The flying city of Argona

[Ilanthar]

Here's my first city map for my RPG world called Eldoran (you'll find the world maps here too ). It has been even more work than I expected, and I have been helped, supported and counseled all along by a lot of fellow cartographers. So many thanks to Lyrillies, Jalyha, - Max -, TheHoarseWhisperer, aquarits, Larb, Lingon, Ravells, Seredemia, Lingon, Raptori, RedKettle, Azelor, Tracjer, jbgibson, Arsheesh and Flatfoot! I hope I've forgotten nobody

Argo dispo neo.jpg

And for those interested, originally demand of Jalyha , a short description of the city.

Argonauts's Company – General View
The Argonauts's Company is quite recent (at least officially, with storefront) but based on a solid reputation. The company stands out by its exceptions : international but independant organisation, and motivated by clearly more than the simple commercial benefits.
Some things are well-known and confirmed by the company, partly to stop some bad rumours. First, the company provides services for money or counterparts but with a unique and strange selection of its clients. Moreover, the company doesn't hide its ambition to make emerge the new heroes who will face the threats of tomorrow or prevent some possible wars-to-come.
An other thing largely known is the presence of the Pythia ever since the beginnings of the company. Many people believe wrongly the Pythia of being the leader of Company. Few are those who know the founding events of the Argonauts's Company and when it occured. The only presence of the Pythia, added to the city of Argona veils the argonauts in mysteries.

The mythic Argona
None of them will confess it, but some argonauts have entered the company only to get the chance to see Argona and walked its streets. The myth tells that Helios himself, right after the killing of a giant snake (the "Python", creature of the Astrals), offered the snake's magic scales to the oracle who told him where to find and how to surprise the monster.
From this event, the oracle came to be known as "the Pythia". Later, she was welcomed and saved (being hidden) on the board of the fabulous ship Argo (the "fast"). It was Actor's ship, built with the sacred wood of Odonias and secretly protected (and the crew with it) by the goddess Eôs, thanks to the nacreous enchanted prow which represented her. The sacred wood was supposed to have a gift of speaking and seering by itself. By the mean of the prow, the goddess was able to see and hear, and then to create a mist from the water to hide the ship before it crossed a danger.
Later, the Argo was severly damaged and ran aground on a beach of Ceredhrial. Only nine seamen were saved thanks to the Nine Waves of Vellamo. The wood, the prow and the seamen were placed under the protection of Lug himself.
What happened then is kept secret. Until the coming of the Pythia and Electryon who collected the remnants of the magic ship that had saved her. The Pythia gave the wood and the statue to Electryon and told him what to achieve with it. Electryon went to Oggùn who used its magic and the diadem of the defunct Ilmatar to build the flying city of Argona.
The Pythia settled in Argona, the company were founded, giving form and population to the city.

The magical Argona
The major part of the city is done of a magic crystal (supposedly coming from one of the moon arks collapsed on Eldoran). It has numerous properties, but mainly : it is almost indestructible by normal means and its properties (color, texture, opacity...) can be changed magically.
The wood of the ancient ship Argo has been used for the beams of the Dome of the Parcae and the three Norns's Pillars. The stature of Eôs stands in the middle of the Great Square and the scales of Python coverd the Adyton where the Pythia is living.
With time, a lot of new magical and technical elements have been brought to become parts of the city. And of course, with the new developments and the increase of population, a lot of new constructions has been built with non-magical elements (like the peers of the skyport).

City Organisation
Approximately in the center lies the Adyton. Big improbable spiraled tower looking like a gigantic snake rolled around a stick turned toward the sky. The Adyton is 12 levels high and do not have any windows or visible openings. Few are those who are authorized to enter it.
Near the middle of the skyfront lies the Skald's Pillar, and on the opposite side, the Palatine Dome, with, inside its walls, the famous Dome of the Parcae, the Agora, the Hall of Mandates, the Sessrumne Palace and the Bachorbladhra University. On each side of the Palatine Dome, close to the edges of the city, lie the two other Pillars of Urd and Verdandi.
The city is organised in five Quadrants. Between the Palatine Dome, the Urd's Pillar and the Artery is the Quadrant of Alkeion. Across the Artery, facing Alkeion is the Quadrant of Oyà. Also bordering the skyfront is the Quadrant of Iarnabheil. On the side of the Verdandi's Pillar is the Quadrant of Onyotaaka. And at last, the fifth Quadrant named Dökkheim lies partly under the others with the Artery as a core avenue.

[- Max -]

Great job Ilanthar! Still not fond of some dropped shadows that makes some buildings floating and the title font but overall it looks awesome

[arsheesh]

Wonderful work on this Ilanthar, one to be proud of.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[Lyrillies]

As I said numerous times before: absolutely beautiful! I'm grateful I got to watch this map develop.

People, rate this thread so Ilanthar gets the credit he deserves for this beauty

[Wingshaw]

A fantastic piece of work.

And thanks for remembering those who commented along the way.

THW

[Ilanthar]

Thanks a lot guys, I'm really glad of this map!

By TheHoarseWhisperer
And thanks for remembering those who commented along the way

This map wouldn't have been this at all without those comments (maybe bevels instead of shadows, no legible labels, a not really different underground level, crowded text, and I'm forgotten some). So it's quite normal.

Plus, I've learn so much doing this and trying to get what I was being told!

[Raiko]

This is a really beautiful map Ilanthar, well done!

[Ilanthar]

Thanks Raiko, I'm glad you like it!

[RedKettle]

A very nice map Ilanthar! It has been fun to look at since the beginning, and has only improved as you continued to develop it. I feel like the final layout could be tightened up just a little bit (less blank areas), but other than that I have no complaints!

[Ilanthar]

Thanks a lot RedKettle!

Doing this map gave me a lot of ideas and things to try!