Hi again, Ravi,

I agree that fantasy maps typically have too few settlements on them, however most fantasy maps are also Medieval in character and therefore depicts rather advanced and crowded times. My map is for a Bronze Age-ish setting, and as archeology shows us there were very few towns in those days, and even fewer cities, especially outside of the Levant, Aegean Region, and in Egypt. In Europe proper, people lived mostly in scattered farmsteads or in clusters of farmsteads. There were also a few hill forts scattered about the place, fortified cluster of farms + often a chiefs "palace", which I guess could sort of constitute a “town”. What's more, my novel is set in a world that is coming out of centuries long dark ages, which included a minor ice age, and there simply aren't too many people around anymore (i.e. slightly post-apocalyptic).

All that said, my world will have a lot more towns and even cities than there were in the Bronze Age, and it will have even more sites of ruins of past settlements (which were destroyed in a major war lasting several centuries). If that is acceptable to you, I’ll add you to the list of prospective artists? (I’ll make my decision on who to hire next week).

Best wishes,
Vidar