#worldbuilding map

[thecrazyworldbuilder]

A tutorial on a (bit cheating) way of creating fictional maps.

Open your editing software (RECOMMENDING Krita, since it's free and it's very good).

Step 1: Google "X country silhouette" and copy it.

Paste it onto the canvas.

Step 2: Separate the silhouette from the background you copied with it! You can do that by using magic wand selection tool or by making a gradient map with black on 49,9% and transparent on 50% on the slider.

Step 3: Repeat several times with numerous countries and/or islands, cities, municipalities, communes, continents et cetera.

Step 4: Combine, mesh, stretch, rotate, mirror - go ham, make it work.

Step 5: Erase and add.

Step 6: Have your map outline ready, copy/paste it several times in the same doc on different layers and edit in different ways like biomes, kingdoms, mountains and other.

Step Mountains+: To figure out mountains, make another layer on the doc and do something like this:

-and then in every polygon you add an arrow.

Where arrows meet or transfer onto continents, add mountains.

Color the sea with a couple layers of depth and you're done :D

[reijnders]

inspired by @reyneluvirith skyrim and fire emblem maps sent to me by my friend, maps depicting the sub and regional dialects of the northeast of the country Yaence.

Also featuring lakes and rivers too small to be included on my past world maps(but not the big interactive QGIS one ive been doing forever), major highway-type guys(though these are primarily used by forms of public transit), the borders of prefectures, and some major-ish cities in the area.

Some info about the cities pictured, and the dialect fuckery going on as well below the cut!

LANGUAGE AND DIALECT

Pictured in this map are two major languages that fall under the Tewenic language family, and are sister languages. Called Twac̊in̊(left) and Seșǔ(right), they linguistically are more akin to niece and aunt respectively, with the latter diverging from the Tewes protolanguage at the same time as the common ancestor of Twac̊in̊ and minority language Hetema. Due to this, the writing used by Seșǔ is closely related to that of Twac̊in̊ , but retains archaic artifacts of the abjad that was once used by Twac̊in̊ , and remains still in Hetema. Examples of these archaic letters include the use of the cluster t-w(fig. 1) instead of the single glyph tw(fig. 2), and the original m(fig. 3) glyph that fell out of use in Twac̊in̊ due to the sound being dropped altogether as a phoneme. Despite being the most widespread in the language family, Twac̊in̊ is the only member to have lost the /m/ sound.

The organization of the different subsections of language can get a little rough, especially since I've had this project since forever, but he's a basic chart to get you by:

Basically, language describes what I call all forms of the language, comparable to English as an entire language. Macrodialect refers to massive regions that all share similar overall differences. So English : American English = Twac̊in̊ : South H̊lanuel. From there, dialect or subdialect, used interchangeably, is across comparatively smaller areas, but still pretty big. Where macrodialects may cover an entire section of a continent, a dialect may only cover a country or two. Then down into regional dialects, which are within a country at their largest. Comparing to real life again, USA southern English : Atlanta area dialect = Suyal : Na Hel.

TWAC̊IN̊

The official language of the nation, and technically has a lot of overlap and overshadowing in the areas marked in the Seșǔ map, but that's not what I wanted to highlight with these maps. It is the language of majority across all three species that reside in the country: yotavuș, the native species, making up about 79% of the population of Yaence; humans, making up about 13%; and Keleŵu making up the rest. Yaence is a bit of an outlier in terms of human population outside of Earthspace :).

Featured in particular are the three of the four subdialects of macrodialect South H̊lanuel spoken in Yaence: Aeleh, Suyal, and N̊anec̊. Not pictured are Luatwed, found in the furthest western corner of the nation, and the In̊seh subdialects Lusus and Siyue to the south. The nation's most populated city, Ludu, as of the 2372 census, is often considered as the place with the "most correct" dialect in the country, and the word <Duyacin̊> implies a sense of being the everyman, "normal", and most importantly, Not Poor. One of my main characters born and mostly raised in the city actually has an accent in direct opposition to this, due to his parents raising him around people with accents from central parts of the country, areas considered to be less well-off.

SEȘǓ

Something extremely important, which you may have noticed in the maps themselves, is that the nation's capital is surrounded by one of the Seșǔ subdialects. More importantly, one of three subdialects that is native to Yaence, traditionally a non-Seșǔ country. This lends to a very... interesting accent in the people of Yasnae, which includes a muddling of the Twac̊in̊ /ʃ/, and the contrasting in Seșǔ of /ʃ/ and /s/ as the biggest offender noticed by other people in the country. Plenty of folks, in particular those in the western, less diverse regions of Yaence, look down on this accent as a degradation of the Twac̊in̊ language, and some extremist groups have put this fact forth as definitive proof that somewhere with an accent that better represents the majority of people(a touchy subject to the other people in the south and central regions that the westerners also look down on), namely, somewhere like Ludu or Nen̊in̊(not pictured).

EXTRA

See below for a chart with these places and language parts written in the native writing system. Also, keep in mind that while Twac̊in̊ and Seșǔ use the same base alphabet, there are diacritics and the aforementioned archaic letters in play. Think of it like how both English and Spanish use the Latin alphabet, but similar letters may represent different sounds, and some variations may exist in one language but not the other(ñ and rr in Spanish, /ʒ/ for the most part in English). If anyone has specific questions about the language-y side of stuff, feel free to DM or send an ask!

[generic-whumperz]

Apocamerica Map

Apocamerica Masterlist

Understanding this map: Please note that I’m not a professional map maker and know absolutely nothing about cartography. This is simply a quick visual reference guide for navigating post-apocalypse America.

That being said, this map is subject to change and not wholly accurate or representative of safe/unsafe zones, as they constantly change, and there is yet to be an official database within this alternative universe. Think of this as an approximation. Also, keep in mind that this is 12 years after the initial outbreak, and things did not always look like this, nor will they continue to remain the same. Take this all with a grain of salt.

Zone breakdowns

Red, orange, & gray zones: AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Death is almost guaranteed from radiation and mutant anthrophages alike.

Blue Zone: Republic of Arcadia

Yellow zones: The yellow zones on the map are areas where human settlements still exist, and some communities are even thriving. However, these areas lack military protection and government aid, so they are considered unsafe (however subjective the word “safe” is within the context of this map). Yellow zones are also susceptible to radioactive wastelands but are often unexplored, classifying them as "unknown." Travelers in these areas risk encountering various dangers outside of anthrophages, including mutant animals, extremist groups, wasteland gangs, marauders, raiders, and other unsavory characters. Despite their predicted presence, these groups are not marked on this map as they tend to move around and are hard to keep tally of.

Green zones (power & economy): Areas designated as green zones are not entirely safe from security breaches, nemaxys outbreaks, and gang wars over territory and supply runs. These zones consist mainly of civilians striving to survive and establish a livelihood. As a result of the volatile post-outbreak landscape, the green zones are divided into constantly changing sectors. The few remaining "safe" human settlements are widely dispersed, leading the remaining Governors and congressmen to propose the formation of nation-states to exert better control over their respective areas.

However, the current de facto President, the former Speaker of the House, is determined to maintain control over sector territories and military command. They face the challenge of navigating a fragmented nation while contending with threats from the ROA and other factions attempting to seize power, testing their leadership in their efforts to restore order and unity to the ravaged remains of the US.

Despite the President’s efforts, the power vacuum in the sectors continues to expand as power-hungry politicians spare no effort to secure civilian allegiance. Some congressmen and governors have carved out their own fiefdoms within green and yellow zones, effectively becoming warlords of their respective regions.

Following the outbreak, the Hawaiian islands and Alaska are presumed to be the safest and untouched land masses. Hawaii closed its borders and halted all imports/ exports as soon as the first case of the nemaxys contagion hit the news. Meanwhile, a mass exodus of people left the continental US and headed up to Alaska, and the new capitol was relocated to a small Alaskan fishing town.

After the establishment of the Provisional Emergency Relief Agency (PERA), a federal-level build-back program was implemented in all green zones. The Bureau of Labor & Exports (BOLE) oversaw the program and regulated Chattel Services Inc. (CSI) and the remaining corporate-owned labor forces, which had a significant impact on the reconstruction efforts.

Under stringent government sanctions, an underground illicit black market has flourished, giving rise to new crime families that have ascended to power. These new syndicates replaced the previously dominant players, seizing control of the markets and territories once held by their fallen rivals.

Economic collapse rendered money worthless for a period, but eventually, the monetary system was reinstated, allowing for the revival of commerce through traditional means and ration tickets.

While crime and punishment were primarily addressed at the local level, the aftermath of the chaos led most people to abandon violence once their basic needs were met. Gainful employment provided them with a sense of purpose and belonging in society.

What about travel?

Transportation outside green zones mainly involves using trains, planes, or boats, as navigating on the ground with vehicles through a post-apocalyptic wasteland is considered too risky. However, some people still opt for ground transportation despite being viewed as dangerous and ill-advised compared to other means of travel.

[saintarthur01]

Hi there my fellow tumblrs, I want to start off & say thank you so much again for all the support & love lately, you have no idea how much I appreciate the interest in my work. 💛

As I said in my latest post here is the world map for Allra. It only took like 33 hours. ಠ_ಠ I’m hoping in the future to update it as I continue on my WIPS & to also make some in detail close ups of each continent & even towns & cities. Also a basic history & lore dump of Allra will be coming soon ! Thank you so much again, best wishes and love y’all 💛 (artwork is mine, do not steal or use without permission ty)

[space-salaman]

🌊 Meanwhile in New Ahaland 🐊 Can we go there on vacation? Shown: A male zaw-afikh tossing a frisbee at a spinosaur. -- also that sorta looks like male Tial??

~ ~ ~

Bsky 🦋 | Twitter 🐦 | FurAffinity 🐾

Join me on! Discord Server 💽 | Telegram channel🎨

[not-the-worldpond]

[cjbolan]

[Image description. A merman giving his mermaid daughter a necklace with rainbow beads and gold pendant with the Taino sun symbol. End description.]

Next Mermay piece! Now also for #mermayacrosstheseas . Which may be my favorite Mermay prompt simply because it's weekly. And it ties in perfectly with my Emily Windsnap fanart, plus the movie version’s worldbuilding map (click here to see it).  Week 1's prompt is The Caribbean Sea, so here's Emily and Jake at their new home in the Bermuda Triangle ...

Given Jake's convenient knowledge about their secret Caribbean island, plus his black hair and brown eyes... I headcanon him being actually from the Caribbean. Some fans also suggested them being Taino (the left image is the Taino Sun symbol). Others suggested Allpoints (the Windsnap’s Caribbean home) having a Mayan look like Talokan in Wakanda Forever. Or they could be Haitian, like a certain character in the mid-credits. Also based on this sketch (click here to see it).

[Image description. Emily Windsnap movie worldbuilding map including the Caribbean. End description.]

[conlangcrab]

THE VOWEL WAR Ep.5

introducing Edȁrĭ... with 91 vowels

Your turn @ageblue

btw i feel like i need to elaborate on this. this was not made ad hoc for this war, i genuinely evolved Edȁrĭ as an alien language spoken by humanoid aliens (Nyadicha)...

...on planet Ùkrq́i (EXTREMELY unfinished project)

[shadow-words]

Lord of the Black Mountain: Map

I made a very rough map using mapgen4 to rough out where countries/capitols are in Lord of the Black Mountain. I haven't gotten around to making roads or anything, but I did put in locations of colonies/outposts of the Andals--those are the red xes. (Who are sea nomads engaging in some invasion/raiding/trading activities along the Sewen and Assembly of Five coastlines.)

Mapgen4 lets you do climate and water/land stuff but does not have forests. Pls assume that there are extensive forests in those mountains.

[spann-stann]

[traveling-and-wandering]

Hi! Hope I'm using this right, haven't really used this lol. Question: can you tell us about ways your world's geography has shaped it's people and politics?

M: Oh, that's a fun one to answer!

M: First, my home, the United Islands.

M: The peninsula is protected by a mountain range and a desert and the waters are hostile to those not skilled with ships. This meant the nine islands and the peninsula were left to grow relatively undisturbed, except by each other, to which there was a lot of cultural mixing and trade.

So, my homeland is essentially 10 former kingdoms united under one banner.

We're an agriculture and trade power, with a specialty in goods like wine, oil, wool, and especially salt. With some of the best sailors in the world.

M: Next, the Jungle of Flowers to the northwest.

M: They're culture developed in a lush jungle clinging to the coast, backed by a mighty inland sea.

From my understanding, certain common infections cause low birth rate, which allowed women to claim power as the ones who can give birth, thus forming a matriarchal monarchy.

Their tropical climate makes them our main source of rare fruits and woods, as well as leather and furs. They also conflict a lot with smaller kingdoms and tribes to the west for access to the coast and ports.

M: The Twin Kingdoms are also interesting.

M: They're mostly isolated to the far northwest, on a frigid island with very few large land predators. The narrow stretch of land used to mark the border between two kingdoms, the Highlands and the Lowlands. They united under one king in the last 200 years or so to be more assertive in global trade, but the tension between the two groups were… palpable when I was there.

They're predominantly herdsman and fishermen, and they mostly serve as a stop between the Jungle of Flowers and the north east

M: The Golden River is actually where my husband's family is from.

M: They live in the desert, who built their living around the mouth of what I believe the largest river in the world. They're actually a lot of smaller kingdoms who all answer to a single religious leader, who's temple sits at the mouth of the river spilling out in the ocean.

They don't actually take money like most other places I've visted, being mostly trade based, and water being the signifier of wealth. However, they sit on a seemingly endless network of gold mines that they happily trade the rest of the world for, along with beautiful glassworks.

All of the kingdoms are in conflict with each other to some degree, all trying to get more sway over water sources and to become the next leader.

M: The Volcanic Steppe was one of the strangest places I visited.

M: They're lands consist of two islands, the western one consisting of very fertile farming land, a mountain range, and a massive volcano. The eastern island has two more groups, the nomadic herders of the steppe, and the mercantile bullwork on the southern coast. The three groups seem to be in a sort of symbiotic relationship to each other, although none seem to trust the other too much.

They don't have much in terms of a centralized government, with the two sedentary societies communicating with each other mutually, and the steppe people electing a kind of king among all of the nomadic tribes' chiefs. This king communicates with the other two societies.

They seem mostly interested in selling their magnificent horses, along with animal fats, leather, and volcanic glass.

M: The Silken Delta was the last place I lived in long term before coming home.

M: They live on a smaller peninsula, consistently rich with fertile soil from the many rivers and deltas flooding and receding every year. They're a confederation of states, separated by rivers, with each state sending a representative to their central council at the tip of the peninsula.

They actually recently finished, and won, a major war with a mountain kingdom to the north, and they're enjoying the spoils. They're hungry to get back in the market, as I think they see the United Islands and economic rivals. Their cloth is something to die for, as are their spices and herbs.

M: I can go into much more detail on any of these lands if you have any follow up questions, but that's the overview.

[mightofmerchants]

Some people have asked me if I can publish my mapmaking tools. So I developed a software. 🙂

Here is the result:

[justgottafinishthischapter]

This came across my Facebook feed, felt I’d share it.

[dunmeshistash]

Dungeon Meshi Adventurer's Bible - Dungeon cross section

Details under the cut

Details cropped from this reddit post

[machiavellianwaffles-blog]

Map of the Solar System from Signalis

[thecrazyworldbuilder]

To confirm:

Made completely from all the countries that are above ^^^

Again, a link to the tutorial post.

Map of the world but all countries are social distancing.