A Worldbuilding Propositon!

[JCFarnham]

My point is, you could have two major groups that act in similar ways - one group considers themselves enlightened and the other group barbarians, but they're not exactly flawless; the other group is very wealthy, has different gods and different moral codes, and considers the first group to be weak and divided.

Now there's a nifty idea. Ancient Civilisation is always a good inspiration.

This gives me an idea. Our setting, or at least these two groups discussed could be at near constant war with each other [more the sit and wait kind of war than the epic battles, well that can change of course.]

 

[Donny Bruso]

This is all well and good, but I find I need a definitive starting point, such as a map to really get going on world creation. That tells me how much room I have to work in, how many countries I could legitimately cram onto this particular continent or neighboring continents, and a general sense of geography.

However, while I have been typing this, a thought has occurred to me. It's probably best if we either A) all work on the same continent, or B) if we're working on this island chain map that JC has suggested, everybody can take an island and create their own race/kingdom and then decide who they are allies with/at war with. Personally I lean towards the latter, but that's my opinion on things.

 

[Mythos]

I like the idea of each of us making a civilization as well, but we have to keep in mind that they have to fit together in the end. It would add to the variety. We could even work with partners if we wished to.

 

[JCFarnham]

Right. I'll get to making an enlarged version of my island chain when I have a bit of free time Fingers crossed my scanner still works, even though the printer half of it has gone nutso hehe. If it doesn't, does anyone know of some decent online map type creators, like a fractal generators tailored to map making?

 

[j.c]

This sounds like an incredibly cool project.
Would you guys object to having another person on board, perhaps?

 

[JCFarnham]

No thats totally cool by me! Would it be possible for some one to knock up a map or something? I would do it but my scanner-printer combo is an arse apparently sooo... its not going to happen.

How about you J.C.? You up for it? Or is map making/art not your thing?

For that matter whats your opinion on the whole matter of world building I'd love to hear

 

[Donny Bruso]

I can put together a map and get it scanned in. Should be able to have it up by tomorrow evening/night

 

[Mythos]

Is it going to be a chain of islands, or how are we going to decide what's our piece to work with?

 

[myrddin173]

Could I help out to?

 

[JCFarnham]

I can put together a map and get it scanned in. Should be able to have it up by tomorrow evening/night

Thats awesome thanks

Is it going to be a chain of islands, or how are we going to decide what's our piece to work with?

I guess that really depends on what Donny comes up with but once we have the map we can better discuss splitting it up.

Could I help out to?

Yeah sure. Don't see why not! More people, more in depth world, I guess. As long as we keep it together

 

[Donny Bruso]

Ok, I'm caught up on the forums, now I'll go get drawing.

 

[Donny Bruso]

Map

Ok, here we go. First of all, I fully realize that I am not the world's best artist, so please don't bash my map. Actually it looks a lot better on paper. Digitizing it kind of made it worse. Up in my legend, aside from why I do all my writing on the computer and not by hand, you will notice nice little symbols to describe mountains, trees, etc. Please note that one tree symbol does not equate to one tree! I wrote trees, but should have said forest. Equally, one mountain on the map does not mean one actual mountain peak in this particular world. Just kind of 'Here there be mountains'.

Please note that the islands' coastlines and locations are fixed. I had to ink the map to scan it, so those cannot be altered without re-drawing the map. I am willing to do certain things for you to update your portions of the map as you create your nations. I will add cities/towns castles, roads, and names if they can be put in without destroying my less than stellar artwork. Please note that when you tell me where to put these you should be as specific as possible, so we don't spend fifty emails going 'no, move it three pixels up...'

I designed this map to accommodate up to ten separate civilizations in varying states of diplomacy. You can be at war or peace with whoever you wish, that's on you to create. I can't think of any other lame things I feel the need to put out there to justify the two hours I spent on this thing, so happy world building. Oh, except I'm claiming the Island to the Northeast of the huge one (the one with the little mini spot islands to the east) as mine.

 

[Mythos]

I could never have drawn that could of a map! Personally I think it's very good. I'm not sure who to ask this to, but can I have the island to the southeast of the large one?

 

[Donny Bruso]

Thanks for the compliment. Islands are first come first served as far as I'm concerned. Not like anyone is in charge, lol

 

[JCFarnham]

Donny. Man, you put me to shame hehe My outlining is awful compare to that!

Well if no one is going for it I have the big'un Gotta love a good desert. I already have some ideas of two "nations" seperated by that desert... I guess I could squeeze in nomads (or rather, people of either group who prefer to travel rather then stick to their side... hmmm... not really a true nomadic tribe but yeah)

Anyone want to help out with "the big'un"?

 

[myrddin173]

I will take the northernmost island

 

[Donny Bruso]

*Artist's note: That big island was designed to hold two, possibly three kingdoms, civilizations, whatever you would like to call them. Also the small group of islands off to the far east is supposed to be a place to plant a kingdom too. Kinda like the billion little islands that make up Greece.

 

[JCFarnham]

*Artist's note: That big island was designed to hold two, possibly three kingdoms, civilizations, whatever you would like to call them. Also the small group of islands off to the far east is supposed to be a place to plant a kingdom too. Kinda like the billion little islands that make up Greece.

I figured Great minds.

 

[Donny Bruso]

A brief description of the Island of Reknahl.

The Island of Reknahl is located north and slightly east of the largest landmass in the Shaded Sea. Although nominally under the control of King Pellen, its people are fractious and routinely attempt to deny the control of the throne.

The southern part of the island remains the most heavily populated. At the mouth of the Icebourne river lies the capital city of Stahl, home to King Pellen and his court. The city has grown around the feet of the King’s massive stronghold to the point where it is now surrounded by the homes and shops of the common people.

Outlying the city, there is a large floodplain along the banks of the Icebourne. This is rich farmland, and crucial to feeding the high concentrations of people gathered in the city. In spring, with the melting of the snow high in the Snowsteel mountains, the river floods, carrying snowmelt and silt down to the sea, and enriching the soil. When the waters recede, crops are sown, followed by the spring Festival of Sowing.

Slightly farther north, but still south of the mountains, there is a dense, mixed deciduous and pine forest. This is the principal source of wood for the kingdom, aside from small twisted and stunted trees that occasionally grow in the grasslands north of the mountains. As such, the king has laid claim to the forests, and lumbering is conducted only with the permission of the crown. Offenders caught cutting lumber without a permit typically lose a hand. The woods are heavily populated with deer, and thus also populated with wolves.

Hunting is a principal means of income, though farming cattle and pigs is growing in popularity. The wolves occasionally venture down towards these farms, and into the mining camps sown throughout the foothills. Typically they do not cause serious human injury before they are run off or killed, but the havoc they wreak upon the struggling herds of farmers can be devastating.

All along the foothills of the snowsteel range, one can find small mining camps, digging principally for iron ore, which the mountains are exceptionally rich in. There are occasional small veins of precious metals, and the odd gem to be found, but they are few and far between. Such luxuries are usually obtained from trade with other islands. At the eastern edge of the mountains is a large deposit of salt, which is heavily mined for the fishing industry, salting fish for export.

The abundance of iron ore in the mountains has made iron and steel throughout the island relatively inexpensive, even for items of higher quality. Armorers and weapon smiths struggle to feed their families and frequently take commissions for simple items such as horseshoes and nails to make ends meet.

The wood industry, on the other hand, grows fabulously rich due to the limited supply of wood available. They charge outrageous fees for importing it from neighboring islands, or even more outrageous fees for obtaining it through a licensed lumber mill in Reknahl. Few homes on the island burn wood for heat. Most burn animal dung, or dense, twisted grass logs woven by the plains nomads in the north,.

To the east of the mountains lies a few small towns and villages which have sprung up on the fishing trade. Just offshore lie the Hullbreaker keys, a number of small rocks and miniature islands which are home to all manner of shellfish and sea birds. Between these and conventional fishing, these towns are a steadily growing population center. Near enough to the capital to trade fish and shellfish for grain and meat, but far enough to remain out from directly under the King’s boot.

North of the mountains is a large, open grassland. There are few trees, and the people who live here, a nomadic race, regarded as savages by the ‘civilized’ people to the south, have learned to get along almost entirely without it. These are the original inhabitants of the island, who have been displaced by the kings and their progeny.

Calling themselves the Reknhim, they keep mostly to themselves. They trade with smugglers for what things they cannot make for themselves, such as steel blades to defend their dwindling territory from further encroachment. They have no great wealth, and are further impoverished by these exchanges, but with no metallurgical skills, they have little choice.

They are experts of concealment, and it is a common occurrence for invaders to be ambushed and slain before they are even aware of being watched. Without a ready source of steel weapons, they have turned mostly to archery to defend themselves, and even a young boy is capable of hitting nearly any mark within the range of his bow.

This skill has served them well, allowing them to slip arrows through slots in armored helms, into joints between plates, and generally any weak spot in a suit of plate armor that they can find. Their primary subsistence if off of hunting the herds of animals who roam the grasslands with them. They have some small herds of domesticated animals they have traded or stolen from the townsfolk to the south, but they are too small to support the entirety of even one of their bands of people.

There are five bands of nomads who roam the grasslands. They are not different tribes, such as native americans, but simply spread out to prevent themselves from over-hunting the country, and to prevent a surprise attack from the south from eliminating them as a people.

Only in the depths of winter do they all congregate together, sharing food stores to see the entire Reknhim nation through the winter.



This is kind of a preliminary description of the island I’ve taken over as mine. Feel free to ask questions, point out things I may have overlooked, etc. I’m sure I’ll think of more as time goes on, but this is what I’ve gotten down so far.

Cheers,
-D

 

[JCFarnham]

I like your ideas!

On a first glance (first here meaning I'll need some time to digest all this) something I see as perhaps a little incongruous are names. On one side you have Pellen, Stahl, Raknhim and Raknahl which have a common feel about them that works and then theres the mountain range (Snowsteel). Do you have a reason behind the change in naming scheme here? From a real world perspective most incongruous names are borrowed from somewhere, from travellers, foreign settlers and the like. Maybe this mountain range is an example of that? Who named it? Maybe theres some hidden story behind this.

King Pellen. I've always loved the idea of a monarch who is disliked by the majority of his people. I foresee uprisings? How often do people disobey him? What kind of tricks does he have up his royal sleeves with which to control his people?

I like what you have on the nomads too. This divide between them and those under the King seems to me kind of indicative of natives and settlers. From what you have written I get a sense of the Raknhim being the natives of the island and those under the king settlers from another land looking to start out on their own as it were. Maybe this the source of a conflict here and a solid reason for the Raknhim to want to protect their lands, you know out of something other than a disability in sharing.

Good start Donny! You have my creative juices flowing. I can really envisage trade relations between the people of Reknahl and those of the rest of the island chain. The way you discribed their export as being fish and the way they use the island's salt diposites for preservation... I can see one of the main trades between the islands of the chain (or at least the coastal settlements) being fish. Of course this raises the possiblity of piracy and the like, but maybe I'm getting a tad ahead of my self here