A Map (cont'd) Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers

[belgarion]

I'll take a look when I get back from NYC. Won't have my laptop with me.
M

I just happened to be re-reading CuF. On p.162, Amara says, "If Kalarus's forces take Ceres, there will be nothing to stand between them and the capital." And on p.163, Gaius says, "I'm dispatching Third Imperian to your aid, but they cannot reach you before Kalare's forces. The Crown Legion, however, was on maneuvers south of the capital, and I ordered them to your aid within an hour of the attack. They've been force-marching through the night, and Sir Miles should be arriving with his men within hours. . . . I have already asked High Lords Placidus and Atticus to send relief forces to link up with Third Imperian."

Based on the above, I think Alera Imperia should be where Placida is currently positioned in your map. Currently, the map doesn't support Amara's statement since Kalare would have to go through Atticus to get to Alera Imperia, and the Crown Legion maneuvering in the south of the capital would have a rapid response advantage since it would have to march through Atticus to get to Ceres.

[belgarion]

I am back and will start looking at the maps again. It's been awhile, since I've been doing other projects.
Hmm. Wonder what the bloodlands look like?

Mikey

[lord_of_balrogs]

I believe Forcia and Rhodes should be switched around. Rhodes is relatively close to Kalare and both use southern slave labour. Plus it was stated in Cursors Fury that the Canim have sacked both the city of Rhodes and Parcia numerous times. Rhodes looks to far for the Canim to travel that long just to attack. Rhodes should be closer to the bloodlands and it should be on the coast

I also think that Alera Imperia should be between Aquitaine and Ceres. If the capital is where it is right now than Kalare would have to face Aquitaines legions as well as the Gaius'

As for Parcia didnt Tavi travel from Parcia to the capital in CaF? Thats a long trek from Elinarch to Parcia methinks.

But otherwise I think your doing a great job.

[belgarion]

Hi,
I'm here. I've been off doing yardage books and such. Hmm. I'm searching through our map discussions about why we placed Parcia and Rhodes where we placed them.
Kalare did in fact have to face a legion from Aquitaine, I'm researching that also.

And yes, Tavi did travel from Parcia to the capital, but it was on a fury assisted boat both down to Parcia from the Elinarch and up to the capital from Parcia. Fury assisted boats/ships would travel much faster than non-fury assisted boats/ships especially upriver.

This is definitely a joint effort by a number of Alerians . Welcome and comments are always appreciated.
Just waiting impatiently for the next book.
Mikey

[Laniac]

Why are we assuming that there's water south of the Calderon valley?

[lord_of_balrogs]

Its stated that if Ceres was defeated Kalare could attack Alera Imperia directly. Aquitaine at the moment is between Ceres and Alera Imperia.

[belgarion]

Why are we assuming that there's water south of the Calderon valley?

Jim has stated that the Calderon Valley is a land bridge between Alera and the Marat.
Somewhere there is a link to his remarks.

Belgarion

[belgarion]

Its stated that if Ceres was defeated Kalare could attack Alera Imperia directly. Aquitaine at the moment is between Ceres and Alera Imperia.

Hmmm. What map are you looking at? The ones that are linked to at the beginning of the map discussion have Aquitaine on the east coast.

I've also updated the BW Alera map to make the text easier to read.

Belgarion

[Zaphodess]

Hi,

I best start my 2 cents here with the confession that I'm geographically challenged. So my suggestion might be completely off.

Looking at the maps you came up with so far (great work btw!), I was wondering why you'd put Kalare somewhere with a west coast. I can't remember a passage in the books where this is implied and I think that some of the problems you're running into might be solved if you switch Kalare to the south coast. The westernmost states would then be:

1. Antillus (north)
2. Placida (middle on the north-south axis, but clearly west, north of the Tiber)
3. Ceres (south, south of the Tiber, kind of a large west-east span, but not a lot of north-south)
4. Forcia

I'd put Kalare east of Forcia, with a south-coast only. Ceres would then be on the north of both Forcia and Kalare, those two states being longer on the north-south axis than the other way round.

The Blackhills could be a mountain range that divides the western southern states from the eastern ones, with just a couple of passes between them. I think that the Tiber river could have its source in the Blackhills, because the Tiber seems to be the border between Ceres and Placida, and the southern tip of Placida's lands - where the First Aleran was first stationed - was in the Blackhills as well, probably the northern tip of that mountain range.

With such an arrangement, you can more easily put the city of Ceres on the marching route between Kalare and Alera Imperia, with no other big obstacles between them - assuming that the Tiber isn't that large farther east and nearer its source. It'd also better explain how the First Aleran moved away from the theater of the war when they were ordered to guard the Elinarch and why Kalare would invite the Canim in the first place: his own lands would be far away from the threat and the Cane would only be a problem for his enemies Ceres and Placida.

If there's a reason Kalare has to be on the west coast, you can just ignore the stuff I've written.

[Priscellie]

I can confirm that Kalare is on the southwest coast of Alera.

[Zaphodess]

I can confirm that Kalare is on the southwest coast of Alera.

Muchas gracias.   

Is this the death of my theory or do I just have to think less rectangularly?

[Priscellie]

Muchas gracias.  

Is this the death of my theory or do I just have to think less rectangularly?

Not sure.  Thinking about mapping makes my head explode.  I just know that Kalare is on the southwest coast.

[ToddM326]

Does anyone have a link to the most recent version of the map?

[belgarion]

Hi,
It's on the first page of this thread. Links to all the maps are there.

Mikey

[belgarion]

I've included Jim's description of the Aleran continent below. As described, the Calderon Valley is a land bridge between two continents. Water on north and south.

M.

Why are we assuming that there's water south of the Calderon valley?

" jimbutcher
White Council
Wizard

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Posts: 236
   
Re: Alera
« Reply #9 on: July 09, 2006, 11:12:30 PM »
Quote
Quote from: Denitta on July 08, 2006, 12:27:07 PM
I freely admit that I read both books at a speedy clip and will have to re-read to gain the subtleties...but my question is this: Is Alera a kingdom or a planet?

It is a realm that occupies the lion's share of a continent.   They share it with the Icement, who have been walled off a la China, only it's worked out a bit better, tactically, and done a little less damage to the economy.  Alera, though, is the only nation of humans, and the word "human" and "Aleran" is essentially interchangeable.

The continent next door is linked to the one Alera is on via a land bridge which is where you find the Calderon Valley--hence its importance in relation to matters involving the Marat, who live next door.

The world itself is called Carna, but Alerans (like the inhabitants of many large and insular empires in our own history) in general don't spend much time thinking about things that happen beyond their borders.

Jim
"