| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Markustay |
Posted - 06 Jul 2015 : 05:55:27
Just an update on where I am at with this one.
Shaareach/Shining South Conversion Campaign Map
EDIT: Newer Version - WIP2
EDIT2: Newest version - WIP3
EDIT3: Newest version - WIP4
Its an old one I am finally completing. I've changed quite a few of the methods I use, so this one may seem a bit 'primitive' compared to newer stuff. Not sure if you guys would even notice (except for maybe the scale) because it has more to do with the technical (digital art) aspects. I just thought it was worth completing.
This is the most accurate version of Halruaa I've done, and is canon except for the two forests (jungles) I added. it seemed strange such a large country had no woodlands. There are several locales that hadn't appeared on my earlier Halruaa map - they were taken from the Fonstad atlas maps. They were even missing from the FRIA.
And its still a ways from being done.
EDIT: There is also some info in THIS THREAD with some of my conversion notes in it (regarding the Orcs and local politics). |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 14 Jul 2016 : 23:19:42
Okay I don't want to step on any toes and will apologize to Markustay in advance if this is a sore spot. Having said that, does anyone know of a site or fellow sage that has done work on combining various settings into a single world (similar to MT's Misbegotten Realms)? I hate that the project has fallen to the wayside but maybe there's someone else out there who has done some work in this area?
Also, sorry that this is straying from the original topic. I'll post a new one if the mods feel I should. Thanks. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 06 Aug 2015 : 21:12:57
Its homebrew - after studying the maps, and some of the history for the region, I figure there just had to be a bridge over that waterway, but considering how wide that river in its southern half (where such a bridge should exist), it had to be something... SPECIAL.
That entry will be part of the 'Shaareach Campaign Sourcebook' I have planned. It will either point people in the direction of canon for an item, provide a 'fix' for the blended lore (after adding in the Elsir Vale material), or be an entirely new (fanon) entry, like that above.
And just like canon lore, people can use it, abuse it, or just chuck it out in favor of their own stuff. Thats the beauty of The Forgotten Realms. 
EDIT: In that entry, the first sentence is entirely canon, right out of the GHotR, except for one slightly modified word. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 06 Aug 2015 : 20:40:26
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
The Gleambridge:
In -5032 DR, the armies of Mir and Jhaamdath clashed for the first time north of the small fishing village of Ankport, and Mir was dealt a crushing blow. Fleeing across the Serpent's Claw River (modern day Thorwash), the armies of Mir and their Coramshan allies felt secure, having burned their crossing barges behind them. Seeing their enemies escaping on the far side of the wide waterway, General Khath Selthaen formed a mindweb with a dozen of his psion lieutenants and together they crafted a solid psychic construct - The Gleambridge. Their soldiers quickly made use of the arching roadway and chased their foes all the way to the Coramshan border. But the strain was too much for the brave folk holding the mind-bridge in place for so long, and one by one they collapsed, their life-energy spent. General Selthaen was the last to fall, holding it aloft until the last of his men had crossed. When he fell, the bridge flashed brilliant for a few moments, and then - to the amazement of all - stabilized into the seamless, shining silvery monument that still stands 'till this day.
Some say it was "by the will of Auppenser". Others say it is the solidified remains of the minds of the men and women who died to create it. The tribes of the Lions (Shadíar) consider it an accursed thing and avoid it, using boats to cross the river when the need arises. It stands a few miles north of Ankhapur; a gleaming testament to the willpower of the Jhaamdathan people, gone but not forgotten.
I really like this. Is it canon, or home-brew? |
| Markustay |
Posted - 06 Aug 2015 : 19:34:45
The Gleambridge:
In -5032 DR, the armies of Mir and Jhaamdath clashed for the first time north of the small fishing village of Ankport, and Mir was dealt a crushing blow. Fleeing across the Serpent's Claw River (modern day Thornwash), the armies of Mir and their Coramshan allies felt secure, having burned their crossing barges behind them. Seeing their enemies escaping on the far side of the wide waterway, General Khath Selthaen formed a mindweb with a dozen of his psion lieutenants and together they crafted a solid psychic construct - The Gleambridge. Their soldiers quickly made use of the arching roadway and chased their foes all the way to the Coramshan border. But the strain was too much for the brave folk holding the mind-bridge in place for so long, and one by one they collapsed, their life-energy spent. General Selthaen was the last to fall, holding it aloft until the last of his men had crossed. When he fell, the bridge flashed brilliant for a few moments, and then - to the amazement of all - stabilized into the seamless, shining silvery monument that still stands 'till this day.
Some say it was "by the will of Auppenser". Others say it is the solidified remains of the minds of the men and women who died to create it. The tribes of the Lions (Shadíar) consider it an accursed thing and avoid it, using boats to cross the river when the need arises. It stands a few miles north of Ankhapur; a gleaming testament to the willpower of the Jhaamdathan people, gone but not forgotten.
|
| Markustay |
Posted - 04 Aug 2015 : 20:30:38
I wasn't very happy with the font I am using for the Rivers. If I use a new one I found - which looks amazing for the bodies of water - it looks too faded for the rivers, and if I use the same one as the settlements it looks bland (thats the one I had been going with).
I think I'll lean toward 'artsy' with this one, and I may just separate the two types of 'water tags' so I don't loose the river names completely when I fade them down.
EXAMPLE
Note the River Alamber in the upper left - thats the old style. Much more legible, but not as pretty. Keep in mind I haven't 'faded' any of this text yet - it will get lighter (maybe not in the case of the new font - its light enough already).
Anyhow, thats whats causing the delay to finish* - my deep-rooted desire to always achieve perfection. I need to just stop and finish the damn thing. 
*That, and the fact that I am working on five maps at once. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 01 Aug 2015 : 18:39:10
Latest update.
You'll note that Nentir Vale is now gone. I can easily paste that back into the finished map if anyone wants that. I had to tweak the heck out of several regions (Vilhon, Luiren, etc) to get the terrain closer to how it was in 1e/2e, and because this map is giving birth to another (and things weren't lining-up so nicely). I also backwards-engineered the stuff from Brian James' excellent 4e article on Chessenta. Two sites didn't make the cut simply because they are new to 4e AND fall out IN the bay (where the water receded). Others I simply made smaller, depending on the lore. I also slightly modified some names in Sespech from Mapolq's campaign, to make them more 'Realmsish'.
I only just began to add the river names, so there are only a few done so far. Then onto the road names... if I can keep myself from any further tweaking. If you see something, say something. One fan already caught a misspelling, which is great.
Oh... and I forgot to turn on the 'country names' layer. {sigh)  |
| Taurendil |
Posted - 31 Jul 2015 : 00:38:36
Geez, you surely have the creative and productive version of ADD. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 30 Jul 2015 : 20:09:06
I already have the area outlined for that next one, but it may be awhile before I get back to it. It shows a decent amount of the Hordelands + the Golden waters region. I had twisted so much to make everything work that I had to actually re-do the Vilhon Reach (even though most of it falls off both maps!) Can't have them not lining up properly. 
I also corrected Luiren to make it more like it was in 1e/2e (and also added the settlements from The Fives Shires just for poops & giggles).
But in the meantime, I needed a break from the Shining south and headed west... WAY west. This isn't something I plan to hammer away at - its more of a mental excercise to see how easily I can fit everything together.
Returned Maztica
Something new I am toying with. Don't worry, I am still finishing the Shining South map - I just needed a break from it. Trying out some new things with this one - everything will be drawn by hand (or rather, by hand with GIMP). I am using the original Maztica map - slightly modified to make it work with the 4e Returned Abeir lore. I am pleasantly surprised how much alike the two maps already were. I am hoping for an amalgam version of this region come 5e; the original was Okay, but too derivative. The new stuff (Abeir) is great, but redundant with a lot of what FR already had. I think by merging the two they can come up with something pretty unique - an Aztec like region that worships the dragon pantheon, with a sudden influx of newcomers from Abeir, all trying to cope with each other's existence. And who doesn't want Tiamat worshiping Jungle drow?
The settlements you see already placed are the Dusk Ports and the Windrise Ports. There is also the existing Maztican city of Maxal (lower right), and the ruin is the other Maztican city in Far Payit - Tulom Itzi. Because its location fell out right in the middle of Skelkor, it had to be a ruin now. So far, thats the only problem I've encountered. I may make the Abeir rivers smaller... we'll see. |
| Taurendil |
Posted - 25 Jul 2015 : 18:11:39
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I am letting me ADD get the best of me - I now have the coast outlined all the way over to the edges of Zakhara and Kara-Tur.
One of the players in my Shaar campaign is a pilgrim dragonborn soldier that came from Kara-Tur, so that map sounds really useful to me!
Specially for some adventures on the way back. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 22 Jul 2015 : 17:06:42
I am letting me ADD get the best of me - I now have the coast outlined all the way over to the edges of Zakhara and Kara-Tur.
I have access to certain things I didn't when I did my Utter East maps, plus my skills have increased greatly, and that region where four different settings (3 main and one sub-setting) come together I was never quite happy with.
I guess what I am saying is that there will be at least one 'extended version' of this map. I need to finish the map itself though, so now that I got that out of my system I can go back to naming rivers and roads. I did find something new (old) - Var the Golden was originally mostly desert. The only map that ever showed up on was the Fonstad atlas map (which were based DIRECTLY off of Ed's originals). Just thought I'd throw that out there - it may be the ONLY FR desert that wasn't 'magically created'.
But before I extend this project beyond completing this map, I still want to go back and complete one other one (I thought there was two, but I found what i believe is a finished copy of the other, so I I won't have to go back to that one... not that i can show that one anyway).
Yes, I WILL finally finish the Demonwrought (Bloodstone Lands + the Impilturran peninsula) Lands regional map. Thats one that I really should have never abandoned... and don't even know why. So this one, and then THAT, and then whatever my ADD leads me to. |
| Matrix Sorcica |
Posted - 20 Jul 2015 : 13:31:35
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
In my Misbegotten Realms, Nentir Vale is tucked neatly between the High Forest and the High Moor, and is perfectly sized (so that the Nentir Vale maps can be used on their own), as it is on this conversion as well. This was a precurser to that project, hence the placement here.
Yep, I know. Like I said, been very interested in your Misbegotten Realms for a long time . Seem to remember you placed Elsir Vale up north?
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
As for the weird southern location - its at a fairly high altitude right there, so despite its placement it enjoys a much more 'temperate' climate then the surrounding regions. The forest is far-enough up into the foothills and mountains for it to be quite cold (hence, the 'Winterbole' name). Not canon to either setting, but it works for the blend.
Quite a good solution, imo. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 20 Jul 2015 : 12:01:46
In my Misbegotten Realms, Nentir Vale is tucked neatly between the High Forest and the High Moor, and is perfectly sized (so that the Nentir Vale maps can be used on their own), as it is on this conversion as well. This was a precurser to that project, hence the placement here.
I still intend to modify this when its finished for a 'canon' (mostly) version WITHOUT Nentir Vale.
As for the weird southern location - its at a fairly high altitude right there, so despite its placement it enjoys a much more 'temperate' climate then the surrounding regions. The forest is far-enough up into the foothills and mountains for it to be quite cold (hence, the 'Winterbole' name). Not canon to either setting, but it works for the blend. |
| Matrix Sorcica |
Posted - 20 Jul 2015 : 11:38:36
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Is there an interest in this?
Very interested in this. However, imo the Nentir Vale should be much further north, as per Nentir Vale canon. So I'm actually more concerned with that than FR canon
I'm extremely interested in your Misbegotten Realms and am very (im)patiently waiting for your update on that (hint, hint ). Also very interested in the 'lore' for your Realms, how FR, Golarion, and the other settings you've mixed in fits together.
|
| Markustay |
Posted - 20 Jul 2015 : 07:09:14
I think I used Shadiar rather then 'Land of the Lions' on my Erlkazar map because it fit better, and because I am using that map as a reference it just carried over. I have more room now, so I will look into that.
As for the others - I will have to double check tomorrow. Thanks for the heads-up. Sometimes its the (canon) maps that got the spelling wrong - for example, the 'Alimir' Mountains, NOT 'Alamir' as it says on the 3e map. I go by the older (1e/2e) maps when there is a conflict. Anyone else see anything please point it out - when you got around a thousand pieces of text floating around you are bound to spell a few things wrong, and I'd hate to see any of those make it into the final map.
Really dreading adding the river names... so I went a little nuts instead. I melded the Five Shires with Luiren (sized to scale and everything). Don't know why - it falls off the edge of the map. I may have to release a 'director's cut" at some point.
So what was that about "too much" room and them resizing the maps in 3e? Even if I took Nentir Vale out, the thing would still be very cluttered. Ah, Faerûn... we hardly knew yea.
I did add a few of my newer touches to this one (things I didn't do back when I first started this project). The scale is one - I can't understand why TSR/WotC doesn't put duel scales on their maps - its easy to do, and with at least half of all RPGers being Non-American, its just plain common sense.
Lastly, I don't know how it happened, the map shifted up more then I intended - the bottom of the landmass shouldn't be cut-off near Chisolne - that always irked the hell out of me with the 3e campaign map. That means there is few things that wound-up showing near the top that shouldn't (like the unlabeled 'Soaring spirit' temple). I'll get it perfect with the next one. |
| Mapolq |
Posted - 20 Jul 2015 : 04:54:08
I've noticed a few possible typos on the map:
Shadíar should be Shadi'ar, and that actually refers to the nomadic tribes also known as "Lions", not the land north of the Lake of Steam itself (that could be called "Land of the Lions", as per Empires of the Shining Sea).
Samph (the city in Chondath) looks like a typo, should be Shamph.
Nelderild (in Mulhorand) also looks like a typo, should be Neldorild.
|
| Cyrinishad |
Posted - 20 Jul 2015 : 01:16:45
Wow! These maps are tremendous, Markustay. I'm particulary psyched about the Shining South maps, because the 3rd edition campaign I enjoyed running the most was centered there. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 19 Jul 2015 : 23:12:41
And here I decided to finish this because it was "so close to being done". The 'polishing' is the hardest part. LOL
New Update: The Shining South + Nentir Vale
Lots still left to do, but its slowly getting there. Trying to fit all the river & road names on this is going to be a bear. |
| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 19 Jul 2015 : 08:24:08
Yay, somebody reads my work (I can feel myself welling up).
Im with arcanamach on the canon issue. Its quantity and quality have declined to the point where it is inconsequential what is officially published. I value homebrew lore much more as its often better thought out and you can see the love that has gone into it.
You keep producing your homebrew maps. They are just as good if not better than official maps of the region (which are non existant in the current edition). As I said before, maps are a major source of inspiration for my redesigns and the more resources I have the better.
Now if I could just persuade you to make a map for my Netheril rewrite that would make my year. |
| Taurendil |
Posted - 19 Jul 2015 : 03:23:38
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Is there an interest in this?
I'm OH SO interested in this! I'm currently running a campaign in the Shaar/Border Kingdoms/Arnrock.
Your work just makes me want to explore more areas in the south. Keep'em coming! |
| Mapolq |
Posted - 19 Jul 2015 : 01:28:34
I'm always interested in your stuff (particularly the closer-to-3E-canon maps). I think if you go for a "canon-lite" version without Nentir it might be more fitting to remove my sites and their names as well, since they're totally homebrew. |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 19 Jul 2015 : 00:00:31
I stopped being interested in official canon years ago MT. Obviously my interest is in your Misbegotten Realms, but your adjustments on the official maps/lore usually trumps canon (in my opinion, anyway). Between you, Dazzler, Jeremy and GK I think the Realms has improved immeasurably. The work coming from you guys tends to be more interesting than anything coming from WotC these days (and that's not a snipe at them, just my honest opinion).
Anyway, I would take your maps over official ones any day.
P.S. There are other great contributors at CK, not just the four I mentioned. Too many to list. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 18 Jul 2015 : 23:37:54
Thanks. Except for a fortress and the two jungles, Halruaa is all canon.
I added a small jungle in Dambrath last night as well - large nations without trees really bother me.
I just got done pasting together a slew of 2e maps because I was tired of referencing 15-20 different maps for this project. I noticed one thing I never noticed before (actually TWO, but the other is way up in The Vast and not pertinent to this map): The label 'Ruins of Tathtar' appears on the Empires of the Shining Sea map but not on either the Vilhon Reach nor the maps from Lands of Intrigue (both of which show the same area). I find that interesting because that map is one of the most 'bare bones' I have seen, especially considering its supposed to be a detailed regional map. Anyhow, I had it placed correctly on my old 'Erlkazar Campaign' map, and its nice to have some visual confirmation.
This map, BTW, is far more accurate and true to the original version of Erlkazar then that one - one of these days I will have to update that one as well (its one of my 'pet' areas). I will never get it perfect, because of all the fudgery that went on with the 3e maps, but this one comes pretty close to the original while still keeping fairly true to the 3e layout. When I did that map I had no access to the FRIA, which had several roads and locales that appeared on no other map (and not in any lore source I could find, either, which is really strange). |
| Delwa |
Posted - 18 Jul 2015 : 21:36:02
I'm interested in this map. I'm more interested in the Canon version, but I'm ok with whatever I get. I've used your maps for almost every campaign I've run. I really want to do something in or around Halruaa, and your maps are among my favorites. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 18 Jul 2015 : 21:18:10
I think I recall now why I dropped this project...
Is there an interest in this? I realize that by putting Nentir Vale in there it probably annoys the 'canon junkies', but my eventual plan is to have THREE versions - a player's map, a DM's map, and Nentir-less map.
For the Nentir-less map, I may just drop or modify the Portuguese names from Mapolq's Sespech campaign as well, if they bother folks. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 17 Jul 2015 : 01:22:06
Newer Version of the Southern Realms Map
I was certain I had all the settlements labeled and I just now noticed one thats not over near the Spider Swamp. Oh well, next update.
You can get an idea of how the finished text is going to look by looking at the 'Wastes' areas (like the Bandit Wastes), with the redesigned text and glow. Also, the labels in the Dambrath area are done - you can see the text is slightly faded and also has a glow (makes it easier to read). Still lots more to do, but in the meantime, ENJOY. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 07 Jul 2015 : 01:36:41
That was an add of mine, for the campaign. when I looked over the maps I realized that there should be a VERY important trade route there, going from Lapalgard in Lapaliiya to Halruaa (the breaks in the mountains are canon from early maps - 3e made the mountain 'walls' much too solid). Such an important route - connecting the Shining Sea with Halruua (and beyond!) - should have a citadel guarding that pass (especially considering the heavy crinti/outlaw/barbarian presence all around Halruaa). My assumption is that VERY FEW traders make it past the citadel - goods are exchanged between them and Halruaan merchants, who then move the goods further into their nation (probably downriver from Zoundar).
Since posting that I have named it 'Lapalmeet Post'... until something better comes to me. |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 07 Jul 2015 : 01:14:38
One question: What is the location in the river valley just west of Mt. Talath? It looks like a tower but I can't quite tell. Does it have a name? |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 07 Jul 2015 : 01:08:53
Ahh, more MT goodness. If I could pay some of you scribes for the efforts you guys put in I would.
As usual an incredible map. I like the fact that you work to put in all the canon locations (and your own work) into these areas. It is frustrating sometimes when you have to hunt down some location you just KNOW is there but can't find the source for. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 06 Jul 2015 : 20:31:26
If you look at The Landrise - the cliffs that separate The Shaar from the Eastern Shaar - the western Shaar appears to be much lower then its eastern half. I think I may have continued with that idea - that the western Shaar was at 'sea level' (which means the Border kingdoms can't be lower).
I am not sure what my thinking was with those cliffs (I started this map over two years ago and then abandoned it). I think I wanted to give some sort of terrain reason why the Shaar and the Border kingdoms stay separate (you have medieval culture on one side and then 'primitive savages' on the other). To the west of those cliffs its a much more gradual rise in elevation (as we move away from the 'savage' lands and on into Lapliiya).
Aso, because I included Nentir Vale and that has lore (and geography) of its own (which doesn't exactly fit so well with the other lore in the region), I ran The Landrise up and through Nentir Vale - which DOES have its own (internal) canon 'landrise' (escarpment) running through it. This allowed me to separate the various sub-regions ('Vales') from each other with physical boundaries which helps explain some of the lore snafus, while at the same time allowing me to 'marry' the geography together (since Nentir Vale doesn't really belong there). Just noticed this - on the Elsir Vale map there are cliffs there, so I just wound the same set of cliffs from The Landrise on through Nentir Vale and then across the NW of the Elsir Vale. The folk of Elsir (Channath) Vale refer to that region as 'the Endless Plains' (which is kinda odd when the Border Kingdoms are right on the other side LOL).
So, looking back at it now and trying to remember my thinking, it was a combination of 'fudging' to get stuff to work and also a bit of poetic license. I also think the Lake of Steam is a shallow-impact meteor crater (east-to-west strike), which means the land around it would have been 'pushed up' (which is why I added so many hills there - there really isn't supposed to be that many decent spots for ports around the lake of Steam). I probably should add coastal cliffs around the north coast of the Border kingdoms.
Shaareach also got 'squashed'. I would have liked to make it a little bigger (as it was on 1e/2e maps), but that area got over-written by the Overlook lore (RHoD) and I had to go by the much smaller valley there (which was how it looked in 3e, and the RHoD maps were based on the 3eFR map). So the former human realm of Shaareach is now under the 'protection' of Overlook and the dwarves. Shaareach was never much of realm to begin with - more like Altumbel or The Great Dale in that regard (so it was an easy fix to make). I still have to number all those small settlements and put a map key out in the water somewhere (or folks could just use the Overlook map).
If you use the Overlook Map, the Dun Hills (FR) = The Stonehome Mountains (RHoD). That region is where the Red Hand material REALLY deviated from FR canon. |
| Rymac |
Posted - 06 Jul 2015 : 19:30:48
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Just an update on where I am at with this one.
Shaareach/Shining South Conversion Campaign Map
Its an old one I am finally completing. I've changed quite a few of the methods I use, so this one may seem a bit 'primitive' compared to newer stuff. Not sure if you guys would even notice (except for maybe the scale) because it has more to do with the technical (digital art) aspects. I just thought it was worth completing.
This is the most accurate version of Halruaa I've done, and is canon except for the two forests (jungles) I added. it seemed strange such a large country had no woodlands. There are several locales that hadn't appeared on my earlier Halruaa map - they were taken from the Fonstad atlas maps. They were even missing from the FRIA.
And its still a ways from being done.
I was looking at the topography. Is the Shaar higher or lower in elevation in relation to the the Duskwood? I thought it was higher, but the cliff suggests that part of the Shaar is lower in elevation. Based on old editions, I think the Shaar was higher, that there was a ridge delineating in maps from older editions and products. Maybe my memory is wrong. |
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