How to Draw a Fictional Map? Geography

• Your Maps should look Coherent.
• The Position of each element should seem to be the product of multiple phenomena converging to the actual Structure.
• Synergy is Key.

Summary – 6 steps to a Nice Geography

1. You need Mundane locations.
2. You need to set up Surprising locations.
3. You’ll want to tell the Story of your World by spreading Hints.
4. All Essential locations should be visible.
5. The Function of these Locations should be clear & linked to their Surroundings.
6. The Map’s Limits should be clear.

• Your Maps intent is to be Immersive.
• Immersion is reached by balancing the Mundane & the Surprises.
• Let elements relate to each other to create a sense of Synergy.



Immersion & Expectations

• Balance between Mundane & Surprising
• Worlds need large extents of nothing.
• Or nothing noticeable.
• Special places tend to be rare.
• And concentrated.
• By Balancing space of relative normality with Special locations you give the Public & the Character more time to process the last found piece of Information.
• Wherever it is an Artifact, a Hint or the visit an Unusual Location.

• Familiarity
• The Public & the Characters need a minimum of Comfort.
• They need Familiar spaces.
• Known & Seemingly Understandable spaces.
• These spaces help to rhythm the Story.
• They allow you to create Expectations.
• Describe the Daily life of this World’s inhabitants.
• Wherever they are Sentient or not.
• Display their habits.
• Familiar spaces help to create empathy with the inhabitants of this World.

• Surprises
• Once you’ve established familiar spaces you can place Unusual locations.
• These places should feel Otherworldly.
• They allow you to break Expectation.
• This goes to the point where can you display seemingly impossible events.
• These location allow you to distort the World’s coherence.
• These location are meant to cause Confusion.
• Or Awe.
• They are meant to be memorable.
• What do the Characters intend to find in these Location?
• What does the Public intend to find in these Location?
• Why are they Unsettled?

If you want to know more about Immersive Worlds.



Coherence & Consistency

• Tales
• Your World needs Stories.
• And each noticeable location should be accompanied with Tales.
• Even if these Tales are lost.
• You want to imagine them in order to make each place more specific.
• They allow you to establish the Evolution of a due Location.
• Even unremarkable places will have some form of Narrative accompanying them.
• It could be more mundane.
• Or it could, on the contrary, hide the true nature of a Setting.
• These Tales rely on Imagery.
• Allowing Multiple explanations to coexist.

• Hints
• Place Clues in your environments.
• Make use of the Landscape to establish Hierarchies.
• Hierarchies between Settlements.
• Hierarchies between Populations.
• Hierarchies between Resources location.
• Hint on how the world was formed.
  • Mountains & Rivers are supposed to form a continuous ensemble.
  • In their vicinity you may found a basin, a lake or a valley.
• Clues Suggest certain outcomes rather than confirming them.
• They allow the Characters to conduct Investigations.
• And Research the Story of a Location.
• Not all clue should be mandatory.
• Some of them should be purely optional.
• Some of them hidden.
• Research should be a Game.

• Characters
• Characters along your World will serve different purposes.
• Their Role is defined by their Identity.
• Their Identity is defined by their Origins.
• The Characters’ Origins tend to define their Goals.
• By creating Specific locations you create Specific Characters.
• Each location’s Specificity may Influence the Character’s Identity.
• The place where they originate from may define their Relationships.
  • Who they will Support.
  • Who they will Oppose.
  • Who they will be a Hindrance to.
• Origins influence each Character’s Functions & Roles.

If you want to know more about the goal of Coherence.

Limits

• Natural
• Each Location will have Limits.
• All natural Locations are finite.
• Forests have and may serve as limits.
  • Particularly dense & old forests.
• So does Mountains.
  • Mountains are some of the most common limits.
  • Which makes them more predictable than others.
• Canyons are rarely used.
• Seas are more nuanced topic.
• If nautical travel exists in your World it will often be the preferred way.
• Certain types of Rivers may serve as barriers too.

• Artificial
• Walls are the most common limits.
• The level of equipment & weaponry available may vary.
• Cities may be created to block access to a certain territory.
• Artificial limits are more rigid & more controllable than natural ones.
• They allow Conditional blockage.
• Often they will take the form of Controlled Roads.
• Where passage will be allowed after paying Tolls &/or presenting Authorizations.

• Moving Limits
• Certain Threats limit access to the location they occupy.
• And potentially its Vicinity.
• Any type of Creature can be construed as a Threat.
• You only need to Explain why they populate their Region.
• Machines can also be positioned to defend Locations & Items.

If you want to know more about Limits as Storytelling tools.



Loci of Interest

• Cities & Settlements
• Settlements will be the most frequented Locations.
• They are the most look after Locations.
• They need to address the Characters basic needs.
• Be sure to expose their Core Issues.
• Which Organizations manage them.
• How is Urbanism organized.
• Show how the Settlements make use of their Environment.
• To ensure their Safety.
• To facilitate their access to Resources.
• How the cities make use of Elevation.
• And other Local Constraints in their construction process.
• They tend to be be built near abundant Sources of water.

• Landmarks
• Landmarks can be part of a Landscape.
• The Landscape itself.
• Or Monuments build as Standalones.
• They may only serve as Milestones.
• They may also have a Story.
• Monuments are build as Remembrance markers.
• A Landmark is remarkable & may be Used as place of gathering.
• Settlements may be created around Landmarks.
• They may have a touristic value.

• Resources
• All environments contain resources.
• They only diverge in terms of exploitability.
• Most Resources haven will be located by the beginning of the Story.
• Except if discovering them is the Story itself.
• These places will be often be controlled.
• Their access will be limited.
• And them may be difficult to find.
• Therefore Guides & other Enthusiasts may be necessary.

If you want to know more about defining essential Locations.