Theatre: In Rep We Trust
51 minutes ago
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Cartography IV
Here's the final map for Zhongyang Dalu, the world of the Flying Swordsmen RPG. Now that I've got the map done, I feel like I can get to work on detailing the setting. The goal is to just provide a bare-bones setting, maximizing opportunities for conflict and adventure, rather than present a likely boring socio-cultural overview of what's basically China with magic and monsters. If anyone playing the game wants to bone up on Chinese history, culture, and all that, I'll be providing a "recommended reading" section in the appendices.
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I dig that map. The islands and coastline are pretty interesting. Did you draw inspiration from a real world map? Do you have any map-making or coastline drawing tips to share?
ReplyDeleteActually, I may make an entire post about it, as there's really a lot I could share.
ReplyDeleteBasically, though, I've always loved maps. Just looking at them, imagining all the places I could go, stuff like that.
With this map, I basically set out to draw China as if it were around a Mediterranean type sea, instead of a large landmass with a long coastline, it's a series of peninsulas.
As for the actual coastlines and islands, I took inspiration from real coastal features in general, but did everything freehand. Basically, drawing, redrawing, and finally when I had it the way I liked, inking it.
Love the map. I have a weakness for maps and a real weakness for hand drawn maps. I myself have never had any luck in the hand drawn map arena so Kudos on a great looking map!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! Flying Swordsmen is on my OSR wish list and really looking forward to seeing the finished product.
ReplyDeleteI like this a lot. From a historical standpoint, the geography forms an impediment to long-term periods of unification. There's a lot of coastline there, naturally dividing it into kingdoms much like Europe. There's all kinds of room for you to take this and detail the hell out of the setting. I mean, man, I was getting ideas just looking at the finished product. Way cool, man.
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