[WIP] Camwyn, Unpaid Commission

[the-golem]

It wasn't really for scale... just... I don't know. I was on break at work and only had time to swipe the mouse a few times.

Oh!! Yeah, 4 lane roads, that's about right.

They were built with the help of magic, by elves. as they built the mages worked with them to make the stones and wood all one piece, as if they hadn't been carved apart to move them and build with them. Kind of like the description of whitebridge in the wheel of time. "yet is so strong even a chisel and hammer will not mar it and despite its glasslike surface, it never becomes slick, even in the hardest rain."

------edit------

I know this is unpaid and I shouldn't be too picky, sorry.

Don't worry about being picky, it's your map. I had an idea that might let you have both the overall positioning of the city with regards to the island, and options for detail. In a corner box, we could put the overview as an inset, and the full page could be a zoomed up city portion, ie Center Camwyn, NE Bridgetown, NW Bridgetown, etc. Here's a hobbled example to illustrate my meaning: In this example, the highlighted (red) box in the inset would be the zoomed in area. Of course, this makes more work for me.

Camwyn-Inset.png

I have a question though. You don't want this to be a fortified city, which is understandable, but you also want strict laws on immigration, and the docks should be seperated from the main city. If there's no barrier or walls, how would the docks really be seperate from the city?

While we're at it, lets revisit scale. What kind of scale were you thinking of for this island city? Venice, Italy? Manhattan Island, NY? I did some googling, and found some island city examples: http://www.touropia.com/island-cities-around-the-world/. I particularly like the layout of Trogir, but it is rather small by today's standards -- population is ~13000 people. By comparison, Venice has a population of about 270,000 and Manhattan is roughly 1.5 million. According to Medieval Demographics Made Easy 13,000 is entirely reasonable for a Large City. (But, so is Venice at +100k as an exception to the rule).

Looking forward to your response, thanks.

[angellus00]

I really like the idea you put forth RE the example.

I also like Trogir but I'm thinking closer to 100,000 people then 13,000.

I guess I saw the docks as separated from the city by a wall, and saw the base of the bridges that way, but these people aren't warriors, they never needed all the way around walls, the protection of Pelor keeps them safe from their biggest enemies (Theria) and they have to worry more about over crowding on the island (more or less a noble district) and criminals. People boating across the Wyn have to dock at the main city docks and gain the city that way, anyone sailing, paddling, or swimming up from anywhere else is fined and tossed out (first offense)

That doesn't mean there aren't smugglers trying to sneak boats onto the island all the time.

I also don't see any reason that the bridgetowns wouldn't have their own docks, but also be restricted on how large the ships are that they are allowed to have slips for. They also don't have the strict policies on entrance.

As far as size and layout the only ideas I have about layout is that the temple and the Senate building are at the northwest tip of the island. I also wouldn't mind seeing some type of tall lighthouse/tower built down into the water off the island, and that the bridges should basically have their own allies and buildings on them, being very wide.

As far as size, I think around 100,000 including the bridgetowns sounds about right. I didn't name the bridgetowns yet... might just call them all 'Bridgetown' as a collective, and people who aren't locals could all be confused. I really like both Venice and Trogir, I like the green area at the tip and it makes me think of the open park/courtyard space around the temple and the Senate building.

[angellus00]

I actually just went through the docks in my head and I'll make a sketch when I get home.

[atpollard]

What about something like an airport check point separating the dock from the city?
Each cluster of docks has an inspector, and part of being a smuggler is knowing which inspectors check papers and which just wave people past with a glance and a nod.

[angellus00]

atpollard : That is the idea, some kind of checkpoint you have to go through, but how to separate it so people actually have to walk through it. At the airport they have, basically a fence. And since you are inside you can't go around the fence.

I was thinking something like the gate at sea world.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ntonio-933.jpg

There isn't a wall separating the docks and the city, just a big fence, and at the middle some kind of cool architectural gate. Not designed to stop armies, just enough to make it clear obvious if anyone tries to walk past and not through the gate. One person climbing a fence stands out like a sore thumb.

[angellus00]

The inspectors would give you your visa/ receipt on the docks. They would inspect your cargo, etc etc, and then you would take your receipt to the gate where they would verify it matches anything you are bringing in.

[the-golem]

Angellus,

My apologies, but school work kinda vomited all over my life, so I don't have much free time currently. I'm sorry that this project has momentarily reached a standstill.

[angellus00]

That's okay. I know this isn't a paid project and the characters haven't left the first town yet so they wont be getting to either capital for a few more weeks, I think.