Tsue-jo hand-drawn castle town

[Gamerprinter]

OK, just finished this today, this map is needed for both the first and third installment to the The Gift - mini-campaign arc for the Kaidan: a Japanese Ghost Story setting (that should have already been out, but another week or so, depending on the publisher.)

This map is completely hand-drawn with pen, scanned and imported to Xara Xtreme Pro 4. All colors, beveling, drop shadows, feathering and transparency was applied in Xara and exported as a 100 ppi JPG, at 24" x 48"

While this is technically All Rights Reserved, as I will be publishing this, anyone wanting to use this for their personal games is welcome!

Enjoy!

GP

[Steel General]

Another fine map GP!

[Gamerprinter]

The districts of Tsue-jo, an explanation...

The height of the shoreline above the river is about 9 feet above the river water level, thus the wharfs sit closer to the water with walkways down from city ground level. The spit of land on the western end of the island is frequently flooded during the spring.

Each bluff rises 50 feet above the previous. Those long walled roads leading from the main town level, upwards rise a total of 50' on their overall length. The samurai district rises 50 feet above the artisans district though the ramp road is much steeper between the two.

Thus the samurai district sits 150 feet above the waterline, with the elevated portion 25 above the lower portion of that district. Thus the bridge crossing over to the next islet and the first bailley sits 175 feet above the water. Though the road winds back on itself, as much as for defensive reasons, the road is rising another 50 feet from the west bridge to the east bridge.

The provincial palace grounds on the furthest west islet sits at 225 feet above the river, while the fortress is on a rise 50 feet higher than the palace grounds, at the total height of 275 feet.

Each section of town:

The western edge of town sits outside the city walls, but still on the island is the towns "Floating World" red light district controlled by the Yakuza. The river has flooded this district in the past, as it sits on the lowest slope perhaps 4 feet above riverline.

Within the city walls is the main town area, with two sets of docks. The west docks are primarily for official imperial or military use. The city maintains a small fleet of fast patrol ships used to inspect passing cargo, use for war, and anti-piracy on the river. Many shops and "unguilded" crafters, dockworker laborers and fisherman families dwell in this part of town.

The Kirin district on the next bluff accessed by the first rising road from the lower town is home to the smithy industries and their three famous sword smiths, and a large population of sohei monastic priests of the Kirin Order, these priests are fanatically loyal to Lord Hachiwara of Tsue-jo castle, even moreso than many of his samurai.

The Artisans distict sits above that with their own Artisan Zao temple on its western end. Despite its dominance on the end of that bluff, many small shrines populate that crowded region of buildings at the center. Gated alleys and a labrynth of alleys lead between the many master craftsmen that work here. Some of the finest manufactured goods on Yonshu are created in this district.

The senior 42 samurai and their families dwell on the samurai district, as well as the Hatamoto police chief, and several lesser nobles, with those on the far northern side of the Samurai district.

The Palace on the furthest islet to the east, is the administrative offices and residence of Lord Hachiwara Oda (Samurai 21st LE). The grounds within the complex of palace structures houses a demon-spirit bound to the control of the Lord and his onmyoji wizard, protecting his household and this level of the castlegrounds.

The fortress on top of the hill on this furthest islet is used as a watch tower and storage barn of military goods and the treasury when not used for defense under siege.

All the walls surround the castle and entire town have stone bases rising 20 feet above the street level to enclosed corridors with slate roofs. These wall corridors serve as archer shooting positions, for arrow storage, barracks, military messhalls, private shrines and worship areas. So none of the walls of the city are empty. The military is the largest employer on the island.

Without giving away key NPCs, safe houses, secret society halls and other goodies in Tsue-jo (all that's for the publication) this is the description of the town of Tsue-jo, so you can understand what you're looking at.

GP

[Turgenev]

Wow! That is inspirational work there, GP! Very nice.

[pasis]

Beautiful piece and done really fast too. I would be only half way if I were doing this.

[Dyson Logos]

Very very nice.

I'm trying my hand at city mapping for the first time, and I've already given up on anything actually representational of the buildings and so on.