The City-State Union

[DanielHasenbos]

A few weeks ago I started this map as a means to try out new styles. I came to like it a lot and spent quite some time working on it. I used techniques that I learned by looking at maps and tutorials around this forum. At some point I really did not know what to do with this map anymore and considered it finished. After posting it here in a WIP thread and getting a lot of feedback it turned out there was a good amount of work still left before I finally finished it.

This is my first finished map and I must say that I'm very happy with how it turned out.
The Work In Progress can be found here > http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...ad.php?t=31114

Some background story for anyone interested (:

Before acquiring their independence, the Republics were small city-states and vassals of the Great Garykia Kingdom. When King Gormondo II of Garykia faced a number of great rebellions in the east of his Kingdom he was forced to send his armies there to strike down the rebels. When this war went on for a while the city-states took their chance and formed a union against King Gormondo II, The City-State Union, also called the City Union or simply The Union. Gormondo II had the majority of his military forces in the east of his kingdom and within two months the city/States had occupied far inland. The forces of Gormondo II were already weakened by the continuous battles in the east and when they finally arrived, the City-State Union had already rallied their forces. When the two armies met in the Battle of Veronyk Gormondo II's forces were utterly crushed. After this defeat Gormondo II was forced to sign a peace treaty granting the cities their independence and control of all the occupied lands. A new government was set up and the city-states became the Great Republics of Vandoria, Galindor, Galina, Dalmony and Estyria still allies by the City-State Union, a name that now only reminds them of where they came from.

City-State Union finished.jpg

-Dan

[Jayharchitect]

Great to see it finished! This is a wonderful map. Bravo! I love the process you went through on getting the blowup plan to work well.

[ChickPea]

This is lovely. You've really captured the feel of an old-timey map with everything from the paper texture to the labelling. Not quite sure the shiny shields fit with that theme, but that's a very minor quibble. Great job!

[kimni]

That map looks amazing! And it's nice to have a map with a history behind it that explains the countries and borders.
There's one thing that kind of bothers me, though - the lables seem to be less blurry than the rest of the map, especially the city markers and roads.
Also, one question (because I usually get stuck at coming up with names) - how did you manage to come up with that many names?

[J.Edward]

You did a great job on this Dan.
It was fun to watch it come together.

[arsheesh]

A very nice piece Daniel. Great colors. Love how you incorporated the sea routes into this piece as well.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[Freodin]

And you are completely justified to be proud of it, Daniel! It turned out to be a really great map.

It will go right into my "inspirational map" folder.

[DanielHasenbos]

Thanks everyone, and thanks for all the feedback that helped making this map!

@kimni: This is how I went about coming up with all those names.

1. I decided that the general language would be something like Italian since the republics were inspired by the early- to late-medieval Italian city-states.
2. I chose some characteristics for different regions. e.g In Vandoria many names end with -ia or -io. In Dalmony many names end with -y or or -ya. In Galindor names end with -or and -ar and further north with -ond or -mond. This way I tried to suggest linguistic development.
3. I came up with random jibber-jabber, Italian-sounding words, ending with the sounds I chose for the different regions.
4. To avoid to much unity I try to now and them come up with different names. e.g Renunde and Yncante

Hope that helps (:

-Dan

[Ilanthar]

Good map with a lot of atmosphere. As Arsheesh, I like the sea routes a lot.

[DanielHasenbos]

Thanks Ilanthar! (: