NerdCast RPG: The Cthulhu Collection

Set in an alternate version of Europe in 1926, The Enigma of the Hidden Sun is a gamebook written by Karen Soarele for NerdCast RPG: The Cthulhu Collection, a project derived from the acclaimed cosmic horror campaign created by Jovem Nerd, Azaghal, and fantasy author Leonel Caldela. Throughout the adventure, readers take on the role of investigators drawn into occult conspiracies, ancient artifacts, and eldritch threats inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft.

The map depicts the city of Oxford, one of the story’s principal starting locations. Drawing upon early twentieth-century cartographic references, the piece combines historical research with the investigative atmosphere characteristic of cosmic horror. The goal was to create a functional representation of the city that could serve both as a navigational aid for readers and as an extension of the book’s historical setting and immersive atmosphere.

End of Times: Valkaria

Fim dos Tempos (End of Times) is an official Tormenta20 actual-play series published and streamed by Jambô Editora and game-mastered by acclaimed fantasy author Leonel Caldela, one of the setting’s principal creators. Followed by thousands of viewers, the campaign explores some of the most iconic regions of Arton through a blend of epic storytelling, exploration, and ongoing worldbuilding.

Created for Fim dos Tempos, this map depicts Valkaria, the largest city in Arton and the political, economic, and cultural heart of the continent. Home to adventurers, merchants, nobles, pilgrims, and travelers from every corner of the world, the metropolis has occupied a central role throughout the history of the setting and serves as the backdrop for numerous official adventures, sourcebooks, novels, and pivotal events in the ongoing narrative of Tormenta. As the setting’s most iconic urban environment, Valkaria has become one of the defining locations of Brazilian fantasy gaming.

The artwork draws inspiration from RPG maps published during the 1980s and 1990s, embracing a classic aesthetic that pays homage to the golden age of fantasy settings and the large poster maps traditionally included in game supplements. Particular attention was given to visual hierarchy, readability, and the city’s immense scale, seeking to capture both the grandeur and the lived-in complexity of a fantasy metropolis that has grown over decades of publication.

To support the needs of a live-streamed campaign, location icons were created as separate assets and overlaid during broadcasts as new places were discovered and explored by the players, allowing the map to evolve organically alongside the story.

Lone Wolf

Developed in 2022 for the Brazilian edition of Flight from the Dark, the first volume of the series, this map depicts the Northern Free Kingdoms of Magnamund, the setting of Lone Wolf’s initial journey. The piece was designed to provide readers with a clear geographical understanding of the world while reinforcing the epic scope of the adventure.

A second map was produced in 2024 for The Chasm of Doom, the fourth volume in the series. It focuses on southern Sommerlund and its frontier with Vassagonia, one of Magnamund’s most strategically and politically significant regions. Particular attention was given to presenting the complex relationship between the two realms and to supporting the exploration-driven structure that defines the Lone Wolf experience.

Codename Hourglass

Created for the Codename Hourglass campaign, this map depicts an alternate version of Opath in which only one of the Falls ever took place, presenting a radically different vision of the setting and its history. Conceived as an in-world artifact supposedly illustrated by a triton mage, the piece explores cartography from the perspective of one of Opath’s own inhabitants rather than as an objective representation of geography.

To reinforce this narrative premise, the artwork was designed to emulate the materials and artistic sensibilities that such a character might employ. Watercolor textures, ethereal outlines, and fluid forms were used throughout the map, resulting in a dreamlike aesthetic that blurs the boundary between geographic document and magical illustration.

The Third Great Fall

This map depicts the region devastated by the Third Great Fall, one of the most significant events in Skyfall’s chronology. Conceived as a hexcrawl tool for exploration-driven campaigns, the piece was designed to support open-ended play focused on discovery, travel, and wilderness adventure in a landscape forever altered by catastrophe.

The art direction draws direct inspiration from the classic 1980 World of Greyhawk map illustrated by the legendary cartographer Darlene. The project seeks to pay homage to this foundational tradition of tabletop RPG cartography, combining a game-oriented structure with an aesthetic reminiscent of the great fantasy settings of the hobby’s early decades. Particular attention was given to clarity, navigability, and the sense of wonder essential to exploration-focused play.

To support the needs of a live-streamed campaign, numerous location icons were created as separate assets and added to the map over time, allowing new places and points of interest to emerge organically as they were discovered during play.

Alberich, City of a Thousand Doors

Known as the City of a Thousand Doors, Alberich stands among the greatest urban centers of Opath and serves as one of Skyfall’s foremost hubs of trade, culture, and travel. For countless adventurers, merchants, scholars, and pilgrims, Alberich is both a destination and a crossroads—a city where stories begin, alliances are forged, and the wider world converges.

The map was designed to capture the complexity and character of a metropolis shaped by centuries of growth. Distinct districts, major landmarks, transportation routes, and densely inhabited quarters were carefully organized to create a city that feels layered, believable, and alive. Particular attention was given to establishing a strong visual identity, ensuring that Alberich would be instantly recognizable both as a setting for play and as one of the iconic locations of Skyfall.

Beyond functioning as a navigational aid during adventures, the map was conceived as a storytelling tool—one capable of suggesting social dynamics, historical development, and countless opportunities for exploration within the fabric of the city itself.