Real World Inspirations for Fantasy Locales

[SmallbutVicious]

Frankenmuth, Mi, USA (Little Barvaria)
It is Christmas time and this is one of the better times to see Frankenmuth (or a few weeks earlier if you want to buy Christmas things at Bronners). It is known for its Winter Festival/ Events (and Yule/ Christmas festival) and Breweries. The hard part was finding pictures with obvious modern things like lights and cars. So imagine a town with lots of "little magics" as there as "the magi" lighting the streets with light cantrips in holders or you can apply coal gas (if you are late medieval/ middle Ren). It is a pretty place most of the time. It is moving to be more and more commercial which is a shame.

This looks like a Disneyfied version of a generic Central European town centre:

 

[SmallbutVicious]

One of the most fairytale places I've been in real life is the forest on the border with Bavaria. I've never been anywhere else where it was so easy to imagine that there were witches and elves just out of view. Below is the place, but I can't find any images that capture the feeling of what it's like to walk through.

 

[Picaroon Jack]

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple, Arashiyama, Japan.

 

[Picaroon Jack]

Prince Albert's Cairn, Balmoral, Scotland.

 

[Picaroon Jack]

Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine , Japan.

 

[sdmsec]

Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine , Japan.
View attachment 56387
View attachment 56388
View attachment 56389

Is that in Kouya-san?

 

[Picaroon Jack]

Is that in Kouya-san?

It is in Takamori, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[Picaroon Jack]

Schloss Braunfels, Germany

 

[TristramEvans]

Turelbaach Castle

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[Picaroon Jack]

19th century bridge in RakotzbrückeGablenz, Germany

 

[MoonHunter]

Eternal Flame Falls

In a fantasy world it just keeps going. Or maybe the local druids or fey keep it burning if it goes out.

 

[Picaroon Jack]

Fearsome 16th century fireplaces at Villa della Torre, Italy

 

[Fenris-77]

Those fireplaces have been drinking grape juice.

 

[Picaroon Jack]

Those fireplaces have been drinking grape juice.

They have a real Tomb of Horrors vibe. So don't crawl into them.

 

[Fenris-77]

They have a real Tomb of Horrors vibe. So don't crawl into them.

I'm getting an instant disintegration vibe there.

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[TristramEvans]

Buachaille Etive Mòr

 

[TristramEvans]

Isle of Harris

 

[Giganotosaurus]

View attachment 57167

The Martians were gone but the Red Weed took root.

 

[Gringnr]

Not a locale, but I found it inspiring just the same...

Gypsy Horse Info, Origin, History, Pictures

The Gypsy Horse is a small-sized draft horse that was first bred by the Romanichals (Gypsies) of Great Britain. Its strong muscular figure with the structure of legs is well suited to pulling activities. Its ‘piebald’ coat color and the extensive feathering on the legs are two of its most...

www.horsebreedspictures.com

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[Picaroon Jack]

12th-century Loket Castle in the Czech Republic

 

[Agemegos]

View attachment 57167

 

[Picaroon Jack]

Bosherston St Govan Chapel

 

[robertsconley]

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[TristramEvans]

The Devil’s Bridge, Kromlau, Germany

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[Picaroon Jack]

Burg Eltz in Wierschem, Germany. Built in the 12th century.

 

[TristramEvans]

 

[TristramEvans]

Warkworth Castle on the River Coquet, Northumberland

 

[TristramEvans]

The bridge of ghosts in the Alishan Mountains