Eyria Map (n00b requesting tips)

[Azélor]

My main concern is that supposed to be the complete world or just one part of it? I guess not and I also assume than the north pole is not represented on the map either. A lot of people get their poles wrong.

[Filipe Passos-Coelho]

My main concern is that supposed to be the complete world or just one part of it? I guess not and I also assume than the north pole is not represented on the map either. A lot of people get their poles wrong.

Hi Azelor!
Without trying to spoil, no, it's not the complete World. There is more in every direction.

To the North there are some massive mountains, called the Blizzard Peaks, where traversing is difficult. The only way through would be through secret underground caves. No Narkarian is know to have come back from the Far North. And in true Narkarian fashion, if no Narkarian can get through, no one can, because the Gods do not will it. There's also the idea that Father Baldan and his wives Zayna and Jannah live there and argue all the time, so they keep their distance.

To the West is the so-called Never-ending Sea. There is a little archipelago where some sentient demi-humans live, but it is believe that, after that, nothing else but water. The Hrulgatharians have little interest in seafaring, as they devote their energies to worshiping their gods. The sailors from Nandagar (western coast of Dunakor) are known to be crazy enough to venture into the endless blue, but their reputation of untrustworthy sea-dogs doesn't grant them any credit or credibility.

More or less the same to the East: the Mirror Ocean (because it mirrors the sky) is also considered endless and devoid of life. The island of Valara, of which you only see a tiny tip on the Southeast corner, is of unknown size. It hasn't been explored as the original settlers, the Kaichin (who would later named the Dokukria in Maedwen tongue, and adopt the name of Dunakorians after the Great Exodus war) never ventured too inland. It seems everything in it is hostile to all foreigners but their local masters the Morgrance. One thing is certain: the Morgrance didn't come from anywhere in Eyria...

The South ends with the two deserts, the Sea of Sand and the Rocky Ocean, two dry regions where little to no life exists. There are rumors of buzzing cities and towns, like the fabled hub of Menzomenzaran, but most believe it to be a fable from Old Maedwen. The wandering tribes of the Maedwen roam the region, but they are elusive and kept to themselves, and would not share what is beyond the deserts.

As for the poles: Definitely the map is not geographically centered. Yes, Narkarn is to the North and Dunakor to the South, but to truly be aligned with the meridian, the map should be rotate a couple of degrees clockwise. the parallel "parallel" to the would-be equator would pass through Southern Hrulgatharn, Northern Dunakor and Southern Tremanath, where you can find the tropical rain-forests.

Hope this clarifies

[Gaheris]

I would question the mountain chains going across the isthmuses of the central and western peninsulas. I guess that they're there to function as boundaries, but do you have any other reason for them being oriented like that? If not perhaps you might adjust them a bit so they're not stopping suddenly at the coast.

Otherwise, the circular layout makes me think of a gigantic caldera; is this intentional?

[Filipe Passos-Coelho]

I would question the mountain chains going across the isthmuses of the central and western peninsulas. I guess that they're there to function as boundaries, but do you have any other reason for them being oriented like that? If not perhaps you might adjust them a bit so they're not stopping suddenly at the coast.

Otherwise, the circular layout makes me think of a gigantic caldera; is this intentional?

Hi Gaheris, thank you for your feedback.
I guess we can consider that a tectonic boarder between the central and western peninsulas. They would have maritime "mountains" along that line, which goes along with that sea near the Bay of Fjords being quite story and treacherous. No, it isn't intentional, and I see your point. I haven't thought this through enough, it seems palely clear now...

[Gaheris]

Please don't think that the caldera thing was a criticism, I just wondered whether it was coincidental or there was a reason for the shape. Sorry if I've triggered "once you see it, you can't unsee it"

[Filipe Passos-Coelho]

Please don't think that the caldera thing was a criticism, I just wondered whether it was coincidental or there was a reason for the shape. Sorry if I've triggered "once you see it, you can't unsee it"

it was criticism, but constructive one which is exactly what I asked for, thank you! no harm done, quite the opposite.
I had planned to have an inner sea, a bit like the Mediterranean. As my sense of aesthetics is poor, the draft and concept are not really stellar.
Hahaha probably best to trigger it now when it can be changed than too much down the line.

here are a couple more ideas I have failed miserably at doing


this map highlights the different biomes in the region. unfortunately i didnt have many couples, so dont associate yellow with savanna and pink with tundra, because they are a big mixed up. someone commented that, for a map that is going to be Earth-like (think that the longer axis of the 4 external continents could be around Russia's span), the original map was poor and the climate variations were unrealistic and sudden as hell.


I heard somebody (I am great with names, as you can tell) mentioning volcanic and plate tectonics, and I though that would be a great idea to explore. the different plate interactions provide sources to volcanic activities, island formation, subduction, earthquakes, geysers, and all those things that happen in the real world and, odds were, weren't going to happen in mine without being completely random.


this one only highlights the "equator" and the "arctic" parallels (not to be seen as the true arctic and equator tho). This is more to show where the temperature is hotter and where it would be colder.

please tear these ones apart, so I can keep on improving the concept!

EDIT: yes, my printer/scanner sucks. yes, i am this bad at drawing. yes, my handwriting goes from being-able-to-read to full-blown ECG machine.