Creative > Story-Telling

Lost Kingdoms

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GrahamB:
They truly are very attractive maps TableKnight! That first one reminded me strongly of JRR Tolkein's Middle Earth maps on the endpapers of the hardback Lord of the Rings books I borrowed from the library as a child. :)

TableKnight:
Thank you very much Macruran and Graham! Really happy that you like the maps  ;D


--- Quote from: Macruran on July 21, 2024, 21:21:08 ---How did you make them?

--- End quote ---

I use Inkscape for mapmaking, and I have a drawing tablet as well which I used to draw the coasts and rivers (although with the larger Ombaroth map I did everything with a mouse!). I drew mountains and trees to then copy across the entire map (hopefully) in an organic way, that part did take a while though  8}


--- Quote from: GrahamB on July 22, 2024, 07:29:39 ---That first one reminded me strongly of JRR Tolkein's Middle Earth maps on the endpapers of the hardback Lord of the Rings books I borrowed from the library as a child. :)

--- End quote ---

I too was (and still am!) utterly enthralled by the Tolkien's maps, and I have very fond memories of being inspired by them to draw many maps as a kid! Happy to hear that the first one echoed a bit of LotR's map style  ;D

TableKnight:
After a long time, I have finally been able to make some custom clickies and put together some mini dioramas for photos. I have posted these over on my Instagram account, but I wanted to share them all here too :)


This series of photos takes place in and around the Haunted Forest of Balwen, an expansive region in southern Torras bounded by the Surisi estuary to the north, the Waterlands to the south, the Great Sea to the west, and the Dragon Scratcher Mountains to the east. It was dominated by the Templars of the Monastery, though there are several secular barons who hold many castles and estates across region. The most influential barony was the Barony of Ghostgate, centred around the namesake city at the mouth of the Pale River, and its baron held several knights fees.

Below is one of these knights, Sir Royce La Davent. During the reign of Atteir of Torras he was the lord of the manor of Pale Knife, a small village on the edge of the Haunted Forest, and he often joined the baron's forces in raids into the forest to pacify the inhabitants who threaten the towns and cities of Balwen.

After one such raid against the woodmen, Royce was separated from his dear horse Caldachus and had to make his way back to the palisade fort on foot to regroup. Somehow, by the time he arrived Caldachus was already there, and Royce was glad to be reunited with him.



The Baron of Ghostgate held many knights fees, being manors and estates which were held by landed knights. These landed knights proudly displayed their own heraldic devices on their shields and surcoats, and owed military service to the Baron when he went to war or launched raids. As he was one of the most prominent magnates in Balwen, the Baron of Ghostgate also had many other knights in his service. They were known as the knights of Ghostgate, and they carried the arms of the barony as they were unlanded.



Sir Peron Revantelles, another knight who held manors under the Barony of Ghostgate, often surveyed his lands atop his horse and was known to take the threats of the Haunted Forest seriously. One day, while travelling from Suloth to his caput at Lumgate, a dwarf signaled him down from the side of the road. While his retinue laughed at the disheveled dwarf, Peron heeded his call and followed the dwarf into the forest. He was lead to the grizzly sight of a murdered man, abandoned in the thicket. Someone, or something, was terrorising the people of the Haunted Forest, and Peron was intent on raising the alarm to his comrades.



The rising tumult in the Haunted Forest prompted others in the Barony of Ghostgate to meet with the peoples of the wilds. Sir Bolryk of Aldercross summoned representatives of the Wood Woses and Forest Gnomes to meet with him at his manor of Wraithstone Castle, nearby to where Peron found the body. The representatives told of terrible attacks on their remote settlements by monstrous creatures and bandits, and even talk of the undead! But the two did not shy from their anger at the raids by the Baron of Ghostgate and the Templars from Balwen Monastery. Sir Bolryk listened patiently, but after the representatives left he was at a loss as to what to do.



As dawn broke on the eve of the Feast of St Tulban, the borough of Devil's Tooth was awoken by what seemed to be an earthquake. When guards looked over the wall to understand what was happening, they locked eyes with a rampaging Ogre. Little could be done to stop him as he smashed through the outer wall, and many feared the damage that would be done if he gained entry into the town. A knight of Ghostgate rallied the small garrison of Devil's Tooth to its defence, and they charged at the Ogre hoping to repel him.

GrahamB:
Aargh, a cliffhanger. I'm looking forward to the next installment- thank you for remembering little ole' Playmofriends when posting on Instagram!

I loved the diorama photos- that Haunted Forest background is very effective!

Pynedor:
Excellent characters, stories, and pictures! I also look forward to seeing more. :D

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