It was leading to rabbit holes of character arguments that spiraled into hellish domains where finding a feasible 'out' for Sunset grew dire indeed. After several attempts I've decided to just rip out the rootMap of Ioka (Now with Cartographer's notes!) v1.5! · 6:18pm Dec 23rd, 2013
A while ago Voodoomaster came out with a map of Ioka. After a lot of back and forth, chatting, and work on his part, a final version has been made.
EDIT: Based on feedback, yet another version has been produced!
Ioka:
Seeing the map evolve has been something else, and it helped clarify general ideas about where certain things were in relation to each other. Originally, I imagined Hudson Bay extending to the Great Lakes. But as Equestria and the Taiga was developing the idea fell out of favour for a 'Red Sea' type cut along the equivalent of the Saint Lawrence rive. This gave the nice, long peninsula I imagined the Crystal City sitting atop.
Likewise, I was always mostly general in my ideas for the orient and eastern Russia. I knew that the Great Pegasus Legion controlled and lived in the area (and are the exception to all rules about empires...), but that was it. Discussing things with Voodoomaster, the idea of a great steppes with rolling grasslands criss-crossed by many rivers and only a few forests came to the forefront. As did a 'lonely mountain' from which the Great Pegasus Khan herself rules the many legions.
I can't thank and praise him enough for the map, and time he put into getting it just right. This is just amazing.
This map will shortly be put at the top of the Appendix.
Cartographer's notes:
‘Ello everyone
The rational behind the map came along time ago when I first started reading myths and birthrights and reading on the tablet on a long train journey to the north of the United Kingdom, quite soon drawn on the back of some meeting notes I had created the first draft of a map of how I saw Ioka.Based on the chapters that Tundra had published so far (around chapter 14 I think was when I first drew it) I had created as disc world which Tundra kindly showed earlier this year, now based on conversations with Tundra he revealed to me and In the earlier blog post how he saw Ioka, and I began to change my maps accordingly in my spare time.
You can see the changes in the album below, some changes were quite late in coming. http://s14.photobucket.com/user/Khael_Vraneth/library/Maps?sort=3&page=1
Now with the map itself, as Tundra has explained it has been based upon our earth, but with 18 known worlds in the universe. (In my Head Gaia is also a Terra based world, but with Zeus’ herd based out of Greece but I digress) ((Actually, there are a lot more than 18 worlds... tens of thousands more... -Tundara))
Let us start with Equestria itself, stretching from east coast to the west coast, the southern border defined by the Sol mountains and the Everfree Forest before angling progressively north until it hits the southern end of the Rocky Mountains. The northern border is the Crystalspine Mountains, the Great Lakes and Gulf of “St Lawrence” (prefer to think of it as the Gulf of Luna in my head)
To the North resides the Tagia (go figure)
To the south is the Andes and the Amazon jungle (home of the changlings) ((And more than just them! Llama-people!! -Tundara))
The Old World is pretty well self-explanatory.To its East is not, the sharp eyed amongst you will notice that Terra’s Central Asia is missing, due to it being a disc world an huge section of Asia is missing, and instead a mighty mountain range has risen up in its stead, rising in the Ural foothills amongst the woods of the Nordic Tagia, until the end of the Everest Ranges. Beyond these crags lie the orient and the great steppes where the Pegasus horde dwells, ruled over by the Great Pegasus Khan from her roost upon the Lonely Mountain in the heart of the Steppes.
Africa consists of the Zebrica lying where the Niger creates fertile lands, and the Dragon Deserts (Sahara) to the north, with the Griffons now tied back to the eastern side of the African mountains.
Anyway peeps enjoy this, and merry Christmas.
Update soon! Also, neat seeing what the world looks like(ours).
Edit: Also, Merry Christmas!
As much as I think this is awesome... I can't help but feel that it's just drawing a few new lines and then smacking a different nametag on the places of our own planet
1639729
Earth was always the basis I was working from. Specifically, a map dating back to the 18th century that I saw briefly while flipping through through a book in Chapters. I've not found either the book nor the map again.
Using Earth as a basis makes sense given how most of the nations and cultures have real-world counterparts and inspiration.
A lot of the landmasses have been altered while retaining enough of their shape to be reckognizble. This is precisely what I was shooting for. Earth, but not Earth. Familiar, yet still with differences.
Ioka = Earth...?
I'm so behind on this story...
~ChocoLatte
PS. Anyhow, merry Christmas!
Edit; 1639761 That's interesting.
1639761
If you had envisioned it like this from the start, then I don't see much of a problem with it... But still... I've never much liked the idea of using earth instead of a world created yourself. It's something I do myself unless it takes place on Earth...
Well, maybe it's just me being overly critical of something I have influence on
Wow, okay. Those landmasses look unexpectedly familiar.
The borders are confusing. "Central Asia is missing" What? Nothing changed in Asia save for a mountain range. In all, a good map. It could use some explaining where nations are located, but I guess that's just me and my need for political maps.
I suppose the part of the south continent that is not montain nor forest (I would be around that part), will not have any big cities of the main races, nor of new races. But I like to think there live civilized tapirs, capibaras, or giant otters. I like those.
Nice thing placing the fantasy european culture in north america too.
1643291
North America also has the Native American and Norse mash-up culture. And don't forget the Buffalo. It's not all eurocentric.
As for Giant Otter civilizations... So. Much. YES! Giant Otter civilizations everwhere!!! They can have colonies and rafts the world over!!!!!!
Weee!
I LOVE maps! ...wait a minuet...this world looks familiar.
:P
Anyways...merry Christmas!
1643610 Giant otters are among the animals I like the most from my country. They are six feet long, piranha eating, playful cuteballs. Nothing like those fat sea otters, spending their days floating belly up.
1646682
Oi, Sea otters resemble that remark!
