Kingdoms World Map?

[Curufea]

I'm tempted to have a go at making a map, I've made fantasy maps before (e.g. Montour).  I'm also tempted to combine information into a background book, create some standard material for each faction - a representative symbol, colour, language, etc.

Why?  Well, form my experience with the Hero System and other roleplaying games that are generic, customisable and without settings - I've found players generally lack the time or motivation to create their own settings.  By far, new players to the game prefer existing settings, and to create stories that add to it, rather than having to think of everything before they even get started.
Only particular kinds of people enjoy world design - and it is a minority of those that play the game.

Besides, there's also a question of authority here.  If no one has done it, then the first good one is likely to be referenced by later players.  I'd rather the "official" styles of the factions were not left to chance of whomever has a whim at any time in the future.  Consistency really helps.

[Curufea]

Current thoughts on a map-

Globe as suggested, but with unexplored areas as befits medieval maps.
Several continents, some of which are dominated by a faction - but none of them have one faction only.

Elves split into High, Dark and Ravenwood factions (as suggested in the background).
High Elves dominated much of one continent on which lived Humans, Orcs and Dwarves that were subjugated until the Orcs rebelled.  Orcs took back most of the land - some Humans went to Hawkshold, some Dwarves went to Runegard (other Humans and Dwarves went elsewhere)

The Humans on the continent came from a separate Africa-like continent.  There are still Humans there. who are now the Umenzi.  The other race on the continent is the Lizardmen,  Interaction with these two factions and the others listed above usually occurs when they try to colonize.  Or possibly if there is a charismatic Umenzi religious leader calling for an invasion - or a Llizardmen shortage of food and they rampage.

Undead pop up all over the place, as necromancers build them - and may be able to create an underground kingdom.  Possibly in the vein of the Italian city states.  I can see warring necromantic families vying for power deep underground.

Ravenwood elves are less about order/control and magic than High and more about nature, hence their split.  Dark Elves are more about chaos/freedom and magic - started as a cult following in High Elf society before splitting off to some secret location.

Another possibility for faction interaction and strategic fun would be a more extensive High Elf empire (before it fell) that was able to construct magical transportation systems - namely gates of some sort.  Which brings in the ability to have nexus points of conflict in a campaign.