Click image for larger version.  Name: Rivers Bendscaled.jpg  Views: 387  Size: 1.75 MB  ID: 36477

A commission map.

The small independent city of Rivers Bend is located at the curve of the confluence of the Rumbling River that flows West from the Great Mountains near Wolfspack and the Velikaya River that flows south past Dryads Lair to form Lake Peipus. This city has become a key stopping point on the river passage west to the Small Kingdoms and back North or East. Any traffic that does not want to go back upriver to Wolfspack to reach the Great Trade Route goes south from Rivers Bend into Everreach. From the central crossroad area of the Nest travelers can go south to Everreach, East and Northeast to Terraguard or West and Northwest to the Small Kingdoms. The Nest was built in part as a reaction to the signing of the Treaty of North Hoarbrite that excluded Rivers Bend in 1 SKR. Only 15 years later (15 SKR) 1 RBR The Nest at Rivers Bend is completed and a new calendar for Rivers Bend was started.
Rivers Bend is careful to not extend too far in claiming any territory to keep tight control over an area that ensures they are safe. The merchants who run the city have a careful eye on balancing the bottom line versus keeping an open independent city that could rival Wolfspack. They value security and commerce over the openness espoused there.

Based on a canal map of Venice, I decided to emphasize the crowded nature of the city with very small, tightly packed housing. Each region of the city is distinct thanks to the division of the canals - water travel is the primary mode of transport into and around the city. Many of the smaller islands are privately owned or house city landmarks.

Made in Photoshop.