Delves: In the Baltics

Approaching Castle Cēsis, Latvia

Over at Hill Cantons, yesterday there was a cool discussion of the sense of place in fantasy. I'm sharing my Delves images to illustrate some of the places that have given me a fantastic sense of place over the years, and I hope they'll prove entertaining to you as well. In this series, I'm revisiting our trip to the Baltic states, including Sweden, Latvia, and Estonia.

Exploring below Castle Cēsis

Some of my Delve images will be more documentary in nature, while others (such as the algae-covered pond in Stockholm) seem to evoke weird or fantastic scenery that one might encounter in the RPG wilderness.

Communicating images to players using words alone can be a challenge. Combining the hands-on experience of descending into the cool darkness below a castle, and an image or two can be helpful. I find myself remembering the other elements of the experience as well. The smells and sounds that can make the scene more real to players when they're described.

Kuressaare Castle, Saaremaa Island, Estonia

Skansen Park, Stockholm, Sweden