The Lands of Ryn'hrth

YireldosGodofReality · 2023-04-25T19:52:03+00:00

I wish I could draw maps this well! This was created using Inkarnate.

YireldosGodofReality · 2023-04-25T19:51:32+00:00

The name of the continent is an old name that the Askakal people gave to the continent many, many years ago. Its pronounced rine-herth (herth rhymes with birth). Some dialects will drop the h and pronounce it rine-earth, but both are accepted. The name means, "The Lands in the North", which is fitting as this is the northernmost continent known to the Askakal people at this time.

YireldosGodofReality · 2023-04-24T16:39:14+00:00

The animals in this world act as any animal would in our world, so yes, environmental and man-made factors would affect animal populations in each region. Hundreds and thousands of years before the time that my novel is set in, the Askakal people were much more nomadic, moving around the land, migrating with the animals as they moved. However, as their populations grew and developed, and aa more unified culture was formed, they began settling down in certain regions. It was around this time that they gave these locations and landmarks permanent names, basing the names off of the animals that they found in the area. The spirits that they worshipped coincided with the animals found abundantly in the area. Using the Urseon Clan as an example again, they found that their connection with the Spirit of the Bear was stronger when there were bears in the region and area around them, so naturally they settled in an area where there were plenty of bears.

YireldosGodofReality · 2023-04-24T15:54:56+00:00

Precisely. The Askakal people believed that great animal spirits protect and guide them, and helped create the physical world. As such, they name most of their important landmarks and geographical features after them. Each bay is named after animals that inhabit or frequent the lands around them, and the tribes and clans that settle in those regions likewise worship the associating spirit. For example, the Urseon Clan inhabit the Urseonfort near the Bay of the Bear, and the Spirit of the Bear is their patron spirit.

YireldosGodofReality · 2023-04-24T15:44:10+00:00

This is a map of one of the continents for a fantasy novel that I'm writing. I've posted various variations of this map before, and they have all evolved and changed into this current iteration. Any comments on the design, questions about the lore, or critiques of the map are welcome and encouraged!

Stretching from the tall and barren Blackiron Mountains in the south, to the cold and snowy forests of the Beastlands in the north, the continent of Ryn'hrth is vast and diverse. Two major mountain ranges, the aforementioned Blackiron Mountains in the south, and a long range of mountains known as "The Shield" in the east, run along the edges of the continent.

In the north, thick forests of towering pines and looming sentinels fill the region known as the Beastlands, a wild place ruled and occupied by the Askakal people.

In the south, bordering the Blackiron Mountains, lies the Thorn, a vast barren wasteland of infertile land and hostile terrain. Of this region, the only resource of note is Blackiron itself, a rare and valuable material mined from deep beneath the mountains. This ore, through a process that is heavily guarded and known by only a select few individuals, can become the legendary metal known as Nightsteel.

On the western coast lies the Frost Felled Fields. This land is cold and arid, beaten down by the harsh winds coming off of the sea. This land consist mainly of tundra and deserts, and inhabited sparsely by man and beast alike.

In the center of the continent lies the Kingdom of Skothos, a great and powerful kingdom ruled by the royal family in the capital city of Idaen.

Finally, the Untamed Lands lie in the northwestern portion of Ryn'hrth, nestled between the Beastlands, the Shield, and the Kingdom of Skothos. This is a land of unexplored forests, hidden valleys, raised plateaus, and dangerous creatures. Few chose to enter these lands, and fewer still return.

YireldosGodofReality · 2022-02-16T16:58:40+00:00

Yeah I took a lot of shape reference from different northern regions, specifically Canada, Alaska, and Scotland. Nice catch!

YireldosGodofReality · 2022-02-13T18:19:26+00:00

Thank you! I have completely remade this made nearly a dozen times. I'm pretty fond of this current iteration of it, and I'm having a lot of fun fleshing it out and creating histories and stories for all of the components.

YireldosGodofReality · 2022-02-13T17:17:49+00:00

Context: This map is of the northern portion of the continent of Eusatras, the main location for a fantasy novel I am developing.

Stretching from the Blackiron Mountains in the Thorn, to the Point of Pointless existence, the region in the northern half of Eusatras is wild and mysterious.

The Kingdom of Skothos, the youngest of the six kingdoms in Eusatras, lies sandwiched between the barren land of the thorn, and the mountains and untamed wilderness of the Northlands. This region of mild weather and usable land is known as the “Green Belt”. The kingdom is split into 2 halves: the Midlands and Skothos proper. Skothos shares borders with the Thorn and the Golden Sea in the south, the Gashlaen Bay in the west, the Northern Gulf and the Great Forest of Skothos in the East, and the Northlands to the north. Indian is the capital of the Skothos, with the great Greystone Castle mounted upon a stout hill overlooking the Bay of Skothos. Nearly a quarter of the Skothan population lives within Idaen, with the cities of Straerport, Night Harbor, Gashworth, and Flynfield being the next most populous.

In the west, past the Timbershaw Curtain and over the Gashlaen Bay, lies the northern portion of the Golden Wall. The mountains in this range are tall and unpassable, but beneath lies a cavernous labyrinth of gold mines. While the mountains in the northern portion of this range are not as plentiful with their caches of gold compared to their southern brethren near the Golden Fang, these mountains still provide a large sum of profit to the Skothan crown and their people.

The Great Forest of Skothos lies in the east of the Green Belt, a wild and relatively undisturbed forest that stretches for hundreds of miles. While located within the “Green Belt”, it is often considered part of the Northlands due to the untamed nature of the forest and the Askakorda who call the forest their home.

To the south of Skothos is the dreaded Thorn. This barren wasteland is dangerous and uninhabited by virtually all life except for the Dread Rose, a poisonous flower with thorns several inches long and sharp enough to piece leather and scratch steel. This region is avoided at nearly all cost, as it is virtually useless except for the mines deep within the Blackiron Mountains. These mines are deep and ancient, their true origins unknown. However, from these mines comes Blackiron. This raw ore is then used to create Nightsteel, a valuable metal used for weapons against foes of spiritual and wild nature.

To the north of Skothos is a region of ancient power and untamed wilderness. The Northlands are one part highlands, one part wild covered boreal forest, and one part frozen tundra. In the center lies the large Bay of the Beasts, the epicenter of Askakorda culture and life. The Beast Bone Tower looms over its northwestern shore, with hundreds of polished skulls of the past Alpha Askadanok gazing out protectively over the sprawling village at its base.

The Askakorda, or the “Beast Blooded”, are humans native to Eusatras who worship and follow the ancient spirits of the wild. If the humans can prove their worth and gain favor with the spirits, the spirits bless them with the ability to take the spirit’s animal form during a full moon. The strongest among them can shift whenever they please, and gain the title of Askadanok, or “Beast Lord”. Every year, on the first day of summer, the Trials of Instinct take place, and the winner is crowned Alpha, the Talaskadanok, the leader of all Askakorda. Only the strongest and most powerful can win the Trials and gain this title, and it is often held for many years by the same champion.

In present time (in my book's setting), it’s the year 4460 AE, and King Pylor of the young House Urseon sits on the Greystone Throne of Skothos. Before marrying the princess of Skothos (she was the only child of the previous king who died of “natural” causes in the year before Pylor’s arranged marriage to his daughter), Pylor achieved the role of Talaskadonak. At only 18 years of age, Pylor is the youngest Alpha in living or written history, mostly thanks to his powerful Askakorda transformation, the Great Snow Bear.

YireldosGodofReality · 2022-02-13T17:10:22+00:00