Arga discussion thread.

[O Senhor Leetz]

next possible "hub" city - Tazzeret/Targazza/Tezzera (something like that) Will be a not so subtle take on Venice/Italian city-states. A powerful trading city with merchants all of Arga. Considered the most civilized city in Arga, although not the most powerful or populous.

Island city riddles with canals and waterways. Probably will have an architectural style like medieval Italy, albeit somewhat less refined and heavier. I was thinking that they worship a single goddess that stresses wealth, power, and the sea.

[Ghostman]

Would be a great place for some political intrigue and "cloak and dagger" style stories.

A suggestion: To add some originality, you could blur the line between religion and secular mercantilism and seafaring, perhaps to the point of fusing the occupations of priest, merchant and captain into one. This would lead to a kind of mixed theocracy/plutocracy/thalassocracy, with every ship acting as a moving temple. These ships could have figureheads carved on their prows that also act as sacred images of the goddess.

[O Senhor Leetz]

A suggestion: To add some originality, you could blur the line between religion and secular mercantilism and seafaring, perhaps to the point of fusing the occupations of priest, merchant and captain into one. This would lead to a kind of mixed theocracy/plutocracy/thalassocracy, with every ship acting as a moving temple. These ships could have figureheads carved on their prows that also act as sacred images of the goddess.

well I'm totally sold on that awesome idea.

[O Senhor Leetz]

here is the base for the new Arga map. I obviously still need to fill in cities and other locations, as well as add color. but I thought I'd throw it online as preview view or whatever.

[LordVreeg]

I always love to see your maps...so simple and so compelling.

[O Senhor Leetz]

why thank you sir. every time I make a world map I want to do more and more by hand, however, you can only write so small without it being a jumbled mess. also, the Dark Way cultist is on it's way, I have not forgotten, just been busy and junk and stuff.

[Superfluous Crow]

Very sweet map. Has a lot of the ruggedness I've come to associate with your greekpunk. A bit more labyrinthine than your previous map; a good thing if sea travel is as important as I think it is.
You could attempt to combine your venetian city with influences from Ancient Athens (they are complementary if we consider the civilized aspect).

[O Senhor Leetz]

Very sweet map. Has a lot of the ruggedness I've come to associate with your greekpunk. A bit more labyrinthine than your previous map; a good thing if sea travel is as important as I think it is.
You could attempt to combine your venetian city with influences from Ancient Athens (they are complementary if we consider the civilized aspect).

you bet, sea travel is going to be key. If this ever gets played, a think a navigator/captain "class" or skill tree would be neat.

Athens/Venice could be pretty neat...hmmm...

[Nomadic]

Very sweet map. Has a lot of the ruggedness I've come to associate with your greekpunk. A bit more labyrinthine than your previous map; a good thing if sea travel is as important as I think it is.
You could attempt to combine your venetian city with influences from Ancient Athens (they are complementary if we consider the civilized aspect).

you bet, sea travel is going to be key. If this ever gets played, a think a navigator/captain "class" or skill tree would be neat.

Athens/Venice could be pretty neat...hmmm...

I would totally take that skill tree, combine it with a swords, and make a pirate of the high seas. Seriously though, that is a really sweet map, can't wait to see the colored version.

[O Senhor Leetz]

alright, I am beside myself with giddyness at how this map turned out. the font I found was practically made for Arga. this is still in a working state, so feedback would be key - how is the size? everything readable? do I need more stuff? less stuff?



also, would any happen to know the distance in miles between the equator and, say, the 45th parallel (on Earth, of course)?

[Ghostman]

also, would any happen to know the distance in miles between the equator and, say, the 45th parallel (on Earth, of course)?

The length of the Prime Meridian (pole to pole) is about 20,000 km. Divide that by 180° and you get the distance in km of a single degree along spherical surface. Multiply by 0.621371192 to get the same distance in miles. The shortest path along surface from the Equator to the 45th parallel is of corse 45 degrees.

[Superfluous Crow]

You've used like every cool sea name ever to exist :D
Once considered the Maw myself in a previous incarnation of my setting so I can only commend you on that choice.
Is it the Sea of Doxa or the Sea of Poxa? A bit hard to discern between D and P there, but you're right, the font is absolutely perfect so we'll live with that minor thing.
Ironic that the cities of the Broken Waste are the only ones connected by a road.
Hmm, what is your thought behind having Vorr culture develop close to what appears to be horse plains? Any significant interaction there? I don't see Vorr as the greatest riders myself...
Sea of Raza inspired by the character in Lies of Locke Lamora? Just finished it, and it kind of jumped out at me. But might just be a coincidence :)
I'm guessing the map is from a human point of view, so do the Vorr have a name for their own land?
I would perhaps go with another design for the city markers. The red dots seem a bit idiosyncratic. Perhaps use some kind of black cross or circle/cross sigil instead in the same style as the text.
A few of the cities still lack names, but I guess you're aware of that.
That's all for now i believe!
Can't wait to see more on the different locations.

[O Senhor Leetz]

You've used like every cool sea name ever to exist :D
Once considered the Maw myself in a previous incarnation of my setting so I can only commend you on that choice.
Is it the Sea of Doxa or the Sea of Poxa? A bit hard to discern between D and P there, but you're right, the font is absolutely perfect so we'll live with that minor thing.
Ironic that the cities of the Broken Waste are the only ones connected by a road.
Hmm, what is your thought behind having Vorr culture develop close to what appears to be horse plains? Any significant interaction there? I don't see Vorr as the greatest riders myself...
Sea of Raza inspired by the character in Lies of Locke Lamora? Just finished it, and it kind of jumped out at me. But might just be a coincidence :)
I'm guessing the map is from a human point of view, so do the Vorr have a name for their own land?
I would perhaps go with another design for the city markers. The red dots seem a bit idiosyncratic. Perhaps use some kind of black cross or circle/cross sigil instead in the same style as the text.
A few of the cities still lack names, but I guess you're aware of that.
That's all for now i believe!
Can't wait to see more on the different locations.

it's the Sea of Poxa, and I found the same problem with the P and D, but you're right, the font's way too cool and I like the name, so it's all right.

as for the Vorr Lands, they're located north of that rang of mountains. Their city of Dravos is nestled at the rocky foothills, not unlike Minas Tirith (although visually it's much different, but you get the idea) And I'll probably get rid of that horse icon and put something else in it's place (I also found a font set with all those neat Greek things, double score)

The Vorr have their own language entirely, so yes, their is a different name, but ironically it's still Vorr Lands, but in their tongue.

not a red dot fan? I thought they were a nice contrast to the otherwise earthy, muted tones of everything else. I also planned on having green dots for The Seven Wonders of Arga and blue dots for dungeons/ruins/dead cities.

oh, and the "road" is not so much a road, as a caravan route. the next incarnation will have the sealanes (with distance markers on them) more cities, ruins, the Wonders, and some more fluff.

and @ Ghostman, thank you sir!

[EDIT] ok, I figured out the size ratio and all that for Arga. Each mila (an Argan unit of measurement) is equal to 3 real miles. The rough size of the Arga map is as such - The northern edge of the map would be equivalent to the northernmost point in Great Britain, reaching down to the southern edge of Arga, which would be CLOSE to the northern edge of the Kalahari Desert in Africa.

[Superfluous Crow]

Red dots are perfectly okay, they are just not completely in line with the rest of the map style :)

[O Senhor Leetz]

ok, here it is. the FINALIZED (most likely not, but more or less) map of Arga. behold it's majesty.




(I made an error, the city north of Voy Vasa is called Chatha, but it's in the wrong font, I'll get that fixed ASAP)

And a few locations...

The Maw In truth the Maw is not a sea, but the gullet and mouth of giant beast as old as Arga itself. Sailors rarely venture into these waters, as to do so is to invite certain death at the hands of vicious whirlpools that drag vessels into the belly of the great beast.

The Blackwater At the northern edge of Arga sits the southern edge of the Blackwater, a great expanse of dark and cold waters that no man, or woman, has dared to chart.

The Stormrun A savage and wild sea wracked by storms caused from the clash of the warm waters of the Ocean of Ghosts and the icy grey waters of the Iron Sea mix.