Francesca brings the beauty of Rokugan to the table with her stunning watercolor cartography!
Hailing from Italy, Francesca Baerald is a seasoned cartographer and illustrator, having brought many worlds you may recognize to life, including Dragon Age, Game of Thrones, World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings, Octopath Traveler, and more. Her work with watercolor and ink are unparalleled and brings a truly fantastical vibe to the maps she creates. We had the pleasure of picking her brain to learn more about her inspirations, her process, and how Legend of the Five Rings fits into her world(s).
Q: What originally inspired you to choose maps as a focus subject for your art?
A: As a child, I loved imagining stories and conjuring fantastic worlds with my mind while hiking through forests with my parents.
Growing up, my passion for music quickly made me discover all the fantasy worlds deeply connected with most heavy metal bands. For many years I loved listening to music and drawing what came to mind with no reason if not having fun. Video games and board games helped me discover the world of cartography and from there on I began scribbling little maps during lessons at school and in my free time.
During my adult years I completely forgot about my passion for maps. It was only years later, when I started drawing my first professional illustrations for the world of gaming, that the world of mapmaking barged back in my life. And what an adventure it has been since then!
Q: Of the many places cartography has taken you, what are some of your favorite maps you’ve illustrated?
A: All of my maps have a special meaning for me. I know this may sound cliché but working with traditional media (watercolours and ink) I have a very intense and deep connection with my work, so it’s really difficult to say I have a favourite map. I must admit some maps feel more important because their settings had an impact on me while growing up and I admired them since I was a little girl (for example Diablo and Conan).
L5R was one of the most exciting settings to explore because it gave me the chance to draw with a sumi-e style, that I find really fascinating. I also had the chance to discover every inch of the lands of Rokugan and its special locations drawing many maps of wonderful places.
Q: Do you ever hide little details in your maps that are just for you? Like an inside joke or signature element?
A: It’s one of the things I find most fascinating about map making. I’ve always been a real fan of mysteries, puzzles, and cryptic messages.
I do my best to hide little easter-eggs in all my maps, especially small secrets connected to the setting’s lore when possible. I love it when someone gets in touch and tells me they have noticed these little hidden details.
Last year I had the chance to paint a kind of Where’s Wally map for Assassin’s Creed Mirage, where I really pushed my limit of hidden details!
Q: The River of Gold game board is stunning, is there a specific detail in the map you want to tell players about that you loved to create?
A: The game concept sounded really exciting from the start, and I was so happy to get the chance to paint the board for it. I loved having the possibility of creating a decorated border and track around the gaming board because it really helped me enhance L5R’s fascinating setting flavour.
The river is the main focus of the game and the board, so I really enjoyed studying a pattern that would give life to this important element. I wanted the river to feel alive. When I discovered the plans to print the river with golden paint, it really made everything even more exciting!
Q: What is one of the biggest joys and/or challenges to map-making for you?
A: One of the biggest joys of my work as a cartographer is the chance to meet many wonderful people with so much creativity. It gives me the possibility to explore worlds I would never even though about and this really stimulates my imagination and creativity.
The biggest challenge is probably when I first approach a new map and setting. Everything is new and I really must concentrate all my energy on understanding and becoming connected with the setting. Once that is done, the task of painting the map becomes much easier.
Q: Is there a clan you most associate with? If so, which one and why?
A: As I mentioned I love L5R’s setting. It’s difficult to choose one clan, because each one shows a fascinating aspect of life. Nowadays I would say I feel more associated with the Unicorn Clan, loving each moment travelling to distant lands and exploring new worlds.
Q: Have you had the opportunity to travel by boat like the merchants of Rokugan? If so, how was your experience?
A: I have fond memories of my child summer trips in Southern Italy and rode the waves on a small dinghy with my parents.
As an adult I haven’t had many opportunities to travel by boat, but I crossed the English Channel on rough waters and it’s really magical when the White Cliffs of Dover appear on the horizon.
Stay tuned for more exciting interviews as we keep this hype boat moving toward the Gen Con release. You can also enjoy more exciting lore updates from the Legend of the Five Rings team over at legendofthefiverings.com/news.
