Elyden climate map

I just finished this. It didn't take too long to make (as usual with maps with text, the text took quite a while to get done, though this time I was able to pinch some words from my notes), but I needed something like this to help me with the regional atlas maps. I expect I'll be updating this and tweaking it as I work on other regions, so nothing is set in stone quite yet.

Elyden Global climate map

The text from the image is copied below:

Put simply, climate is a stable weather condition averaged out over a long period of time (often 25-years), categorized by specific combinations of humidity and temperature; whereas weather is a short-term phenomenon, based on changes in in wind, humidity and temperature.

   Elyden is currently undergoing a change in climate, and is emerging from a warm period, moving into an ice-age. These cooler temperatures result in lower sea-levels as more sea-water is trapped in polar ice. Despite these changes, each of Elyden’s continents is characterized by particular climates and patterns in temperature and precipitation, amongst others.

   Of note are the Atramenta and the Firmament, which affect both climate and weather as well as other conditions in their vicinity, with their effects more pronounced the farther from the nullambit one moves.

   The study of climatology was introduced in 3982 RM by the scholar Phirun Kamerathis, who divides the northern and southern hemispheres of Elyden into five broad bands, or climate zones, each: Tropical, Dry, Temperate, Continental and Polar in the northern hemisphere and the reverse in the southern. Each of these bands is further divided into more detailed bands which were introduced through later adjustments.

   Each band has distinct traits and qualities that are shared to different degrees across all lands and territories that fall under that band. The bands are not regular and may cover different latitudes, depending on the presence of oceanic currents, mountains, deserts and other factors.

Bror

Despite its distinction of being the smallest and most isolated of continents, Bror is an example of the climatological diversity that’s possible in relatively small areas.

  The Lahaed mountain, running down the entirety of the continent like a hard spine, it the major arbiter of Bror’s climate. Rain shadows to the north and south of the mountain have created sizeable rain shadows, beyond which are tropical regions to the north-east, and temperate to the south-west.    

Llachatul

As the northernmost continent, it comes as no surprise that Llachatul is the coldest. It is the only continent with a land polar icecap and has the longest stretch of west-east land above the north polar circle amongst all continents (7,300-miles).

  Llachatul is generally divided in two: Gnotha to the west and Malani Llachatul to the east, divided by a line drawn from the sea of Propontis to Bielost. Gnotha is characterized by a continental climate, with its western coast heavily influenced by the Erthydaen Flow, which brings warm waters and currents north from the Sea of Lynnae. Farther south, and closer to Sammaea, it ranges from temperate to the arid-temperate climate that characterises the northern coastline of the Inner Sea. Malani Llachatul has a more temperate climate, though lands east of the Argent mountains are arid to semi-arid, with its south-eastern coast ranging from equatorial to hot humid.

  Southern and south-eastern Llachatul experiences a wet season and a dry season, though northern and western Llachatul experience four seasons.

Meniscea

Dominating the north of the far hemisphere, Meniscea is home to the True Meniscus. It lies between 80O north and 10O south, though is concentrated around 70O and 40O, with a continental climate predominating, with tundra to the north and a more temperate climate to the south.

   The southernmost reaches of the Meniscean peninsula reaches to beyond the equator and displays a hot-humid through to tropical to equatorial.

Sammaea

Sammaea is the largest continent, stretching from 50O north to 84O south and encompasses all climates imaginable, save for polar icecaps. The continent is divided into four – Western Sammaea, comprising all lands west of the Karkarmis mountains; Southern Sammaea, comprising all lands south of the Acharkharan mountains; Eastern Sammaea, or Imperial Sammaea, comprising the lands north-east of the Mulciber mountains; and Northern Sammaea, or Kharkharadontid Sammaea, which dominates the lands between – each of which has distinct features.
   The continent is characterized by vast deserts along regions of rain shadows, both tropics, and the innermost regions of the continent, with the largest – the Kharkharadontid desert – being home to the Black Fountain and the most extreme Atramental terrain. It also has the two largest rain forests in Elyden – the Wold in the west and the Waelmigh in the east.
   Away from these areas of extremes, the climate is semi-arid to temperate-arid, though the south is more temperate, with continental and tundra in the extreme south.

#Climate, #Elyden, #Atlaselyden, #Fantasyatlas, #Fantasycartography, 

ATLAS ELYDEN #13: the Desolation of Astudan, and Sabia

Here's the latest map in the series, detailing a largely empty expanse. Funny how it took me so long to finish... 

I've added a few new features, including the rock desert ( semi circle patterns) as well as a faint bevel/emboss texture to the land to give the impression of more detailed elevation.

Let me know what you think!

Atlas Elyden #13: the Desolation of Astudan and Sabia 

Remember, if you become a patron you gain access to exclusive content like High-res maps, textless maps as well as more background and history about the world of Elyden.

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Aptly named, this region, which exists as a buffer between west and east, and south and north, is an expanse of cold stone deserts characterised by wind-worn rock formations and boulder fields and very little else. The lands of Astudan are unclaimed by most, though there exists an oasis of culture in its south-east that has as its nucleus the legendary city of Gâtha.

Gâtha is an independent city-state that begun life as a Korachani colony that busied itself mining lodestones, but after high-yield mines were exhausted in c. 3350 RM, Korachan left the region under the leadership of the Interreges. The city experienced a renaissance of sorts decades later and once more became an autonomous region. It attracted adventurers, halfbloods, outlaws, other races, and explorers from far regions, many of whom settled there and its diversity remains a defining feature to this day.

Sabia is situated to the north east of Astudan. Located across the polar circle has made its people hardy and hard workers. Its fishing fleets are well-equipped to navigate the frigid waters of the Bielost and the Sea of Daggers to the north and are legendary for their prowess at hunting whales and sea serpents and it is a major manufacturer of whale oil and ambergris. Like many other regions it was once a target of the Korachani empire, which was interested by its large deposits of meteore under the Echanem mountains. That unfortunate past of servitude and subjugation is now in the past and Sabia enjoys its independence.

Being situated along the Nullambit makes it a place largely neutral to the Firmament and the Penumbra and its lands and culture are also free of their influence.

#Elyden, #Fantasycartography, #Atlaselyden, #Fantasycartography, #Sabia, #Desolationofastudan

Atlas Elyden style guide

By popular demand, a guide to how I create my Atlas Elyden maps.

This isn't a full-out tutorial, though more of a guide to how I create the maps, so a working knowledge of how Photoshop and projected maps work is assumed. I don't go into details like which exact colours are used and so on as I expect anyone wanting to emulate the style to use their own colours. It's no fun copying things word-for-word :)

Here's a link to a PDF with the exact same guide for anyone who wants a slightly less long version to keep.

Hope you enjoy, and as always, you can check out my Patreon for more images and details of the world. Patrons get exclusive content, like PSDs and high-res JPGs of the maps, as well as textless versions for use in your own work. A more detailed version of this tutorial should be up for patrons later on in the month.

#atlaselyden #fantasycartography