http://home.nvg.org/~hoc/BlackmoorRegionalMapWL.jpg
Havard
One nit to pick - it might be less disruptive of the existing map of Skothar to connect the Wilderlands' sea to the ocean via the Gulf of Tangor instead of the Tangor Bay, since this would leave the Tanagoro lands intact. Also the name for that waterway might be better as the "Wilderlands Channel" instead of "Wilderlands Canal", since "canal" means it's a man-made cut (it's funny how English uses different spellings of the exact same root word - in this case Latin "canalis" - for different meanings...what a mixed-up language!).
Nice job!
Travis
Dang, that's cool Havard.
One nit to pick - it might be less disruptive of the existing map of Skothar to connect the Wilderlands' sea to the ocean via the Gulf of Tangor instead of the Tangor Bay, since this would leave the Tanagoro lands intact. Also the name for that waterway might be better as the "Wilderlands Channel" instead of "Wilderlands Canal", since "canal" means it's a man-made cut (it's funny how English uses different spellings of the exact same root word - in this case Latin "canalis" - for different meanings...what a mixed-up language!).
Nice job!
Travis
Thanks Travis!
Yeah, I mixed up the words channel and canal. In Norwegian there is only one word for both so I couldnt remember which was which.
Good point about Tangor Bay. I am working on a revised version where I will probably do as you suggest.
Thanks again for your feedback!
Håvard
I think this could be extrapolated into the present day
That's what I was thinking...
This would make Skothar a more interesting place to adventure. Ruined versions of Pre-Cataclysmic Blackmoor and Wilderlands adventure sites could be explored in Skothar of 1000AC. Even if the Cataclysm obliterated most of the surface buildings, the underground parts may've survived more-or-less intact (e.g. the dungeons of Castle Blackmoor). Perhaps some of the most hardy aboveground structures (e.g. massive stone or metal structures, especially magically hardened ones) may've survived as well. Who knows what weird artifacts and creatures may be found in these ruins?
Travis
Travis
Havard, I wonder what sort of feedback we'd get if the map was posted on the Wilderlands and Blackmoor message boards? Though some of those folk might scoff at combining their settings with Mystara, others might have some useful suggestions on how to further tweak the map to make it even better.
Travis
One step ahead of you Travis. I've been posting this map all over. So far the Blackmoor fans seem very happy with the map. Over at the WL boards I have gotten some very interesting ideas on how to improve the map to better accomodate the setting. Expect a new version in not too long... ;)
Havard
I'm coming to some very interesting (and varied) thoughts about Mystara's past as I examine and consolidate everything. I'm also expanding and adding in some plausible (I hope) history as I go. I'll be sure to share these in a designated thread for discussion of course.
Havard, where would the main elven clans be located on this map? I have been delving into Mystara's past alot lately and I'm curious where you think they should be here - you have a much greater knowledge of Blackmoor than me.
I'm coming to some very interesting (and varied) thoughts about Mystara's past as I examine and consolidate everything. I'm also expanding and adding in some plausible (I hope) history as I go. I'll be sure to share these in a designated thread for discussion of course.
There are elves living in the eastern and western parts of what is shown as Blackmoor on that map. Elves are also present in the entire "Wilderlands" area of the map. Many of these share a concept of "Alfheim" as a unified kingdom for all elves, though this is more an idea than reality. A race of pale-skinned dark elves live below the Wilderlands. (This all assuming that you use the official Wilderlands material).
Generally however, major elven settlements are concentrated on areas outside of this map. Davania is the main center of the elves, and some elves, including the Aquarendi clan have already settled on Brun near what will become the Known World milennias later.
Hope this helps. Let us know what you are working on!
Håvard
I have a couple of names suitable for some Thonian Provinces, if you like. From DA4 (page 25 and 27) you read the names of some Thonian garrisons in the Thonian Rand:
Established shortly after the Afridhi invasion of the Plains of Hak, this timber-walled outpost shelters the Thonian 17th Kurgan Lancers Regiment of Cavalry
Since the region forms one corner of Thonia's northwest frontier, it is home to a permanent imperial garrison composed of the Thonian 8th Green Devils Regiment of Foot (1,200 men) and the 11 th Mirakoslic Sabers Regiment of Horse (600 men).
Given the great number of similar units (at least 17 of lancers and 11 of horesemen with sabers), Mirakoslic and Kurgan should be either very big cities or provinces of the Empire.
Hope this helps ;)
I'm sorry I cannot visit this board as often as I would, but I'll try to do my best ;)
Travis
Travis: You have pointed out the main flaw of this map. By basing it on the "curved" map from the HW set, coastlines become slightly tilted, though to a varying degree. The lands south of Blackmoor don't have too much of a tilt, but from Blackmoor and northwards, the tilt becomes more prominent. I could try to compensate for this, but its quite difficult to come up with anything that could be called accurate. I don't think a North arrow would help much to fix this...
Havard
Travis: You have pointed out the main flaw of this map. By basing it on the "curved" map from the HW set, coastlines become slightly tilted, though to a varying degree. The lands south of Blackmoor don't have too much of a tilt, but from Blackmoor and northwards, the tilt becomes more prominent. I could try to compensate for this, but its quite difficult to come up with anything that could be called accurate. I don't think a North arrow would help much to fix this...
If a friend of mine in the Italian board wouldl help me, maybe we can solve this problem in a not-too-far future.
I would like to draw a map with more accurate pre-cataclismic coastlines, representing them in a equirectangular projection (that is the same kind of the Master's set one). This projection gives a strong E-W distortion at the northern latitudes, but parallels and meridians form a regular grid, and, definitely, North is up in every point of the map.
The idea involves some maths and a lot of numerical calculations to convert the actual Mystaran latitudes and longitudes according to the cataclysmic axis rotation. It' the same process I used for drawing my maps, even if now the calculations would be more accurate.
If we manage to prepare this map, even as a draft, we will send it in this board as soon as possible ;)
Travis
Are the Tanagoro Lands part of the Wilderlands Setting, or is that something that you 'created' to incorporate the Tanagoro label on the HW's pre-GRoF world map. Once I find out this I'll start another thread to facilitate discussion on some thoughts I'm toying with.
Thanks.
I have another strange question for you Havard. :whatsthis
Are the Tanagoro Lands part of the Wilderlands Setting, or is that something that you 'created' to incorporate the Tanagoro label on the HW's pre-GRoF world map. Once I find out this I'll start another thread to facilitate discussion on some thoughts I'm toying with.
Hi,
the Tanagoro are purely Mystaran. I divided them into eastern and western Tanagoro since they were divided by water, though this will probably be changed in the revised version that I am working on right now.
Havard
The idea involves some maths and a lot of numerical calculations to convert the actual Mystaran latitudes and longitudes according to the cataclysmic axis rotation. It' the same process I used for drawing my maps, even if now the calculations would be more accurate.
Being a bit of a math guy, I did exactly this to generate these pre-GRoF illustrations. It is based on a rotation with the old pole at Glantri (though the Gaz F assumes its over the Adri Varma).
It's clear the graphics person generating those global maps took the present-day map and litterally rotated it around the center point.
Basically, I used a simple MATLAB routine to handle the rotation and plotted out contour levels for where the "old" lines of latitude and longitude should be. No polar apertures were assumed.
I took the present-day global map from HW as correct (which means a lot of Hyborea is actually "missing"), and hand drew the coastal outlines (adjusting for the orthogonal projections). I then produced a second hand-drawn map using the overlayed old lat and long as a a guide. [Somehow, I remember doing these art transformations in elementary or junior high]
Landbridges and subsidence were, of course, artistic liscence.
I will see if I still have the contour-overlay lying around. If not, I could provide the MATLAB code, so if anyone wants to put the poles elsewhere they can.
As I said, the code assumes no polar aperture. It would be a while (I have other, real math to do), but I might be able to also code one to incorporate this.
-OldDawg