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... sometimes, I love my brother.
Brotherthing (henceforth known as Thomas): ... Say, if the West is so important for most of Tolkien's peoples, why are all the maps north-bound? I mean, is there an in-story explanation?
Me: ... not that I know of. Probably he was just sticking to modern convention... although...
Thomas: Although?
Me: Well, assuming that Fëanor was one of the first to do systematic cartography, one might assume that he was the first facing the problem of directions. Now, the Quenya word for "north" is formen, which, unlike the other directions (that's romen, hyarmen and númen, respectively), begins with an "F"...
Thomas: ... like Fëanor?
Me: Exactly. Knowing his modest nature, he'd probably not pass that chance up. In fact, that'd also fit with the standard form of the compass rose... It didn't develop all that much through the ages, apparently. ^____^
Thomas: ... well, that's a lot better than FiruN and PraioS*, at least.
Me: ... what isn't?
In other news, a longish ramble about Elves and nudity may be upcoming. Stay tuned, or hide, whichever you prefer.
- - -
*In the German D&D equivalent, Das schwarze Auge (The Black Eye), they apparently first named the gods and then remembered the map problem. Since the "common language" of Aventurien - the DSA world - is still German, and there are no gods starting with an N, they eventually took the god of ice, whose name is Firun, and decided that the end letter was relevant. (Luckily, the sun god is named Praios, so it works for the South, too). Thus, DSA maps are marked with FiruN on top and PraioS at the bottom.**
**... of course, knowing the hierarchy of Aventurian gods, it's in fact highly unlikely that Praios would be the bottom.
Brotherthing (henceforth known as Thomas): ... Say, if the West is so important for most of Tolkien's peoples, why are all the maps north-bound? I mean, is there an in-story explanation?
Me: ... not that I know of. Probably he was just sticking to modern convention... although...
Thomas: Although?
Me: Well, assuming that Fëanor was one of the first to do systematic cartography, one might assume that he was the first facing the problem of directions. Now, the Quenya word for "north" is formen, which, unlike the other directions (that's romen, hyarmen and númen, respectively), begins with an "F"...
Thomas: ... like Fëanor?
Me: Exactly. Knowing his modest nature, he'd probably not pass that chance up. In fact, that'd also fit with the standard form of the compass rose... It didn't develop all that much through the ages, apparently. ^____^
Thomas: ... well, that's a lot better than FiruN and PraioS*, at least.
Me: ... what isn't?
In other news, a longish ramble about Elves and nudity may be upcoming. Stay tuned, or hide, whichever you prefer.
- - -
*In the German D&D equivalent, Das schwarze Auge (The Black Eye), they apparently first named the gods and then remembered the map problem. Since the "common language" of Aventurien - the DSA world - is still German, and there are no gods starting with an N, they eventually took the god of ice, whose name is Firun, and decided that the end letter was relevant. (Luckily, the sun god is named Praios, so it works for the South, too). Thus, DSA maps are marked with FiruN on top and PraioS at the bottom.**
**... of course, knowing the hierarchy of Aventurian gods, it's in fact highly unlikely that Praios would be the bottom.
