January Entry: Ythrak Lakdanaan (Domain of the Exalted)
OK, I finally have something to post. I had a lot of trouble figuring out what to do this month.
My original plan was to do a map of Rathillien from the Kencyrath series by PC Hodgell, but I couldn't find a decent version to work from - scrap idea #1. I tried to find somewhat decent maps from several of my more favorite book series but struck out each time - scrap ideas #2-5.
Then I decided to take a chance and maybe do something with Asgard - I found a map of the Marvel universe's version, but couldn't find enough information on the various areas - scrap idea #6.
At this point I'm ready to pull my hair out and came really close to not entering.
So finally I fell back on the old standby...my home-brew campaign setting. I decided to rework the cosmology a bit and instead of having the deities all dwell on different planes I'd move them all to one Asgard-like plane.
Ultimately that's how I arrived at this, I took the basic outline of the Marvel Asgard map I found (with some modifications) and began mapping out the Ythrak Lakdanaan or Domain of the Exalted.
### Latest WIP ###
My Finished Maps | My Challenge Maps | Still poking around occasionally...
Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.
Cool concept, but it took FOREVER to load. I gave up on the spinning-thingy, and went right to a webpage (which still took a damn long time).
Anyhow, it looks really good - I like the starry background; nice touch.
Is the volcano supposed to look like an eye? If so, very cool.
Not sure what's goin on with the fields on the plateau but that volcano looks really sweet...I mean really...gotta show me what ya did therepretty please with sugar on top?
If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
-J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)
My Maps ~ My Brushes ~ My Tutorials ~ My Challenge Maps
Nice job. Good textures.
What it needs is a rimfall!
Thanks guys...still lots to do on this.
@MarkusTay - Not sure why it took so long to load, I know Arcana did some software updates last night maybe that was the cause. It was pretty quick this morning.
No intent on making the volcano look like an eye - in fact I never noticed it and was considering redoing it. Guess I won't worry about that now.
@Ascension - The fields on the plateau are the demesne of the Goddess Zamora known as the 'Great Plantation'. I wanted to elevate it to seperate it from the areas around it. the fields are fed by underground springs which in turn are fed from the nearby 'sea' (I may add a river flowing from there - not sure yet).
No big trick to the volcano, its my normal style of stacking textured layers for the mountain(s) itself. The opening is just another layer with one of the Genetica volcanic textures (Mt Kilulea I beleive) applied and then slightly gaussian blurred. As I noted above I didn't think it looked all that great last night and was going to redo it, but after looking at it again I think I'll leave it as is.
@Hoel - I did contemplate adding a water fall (or something) going off the edge into oblivion, but since I probably won't have any rivers not sure it would fit. Still something to keep in mind though should I feel the urge to add that 'one last thing'
I think at this point the terrain is largely done, I've got just about all the types I need, though I may add some hills somewhere. I want to do something special for the god of Time to seperate his demesne off from the others - kind of like its 'out of phase' of something. Not sure about that yet though.
My Finished Maps | My Challenge Maps | Still poking around occasionally...
Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.
It's fantasy after all, go for the fall, it'll look awsome
whoah.. that looks awesome!!
Only word I can think of that fits, no other words are good enough to describe it in my opinion.
Only thing is that the water seems to be floating above the rest of it
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone," it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less."
"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many things."
"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master -- that's all."
-Lewis Carrol: Through the Looking Glass
Thanks bryguy... It may look that way because of the bevel on the land layer, the water is actually on a layer beneath it.
May have to add a shadow or something, i'll take a closer look at it tonight.
My Finished Maps | My Challenge Maps | Still poking around occasionally...
Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.
Leave the volcano as-is - I thought you were going for an 'Eye-of-Suaron' thing there, and if it was an accident, it was a damn good one.
I like the idea of rimfall as well, and a waterfall dissapearing 'into the mists' would be pretty sweet.
When it's done, are you going to give us the low-down on who lives there?
The exalted?Originally Posted by MarkusTay
Steel, I think the reason it looks like the water is like floating above the land to me is because there is a slight shadow under it
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone," it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less."
"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many things."
"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master -- that's all."
-Lewis Carrol: Through the Looking Glass
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