OK the problem. In creating the map I have done a good bit of research into land formations, plate tectonics, erosion and almost everything else to design a map that conforms to the laws of nature without having a degree in geology that is. Now, I wanted to place buttes and mesas on an open savanna but the problem is I cannot think of a logical explanation as to how they were created. This savanna is not a dry arid place with sandy soil but analogous to the African savanna with a large diversity of life. I had wanted to place them just south of a mountain range and a little south west of a very large lake. This means that there is not a lot of sand or wind. From what I can gather buttes and mesas are usually found in dry arid canyon landscapes. I have thought of moving the buttes and mesas south to an area, that is currently a extremely large desert, that is more suited to the type of land formation that they are. If I do this it would be easy to bring a water source there creating a fertile savanna. But if done this would change the a lot of aspects of a semi nomadic people that inhabit the bluffs to the east while creating an even larger open plain between north and south. It would make no sense for them to stay in the bluffs without water when they could move to the lower lands where water is more available, which would essentially be below them. Another problem is the inhabitants that would life among the buttes would be competing with these people for resources. What I wanted was for them to fare enough away where they could trade and have amicable relations without being in direct contact, the difference between a couple of days and many weeks of travel. Now if a leave the buttes where I had originally intended this would essentially cut the continent in half with a mountain range starting in the north west corner of the continent going south east. Then the buttes and mesas continuing across the open plain to a large bluff canyons that also go south east finally ending half way between east and west. Does anyone have any suggestions that I may have overlooked? Also and more importantly how much of the world has to be based on fact. For me I really don't like reading books where the laws of physics are completely ignored without some logical explanations as to the rules of that particular world. If a mountain can float I want an explanation. If it is a super dense lode stone with an extreme repulsive force, fine. In these situations I tend to analyze this to the point of why don't people cut chunks from it to use in flying ships and the like, I do this a lot with movies too. If the physics don't make any sense I tend not to like it. If magic is used as an explanation it needs to be a damn good one that conforms to the rules of magic in the book while terminating to some extent, ie why don't other people use magic to do something similar. For me if something breaks a pattern I will dwell on it for an explanation and if none are presented the book looses it's savor.
So to summarize how could I explain the formation of these buttes that somehow suddenly appear on a grassy flat plain. And second I realize that not everyone is like me so I am wondering what is the limit to everyone elses' "leap of faith" and do minute details really even matter. In all likelihood the explanation will never make it into the story but for my sanity, I at least need to know this stuff. I have 38 pages of notes which I consider to be a condensed overview compromising only maybe 5% of the details and information I have floating around in my head. Or am I just crazy?
Here is a address for the pic, and the password is guest12345 http://s1108.photobucket.com/albums/h406/ascanius1/
In the upper left hand corner is an arrow designating where I wanted to put the buttes.
So to summarize how could I explain the formation of these buttes that somehow suddenly appear on a grassy flat plain. And second I realize that not everyone is like me so I am wondering what is the limit to everyone elses' "leap of faith" and do minute details really even matter. In all likelihood the explanation will never make it into the story but for my sanity, I at least need to know this stuff. I have 38 pages of notes which I consider to be a condensed overview compromising only maybe 5% of the details and information I have floating around in my head. Or am I just crazy?
Here is a address for the pic, and the password is guest12345 http://s1108.photobucket.com/albums/h406/ascanius1/
In the upper left hand corner is an arrow designating where I wanted to put the buttes.
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