Need help with the geography of the Mana Wastes

[GM Arkwright]

I'm writing a campaign set in the delightfully flavorsome region of the Mana Wastes but I'm having some difficulty due to geographical inconsistencies.

The Map of the region. Note the positioning of Alkenstar and Dongun Hold and Martel.

An immense fortress called Cloudreaver Keep guards the eastern border of the Grand Duchy of Alkenstar. It is one of the three points connected by the massive Bridge of the Gods, the other two being Alkenstar City and Dongun Hold on the far side of the canyon.

Okay, so there's a massive canyon not indicated on the map with a huge bridge running between three cities. I can show that with a little work in MS Paint. But...

The city of Alkenstar is divided into two distinct parts—Smokeside and Skyside—naturally separated by the Ustradi River.

Yet, as shown on the map, the Ustradi River separates Alkenstar and Dongun Hold, not Smokeside and Skyside...

The Alken Falls are a seven-hundred-foot fall cascade where the Ustradi River plunges over the Hellfallen Cliffs. Alkenstar City, with its steaming factories and turning gears, stands proudly atop the Falls. Meanwhile, the town of Martel rests at the foot of the waterfall, its two landmark towers climbing the full height of the cliff to connect with the main city above.

Yet, as shown on the map, Martel is miles and miles away to the east.

Can anyone help me resolve these inconsistencies? Preferably a resolution where rather than 'ignore the map' or 'ignore the description' there's a way to combine the two in a way that makes logical sense.

Cheers.

[Choon]

I'm not sure you can keep the map and the descriptions completely. They aren't in agreement even a little bit.

I would say edit the locations on the map. All the descriptions use Alkenstar as the reference point, so keep Alkenstar and edit the other locations to match the flavor text. You do less work that way and things have a better chance of staying consistent as written.

[GM Arkwright]

Yeah, that was my eventual conclusion. Here's my attempt.

Bit clumsy, but seems to comply with the description better.

[Sindakka]

I'd make a few adjustments to your map, even, based on the description of the Bridge of the Gods:

Running over a mile in a gentle arc over the Hellfallen Cliffs at a height of 500 feet, the bridge connects Cloudreaver Keep with three spires of Alkenstar City at its apex and continues to the far side of the canyon where it ends at Dongun Hold

...seems to indicate that the Duchy isn't nearly as wide as the original map seems to indicate; as if the entire province is in fact barely more than a mile wide, from Dongun Hold to Cloudreaver Keep, with Alkenstar in the middle ("apex").

Also, don't most rivers run North>South? if so, wouldn't it be more plausible that the river runs from Cloudreaver Keep through Alkenstar towards the lake, placing Martel to the east of Alkenstar?

ex: (emphasis fancy-pants map editing skills)
-------------------<=North------------------
<---------------------1mi---------------------->
CRK -BotG- Alkenstar(smoke/sky) -BotG- DH
____________Alken Falls__________
_____________Martel_____________ (rough scale distance from Alkenstar)
____________Gunworks___________ (distance from Martel not to scale)

...my 2 cents.
PS, notice tag "Canon conflicts" at bottom of page under Bridge of the Gods?

[Sindakka]

Also, for relevance (on the Nation of Alkenstar):

...occupies a low valley amidst the barren Shattered Range and consists of three settlements which are often considered districts of the same large city.

...and further reading on that article (specifically "Geography" subsection) seems to indicate that the map is highly inaccurate, and that each "city" of Alkenstar is really more of an extension of the Capital itself.

[GM Arkwright]

The text does specifically state that it starts in the South, and I'm not sure how many rivers start at the ocean and end up at a lake. Might be quite a few, but seems unusual.

Mmm. The massive-connected-metropolis idea is interesting, but at this point I think I'm happy to break with the official geography and have them being separate and spread out cities, as the idea of a city of that size and complexity in the middle of the MAna Wastes seems unusual.

Cheers, though.