. When I started creating the Alpengard TTRPG back in 2011, I knew I’d need maps to help bring the game to life.
It took some time for me to deep-dive into CC3+ and DD3, and I made my fair share of mistakes along the way, which were fortunately easily correctible thanks to the user-friendliness. I really enjoy the ProFantasy programs’ flexibility and tools, such as using different styles of water for freshwater and seawater, and generating edge-faded background layers for highlands and forests.
Alpengard: Tales and Adventurers, the game’s core rulebook, contains a richly developed primary campaign world—the World of the Stonemeres. CC3+ and DD3 were ideal as I laid out the landscapes for epic Stonemeres adventures. The super-cool mapping tools helped me release my imagination through meticulous attention to detail.
You can check out maps from the World of the Stonemeres on the Alpengard “Worlds” page, including battle-encounter maps that go with a challenging intro adventure found in Chapter 13 of the core rulebook: Rattling in Clatterbone Ravine.
Released in January 2025, Alpengard is an indie fantasy TTRPG that offers you a unique d30-based roll-high system along with dynamic gaming elements:
• Enjoy character flexibility—tailor your abilities to match your character’s personality (an intelligent warrior can be every bit as effective as a strong or quick one).
• Invoke pneuma—an energy pool that enhances your odds and fuels your powers (pneuma is a limited resource you must manage wisely).
• Entwine magic objects to your soul so they grow with you throughout your quests (you don’t have to ditch your favorite wand or cloak because it became obsolete).
• Use all your lifeskills, even cooking… fricasseed troll-nuggets might be crucial to your survival (non-combat-related talents can still be key for successful adventuring).
• All magic-users—druids, exarchs, monks, wizards—are considered clerics and can take healing powers (no single class is “stuck being the healer”).
Alpengard: Tales and Adventurers is a combination Player’s Guide + Gamemaster’s Guide + Campaign World Guide. Loads of prototype monsters are available for free on the Alpengard “Foes” page, and pregenerated characters can be found on the “Friends” page.
I want to give a huge shout-out to ProFantasy Software for creating outstandingly efficient, fun-to-use mapping tools—they’re ideal whether you’re building your own campaign world or just designing adventure maps for fun.
Cheers to Great Gaming, and Keep Questing!
–Secg