The Blackwood, A Folkloric Mini Setting

[ThatGuyEli]

Hey all! This is my first time uploading a map to the forums. I've been mapping for a year or so now, but I hadn't uploaded anything so far because I'd just been following tutorials. This is the first time I decided to fly solo (though I found excellent help from StarRaven's brushpack!), and I'm very pleased with the results.

I had started a thread elsewhere on the forums asking for help with how to orient the map. Lots of medieval maps were oriented with East at the top, and I thought about doing the same thing for mine. In the end, I decided on a north orientation, and after a fruitless search for a good brush online, I decided not to include a compass. Again, most maps from the relevant time period (1200s CE) that I saw didn't have a compass rose anyway, so it's no biggie.

This setting is inspired heavily by German folklore, with a sprinkling of Chinese Wuxia to keep the flavor from being too bland. Normally my maps have been basically "satellite" renders, and--as you can tell--this is a much more hand-drawn piece. Any criticism or comments are definitely welcome!