Towns of Babylon: a map commission

This post is Part 3 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.

I deviated from the process outlined in Part 1 of this series to plot the towns first, because Steve had exact coordinates for all his towns and islands. This allowed me to verify all his coordinates were on land before I worked on subsequent map elements like the mountains, colors, and text.

Plotting all these coordinates was more time-consuming than I'd expected. Certain coastal cities wound up out to sea or too far inland, and I had to adjust the coastlines to match their locations. I had to re-draw many of the islands from scratch.

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

For the island nation of Corinth, Steve opted to shift all the coordinates east toward the Babylon mainland.

The original coordinates were centered in the 120 E range, but Steve asked me to plot them in the 140 E range.

He had so many coordinates for towns and islands that many of them overlapped. I plotted them all, deciding to ask him which ones to eliminate.

I added some color to make it easier on my eyes, but the sheer number of towns and islands exhausted the hours I'd quoted Steve for the project. I threw in a free hour to finish the plotting and sent him a new render to see how he wanted to proceed from there. Due to my miscalculation of time required to plot all his towns, we agreed to add one more hour to the commission budget so the map could be finished.

Steve sent me a final sketch of mountain ranges and lakes to add to the map.

He selected a font for the map names and a separate font for the map title, both of which I downloaded and installed on my computer.

Steve also told me which towns to eliminate from the map to prevent overlapping, and he gave me new coordinates for a few towns to have a bit more space on the map. We were in the final stages of the mapping process, and I was really excited to create a finished product that both of us could be proud of.

Steve then asked me to shift the islands of Corinth even closer to the dateline, which was fairly easy.

We confirmed the new coordinates for accuracy, and I shifted the islands eastward one last time.

After tracing lakes into the shape of the continents and adding mountain ranges where he needed them, I revamped the map colors and sent Steve a final render.

The map was beautiful and really exceeded my expectations despite all my experience making my Maps of the Known World. There was space in the render for a few more labels if he had names to add, and he supplied me with the names of a few mountain ranges and seas to help even out the empty space.

That's it for this post! Up Next: Wrapping up the finished map...

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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The Katei Ocean: a map for Awakening

This post is Part 10 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!

The Katei Ocean

Lifeblood of trade routes and pirates alike.

Geography and Climate

In Chapter 7 of Awakening, the Katei Ocean lies at the heart of the Known World. This body of water connects the eastern lands of Kholl and Dohar with the western lands of Allana and Kanata.

Renowned for its powerful clockwise gyre, the Katei Ocean supports the merchant fleets that circulate the Known World. The currents from the frigid north bring nutrient-rich waters into the warmer southern regions, which in turn carry temperate waters and gentler weather up Allana's east coast.

This region also borders the Gulf of Lohki, the Back Rishi, and the Sutek Desert.

Flora and Fauna

In the southwestern corner of the Katei Ocean, vast kelp beds take advantage of the swift currents converging there. Innumerable crabs, shrimp, and small fish inhabit these kelp forests, as do a few diminutive species of sea wyverns. Along the western edge of the Katei, cultivated coral reefs form the mer settlements of Rovikya, where schools of parrotfish used for coral landscaping and domesticated herds of sea wyverns have replaced the wild creatures that once roamed its temperate waters. The eastern Katei is mostly open ocean dotted with islands, and the merfolk share tales of sharks and eerie fish that dwell in the depths beneath the light of day.

People and Dress

The mers of Rovikya wear no clothing, but are easily distinguished by their fanned tail-fins and semi-circular scales. An earless race, the Rovikye sport the characteristic rib-stribes common to the western reefs, and their arm webbing spans from hip to the first knuckle of each hand. Allied with the other mers of the Known Oceans, most particularly the ones at Dynde, Rovikyan mers are peaceable but prejudiced folk who contribute to the collection and analysis of prophesy across reefs. While the reefs along Allana's eastern coasts are populated almost exclusively by blue mers, the green mers who do not provide cheap labor are sequestered to the south of these reefs, in the swift currents and thick kelp beds known as Sonne Rovikya.

Native Magic

For all mers, magic divisions align less with regional boundaries and more with the color of a mer's scales. Green mers excel at elemental and sensory magics, with their water and light magics far exceeding that of their blue cousins. Greens, however, are poor with special magics, and it is the prophetic Gift of the blue mers that triggered their rise to superiority. While the blue women are able to scry and see visions of the future, the blue men are able to slip into prophetic trances and predict the future verbally, which has led to rajaweh, large male-run libraries of prophesy dating back thousands of years.

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

Cultural Values and Traditions

Due to the prevalence of prophesy in mer life, foreknowledge is valued over all else. A virtuous woman must use her visions of the future to aid the governing seyodi. A virtuous man must provide his prophesies and analytic services to his local rajaweh library. Because only the blue mers have the prophetic Gift, blue is considered the most esteemed color, rich with magic and favored by the deity called Mother. In fact, the mer word for blue, raja, is also the mer word for king, and it's used in the compound word rajaweh. There is nothing more offensive to a blue mer than to be likened to one of their Giftless green cousins, so more common and less flagrant insults tend to impugn a blue's prophetic contributions to the community.

Age is measured in years using the solunar tables of the ancient merfolk calendar, with the new year beginning on the winter solstice at 1:1:1:1 of each year. Coming of age, however, is rarely celebrated. Families are matriarchal, and daughters come to assist their mothers in legislation and administration of law in the civilian seyodi upon reaching adulthood. Sons, on the other hand, come of age and join their absent fathers in the rajaweh to perform their highest calling of contributing and interpreting the foreknowledge accessed through their prophetic Gift.

Warriors and Guardians

Though blue mers do not wage war in order to better pursue knowledge of the future, the green mers of Sonne Rovikya have developed their own brand of violence outside the strictures of seyodi law. Without a police authority to maintain order, numerous gangs jockey for supremacy under the cover of the kelp forest in which they live, and few escape the pervasive reach of gang rivalry. While spilling blood is avoided to prevent attracting sharks, conflicting greens often use bludgeoning weapons to intimidate and extort brothels, casinos, and honest businesses alike.

Languages

The Rovikye speak the language of the merfolk, Vyehedaryn, or Meri, as it's more commonly known on land. A genesis language for the land-tongue Allanic, Meri is not intelligible to the landfolk, but it sounds archaic and somewhat familiar, as many Allanic words were once rooted in the Meri language. The lyrical tongue of the merfolk is written in a curvaceous script stacked in rows from bottom to top, and due to extensive documentation and cross-referencing of prophesies across millennia, Meri has changed very little throughout recorded history.

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

Characters from The Known World

In the book Awakening, Larin and Jorn escape slavery in Kholl to cross the Katei Ocean on a Kanatan merchant ship.

En route to their destination at Port Myre, their ship encounters a deadly wave sent by a mer.

Through pleading with the lady mer, Larin learns that she's connected her visions of death to their ship's impending arrival.

Larin saves the ship by reminding the lady mer that her dreadful vision will come to pass no matter what, but she and Jorn are left with no way to avoid the foreseen devastation.

That's it for this post! Up Next: Tropical paradise of plantations and aristocrats...

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

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Linnea Tanner: an inspired collaboration

This post is Part 1 of a series to augment the Guest Resources available for free download.

This and other guest-inspired content is gathered in my Guest Directory for you to explore.

Find more tarot-related content in my Tarot Gallery.

Recently, I created a guest post for Linnea Tanner. I discovered Linnea on Twitter, where she shares pictures and posts about the ancient Celts. Linnea writes historical fantasy set in ancient Britain, and she blogs about Celtic history, mythology, and the culture of spirit warriors.

I've always loved delving into the traditions of other cultures, and the ancient Celts are no exception. The realm of my Tales of the Known World saga was inspired by a multitude of cultures and societal notions, as well as a pantheon of mythologies. I thought it would be good to connect with Linnea, and I wanted to offer her something of value for her blog. The only problem? I was intimidated.

Check out these Guest Resources for more inspirational content!

Linnea posts lots of long articles with numerous pictures of Celtic artifacts. Each has a references section with a bibliography, and each contains detailed and historically accurate information about the life, history, and mysticism of the ancient Celts. How could I possibly conjure the Celtic information to make a blog post for Linnea, when I go to her blog for Celtic information?

Then it struck me. I have a Celtic-themed tarot card deck full of Celtic symbolism. Linnea wrote a lot about Celtic spirit warriors and their connection with ravens. One of my tarot cards, The Warrior, showed a Celtic warrior woman, and another card, The Page of Swords, depicted a raven. Reading through the symbolism of these two cards, I discovered a host of interrelated knowledge about warriors, ravens, and other Celtic symbols. It would make the perfect contribution to Linnea's blog, her books, and her readers.

With enthusiasm, I sent my offer to Linnea, and she replied the very same day. My idea was right up her alley, but I was still nervous about creating a legitimate post with a bibliography for her blog. Once the post was revised and formatted, however, I realized I'd gone from panicked intimidation to resonant pride in what I had done. I sent Linnea the finished post and images, and she responded with delight. Linnea uploaded the post on her website, and the rest is history.

You can connect with Linnea
at LinneaTanner.com here.

And be sure to subscribe to Linnea's awesome blog, if you haven't already!

That's it for this post! Up Next: The actual guest post content...

Download the Guest Resources here, or start your adventure below.

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Life is an adventure.
Are You Ready?

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Portent X 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!

When scattered band in grief amassed
By binder's legacy aghast
In dead of night he creeps within
To reunite with kinless kin

When lost is found with silent ears
The found is lost to darker years
And stems the tide of sorrow's bite
Reviving shattered master's might.


Can you decode the future Tales of the Known World?

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

Though a bit on the shorter side, this portent is super cool! It is quoted before two scenes in Chapter 2 of Awakening, which you can read in the free ebook here.

This prophesy comes to pass about halfway through Book 3. Who do you think the kinless kin are?

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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.

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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:

Sohli Nlyndwnvi Rovikya XVIII
1:2:2:3/5, 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: What loosed the Nine Hells black and deep...

For the Prophesy Appendix, enter your email above.

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Life is an adventure.
Are You Ready?

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Worldbuilder's Anvil: an inspired collaboration

This post is Part 1 of a series to augment the Guest Resources available for free download.

This and other guest-inspired content is gathered in my Guest Directory for you to explore.

Find more world workshops in my Worldbuilding Directory.

Recently, I was interviewed for Worldbuilder's Anvil, a cool podcast by Jeffery W. Ingram. I first met Jeffery on Twitter, well before he launched his podcast, and we chatted as friends and fellow world-builders. He mentioned his idea to interview different world-builders on his podcast. We also discussed a joint production on how to create fictional languages, to utilize my linguistics degree and Language Codex of the Known World.

Jeffery launched his fantastic podcast with each episode focused on a different topic or world-builder. After we set a date to record my interview, Jeffery sent me the show questions, and I went through the notes in a few different pen colors.

Check out these Guest Resources for more inspirational content!

While jotting down cool answers and mentionable details, I came up with my World Map Giveaway to announce on the podcast. I'd been wanting to do another map commission to flesh out my world map portfolio, and Jeffery's listeners seemed like the perfect audience for it.

The day of the recording happened to be the exact day I started recovering from a cold. With my head a little duller than usual, I ran the giveaway by Jeffery before the interview, and he agreed to have me announce it. We dove into the interview, and I'm so glad I made notes beforehand! I found myself relying on those notes much more than I'd anticipated, though my nerves and waning cold were likely culprits.

After following my notes through two pages of questions, I saw my idea for the map giveaway scrawled in the bottom margin. I'd totally forgotten to mention it throughout the whole interview! Hilariously, I announced my well-planned giveaway at the last minute, and learned a valuable lesson about prioritizing notes ahead of time.

You can start listening to
Worldbuilder's Anvil: Interview with D.N.Frost here.
(interview starts at 1:50)

And be sure to subscribe to Jeffery's awesome podcast, if you haven't already.

That's it for this post! Up Next: All these freaking maps...

Download the Guest Resources here, or start your adventure below.

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Life is an adventure.
Are You Ready?

Liked this? Share, please!

Coastlines of Babylon: 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 Steve and I discussed his unique world in Part 1 of this series, the next step was to iron out the shape of his continents. His initial render was free of charge, to help Steve envision his finished map before he made a deposit on the commission.

The free render started when Steve sent me some of his world-building notes on the lay of the land. I read through the notes and made a freehand sketch of the continents, then talked with Steve about general shapes of the mainland continent and the island archipelago. Armed with knowledge, I made the first render of Steve's map!

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

After Steve saw the preliminary render, he printed out the render and sketched his first adjustments right onto the map, then scanned it and sent the image back to me.

At this point, he paid a deposit for a little over half the total cost, and I began making adjustments.

I shifted subcontinents, adjusted islands, and added peninsulas to the original render.

Steve provided very particular latitudes for the Arctic and Tropic parallels. But as I worked those lines into the updated map, I bumped into a problem.

The temperate zone Steve wanted stretched the continent far beyond the north pole and equator.

I sent him an overlay of his continents across a map of Earth to illustrate the issue, and I provided a few options for different solutions.

Steve picked the option that worked best for his world, and I shrank the tropic and arctic zones into proportion for the temperate zone he wanted.

Not surprisingly, the shape of the whole continent changed drastically.

I added a latitude and longitude grid for Steve's reference and sent him another render so he could decide if he liked the new look.

Steve had lots of statistics about his planet that were difficult to translate into a 2D map projection.

Because all 2D maps distort the land depicted (especially near the poles), we agreed that his 2D map would inherently be a little inaccurate, similar to my Maps of the Known World.

Fortunately, that meant it wouldn't contradict his data on miles of coastline, total land area, and percentage fresh water. He liked the new render, and we were ready to move on to the next stage of his map.

That's it for this post! Up Next: Mountains, lakes, and plotting town coordinates...

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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Life is an adventure.
Are You Ready?

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The Back Rishi: a map for Awakening

This post is Part 9 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!

The Back Rishi

Fertile river deltas in the elf heartland.

Geography and Climate

In Chapter 6 of Awakening, the Back Rishi forms the eastern half of the Plains of Rishi. It lies between the arid Sutek Desert to the north and the balmy Gulf of Lohki to the south.

Below the sheer D'jed Mountains, its rolling plains foster mighty river deltas, where the rich black soil has been cultivated for centuries. At the western edge of the Katei Ocean, high escarpments plunge to meet the sea, and long growing seasons grace these temperate plains.

This region also borders the Front Rishi, the Sren Shoals, and the Broken Hills.

Flora and Fauna

The Back Rishi is heavily agrarian, with little uncultivated land left. Hardy grains are grown in the drier soils north of the deltas, and rice paddies dominate the low-lying southern regions. Insects proliferate throughout the Back Rishi, supporting a wide array of birds and field rodents. The wild animals of the Back Rishi are smaller than their cousins of the western Front Rishi, and very few ranches exist east of the Black Ka river. Most farms have large chicken coops for eggs and poultry production, and many farms utilize domesticated wyverns to guard their fields from raiding insects or thieving trespassers. Oxen and horses are not uncommon beasts for plowing and transporting harvests to market.

People and Dress

The plains elves of the sunny Back Rishi have browned skin and dark hair. Their long, backswept ears are similar to most other elves, but their dark complexions are unique amongst the elf races. While allied with the other regions of the Allanic Empire, the elves of the Back Rishi are more focused on their agrarian lifestyle than the doings of their neighbors. Women dress in simple frocks and men prefer to work the land in undyed coveralls. Colorful garments are considered feminine and gaudy, unless reserved for special occasions. In the southern regions of the Back Rishi, larger farms employ the lighter-complexioned tree elves as indentured servants, and the plains elves tend to look upon these pale cousins with disdain.

Native Magic

Plains elves across the Rishi display similar magical propensities. Their elemental powers are profoundly weak, though in rare cases a plains elf may perform Earth or Air magic. Special magic is their typical strong suit, and plains elves make powerful Metal mages. Their Animal magic is a bit stronger than their mountain cousins, and plains elves display stronger Sound and Touch magics than other elf races. These sensory powers sometimes combine into the rare ability to perform Music magic, and wandering bards often earn a good living along the gulf coast.

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

Cultural Values and Traditions

A hard-working, diligent people, the plains elves of the Back Rishi value thrift and re-purposing over new possessions. Magic is typically affiliated with the colors blue and purple, which evoke wisdom and harmony with the divine. However, magic is approached as a practical resource rather than an otherworldly inspiration. Education is freely available, and all are encouraged to increase their understanding of economics and ecology. Farms and counties are governed locally, deferring to imperial law when necessary, but the elves of the Back Rishi prefer to handle their own affairs. Families are matriarchal and less wealthy than those to the west, but they still manage finances with deft scrutiny. Farms are passed down through generations, usually without dividing the land amongst children. Uniquely slow to anger, Back Rishins lead informal lives and rarely take offense at the behavior of others.

Age is measured in years, with the new year on the winter solstice as established by the ancient merfolk calendar. Birthdays in the Back Rishi are mild affairs celebrated with friends and family, a stark departure from the grand galas of the wealthier Front Rishins. Male children are not usually considered adults until they've taken a wife, and wedding parties double as coming-of-age ceremonies, with rituals confirming ascension to manhood often woven into the wedding itself. Women, however, become adults at first blood, and it is usually the woman who woos and proposes to her chosen man--once she's established a viable income for herself, typically as the inheritor of a piece of farmland. Mothers are expected to manage the farm's administrative duties in addition to raising children, while fathers are typically expected to labor on the farm and execute the harsher disciplinary actions for children and farmhands.

Warriors and Guardians

While gryphon riders were traditionally the guardians of the Rishi, wild gryphons have completely vanished from the eastern plains. There are few policing forces in the heavily cultivated Back Rishi, and private farms often have their most established serving families act as local enforcers. These enforcers tend to live alongside the farmhands, or even double as farmhands themselves. They protect fields and prevent theft, from both raiding animals and desperate people. Some minor farms employ mercenary guards to protect their fields from thieves, but most small farmers have a few guard-wyverns and little else to protect their crops.

Languages

Allanic is the uniting language of the empire, and the plains elves of the Back Rishi are no exception. Their dialect is a more tuneful and informal speech than the Allanic spoken further north in the empire. Compared to the elves of the western Rishi, Back Rishins speak more slowly and use a number of casual grammatical constructions that can sound lazy or disinterested to outsiders. Back Rishins, however, tend to gesticulate less than their western cousins do. The ancestral language of the elves, known as Ka'e, is no longer spoken in the Back Rishi, though traditional names and certain words still harken back to their ancestral roots.

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

Characters from The Known World

In the book Awakening, elves Sharis and Fal'on travel the Rishi Plains in the traditional nomadic lifestyle of gryphon riders, bartering their services for food and lodging.

While flying above the Drylands near the Sutek, they encounter the desert rider Tirrok and his pegasus as they embark from the sands.

After rendezvousing on the ground, Sharis and her brother share their knowledge about the plight of Allana's empress.

Tirrok joins the elf siblings on their quest to seek help from the mages of the mythic A'lara City.

That's it for this post! Up Next: Lifeblood of trade routes and pirates alike...

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

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Life is an adventure.
Are You Ready?

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Portent IX 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!

They gather lost and grieving sore
A fractured band that battle bore
Survivors who cannot prevail
Around a vacant pyre wail

Defeated thane by heartstring hanged
In living wake unto the fanged
By night divide and stronger grow
By day they bring the legend low

No shelter left they cannot breach
Nor hope their prowess cannot leach
In fire and blood their hungers sate
While master spins the threads of fate

When none can slow the dark advance
The green enlists a second chance
At last unfettered servants fledge
To meet the dark horizon's edge.


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 eight different scenes in Awakening, and it predicts the state of the world after the events of Book 2 take place. Not only does it set the stage for Book 3, it also alludes to a grand plot twist that happens later in that book.

I love this prophesy's relentless meter, embodying how none can slow the dark advance. Can you guess who the defeated thane might be?

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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.

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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:

Leiro Nvwnle Dynde XIV
1:2:1:6/5, 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: When lost is found with silent ears...

For the Prophesy Appendix, enter your email above.

---

Life is an adventure.
Are You Ready?

Liked this? Share, please!

World Map Portfolio: a map commission directory

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

The best and latest map commissions are gathered here at www.DNFrost.com/portfolio.

Find more guest-inspired content in my Guest Directory.

Also check out the maps from the TotKW saga:

For the making of the TotKW maps, see www.DNFrost.com/cartography.

And to map your own world, see www.DNFrost.com/commissions.

World of the Marshlanders: NEW POST!

I first encountered professor-gone-author Annis Pratt when a prior map client recommended my services for Annis's series of published novels. Check out our project mapping the wetlands for her eco-fiction series.

Read more of this post here...

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What are Commissions? On this website, the commissions tag refers to information about my map-making collaborations with others.

The map commission series showcases each project, and the commission resource series gives details on commissioning your next map.

Read more about this tag here... Soon.

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Fictional Cartography: a free download

Get a sense of my vesatile mapping process with these testimonials and project memoirs.

You'll learn how to use map-making as a tool to improve your own settings and stories.

Read more about this download here...

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Download your map guide Fictional Cartography by D.N.Frost here.

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Map Your World: a paid creative service

Your world is a masterpiece, and your map must reflect it perfectly. I want you to have access to this powerful creative tool, whether you want to enjoy your map on game night or publish a new map in every novel.

Read more about this service here...

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Map Commission FAQ: a free download

Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about my map-making services.

You'll learn key specifics like rates, image rights, and the start-to-finish of your project.

Read more about this download here... Soon.

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Download the helpful Map Commission FAQ here.

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Gold Commissions average over 12 hours of Photoshop time. Map Your World here.

These maps are elaborate, decorative, and usually require me to make technical innovations or major stylistic changes.

Ideal for your professional publications and full-page printing.

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Eastern Minas, for Stephen Everett

This earth-like planet was invented by science-fiction writer Stephen Everett. We finished his map in March 2020.

The map depicts the entire eastern hemisphere as a 2D overworld projection.

Begin Steve's map story here... Soon.

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Western Minas, for Stephen Everett

This earth-like planet was invented by science-fiction writer Stephen Everett. We finished his map in June 2018.

The map depicts the entire western hemisphere as a 2D overworld projection.

Begin Steve's map story here... Soon.

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The Realms of Iorden, for TOAFN

The Once and Future Nerd is a fantasy podcast written by Zach Glass and Christian Madera. We finished their map in May 2016.

The map depicts the shimmering White Forest and surrounding human realms.

Begin TOAFN's map story here...

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T'Chak of Sheridan's World

This earth-like planet was invented by science-fiction writer Stephen Everett. We finished his map in July 2016.

The map depicts much of the southern hemisphere as a 2D overworld projection.

Begin Steve's map story here...

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Minbari of Sheridan's World

This earth-like map was for science-fiction writer Stephen Everett. We finished his map in June 2015 and updated it in July 2016.

The map depicts much of the northern hemisphere as a 2D overworld projection.

Begin Steve's map story here...

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Babylon and Corinth of Sheridan's World

This earth-like map was for science-fiction writer Stephen Everett. We finished his map in January 2015 and updated it in July 2016.

The map depicts much of the northern hemisphere as a 2D overworld projection.

Begin Steve's map story here...

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Kleinpharas of Gardul, for Jeffery W Ingram

This poster-sized map shows a large swath of Jeffery W Ingram's earth-like world of Gardul. We finished his maps in April 2016.

The map displays the nuanced topography in the lands of Kleinpharas and beyond.

Begin Jeffery's map story here...

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Download the helpful Map Commission FAQ here.

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Silver Commissions average from 8-12 hours of Photoshop time. Map Your World here.

These maps are detailed and professional, for both high-quality printing and online sharing. Most of my own maps fall into this level of detail.

Ideal official images for your publications and online display.

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Kleinpharas of Gardul, for Jeffery Ingram

This earth-like world was imagined by fantasy worldbuilder and author Jeffery W Ingram. We finished his maps in April 2016.

The map shows a diverse land of many climates and detailed topography.

Begin Jeffery's map story here...

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World of the Marshlanders, for Annis Pratt

This realistic early-modern realm was invented by eco-fiction author Dr. Annis Pratt. We finished her map in October 2016.

The map displays a diverse peninsula of cultivated land and wild marshes.

Begin Annis's map story here...

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Gaul, for Linnea Tanner

This large overview of France was for historical fantasy author Linnea Tanner. We finished her map in August 2019.

The map shows the plains, rivers, and settlements of ancient France.

Begin Linnea's map story here... Soon.

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Southern Britannia, for Linnea Tanner

The world of the ancient Celts comes to life in the historical fantasy of Linnea Tanner. We finished her maps in July 2015.

The map depicts southern England and the Celtic tribes resisting Roman conquest.

Begin Linnea's map story here...

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Smuggler's Routes, for Claudia Oltean

Claudia writes about her grandfather's journalism in the crime-fueled mayhem of Prohibition-era Detroit. We finished her map in August 2015.

This map shows the contours of the frozen Detroit River and the major cities along its banks.

Begin Claudia's map story here...

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Download the helpful Map Commission FAQ here.

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Copper Commissions average less than 8 hours of Photoshop time. Map Your World here.

These maps are functional and aesthetic, but less elaborate. They rely on time-saving shortcuts and thorough correspondence to reduce revision time.

Ideal reference tools for your games and works in progress.

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Britannia, for Linnea Tanner

This large overview of England was for historical fantasy author Linnea Tanner. We finished her maps in July 2015.

The map shows the highlands, rivers, and Celtic tribes of ancient England.

Begin Linnea's map story here...

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Sordow, for David Glenn

This fantasy realm was invented by writer David Glenn, who drew inspiration from his British heritage. We finished his map in June 2016.

The map displays the four nations that form the northern isles of Sordow.

Begin David's map story here...

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Crystallon, for Monica Spath

This earth-like world was imagined by fantasy storyteller and weaver Monica Spath. We finished her map in July 2015.

The map depicts idyllic countryside and the forest that provides lumber for airships.

Begin Monica's map story here...

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A'tal of Affonaè

This earth-like world was imagined by fantasy writer and equestrian Morgyn Star. We finished her map in June 2015.

The map depicts the grassy realm of A'tal, bordered by the red sands of Daharsha.

Begin Morgyn's map story here...

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Download the helpful Map Commission FAQ here.

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Maps of Broken are further examples from my own fantasy saga. Map Your World here.

Maps of this sort showcase my own personal style, and demonstrate mapping capabilities beyond those commissioned above.

Additional styles and possibilities for your map.

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The Katei Ocean, for Broken

This is a section map for my own novel, Broken. I've included it as an example of my antiqued nautical cartography.

The map depicts ocean depths, coral reefs, and ocean currents in a decorative style.

See more maps from this novel here...

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The Nine Hells, for Broken

This is a section map for my own novel, Broken. I've included it as an example of mapping an unearthly realm.

The map depicts rugged expanses of barren rock split by chasms filled with magma.

See more maps from this novel here...


That's it for this post! Check out the latest map commissions for more.

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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Life is an adventure.
Are You Ready?

Liked this? Share, please!

Foreign Magic: a mystic resource

This post is Part 5 of a series to augment the Magic of the Known World available for free download. Start with Part 1 here.

This and other mystic resources are gathered in my Magic Directory for you to explore.

Find more worldbuilding content in my Codex Directory.

The properties of magic from Part 1 of this series let scholars group all the different magics of the Known World into the Magic Codex, a functioning taxonomy of magic.

This post corresponds with Magic Codex Chapter 5 - Foreign Magic.

The foreign magic class is comprised of magics that must be studied before they can be wielded. These magics arise intentionally in students of magic and are mastered through rigorous focus and technique. All foreign magics have finite potential, and inception and study are halted when a person's limit point is reached. Individual limits vary widely per person, and there are no general standards for a given race.

Check out the Magic of the Known World for more resources!

The four branches of foreign magic are elemental, sensory, life, and ether magic, each of which has a number of purviews. Some purviews are only accessible through study, and other purviews are natural magics, which some individuals are born able to wield. Those born without these natural abilities are able to study these purviews as foreign magics.

In my Tales of the Known World saga, any individual can study any purview as a foreign magic, regardless of his natural magic aptitudes. However, there seems to be a rough correlation between the strength of a person's natural magics for a given branch and his success learning foreign magics from that same branch.

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Download the complete Magic Codex:

The Known World is rife with magic. Over time, scholars have compiled all these magics and magical effects into a comprehensive taxonomy. For more about the role and inner workings of magic, check out the complete Magic Codex above.

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The elemental magic branch, described in Magic Codex Chapter 3, is comprised of magics that grant powers over a particular element, and that create effects upon or using that element. The two foreign magic purviews are fire and ice magic, accessible only through study. The four natural magic purviews are air, water, earth, and dark magic, which can be studied as foreign magics.

Fire magic involves creating and controlling fire and heat, healing through the self-warming aspects of the thermoregulatory system, and crafting ceramics and other goods made by heating or baking, through factors in the firing process like temperature and convection.

Uniquely, fire magic shares some of its scope with dark magic, a natural purview. However, fire magic tends to burn at the same temperature as non-magical fire, and appears in the normal spectrum of colors. Almost unanimously, mages studying a heat-based purview choose fire magic over the heavily stigmatized dark magic.

Ice magic involves creating and controlling ice and cold, healing through the self-cooling aspects of the thermoregulatory system, and crafting frozen delicacies and other goods made by freezing or cooling, through factors in the chilling process like temperature and convection.

Uniquely, two ice magic spells create coldness by removing heat energy from the environment. The excess heat energy is absorbed by the caster, where it is converted into magic energy that fills the caster's magic reserve, described in Magic Codex Chapter 8. This magic energy can then be used to create yet more magical effects.

For more about these magics, see Chapter 5 of the Magic Codex available above.

Check out the Magic of the Known World for more resources!

The sensory magic branch, described in Magic Codex Chapter 3, is comprised of magics that grant powers over a particular sense, and that create effects upon or using that sense. The two foreign magic purviews are power and peace magic, accessible only through study. The five natural magic purviews are scent, flavor, light, sound, and touch magic, which can be studied as foreign magics.

Power magic involves controlling the presence and availability of magic energy, healing through the sense of magic energy, and crafting magical relics and wards through the manipulation of magic energy.

Peace magic involves controlling the presence and availability of emotional energy, healing through the sense of emotional energy, and crafting meditation totems and religious idols through the manipulation of emotional energy.

For more about these magics, see Chapter 5 of the Magic Codex available below.

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Download the complete Magic Codex:

The Known World is rife with magic. Over time, scholars have compiled all these magics and magical effects into a comprehensive taxonomy. For more about the role and inner workings of magic, check out the complete Magic Codex above.

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Within the codex, the term life magic is located at (3.2.1) and is defined as:

life magic (N) A magic that grants powers over physical objects and beings, and that creates effects upon or using them.

The term life magic is the branch for magics that manipulate physical matter to create effects (as in, Levitation requires life magic, or, One purview of life magic is artifact magic).

There are four known purviews of life magic, all of which fall into the foreign magic class. The four foreign magic purviews are inert, artifact, living, and sentient magic, accessible only through study. There are no natural purviews of life magic.

Inert magic involves controlling solid non-magical objects and mending them when they are damaged or broken. When combined with ether magic, defined below, this purview also encompasses manipulating an object's location in the ether, as well as the object's existence itself.

Artifact magic involves controlling solid magical objects, known as artifacts, as well as mending them when they are damaged or broken, and restoring their powers if they are weakened or extinguished. It is a specialized purview of inert magic, developed to overcome the substantial sort of energetic mass that magic energy adds to an object.

Living magic involves controlling the physical bodies of life forms and healing them of injury and illness. It is a specialized purview of artifact magic, developed to overcome the substantial sort of energetic mass that the life force adds to an organism's body.

Sentient magic involves controlling the physical bodies of sentient life forms and healing them of injury and illness. It is a specialized purview of living magic, developed to overcome the substantial sort of energetic mass that the intelligence of a sentient life form adds to the organism's life force.

For more about these magics, see Chapter 5 of the Magic Codex available above.

Check out the Magic of the Known World for more resources!

Within the codex, the term ether magic is located at (3.2.2) and is defined as:

ether magic (N) A magic that grants powers over the ether, and that creates effects upon or using the ether. Also: space magic

The term ether refers to the cosmic fabric of time and space through which life energy manifests itself as physical matter and magic effects (as in, The ether is the foundation of the observable universe, or, All matter exists within the ether). The ether has two facets, space and time, which are inextricably linked to each other.

The term ether magic is the branch for magics that manipulate the ether to create effects (as in, Teleportation uses ether magic, or, Ether magic contains only one common purview). Once classified as a form of life magic, ether magic was reclassified into its own branch nearly two centuries ago.

Ether magic involves sensing the ether and its textures, contorting the density of the ether, and piercing the ether to create portals.

There are technically two purviews of ether magic, both of which fall into the foreign magic class. The two foreign magic purviews are time magic, described in Magic Codex Chapter 8, and space magic, but only space magic is considered a viable form of study.

In fact, the term space magic is uncommon even in academic circles, and the term ether magic should be used to refer to the purview of ether magic dealing with space.


That's it for this series! Up Next: Exploring the rarest forms of natural magic...

For the complete Magic Codex, enter your email above.

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Life is an adventure.
Are You Ready?

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