Building a World With Python

As part of developing a non-starter DnD campaign, I decided to build a world map for the fictional continent of Sahalokan. This world was to be populated by diverse alien species, some extremely suited to particular climate biomes. Humans in contrast were limited to settling in bands of arid scrub, steppe, and highlands at the edges of continental empires spanning the tropical and savannah regions. The climate of Sahalokan was inspired by the Indian subcontinent, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Malaysian archipelago. So, I needed to establish a form of realism (or at least coherence) when developing climactic biomes, particularly when measuring the monsoons.

 

I used GIMP's noise and fractal generation tools for developing realistic-looking coastlines, which were then fed through Wilbur to provide weathering and erosion. After establishing the prevailing currents, high and low-pressure centers, prevailing winds, and precipitation, I was able to use this wonderful script from PHarvey7 at the Cartographer's Guild to assign Köppen-Geiger climate classifications to areas of the map.