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Balor01
2014-02-03, 10:02 AM
http://i.4cdn.org/tg/src/1391438518952.jpg



If you were Elven High Lord and if it was the Dawn of First Age, where on pic related would you pick a spot for your first settlement?

South is sort of rocks and deserts and North ... Ice and snow. Thus a red border to mark best lands for first to pick.

Red Fel
2014-02-03, 10:25 AM
If you were Elven High Lord and if it was the Dawn of First Age, where on pic related would you pick a spot for your first settlement?

South is sort of rocks and deserts and North ... Ice and snow. Thus a red border to mark best lands for first to pick.

Short answer: It depends.

Is this Elven society militaristic? In that case, it helps to have a highly defensible position. The western archipelago, being a chain of islands, is defended against approach; similarly, the eastern side of the continent, having mountains along its shores, can only be approached on land; to do so requires crossing a river, which can be defended, or approaching the shore, same. The southern peninsula also has the advantage of a treacherous mountain pass blocking approach from the north.

Is this Elven society mercantile or agrarian? In that case, the river delta connecting the eastern edge to the central continent is ideal. The river provides abundant arable land, and offers easy transportation of goods. It also offers access to the inland sea, permitting sea trade with the western side of the continent, or the opportunity to sail around the southern rim. Similarly, the vast network of rivers on the southwestern part of the continent, between the two mountain ranges, enables easy river trade and ample arable land.

Is this Elven society stereotypically Elven, seeking a secluded natural reserve? The swampy-looking lands in the far west (or are those forests?) are an ideal place to preserve the beauty of nature, and live in undisturbed harmony with the plants. However, it seems a poor place to establish what one would describe as an "empire;" it would be little more than a village or sacred grove.

Balor01
2014-02-03, 10:40 AM
http://shrani.si/f/d/Ha/3LlKXGAP/grumpymap2-species10.jpg

You good sir are awesome. What I'm looking for is basically "nexuses" from which different races spread themselves. So, we have elves (I love the seafaring militaristic High Elves), next would be Dwarves. Trade+Mountains, I guess? Also, I am naming part of the map after you, take a pick :)

Red Fel
2014-02-03, 12:17 PM
http://shrani.si/f/d/Ha/3LlKXGAP/grumpymap2-species10.jpg

You good sir are awesome. What I'm looking for is basically "nexuses" from which different races spread themselves. So, we have elves (I love the seafaring militaristic High Elves), next would be Dwarves. Trade+Mountains, I guess? Also, I am naming part of the map after you, take a pick :)

Your assessment of Dwarves depends again on how stereotypical they are. If they're basically hardier, shorter humans, for instance, they could do just as well in the fields, working as farmhands or craftsmen near the rivers.

If you make them the stereotypical miners and mountaindwellers, however, you have several options. First, there's that massive mountain chunk near the center of the continent - that's perfect for a centralized seat of dwarven power. Next, there's the intersecting ribbon of mountains on the southern and western part, which is excellent if you want a sprawling underground kingdom, spreading from the western coast to the inland sea, and up along the western shore of the inland sea. Third, if you have any kind of hostile invaders east of the continent, or plan to have the "griffon-riding dwarf" archetype, the cliffs on the eastern continental coast would make great aviaries. Finally, if you can come up with a reason for dwarves to have made it out to the (likely volcanic, possibly still active) archipelago, the western mountains on the largest island would provide for an excellent source of particularly grim dwarves; cut off from their homeland, working among the noxious volcanic shafts, their only neighbors a bunch of snooty elves; not a happy bunch.

And if you wish to name something after me (I don't mind), consider Felsite Mountain as a name. Felsite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felsite) (also called Felstone) is a form of igneous rock, and is therefore an appropriate name for a mountain or mountain chain formed from volcanic activity. (It's not the origin of my username, but it's a happy coincidence.) Also, thank you!

Balor01
2014-02-04, 08:29 AM
http://shrani.si/f/9/yM/TSlcbjc/grumpymap2-species10png.png

Allrighty, so. Thanks for all help so far Red Fel. We have 3 types of Elves here and three Dwarven regions now. Next race is Humans and we are almost done. Would you mind suggesting me the positions for them?

thanks

Mr. Mask
2014-02-04, 09:00 AM
Honestly, a big view like that doesn't help much for picking a settlement. Prime settlement locations depend on local resources, nearby rivers and geology, and neighbours of that area.

All I can really say about a big view like that, is the coast in usually pretty good for travel and fishing. Theoretically, if all your potential enemies are close by, taking up a corner of the map without many sides open to attack means you mightn't be able to be forced to fight a war on two fronts.
Alternatively, a central position is good, as it can make you into a trading hub, and might give you more travel options.

Also the stuff Red said.

Red Fel
2014-02-04, 09:13 AM
http://shrani.si/f/9/yM/TSlcbjc/grumpymap2-species10png.png

Allrighty, so. Thanks for all help so far Red Fel. We have 3 types of Elves here and three Dwarven regions now. Next race is Humans and we are almost done. Would you mind suggesting me the positions for them?

thanks

Humans are a mercifully diverse lot. You can do plenty with them. The typical image is the Human commoner, a farmer and a merchant; as always, the valley areas full of rivers are perfect for them. But consider environmental saturation.

You have several regions that are already dominated by Dwarves and Elves. The western archipelago. The mountains. The western forest/swamp. The eastern coast.

Do you see the untouched area? The sea. Elves and Dwarves may or may not be suited to seafaring, but Humans most certainly are. I would recommend placing Human settlements along the coast, either around the inland sea or on the western shore. It's great that you've got Common Elf settlements in the eastern rivers, but with whom are they trading? Some Human coastal cities give you ample opportunity for trade, craft, even piracy. Especially piracy - where there is a naval power (here, the High Elves) there is inevitably a pirate counter-power. If you feel particularly creative, you could even have a "floating city"; a man-made reef of smashed ships, loosely bound together into a sea-fortress, occupied by pirates and seafarers wishing to evade the law of the land.

You could also have a network of human farming communities in the southeastern portion, beyond the Elven river-folk. It creates a beautiful symbiosis - if you have Dwarves in the eastern mountain range, they'll probably need people to trade with. The river-dwelling Common Elves are too far away, but local communities of farmers and craftsmen are practically neighbors. Further, if you decide to make aerie dwarves, their massive avian mounts will need something to eat - stray sheep and goats are a perfect snack for a giant bird-monster.

Consider also the idea of human serfdom. If you consider Humans to be a subservient race in this setting, you could put Humans in the central plains, as sort of the serfs of the Dwarves in Felsite (thanks for that, by the way!), or on the western coast, the tribute-paying citizens of the militaristic High Elf island empire. (The latter would bear a shocking resemblance to the old British colonial system, as a matter of fact, and would offer an excellent opportunity for the players to take sides in an emergent conflict for sovereignty.)

You could also place Human civilizations in the extreme reaches, such as the frigid north, or the southern tip, beyond the mountain reach; these "untouched" Human populations could be savages, and the regions labeled "here there be dragons" on most maps.

Balor01
2014-02-04, 09:44 AM
http://shrani.si/f/3J/tq/4wbmKAaC/generia-map-races.jpg

Well here it is. As I imagined it, Bugbears, Hobgoblins and Goblins of the south managed to form quite an alliance of major warlords to challenge the Humans and Dwarves and make an end to constant pesky adventurer raiding.

In the North, I already had a premade story about a mortal conflict between Human and Dwarven empire ending in destruction of both empires and creation of Badlands - regions, perfect for high-level adventurers, full of warped monsters and strange magical effects. On occasion, an abomination walks out from these lands into civilized lands.

Once more thanks for help Rad Fel.

Red Fel
2014-02-04, 09:50 AM
http://shrani.si/f/3J/tq/4wbmKAaC/generia-map-races.jpg

Well here it is. As I imagined it, Bugbears, Hobgoblins and Goblins of the south managed to form quite an alliance of major warlords to challenge the Humans and Dwarves and make an end to constant pesky adventurer raiding.

In the North, I already had a premade story about a mortal conflict between Human and Dwarven empire ending in destruction of both empires and creation of Badlands - regions, perfect for high-level adventurers, full of warped monsters and strange magical effects. On occasion, an abomination walks out from these lands into civilized lands.

Once more thanks for help Rad Fel.

My pleasure. And may I say, your map looks awesome, and the campaign setting sounds really impressive. I think you've got something really fantastic on your hands.

Happy gaming.