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Azarian Stories: Map of Athar

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==Join the Azarian Stories group!==


:iconazarian-stories::iconazarian-stories::iconazarian-stories::iconazarian-stories::iconazarian-stories:
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A bit of personal art, yay!
And a bit of Azarian Stories as well, just to let you know that I haven't forgotten about it! :D Oh, believe me, I'm far from forgetting ;) (dat F alliteration tho) 
And if you have no idea what the heck Azarian Stories is all about, you can read it hereAzarian Stories - Sleight Of Hand Cover by ARVEN92

Now, thanks to the help of a bunch of dedicated fans, I've been working thoroughly on the worldbuilding for this project, which is by far the most ambitious for me yet. And there are SO many things I need to work on, you have no idea! But for now, I've been working on the continent on which the story takes place, Athar

Now, I've always used a very sketchy map as a personal reference so far, and, though helpful, it was really really messy and plan, and only provided so much information. This is why I've been working on a finalized version of the map over the last week, and let me tell you, I've had the time of my life with it! So here you have it, my first attempt at an actual map, and a digital one no less XD

It's not really all that fancy, there are WAY better maps out there, but hey, I tried XD
The map is not as detailed as I wish it was, though I can easily add and remove information at this point. I can even make one detailed map for each of the regions, but I think that's going to be a feature exclusive to the Azarian Stories group :) :iconazarian-stories:

For this map, I decided to show all of the eleven regions, each with its main city. The dotted lines separate the three main climatic zones: the uppermost being the coldest, the median being the temperate, and the lowest being the tropical region. I also added a much-needed scale :faint: I've had SUCH a hard time establishing distances within my world so far!

Aaanyway, I'm going to add some details about each of the regions (and by that, I mean I'm going to copy-paste an answer to a reader's worldbuilding question XD). Sorry for the laziness XD For whoever is interested, I may add additional details in case they are needed^^

Aroza is the wildest of the regions of Athar, a great percentage of the land is not suitable for dwelling or building cities. To the South-West, we find the upper border of the desert that covers the whole of Rukara. To the East, all along the coast, there is a chain of harsh mountains, of which many are active volcanoes. As a result, the coastline itself is very harsh and jagged. Some of the inactive volcanoes contain lakes.
Aucata is a small yet powerful region in the heart of Athar. Despite being the tiniest out of all of them, it's the region with the most abundance of underground treasures, namely precious metals. Like Izara, it's mountainous and hard to trek through, although the river flowing along its Southern border, in common with Izruca, makes it a much greener place than Izara itself. The tallest mountain of Athar, Auk'att, is located in this region, and also gives it its name.
Biztora is composed of the two largest islands of Athar, as well as by some of the surrounding smaller ones. The southern isle, Green Island, is mainly composed of grassy plains, while Yellow Island, to the North, contains a small mountain chain, and one of its atolls is of volcanic origin.
Izara is a very harsh, mountainous region, and it is indeed covered by snow in the winter (but not in the summer). However, not even all the snow of winter is enough to sustain the population of Azaras who live there until the next snowstorm (the following year). Moreover, there are no natural lakes or rivers, so the water problem is a serious one. Crops don't grow as easily as in other regions, and the inhabitants have to rely on hunting the few creatures who live there.
Izruca is a hot, semi-tropical region with scorching summers and freezing, rainy winters. Its vegetation is mainly jungle-like, and in the driest part (to the East), the sand from Rukara's desert is carried by the wind and creates frequent sandstorms, which give the region its name. Izruca's rivers are well known for being full of rapids and waterfalls, and overall unsafe to travel through.
Kurtaza is a boggy, swampy region to the South of Athar, the hottest together with Tathara, and especially hot due to the tropical vegetation and humidity. Kurtaza is full of water, however, only a small percentage of it is drinkable, the rest is marsh or quagmire, contaminated by being still for very long and potentially fatal if drunk. The vegetation outside of the forest areas is quite thin and sparse, the ground is barren and flat, with only a few hills. Illnesses and diseases are very frequent in this region.
Naruza is also a forest region, but unlike its neighbour Kurtaza, there are little to no marshes and the ground is very healthy and rich. With lots of water and wood, Naruzans make some of the best sailors. Pilework houses are very common in this region, as is the crafting of wood in all its forms.
Rukara is a mainly deserted region located near the center of the continent. It has no access to coastlines and the only significant lake and river dry out in the hottest season. The landscape is very barren with occasional rocky hills, where the main cities are located. A good amount of the population is nomadic.
Tathara is the southernmost region of Athar. It's a narrow nation with access to an extensive coastline, therefore it's a hot, sandy region that bases its strengths in the sea. However, its strong winds can be a challenge for novice sailors. 
Yataza, on the contrary, is the northernmost region of the continent, and the coldest as well. Winters are extremely rigid, with extensive snowstorms and frosting of the large lakes and rivers that crisscross it. For this reason, despite the large amount of water in the region, it might be difficult to find enough for everyone in winter. However, in summer, the water of Yataza is the purest of the whole continent. The landscape is composed of fjords and tundra.
Zercuta is the largest, best known and richest region in Athar. Its landscape is extremely varied since it stretches over the three main climate bands: polar, temperate and tropical regions. However, its main characteristic is the uneven, jagged, rocky soil that composes it, which gives the region its name. To the South, a canyon was eroded by the wind, and to the North, a valley was carved by the water. The vegetation is abundant, especially near the center, where Azca, the capital of Athar, is located. Zercuta was once considered a region of badlands, where nothing would grow, however since the arrival of Azaras, it quickly became a very healthy, flourishing land.

That's all for now! Enjoy the map^^ (and forgive my awful attempt at digital art)

6 hours total in Adobe Photoshop

References used:
Fantasy Map TutorialxResources by :iconcalthyechild:
Sketchy Cartography Brushes by :iconstarraven:
Compass rose: www.google.it/search?q=compass…
Art (c) :iconarven92:
More about Azaras: Azara Species Sheet by ARVEN92
:iconazarian-stories::iconazarian-stories::iconazarian-stories:
Image size
3779x4747px 14.97 MB
© 2015 - 2024 ARVEN92
Comments79
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The-Little-Ragdoll's avatar
:star::star::star::star::star: Overall
:star::star::star::star::star: Vision
:star::star::star::star::star: Originality
:star::star::star::star::star: Technique
:star::star::star::star::star: Impact

This map is by far the most detailed one I've ever seen on deviantart. The different terrains are easily noticeable and the transition from one to another is beautifully done. Great work on making the lakes and rivers unique. No two are the same, which gives this map it's realistic feel. I also enjoyed the latitude/longitude lines, ruler, and compass. Most maps lack that, making the art seem more like a picture than anything. The lighter hues of blue surrounding the landmasses were a nice touch as well. I almost want to take this map and go on an adventure...then again...I'd be pretty lost after a while haha. All in all, amazing work as always.