Is there a map of Itharia?

[glenn3e]

I think the Almanac page could really benefit from having one. Its hard to picture which empires are where, and which areas are already dominated by Ret-Talus. The game has an intriguing story of the overall struggle against the Undead, so I hope they establish it further by having a world map so we can picture it better. :D

[prometheuslkr]

Seconded! (with ten characters)

[Ryujin]

Thirded!!!!

[Arutha]

Forthed (hope I spelled it right)

[thenightsshadow]

My brother made a map of Itharia based on what he thought were the boundaries of the factions. Though, when we got a bit deeper into it, the Tundra Orcs were supposed to be in the north, not south.

So he's reworking it.

[Phoenixio]

It's been a while already, but Truth said there was indeed a map he was working with, but that map is in constant evolution depending on how M.Bistro and him develop the story.

I think he said on one of the podcast that he'd like to, one day, create a "lore pack" (book, map, pictures, etc). I don't recall his exact words, but the map was the main topic at that time too.

But well, no need for maps, as we all know the Fallen Kingdom will rule them all!

[sitnam90]

I remember talk of a big lore almanac in one of the earlier podcasts. I'd be pretty excited to see a map, as we have tons of location places for the factions. Where is Heap? Where is South Meeric? Who neighbors who? We know certain things, like the Benders are east of the Vanguard, and the FK are attacking both of those factions from the opposite side. We know unaffiliated humans border Jungle Elves, Swamp Orcs, Tundra Orcs, and maybe Sand Goblins. Vekkid are in South Meeric, Dugalla are everywhere, Ornithians are rare outside their mountain toips.

[Hogg]

I think he said on one of the podcast that he'd like to, one day, create a "lore pack" (book, map, pictures, etc). I don't recall his exact words, but the map was the main topic at that time too.

I would love to see something like that.

[Ryujin]

It's been a while already, but Truth said there was indeed a map he was working with, but that map is in constant evolution depending on how M.Bistro and him develop the story.

It would be great if the map only included physical features and cities, such as the Mountains of Sorrow and Heap. We would be able to figure out where each faction is in each part of the story relevant to the landmarks. And whenever a faction takes over a new area or city, PHG can just write about it somewhere (like a second summoner's bio) instead making a whole new map.

[prometheuslkr]

It would be great if the map only included physical features and cities, such as the Mountains of Sorrow and Heap. We would be able to figure out where each faction is in each part of the story relevant to the landmarks. And whenever a faction takes over a new area or city, PHG can just write about it somewhere (like a second summoner's bio) instead making a whole new map.

Yeah but he may not be sure now where the Mountains of Sorrow are in relation of Heap. Maybe later story developments will require Kravlas to be farther from Far Esta than previously anticipated.

[sitnam90]

That's why a map woiuld be great to help figure out where those things are. Setting boundaries is a huge part of storytelling and world creation; changing set boundaries on a whim is bad story telling. Once they have figured out the official map and published it, they should use it as a reference to create stories that work around distance and terrain factors not ones that suspened belief or change the map. Plus with the summoning stone theme, travel is easier to depict when a summoner can teleport great distance using the stone.

[Barliman]

Setting boundaries is a huge part of storytelling and world creation; changing set boundaries on a whim is bad story telling. Once they have figured out the official map and published it, they should use it as a reference to create stories that work around distance and terrain factors not ones that suspened belief or change the map.
This may be why we don't have a map yet.

I myself don't mind an unofficial or provisional map, just to give us a better feeling for where things lie. One of my favorite authors, Lois McMaster Bujold, has said that once she defines things in her worlds she sticks by them, but when it isn't necessary she doesn't define things, leaving things to be better defined later by and for later stories. (For example, she has never decided what caused all the mutations in early Barrayar history.)

In that same spirit, I would love to see a map with the basic shape of the continents and rough locations of important places and peoples, and I wouldn't mind if it were revised later as the world and stories get more fleshed out. (The early map could be labeled as being from inaccurate knowledge from a limited point of view, if that would help.)