Original source: Jerusulum's Ancient Anguish Info

Last update 3 August 2013.

This is the map of Oerthe, the land of Ancient Anguish. This page will first describe the overall map, then break it into individual sections with a list of what towns and areas are in each section and their coordinates. This is the same information that can be found in the ascii versions of our map, but is written for screen readers.

Overview

The cartographers of the Royal Geographical Society strive constantly to create a comprehensive map of Oerthe. They have been known to hang out in taverns, buying weary adventurers tankard after tankard of ale, all the while pumping them mercilessly for detailed information of their adventures. Their tireless efforts have expanded our knowledge of the known world, and the current map of Ancient Anguish covers 250 stadia from east to west, and 500 stadia from north to south.

In most of the civilized world, the scale of these maps are standardized, so that one standard unit of measure represents 5 stadia. This is further simplified into a coordinate system in which every 25 square stadia of the realm is assigned a set of coordinates and called a map room. By royal decree, the coordinate system centres on the city of Tantallon, and Tantallon is therefore represented by the coordinates 0 0 on any map produced by the Royal Geographical Society.

A coordinate of -1 0 means 1 maproom west of Tantallon.

A coordinate of 1 0 means 1 maproom east of Tantallon.

A coordinate of 0 1 means 1 maproom north of Tantallon.

A coordinate of 0 -1 means 1 maproom south of Tantallon.

Ancient Anguish has two continents, the mainland of Anguish on the west side of the map and Infidian on the east. These are separated by the ocean Mare Stellarum, or Sea of Stars. The north, west and south edges of Anguish and the east and south edges of Infidian are still behind the mist and unmapped.

Right from the outset, this author must warn the reader that the cartographers of the Royal Geographical Society are biased westerners and their maps focus detailed attention on the Anguish mainland. Maps of Infidian are sketchy at best and very sparse in detail. Therefore, this overview will look at Anguish first, then the islands, and finally Infidian, as one would travel from north to south in each of these places.

Overview of Anguish

The most dominant feature on the continent of Anguish is the Claw Mountains, a majestic mountain range stretching from the northern glaciers down the western edge of the realm and ending roughly on the same latitude as Tantallon. Dwarven settlements can be found throughout the mountains, and travellers are warned not to wander indiscriminately into caves. Editor: After all, how would you like YOUR living room to be invaded by every traveller tramping through the region?

The freezing northern glaciers are home to many snow-loving creatures, including the great white bear. The Snowfolk guild is also located here. These glaciers are separated from the northern wilderness by the northernmost edge of Claw Mountains, though travellers can move around the mountains by the east or west. Lake Ilissin and Haley Lake are nestled in the mountains with Filinis River and Sands River flowing out to the east coast from them.

The northern wilderness is equally dangerous. Tales of Gnolls, Giants and Ogres are no doubt responsible for daunting all but the hardiest of men intent on exploring it. If you are brave, you might visit the city of Norton which stands out as the last bastion of civilisation, with rumours of rivers flowing with gold. Norton lies on the east coast, at the juncture of the Sands River and Natirar River. The Natirar begins at Lake Rover, centrally located in the forest.

South of Lake Rover, the rangers have made their permanent camp. West of that, Crystal Lake begins and Levin River sweeps out from it and southward to the ocean. Both Lake Rover and Crystal Lake are large, twice the size of Haley Lake, which is twice the size of Lake Ilissin. Explorers often go around the west of Crystal Lake rather than pay the toll to cross Levin River's Bridge.

The town of Hobbitat can be found south of that bridge, and begins the gentler, more inhabitated region. Paths connect the major towns and settlements, including Tantallon, Nepeth, Neville, Arcadia, Hobbitat, and Norton, and also lead through Claw Mountains to other areas of interest.

South of Hobbitat, we find Zhou's Weapon Training Camp, the Paladin Hall, and a bit to the east, Neville, one of the human settlements. Snag Creek runs north-south from Claw Mountains to the city of Tantallon, which is known throughout the realm as a centre of culture and learning. West of Tantallon and a little north, one encounters the city of Nepeth, the seat of the Human King.

The southern foothills of the Claw Mountains are sparsely forested, and infested with Orcs and Goblins. Further south, the borders of the Elven forest are guarded fiercely against the Orcish encroachment, and relations between the Elves and Orcs have deteriorated markedly in recent years. The Lullingstone River flows south from the high peaks in the southmost Claw Mountains to Crescent Lake, and then east out to the ocean.

Further south the temperature rises, and the Elven forest gives way to a dense tropical rain forest in the west, and dismal, murky swampland in the east. Due south of Crescent Lake is the much smaller Lake Kawai, which is connected to the ocean by the Shantih River which meanders northeast over the landscape.

A near-impassable mountain range, the Sadraq Range, halts further passage south. A single pass through the Sadraq gives access to the brutally hot Kazari desert, where a hardy race of Desert Orcs have subdued and enslaved the native Serpentari. The city of Drakhiya is the economic hub of the region and is reputed to be of fabled beauty.

Overview of the Islands

In the far north, close to Anguish, there are 12 small uninhabited islands northeast of Norton, all icecaps or glaciers except for the 3 that are just northeast of Norton. The two largest of these northern islands are halfway between Anguish and Infidian touch the north edge of the map, and may be part of a northern continent. There are 7 more islands due east of the largest island, and north of Infidian. Rowboats can reach all of these islands, but must be approached from Anguish or Infidian. There is no way to cross the ocean by rowboat in the north.

South of these cold islands and due east of the Gremlin village, there are two very small islands sheltered from the colder ocean by the long northern peninsula of Anguish. Coming even farther south, due east of Zhou, there's a large, mountainous island. If you were to travel due east of its northern edge, you'd reach Infidian's Dogsmouth Island which is shaped like a canine head taking a bite out of the ocean. Dogsmouth Island has a very tiny island just to the south and east. If you were to travel due east of the mountainous island's southern edge, you'd reach a small island in the center of the deepest part of the ocean. As these islands are unreachable by rowboat and no ships go there, the cartographers suspect the merfolk hold some great private parties out there.

Southwest of that mountainous island are the 3 major islands of the realm. These can be reached by rowboat due east of Cyrano's beach house and following their coasts southwest or you can take one of the ships leaving out of Tantallon. The largest of these three islands is Cyprum, a short ways due east of Tantallon, which has a harbour or pier on both its east and west shores and is the home of the famous Hall of Heroes. Southwest of Cyprum is the Southeastern Isle, which is a crescent shape that opens on its western shore where its harbor or pier is.

On Infidian's side in this same latitude, there are 3 tiny islands not worth mentioning northwest of the village of Fallan. The author would like to stress that these 3 islands, two of which aren't even reachable, are not at all worth mentioning and certainly not worth visiting and any empty whiteleaf bottles that might be on the shores are not from some wild merfolk party. The author would, however, like to thank a certain merfolk for the rather large donation to this great mapping project.

At the far south, the island state of Alataciria is due east of the Lizardman area on its own small island, which is only 4 maprooms. 3 small and one medium sized islands are due south of Cyprum and east of the desert. Eastward from those, a large island could be the tip of a continent to the south, and 7 small islands are scattered between that and Infidian. There are rumors that Infidian can be reached by rowboat along the southern edge of the explored world, but even the most determined adventurers say the path is obnoxiously hard to find and it's much better to pay Diggan to take you to Infidian.

Overview of Infidian

Infidian is much wilder than Anguish and can be harder to navigate due to its mountains, lakes, and thickets. The continent is dominated by the towering Aeries mountain range, which stretch down the centre of the continent like a dragon's spine. Many of the mountains in the range are volcanic, furthering the fierce reputation of these mountains. Much like the city of Tantallon on the Anguish mainland, the city of Gemynd is considered as the centre of civilisation on Infidian. Gemynd is located on the west coast of Infidian, due east of the island of Cyprum. In a strange coincidence, Gemynd is nearly on the same latitude as Tantallon.

The Gemynd region is thickly settled and farmland has replaced the ancient forests on this side of the Aeries mountain range. North of the Human settlements, hill country forms a natural border before the traveller reaches the extensive forests of the north. The western slopes of the Aeries mountain range are dominated by giant redwood trees, where the shy and generally peaceful race of the Kinder are found. As one descends from the mountains into the low lying forest of the north-west, bamboo and pacific coastal vegetation dominates.

The northern-most reaches of the continent are protected from the bitter cold of the arctic regions by a mountain range that stretches along most of the north coast of the continent. As one moves eastwards from the northern boreal forest, one encounters Greenlings lake above the northern tip of the Aeries mountain range, which breaks up in this region.

The northern mountain range and the Aeries mountain range form the shape of the letter J. (A horizontal bar, with a vertical bar curling to the left at the bottom.) Where the horizontal bar at the top joins with the vertical bar, both mountain ranges are broken, and one finds Greenlings lake in the middle. Ancient legend has it that a massive ball of fire once hurtled out of the sky, and fell to the ground in this location, flattening the mountains.

The Greenlings river flows to the east out of Greenlings lake and eventually reaches the ocean to the east. North of the Greenlings river, the terrain is mostly tundra, while the boreal forest continues to the east.

South and east of Greenlings lake, one finds the slightly smaller Lake Enzed. The Enzed river flows eastwards as well and joins the ocean not far from the mouth of the Greenlings river.

Travellers report that the woods south of the Enzed river are haunted and many a hair-raising and chilling tale have reached the ears of the author. Appropriately enough, these woods are known as the Dymwood and it takes a brave adventurer to venture into its dank, dark shadows. The elusive race of the Sidhe is rumoured to live in this region.

Our journey south is interrupted at this point by Pegasus bay, which reaches inland right up to the Aeries mountain range. Adventurers report that it is not possible to travel on land around the bay, as the Aeries mountains are impassable at this point.

But, let us continue south, as the ingenuity of adventurers are without par.

On the southern shore of Pegasus bay, we enter the Ironwood forest. It is difficult to give credence to the strange reports we have received of this region, as they mention creatures rising straight out of myth into the light of day. The author believes that strong drink may be responsible for these reports and consequently it is without compunction that the author dismisses them out of hand.

The dense, nearly-impassable growths in the Ironwood forest is certainly enough to drive the most sober of adventurers to drink. Even the sharpest axe, of the strongest metal, of the best forging is blunted by the vegetation growing rife in the Ironwood forest. Alchemists have recently begun testing the soil of the forest in an attempt to explain this strange phenomenon. The Gnomish city of Vajalore is rumoured to lie with the confines of this forest.

Southeast of the Ironwood forest, a mountain range stretches diagonally to the southeast corner of the map. East of these mountains, pinyon and juniper trees dominate the landscape. Southwest of the Ironwood forest, the eastern edge of the massive Ondoran plains form a small buffer between the forest and the dry Horwathi desert that stretches south of the mountain range. The Ondoran plains continue west along the entire south edge of the map, reaching the ocean in the far west.

At present the Horwathi desert is but a small triangle in the southeast, but the voracious Thraxi are spreading like locusts onto the plains, and it is estimated that this menace will shortly cause a desert landscape to arise throughout the south. The Illakkos Wash, on the eastern edge of the plains, has all but dried up and is now known as Death Lake by all the inhabitants of the area.

The Ondoran plains are largely inhabited by Centaurs and nomadic Human tribes. North of the Ondoran plains and east of the Ironwood forest, we encounter the Inverness forest in the southern foothills of the Aeries mountain range. The tail of the Aeries range curl to the west here, but the range is passable in this region and allows easy access to the Westlands, where the Humans have abandoned their nomadic, tribal roots and have turned to agriculture. After crossing the Veron river, flowing westward from Lake Veron in the southern Aeries mountains, we find ourselves back in Gemynd and in the heart of civilization.

Conclusion

That is the overview of the map of Oerthe, the land of Ancient Anguish. What follows are specific sections of the map with areas and coordinates. The realm is divided into 10 sections, artic, northern, middle, southern, and desert for both Anguish and Infidian, with the island areas listed with the continent they are closest to. The areas are listed as they are found from north to south, west to east.

Coordinates for your current location are available in-game by reading one of Hanza's magical maps with asciiart toggled off.