15 - [Inner] The Ward of Erahum [Mouse]

[Mouse]

The Ward of Erahum (originally Er...ah...um...) was so named after the string of sounds that issued from the lips of the late Sir Francis Malcolm Mouse, who led the city forces against the most recent orc incursion in the area. Since these words were spoken as he lay dying of his wounds, and in response to the question of where he wished to be buried, Impetua Ridicole (then the Mayoress of Erahum) decided the ward should be renamed to make it possible for them to grant Sir Francis's last wish - wherever he was ultimately interred. The exact location of his burial tomb is a mystery today, though many of our more superstitious citizens believe that if the orcs should ever return Sir Francis Malcolm Mouse will rise from his grave to lead our armies once again in victory against the terrible orcs of the west.

Erahum lies within the city walls on the western side of the city, which has always been the side to bear the brunt of the orc wars down through the centuries. Though it is heavily developed today there are still traces here and there of several ranks of battlements from bygone ages, and a few of the civil buildings, like the general hospital were clearly built more with battle in mind than practicality.

For the most part, however this is a large densely packed area where the only break worth speaking of lies to the north of the centre, where redeveloped slums have given rise to one of those new-fangled texture farm things - and very impressive it is too... or so I'm told.... though I don't really like the architecture... and the colours are a bit loud....

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AREA 15 inner.JPG

My neighbours are:

03 - Atlas Ward [Mouse] (me)
04 - Blaidd Drwg
15 - [Outer] The Borough of Lurking [Mouse] (and... yes, that's me again!)
16 - Archives Ward and its cold burrows [thomrey]
24 - Currently available

[Pixie]

...the city doesn't have healthcare yet

(not everybody heals the wounds with a healing potion and deep sleep for 2 hours - although most do, when fighting orcs, specially if they have a mage in their party)

[Mouse]

Hmmm... yes that is an idea. and if there is a hospital it would probably be quite fortified in its own right. I mean if you're going to bother looking after your wounded in the middle of a war then you're going to want to know that all that effort won't just go to waste the moment the enemy breach the walls again!

I'm going to think some more about the story behind the Ward of Erahum, and I will update the initial post once I've made a few more decisions about what's there and why

Defence will have played an important part of life in the past, even if there is peace in the present time, so there might be quite a lot of evidence to suggest several incursions and several stages of rebuilding.

[Mouse]

Here's a very rough plan showing both halves of sector 15. Though all the maps that follow in this thread will be of Erahum Ward only (the green rectangle area), I thought it would be best to show the relationship between the ward and the borough, which are divided by the city wall. I also couldn't imagine discussing relief and roads without a view of the whole map.

I'm pretty happy with the planned relief in Erahum Ward, but I'm open to discussion on all things

Reference map 02.JPG

[Mouse]

Here is the first working of the relief. (nowhere near finished)

That strange glowing white thing on the map is the crystal heart of a fallen dragon - remaining there as a monument to the good and great white dragon, Astranil, who fell defending the city during the 3rd orc war. His skeleton remains to this day, though partly covered by trees.

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Errahum_02.JPG

[Redrobes]

Nice map - cant wait to get this into the overall one.

...the good and great white dragon...

Gygax would have had something to say about that ! But I like the idea

[Straf]

Now there is some top down shading that hard to beat

Great start Mouse.

[Mouse]

Thanks Straf, but I know I can do a whole lot better than that.

This is just the start

[- JO -]

Very good start ! And I like very much the story that goes with your district !

[Mouse]

Nice map - cant wait to get this into the overall one.

Thank you, Red

Gygax would have had something to say about that ! But I like the idea

I can't speak for the late and very great E G Gygax, but I think we were inspired by different novels! I'm more of an Anne McCaffrey, Christopher Paolini, and Rachael Hartman gal myself - believing that dragons are more intelligent than humans, and (just like people) can range from 'good' to 'bad', through indifferent

I saw a city map around here a few months ago that incorporated a dragon's skeleton into the city (I wish I could remember where it was and who drew it). That's where I got the idea from, but I doubt I will show very much of the skeleton. Maybe the backbone and the skull.

Astranil's heart is sacred, and the bones are much revered. The reason they were left where they were is because Astranil was just so huge that no one could move him without cutting him up into tiny pieces... and that would have been sacrilege!!! So there he lies in all his magnificence.

Sadly, with the pressure on space to build, these days, I'm afraid the houses are starting to encroach on the area within the space that was once his flesh, where the smaller bones have turned to dust and been blown away on the wind - a fitting end for the magical bones of a thousand year old dragon.

Very good start ! And I like very much the story that goes with your district !

Thank you, Jo

We couldn't really have an entire Guild City without at least one bit of undeniable evidence that dragons really do exist