As the title suggests, there is a second version of this same map with all the text labels removed which lends a better view of roads and pathways, rivers and other features.
Noth'aliya is a small continent of the larger world of Ardures, originally part of the continent of Maleogaia. I had originally thought up the idea of Noth'aliya around 2004 in my mid-teens with influences from Warcraft and LotR to Conan and D&D.
I first began in 2020 when I was furloughed due to covid. I started with Azgaar's map creator. Then when I wanted to add more detail I came across Inkarnate a year later. Both programs of which are very unique and powerful.
I'll be creating the world map for Ardures sometime in the near future. But here is a small rundown of the races currently inhabiting Noth'aliya, their regions and a bit of information on the larger world itself.
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• Karanok Highlands: Native home of the Dwarves, one of the oldest races on Ardures. Masters in the magical manipulation of earth, expert craftsmen and architects. Secretive in their internal politics but quite open to all other races, with exception to the Elves, in trade and other matters.
They prefer even the tense company of the Orgron to that of any Elf. Their ancient fortress city of Stoneholme is carved within a great lone mountain which is said by Dwarven elders and archivists to have been summoned from out of the depths of prehistoric stone and sediment by their magically gifted Droph ancestors.
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• Northmaw: Tundra homeland to the Norsen of the west. With little magical prowess among their people, their nomadic society is built off hunting, gathering and fishing in harsh frigid conditions. This has fashioned most of their numbers into formidable fighters and and great sailors. The western Norsen remain hostile to any outsiders and especially nonhumans.
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• Vanenheim Fjord: Similarly tundradic and frigid home to the eastern Norsen. Their Shamans make excellent healers and their society differs to that of their western relatives in most ways aside from their nomadic roots. They welcome almost all other outside races with open arms, although the only real token of admission is that no ill will or aggression be brought into their lands.
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• Equivega: Wholly untamed wildland, inhabited by few Humans, Elves and even Dwarves and Orgron. But the tribal and beastial race of the Caprakin are the true masters of this region. Their raids heralded by war cries and the rolling beats of their sprinting hooves. Their physical traits are of horrific hybridized goats and rams. With the stature of giant men and minds of vicious feral demons.
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• Elodien: One of the four primarily Human kingdoms of Noth'aliya. Settled by Humans exiled from their country of Lyrgos on the distant continent of Naiotempra. Elodien is home to the northern coastal City of Valos Doral and the southern capital city of Valos Inen situated further inland. Both of which were constructed by Humans and Dwarves upon the Lyrians arriving to Noth'aliya.
Due to a pact between the Dwarves and Humans, no Elves are permitted within Valos Doral, leaving Valos Inen as the truest cultural melting pot in all the kingdoms of men. Humans possess the greatest affinity for all schools of magic, second only to the Eltavari Elves.
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• Sanaurtis Company Islands: A group of islands to the south of Elodien, granted to great ship captains by king Leonis Aktavios of the Lyrian exiles before the establishment of Elodien. These captains originally were to build an auxiliary fleet to only serve the king of Elodien. Though as time went on, the island's overseers diverted into privateers who began selling their ships and sailors to wars and the protection of trade routes.
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• Sovereth: A frontier land similar to that of Equivega, though differing in terms of how slightly more prevalent civility is. Although a relevant term is civility considering the increased presence of bandits, cutthroats and highwaymen. Not to mention the feral beasts of it's woods. Sovereth is home to the largest population of Eltavari Elves.
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• Mhidorel: The truest form of a frontier held by Human lords. These vast arid prairies and rolling hills host the bleak masters of its wide plains and the leagues of horsemen who have defended them since Mhidorel's founding sometime after the establishment of Elodien. The constant horseback patrols about Mhidorel's south-eastern boarders are the main barrier against the brutish and fierce Orgron warriors spawned from within Blackspire Strath.
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• Sin'arel Greatwood: The grand wooded homelands of the Lor'velara Elves. The Lor'velara developed within the region after a pilgrimage of their ancient Mekrovari ancestors took them away from the destruction they ultimately wrought on their own territorial lands which came to be called Elodien, Sovereth, Mhidorel and Blackspire Strath after countless lifetimes.
While the Lor'velara are quite peaceful, allowed to travel where they please like any other, they do not permit entry into the Greatwoods of Sin'arel to outsiders. The city and public forum of their people lies fashioned within and without a gigantic tree which even towers over some of the norther mountains bordering the expansive and sacred woodland.
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• Clovenstorm Grasslands: The main territory of the Centaur clans on Noth'aliya. A constant cold war of raids and open skirmishes occur between the Centaurs and the several scattered Orgron clans. The thunderous drumming of Orgron foot and Centaur hoof constantly charging into battle is often met with actual thunder and rain as is the regular nature of this region's weather.
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• Blackspire Strath: The savage Orgron who are born and viciously bred in these canyons are as deadly and unrelenting as the environment itself. A ravenous area with a constantly dry and hot climate and severe thunderstorms, with limited drinking water and where hunting for food may land you as a meal for the very wretched and dire beast which you hunt. One of the oldest native races of the continent, the Orgron originally resided in the now long ruined and desolate eastern region of Angthabarr.
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• Southstrand Tropics: These ghastly humid and oppressive vast jungles have a mind as feral and deadly as the beasts who hunt and stalk in its shadows, primordial waters and towering dense canopies. The oldest Orgron clans still flourish among the thick vines and talon-like thorns.
And while the natural beasts of brutal and swift instincts perfected through the ages are challenge enough for the Orgron, they have always paled in an almost dreadfully humorous comparison to the corrupted Rel'velar Elves.
Though drawing any similarities between these archaic abominations and actual Elves would be the same as to compare a gigantic and rabid saber-toothed tiger to a simple housecat. These mutants are the far fallen descendants of the ancient but highly advanced Mekrovari Elves.
Now completely devoid of any rational thought, they still wield dangerously high forms of destructive magics with little regard, even to their own lives, but carry out these attacks with an always burning passion for ending life with either hands and weapons or the bright and violent flashes of chaotic raw sorcery.
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• Republic of Santigua: As the cultures between Elodien and Mhidorel have common roots despite their modern contrasts, the same can be observed between those of the southern Republic of Santigua and the Kingdom of Ethenes to it's west across the Meridian Sea.
The inhabitants, while ranging from the main Human presence, Eltavari, Norsen, few Dwarves and the serpent-like Sunezha, all cultures share a savvy comprehension with the region's general nautical ways.
Home and haven to merchants, traders, privateers and pirates alike, while backgrounds and moral standings differ wildly, all who sail the waters and walk the landings of Santigua understand themselves and all others to be free within the republic, and to not betray their fellow brothers and sisters who might sail beside them.
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• Kingdom of Ethenes: Vast sweltering deserts, salt flats whos reflections blind from miles away, sprawling coastal farmlands and dark criminal acts hidden behind the enchanting foreign streets, bustling with trade and just as ripe with opportunity as it is with the variety of life who conduct business within these ancient city walls. The jewel of the southern Noth'aliyan seas was founded by the explorer Sak'su Namet of the distant country of Erophethese, south of Lyrgos on the continent Naiotempra.
Ethenes was the first Human civilization of Noth'aliya. The prominent Human population of the region consists of the descendants of the old Erophesians, but also from the continent of Naravishka, the Vishkan people of the country Ravishka, and the Ungasi from Ungasa. Though the Ungasi bloodlines are sparse in the modern era. Besides these strains of Humans, mostly all sentient races are represented in relative peace in Ethenes, even the hulking and brutish Orgron.
Though after the Lyrian exiles settled Elodien, trade routes grew between Ethenes and the newcomers along the Southstrand Coast. And so due to the higher quantity of valuable cargo, the small Ethesian navy, training and experience passed down from sailors in the old Lyrian navy and corruption within Ethesian government and society, piracy grew more pervasive within the Meridian Sea and along the Southstrand Coast, leading to the founding of Santigua.
