As you read the books in the Spectre of War series, you’ll read about many different towns and locations. The world maps page provides readers with an additional resource to view all of these locations with respect to one another.

To make these locations come to life, I’ve used the image generation tool MidJourney to produce a collection of painting-like pictures.

One neat component of these kinds of tools is style mimicry. After spending developing a prompt, you can then provide how you want the image to look. In previous examples I’ve asked for photography and medieval paintings to craft content suited to each.

I’ve asked these images to be produced in the style of Rococo, a French style from the 1700s that included lots of detail and curves. To the reader, they should look like fantastic fantasy locations you’d like to visit.

Markhold

Markhold is the capital city of the Ernotian kingdom, and it sits alongside the river that takes travelers to the great lake of the Riverlands. It’s renowned for its great architecture that makes it deservingly the center of Ernotian culture. Marble buildings line the sides of busy cobblestone streets, full of farmers selling crops from the fertile soil.

Galadhrîn

Galadhrîn is the capital city of Westronîl, the land of the elves. Upon approaching, the first thing you’ll notice is a magical field that protects the citizens from dark magic outside. This field bathes the entire city in a purple light that helps flowers and ivy grow. The elves here live in harmony with nature as they play, learn, and grow.

Wyndhall

Wyndhall is the capital city of Arnoria, the northern lands of the continent. Snow is common after the harvest season, and often farmers will have to trade with Ernotians for tastier food during the harsher months. While there is a king, much of the day-to-day operations are handled by the Church of the Eternal Fire. These men and women are devoted to a religion with demands strict adherence to rules for both believer and non-believer.

South Haven

While Markhold is the Ernotian center of culture, South Haven is the center of commerce. Its position at the bottom of Ernos, at the ocean, allows merchants to trade across the continent and even to the lands east and south. As such you’ll see large ships entering the harbor regularly and a wide variety of humans, elves, dwarves, and others in a great cacophony of industrious noise all day.

Dur Karod

Dur Karod is the capital city of the dwarven kingdom that lives in the mountains below the continent, in-between all the kingdoms. The dwarves work hard in the mines, collecting ores and gems. They’ll excitedly trade with humans, as the only food they can grow are flavorless root vegetables. The gems are used as lighting, bathing the city in rays of green and blue.

Red Grass

Red Grass is the home to Prince Adhemar, who soon declares himself to be king and starts the War of the Stallions. The castle lays at the back, facing the mountains. The city has a gritty feel, as Adhemar prioritizes function over aesthetics. Given its position, farmers will often trade carts of wheat for elven wine.

Deepwood Hall

Deepwood Hall sits in a clearing in the middle of the Goldenwood. Hunters and harvesters gather here to trade animal furs for fruits. As you walk down the streets, you’ll hear the chirps and songs of fluttering birds overhead. You may even see a couple of lost deer wandering.

The Citadel

Several times you’ll find characters at The Citadel. It is a fortress situated at the mountainous divide between Ernos and Karadria. It is carved into the side of one mountain, giving one fantastic views of the woods and a thin river that leads to a lake miles away. This stronghold is ruled by Lord Aelon Windfall. His daughter is Lady Kiera Windfall.

If these pictures have piqued your curiosity, you can pick up the first two books on Amazon right now. The third book will soon be ready for pre-order.

"The Spectre of War" on Amazon

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