Sturdjal & Ovrkont

[DanielHasenbos]

Here's my latest map, again , part of the Fjords of Knurden (:

On the shores of Fjurmann’s Lake lies The City of Sturdjal, capital of the Kingdom of Knurden. Across a thin stretch of the lake is the village of Ovrkont. These are two separate settlements, but often considered as one and simply referred to as ’Studjal’. Sturdjal itself it a small settlement and a city in name only. To any outsider it would simply be a small town. Still, it’s the largest settlement you’ll find in all of Knurden.

The most prominent feature of the Sturdjal is the castle overlooking the city below. It is build on a steep hill, surrounded by rocks. The only entrance to the castle is a small draw bridge, guarded by the First Gate. With its drawbridge raised, the castle is claimed impregnable.

The king, together with his spouse and court, mainly resides in the keep in the upper courtyard. The lower courtyard is dedicated to the military. That’s where you’ll find the barracks, stables and armory.

Of old, Sturdjal was rather small ad insignificant. It mainly relied on fishing and trade with other Knurd settlements. Since the founding of the Kingdom of Knurden, and becoming the capital, Sturdjal has become more important and seen a steady growth.

Another reason for its growth is the recent destruction of the towns of Vaasr and Harluun. These towns were destroyed by a dragon from the mountains up north. For decades, there was a treaty between the town and the dragon. For reasons unknown, this treaty is now broken. The people of Vaasr and Harluun claim to be the victims, but the truth of what happened is still unknown. They plead to the people of Sturdjal to help them defeat the dragon and rebuild their homes.

The people of Sturdjal are not so eager to get involved in this. A dragon is a dangerous enemy, and who knows what else it might do. Sturdjal might very well be next…

The City of Sturdjal Free small.jpg

As always, let me know what you think!

[Kellerica]

As cool as the rest of the maps in this series. I love the layout of this place, I'm always a sucker for water-divided cities!

[Sidmandoo]

Wonderful map. I REALLY like the water shading and brush technique.

[Wingshaw]

Very nice map, Dan. I'm enjoying your winter-themed town maps a lot.

Two things come to mind in terms of critique/comments. First, like I said, I like the snowy appearance, but the terrain/topographical lines stand out a little bit too strongly against the pale snow, in my opinion. And second, the land outside the walls seems a bit empty without any trees, cottages, farms or even rocky outcrops.

Overall, though, a really nice map

Wingshaw

[Arimel]

Great map as always!
However, I think that the town should get involved in the dragon conflict. After all, the castle is impregnable... A dragon seems to me to be the ultimate test of this theory!

[arsheesh]

This is a beautiful piece Daniel. The irregular brush strokes that make up the shallow water look really good and almost give the impression of thin ice. Don't know if that was the intention, but it looks cool at any rate.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh