Worldbuilding project
About this project
A few years ago out of a rpg with a friend of mine, I started writing a book. This book is still in the making as I work on it between work and other hobbies, but I thought it would be fun to bring this fantasy world to life through art and build up some knowledge and experience with worldbuilding and everything that comes looking by it.
Niatara is a very diverse world with a lot of different climates over a fairly short distance. There is a main continent and next to that different islands. The whole world is build with the earths geological theory kept in mind to make it as realistic as possible even though it is a magical world.
To give the world shape, I work on the history of how the world came to be and the story of all the individual countries and how the people live. I try to answer questions like: How do the people survive? What is their trade? their mentality? their political views? to create a culture for all the different folks and countries.
To get an image of what the countries and their inhabitants look like, I work mainly on environments and character design based on moodboards I've made over time.
Moodboards
As this project is still a work in process, a lot of the world is still missing, but I can show an example below of the first part of the world I have started to shape.
A few years ago out of a rpg with a friend of mine, I started writing a book. This book is still in the making as I work on it between work and other hobbies, but I thought it would be fun to bring this fantasy world to life through art and build up some knowledge and experience with worldbuilding and everything that comes looking by it.
Niatara is a very diverse world with a lot of different climates over a fairly short distance. There is a main continent and next to that different islands. The whole world is build with the earths geological theory kept in mind to make it as realistic as possible even though it is a magical world.
To give the world shape, I work on the history of how the world came to be and the story of all the individual countries and how the people live. I try to answer questions like: How do the people survive? What is their trade? their mentality? their political views? to create a culture for all the different folks and countries.
To get an image of what the countries and their inhabitants look like, I work mainly on environments and character design based on moodboards I've made over time.
Moodboards
As this project is still a work in process, a lot of the world is still missing, but I can show an example below of the first part of the world I have started to shape.
Fryzaris
Fryzaris is the capital city of the Northern Empire and the first part of the world I have started to deepen out.
Fryzaris is the capital city of the Northern Empire and the first part of the world I have started to deepen out.
About Fryzaris
"They did not have a huge army or big amounts of life stock or plants to live from, but the people of Fryzaris had found their wealth in knowledge, which might yet be the most powerful possession."
Main info
Fryzaris is a city carved inside an ice cave by magic. It's not easy to enter the city when you are an outsider as the people are very reserved.
Fryzaris was named after a wise snow owl which makes this animal the symbol of their city. This symbol you'll find back at the thrown of the emperor. This their symbol because of the knowledge they possess in the city. Right next to the palace there is a huge library full of books and paperwork. From all over the world people and other creatures come to Fryzaris to learn. This is pretty exclusive though and only a few people will be accepted.
Next to knowledge, the people of Fryzaris earn money through their ice mines. Most of the mine workers in the city live in the outer wall of the cave where their houses are carved in. That way they can access their boats easily to sail through the waters and go deeper into the caves toward the mines without disturbing the rest of the city when they get up early.
Culture
The people of Fryzaris have a ritual around death. When people pass away, it is a practice to freeze the dead in icebergs. This happens outside of the city walls, but is also possible next to the palace and library if you are from high descent.
Entering the city
The city is only accessible through the main gate over water. In front of the city gate there is a small harbor where a few boats can moor. The inhabitants know other ways to get in or out of the city through the caves deeper in the ice. Because of the mines there is a huge maze of passageways and the mine workers know this maze by heart.
The library
The library is the most cherished place in Fryzaris and people from over the whole world are waiting to study there. Knowledge is the biggest source of income for Fryzaris next to the ice mines. Almost everything inisde the library is carved out of ice like the rest of the city. Through the thinner layers of ice in the back of the building, light enters the place and next to that the library is lit by glowworms on the ceiling. In the library you'll find back the symbol of Fryzaris everywhere since the snow owl is the symbol for knowledge in the city.
The imperial family
There is goes a legend around the city that the imperial family was once blessed by the snow owl with wisdom. This would explain the family's white hair and yellow eyes.
"They did not have a huge army or big amounts of life stock or plants to live from, but the people of Fryzaris had found their wealth in knowledge, which might yet be the most powerful possession."
Main info
Fryzaris is a city carved inside an ice cave by magic. It's not easy to enter the city when you are an outsider as the people are very reserved.
Fryzaris was named after a wise snow owl which makes this animal the symbol of their city. This symbol you'll find back at the thrown of the emperor. This their symbol because of the knowledge they possess in the city. Right next to the palace there is a huge library full of books and paperwork. From all over the world people and other creatures come to Fryzaris to learn. This is pretty exclusive though and only a few people will be accepted.
Next to knowledge, the people of Fryzaris earn money through their ice mines. Most of the mine workers in the city live in the outer wall of the cave where their houses are carved in. That way they can access their boats easily to sail through the waters and go deeper into the caves toward the mines without disturbing the rest of the city when they get up early.
Culture
The people of Fryzaris have a ritual around death. When people pass away, it is a practice to freeze the dead in icebergs. This happens outside of the city walls, but is also possible next to the palace and library if you are from high descent.
Entering the city
The city is only accessible through the main gate over water. In front of the city gate there is a small harbor where a few boats can moor. The inhabitants know other ways to get in or out of the city through the caves deeper in the ice. Because of the mines there is a huge maze of passageways and the mine workers know this maze by heart.
The library
The library is the most cherished place in Fryzaris and people from over the whole world are waiting to study there. Knowledge is the biggest source of income for Fryzaris next to the ice mines. Almost everything inisde the library is carved out of ice like the rest of the city. Through the thinner layers of ice in the back of the building, light enters the place and next to that the library is lit by glowworms on the ceiling. In the library you'll find back the symbol of Fryzaris everywhere since the snow owl is the symbol for knowledge in the city.
The imperial family
There is goes a legend around the city that the imperial family was once blessed by the snow owl with wisdom. This would explain the family's white hair and yellow eyes.