Building Fantasy World with Real World Geography

[Caliburn]

"Brawny barbarian king named Arnolf? And I bet he speaks with a thick, German accent too. Possibilities!"

hehehehe

I love orcs.....

"I might put a Wyrm in the pass; he'll have his own agenda."

oooh spooky!

[Snowpoint]

Using the real world as your map is not bad, or against any rules. The real world is more interesting than people think. People think they understand what the Amazon is like, but do your research and present the Amazon in a unique way and people will never believe it is a real place on Earth.

Good Reality is the Foundation of Good Fantasy.

[dragonangel517]

I am basing my WIP on a twin planet in another universe, connected to Earth by portals. Land masses are roughly the same,but with noticeable differences. Geography is not my strong suit, so I can use reference books for the basics and then change things as needed for the fantasy elements. So I say go for it.

[studentofrhythm]

This is very similar to what I'm doing. And I just picked up a Guy Gavriel Kay book the other day and saw how he invented an alternate reconquest-era Spain and Europe. So it must be in the air . . .