No chapter today, have some maps. · 10:24pm Mar 23rd, 2015
Yeah yeah, I know, no chapter, will be up tomorrow. On the other hand, I finally got off my ass and made a map for the region Handy is currently in. As you can see its quite huge, now people might have an inclination why I have been taken my sweet ass time with drawing these things, given the size of the countries involved and how much detail I like to do with countries.
Welcome to Eastern Equestria! an incredibly fertile and resource rich region famous for its bustling river trade and great cities. Its northern portion is known for its abundant agricultural harvests, while to the south and more mountainous region known for its mining and refinement industry. The coast line is dedicated wholesale to sea trade and the maintenance of visiting ships and Equestria's eastern navy, poor as it is in comparison to the flotillas of the Black Fleet which occasionally patrols the seas of the region.
Terrain Key:
Light blue - Major Fresh water lakes and rivers.
Light green - Fertile, arable land, temperate to arid as it goes south.
Light brown - major hill lands, small mountains
Dark brown - Mountains
Dark green - major forests
Not featured on the terrain map - Small rivers, small lakes, small forests/sparse woodlands, farmlands (because they're way too fucking common), geographic features too minor to represent on the map such as minor swamplands and minor foothills,
Cities:
Towns:
Cities & Towns key:
Black squares with white outlines - Major cities, centers of trade, some with populations north of hundreds of thousands
Small Black squares, no outlines - Small cities and large/major towns. Centres of agriculture, mining towns and minor sea/river trade posts.
Small Black squares with white corners - Towns Handy has visited.
Silver Hammer - Handy's current location (as of chapter currently being written)
Not featured: Small towns, villages, hamlets, castles, military forts, watchtowers and outposts, rail roads, major thoroughfares and roads, bridges, major sea routes.
Political key:
Green - Equestria
Dark blue (north) - Greenwoords and deer held lands
Black - Black Isles Enclave, a viceroyalty of the Kingdom of the Black Isles in Equestria's western Ocean, ceded to the Black Isles centuries ago as the culmination of decades of negotiations, political manoeuvring and trade policy strongarming. Enclavers now identify themselves independent of both Equestria and the Black Isles in terms of culture but consider Princess Galaxia of the Black Isles their rightful monarch.
Light brown - The Envoy Confederacy, also known as the 'Perfidious Beltica' to its neighbours, a nominal republic of competing chartered towns and free cities born of a need for mutual protection in the face of larger neighbours. Famously loathing of central administration, the nation's capital is whatever city the ruling parliament votes it to be that decade. Innumerable conflicting government types, administration practices and legal traditions and the nature of a migratory political centre necessitates a tradition of rigorous negotiation, debate and the occasional minor civil war. Ruled by a class of 'Envoys' who engage in everything from managing petty courts to commanding armies, the confederacy is notorious for an incredibly intricate and arcane bureaucracy that micormanages every day of a confederate citizen's life. Confederate nationals as a result are incultrated in a society where meticulous attention to detail and word smithing is the difference between a life of poverty and the virtual keys to the kingdom and can often be found emigrating and being highly valued as administrators in other lands. Famous for trying to conquer the neighbouring principality for centuries on end. Reasonably cosmopolitan in its demographic makeup with a distinct pony majority, it nonetheless has significant numbers of halfbreed races present.
Light Blue - The Principality of Maranth, a feudal monarchy, the principality is known as a stabilizing force in the region. Its uncertain terrain and territory giving it no definitive natural borders has engendered a cautious and calculating demeanour in its people. At once engaging in maintaining pleasant relations with its neighbours to ensure neither coalitions nor hostility while at the same time maintaining a strong military tradition, just in case words become worthless. It is most famous for using its diplomatic clout and influence to pull its regional neighbours into coalitions whenever there is a major threat to all of them, as was the case 700 years ago during the short-lived Tauric empire's attempt to expand north. Most of the time it is simply waiting around for the often changing Envoy government next door to invariably break their peace treaties and invade in order to 'liberate' Maranthian towns and cities from the Prince's 'tyranny'. Again. Pony majority realm, famous for its professional soldiery.
Red- Ansemite Kingdom, theocratic monarchy, a deeply religious and secretive nation, the kingdom emerged in the milieu of feuding minor realms 1100 years ago with the emergence of a powerful mystery cult. Little is known about the tenants of the religion outside of its realm and communicants rarely discuss it with outsiders, although priests are known to enthusiastically attempt to convert new residents and immigrants regardless of origin or species, it is never known to see priests outside of the realm outside of the retinues of Ansemite nobles. In all other respects the Ansemites are similar to their neighbours and generally attempt to maintain peaceable relations, although it is known to compete fiercely with Equestria and Morose over mining rights. Almost exclusively pony in ethnicity.
Yellow - Principality of Morose, a small, weak yet rich nation, Morosians are nearly indistinguishable from their Equestrian neighbours in culture and practices. Known for its gold mines, it has to very carefully resist violent competition from its neighbours and justify its independence from Equestria in the face of many, many, peaceful annexation attempts. It doesn't help many of its subjects respond positively to the idea.
Turquoise - Barent, merchant republic, ruled by powerful merchant cartels and burgher families, it has little legitimate business this far north in the eyes of regional powers, gaining its current territory through clever manoeuvring and a number of small, successful wars against, the neighbouring republic of Frendwyr. Currently in a war to maintain their northern holdings from Frendwyrian revanchism. Thoroughly cosmopolitan in makeup, though its northern citizens tend to be ponies.
Purple - Frendwyr, City state republic. Ruled by a Grand Prince, nominally a ruler of a given city state, elected for ten years by his or her peers, each city has its own customs and governments but bow to the central administration in most national matters. Majority Minotaur in ethnicity with a significant number of griffons. While lacking in technological advancement and infamous for the utter lack of arcane education within its territories, it is the biggest exporter of coal and base ore in the entire region. Currently reclaiming its territories from Barent.
Well I certainly respect a story that remains consistent within the bounds of its own world-building. This one just got moved up on my read later list.
Glorious! This really adds some scope and life to the world now that we can see it.
I love the world building so much!
DAT WORLD BUILDING.
2903937 It is, I even explicitly state that Black Isles Enclavers see Galaxia as their rightful monarch despite being on the far side of the continent from her kingdom. I detail how it came to be that Galaxy rules over this patch of land that used to belong to Equestria.
2903954 Whoops, guess I didn't retract my earlier statement quick enough, sorry bout that Handy. I must have simply missed that part. Gotta say though, I love that you are using Equestria Prevails universe. You make it work wonderfully.
Map is k but chaptER is greatER
geddit? okay I'm sorry
Nice map but I was under the impression that the Griffon's bordered Equis. Please explain Handy, I am lost in a epic cave of worldbuilding
WE'LL the map finally gives me a since of size for Handy's travels
Hold up. I can't really see Handy's travels. As far as I know he's only visited one town that I can see.
2905748
You dont know how he got there because its currently being written.
2905841 Let me read and consume it like a delicious sandwich~ ...Or I'll be having a wizard for lunch. Pie?
2905846 Sorry, but I'm inedible.
2905860 What made you think I was going to eat you?! How dare you, Handy. I'm no cannibal! Now, did you want some pie, wizard?
2905870 ...Fuck.
2905872 Huzzah!
4511484
How do I get the permalinks? (I'm on mobile)
4846288
I'll be posting all the missing pictures in an upcoming blog, so don't worry about it for now.
can somebody give me links to the maps?
Maps not load on my working expensive brick