Last updated on February 11, 2020
The castle on Eilean Donan in the western Highlands is one of Scotland’s most picturesque and famous castles. Founded in the 13th century, by Clan Mackenzie, Eilean Donan has changed hands many times and was nearly leveled in the uprisings of the early 1700s. It remained a ruin for nearly 200 years until it was restored to its former glory.
Ever since I started creating D&D battle maps with assets from 2 Minute Tabletop, I wanted to create a castle. The problem was that I didn’t just want to create any castle, I wanted to recreate an authentic Scottish castle. I really wanted to do Eilean Donan, but I didn’t want to do it if I couldn’t make it a proper island. The same was true for Castle Stalker. Balmoral, Edinburgh, and Stirling were a little too ambitious for my first castle, so I started researching and preparing to create a version of Doune Castle. (I’ll come back to this someday soon.)
The day before I was set to begin construction, there was an interesting development. Ross McConnell at 2 Minute Tabletop released his River & Water Asset pack. I finally had the tools I needed to create Eilean Donan and I jumped at the chance.
Now, this map is not a faithful reproduction of the famed castle, but an interpretation. It boasts many of the same characteristics, but I’ve taken many liberties with its internal layout and design.
The entire project is comprised of five maps with individual maps with four floors represented and a fully buttoned aerial map. I hope you find it useful and I’d love to hear any stories of your party storming the castle or holding out against impossible odds.
Enjoy!
And now, Castle Donan.
