Look At This Gorgeous Map For The One Ring 2E!

Cubicle 7 has shared a look at Jared Blando's beautiful map of Middle Earth, included in the upcoming The One Ring – The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game.

 

[pogre]

I could tell it was one of Blando's maps as soon as I saw it. His style is something I like a lot, but the chief complaint against it is what @DWChancellor mentioned - they tend to be busy.

 

[vpuigdoller]

They are a thing of beauty!

 

[DWChancellor]

I could tell it was one of Blando's maps as soon as I saw it. His style is something I like a lot, but the chief complaint against it is what @DWChancellor mentioned - they tend to be busy.

I've seen (and like) a fair number of Blando's maps and this one sticks out for me in that it feels visually unbalanced in a way he doesn't typically do. Obviously LOTR maps are tricky because Tolkien left a lot of blank space.

I'll say we definitely have a copy of Blando's map-making book at home!

 

[mykesfree]

Really odd map. I wonder how it looks in person.

Highly detailed and contrasting regions in a few spots, lightly detail parchment style for most of the rest. Doesn't seem like it can quite decide between colorful, sketching, and cartoon. A lot of details are hard to read from being crammed together. And then these huge character sketches (relatively).

Might look great on a wall but on my screen is just looks... busy. But also empty.

Most of Middle-earth is pretty empty. IRC, there was a flood and plagues before the Hobbit in the past, so there is not much civilization. I know we tend to think of Middle-earth as this lush mostly filled out world, but when you see it on a map, it is kind of post civilization setting.

 

[Hurin70]

I don't think it makes that much sense to make Gondor so much greener than everywhere else.

 

[DWChancellor]

Most of Middle-earth is pretty empty. IRC, there was a flood and plagues before the Hobbit in the past, so there is not much civilization. I know we tend to think of Middle-earth as this lush mostly filled out world, but when you see it on a map, it is kind of post civilization setting.

Well, yeah, most of Middle Earth is a wasteland. The Northern Kingdoms fell. Gondor is a shell with raiders running up and down its coastline. But that still leaves an interesting artistic choice to color in the areas where something has been written about in the 3rd Age and leave the rest so visually fallow. Not merely boring or dull colored but in desert colors when contrasted with the detailed regions. I'd love an interview about this map!

 

[doctorhook]

Blando definitely makes better art maps than battlemaps (he has a tendency to clutter and stylize them waaay too much). This looks pretty great though!

 

[mykesfree]

I don't think it makes that much sense to make Gondor so much greener than everywhere else.

I think Gondor looks less green than the Mirkwood or the Shire. Also if you look at the detailed maps you can tell there are different types of Fauna in the different lands., which is very cool as well

 

[Tun Kai Poh]

It's true, Tolkien was very biased towards certain parts of the world, filling them in with lots of detail. Harad, Rhun, Khand, and most of the land south of the Shire - blank.

The mapmaker is working with what Tolkien provided.