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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
 Posted - 12 Jul 2013 : 13:41:38
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I finally posted a WIP. I wanted to put the rest of the place names on it, but realize now I don't really have the time ATM.
So for what its worth, here it is - my Golarealms! 
There's a helluva lot more to it (an entire world, in fact), but this is the main campaign area. Feel free to leave comments and ask questions.
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"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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lordsknight185
Learned Scribe
USA
104 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2013 : 14:31:36
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I think your "Golarealms" looks neat, but i don't have much opinion as my purist-sense is tingling.
BUT I do have a question based on another map you did. Its the one based on the five-shires, because I remember you mentioning how you did the over-lay, so I hunted it down on your DA, but I noticed you put it in the Guthmere Forest region, but I thought it was meant to be Luiren? OR you just put it in a different region for fun, or i'm confused? |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2013 : 14:49:04
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LOL - THAT was for a project Dalor Darden was doing. For HIM, I inverted the Five Shires map. You can read about that HERE.
MY Luiren is NOT inverted, and sits (atop) the Five Shires, just west of The Vast (which has merged with the Shining Plains), which sits west of Impiltur (which has taken the place of Turmish, which moved much further south). You can see what I did HERE.
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"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 12 Jul 2013 21:30:22 |
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lordsknight185
Learned Scribe
USA
104 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2013 : 15:19:20
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Ah! Thank you! This is what I was looking for!
..sorry I sent your thread so off topic...cool map edit...yeah! >.>;; |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1882 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2013 : 01:35:18
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I continue to be amazed by your work Mark. Truly great stuff here. You're one of the few people that help me depart from my somewhat purist approach to the Realms.
Quick question: Are you only merging Golarion and the Realms or are there plans to merge other campaign worlds? (at least the main parts of them, such as Khorvaire from Eberron or Ansalon from Dragonlance). Some points on this:
1. Ansalon is a fairly easy merge as it is a southern continent on Krynn.
2. Athas is an easy placement as the main (Tyr) region is rather small and could fit in pretty much any desert area.
3. I've always wondered what an 'inverted' (?) Mystara would look like. Meaning the main area could an eastern seaboard rather than western.
Just wondering as my homebrew adds these areas to the gameworld although I just place the maps somewhere on the planet rather than doing all of the (AMAZING) mapping that you do. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2013 : 03:25:52
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Xendrik lies over where Katashaka was, and The Flaenes (Oerth/GH) lies to the west, where Anchorome was. It looks like THIS, except that all the eastern stuff (Kara-Tur and parts south, beyond Zakhara) have changed from that. My new 'eastern Realms' is a combination of many things, but is mostly Tian-Xia (Golarion) with parts of K-T pasted over it. Unther now lies to the SE of the Raurin Desert (and is more of a Persia derivative now). The Great Conflagration happened between the mighty magical empires of Netheril and Imaskar, located at the north and south points in the Endless Wastes (once known as the Verdant Plains, before the war that destroyed both civilizations).
Ansalon is already on that early amalgam-map I made - not sure if its sticking around.
Athas is in the southern hemisphere of Abeir, Toril's 'sister world', which lies in the same orbit on the far side of the sun. The northern half is very much like the Council of Wyrms setting, and is also the Saurial homeworld.
I have Mystara on that world map (I linked above), but its not there now. Parts of it are spread all over my Misbegotten Realms. The Minrothad Guilds, for example, are now a 'break-away' realm from my Sembia/Druma amalgam.
I also have the entirety of the Wilderlands campaign setting sitting between Zakhara and Malatra, where the 'Fallen Kingdoms' of AQ used to be.
There is a kingdom of Thazalhar, now - more like a loose confederation of settlements, that is all based on part of the Young Kingdoms, except for the 'capital' of Sultim. It and Murghōm are both recently 'freed' vassal states of the ancient empire of Mulhorand (which is a LOT less of an Egypt derivation).
I borrow from everywhere - the sub-continent (really just a huge island) of the Solarian Empire is stolen directly from Harn, even though I know nothing about that setting (I just liked its shape, and that Empire is based upon the main campaign area from my completely HB world). At its core, its a theocracy of Sun-worshiping paladins.
There are several island chains from Greyhawk in the Inner Sea now as well - The Lordship of the Isles and Sea Barons (which is odd, since they are also to the east in the Flaenes LOL).
My Halruaa is an island chain comprised of 5 main islands, each named after a different one of the Five Kingdoms of Eberron (including a devastated one like the Mournland). My Halruaa is now an amalgam of old Halruaa and a good chunk of the EB setting (all the guilds are there, including the Dragonmarks). Turmish is nearby to the west, on the Chultan coast (I figure they looked and dressed alike, they should be near each other).
Etc, etc, etc... most of this doesn't matter for the main campaign, though - thats a mashed-together bit of FR and Golarion history, with a good helping of Egg of Phoenix on top. Its all about a constant rising-and-falling of nations, and lots and lots of small settlements getting caught in the middle (pretty much just like canon FR, but only far more convoluted). After the fall of Empyrea, nearly a century ago, other powers are moving to fill in the vacuum left behind, with the main contenders being the Lords Alliance (Waterdeep) and Thay (new Cheliax).
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"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 13 Jul 2013 03:34:40 |
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Kno
Senior Scribe
452 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2013 : 16:43:29
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| the City of Strangers near Thayan racists. it's beautiful |
z455t |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2013 : 19:48:21
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Not sure if you are being facetious, but the Thayan ridge worked very well as the Varissian one, in my amalgam.
My thoughts, IIRC, at the time of placing that stuff was that the Red Wizards needed a few 'neutral' places to trade with others - most folks don't openly deal with Thay (so its not that much different from the canon version). Thus, you can find Thayan merchants there (theres really no need for an enclave), and they are treated just like everyone else. So long as the city proves useful, it is allowed to remain (there are a few other places like that, in regards to thay). It also makes a great launching-point for anyone wanting to adventure within Thay.
The original structure of the city dates back to the time of the Rune Lords (Thassilon), which ruled this whole area after the Great Conflagration (between Netheril & Imaskar). Imaskari Binders fled to this back-woods region after the fall of both empires, and tried to rebuild. They are the ones that created the first Tangg-lords (first-generation Tieflings, which 4e turned into 'bloodlines'). These First Tieflings were extremely powerful, since they were the results of crossbreeding with Fiendlords. Very few of those are left (there is Krellokk, from EoP, and Iuz from GH, for example). When the empire of Empyria arose in this area, Thassilon had already consumed itself.
When the Red Wizards rebelled against the Chelaxians, they bound most of the devils (that were summoned and controlled by the nobility/royalty), getting help from Eltab and other demons. After their coup was done, the Wizards turned on their fiendish allies as well (never trust a Red Wizard).
Cheliax (old Thay) BTW, was settled by Imaskar originally, and then Mulhorand (which followed Imaskar's collapse, just like in canon). The Mulan-blooded Wizards did not take too kindly to the 'old blood' Imaskari ruling class (who are known as Varisians now), which is part of the reason for the rebellion (but mostly just because they wanted to be in-power). Just as in canon, Thayd led that revolt... but the Orcgate wars never happened. The Orcgates WERE opened, but by the Imaskari, trying to stop the Netherese (who were expanding into their territories). Or rather, the Imaskari's extra-planer allies (so much of that history reads just like Warcraft history) were responsible, and the orcs spread and reaped much havoc on both sides.
My Netherese were more techno-mages (like Eberron), who embraced constructs and flying cities, etc, and my Imaskari were more along the lines of Sorcerers (with bloodlines), and looked and behaved much more like Arabian magi (they were summoners supreme). Thus, netheril was responsible for most 'wizardly' lore, and Imaskari begat the first sorcerers. Also, Imaskari leaned toward the 'dark side' (shadow magic), and Netheril toward the light, but thats an over-generalization, and by the end of the war Netheril was just as corrupt and 'shadowy' as the southerners. Like any culture, though, you had individuals who were extremes in both (I feel that the summoning aspect of Imaskari magic should have corrupted them over time - thats why Halaster eventually turned from Mystra to Shar).
So ruins built on top of ruins built on top of ruins... not so different from the canon realms, eh? |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 14 Jul 2013 20:01:59 |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2013 : 22:20:49
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I would for sure play in your world MT!
Awesome stuff...and thanks again for the Shires!  |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Quale
Master of Realmslore
1757 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jul 2013 : 13:21:16
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| When I played the Runelords and Crimson Throne, Varisia was between the Sword Coast and Moonshaes, Kaer Maga on the High Moor, the Gurs were Varisians. Now this seems a better placement. Tough my Realms also had countries from many other campaign settings in between Golarealms. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jul 2013 : 15:04:55
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Thanks for the kind words, guys.
I put a lot of thought into where everything went, and I am constantly tweaking it. The last (major) change I made was swapping-out some (more) of GH's isles for the Minrothad Guilds just south of Sembia (which has merged with Druma).
Garythane is canon to Egg of Phoenix - you'll note that setting has merged completely with the Daggerford environs (so some stuff got shifted a bit to make it all fit). IMG, I will be using the stuff from Sanctuary (Thieves World) for the city itself, but Freeport would also make a very good fit. The main difference is a very large half-orc population, and even full-blooded orcs are allowed to trade in the city (this is to help it fit with EoP lore). Its basically a pirate den, but unlike others, it has a very non-human focus (most other pirate-ports are humanocentric). Thay also has a deal with them and has a fortress and several docks where they keep warships (so this is Thay's one port on that coast... and EXTREMELY important to them). Its official name is Garythane, but most of the inhabitants just shorten it to 'Thane' (I feel 'Garythane' doesn't sound much like a monster-infested, place of evil LOL).
Surthay has become a major economic center for import/export for Thay, as it is connected to the Inner Sea now. However, the river passes such places as Secomber and Daggerford, and the agents of those settlements are VERY thorough about discovering contraband. Thus, most of Thay's illicit traffic goes surreptitiously overland and winds up in Fairway, where it is carted over mountain trails to Garythane. This makes that entire region - the Duchy of Daggerford area - a hotbed of intrigue.
Note I've used a couple of things from the Diablo (and indirectly Warcraft) setting - this is a perfect fit, I feel, because the region has a history of 'trapped & bound fiends' (which fits all three settings - Golarion, FR, & EoP - lore nicely. There are lots of places where one might accidentally release something they shouldn't have. Both Hellgate Keep and Castle Dragonspear act as a juxtaposition for major fiendish presences in the region (and are having their own ongoing 'secret war', using whatever means they can to best each other, without causing so much notice that the settings 'big guns' come shooting for them).
And the 'old blood' of Cheliax (the decendents of ancient Imaskari) would like a return to power, but know better then to act overtly against the Zulkirs, so they appear content as tharchions. They do have a 'princess' (Abrogail II) who they secretly refer to as their Queen, when they are sure no Red Wizards are within earshot (and even then, not so much). I've blended that Golarion NPC with Thay's Dmitra Flass, and the Red Wizards allow this last thread of the old Royal bloodline to continue simply because it proves useful in matters of state with other powers.
Hmmmmm... I could even throw in a little 'Dragon Princess' into her from GoT... nayyyyyy. 
Although... having her (assassinated) grandfather be the old 'dragon emperor' could prove an interesting twist. I've got to think about that one - blending a little more of another setting in might be a bit too much. I do love the idea of an ancient (Imaskari) bloodline that can command dragons, though. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 15 Jul 2013 15:15:11 |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1882 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jul 2013 : 19:58:39
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GREAT STUFF as usual sir. I would game in your world any day if I could. I've a question or three though.
Do you use (all or in part) any of the Hollow World setting?
Where does Maztica fit in (if at all)?
What about the Red Steel campaign? In my HB the Maztica and Red Steel settings are close enough to be aware of each other but far enough not to truly impact one another. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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Hawkins
Great Reader
USA
2131 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2013 : 16:07:58
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| I would love to see a version of your map with the text color-coded to the campaign setting/world it is borrowed from. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2013 : 16:43:32
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quote:
Originally posted by The Arcanamach
GREAT STUFF as usual sir. I would game in your world any day if I could. I've a question or three though.
Do you use (all or in part) any of the Hollow World setting?
Where does Maztica fit in (if at all)?
What about the Red Steel campaign? In my HB the Maztica and Red Steel settings are close enough to be aware of each other but far enough not to truly impact one another.
The Hollow World and Red Steel are not part of the setting, although I borrow ideas from those and everywhere else and incorporate them in all the nooks & crannies. 
A New WIP - this is my current world-map model - its more a 'work in progress' then the main campaign area is at this point. All of Greyhawk and Xendrik are there - everything else is a hodge-podge.
You can see a good chunk of Maztica - the parts we had mapped in 2e - over to the west, and the northern part of it has been joined with Hepmonaland from Greyhawk (and the two flavors are so close they compliment each other perfectly).
I will probably swap-out Sarlona with Argonessan at some point. I am not big on psionics... but you never know; I could just change my mind again. As for the rest of Eberron - I started reading back through all of the 3e source material last night, making notes about what I want to have on my world (aside from the flavor itself, down in Halruaa - which some of you might recognize as a map from FF). I really like where Turmish is now - it never really sat right with me. Qadira (PF) will be taking the place of the Utter East soon (its a good fit).
Everything outside of Faerūn proper still subject to change. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Sorgrim
Acolyte
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2013 : 19:38:10
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Very interesting! I love exploring maps and seeing where everything lies relative to eachother, and the ones you've composed are no different.
Does Thay play a large part in your campaign? It seems to have been left to a very predominant space. |
"By the clocks of Neverwinter!" |
Edited by - Sorgrim on 16 Jul 2013 19:38:34 |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12024 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2013 : 20:48:19
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| Just wondering, you got rid of Aglarond and Rashemen surrounding Thay. Aglarond isn't so much a loss because other feudal countries would work. However, seeing the high forest above Thay makes me wonder... did you move the witches there and intermix elves too? One thing I think would be interesting would be a mix of Rashemen's witch held country versus Golarion's witch held country... which both are decidedly different. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1882 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2013 : 22:44:12
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Methinks you will have to make your planet somewhat bigger to fit everything you want in there  (my homebrew is as I had to justify all of the extra landmass).
So this leads me to my next couple of questions:
1. Is your planet, in fact, larger than the standard (Earth-sized) planet? and,
2. What is the break down (percentage-wise) of overall landmass vs. water/oceans? Is it roughly 70/30 or some other percentage? I ask because I'm curious about weather patterns and 'life-support' mechanisms for the planet. Or do you even worry about those details?
Edit: By life-support I'm basically referring to weather patterns and other climate-related phenomena. In a real world situation, changing the overall ratio of land to water would have drastic effects. Not all that important as this is fantasy, but Im a curious sort. Cheers. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
Edited by - The Arcanamach on 16 Jul 2013 22:46:51 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2013 : 01:27:14
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My planet is the same size as Earth, which I think makes it a wee bit smaller then Abeir-Toril. The water percentages should also be about the same. Haven't gotten as far as weather and geology yet.
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Just wondering, you got rid of Aglarond and Rashemen surrounding Thay. Aglarond isn't so much a loss because other feudal countries would work. However, seeing the high forest above Thay makes me wonder... did you move the witches there and intermix elves too? One thing I think would be interesting would be a mix of Rashemen's witch held country versus Golarion's witch held country... which both are decidedly different.
Actually, what I did was move the entire North into the Unapproachable East. Then I took the UE and stuck over where the Swordcoast used to be - they swapped places. You can see Aglarond and some other stuff over there.
EXCEPT for Thay. The big forest you see above it is the High Forest - basically thats The North with Thay glued into the SE corner of it (but not really, since Thay is the only thing that didn't move, at all), and Varisia (from Golarion) taking the place of Aglarond, and in terms of The North, taking the place of everything below the High Moor (which is in a weird spot above Cormyr now that Anauroch is way to the east).
That (colored) map is my rough continental map, not the one I that I have been working on, two pieces of which I have posted in other links. If anything, that was like my 'phase 1' map - I am deep into version seven of phase 2. Most of the islands I have placed (including the canon Pirate isles) in the Inner Sea are not on that one. I just wanted folks to get a rough idea of how I see my world laid out. The larger, more detailed version doesn't have the southern parts of Faerūn on it yet, nor the 'Eastern Realms' (stuff that would be east of where the canon 3rd edition campaign map ends).
Thats why its a work-in-progress.
Oh, and Hellknights (PF) are the same as Thayan Knights IMG. Their full name is 'Thayan Hellknights', but almost no-one uses the full name (so all the lore for both works out as-is).
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"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 17 Jul 2013 01:32:02 |
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MY Forgotten Realms
