December 2017 Challenge: The Lands of Cha-uari

[J.Edward]

I've worked on this one for a good while this month.
I actually did more than one version, but this one is the one I went with.
I wanted to get the image in before the deadline.

I'll write and post up the story info later tonight or tomorrow.
But, for now, here's the map.

### Latest WIP ###


Edit - here's the story info.
Pardon the awful lack of any real formatting.

The Lands of Cha-uari
The premise here is that the peoples/creatures of the Chahongi-Zha have all banded together in unity against the darker forces that seem to encroach upon them from Zha-Tyral. And even from the elder things that creep amongst the hills and dark shadowed mountains vales. And even beneath them in the places darker still.

The coalition of Chahongi includes an interesting collection of beings.
It might be easier to just use some of my notes to describe all this....

From the notes...
A simple people in the northern areas of Inocrigal and southern Tongiri.
Then across the water to the sothern reaches [where most of the stories occur]
The Gra-zatal peninisula west of Hran-nal [and the cold people]
East of Hran-nal lies the outer lands of Rahagin-nal - a lonely and isolated region battered by winds and storm that faces out on the rough Shala Sea

Beyond Rahagin-nal lies the rough lands of Caluhsan - the low rambling remnants of the Great Kaina-Dal range and the Spine of Chura [the old mountains of SekhaChu and the G'Hura peninsula].
In the crux of these mountains lies Insekal - a land isolated and alone.
The Ningra there are surrounded on all sides by the Chuhti, mongrels of the Hills, and other fell folk of the dark and shadow crusted highlands such as...
the Rolgnirin of the Stones, the Azhen, Stahni, Sohlihzi and others.

Far to the west is Zha-Tyral and the viscious, capricious people of the steppe and the mighty lords of the plains, who would rule all the lands of the lower heights as they slowly crawl over all the lands like darkening clouds.

Caught in the middle is the wide realm of Chahongi-Zha. In this vibrant place, many have banded together against those outer forces of conquest and oppression.
In the realm are the Solti of the Highlands and the Karuga, the people of the Darkenald [the holes, caves, crevices and near underdark regions - not full underdark though] who range from highlands to roughlands and even to some lower lands.

In the mid ranges between low lands and uplands can be found the Do-Guhra and Drano'or, and many of the Zuhlmun and Monakee. The great woods and jumgles populate the Hamongi plateau and are inhabited by many but dominated by the Goramon. Scattered Zuhlmun and Hongiri dwell here as well.
Here too are the beginnings of the Kindred of the Wood, the Kohtu-nomi and the Sani and PoMani, as well as the Vuhli and Talasi.

Coming lower and closer to the coasts are the great swathes of plains and river vales of Chaon grasslands. And there we find the Children of Grass and the slippery Rivervolk.
Ultimately leading down to the cities of the Azhen Coast where folk from all over Chahongi-Zha mingle and trade in peace and reasonable harmony. There at the coasts they all blend and melt with the Children of the Waves and the ancient and somewhat illusive Tu-Atua peoples of the mist.

It is a seemingly magical land, at peace but in peril from the preying eyes of the outer lands.

[Voolf]

I have only one question.... tell me, did you draw every tree there ? or used brush to scatter them ?

[Chashio]

I have only one question.... tell me, did you draw every tree there ? or used brush to scatter them ?

Clone stamp tool.

That came out nice, J.

[ThomasR]

The sepia tones with your style does wonders and the choice of colors for the labels is really well thought. I love the overall map even if I'm not really sold on those trees. It's good to see a new challenge map from you

[Greg]

That was sneaky John!

Lovely work as always and it's nice to see you playing with sepia tones. Kinda reminds me of Tilvarel Valley by Blaidd Drwg.

Great way to see in the New Year and great to see you in another challenge!

[Mouse]

Another beautiful composition well drawn.

Looking forward to the back story

[J.Edward]

Here's a quick post showing some of the wip progress for this one...

[Mouse]

I can't see any of them, John.

But I might have tried to look at them too soon?

[J.Edward]

I have only one question.... tell me, did you draw every tree there ? or used brush to scatter them ? (:

Chashio mostly answered this one last night
I created a single tree that was fully opaque and then used the clone stamp tool in PS to replicate it many... MANY times.
It reallly was done like placing every tree individually.
I just haven't found a good way to replicate many trees quickly and still have it look reasonably organic in distribution.

Clone stamp tool. (:
That came out nice, J.

Thanks Chashio

The sepia tones with your style does wonders and the choice of colors for the labels is really well thought. I love the overall map even if I'm not really sold on those trees. It's good to see a new challenge map from you

Thanks Thomas. I wasn't entirely sold on it either.
It was actually me trying a thing that Chashio and I chat about a lot - map elements.
I like them, and make them, but often never use them in any of my maps.
This map was actually originally to be a full color map. Things just sort of took a turn.

That was sneaky John!

Lovely work as always and it's nice to see you playing with sepia tones. Kinda reminds me of Tilvarel Valley by Blaidd Drwg.

Great way to see in the New Year and great to see you in another challenge!

I'll take that compliment. I love Blaidd's work on that map. Love it.
It wasn't intended to be sneaky. I just really didn't know if i could finish in time or not, and didn't want the feeling of committing to a challenge and not finishing.
I've done that before - sometimes entering very late and sometimes not entering at all. And even entering and not finishing. Several times.

Another beautiful composition well drawn.

Looking forward to the back story

Thanks Mouse
The backstory-ish stuff is now posted in the first post.
I wanted to post a more finished and well ironed out backstory, but it just was not coming along.
And I did want the story stuff in the thread before it got locked. For posterity

[J.Edward]

I can't see any of them, John.

But I might have tried to look at them too soon?

Not sure what I did, but I went back and fixed it. Thanks for letting me know.