These posts feature digital artwork of a fantasy world map created in Wonderdraft. All maps and stories are original creations of Ed R White.

Beware, ye travelers, for Murk Oak Vale harbors its share of ancient horrors and treasures! I went with a gothic design for this fantasy world map, based in an unknown kingdom. I had fun doing the village layout, set with a castle, a few churches, and plenty of swamp water. For more, check out my previous map of Stonehaven.

Murk Oak Vale, tucked within the shadowy Dusk Wall mountains, is home to rare herbs and unique wildlife. The Greater Bog feeds the Snake’s Path, a winding network of ponds, lakes, and streams scattered across the valley. Rogues known as the Blackcloaks lurk along the Path, preying on Murktown through thievery and bribery—sometimes in collusion with the Dusk Keep nobility. Even certain abbey priests are rumored to have a hand in their schemes.

Whispers tell of the Midnight Fairy, a sprite dwelling in a secluded grove to the southwest. Legends speak of a sword buried in the swamp, waiting for a worthy hero to claim it. Once drawn, the blade compels its wielder toward the Buried Palace, where untold riches—and restless horrors—await.

Duke Solomon governs Murktown from Dusk Keep, where the village militia assembles. The Magistrate oversees lawmaking and enforcement, while the Town Abbey tends to the community’s spiritual needs. Yet, Blackcloak spies infiltrate Magistrate meetings, fueling rumors of clandestine deals and corruption.

Worse still, fear of vampires and werewolves grows with each full moon. To combat these horrors, Duke Solomon commands the Dusk Hunters, elite trackers and slayers of the night’s beasts. Even abbey priests—and some Blackcloak warlocks—carry silver weapons and enchanted amulets as protection against the dark.

Centuries ago, a great war swept through the valley, leaving countless relics buried in the Greater Bog and along the Snake’s Path. Treasure divers brave these waters in search of spoils, though many fall prey to the serpents and bog jellyfish that infest the depths.

The Dusk Wall mountains conceal veins of gemstones and a rare mineral known as duskstone, a powerful resource that fuels machinery in Murktown and beyond, and miners work the Umbra Mines for such resource. However, the valley’s poor soil hinders large-scale farming. Instead, skilled herbalists cultivate the region’s rare flora, while Murktown supplements its food supply through trade with neighboring towns and nobles—bringing steady wealth to the valley.

Some villagers whisper that Duke Solomon is a vampire, noting how he rarely ventures outside without a cloak in daylight. He frequently visits the Dusk Graveyard to mourn his wife and second cousin, both slain by werewolves. “They’ll pay by next full moon,” he often mutters. Despite commanding the Dusk Hunters and working closely with the abbey priests, his status as a suspected Nightcaller raises questions. Some magistrate senators suspect a secret pact between the duke and Pete Silvershot, the lead Dusk Hunter.

The Sith’har Ruins, scorched during the infamous Dusk Raids when the Dusk Hunters torched the site to kill a werewolf, stand as a grim reminder of the village’s turbulent past. Yet, Murktown’s people endure, hardened by swamp life. In taverns and pubs, legends of the Murk Hero echo—one who will one day claim the Midnight Sword and restore peace to the valley.

Questions, comments, or insights about this fantasy world map? Leave them in the comments below. Thanks!