u/Gullible_Honeydew

Still learning here, but started following some actual advice and trying to get better. Some of these I hesitate to say are almost good!

I think you can pretty clearly see the progress, and I included the oldest sketch I could find, my first attempt at visualizing the Ahven, who have much better portraits in my last post. As I get better, I'm trying to go back and fleshout/do new sketches of each species in higher quality and with different sketch styles.

For today, I'm introducing a few new species to r/worldbuilding, though I think I've mentioned them around the sub in various comments if not in my other posts.

A brief overview of my world:

In my world, there are tons of sentient, intelligent species. The origin is vague and each species has a different version of what happened. I use the word "descended" here, but one could (and in-world scholars do) use the word "raised" in its place. The history is rich and takes place over about 2000 years, and we might place it contextually around 1500 BC - 500AD.

I linked my last post above which included the bovine-descended Oksjak, the bird-descended Ahven, and the amphibian-reptilian sibling-species known as the Salaman and Serrapin.

Today, I'm sharing three more, and another (anime-ish?) sketch of an Emphalar, which I also posted about with an accompanying in-universe text here. I hope you like them, feedback on sketches and lore is highly welcome and appreciated!

Elves are descended from rodents and woodland mammals. Elves are the most numerous species across the Isles, likely making up 50% or more of the population, but this includes a myriad hybrid species, as oksjak and humans both have a history of interspecies breeding with elves and each other. There are tons of Imperial elvish cultures and subcultures, but in the southern isles you find mostly various Indrushyan and Seafarer elves.

However, we do find something near "pure" elves in the deeper parts of the Isles. These peoples, often crudely called "**Bestial Elves**" by Imperials, have a far more concentrated genealogical history, and often ferocious and xenophobic relationships with their neighbours. They are easily identified by their large, dark eyes, tufted ears, and rodent-like faces. And the occasional tail.

Xiukai are descended from felines and are not known to be indigenous to any of the regions of the Great Isles, though some Second Alliance Navy sources suggest the Xuikai would disagree. Historically, there have been two confirmed encounters. In 2118, they landed at Sundarwatch, and were dispatched through uncertain means. This is detailed in Report at Sundarwatch, 2118. They have been seen once again at the turn of the 27th century IC, returning to the island of Sundar.

Much of the Empire's knowledge is 500 years out of date, but we know that their armour is incredibly sophisticated, being made of an unknown hard, polished, maroon metal, and covering them well. We know they employ battlemages capable of fire missiles, and that their ships are larger than the greatest in the Imperial Navy of any era. Little else is known for certain.

Udrae are descended from bears and similar species. They are not numerous nor sufficiently studied, and live solely on the island of Sundar. Udrae exhibit perhaps the most extreme sexual dimorphism one can find across the Isles and even further beyond, and the nature of their society follows suit.

Udrae males are commonly found to be three times the size of a grown human man, while females are around the same size as human men or slightly larger. Udrae live in predominantly female groups led by a matriarch called the Udraeka. Male Udrae spend the majority of their lives alone, though successful Udrae males will be bound to a tribe, where they serve as guards during ritual hibernation, and are present for the mating period in the spring.

And then finally, we have the newer anime-ish Emphalar sketch and the super old sketches of the Ahven, who have their own little lore dumps in the relevant links above, if anyone is interest.

As usual, thank you for looking/reading! Feel free to share your own sketches or lore in the comments.

Enhance....enhance....

The evolution of maps in my world.

(Reddit swapped the photo order so i hope i caught all the fixes. Was supposed to be oldest/biggest -> newest/smallest.)

All of these are considered in-universe maps, naturally, though I've tried to give approximate real-world scales.

The last map is considered to be rather ancient, and produced from the combination of maps recovered from archeological sites attributed to the Naru Sea Empire. It depicts the two Great Islands, north and south, as well as a crude version of the Elbert Bay, and an iddly detailed island of Sundar, a decent distance from the Sea of Naru.

The first two maps - being 2) the entirety of the Southern Isle; and 1) a more detailed view of the Drajanir, Eastern Peninsula, and the Elbert Bay - were produced by the Republic of Oksjak and the Isles (in coordination with the Second Alliance Navy) and the Southern Empire during the reign of His Imperial Majesty the II, respectively.

You'll note the difference in coastline and river fidelity - the small islands to the east/southeast (Oksland and the Petty Isles, labeled on the last map) are the most detailed by the more recent maps, likely due to the importance of navigating the fairly shallow and rocky Elbert Bay.

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I use these handdrawn maps as the base layer for different "map modes" made digitally (and often crudely) to indicate culture/politics in different eras. Makes it easy to slap a new layer on and say "Okay, 2444, end of Aleric's conquest, what states/duchies/baronies/etc are there and what are their approximate borders?"

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In my world, many different animal lineages produced intelligent species, with various origin stories and religions and cultures and things. The time period most explored is equivalent to antiquity-the early medieval era, though this is really more about the economics/political structures and the nature of conquest.

In the last map image you can see the major lands of what are known as the "Imperial Races", who likely share a common ancestor language and who reside in areas believed to have been occupied by the Naru Sea Empire in millenia past. These landa are:

Skora, the land of the Ahven, bird-folk, wise, magically gifted, stratified by caste, united by culture.

Salamancia, the land of the scaled ones, home to two species, the Salaman and the Serrapin.

The Harthlands, the centre of human power and progress and the seat of the current Empire (2621).

Oksland, the original home of the Oksjak, gentle giants with hearts of gold.

The Petty Isles, small prince-islands mostly settled by seafaring elves but with a thriving presence of salamancian peoples, humans, and Oksjak.

Carhais, a swampy melting pot of Indrushyan (non-seafaring) elves and human settlers, with a recent introduction of Salaman settling the eastern coast. Carhais exists in an unlabeled area called the Drajanir in older human sources, which spans most of the southeastern part of the southern isle.

Anastas, a temperate rainforest mostly isolated from the rest of the southern Isle, which was the seat of the Empire of Anastas, and is home to a human-elvish ethnic group, more generally considered humans in everyday parlance.

Aaaand that's it. If you made it all the way through, ask me a question! Thanks for having a look

with freshly grown tradehouse

I used to draw a little bit as a kid, but was always more of a music and writing kinda guy. But to make something new, I either need a real artist, or I need to draw them myself.

I can't afford a real artist, so you get these instead.

In my world, there are tons of sentient, intelligent species. The origin is vague and each species has a different version of what happened. I use the word "descended" here, but one could (and in-world scholars do) use the word "raised" in its place.

Only three species are pictured here, I'm working out various races/phenotypes for them.

Oksjak are descended from bovines and beasts of burden. They are massive, strong as ten grown men, but they are slow to reproduce and are stoutly non-violent under most circumstances. Some rather rude cultures will occasionally refer to them as Orcs, especially the mixed-race ones (like the barney guy LMAO). This is considered a slur.

The Ahven are descended from birds (they're my favourite lol. They're kinda like my world's High Elves in other fantasy? Though there is a different species actually called elves in slang, not pictured). Their culture puts a very high degree of importance on wingstock, which is like a biological caste system born from the various ancestor bird families (raptors, robins, peacocks, etc).

Salaman/Serrapin are technically different species, but they've been united under the banner of the Salamancian Kingdom forever, and have a very unique society that has developed into a shared cultural identity that transcends their physical differences. Most will refer to themselves as "Salamancian" first.

Ask me questions or share your own work! Thanks for looking at my scribbles

I was born in a cage. I will not leave one prison to enter another. I will take my freedom.

The sugar man let me leave. I followed the waters south, past an island of bone soldiers - there must have been hundreds of them - to the River called Pryai. I must have swam for half a day. It was wonderful.

The humans have all said the elves would not be kind to a lizard like me, but the fishermen and farmers have been plenty friendly. They teach me about their land. Roth Roryn is hot and dry, and Armun is full of strange creatures. There is no water and the air chokes. The wild elves are tough to live here, but they will not last much longer. The wild elves do not like the Saxhleel. Perhaps the rich elves don't either, but I haven't seen any.

At an ancient stronghold is where I met the wild elves. They are ruled by witches. They tried to kill me, but I convinced them not to. They have many slaves, including another Saxhleel like me. He did not want to talk in common, and I do not speak Jel. The witches wanted my help. I could not refuse.

I met a talking crystal. He is drunk with power, and sad, and not very patient for such an old elf. I couldn't help him fight the witches, even if I wanted to free my friends. I am not ready. I will go back for them.

I could not stay in this land of ash and faded sun. I took a big bug to a city of stone, and spent my few septims on a boat far away.

I made it to Cyrodil. It is warm here. Some call it the Strident Coast, but I think others are right to call it the Gold Coast; the humans only talk of the gold, of companies and trading and markets, and the land and her creatures shine their own yellow shades.

Though there is greed, there is also warm water, and I think I will like it in the city of white stone. I am learning the plants and will make a life here brewing potions, far away from the ashlands and the slaver elves. I will get rich, and strong. My name is Ryloth, and I am free.