Pages

▼

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Real Sandbox: Maps of Green Hell


Interested in a sandbox setting with wilderness and dungeons to explore? I’ve used the title "green hell" (borrowed from the 1940 film) for a fictional jungle land before, but this time I want to talk about the real deal--or at least one based in reality. Check out this somewhat fanciful map of the South American jungle--the Mato Grosso (“Thick Wood”):
A lot of cool stuff going on there. Some highlights:
  • Unknown Mountains of Gold and Mystery - They had me at "gold."
  • Unexplored Dangerous Territory - Obviously, explored enough to know its dangerous.
  • Atlantean Hy-Brazilian Dead City - If Dead City weren’t adventure fodder enough, Atlantean ought to sweeten the mix, to say nothing of Hy-Brazilian.
  • Strange “Cold” Light in Tower - Again the Hy-Brazilian Atlanteans are invoked for probably the most intriguing place on the map. And why is cold in quotation marks--so-called cold, perhaps? The mind boggles...
This is to say nothing of Indians in Roman style armor, headhunters, assorted glyphs, and the place where Fawcett vanished. It’s a whole jungle of adventure suitable for your fantasy or pulp game.
at

9 comments:

  1. ZombiecowboyApril 26, 2011 at 7:15 AM

    While this is awesome from a fantasy perspective, this could work really well in a Call of Cthulhu campaign. Great find!

    ReplyDelete
  2. scottszApril 26, 2011 at 8:55 AM

    I great resource for anyone wanting to build out a jungle is the Lost City of Z, which focuses on Percy Fawcett's disappearance.

    It's a really eye-opening book about what it takes to be a 'gentleman explorer'.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dave FeltonApril 26, 2011 at 9:10 AM

    Indians in Roman armor?

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Angry LurkerApril 26, 2011 at 9:11 AM

    As you said you had me at Gold, nice work my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  5. TreyApril 26, 2011 at 10:13 AM

    @Zombiecowboy - You're right. This would be great in CoC, too. I think it could have utility in Steampunk or even certain sorts of Old West games as well.

    @scottsz - Oh yeah! Good recommendation. There's a really good PBS Secrets of the Dead episode on Fawcett, tool.

    @Felt - That's what they say. Hey, I don't draw make the maps (well, at least not this one), I just pass them on to you. ;)

    @Angry Lurker - Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  6. scottszApril 26, 2011 at 10:16 AM

    @Trey: I didn't know about the PBS special - thanks for the tip!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Brutorz BillApril 26, 2011 at 9:17 PM

    Very CooL!

    ReplyDelete
  8. NeedlesApril 27, 2011 at 1:20 AM

    One green hell deserves another welcome to Tau Endri Minor! http://swordsandstitchery.blogspot.com/2011/04/tau-endri-minor-test-your-mettle.html

    ReplyDelete
  9. PierceApril 27, 2011 at 7:27 AM

    "Unexplored Dangerous Territory - Obviously, explored enough to know its dangerous."

    -Good one.

    ReplyDelete