#worldbuilding references

[summoner-kentauris]

OKAY all the niflian months have names

this was nightmarishly complicated by the fact that i remembered the askran months were based on old old old pre-"all the current day countries even thinking about existing" months, which were all based on old fucking frankish. so

i had to go back to synch some sort of historical linguistics + old frankish + normaund + norse monster

[summoner-kentauris]

and last but not least a big worldbuilding thing that i dont think i ever posted. i never finished balancing the population versus physical size versus economical power relative to medieval cities and at that point in my life that was very important to me

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The three main cities in The Kingdom of Askr are the functional capitals of the three main power regions in the kingdom.

The Himiníoður peninsula

Himiníoðurik – The sole city in the Himiníoður peninsula. With a population of 51,583 people, Himiníoðurik houses a whopping 80% of the population of the Himiníoður region. Average population density for the region is 6 people per square mile; excepting the city, this falls to only 1 person per square mile.

Himiníoðurik is the second largest city in Askr. However, due to its out of the way location as well as the isolated nature of Himiníoðurik culture among Askrans, most people of Askr (excepting those on religious pilgrimages to the Tower of Heaven) do no travel to the city. Himiníoðurik supplies itself with staple farming from around the city, but largely engages in a great deal of oceanic trade with Askr’s norther neighbors. Despite the positioning of the capital of Askr, in times of peace, this is the main port where Askr and Embla trade goods.

Himiníoðurik is a deeply religious city, mirroring the people of the region. The religious authorities take care of the most advanced Zenikian library in the world (barring medical/healing advances, with which several Emblian institutions excel). Most Zenikian scholars, however, scoff at Himiníoðurik praxis, as the culture of the region has no interest in the slightest in gatemagicks, nor in the history or interactions of other worlds.

The city is known for its sprawling layout, yet simultaneously squat, stout, and fortress-like construction. Himiníoðurik has a series of ancient aqueducts and underground brickwork channels that handle the cities water and agriculture needs, as well as its sanitation. Despite being the most advanced city in the world by far, it is a bleak looking place, and fits right in with the windswept desolation of most of Himiníoður.

In the face of the recent devastation wrought by the first tempest, several parts of Himiníoðurik are growing rapidly. It is possible that the city could see the entire rest of the region’s population move to the fortress city in the coming days. The ancient and smooth system of supply and demand is currently undergoing a massive stress because of this, and food riots as well as disease are on the verge of breaking out all across the city. True to form, the crown in Efstrahæð has not noticed this in the slightest, nor has Himiníoðurik desired to let it know.

Central Askr

Efstrahæð – the capital of the Kingdom of Askr.

Efstrahæð is the smallest city in Askr by a margin of about 6,000 people. At a population of 45,000, Efstrahæð houses only a minuscule 4% of the population of Central Askr.

Largely a mountain city, Efstrahæð gets a good deal of its food from the surrounding towns. However, Efstrahæð itself does produce a fair amount of its supply within its own walls. While appearing a delicate and airy city on the surface, in truth, Efstrahæð is designed to withstand anything that its close neighbor Embla can throw at it. After countless historical surprises from its on-again off-again neighbor, Efstrahæð has been turned into a stronghold that, despite the gravity defying look of the central castle/manor, can withstand any siege anyone cares to throw at it. A great deal of the mountains to the southeast of the city have tunnels and buildings built into them, with the most advanced agricultural techniques stolen/learned from around the worlds put to making sure the population of the castle town, at the very least, can survive a siege if not indefinitely, then certainly for long enough to evacuate the population through the legendarily difficult to navigate mountain range. Most of the true valuables belonging to the powers-that-be in the kingdom are also stored in vaults in the mountain, including the Forbidden Library with Askran records of the full known histories and known futures of all the worlds.

Most residents of Efstrahæð don’t know any of this. And the ones who do, hope the main population never has to learn.

Efstrahæð itself is made up of three main sections:

Athrpallr is the first,and it located to the north of the city. Athrpallr is more ruins than city. It is the oldest part of the city, and rests upon ages and ages worth of ruined temples and religious constructions. Most of Athrpallr is abandoned and disused. The people who do live there are perhaps the most insulary of any people in Askr. Most in Efstrahæð believe Athrpallr to be haunted. They’re probably right.

Aeþiliis the second part of the city, and is the formal name for the tiered fortress that surrounds the castle, as well as the noble homes and main military installations. While the nobles who live on the lower tiers of Aeþili spend more time in the bulk of the city, those who inhabit the castle have more of a town of their own. The official name of the castle/manor is Aeðrastóll.

Aeðrastóll is the third part of the city. The only people allowed to live in Aeðrastóll are:

the royal family; their court, companions, retinue, and important relatives;

any council/governing members and retinue, if applicable;

scholars in contract to the state or under invitation;

the order of Gatemages;

the order of Heroes, when in operation;

the king and queen’s guard;

high ranking castle staff;

high ranking castle military staff;

diplomats from other countries, when applicable;

the castle’s religious company;

Legendary or Brave Heroes in service of the state;

as a secondary home for heads of important guilds in the city proper;

as a secondary home for the head of the university in the city;

as a secondary home for local higher ups of the few manakete tribes that live in Askr.

The families of most these categories of people are also allowed to live within the grounds if space allows.

The Aeðrastóll population is carefully monitored and approved by the ruler of the country and their closest council members, as those living in Aeðrastóll are those who will practically and purposefully be prioritized if a worst case scenario came up, and Efstrahæð had to retreat to its underground fortresses.

The final part of the city has no specific name, and is merely the bulk of Efstrahæð. Efstrahæð here is quiet, for a city, and prioritizes wide spaces and short homes. As most of Efstrahæð is made of wood, Efstrahæð historically was prone to terrible fires. The current-day wide layout helps moderate this. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, the people in Efstrahæð tend to congregate into even smaller sections of the city. This leads to much duplication of stores and goods. The economy needs be monitored carefully at all times, as Efstrahæð has collapsed many times in the past under the pressure of famine, drought, floods, or even small changes in weather that completely disrupt the very careful balance that Efstrahæð usually finds for itself. Aeðrastóll itself is rarely party to these turbulent times, as Aeðrastóll is designed to be self-sufficient under duress or in worst-case scenarios, though not at all comfortable. As such, Efstrahæð inevitably comes back to life around Aeðrastóll.

Despite the geographic closeness of Efstrahæð to several Emblian borders, its position in the mountains makes it difficult to attack. While it does get attacked due to its political importance, it is rarely the first target. Travel around or through the mountains is simply too much for an army to manage yet. Emblian naval technology will have to develop a great deal before Efstrahæð needs to make changes to its defenses.

[summoner-kentauris]

The United Fódlan-Magvel Post-Time Skip Map, Type 1

Previous Post | Next Post 

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FIGURE ONE

Figure One is simple enough, it’s just the important places in Fódlan with names on it.

FIGURE TWO

This is where it gets juicy. We’re going to go through each of these places more or less individually, so this is going to be a long post, be forewarned. Now, all of these are located roughly where they ought to be in relation to one another. Which means, in many cases there isn’t much choice behind the decision. Still, there was at least a little bit!

[Keep Reading Link Below]

North Magvel

The Black Temple

The Black Temple was placed directly on top of the ruins of Garreg Mach Monastery, as detailed in Post One. This is the site of the Holy Mausoleum, and makes a perfect one-to-one translation to the place where the Demon King Fomortiss’ body will be sealed. Likewise, Garreg Mach is located right next to the Sealed Forest, the one place in Fódlan known for, well... sealing and darkness. From the Sealed Forest will come Darkling Woods. This leads us nicely to...

Caer Pelyn

As some of you may yet be tired of hearing from me, Morva makes a wonderful Seteth. Caer Pelyn has to be near the Black Temple anyway, but there’s something terrifically poetically sad about the last Nabateans hovering around whats left of Garreg Mach.

Neleras Peak

Let’s go ahead and say that whatever disaster laid waste to Faerghus and the Alliance, it involved the javelins of light. One was sent to Garreg Mach, but, as we know, it is protected. Instead, Neleras was detonated, and left in a state of lava-y Ailell hell.

This, again, is is the only site whose location will be completely disregarded. I feel like putting it here again so you don’t have to click all around: in the lore, Mt. Neleras is supposed to be within the Darkling Woods. The Darkling Woods is centered around Caer Pelyn and the Black Temple. Now, the way I see it, you could have that forest cover all that land and still reach across the continent across two countries to where Mt. Neleras is supposed to be. You could also not do that very unpleasant thing. Just- just move it. It’s easy. Look, I’ve done it myself right here.

Melkaen Coast

It’s a coast. It’s located on a coast. Nothing special going on here.

Hamill Canyon

We’ve moved this quite a far bit. For one, a large offshoot of mountain range is no longer here in places. For two, remember that chasm Byleth fell into? Yeah, me too.

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Midwest Magvel

Renais

Renais grew from what was left of Remire Village. Much like on the original map, it is protected on the east by mountains, which also render Caer Pelyn inaccessible from Renais.

Za’ha Woods

Now, if I were to remake this map, I’d stick the Za’ha Woods in the Sealed Forest, because Zahras is too linguistically close for me to not want to line them up.

Borgo Ridge

There is actually a small ridge on the Fódlan map right in the vicinity of where Borgo RIdge needs to go. So that was a no-brainer.

Teraz Plateau

It’s a plateau. Near vaguely altitude-y places. Not much else to say here.

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West Magvel

Frelia

Frelia is located within range of the Brionac Plateau. You have no idea of deeply desperately I wanted to put it ON the Brionac Plateau. A pegasus-culture located on a giant fantasy plateau? SIgn me the fuck up. Anyway, Frelia is SUPPOSED to be on the coast, though. So, on the coast it goes. Why are there so many plateaus on this map anyhow?

Fort Rigwald

This isn’t located near anything important on the Fódlan map. The Magvel country borders are quite different, so it makes sense that new forts would have to be constructed. I’m still sad about it, though.

Border Mulan

On the Fódlan map, this location is listed as the Western Church. We will assume for this map that whatever they built was strong, and exists in some for or another in Magvel time. At any rate, this location is now Border Mulan.

Ide

North of Borgo Ridge. End of statement.

The Tower Of Valini

This is located on Lake Teutates. There already is the ruins of a tower there already so. Why the fuck not?

(Answer: because Lake Teutates sucks and I wish I could wipe it off the map with my bare hands. Indech do not interact.)

Visual aid for those of you who haven’t been forced to look at Lake Teutates for fifty thousand years and also never used the zoom in mode:

Some other interesting information about Valni/Teutates here:

Valni is Russian for waves (волны). Interestingly enough, the singular form волна is the name of a specific submarine launched ballistic missile.

The Tower of Valni is, of course, notable for having those terrifically obnoxious light beam weapons. Three House is, of course, notable for dropping actual fucking missiles on you. Missiles called javelins of light.

I’m bolding all of that because I’m very excited about it.

Port Kiris

Port Kiris is located in Magvel near the coast of the Northern Sea. I made a minor error in this map, and didn’t place Kiris far enough west. Anyway, in this map Kiris is also located at the end of a river that connects it both to Border Mulan and Frelia, which gives this town more trade power. It is a sea port and also, a river port. Hurray!

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The Bay

Serafew

Serafew could be in a range of places. We’ve placed it in the central north of the bay. It is fed by a whole lot of rivers, which would help maintain the city from a logistics point of view. I’m guessing they have a lot of fertile land from the Adlas Plains, as well.

Adlas Plains

Adlas remains at the north mouth of the bay. There is a notable lack of Adlas’s forests in Fódlan’s map; on the other hand, there aren’t really any forests displayed on the map.

Bethroen

Bethroen’s path on the Sacred Stone’s map curves oddly; here, that is replicated and also reinforced by the mountains that back Bethroen. Presumably, here the path is curved because it is a path through the mountains.

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South Magvel

Renvall

I really wanted to put Renvall on the ruins/same place as Fort Merceus. Renvall is also located, though, at the base of a river. There is one of those slightly to the left of Merceus. Plus, as we’ll get to in a second, Grado has a pretty set location. All of that means Renvall can’t really go on Merceus. It’s honestly the most reasonable choice, given what happens to Merceus in some of the routes.

At any rate, this is generally where Renvall goes. South east of Adlas, north of the Empire. Both Grado and Adrestian.

Taizel

Taizel is probably the one I’m least happy with. That area on both to Fódlan and Magvel map is occupied. However, in Magvel, that spot is just some town, whereas in Fódlan, its the whole capital of the empire. 800 years is a long time, but to completely wipe the importance of such a well established city? I just don’t know.

Either way, the location lines up wonderfully. As an additional note, both Enbarr and Taizel have rivers to the east of them, and this is continued here.

Za’abul Marsh

It’s a marsh. It goes both near a river, and directly between Taizel and Grado. Not much interesting happening here as far as all that goes. Fódlan provides that excellent river mentioned above.

Grado

Ah, the big one of the region. Grado is near the peninsula. It’s not directly below Renval, or Jehanna Hall, but rests somewhat inbetween the two as far as longitude goes. This area on the Fódlan map has something called the Morgaine Ravine. Now, I’ve finally finished all four routes and as far as I can tell, this fucker has come up exactly zero times. Still, it’s a place notable enough to get a name on the map, and more than that, it’s got earth-splitting connotations with that ravine name. Sounds like a perfect place to stick Grado’s capital if you ask me.

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East Magvel

Jehanna Hall

I am so tired. Okay. Three left. So, Jehanna. I don’t know about you, but when I see a gigantic tasty fields-and-plains region, I think, what if desertification? Anyway the point is, Gronder et al. can’t stay delicious and green forever. Especially with everyone and their brother dedicated to fighting on it, or burning it down, or stepping all over it, etc. On this map, this area becomes the desert that Jehanna Hall sits itself right down in.

Now, if only I could figure out who Metis is...

Narube River

Now, strictly speaking, the Narube is located to the east of Jehanna Hall. Why be strict, though, when the Airmid is right there. I mean, its right. there.

Rausten Court

“Hey, wait!” you cry. “Where the hell did Neleras go?”

“Now hang on,” I say. “I feel like I ranted about this. I mean though I can definitely go again, here let me just get my-”

Okay, now Rausten Court

Rausten lies across the River, to the east of Darkling, and occupies its own space away from everything else, really. Of note here is that it’s right behind the Great Bridge. I think that’s pretty neat.

Lagdou Ruins

FINALLY! I‘VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE.

Shambhala. End statement.

Alright, not actually the end of statements. But let me just say: Shambhala got hit by missiles, not destroyed. If people can make it out of there, bits of that place are still intact. And that’s setting aside the fact that, if you look in the zoom in map, that place is a hell of a lot bigger than just the field of combat. Anyway. All that I’m saying: Shambhala real.

AND, lest we forget. The ninth floor of Lagdou is in fact lava-burn-y. Which could jsut mean lava... or the predictable and regularly desribed aftermath of the lances of light that Shambhala gets hit with in canon.

Anyway. All that I’m saying: Shambhala real.

Because of this, Lagdou has experienced a bit of a shift. It is still located next to all the proper geographical feature, it is just that the removal of Neleras means that part of the continent is a bit stretched.

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Aaannnd that’s the end of this post! Stay tuned for the next post, which is just the nice final fancy map.

[summoner-kentauris]

Bruno Byrsson Tjängvide Zakaria son of Emperor Walhberct, Prince of the Emblian Empire, First Son of Embla, Ward of Askr, Regent of the Llepnir Barony and Second Lance of the Order of Heroes

[summoner-kentauris]

hhhrrrg i did all this art and now i have to write. and im still not done i finished his kingsguard too and i still have to type ugh. anyway salient info. twitter rp hríd is having a party to celebrate fjorm and laegjarn’s various adventures and i designed him an outift. you dont wanna know how many medieval things i stared at.

[summoner-kentauris]

- - The City of Efstrahæð - -

The Capital of Askr

Yet Another Worldbuilding Project by Yours Truly

-links to be added as i finish the different projects-

Layout of Main Castle of Aeðrastóll (you are here!)

Layout of the sector of Aeþili

Description/Worldbuilding/Layout of the larger City of Efstrahæð

Description/Worldbuilding of the three main cities of Askr

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Note: This layout map starts on floor 3 of Aeðrastóll. The first two large floor are occupied by the entrance hall.

[summoner-kentauris]

- - The City of Efstrahæð - -

The Capital of Askr

Yet Another Worldbuilding Project by Yours Truly

-links to be added as i finish the different projects-

Layout of Main Castle of Aeðrastóll

Layout of the sector of Aeþili (you are here!)

Description/Worldbuilding/Layout of the larger City of Efstrahæð

Description/Worldbuilding of the three main cities of Askr

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*Note: While the graph is to scale, I changed some ideas about the size of the buildings afterwards. As such, the floor layouts are different.

[summoner-kentauris]

-The scale map of the Sovereign Kingdom of Askr-

Fun facts about Askr based off this fanmap

The total area of Askr proper is roughly about 143,285 square miles. This makes it about a little bit bigger than Germany, and a little bit smaller than Japan and the state of Montana! it would rank 62nd in the list of Earth countries by area.

At its longest diagonal, from the northeast contested border to the southwestern coast, Askr is about 525.4 miles long. For an army traveling at a respectable 15 miles per day, it would take 35 days (about one Askran month and a week) to cross the country. For people who just want to walk themselves, that distance will take you either slightly less time, or several Earth weeks longer.

The big desert area in the middle of Askr is about 14,090 square miles. It covers about 9.8% of the country.

The Great Forests in the east and north cover 23,880 square miles, or about 17% of the country.

Mountains take up 23% of the map, though because they are mountains and are tall and pointy and whatnot, probably have a lot more area on them than I felt like figuring out.

In total and ignoring a lot of complicated agriculture things, Askr’s area is thus split almost evenly 50-50 between not farmable land, and farmable land.

The Kingdom of Embla (Emba Proper), Askr’s southern neighbor, is roughly 1.5 times larger than Askr, although it has more mountains, deserts, and a large bay. However, the kingdom is only one small part of Emblian territory, and Askr is only 30% the size of the entire Emblian Empire. Fortunately, a good fifth of the Empire is and has been in open rebellion for the past few decades.

The roads from the capital to the Tower of Heaven (first tempest trial) would take about 41 days to travel at a reasonable pace.

From the capital to Gnótthaeð is about 11 days of travel.