What does Kaer Maga look like.

[Donald Hawley]

Good day fellow Pathfinder players. This first-time post represents a project I've been working on for a while, together with playing the Shattered Star Adventure.

The idea of Kaer Maga really intrigued me, and in trying to get a better idea of what the city looks like, I started to build a 3D model of it. My long-time friend, DM, and Pathfinder contributor suggested I post my work on these forums to see what other players and DM's think.

I found these two maps of the city on the web to start with. The first one is a scan of the original map done by the writer and creator of Kaer Maga. Though I could not find their name.
Original Map

DIstrect Map

Now one thing I wanted to do is, as much as possible, get the scale of the city right. So after blocking the basic hex and districts out, I got this.
City BLock
The tiny figures in the bottom left corner are giants and humans, in scale.

I've now finished the city walls and the plateau to a level I'm happy with which you can see in these pictures.
Overall Look
Looking at the great breach
One of three Great Gates to the City
Cross Section showing the columns and beams that support the roof
This last one shows the inside I've modeled of Highsides Stacks with its causeways and stairs connecting the different buildings and levels. With our giant and human guides.
Highsides Stacks

I've also started to build up the different districts of the city and have been adding them into the model as I get them to a sufficient level of detail. From reading the City of Strangers book and other online references, the population is around 8'000 people, plus or minus 1'000 to 2'000. The city I think is big enough to house them all on one level. Solid walls needed to support the roof are now thick enough for citizens to carve out any additional housing or businesses that they could need. Leading to the descriptions of the city walls having windows and balconies on the exterior.

Looking forward to your thoughts and ideas.

[Habibi the Dancing Phycisist]

There exists a map of Kaer Maga from bird's eye perspective on book Redemption Engine, which might be of value when doing buildings in this 3d model.

[Donald Hawley]

Good day, Habibi.

There was not much I was able to find online; variations on the two maps I referenced. Do you have a copy that can be shared? I'd like to see it.

[The Raven Black]

Check this thread.

[Donald Hawley]

Thanks Black Raven. I did find that model online and like it. I admire the player that gives that extra effort, though in my case I wanted to give my fellow players and DM a way to actually see where we were in relation to the city proper as well.

As it is right now, our party has acquired two significant pieces of property. Our Rouge is now the owner of the Sorry Excuse, a dive bar he is now renovating to attract a higher class of patrons, while my Wizard has married into the Ardox family, and now owns one of the Manors that sits on the platforms above the floor of Bis, the Hanging Manse.

[Habibi the Dancing Phycisist]

Here's the map from Redemption Engine.

https://postimg.cc/k2C6CnFK

[Adam Daigle]

Great work, Donald! I've been wanting to set an adventure in Kaer Maga and revisit the strange city for a while. This certainly inspires!

[Donald Hawley]

Thanks for the link Habibi. That illustration shows me how the city itself can be interpreted by different artists. The size of the buildings gives me the impression of a Medieval town or city surrounded by wood or stone walls.

The descriptions given in the reference book made me think of a prison for giants. The size and thickness of the walls fell into place given the dimensions that I could infer from the maps. The Storval Plateau was described to me as arid and desert scrublands, which made me think of a city of Middle Eastern or Arabic style.

With 3d, I can work at full size, keeping in mind a standard 5ft x 5ft square as my unit of floor space. In the model, all buildings are full size and open space would be filled with stalls, carts, and strolling vendors trying to sell you everything.

So you get this cross-section with Bis, the Warrens, and Highsides Stacks.
District Cross-Section
Here is the city with the roof on
Top Down View

Here is a view of the Warrens from outside
The Warrens from Southeast
and a view from inside of Bis.
View of Bis Looking North

[rokeca]

I love these visualizations - particularly the sense these give of Bis and Highside Stacks.

On a separate note, would love to see 2e return to Kaer Maga - my favorite location in all of Golarion. So much yet still to be revealed there - at least an AP's worth of intrigue and dungeon delving!

[Donald Hawley]

Good day everyone.

I've refined the Warrens, adding some more detail as well as a lookout platform on top of the remains of one of the support columns. In this version of the city, the Warrens are just a random collection of huts, houses, and buildings that were built out of the available rock and clay brick. The plateau environment was described as arid, so I imagine a middle eastern style of building.

Overhead view:
Overhead of Warrens

View looking out through the gap
The Warrens

View of awnings and some market stalls near the lookout tower.
Close up

Though I only added these to one larger building, I picture every building would have multiple awnings or some small stall or cart attached to it, making it a warren where you could find anything.

More to come