Fanart: A LOTR Space AU

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

http://www.carpepm.net/images/2007_arda.jpg

On this map the locations are not too precise, I'd say, but it gives a general idea. The Two Trees are in Valinor (on the left), the Sea of Helcar is on the top right, way above the "known" map of ME (which is a pretty small thing in the middle of the right continent). Helcaraxe is that dubious passage on the far north, between the continents.

That map is from infamous David Day's Bestiary and while in general it is okay, it messes up lots of things, and most of all, it creates confusion by putting things from different ages to one map. In reality, many of those should overlap. Lake Almaren should be in the middle of Arda, so basically somewhere in the sea - but the map puts it far to the east, because they still want it there. I like much better Karen Wynn Fonstad's map (from her Atlas of Middle-Earth), who also e.g. interprets Helcar as a huuge inland sea, which later shrunk and parts of it remained as Lake Rhun and Núrnen.

I found the First Age map from Fonstad's Atlas available here, so you can take a look for comparison. It shows Cuiviénen, Helcaraxë and you can sort of guess the route of the Elves (in the Atlas, there are actually some maps devoted specifically to that, and also a series of small maps of pre-First Age Arda, with Lake Almaren and all).

In any case, don't let details hinder you. I think the ideas you are coming up with for your project are fascinating, and I'm very much looking forward to see more.