Well, when it comes to stuff like this, I figure it's better to be really ambitious and lay out a framework for a huge project that only gets partially-finished, than start out with a narrow framework and face difficulties down the road when I try to add stuff on. I want to make sure I remedy issues I've seen with other systems, even superficial ones... As a proprietor of a kimono fashion show, I tend to look at artwork for L5R and OA, and say, "Those aren't kimono, they're silk bathrobes!"

I'm not trying to duplicate Japan, but I figured if I start with the geography of Japan, then I can't screw up on technical things like climate, layout of mountains and rivers, etc... I'm still just a beginner cartographer afterall, and I tend to prefer house-level as opposed to overland maps. ^^ I'm hoping to be able to post some more maps soon, of shinden-zukuri estates. I love Heian architecture~!

And as for mining my setting for ideas, that's what it's there for! Hopefully I'll have more "frills" stuff up soon like magical items, clothing and fashion, plot seeds, etc. ^^