Roadmap of the Ikolinian Kingdom
Hello! I've been making a roadmap of a province for my country on a for a while now. It's a good thing that there's places like CG so I can show it off and ask for feedback, haha. The Ikolinian Kingdom is a part of the Fals Empire, the whole country can be seen on this map.
Warning: HUGE map, couldn't upload it as an attachment so an external upload was necessary.
FULL SIZE MAP
Some history, which is probably irrelevant for this community:
The Ikolinian kingdom finds its roots in the second half of the 11th century, when the duke of Ikolinis deposed the Pels king and made the small city its capital. It became a republic shortly after, and was retaken by the Pels. Later, Ikolinis played the leading role in the formation of the Saftian Confederation, which emerged out of a broth of small states immediately after the downfall of the Pels Kingdom. However, it fell apart into a number of states within a mere 50 years. Once again it became a republic, from which point it slowly but gradually amassed influence and wealth throughout the Zaak peninsula, noticeable in the swift takeover of its neighbouring states.
It suffered severely and became fractured during the Terminian occupation, during which it was also put under immense pressure from the then-powerful Fáknir Empire. Only after it took over the Kingdom of Meth and the Duchy of Hibegas did it once again become a significant state. But these actions were not coincidental. During the Terminian occupation, vast amounts of impoverished Ikolians, Ikolinians, and As migrated in several directions in search for wealth, making a political expansion that much easier. Annexing a region inhabited by one's own population proved to be much simpler than doing so with a region inhabited by foreigners, and Ikolinis greedily made use of this fact. Within a century or two, most Saftian peoples - the Lüoo, the Messians, the Methians, the Heodians, the Ikolians, the Ikolinians - except for the Farresset, became culturally assimilated into the largest Saftian culture - the As. Soon, it conquered more rival neighbouring states, and became a force to match the Fáknir Empire, which was then at its height. Colonisation of the Gulan sea shores improved its strategic status greatly.
Some time later, after a war with the Fáknir Empire, Ikolinis suffered a significant territorial loss – but the loss was only temporary, as signs of decay were already building up in the Fáknir Empire. Ikolinis encouraged massive amounts of colonists to settle into the Fáknir westland – all subsidized by the Kingdom. The Fáknir Empire was not to last. After a century of massive amounts of immigrants surging into the increasingly societally hollowed-out, infertile nation, vast swathes of land could effectively not be considered under its influence anymore. A war against the combined forces of the Pels and Ikolinian Kingdoms soon followed, in which the coalition only made minor territorial advances, but territory was never the primary objective. Damaging the peripheral integrity of the Fáknir and subsequently replacing the population was the objective. As the Fáknir Empire died a slow and painful death befitting of an empire at its end, the Ikolinian Kingdom patiently picked off more and more territory, while surviving one internal turmoil after the other. In the year 1822, it conquered the Pels Kingdom, and a mere 30 years later it put the Fáknir Empire out of its final miserable strides.
Now it had all the Fals lands under its control, and became the Fals Empire, which the Ikolinian Kingdom became a province of, remaining so until this day. But, officially, it is not as simple as it reads...
As always, let me know what you think!
Last edited by Marris; 09-25-2016 at 06:08 AM.
I like the whole 'simulation' of an actual foldout highway map, including a cover etc. It is quite complex and dense, attributes which I always enjoy in a map. My only suggestion would be to consider a topgraphic underlay. Many higway maps include topography or hill shading of some kind, at least for mountainous areas.
Symbol or numbers for roads might add to the 'roadmap' concept as well.
This is so cool, I really like it. You did an excellent job pulling of the style of this map. Great work.
Astonishing detail, and a good reproduction of that style.
I agree with Cambragol though, a hint of shaded topographic relief could improve that map. All in all, it could use a little more texture - the pure colours make it a little digital.
But I think it is a sign of the quality of this map that we need go into these small details in order to improve it.
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