Eyria Map (n00b requesting tips)

[Charerg]

not necessarily because temperature inversion tends to play a big role especially in polar latitudes : http://slideplayer.com/slide/5233026/
For example, the mountains of Eastern Siberia are warmer than the plain below them.

Well, they're warmer in winter (not in summer). The Siberian mountains still have glaciers whereas the lowlands do not, so I wouldn't necessarily describe them as warmer overall.

[Filipe Passos-Coelho]

not necessarily because temperature inversion tends to play a big role especially in polar latitudes : http://slideplayer.com/slide/5233026/
For example, the mountains of Eastern Siberia are warmer than the plain below them.

Thanks for the link will give it a read later.

I asked where the equator was because on Earth, temperatures are largely dependent on the latitude and the angle of the Sun. So if the red line is the hottest, it is likely the equator unless your planet has different characteristics. And generally, desert are rare around the equator, except in Eastern Africa. It has something to do with the direction of the winds that tend to hug the coast instead of going inland.

That's a tough one, because I dont want to say that "in my world it's like that" to solve it, that's not scientifically sound or intellectually honest. I would say, since there is definitely more going South, maybe the red line is a tropic, like Capricorn or Cancer, and the Equator is even more south. And the average temperature of the world is higher because it's closer to the sun or something like that. Does sound a bit made up on the spot... what do you reckon?

If I follow the yellow line, Glacier pound should be warmer and Skadi colder. Skadi needs to be colder also because it sits at the eastern edge of the continent and the dominant winds comes from the arctic region in the west. (most of the time)
Steppes are unlikely at this latitude. It is cold, so in order to have enough evaporation, it need to be really dry. Apparently, some areas in Northern Alaska are dry enough to be considered steppes but not all maps agree with this.
Glacier pound world be like Norway or even warmer depending if the yellow line is roughly the equivalent of the arctic circle.

Glacier Pond also goes more north, hugging the continent. What you see are tiny bits, the more north, the less explored and less cartographed. Think it like the iceberg islands near Greenland or Norway, like you said.

Skadi is cold, with barren steppes, similar to Mongolia. It is also quite flat. There is a fair amount of winds sweeping the land, so bogs and wetlands are not super common in general. They would be more to the North, where you have a "Taiga" with small bushes, and the odd tree. but the more South you go, the more water infiltrates, so you end up having taller trees and more forests. Also, this region is ruled by the Vorfon Kafi how really dont like any of their neighbors. They are nomadic, not technologically advanced, so they will take with them as much lumber resources as they can. That helps towards some deforestation as well.

yes but most people were also illiterate and never travelled more than a few miles away from home.

granted, and most people in Eyria are illiterate, or never traveled more than a few miles away from home. Which will make this also a quite "coming of age" and "coming into middle age" for the lead characters, as they are leaving their hometowns barely adults to explore things they could never imagine.

[Filipe Passos-Coelho]

Well, they're warmer in winter (not in summer). The Siberian mountains still have glaciers whereas the lowlands do not, so I wouldn't necessarily describe them as warmer overall.

Hi Chareerg, nice to meet you.
There's more of a seasonality to it, I can agree. It all depends on how much Sun the lands gets during Summer, and how long that lasts. Normally, the more close to the poles, the shorter the Summers, less sun is received, and the heat is not great. when you get it, there's a lot of quick growing plants, but nothing that takes its sweet time.
IMO, I am a bioengineer, so my knowhow is limited at best.

[Charerg]

Hi Chareerg, nice to meet you.
There's more of a seasonality to it, I can agree. It all depends on how much Sun the lands gets during Summer, and how long that lasts. Normally, the more close to the poles, the shorter the Summers, less sun is received, and the heat is not great. when you get it, there's a lot of quick growing plants, but nothing that takes its sweet time.
IMO, I am a bioengineer, so my knowhow is limited at best.

Generally speaking yes, but my comment was more in regards to the effect of elevation on temperature (as Azelor noted, the mountains are much warmer than the valleys in Siberia and Mongolia during the winter due to the temperature inversion).

As Azelor also hinted at, very cold (sub-arctic) areas tend to have vast marshlands because of permafrost (see wikipedia), which prevents the water from sinking into the ground (and there's practically no evaporation in a cold climate). Those kinds of climates don't really need a lot of rainfall (in fact, they need barely any) to develop marshlands and/or taiga.

Mongolia is a different case because it's deep inland and has a very warm summer (July temperatures above 30 °C are fairly common). Skadi seems more of a taiga area to me, since it's located between two major bodies of water and bordered by tundra to the north. That is, if you want to follow real-world climate patterns/rules.

[Filipe Passos-Coelho]

Generally speaking yes, but my comment was more in regards to the effect of elevation on temperature (as Azelor noted, the mountains are much warmer than the valleys in Siberia and Mongolia during the winter due to the temperature inversion).

As Azelor also hinted at, very cold (sub-arctic) areas tend to have vast marshlands because of permafrost (see wikipedia), which prevents the water from sinking into the ground (and there's practically no evaporation in a cold climate). Those kinds of climates don't really need a lot of rainfall (in fact, they need barely any) to develop marshlands and/or taiga.

Mongolia is a different case because it's deep inland and has a very warm summer (July temperatures above 30 °C are fairly common). Skadi seems more of a taiga area to me, since it's located between two major bodies of water and bordered by tundra to the north. That is, if you want to follow real-world climate patterns/rules.

Thanks for the clarification. I am kind of set having Skadi being a not so marshy/taiga of a land, but more grass/steppe-like. How could I make that more realistic?

[Charerg]

Thanks for the clarification. I am kind of set having Skadi being a not so marshy/taiga of a land, but more grass/steppe-like. How could I make that more realistic?

Well, you can always just ignore "realism". I don't think there are any real steppes close to the Arctic Circle. I guess having coastal mountain ranges or even having the whole area be an elevated plateau would produce a drier climate. The steppe tundra of the ice ages might have been close to what you're looking for, but even that mostly occurred deep inland, and the climate was much drier back then due to the massive glaciers.

[Filipe Passos-Coelho]

Well, you can always just ignore "realism". I don't think there are any real steppes close to the Arctic Circle. I guess having coastal mountain ranges or even having the whole area be an elevated plateau would produce a drier climate. The steppe tundra of the ice ages might have been close to what you're looking for, but even that mostly occurred deep inland, and the climate was much drier back then due to the massive glaciers.

Ok, thanks for the tip. I don't really want to throw realism out of the window, not after thee discussions and the research I am doing. I will however do two things:
- have Skadi be a more elevated/plateau like region, to reduce the wetland/tundra feel
- simply change the fauna: The Vorfon, natives of Skadi who used to rule Skadi, huge chunks of Narkarn (northern taiga/arctic continent) and half of the Tremanath (Eastern continent), are nomadic and rely on their steeds. The Narkarians like to go to Skadi because they have massive beef with the Vorfon, and killing them gives them great joy. But the Tremanathi don't really like going there more for the hassle of it. Having a wetter ground would make marching through it a dreadful experience, and would take forever (so more resources, food, troops, support, time would be required for that goal). So I am thinking, simply by making their steeds not horses, but something with taller legs, better fit to run on muddy terrains, the Vorfon would be able to excel in Skadi but pretty much suck elsewhere.
It's bending the cultures to the map, but it's easier to justify the "horses" being adapted to the environment than explaining (not the case) why we have arctic next to a rain forest (looking at you, Shangri La).

[Azélor]

A creature that can run in a muddy terrain?
Pigs do it pretty well.
But if sinking is an issue, the creature needs to be smaller with large feet (like some birds) or really weird.

[Filipe Passos-Coelho]

A creature that can run in a muddy terrain?
Pigs do it pretty well.
But if sinking is an issue, the creature needs to be smaller with large feet (like some birds) or really weird.

somehow warrior riding pigs doesnt seem like an image that would strike fear in the hearts of their enemies haha.
Sinking would be an issue if these marshes/bogs/whatever they are deep. In real life Earth, would they? Even if, by Charerg's suggestion, the terrain is of a tad higher altitude and drier?

PS: massive thanks for all the feedback, this is superb.

[Azélor]

Depend, if the pigs have horns!
They could have pegasuses or griffons but that may be too fancy for you world.