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Description

This is my most recent map & worldbuilding project. I initially thought it might be fun to use it for the setting in a NaNoWriMo novel, but as I so often do, I got distracted by the worldbuilding aspects and haven’t written much of a story. I’ve been trying to incorporate more of my worldbuilding into the maps I create as well lately, so there’s some fun snippets on the bottom info bar that help make the map feel more real. If you have any questions about the world and its lore, please ask away. I have several pages of details all written out that I’d love to share.
There’s a great deal of inspiration/references in the map as well, mostly to some of my favorite fantasy & sci-fi series and games. If you’re familiar with Phazon from the Metroid Prime series, that is what I based the aetheric crystals on. It’s less outright deadly than Phazon is, but its potential to change or corrupt what it touches is still very high. The fact that the world uses it for magic, and even relies on it, doesn’t exactly bode well for their future… especially when the moon finally shatters into thousands of pieces, revealing whatever was inside the core.
As always, I created this map entirely in photoshop, using custom brushes for the mountains and a lot of various layer styles for each element.
Lastly, if the text on the map is being compressed or the website/app isn’t letting you zoom in far enough, I’ve copied it all below.

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Il’Aethera - the Crystal Moon
Visible in the sky as a vast, glowing blue gemstone, Il’Aethera is the source of all known magic in the world.
Over the course of recorded history, the orbit of the crystal moon has been very slowly decaying, causing it to break apart as it approaches the “roche limit”, the point where the planet's gravity begins to tear apart that which is orbiting it. There is, however, some internal force within the moon itself, likely magical in nature, that is seemingly able to slow this process greatly, explaining why the moon is only slowly breaking apart, one meteorite at a time.
Magi-Astronomers estimate less than 200 years before the moon shatters completely, which will be catastrophic for those living in its azure shadow.

Crystal Meteor Showers
As the crystal moon slowly crumbles, small pieces break off and plummet to the planet below. As they burn up in the atmosphere, they also spread small crystalline seeds. These seeds then sprinkle down to the region below. After growing for a few years, the crystal deposits reach a sort of maturity, and are then able to be harvested. These crystals are then used as energy sources for magic.
Whenever one of these crystal meteors falls, it triggers something akin to a gold rush. Meteors generally fall a few times per decade. Sometimes there can be as many as 3 or 4 meteors per year, or as few as 1 or 2 per decade. This causes a surplus and drought of crystals depending on the availability, and nations will fight fiercely to control the crystal deposits.

The Seven Great Cities
Sankhara
The largest, most populated city in the region, and home to the Moonlight Prism and the Grand Ziggurat. The Viziers of Sankhara wield the most influence of any of the great cities.
Khadir
Khadir has the strongest military, and frequently uses it to get whatever they want, but as a result they now have exceedingly poor relations with every other city.
Zephyri
The newest of the great cities at only 82 years old, but growing quickly due to their unrivaled mastery over aetheric magic, the secrets of which they guard very closely.
Tazariq
The world renowned “city of canals”, Tazariq also boasts the largest port and strongest navy in the region. The Azure Temple is also found here, a religion that worships the moon.
Qarunath
What the Qaruns lack in refinement, they make up for in the vast riches and metals gained from the numerous mines they endlessly work within the Zakari mountain range.
Maradur
Once the most visited city in the region, after the collapse of its government and a series of brutal civil wars, the once holy city is now only a mere shadow of its former self.
Durashan
Located far to the east of the other cities, Durashan is difficult to reach, but despite that it is still thriving due to the export of a unique strain of aetheric crystal.

The Hollows
The Hollows are an underdark-like cave system that stretches underneath most of the Aurashi Desert, as well as other parts of the world. Filled with all manner of strange beasts and dangerous terrain, the Hollows are not for the faint of heart.
Much of it is covered in a type of glowing aetheric “lichen crystals”, but unfortunately, there is also an abundance of formidable crystal-infected wildlife that go into a violent frenzy when the lichen is harvested.
Only the most brave and foolhardy attempt to venture down into the Hollows to harvest the many rare resources that lie in abundance deep underground. Many do not come back, and those that do are hesitant to ever return.

Description

This is my most recent map & worldbuilding project. I initially thought it might be fun to use it for the setting in a NaNoWriMo novel, but as I so often do, I got distracted by the worldbuilding aspects and haven’t written much of a story. I’ve been trying to incorporate more of my worldbuilding into the maps I create as well lately, so there’s some fun snippets on the bottom info bar that help make the map feel more real. If you have any questions about the world and its lore, please ask away. I have several pages of details all written out that I’d love to share.
There’s a great deal of inspiration/references in the map as well, mostly to some of my favorite fantasy & sci-fi series and games. If you’re familiar with Phazon from the Metroid Prime series, that is what I based the aetheric crystals on. It’s less outright deadly than Phazon is, but its potential to change or corrupt what it touches is still very high. The fact that the world uses it for magic, and even relies on it, doesn’t exactly bode well for their future… especially when the moon finally shatters into thousands of pieces, revealing whatever was inside the core.
As always, I created this map entirely in photoshop, using custom brushes for the mountains and a lot of various layer styles for each element.
Lastly, if the text on the map is being compressed or the website/app isn’t letting you zoom in far enough, I’ve copied it all below.

---
Il’Aethera - the Crystal Moon
Visible in the sky as a vast, glowing blue gemstone, Il’Aethera is the source of all known magic in the world.
Over the course of recorded history, the orbit of the crystal moon has been very slowly decaying, causing it to break apart as it approaches the “roche limit”, the point where the planet's gravity begins to tear apart that which is orbiting it. There is, however, some internal force within the moon itself, likely magical in nature, that is seemingly able to slow this process greatly, explaining why the moon is only slowly breaking apart, one meteorite at a time.
Magi-Astronomers estimate less than 200 years before the moon shatters completely, which will be catastrophic for those living in its azure shadow.

Crystal Meteor Showers
As the crystal moon slowly crumbles, small pieces break off and plummet to the planet below. As they burn up in the atmosphere, they also spread small crystalline seeds. These seeds then sprinkle down to the region below. After growing for a few years, the crystal deposits reach a sort of maturity, and are then able to be harvested. These crystals are then used as energy sources for magic.
Whenever one of these crystal meteors falls, it triggers something akin to a gold rush. Meteors generally fall a few times per decade. Sometimes there can be as many as 3 or 4 meteors per year, or as few as 1 or 2 per decade. This causes a surplus and drought of crystals depending on the availability, and nations will fight fiercely to control the crystal deposits.

The Seven Great Cities
Sankhara
The largest, most populated city in the region, and home to the Moonlight Prism and the Grand Ziggurat. The Viziers of Sankhara wield the most influence of any of the great cities.
Khadir
Khadir has the strongest military, and frequently uses it to get whatever they want, but as a result they now have exceedingly poor relations with every other city.
Zephyri
The newest of the great cities at only 82 years old, but growing quickly due to their unrivaled mastery over aetheric magic, the secrets of which they guard very closely.
Tazariq
The world renowned “city of canals”, Tazariq also boasts the largest port and strongest navy in the region. The Azure Temple is also found here, a religion that worships the moon.
Qarunath
What the Qaruns lack in refinement, they make up for in the vast riches and metals gained from the numerous mines they endlessly work within the Zakari mountain range.
Maradur
Once the most visited city in the region, after the collapse of its government and a series of brutal civil wars, the once holy city is now only a mere shadow of its former self.
Durashan
Located far to the east of the other cities, Durashan is difficult to reach, but despite that it is still thriving due to the export of a unique strain of aetheric crystal.

The Hollows
The Hollows are an underdark-like cave system that stretches underneath most of the Aurashi Desert, as well as other parts of the world. Filled with all manner of strange beasts and dangerous terrain, the Hollows are not for the faint of heart.
Much of it is covered in a type of glowing aetheric “lichen crystals”, but unfortunately, there is also an abundance of formidable crystal-infected wildlife that go into a violent frenzy when the lichen is harvested.
Only the most brave and foolhardy attempt to venture down into the Hollows to harvest the many rare resources that lie in abundance deep underground. Many do not come back, and those that do are hesitant to ever return.