I derived the name Tyrtioma, not from my own name, but from "tyr," which is a Celtic root meaning "land," and from "tyomnost'," which is the Russian word for darkness. Tyrtioma, then, is The Dark Land. It lies roughly between 40 and 10 degrees south latitudes, or more or less the same as Australia does on Earth. The land is divided into four "territories": Angeina, in the southwest corner. Mazaclan [the Jungle of No Return] along the eastern seaboard. An as-yet-unnamed central territory between Angeina and Mazaclan. And an as-yet-unnamed territory in the northwest corner.

Principal geographic features include the Great Inland Sea, which is bounded across its northern mouth by five islands called The Sentinels. In the middle of this sea are three larger islands, called Corsairs' Cays, where sea-going marauders can hide their vessels and remain safe from the authorities. I expect to use this area to tie in with some of Andree's stories.

In the future I plan to add settlements, of course, but also rivers, herds of grazing animals in the plains, new settlements from other continents, and even a few volcanoes.

Lastly, I do ask that you bear with me regarding this map. I'll do my best, but I am a writer, not an artist. You're supposed to use the pointy end of the crayon, right? :-)