goblinoidgames.com

Just a few questions:

1. Could someone let me know which programs and tile-sets/brushes were used to create the maps found in Idol of the Orcs and the like?

2. How about the tiles found on the hexmap of the Known Lands?

3. Are any of the above mentioned brushes and tiles freely available?

I'm pretty sure you can do those with Hexographer. The link is HERE.

There is a free version, which is actually quite powerful. The pro version is only around $30 and quite good. I'd rather use it than Adobe Illustrator in fact, at least for making Mystara/Greyhawk-looking maps in a quick & painless fashion.

Jump over to Hexographer and play around with the freebie. It works in your browser (I think it's java-based) and is simple to learn.