The premature fall of the city of Karaz Karkom

[- JO -]

Here's my entry for the January 2021 challenge : "Here be dragons"

A few years ago, a clan of dwarves started digging a new town in the mountains. They chose a well-guarded entrance, by waterfalls and a river... and they started their digging
But, of course... their legendary aversion to the water didn't lead them to explore the rivers and waterfalls... they didn't see that a cave entrance was hidden behind a curtain of water, and that this cave was the occasional home of a big fat red dragon!

One day, as the said dragon was taking a little nap in his cave, snuggled at the bottom of the cave, he snored louder than usual and collapsed a wall and found himself facing a team of dwarves digging their way to enlarge the soon-to-be city... terror took hold of the diggers and soon of all the inhabitants.

They fled as fast as their short legs would allow... they barely took the time to close the big door of the new settlement, and here was the deserted city of Karaz Karkom !

What happiness for our dragon! Even if he can't access the whole city still under construction, he was able to seize the dwarves' treasure and made it his favourite layer throughout his whole territory ! He goes on, as before, naping and snoring, but on a much confortable matress !

Karaz_Karkom_WIP210129.jpg

Made mostly on Ipad with Procreate... then with PS for text, shades and gradients

[TimetoDraw]

Well done JO, excellent map!

[- JO -]

Thanks, TimetoDraw ! Glad you liked it

[Ilanthar]

Splendid work with some classical legendary story flair!

[- JO -]

Splendid work with some classical legendary story flair!

Thank you for your kind word, Ilanthar.
It's been two weeks since I've looked at this map, and now I have to say that I find a lot of flaws in it.
Especially in the construction... it's all quite unbalanced.
And then these cliffs are much too messy, it's much too heavy, as a feature.
In the end, the rendering is too strong, too present...

[Ilanthar]

By - JO -
It's been two weeks since I've looked at this map, and now I have to say that I find a lot of flaws in it.
Especially in the construction... it's all quite unbalanced.
And then these cliffs are much too messy, it's much too heavy, as a feature.
In the end, the rendering is too strong, too present...

I think you're too harsh with yourself (like so many of us). And sometimes the "flaws" or "heavy elements" are precisely what gives an authentic or a particular look to map/illustration.

[Edward II of Kenland]

I love this! The dragon looks like he's very happy sleeping there!