February 2019 Challenge: The Sundown Cities

[Diamond]

Well, here's a first stab at forests. Forests are my nemesis, they really are. But I think I nailed the scale here in comparison to the mountains. Tried to stay true to Voolf's color palette.

THE BARROW PLAIN

At the time of Sundown, the Kingdom of Ruan was one of the most prosperous of the old coastal kingdoms. Its farmlands were bountiful and its prized stallions were the envy of the East. But like every other land, it all fell apart at Sundown. The farmlands slowly died, as did the cattle and horses. Wolves from the Astur Ranges stalked and killed whole villages. Great swathes of the countryside were dead and abandoned. But the real end came for Ruan 14 years after Sundown. At that time, the vampiric infestation was in full bloom, and a vampire warlord named Jesep Vaul led a horde across the once-fertile plain and laid siege to the capital city, Ruandah. The siege was eventually broken some eight months later, when reinforcements from the north arrived. The combined armies drove Jesep Vaul and his forces from the city and back west across the plains. The entire heartland of Ruan became a huge graveyard; thousands of corpses, human and undead alike, were scattered everywhere.

After Vaul was eventually killed and the vampires retreated back into the mountains, the heartland of Ruan was a wasteland. The earth and water were poisoned from the toxic fluids leaked into the soil by the vampire corpses. The first winter after the war was horrific - thousands died of starvation, and eventually the northern armies returned home, leaving Ruandah and the coastal towns on their own. Only the Church of Ao remained to help rebuild what they could, and to this day the city of Ruandah is one of the most devout followers of the sun god. The fallen of the war were buried in a series of great barrows in the middle of the plain, and the vampires were burned in massive pyres.

Now, nothing lives on the Barrow Plain except isolated monk outposts, scavenging creatures, and some say, the restless ghosts of the dead...

### Latest WIP ###

[ladiestorm]

I really like the two tone coloring there! Looks like a forest mix, evergreens and deciduous... just like a real forest would be!

[Voolf]

It looks quite nice. When you made the first lore post i thought you will not use the colour palette because it will not fit the sundown setting, but you are going for it anyway. I am happy you don't give up so easily.

[Greason Wolfe]

Yeesh! You and John are rocking it at flank speed here. And you both are creating masterpieces! Admittedly, I kinda liked the grungier version better, but the latest version still kicks butt.

[- JO -]

As usual, I am blown away by the quality and speed of your work! Barely begun, and the map, the border and all the atmosphere are already laid and are already beautiful. No problems for the forests, they are quite to scale! One question, however: are you going to reinforce the lighting effects that come from the geographical particularity of this world?

[Naima]

Looking Great , You are very fast ... I am in 24 h and still not even at half ...

[Diamond]

Thanks for the encouragement! I was afraid the forests would fail, but I like the way they're turning out.

One question, however: are you going to reinforce the lighting effects that come from the geographical particularity of this world?

Maybe. I'm going to finish the actual map first so I don't get distracted, then we'll see. I sort of feel like it might be to overwhelming/distracting, but I'll run some tests and post 'em for you all to see.

Here's a small update. I named the monasteries, because why not? And added some more forests and scattered woodland.

### Latest WIP ###

[Bogie]

The map is great Diamond! Love the frame with it's little broken parts!

[Ramah]

Not in love with the hatching tbh, but everything else about this map is just beautiful. I know I've missed a lot of your maps while I've been away but this could well become my favourite of yours.

[- JO -]

Maybe. I'm going to finish the actual map first so I don't get distracted, then we'll see. I sort of feel like it might be to overwhelming/distracting, but I'll run some tests and post 'em for you all to see.

I'm looking forward to see your tests ! I don't know why, but in my mind, such effects could be really awsome ! (though I don't know how I would do that...)