more*
Everyone back now?
Good!
Now that you’ve studied the map, I’m guessing you have QUESTIONS. Like, What are Solreef and Splendor Plains and Fluttermont? Or Why do Ravagog and Marintrylla and Loamnore and Gildingham have alternate names? And those questions are all answered in the next few pages. But before we get to that, I wanted to cover the bigger question you may be having, which is: If the Lost Cities are on Earth, why does this map look different from other maps I’ve seen?
The simple answer is: Maps are a reflection of the cultures that create them. So a map drawn by the elves wouldn’t look like a map drawn by humans (even though they’re technically representing the same planet). And after lots of discussion (seriously, you have no idea how many emails my editor and I sent back and forth on this), we settled on a style that’s not built around latitude and longitude (since maps that do so were primarily designed for sea travel). Instead, we went with a more “overhead” approach (which would make more sense for a culture that relies on light leaping). That’s why Antarctica looks like a large island (near Australia), instead of sliced up and running along the bottom like you’re probably used to seeing. Most of the locations are also in places that might make you think, Wait—I don’t remember an island there!—which is the point! The Lost Cities have been carefully hidden from humans. In fact, the elves won’t be too happy with me for showing you where to find everything.
Well… I’m not showing you everything. The world of the Lost Cities is so intricate that there was no way to include every place I’ve mentioned in the series without the map turning into a cluttered mess. So we tried to pick the places we thought you’d be most interested in. Turn the page to learn more about them!
(And if you want one more behind-the-scenes tidbit, we chose to have the artist paint the map blue and gold instead of blue and green—like Earth is normally painted—because the elves see land as “wherever sunlight reaches.”)
PS: The map was drawn by Francesca Baerald, who somehow took the disastrous sketch I sent her and turned it into all of that stunning beauty. She seriously deserves a round of applause!
MAPPED LOCATIONS
(FOLLOWING THE ORDER ON THE MAP, CLOCKWISE FROM THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER)
Splendor Plains: Elwin’s residence is just as bright and bold as his fashion sense, and every pane of his windowed walls is set with a different color of glass. But the architecture is also surprisingly sleek and modern, with a flat roof and lots of sharp angles. And while the decor is somewhat sparse, there are plenty of “Elwin” touches—like the room holding his stuffed animal collection and the tunnels visible under the glass floor, which allow his pet banshee (Bullhorn) to scurry wherever his little heart desires. The house is bordered by forest on one side and ocean on the other, providing Foxfire’s resident physician with a variety of peaceful views to enjoy after stressful days in the Healing Center (most of which involve complicated injuries suffered by Sophie Foster).
Wanderling Woods: As the Lost Cities’ only graveyard, the Wanderling Woods is a place of peaceful silence, filled with carefully arranged, incredibly special trees. Wanderlings are planted with the DNA of someone deceased in order to grow with hints of their physical attributes. As a result, no two Wanderlings are alike, and each is labeled with a sign to indicate the life being memorialized—though there are three Wanderlings that were planted prematurely: Sophie Foster’s, Dex Dizznee’s, and Alden Vacker’s. Only elves may enter the Wanderling Woods (unless special permission is granted by the Council), and a golden sign arches over the entrance reminding visitors that “those who wander are not lost.” And while some might comment on how few trees grow in the woods—and claim it as proof that death is rare in the Lost Cities—those mourning loved ones would likely argue that there are still far too many Wanderlings.
Candleshade: This towering skyscraper of a residence is one of the tallest structures in the Lost Cities, with at least two hundred stories. Owned by Lord Cassius Sencen—but unoccupied since the family fell into scandal (after Lady Gisela Sencen was discovered to be a leader of the Neverseen)—Candleshade is equal parts impressive, intimidating, and devastating. A hundred stories up, the main building splits into a series of narrow towers, each crowned with a curved golden