World Building with Esther

As a wee lass, my worst subject was geography. My worst subject still might be geography. I am just so scatter-brained that the images in my head just can't stay still long enough to form a map. My mom once asked me where Pakistan was on the map. I pointed to a general area on the map and waved my hand around in a wide circle.

"It's heeeeeere," I said.

I was kind of right. I know I pointed to at least "stan". 

So how does this  tie in to everything? Well, currently I'm working on a fantasy novel. It's set in an alternate universe, so I have to make that universe. I don't mind making races and languages and cultures and stuff like that, but ask me to make a map and I freak out. Anyway, I'm working on a continent that looks kind of like Europe and even has a western peninsula that resembles Spain. Except it isn't spain. It's Sain.

Ha ha, joking. I haven't named that one yet. I just decided to make a random map and assign countries to it. Of course, I had a general idea. I knew I wanted Katania behind a set of mountains, and Balta needed to be close but seperated from Katania by a buffer country. Besides that, I was lost. This is my map so far.

I can't draw, okay? Those triangles are moutains by the way. And that blue bladder shaped one is Balta. The tiny land-locked one is New Valamir. The one under New Valamir is Bandet. The tan one is The Outlands. (You don't want to go there) And that purple one is Adlin. The one next to Adlin is Maritha. The green lands are unclaimed territory.

Honestly, when one of your countries looks like a bladder, you can't be doing a very good job. Still, this is probably a good approximation of what the continent looks like.

I am also working on the history of this place.

It stinks. But the creation myth is fun. Before the continent was full of little countries, it used to be one mega-country called Valamir.

But you know, spit happens. I won't bore you with the details. Basically, the demon of death possessed the king of Valamir and screwed things up. It's kind of hard to stay one country when dead things pop out of the ground and start killing things. But don't worry, the demon was sealed up, but not before kind of destroying a section of the continent. (The Outlands) You may be wondering why there are islands on the previous map and not the other.

Because I like islands and wanted some.

Being a god is kind of nice.

I started making the gods too. It's hard to make gods. At first it was easy, but I want at least a dozen of them. So if you think of something a god can be a god of, please tell me. Ooh, the goddess of fire. I'll name her Pyra. That was easy and not cliche at all. My gods started having conversations with each other of their own will. It was kind of funny. The goddess of battle was getting on the goddess of wind for being a snob. I like making deities because I like making characters.

I am using a basic computer programming software called Scratch to make an interactive map right now. I mean, who doesn't like interactive things?

Anyway, I will stop boring you. I just thought I would show you what I am working on creatively right now. I have never made a world before so I'm enjoying myself. Wish me luck while I begin to outline my novel! Maybe I'll tell you about it later.

I'm sitting in my tree house right now. (It's my writing spot) My fungus buddy Fishwern is staring me down because he wants to be introduced. Fishwern has been sitting next to me while I've been writing this whole time. I should show him to you.

Aw, he's so happy to see you. Say goodbye, Fishwern.

FISHWERN: GoOoOd . . . Byeeee.

HOLY CRUD HE TALKS!

With love,

Esther P.