PDA

View Full Version : Varisian Geography: Where's Sandpoint?



Julix
2014-02-16, 01:15 AM
I stumbled over some disagreement in different maps. In We Be Goblins Brinestump Marsh is correctly located between Sandpoint and Magnimar. Sandpoint however is marked on the next pointy thing at the coast while other maps show it as the second pointy thing.

Neither the normal Inner Sea Region map (http://brennor.dyndns.org/~shurijo/pathfinder_society/maps/map_inner_sea_large.png) nor the Google style map (http://www.mapsofgolarion.com/) makes no mention of Sandpoint one way or another.

The Varsian map (http://kingstears.pbworks.com/f/1348153961/Pathfinder%20-%20%5BMAP%5D%20-%20Varisia.jpg) marks it clearly at the second point. The local map (http://ohiorunelords.pbworks.com/f/1232749580/SandPointArea.jpg) (Sandpoint's "Hinterlands") shows "Hag's Plummet" poking out of the coast a few miles before Sandpoint, but since the scale on the bigger map is 1 measure = 30 miles that's probably insignificant. With tilting the Hinterlands map could be fitted on either point, but since it has a true north star the angle fits better on the second point.

However, the location of Magnimar (http://pathfinderwiki.com/mediawiki/images/a/a9/Magnimar_panorama.jpg) differs also between the We Be Goblin map (saying it's right at the cosat) and the Varsia map (somewhat off the coast), and this time the Inner Sea map agrees with WBG. As does the concept art (http://pathfinderwiki.com/mediawiki/images/thumb/5/51/Magnimar_skyline.jpg/800px-Magnimar_skyline.jpg) for Magnimar. Suggesting that maybe the Inner Sea map just wasn't done very carefully.

However, the Inner Sea map has much much much more places and names on it, thus is more detailed. While this might have lead to someone going "oh well with so many names on one map who's cares" - I find mostly giving lots of detail correlates with some degree of attention to those details. It says as source for the IS map (http://kingstears.pbworks.com/w/page/58968005/Varisia) "From the Gazeteer, modified with some info from the Inner Sea World Guide" [link added]. According to the link one is a pathfinder chronicles supplement and the other a campaign setting, both by Erik Mona (editor-in-chief) and Jason Bulmahn (lead designer). Doesn't get much more official than that, right?

Now the We Be Goblin is a one shot by Richard Pett (known for macabre and sinister adventure writing). A small mistake like this could have happened.

The Inner Sea map was posted in some forum by Shurijo and I can't find out how credible it is or where it's from, but it's in super high resolution. That ought to count for something. ;-)

I've given you all the evidence I could find. I think WBG and Inner Sea maps are right about Magnimar being at the coast (thus Versia map is wrong here), but Versia is right about the location of Sandpoint being on the second jag (and WBG is wrong here). And the Inner Sea map is innocent as far as I can see.


What's your opinion? First or second coastal jag on the map?



Julian

Alleran
2014-02-16, 03:37 AM
Rather than make a guess and just so you know, I've reposted this question to James Jacobs' Ask thread over on Paizo's forums. Sandpoint and Varisia is his favourite place/most developed place in the Golarion setting, so he should have an answer for you.

Magnimar should be on the coast, though. In the Shattered Star AP, there's a big tidal wave that hits it.

GungHo
2014-02-17, 11:31 AM
Rather than make a guess and just so you know, I've reposted this question to James Jacobs' Ask thread over on Paizo's forums. Sandpoint and Varisia is his favourite place/most developed place in the Golarion setting, so he should have an answer for you.
Yeah, one of his NPC books is basically showing off the NPCs he and the other guys at Paizo use in his Sandpoint campaign. The Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path (which is now collected in a big hardback) is based in Sandpoint as well.