Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: Cryptic sea chart? IDEAS ONLY

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1
    Guild Novice Facebook Connected
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    7

    Default Cryptic sea chart? IDEAS ONLY

    Hello!

    I'm currently working on a graphic novel in which I need a cryptic sea chart.

    In the story, the hero has discovered an ancient sea chart that shows the way to a mysterious, uninhabited island outside the Phillipines.

    This may be a hard nut to crack, I want the chart to be cryptic and decorative, it shouldn't look like an ordinary map, I'm thinking it has to be based on some other system of navigation (the moon and the stars? but how?).

    I don't need an actual map, just ideas how I coould make it work, the map/chart doesn't even have to be complicated, just DIFFERENT.

    Any ideas? Help would be much appreciated!

  2. #2
    Guild Expert jbgibson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Alabama, USA
    Posts
    1,429

    Default

    Stick charts are certainly different.

  3. #3
    Guild Novice Facebook Connected
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Thank you jbgibson! Just what I was looking for!

  4. #4
    Guild Novice
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    15

    Default

    You could try using ley lines or following bird migrations. That would be different, and it would fit for a culture without a compass. If the islanders trace migrations of other life forms, also- like whales or something- you could try that too.

    I don't know how much traditional island peoples use cardinal directions in the Pacific, but in an environment where it is daylight so many hours and twilight is so brief, stars would be an obvious choice as well; to that end, you could render the constellations across the map and treat destinations as additional stars placed on the ocean. I don't know how you could distinguish between them (depending on the undecipherable script, perhaps), or if you would assume the navigator can do that without special marks. That could tie into intrinsic meaning for certain islands.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •