WIP - Albengard Empire

[Sapiento]

My next map, the Albengard Empire.

So far I have the basic terrain and the political border of the empire.

[Will Phillips]

Really love the mountains! I mean, re-he-he-heally dig 'em.

How'd you do them?

[Sapiento]

Thanks.
I use a variant of Pasis' mountain tutorial.

[Steel General]

Looking good so far, though I think you could use some foothills around your mountains - or am I missing something?

[Locution]

So far so good! Keep it up.

[Juggernaut1981]

Sapiento> Unless there is a good reason, I'd suggest that the inland sea/lake in the centre of your map should be within the political boundary. That empire controls about 75% of the coastline... what's the reason they can't seal the deal and get to the mountains?

[Sapiento]

@ Steel General: I placed some foothills, but obviously too weak, they are obscured by the forests.
@ Locution: Thanks, I try.
@ Juggernaut1981: I will place some barbarian tribes in the western region, who gives the Albengard Empire similar headaches like the Germanics the Roman Empire. Imagine a heavily contested area where the controlling nation changed severak times over the last 200 years.

[Juggernaut1981]

Sapiento> Cool Cool. Just keeping you on your toes.

[Sapiento]

I placed some city symbols and names on the map, together with more visible hills.

Now I have two things to think about:

1. The names are obviously German based (Holy Roman Empire analogue), and I'm considering to do the names for mountains and seas in a German analogue, too. Would English names for these clash with the city names?

2. How look the city symbols? They are simple and fit the style of the map. But I was thinking about placing little handdrawn symbols, but feel that would not match the rest of the map.

Comments and ideas?

[Steel General]

I say go ahead and replace a couple of the current symbols and see how it looks. The worst that can happen is it doesn't look right with the map.