Map 8 - The Halfings last refuge: Shireland

[Bogie]

I think you are right Lingon, I will try labelling the towns and see how it looks.

I do believe this may be the very first non-dungeon/battle map of yours that I've seen Bogie. Keep up the great work man.
Cheers,
-Arsheesh

Well almost, I have made a few Village maps and a couple other island maps. I think I made this one for one of our challenges a few years ago.

[Bogie]

Worked on Labels tonight. Made the Island names, and water names look different. Started tagging the towns on one of the smaller islands to see how it looks.

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[Bogie]

Almost finished. I labeled all the towns and some of the mountains. Any other ideas?
It was looking crowded and didn't seem to be at the same size scale as a lot of other maps so I enlarged it about 50%.

Must get sleep.....

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[Bogie]

Going to call this done, unless you or I find something I need to change. I will also post a Transparent png to put it on the big map.

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[Tonnichiwa]

" Hail nation of Hobbit fellows! The Great Senate of Civilization from Hallanicus has authorized me to offer your country a trade agreement of 200 royal pounds of cheese shipped to your country every month in exchange for 200 royal pounds of that smokeweed that your illustrious country produces, per month, as seasons permit. I have looked around your country and found it pleasing to the eye. The smell of the grand feasts your people are quite fond of putting on is enough to make a man want to retire here.

From the top of Mount Hope I was able to view your lands quite well and they seem to be in perfect order. Well met, and full stomach's to you and yours. We await your highnesses response with hope for a bright future. We have brought this sampling of cheeses from the many lands of my nation. "

The emissary calls forward a young man who brings a tray filled with the finest cheeses in the land. He opens the silver top so you can see the array before you and it is a sight to behold. Many different colors of cheese adorn the plate, the scents of them wafting up into your nose.

[Bogie]

Greetings good sir Hallaniciian, welcome to The Shireland. We are grateful for your kind offer, and congratulate you on the superb quality of your delectable cheeses.
We do feel however that you may have undervalued our pipeweed. Whereas a pound of your most excellent cheese would feed a Hobbit for a day or two, a pound of
our fine Longbottom Pipeweed would last the average pipe smoker a couple weeks. Perhaps we can adjust the numbers a bit before we seal the deal.


RedRobes: Here is my map with the ocean removed so it should be easy to place over the main map. I know you said you had an app that did the masking for you,
but I have a lot of text that extends out on the water and without knowing how your app works, I would assume this is easier for you.

[Bogie]

A couple thousand years ago Hobbits were spread across the land and could be found nearly everywhere. And while they did tend to stick together in groups, due to the obvious size difference compared to most races, they are good natured folk who were accepted in most communities.

Over the centuries wars tend to break out from time to time and place to place and Hobbits have no interest in wars. So they left. Moved on to a quieter place. Hobbits love peace. Not that they can't be war like in defense of their homes and families, they just prefer peace. Add to that reason for moving, there were a few towns where Hobbits developed the reputation for being tricksy sneaky thieveses. Most Hobbits don't deserve that condemnation, but many found it easier to move on. Eventually, virtually all Hobbits had migrated to the eastern end of the main continent and settled into several large Shires.

Hobbits faded from the memory of most folk and were happy with their quiet lives. Other than the occasional visit by wandering wizards not much happened to interrupt their piece. Then there was a brief period when some young Hobbits decided to Adventure. Their success spurred others to go adventuring too. There are many stories told of Hobbit exploits and while this brought fame and fortune to some, it also made the world remember the Hobbits. The comings and goings of Kings both High and Low was very disruptive.

One day, two well known Hobbits, Boril and Harold, esteemed hobbit graduates of the Azuredawn Cartographers' Guild, learned of two large, uninhabited islands. Somehow they acquired possession of this land and convinced all the other Hobbits to move there with them and start an isolated Hobbit communittee where they could lead the quiet lives they longed for. It was a massive undertaking, but they finally
got everyone to move there and start over.

The Islands proved to be very fertile and they build many farming towns and villages in a very short time. They also had a bumper crop of young Hobbit lads & lasses and within a few generations they had populated both large islands and as well as the smaller ones.

The Hobbits of the Shireland avoid the wars of the other lands and keep mostly to themselves, but they are very welcoming to visitors who come to trade or relax.

[Redrobes]

RedRobes: Here is my map with the ocean removed so it should be easy to place over the main map. I know you said you had an app that did the masking for you, but I have a lot of text that extends out on the water and without knowing how your app works, I would assume this is easier for you.

Your area is all islands so it doesnt make a lot of difference really. But this image still has text sticking out so I am a bit confused. I wouldn't worry about it tho and there are loads of other lands with text names going out of the area. Sometimes they stay in, sometimes they get cut off by the neighbor or the sea. Part of the charm of a community mapping project is that its different all over and its not going to be exact. I recall DL'ing this map with the button shape in the middle so the latest compsite must be reasonably up to date.

[arsheesh]

Nice work, and good back story Bogie. Inspires me to think about one for my own map now.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[Tonnichiwa]

Greetings good sir Hallaniciian, welcome to The Shireland. We are grateful for your kind offer, and congratulate you on the superb quality of your delectable cheeses.
We do feel however that you may have undervalued our pipeweed. Whereas a pound of your most excellent cheese would feed a Hobbit for a day or two, a pound of
our fine Longbottom Pipeweed would last the average pipe smoker a couple weeks. Perhaps we can adjust the numbers a bit before we seal the deal.

"Oh but you misunderstand us good sirs. We humans of the nation of Hallanicus smoke very little for it tends to ruin the palate when we partake of cheese. However, our allies, The Minotaurs of the county of Parnassus have requested that we try to secure this trade agreement. They would have come themselves but they thought that their large stature may frighten your folk, more than put them at ease, thus ruining the diplomacy.

However, a Minotaur of such grand stature would smoke a great deal of the pipeweed. The amount they would smoke is proportionate to the amount your good hobbit folk would consume of our fine cheeses."


Nice backstory Bogie. I really like it! It makes sense.