Sirilion (City Designer 3)

[Gandwarf]

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EDIT 30-12-2008: I rendered the map again and the glitches are now gone. It's also a much bigger size. There might be a few misplaced towers however, I will get to those sooner or later
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EDIT 02-05-2009: added a second version of Sirilion, with some improvements and labeling.
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I got a notice from our new community leader suggesting I should put some of my finished maps in this part of the forum. Well, who am I to refuse? So let's start of with Sirilion then.
For the thread I am using to dump all my work in, please visit More cities (City Designer 3)

Some background information, as I am mapping a fantasy world I am creating, called the Valley:

Sirilion is the most populous city in the Valley, with almost 50.000 inhabitants (counting surrounding villages). People gathered here mostly because is has strategic access to many resources. There's excellent farm and grazing lands all around the city, mountains supply marble, stone, iron ore and silver and clay is used to make bricks and pottery. One of the most important resources it is lacking right now is wood, as its forests have been cut down by wasteful rulers, but it is imported from the south.

Because of its access to resources there's a lot workshops and trade going on. The river has been dammed to create more farmland and mills and watermills are built all along the water to supply power to its industries. The river near Sirilion has carved out a canyon, so it's not easily accessible from the city itself - although the smaller island is sloped and has a small beach used mainly by fisherman. The bigger island hosts the palace with its gold domed roofs.

Over the years a lot of defences were added, but the city was always hungry for more land and kept on growing. In the south an earthen wall has been created to protect assets, but in the north the city is allowed to run free. The castle in the southwest was mainly used as a staging point for slave caravans. As not everyone wanted to live there the housing is less dense.

The spoiled elite have set up mansions in the east, along the southern bank. Away from the filth and noise of the city.

Sirilion has always been ruled by wizards, most using it as their seat of power. The last wizard, or rather sorceress, to rule the city was Ylianne D'Trevaile. She was the daughter of another wizard and had great power because of that. She ruled Sirilion with an iron fist and sent thousands into slavery to work the mines. Enemies were tortured to death or if she couldn't get to them, she would capture their relatives and make sure her enemies turned themselves in. She especially hated other women - thinking them weak - and used rape as a weapon of war.

Her rule ended when the revolution that started in the north spread to Sirilion after a few years of running wild. An Alliance army of over 12.000 soldiers, led by the brilliant general Belarcar, defeated her armies near Sirilion after months of combat. Ylianne was found dead in her palace, possible murdered by her own bodyguards.

Sirilion is now garrisoned by Alliance soldiers, but the south is plagued by famine and more conflict, as the elite that Ylianne used to pamper is continuing to cause trouble and resist. Belarcar has long since been withdrawn and lesser officers are left to deal with the mess. Tens of thousands of refugees from the south have travelled to the north, especially the area near Concetron. As farmland is left unattended less food is available and the famine gets worse by the day.