[WIP] Community Atlas - River Watch - Druid villages
![[Deleted User]](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c75d9a245b74d9c59be0999ea81ca541/?default=https%3A%2F%2Fvanillicon.com%2F92add7f8c954488718110edc4896ad39_200.png&rating=g&size=200)
I am doing the 4 villages in Jim's river Watch regional map, using Scott's Celtic buildings (available as free download from Profantasy, and found in the Bitmap A button on the City Style.
I am doing the 4 villages in Jim's river Watch regional map, using Scott's Celtic buildings (available as free download from Profantasy, and found in the Bitmap A button on the City Style.
Comments
Second village
Third village
4th village - and all 4 seasons
I do have more to do on them, with several corrections, such as scale bars etc
Looking great. Love the seasons.
Here is the regional map
I will have to add a stream and some hills to the village maps.
Nice work Quenten!
Question: Did you use the forest fill as the base, and then add grass fill polys on top to represent the cleared space?
No, grass fill was background
That's nice work Quenten
Looks good.
Completed Applegate.
That last village has a business that makes diaries??
But of course - out of butter. ? Thanks for the spell-check - corrected.
I have also fixed the gaps in the border, and the road ends.
Do I need to do more?
Here is the final version of the Druidhome region.
Quenten, one of my favorite things about your maps is all the extra touches you put in the borders - the decoration. This one is one of my favorites in that regard! The map is excellent, but the top and bottom borders really take it to the next level for me.
Here is the FINAL rendition of Applegate (really and truly, this time)
The final rendition of the Summer village, Kyooz Meadow (guess who this illuminati this is named after ?)
The final rendition of the ironically named Green Walk - the winter village. Wonder what those herbs and mushrooms are about - in a religious community too. Tut tut.
And finally, the final rendition of the Spring village.
Great set of maps. Really love your exploration of the seasons here.
While these are fascinating explorations of different seasonal map depictions, are they really appropriate for a site around 25°N latitude on Nibirum? This puts the locations near the northern limit of the tropics for the planet (equivalent to the Tropic of Cancer on Earth). This would also mean the snowy mountains are a little too prevalent, I suspect.
Sorry if this is a bit late to be useful. I've not been paying as much attention to the Forum here recently as I might, so it's only just dawned on me.
Being druids, they have access to the control weather spell. Maybe they keep each of the four villages is like that year round? ;-)
No to Monsen ?
Wyvern, you are probably right. However, if it can snow in northern NSW every year (Glen Innes 29.73618° S), and reach -5C in Brisbane hinterlands where I used to live (27.07032° S, 152.95045° E), then it can snow in an inland area surrounded by mountains high enough to have snow caps in winter.
Just my excuse for ignoring latitude of Artemisia.?
I was thinking more about the four seasons thing, rather than specific occasional weather events like frost or snow. Very high mountains between the Tropics can have snow much to all the year, based on Earthly examples, above roughly 4.5 to 5 km, though this becomes more questionable for the lower slopes of whole mountain ranges.
While I like Monsen's idea of the Druids enforcing permanent order on each village, I'm not sure that's strictly within the remit of druids as maintaining the natural order of the world...?????
Well, I'll just stick with poetic licence.
I tried to stick with poetic license once and it got revoked...
I prefer to stick with an appropriate adhesive. ?
Here are the map notes for Druid Home and the four villages, with updated maps. I have tried to take Wyvern's concerns into consideration.
Druidhome
This isolated, and truly beautiful area, is a haven for a secretive sect of Druids who moved here after a lucky exploration trip by the famed elven ranger, Galad Fenevriel, 127 years ago. Galad still lives here in Applegate, and continues his explorations.
Despite being in the subtropical zone, the winters are cold, and snowfalls occur in most years. The high valley is surrounded by tall mountains, some with permanent snowcaps – Mt Screadcenn (Screaming Head), Mt Damnù (Damnation) and Soinneàin Gaoithe (Windblast) Mountain to the north, and peaks almost as high to the south, especially Mt Toirneach (Thunder) and Sceimhle (Terror) Mountain.
The valley is transected by Siobhan Stream, whose clear waters also have an invigorating effect downstream from Gruama (Misty) Brook which flows down from awe-inspiring Gruama Falls.
Above the Gruama Falls is a portal to other sites on Nibirum, and also other planets in the Universe. This is where the elves of Artemisia came from thousands of years ago via Arda and Faerun. The knowledge of this portal is dangerous, and when discovered, Queen Miriel II of Elen Daelarion asked that a colony of rather high level druids settle in the area to protect the portal from either ingoings or outgoings (already, several Goa'uld and Jaffa have been intercepted and ‘dealt with’). [NB: This portal is one of three on Artemisia, one already documented in the Hellenic Portal Gate on the borderlands of the Iraisian City States and Themisia]. Unfortunately, the existence of this portal is known to quite a few people, especially the orcs and others from the mountainous vales of Dolina-Strakha (Valley of Fear) south east of River Watch. So far the valiant Druids have kept them at bay.
The fabulous Jenolan Cave is another protected site – mainly from greedy dwarves, whom the elven druids rather distrust. It is a labyrinth of twisting tunnels opening up into glorious caverns filled with limestone wonders – stalagmite, stalactites, columns, shawls and limestone pools. Through the magnificent arch, Diabhail Coisteach (Devil’s Coachhouse), a brook – Uaimh (Cave) Brook, emerges; while the main cave entrance is much further up the slopes of Mt Damnù.
The Siobhan Stream arises from the Mergin Spring on the foot of Mt Soinneàin Gaoithe Mountain. It can cleanse one’s thinking so clear thought and rational decisions can flow from the imbiber. However, it does this only once a month, and only for one person at a time. The effect lasts three days. Needless to say, the four Eldest Druids take turns each month.
Finally, there are the four villages/hamlets – Oakland (Talamdarach), Applegate (Ullgeata), Kyooz Meadows (Scuaine-Moneir) and Green Walk (Siúlóid Ghlas). These are detailed in their respective maps. However, all have housing for the Eldest Druid, head person of the village, stores, assembly hall and a sacred site.
I have chosen to stay with the English translations for the villages, otherwise used Irish Gaelic (or modifications) for the other names.
Here is Applegate, with the stream added.
Applegate (Ullgeata)
This hamlet primarily produces apples (and cider), herbs and milk, cream and some cheese for the whole community of Druidhome.
Important people
Eldest Druid: Alvien Wantegeil, a powerful elven druid; stern and rarely smile, with absolutely no sense of humour.
Healer: Farinal Janivair, an attractive (not beautiful) elven druid who is also mistress of herbs. She is loved by all, and always has a laugh on her lips and a sparkle in her eyes.
Galad Fenevrial, discoverer of Druidhome and the Portal, lives here between exploratory trips. He is easily bored, and has recently come to resent having to live in the valley. He clashes with the Eldest Druids often, and is seeking a way out. He also believes the Portal should be used to explore Nibirum and the Universe, and he is fascinated by the Goa’uld.
Eva Serpenteil is the half-elven druid who tends to the apples – these occasionally have an anti-aging effect.
Important sites
The sacred site, and centre of their weekly rituals, is Niamh’s Howe, named for a since deceased human druid, Niamh O’Brion, who was the architect behind this structure. It is a large mound, filled with sacred objects, and where Niamh and the previous Eldest Druid are interred. Around it are nine huge trees, with a massive apple tree in the centre on top of the mound (obviously aided and abetted by Druid magic).
I have pictured it in Autumn, harvest time for the delicious apples of Eva.
Here is Green Walk in winter.
Green Walk (Siúlóid Ghlas)
This hamlet primarily produces mushrooms and ‘consciousness enhancing’ herbs for the whole community of Druidhome.
Important people
Eldest Druid: Berendal, a powerful elven druid; a serious-minded elf with a surprising sense of humour, usually as pranks on his fellows..
Healer: Erina O’Lensteir, an elderly human spinster druid loves to dabble in various psychedelic concoctions.
Timoife Leirion is the main tender to the mushrooms (and toadstools. He is a chatty elven druid, who often goes into bewildering tangents about any topic at all. Most suspect hime of being perpetually ‘high’.
Important sites
The sacred site, and centre of their weekly rituals, Conall the Swift’s Barrow, another burial mound of both Conall the Swift (an elven ranger killed by bears in the mountains to the south) and the first Eldest Druid. At the entrance path is an eternal fire, the Winter Pyre.
Snow and sleet are common here most winters, which can get very cold in the valley, surrounded by tall mountains and a high elevation for the valley itself.
I have pictured it in Winter, the season where getting high on Erina’s concoction is especially helpful in coping with the weather. The druids don’t like to interfere with the weather much, except on one occasion ten years ago with an attempted invasion of orcs and wargs – the resulting sleet storm killed all the invaders, but also laid waste to the barley crops that thrived there – mushrooms have replaced it.
Here is Kyooz Meadow, in Summer.
Kyooz Meadow (Scuaine-Moneir)
This hamlet primarily produces beef and pork (and bacon of course) and various poultry products- especially fantastic eggs for the whole community of Druidhome. It is pronounced as in Q’s Meadow. It also produces barley, mainly for bread, not booze.
Important people
Eldest Druid: Wiverniel Salasios, a powerful elven druid; full of life which he enjoys to the full – beer, maidens and lusty ballads. Wiverniel has been here from the first settlement, 127 years ago and is now 267 years of age.
Healer: Suzanti Rodintiel, a very organised (and organising) elf who loves finding out more about diseases – even doing autopsies on her deceased patients and other animals. She has a wealth of medical knowledge which she has annotated in her ‘Ars Medica’ volumes kept in her abode. Some wonder if perhaps her patients are not as well cared for as they should, since she has this morbid interest in autopsies. However, she swears she is pure as the driven snow, and any other opinions are fake news.
Eigsan Baicoin is in charge of the smokehouse where jerky and bacon and ham are produced. He is given to swearing in a most colourful way, but despite his gruffness, he is still a rather likeable halfelf. No prizes for knowing his favourite breakfast.
Important sites
Their sacred site for all weekly rituals in the Keystone, a ring of ten close-set stones surrounding a huge rock engraved with spiral motives, all atop a flat elf-built mound. Under the mound are the burial rooms for any Eldest Druid, but none have needed it yet.
I have pictured it in Summer, the season where most of the smokehouse work is done.