January 2018 Challenge: Blankia

[fabio p]

Hi guys, long time no see.

I've been mapping here and there but, recently, everything remains on my hard disk as I'm not happy with the outcome.
Maybe the only way to get things emerging is to join a challenge and to feel "compelled" to the commitment of delivering something before the deadline.

This is a preliminary study on the shape and the orography of ... ehm ... Blankia ... the land that usually comes out when I fill in the blanks.

I don't know yet in which direction I'm going (a bad way to start things for sure) but the outcome should be a physical-political map of a fantasy land.

### Latest WIP ###
Blankia wip 1.jpg

[Ilanthar]

Glad to see you back, Fabio!
And looking forward to the development of Blankia, a nightmarish land for the writers .

[fabio p]

Thanks Ilanthar!

I'm taking a direction: old map feel with imperfections (imperfections the part I do better ) simple mountains.
Most of the feature are already present but have to be put everywhere in the map.
Some heraldry should be in before the deadline.
Also some backstory with the final iteration, I hope.

### Latest WIP ###
Blankia wip 2.jpg

[Ilanthar]

A very fine map, already !
If I may, the cities are a bit too white to my taste. Good for legibility, but clashing a bit with the old map tone of the rest, imho.

[ThomasR]

I love the color scheme !

[fabio p]

Thanks to ThomasR and to Ilanthar (I opacified the icons).

I must say that I learnt what silt means, in my native language, too late and so now, you must imagine that the Silt Sea is named like that because those are really dangerous and slimy (in a figurative way) waters.

A little backstory:
“Under the guidance of the last emperors, Vharamia is halting the process of its dissolution and the once unbeatable Empire is now, again, a force to be reckoned with. The drums of war are being loudly heard in Grimpati, once a march of Vharamia, now a proper state, who fears for its independence. The three brother kingdoms of Kordorak, Mularak and Asarak , once provinces of the Empire, are weary of both Vharamia to the west and the Warlords to the south East, which are always ready to extend their lands and to pillage what they cannot conquer.
Uneasy alliances are sought, and the Republic of Castana, a loose federation of city states often ruled by the Empire in the past, is supporting Vossarik against the Warlords and the brother kingdoms and Grimpati against the Empire, while trying to consolidate its trade power.
To the North, the kingdom of Khusep is waiting for the right time to gain advantages from its neighbours’ troubles.”

It could be my last iteration of this map. It would have been great to name everything, but I find that everything is already clustered and also I’m time lacking.

### Latest WIP ###
Blankia wip 3.jpg

[whisper_my_name]

I love the cross hatching on the mountains. I may have to try that out soon. I love the sepia/golden hue of the map too. It looks beautiful!

[Ilanthar]

Yup, definitely better, imo. It's just great now .