Monday, July 27, 2015

Minbari of Sheridan's World: a map commission

This post is Part 1 of a series to augment the Fictional Cartography by D.N.Frost available for free download.

This and other map commissions are gathered in my Portfolio Directory for you to explore.

This post is also Part 2 of a series about Stephen Everett. Start with Part 1 here.



I first connected with Steve in Part 1 of this guest series, when we collaborated on his map of Babylon and Corinth for Sheridan's World. Later, Steve connected with me for a second map of the same planet. This time, we'd be mapping Minbari, a longer and skinnier continent on the other side of Sheridan's World.

For this map, Steve had some specific coordinates for the limits of the Minbari continent, but fewer towns with exact coordinates. We discussed his basic needs for the map, and I sent Steve an estimate based on the streamlined style of his first map.


Check out this Fictional Cartography by D.N.Frost for more maps!


Shortly after he signed the estimate, however, Steve mentioned including more topography like forests and rivers.

Since the estimate hadn't accounted for the additions, I noted the new features he wanted.

As a repeat customer, Steve understood the difference between the map elements I'd factored into his estimate and the map elements he brought up afterward.

Once I knew Steve was fine with the extra cost of his topography additions, I used a rough sketch he'd sent me to make an initial render of his coastline.


Here's what he had to say about the finished map:


Minbari of Sheridan's World, a map commission by D.N.Frost for Stephen Everett www.DNFrost.com/portfolio Part 1 of a series.
I love it. The map has a wonderful strangeness.

We used colour and shadings to convey mood and geography.

I love the colours.

The shading and tones and colors all work together, and I love the way the shading came through and bleeding of colours worked.

The rain forest is spot on! You are incredible. I love the map.

D.N. used her skills to create the eastern portion as a battle between Earth life encroaching and fighting the local alien life.

I think the whole effect is awesome. I love the way the map really does have an otherworldly feel.

Thank you so much for all your efforts.

Hell yes, excellent job on this. Very spacey and cooooool!

– Stephen Everett, science-fiction writer


That's it for this post! Up Next: How the continent took shape... Soon.


Want to bring your own world to life? We can map your world.
You deserve a professional map you can be proud to share.

Download Fictional Cartography by D.N.Frost here, or start your adventure below.






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Monday, July 20, 2015

Coastlines of A'tal: a map commission

This post is Part 2 of a series to augment the Fictional Cartography by D.N.Frost available for free download. Start with Part 1 here.

This and other map commissions are gathered in my Portfolio Directory for you to explore.

Find more guest-inspired content in my Guest Directory.



After Morgyn sketched A'tal in Part 1 of this series, I started working on a render. Morgyn had very specific travel times for her world, so first I transformed her sketch to the right dimensions in Photoshop.

I overlaid a grid on her sketch and shrank the width and height until they matched her travel times. With everything in the right ratio, I enlarged the whole sketch in proportion to fill the page.


Check out this Fictional Cartography by D.N.Frost for more maps!


Certain travel times were due southwest, so I made a slanted grid to space them properly.

I chopped pieces of her sketch and dragged them to match the distances Morgyn needed for her stories.

With an accurate outline in hand, I sculpted her coastline and added the mountains, foothills, and river as she'd drawn them.

These were sketchy for her reference, so she could confirm the basic placement of things. I overlaid her re-proportioned sketch over the render, which Morgyn printed out to draw her changes right onto the render.

Morgyn added an east coastline, moved around some settlements, and added a few more ports and another river.

She also drew a more natural curve for the foothills to follow.

I rendered a cleaner version of the mountains and foothills with a more natural undulation.

Then I spent some time cleaning up little overlaps between mountains, and I colored the mountains gray. Using their dividing line, I colored the red deserts of Daharsha.

The hues were still in quick-color mode, a bit more vibrant and full-force than the finished map would be, but I was looking for tones that would blend well together when antiqued, and for a green and red combination that didn't feel like Christmas.


That's it for this post! Up Next: Adding the towns and tribes... Soon.

Want to bring your own world to life? We can map your world.
You deserve a professional map you can be proud to share.

Download Fictional Cartography by D.N.Frost here, or start your adventure below.






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Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Old Ryerin: a map for Awakening

Old Ryerin: fallen civilization of the tree elves www.DNFrost.com/maps #TotKW A map for Awakening by D.N.Frost @DNFrost13 Part 12 of a series.
This post is Part 12 of a series to augment the Atlas of the Known World available for free download. Start with Part 1 here.

This and other TotKW maps are gathered in my Map Directory for you to explore.

Enjoy!



Old Ryerin
Old Ryerin: fallen civilization of the tree elves www.DNFrost.com/maps #TotKW A map for Awakening by D.N.Frost @DNFrost13 Part 12 of a series.
Fallen civilization of the tree elves.


Geography and Climate


In Part 3 of Awakening, Old Ryerin is a lost forest that stood in what is now the badlands. A mighty civilization once reigned between the Glades of Despair and the Front Rishi, before dark fire reduced the trees to charcoal. Ample coastlines made for bustling trade with Ryerin's neighbors, and the moisture from sea breezes fostered rainy, temperate seasons.

This region also bordered the Gulf of Lohki, Desperate Sea, and Plains of Rishi.


Flora and Fauna


The old growth forests of Ryerin were rife with grand oaks and king beech trees that towered over 150 feet high. Stands of elven birch grew in the sandy soil near the coasts, and a thriving ecosystem of birds and woodland creatures dwelt within the trees. The mightiest of all Ryerin's birds was the great phoenix, whose airspeed and glorious plumage earned it the name fire falcon. In addition, its ability to regenerate damaged or lost limbs gave rise to the name resurrection eagle. Now extinct like the rest of Old Ryerin's creatures, the wild phoenix was known to hunt in bands of five or six members, using stealth and strategy to take down deer and wild boar.


People and Dress


The tree elves of Old Ryerin built a mighty civilization within their forest, but they fled northward when Ryerin burned. Now they live as second-class citizens in the Plains of Rishi, scratching out an indentured living beneath the wealthy plains elves whose ancestors offered Ryerin's refugees the chance to earn their keep. The fairest of all the elves, tree elves have light hair and light eyes. Like all elves, they are tall and graceful, and like most of the elf races, they have long backswept ears. The tree elves of Old Ryerin were strongly allied with the flourishing civilization of nymphs to the south, and loosely allied with the rural agrarian culture of plains elves to the north. Both men and women tended to dress in white robes, though colorful trim was often used to symbolize financial status, guild membership, and individual preference.


Native Magic


Like most of the elf races, tree elves make poor elemental mages. They display good sensory magics, with their Sound magic comparable to that of plains elves, though their latent Touch magic is typically less prevalent than in their plains elf cousins. Both their prime Metal magic and their latent Animal magic are quite good, and though there are few stellar Metal mages amongst the tree elves, their special magics as a whole are more balanced than other elf races. This balance gives rise to a greater prevalence of rare Forge mages, who can sharpen and sculpt cold metal as if it were clay.

Check out the Magic Codex of the Known World to learn more.


Cultural Values and Traditions


The tree elves of Old Ryerin valued justice and equality over all other virtues. Model citizens were fair and indiscriminate in their affairs, regardless of their financial standing. The meritocracy of Old Ryerin sought out the smartest and most capable for positions of power, and even the king was appointed by an electorate of Ryerin's most virtuous scholars. Magic and education went hand in hand, and Ryerin's universities were renowned throughout the Known World for their accessibility and stellar curricula. Families were large and egalitarian, tracing lineage through both the male and female lines, and important family decisions were usually determined by the vote of parents and children, as well as extended family such as grandparents, aunts and uncles, and even cousins. Every voice was considered equally important, and it was most offensive to dismiss a Ryerik's opinion without giving it due consideration.

Age was measured in years, and Ryerin placed the new year on the winter solstice as per the solunar tables of the ancient merfolk calendar. The line between childhood and adulthood was very blurred for the Ryerik, and overall maturity was usually the deciding factor in how a person was viewed. Articulate and compassionate individuals were often considered adults early in life, while recalcitrant or spiteful personalities were viewed as children well into their thirties. The mark of adulthood was measured in how an individual treated others, particularly those who could offer nothing in return. While no celebration marked a child's ascension into adulthood, weddings were a huge affair in Old Ryerin. Wedding preparations often took years to perfect, and the wedding itself often spanned a week or more of drinking, feasting, and music interspersed with grand speeches and gift presentations from family members and well-wishers.


Warriors and Guardians


Though Old Ryerin had little cause for war, highly-trained phoenix gliders were considered the guardians of the forest. These riders were respected throughout Ryerin, and they were often given special consideration out of appreciation for their guardianship. Aspiring youths would report to one of the land's many aeries, and each selected a phoenix chick from the hatchery there. Life in the aerie consisted of combat training and care for one's phoenix, as well as mandatory schooling to ensure a balanced education for each rider. Adult phoenix gliders also learned aerial maneuvers and battle tactics, as well as the overarching strategies of war. The oldest riders retired from active duty to teach the youths of the aerie, and at a rider's death, the aerie released his longer-lived phoenix back into the forest. Unfortunately, phoenixes are now extinct, and the tradition of phoenix gliding died with them.


Languages


The tree elves of Old Ryerin spoke a language known as Ryehren, which was a dialect of the mer language that was was heavily influenced by A'lari, the language of the nymphs to the south. Strangely, the tree elves are the only one of the elf races whose tongue is not based on Ka'e, the ancestral language of the elves. However, the high civilization of Ryerin escalated their language to the lingua franca of its day, and people across the Known World learned Ryehren in order to trade and conduct foreign policy. The language Ryehren was written in a curving script similar to that of the mers, and it was the first "universal" tongue of the Known World, though most outside of Ryerin spoke their ancestral tongue natively and learned Ryehren as a second language.

Check out the Language Codex of the Known World to learn more.


Characters from The Known World


Awakening is a potent tale of self-discovery. Experience this gripping fantasy adventure and discover yourself within. www.DNFrost.com/Awakening #TotKW
In the book Awakening, Kingard is a plains elf who lived in Old Ryerin until it was cursed by the invading Colkh'rak.

After helping citizens flee northward, Kingard witnessed the rapid decay of his beloved home into the arid desolation of the badlands.

Now, he leads a company of fugitives around the badlands and into the Glades of Despair, where the mythic city A'lara awaits their arrival.

With little more than luck on his side, Kingard hopes to reach the magic city and unleash the power to oust the Colkh'rak once and for all.


That's it for this post! Up Next: Windswept plains of the gryphon riders...

Download the Atlas of the Known World here, or start your adventure below.






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Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Portent XII of Awakening: a riddle in rhyme

In the novel Awakening, there are 23 portents fortelling the events of the unfolding saga.

Start with Portent I here.

These and other riddles in rhyme are gathered in the Portents Directory for you to explore.

Enjoy!



By land and sea and air they ride
The motley force of Mother's pride
For prince estranged they come by air
Their chieftain blessed by danger's wear

The sea erupts its lowest lows
By countless heads the army grows
The long unshackled earthly rise
To fight beneath unshrouded skies

Beholden from the depths they burst
To oust again the reigning cursed
The wretched now cannot defend
With threefold battle at its end

But advent unexpected wrests
The night from long unwelcome guests
Unleashed the gateway's vicious roar
With thunder turns the tides of war.


Can you decode the future Tales of the Known World?

Share your interpretation!
Comment below with your take on this portent.


This epic portent is quoted before three scenes in Awakening, and it predicts one of the coolest plot twists in Book 4. I love the sturdy rhythm of this prophesy. What do you think the threefold battle might be?



Download the Prophesy Appendix:

The merfolk culture is built on the prophetic Gift. Nearly all men produce a portent every twenty days, and they devote their lives to interpretation. For more about the role and inner workings of prophesy, check out the Prophesy Appendix above.



Alongside every prophesy is an attribution block. This block contains a byline giving the name of the person who said the prophesy, and a dateline giving the day the prophesy was first said. Here is the attribution for this portent:
Resyn Jarunwe Rovikya XV
1:3:3:5/5, III:IX
The portent attributed here has not yet been interpreted. It was said recently, and it will be repeated every twenty days until either it is correctly interpreted, or it comes to pass.


That's it for this post! Up Next: To boldly tread the rocky path...

For the Prophesy Appendix, enter your email above.






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