darrenkitlor's Abeir-Toril Map - Forgotten Realms

[Werthead]

Yeah, in 1E-3E the world is called Abeir-toril because it's just Auld Wyrmish (the most ancient language still used on the planet) for 'Cradle of Life'. 4E rather ridiculously retconned this as that the one world of Abeir-toril was long ago split into two worlds coexisting in different dimensions at the same point, Abeir and Toril, and the Spellplague (the highly controversial 'Realms-shaking event' between 3E and 4E) saw the two worlds smashed back together resulting in lots of magical craziness such as Maztica exploding and being replaced by a new continent called 'Returned Abeir' (the current Realms writers have issues coming up with new names that don't suck).

In my Realms campaign, the Spellplague never has and never will take place and Maztica is still there

[Big Mac]

Yeah, in 1E-3E the world is called Abeir-toril because it's just Auld Wyrmish (the most ancient language still used on the planet) for 'Cradle of Life'. 4E rather ridiculously retconned this as that the one world of Abeir-toril was long ago split into two worlds coexisting in different dimensions at the same point, Abeir and Toril, and the Spellplague (the highly controversial 'Realms-shaking event' between 3E and 4E) saw the two worlds smashed back together resulting in lots of magical craziness such as Maztica exploding and being replaced by a new continent called 'Returned Abeir' (the current Realms writers have issues coming up with new names that don't suck).

In my Realms campaign, the Spellplague never has and never will take place and Maztica is still there

I like Maztica (and some of the other FR sub-settings) too much to move onto the 4e world. But I have heard a couple of people talking about getting the bits that were lost during the Spellplague, putting them onto a new map, and then filling up the rest of the world with stuff similar to Returned Abeir (to create an Abeir that contains all the bits of Toril that vanished). That seems like an interesting mapping project.

But if someone ever did that, I think I would like to see them put Returned Abeir back onto the world Abeir and then use the pre-Spellplage Abeir as an alternative world to Toril (during a campaign set during the 3e or earlier version of Forgotten Realms). A project like that would be the thing that would be most likely to get me to buy the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. If I had a fan map like that, I could use it alongside Maztica.

[thyssyk]

Just stumbled on this site, and I have to say that this map you're working on is just fantastic! Good luck in your continuing endeavor.

[darren_kitlor]

Guess what? I started working on this map again, after nearly a year-long hiatus.

Update:

TorilMap25Jul.jpg

That's 1600x900 (or 1% zoom of the full-size map)

Improvements:

• Increased variation in ocean layers (darker, more textured)
• Increased biome diversity on all continents (mountains, deserts, and forests that transcend the old map's limitations)
• Changed fonts (more readble; I'll upload another to demonstrate)
• Improved texturing for biomes (i.e. erasers and new brushes to give cracked appearances to steppes/plateaus, ridges to mountains, etc.)

[arsheesh]

Hey this looks fantastic! Glad you decided to return to it, otherwise I probably would never have known about it. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[darren_kitlor]

Thanks.

Does anyone have a particular preference as to what I should improve or add onto?

Today, I started working on Tundra, Glaciers and polar terrains--as well as new border backgrounds.

[Gan]

A massive map for a massive world. I like it all.

[Voll-ka the Deceiver]

Good-bye, Grandfather of games (Gary Gygax) in your passing you shall be missed. I wanted these to be my first words ever used on a computer. My wife just taught me how to go on line (no more stone and chisel) and this is the first sight I looked up. I swear it's true. That being said, I hope I can contribute in some small way to the passion we evidently share - Dungeons and Dragons in general and The Forgotten Realms in particular. Your maps are the best I have ever seen of the entire world of TORIL, and I would love to know where some of your info comes from so I can read up on it myself. Further, having played the game steadily for 30+ years, I have accumulated thousands of books and supliments in hard copy and may be able to supply you with some obscure tidbits. In any case, map design of the entire planet is the Holy Hobby Grail, and I can't wait to hang this bad-boy on my wall - The bigger the better!!!

[Klaus van der Kroft]

Very nice map indeed!

I have some Forgotten Realm crazed friends who will love it. I'll send them here to check it.

[Voll-ka the Deceiver]

I'm so new at this, and have so much to learn (albeit a labor of love), I would never presume to comment on your mapping skills. I speak only from the position of "playable practicality". Unless this awesome map is destined to be a wall hanging decoration (which it easily could be!) I would disable the clouds but keep the "snowfall". It has been my hard won but happy experience to note that game maps are tangible things, made to be folded, "rolled"on, and written on - and towards this end sometimes less is more, so to speak. Good games require good maps, but great ones require customization to some degree. This customization is often (usually?) done in little bits, by hand, over time. I cherish most fondly my oldest maps that are covered with years of "character" by my own hand and that of my players - 3+ generations worth! Having said all that, I would personally keep two copies of this map. One with clouds to "hang", and the other without to "use". In short EXCELLENT work, and I would love to see more.