Cassis
Below are the completed maps accompanied by brief descriptions, followed by their original sketches.
Sadly, Wix only allows for a certain file size, detrimental to any completionism surrounding higher resolutions. On mobile, I've opted to follow each map with three higher-resolution slices. If you too wish to view the 600dpi scans, please reach out by email or through the contact form below.
Outline map of the Shell
We have the Earth, they have the Shell.
The initial inspiration for Cassis was to create a fantasy world with the room for any creative venture, where I could carve out the culture of an entire continent across several works just by keeping the setting consistent.
To satisfy that need, much attention was spent on geologic and tectonic realities. Civilizations are built in defiance and appreciation of their environment: if I am going to spend years on a setting, I must be able to find inspiration just as instantly as their ancestors would have.
The Continent of Cassis
Comprised of the lands of Nephi, Toten and Scarland
The goal was not to make a high fantasy world, but one of fantasy characters and species in a world alike our own during their own industrial revolution, where spellcrafted batteries have advanced steam machinery.
However, please do not think of it as steampunk; a city like Hound would look like 1820s London, Ragcena alike a mix of Tehran and Lisbon. Major inspirations include the worlds of the Dishonored, Red Dead Redemption and Elder Scrolls franchises.
This particular map captures Cassis at a point of extreme stability after the unification of Nephi. A guide to the borders between Nephi, Toten and Scarland can be found in the top left. Population size generally corresponds with font size.
Hound
Hound City, Capital of Scarland
A maritime powerhouse with a sprawling series of seaside marketplaces, Hound's natural harbor and plentiful rivers have made it a place of trade, culture, piracy, gambling, and education. The name comes from the central Hounder Mountain, perforated with caverns which hum a low tone at nightfall.
The city is no stranger to change, from its foundation as two rival palaces to its later act as the third capital of Voritian Nephi. Now, canneries and factories in the Low City and on the North Avenue have redefined the city's sky.
Now, tourists flood the streets, as the new racetrack seems to have reminded the rest of Cassis that Hound is where the culture is.
Now, plans have been drawn to build a train station just south of the city wall, between the High Gate and Trepidation.
Will the soul of Hound survive, or will the scenic canals and architecture tours swallow the city whole? Who will make the call?