World Map and its Topography with Notes

[sorcerersapprentice]

World Map Topography.png

Hello. So I haven't been very active on this site yet, but just started a conceptual map of a new fantasy world that I'd like to share and comment a bit on. This is a rough topography of how I want my map to look.
I chose the locations of the terrain, which I have varied to show tundra, swamp, plains, volcanic reaches, ice, mountains, desert, forest, jungle, demonic scorched earth, rivers and lakes. The reason I chose these terrains is to match a set of RPG terrain boards I am working on that will allow any location on the map to be visited and played on.
The icy parts I placed below the imaginary equator, and below mountains, where water run-off forms frozen ice shelves and even an arctic region.

The mountains are pivotal for changing the weather so I use them to divide terrains. In the right hand set, there are dry icelands below the mountain, hostile plains and wastelands on the other side that lead to firelands, volcanic activity, marked in red, also placed where they are because it is mid equator and therefore, hotter.

The black represents a magical terrain, a twisted tortured landscape well beyond the ice, but sharing some of its coldness as well.

Water runs off mountains, forms lakes and those lakes extend rivers out to the sea. Between two major rivers and larger sets of lake I have placed the swamp which would result as a by-product of trapped water and silt and sediment washing through the land - which is verged by a large steamy jungle, placed higher on the map to accurately represent the tropical climate one finds north of the equator.

Above that, a larger forest fringes the coastline. My cities fringe the left upper prong of the map on verdant green fields, where water in the form of lakes or rivers nearby, and essential to any town, are dotted about.

Each of these terrains, lends themselves to specific fauna and flora being more likely to inhabit them as a result of the climate - which I am also creating. But these are my efforts so far.

SA

[sorcerersapprentice]

World Map 3dcg.png

Alright, so here is a revised version of the map - with 3d effects. For the majority - I walked around my neighbourhood and took photos of terrain, as well as went to plant shops and took top down images of certain plants and then cut them out painstakingly in GIMP, but I think it was worth it. This version better showcases the different terrain and the locations of major cities, as shown by the Castle legend. There are still locations to put in such as a waterfall, caves, maybe some weather - but it's coming up nicely so far. It's been many many years since I created an RPG map - I forgot how fun it was.

[sorcerersapprentice]

There is a curious link between the visual placement of varied terrains and features and the stories they can inspire. Although I largely placed these terrains at random, honouring reasonable liklihood fo certain terrains neighbouring others, the locations themselves, bordered by neighbouring terrains have their own unique characteristics. The isolation, type of terrain, size of terrain and features around the terrain all offer up clues as to what, who might live there, if anything. Here is an example of a text I wrote for a larger tome detailing one such location, inspired by its particular characteristics on the map which feed and fuel the map itself to change shape with automatic features and thusly through a combination of story and map, come alive.

"Straddling the river mouth between the Thallwell Forest petering out into grassy plains and the parched and scorched dustbowl of the Srazen Lightening Pyres, lies an expanse of sunken valleys and cliffs known as the Vyvudes Barrows. Home to a pale-skinned elongated 9ft race of which little is known live the Vyvudes. Flat plains stretch out for many leagues beyond the Barrows affording a peerless view of approaching enemies or even ignorant wanderers and nomads unaware of the reputation of the Vyvudes for immolating trespassers from great distance with their powerful sun-powered weapons. In this Age of Exploration, the High Council has been discussing the possibility of sending an envoy of adepts to communicate with the Vuvydes in an effort to bring them into the Empires 'Collective' – a measured step to unite all amenable tribes and races on Krissalia split off from each other for centuries after the Great Battle of Underkraken. It has been suggested that the Vuvydes are unaware that the Great War has ceased and continue to vigilantly protect the Barrows, resting places of their ancestors, with vicious ferocity believing that the Darkmarch of Abdicarna El-Ebraid are intending to storm the barrows after ravaging the West. Whilst intentions of the High Council are well-meaning, neither negotiations or volunteers for the risky parley, have eventuated. Observations by passing, distant, ships have reported seeing oocasional bright flashes skyward from the shore where the Barrows lie, but without being able to make direct contact, there is only speculation on the Intentions, Culture and People of the Vuvydes, and speculation is rife."

SA