The Dark Corner of the Mind: MIP (Maps in Progress)

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MIP (Maps in Progress): October 8th

Wow! I can't believe it's been 5 months since I last worked on this.

Here is what Válkia looked like before I worked on it last night. (Click on the images to see them in more detail.)

And after?

I've added some rivers around the outside of the main land, two new batches of forest in the north of Meira and the south of Arlea. The most unexpected change is the new land mass to the north-east, which teases a setting sometime, somewhere in The Válkia Chronicles. Across that sea lies a desert. That's all I'm saying for now.

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MIP: Válkia May 23rd

So as you can see, my map's slowly progressing. Well, it is a "map-in-progress". I'm lucky in that I don't need to rush this.

I really hope it's not turning out too messy. What do you guys think?

I just added a couple of things today -- some mountains nearby Tarne (necessary for a plot point, in fact), "The Great Arlean Forest" in Arlea and the "Northern Ranges" in Arlea, where I think another major plot point will occur. Also, I'd misnamed a village as Stonecrest -- I've now changed this and moved Stonecrest from its original north-west of Heath to mid-south Duthonne. The villages are fairly well spread now, although Robarre is still largely segregated. I think that place will be uniquely self-sufficient, unlike the other villages which work together.

There are four final touches I would like to add:
1. Two or three more villages in Meira.
2. A final mountain range in northern Meira.
3. Extra patches of forest, as there is currently only one major clump in each country, which is geographically ridiculous. (Not saying that any of my map is geographically accurate, though.)
4. Some minor rivers breaking in from the shoreline.

Any thoughts or ideas?

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Sunday Update, Sunday Sample and Maps in Progress: May 15th

School is currently my worst enemy. I haven't written for half a month. It's sad, but I'll get back to it when I get back to it.

But while I'm here, I'll give you a look at my map, which is very nearly finished. I just need to add the final details. Click for a bigger picture.

And now for another sample. This a personal bit, and a little bit of a spoiler. It's also currently my basic idea behind what will one day become Endures Aura.
______________________________

“You have Endures Aura.”

“Yes. I sought it out. I was an adventurous child. I ventured deep into the forest to find the hollow tree stump where, if you looked inside, you would find that it led to a small pit beneath the ground. Here is where the Aura would be found. I jumped inside and discovered engravings of warriors all over the walls. After that all I remember is waking up and feeling different. Like there was something new inside me.” Faine laughed. “I was certain my father would be so proud of me. Then I got home, and I realised I was wrong. As soon as I told him what I had achieved, he hit me across the face and stormed out of the house, saying he wasn’t going to wait around for me so slit his throat.”

Eoin shivered.

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MIP (Maps in Progress): Aundes Aura May 2

Quite a while ago I posted the basic map for Aundes Aura with just the major villages, cities, forests and such. I never had much reason to add the other things, but eventually I will have to, as I've decided it will be easier to work on the map myself for publication than to pay someone else to do it, mainly because each time a new book in the series is written the map will need to change. But even more, if I can do this on my own, that's less cash I have to pay out to get my books looking good and legit.

Here is the original map again.

Here's the map I'm working on with the free downloadable program "Gimp", which is similar to photoshop. It's nowhere near finished, but this should give you a good indication of how it will look in the end.

When I get back to this, I'll be adding the outline, maybe some more mountains, lots of trees, a compass, maybe water effects and possible sea names, as well as more villages that may never even be seen in the book. I might also see if I can darken the mountains (which, by the way, were generously offered as an image from someone over at the Cartograpgers' Guild).

If you're interested in working on your own maps as well, head over to the Cartographers' Guild website, sign up and look for some Gimp tutorials, but if you like what you see above, then you know what you can do without any tutorials -- even without any previous image manipulation experience.

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