Time for the first look at the ongoing work on the Flanaess 576CY map. In my infinite wisdom I decided do this in alphabetical order and start with the first entry from the 1983 Setting book - Almor. Almor is one of the most changed realms in the years between 576 CY and 598 CY, it practically got wiped out as a nation. It will be a good taste of how much work will be needed for this map conversion by setting a standard for how much need to be changed.

When I started to read the Almor entry I was surprised to read that the Lord Mayor of Innspa swore loyalty to Almor. I had a vague idea that Innspa was part of Nyrond at this time, and the alignment map on page 44 looks like that is the case. 

This is one of the many times where text and maps differ in source materials. My instinct is to stay with the text, since I know how little the cartographer or illustrator often knows (or cares) when the maps is made, which can often be before the text is written.

So for this first draft I'm including Innspa and its surroundings in Almor. Two towns that are questionable whether they are in Almor or not are Harskern and Jennden. Haven't found any sources for them this early but they should both exist, but Jennden ought to be much smaller before the influx of refugees during the war. Since it was a destination for refugees, it seems more likely to me that it was in the Principality of Rel Deven on the Great Kingdom side of the border. Placing Jennden and the eastern shore of the Harp in the Great Kingdom also gives it a border along the Harp which I think I've read somewhere.

Harskern also seem to belong more to the Almorian side being rather distant from things in Nyrond. By including Harskern and bending the border further to the NW it matches the Alignment map better so that is my first choice for a western Almorian border. This rounds out the country well in the west and also make the road network make sense, so I like it.

When it comes to Innspa and its surroundings was my plan to include it in Nyrond, but the Almor description made me incorporate it into Almor. The post was map makes it a bit easier and I also think that the Principality of Innspa was built on an existing structure.

The western Adri is also interesting with the road between Innspa and Knurl are routed on the east side of the Harp for a bit, inside the Great Kingdom. It looks from the roads that Edgefield are trying its best to cash in on the traffic. When the Great Kingdom fell apart and the newly created United Kingdom of Ahlissa and the North Kingdom started competing for territory here the Ahlissa side was more offensive and seized  the road between Innspa and Knurl. I'm not sure this is really canon but it makes for a good story!

The southern border of Almor I've extended all the way to the northern edge of Thelwood, so it included all the Marchlands from the LG campaign. All in all it makes for logical borders that matches the text sources and makes for some interesting scenarios, but the shape is a bit distorted.

The terrain map has been edited in numerous places to better reflect the pre war situation. Both the surroundings of Chathold, Almor heartlands north of the Harp and the Bonewood have now been rested back to Thelwood.

The surrounding lands on the draft map are more or less done, less the further away from Almor things are. Please tell me in the comments for details that need to be adjusted!

Now you know a bit more how I reason going about this project, and I must admit it is more fun than I thought. Lots of interesting Greyhawk knowledge that comes with it, in more ways than I imagined before I started.

Thank you again for helping me do this! 🙂

In case Patreon messes with the map here is a direct link:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/lnxlsntres726m8/Almor-04c.jpg?dl=0