Fantasy World Map + Elemental Directions

Many people are obsessed with “realistic” fantasy worlds, such as elements like plate tectonics, rivers, climates and biomes and other elements. I think this is mostly unnecessary, though nice to see the attention to detail.

The problem with the above is that it denies one of the strengths of fantasy; the fact it can be anything and everything. Things can be nonsensical, or at least not 'realistic' while still being real and actual in a fantasy world.

Some fantasy worlds have elemental or magical 'planes' separate from the physical world. I'm not sure how I feel about that, and especially when you consider mythical fantasy where all those places should be places you can actually walk to. And so; my fantasy worldmap for Atria.

The Central World

Many continents, islands, and lands both explored and not. There is a variety of biomes, many races and forms of life. This is the civilized lands; even foreign places are not utterly wild or thrown into chaos, they are just ruled by different Gods and Kings. The Archons that created all living things made sure that this part of the world, the center, would be where they are most home.

The Cardinal Directions

To the North is the endless mountains and tundras. It gets colder and more harsh the further you go. It embodies the element of Ice.

To the South is the endless ocean, dotted with tiny islands. The storms become greater and the leviathans more fearsome the further you go. It embodies the element of Storm or Lightning.

To the East is the endless jungle. The trees get higher and the animals more toxic and strange the farther you go. It embodies the element of Poison and Corrosion.

To the West is the endless desert and sand dunes. It gets hotter and drier the further you go. It embodies the element of Fire.