Weird Europe REDUX

[Kellerica]

Wanting to re-do your old work is something I understand VERY well...

I liked this one back when you first posted it, and I like the new version even more. Those reliefs are just beautiful and I still the enjoy this color scheme a lot. That pattern on the ocean is a nice touch. I love the little scroll labels!

Great work all-in-all, I look forward to seeing what you make next!

[- JO -]

Incredible ! The amount and quality of details are just amazing !
First, the new geography of Europe is so well done ! Those new coastlines and mountains chains makes us think about the real one, about the real history and makes us ask : "what if ?" And you really did a very precise work on those coasts ! That's just beautiful !
Then, there's those mountains ! They are gorgeous ! Very precise, very detailed !
And then, your work on labels, for the sea... even the border !
Finally, the little details that are really "the final touch" of the whole map ! The cities of Ys (discovered at last !),Vercingyturoux, Isoxandria... so much distant references that made me smile !
Your worldbuilding is really fantastic with this map !
Good job !!!!

[Daelin]

Great work all-in-all, I look forward to seeing what you make next!

Top banana.

Incredible ! ... the little details that are really "the final touch" of the whole map ! ... so much distant references that made me smile ! ... Good job !!!!

Oh, stop it, you! But I am super happy that you find pleasure in the references. Almost every single name has some hidden reference, but again, almost all of them are way too obscure for anyone but myself to get them. And that's the fun of it, getting as esoteric as possible, I love it!/

[FrancescaBaerald]

Excellent work on this!

[Daelin]

Excellent work on this!

"Because I'm happyyyy"

[Nysted]

Hey Daelin.

I found your map a short while ago, and have been pouring over it. I really love the idea of a different Europe, the effect of some familiarities mixed with the outlandish and weird.

I'm a budding GM for a family-based Open Legends game, and instead of using what's already there, like the DnD, I'd like to make my own. Or at least, take inspiration from multiple sources to make it a weird hybrid I can call mine. I'm no good with maps, so I would like to use your map for it. There are no plans to make any money from it, and I -could- do it without asking, but I'd rather ask (and especially give proper credit).
And, I also hope you are okay with me building on it to make my own ideas fit. I've looked at your older version and drawn some inspiration from the descriptions in defining the different empires.

For example, I imagine Dacfallow to be a Semi-Victorian England but powered not by coal, but by necromantic practices to use the dead as a cheap labour force (Imagine trains powered by zombies in treadmills). And Taqbarghad is a Gnomish-Human(Nasgundan Human) Communist Soviet fighting it out against the Old Dwarven Republic of Nuevo Xyn who have a tendency to be Democratic crusaders.

Other empires is more freeform to fit my intended narrative, Jeomannia is your average medieval Holy Jeomannian Empire, with crusaders and nobility and a severe tendency to corruption and intrigue throughout. Rhagar is a budding anti-magic religious humancentric society (and the only ones with firearms at the beginning of the story) rising from the ashes, while Pulsar is Pro-magic elves responsible for funnelling magic into the world. Then we have halflings in Stroomas, Shapeshifters in Ghül, Vikings in Thulzaheim (Serving Thul and other children of the Alfather), Donnersmark is a mix of faiths, but King is a recent convert to the Jeomannian Alfather. Dark Elves in Gorthync, Orcs, Halforcs, Halfhumans and various other mixed species in Teutanka (regular victims of Crusades and raids). I'm considering Dragonborn as Sultans, maybe benign vampire overlords, possibly a minor minotaur-culture in not-Greece. Not yet sure what to do about 'Italy', but something something fallen Rome maybe.

I'd love any insights to your map you want to share, or your own ideas on it. Things you'd like to see. Since the system I use is Open Legend, just about anything is possible. It's very free form.


I love your map, fell in love with it instantly for its massive potential, and I hope very much you're okay with me using it.

Sincerely
Nysted

[Daelin]

Hey Daelin.

Hey Nysted.

Sorry about the rather late reply. I really should get better at regularly checking my threads for feedback and awesome comments like yours. I'm super happy that my map has inspired you to this degree. I mean, what more can a wannabe artist like me hope for? As for my take on your version of my world, well, where do I start? I mean, such and such about various RPG systems, and this and that about fantasy tropes, and bla bla bla about...

Imagine trains powered by zombies in treadmills

And al...

Oh.
My.
God.
Brain.
Melt...
...
Down.

In all seriousness, though, my idea of the "story" (if you can even call it that) of this map is tenuous at best. The names of cities and nations and their descriptors might allude to something fantastical, but as with most of my creative endeavors, it's just that: allusions. I don't know what the culture and technology and life is like on the Isle of the Dreaming Dead. I simply thought that "Dreaming Dead" sounded cool. And I have no opinion on the race of the citizens of Nuevo Xyn. Democratic dwarven conquistadors? Sure, why the heck not! Most of the names do come from somewhere in my mind, but to describe each one would be far too esoteric and take much too long.
All I can say to you is, keep being nerdy, because it's working for you, and that's cool. And you want to play a game set in my weird version of Europe? Go for it!

I love your map ... and I hope very much you're okay with me using it.

After the zombie hamster imagery, you conjured in my mind, I would be offended if you do not.

[Tom]

I love this update Daelin, wonderful both for the concept and the realization! I wonder how you draw such beautiful mountain ranges..

[Robulous]

Yes very weird! The British Isles drifting away from Europe, I wonder where that idea came from

I preferred the black border lines from the original - as I think someone mentioned, having white lines when the paper is sepia-toned is kinda wrong. The surrounding paper should only be as dark as the lightest part of the map, bar staining.

[Daelin]

I love this update Daelin ... I wonder how you draw such beautiful mountain ranges..

Thank you! And I don't, or I didn't. Someone at the CIA (yes, them) did, sometime in the 50s-60s-ish. I merely "appropriated" the relief drawing into Photoshop, set the layer to overlay, and added a bone-colored background below that. Then I added a layer in between that and drew a bevel/emboss effect to accentuate the "rise" of the mountains, which essentially amplifies the light and shadow side.
Or, no, disregard what I just wrote... I total drew those mountains on my own, and it was really hard, and I worked super hard on them, so thaaanks.

Yes very weird! The British Isles drifting away from Europe, I wonder where that idea came from

Oh, Brexit? Well, yes, I do see the irony. But that's not really why Britain is further from the continent. Mostly, it's because I think compass roses look cooler if they are in between landmasses, rather than floating somewhere at the edge of a map. And since I'd already decided to chop up and mangle the landmasses as I saw fit, I also moved the Isles into the Atlantic. Because I could.

I preferred the black border lines from the original - as I think someone mentioned, having white lines when the paper is sepia-toned is kinda wrong. The surrounding paper should only be as dark as the lightest part of the map, bar staining.

Yeah, I get what you mean. I'd call it an artistic choice, though. The black line had a tendency to get lost in the darker parts, like the border between Jeomannia and Embra, aka the Alps. So I chose a white line, and added a red glow for emphasize, so it stood out more, against the sepia. I think it fit reasonable well with scroll labels, in that they have the same color scheme, bone-white and red. But if you like a traditional black better, okay, that's cool too.