Jan / Feb 2016 Lite Challenge: The Lay of Imrith Necropolis

[Wolram]

Hello Everyone,

I haven't done this for a while, but it's good to be back.

I will be mapping the tombs beneath the city of Imrith. Here is some back story.

Imrith is a city built on an old abandoned quarry. The stone was used for the great walls of Bendinar far away, but they dug too near the sea, and the quary was flooded in a great storm and was abandoned. But the resource of valuable Imrithite (for which the city is named) drew more local people with lesser needs to settle here on the islands that remained. Over the centuries, the city of Imrith grew, and eventually became a capital.

But beneath Imrith, dark tunnels lie, some of which have not been ventured for hundreds of years. They can be traveled for many hours without reaching the end. Within these tunnels, the barons and kings of Imrith have constructed and carved great vaults for their treasure, but it remains first and foremost, a catacomb. Many believe all treasure kept here becomes cursed, and that at the end of the tunnels lies the city of the dead, the necropolis itself!

I have an idea of the style I want to go for, but I'm not sure how to show the depth to the cave, maybe I will draw several plans for different levels, or maybe draw them all on the same plan!

Anyway, here is a quick outline of the main island.


Cheers,
Wolram

[snodsy]

Maybe two maps, a top plan and a side section view? Great Story sounds really cool.

[Wolram]

Thanks, I hadn't considered a side view... In my head these caves are vast, but a side view could make drawing it quite interesting!

[ChickPea]

Hi Wolram, welcome back! Nice to see you joining in again.

Sounds like a cool idea for your map. Looking forward to seeing where you go with it.

[Bogie]

Sounds like a great project.

[Wolram]

So this is my progress so far. It's not really turning out how I imagined, (as is often the case) but the story always develops with the drawing!

Within the Catacombs of Imrtih, mazes of tombs crawl into the deep. small holes line the sides of these tombs, where countless corpses lie. Burial rights are performed in the shadows, three of the deceased's most precious items are presented, and three of their most selfless deeds, and most selfish acts are spoken. With the correct burial performed, the soul will appear beyond the Gate of Goldur, and answer then to the dead king, who will judge their right to pass over the abyss, and into the dead city, from where they might watch over their living loved ones. Without the rights performed, a soul must travel the long dark tunnels of Drengis' warren and beyond, and answer to the gate where they must prove themselves as the gate sees fit or be cast into the abyss.

For the souls who's deeds do not outweigh their bad, an eternity of waiting upon the lingering plain awaits, till they find the mercy of the dead king, or throw themselves into the abyss, which steams with the remnants of a thousand vanquished souls.


At the moment I'm trying to show deeper levels with darker shades, they don't blend into one another very well yet, I don't know if it will make much sense if I show them overlapping. I tried to draw it in a way that showed the complexity of a cave, as they are never just simple tunnels, Drengil's Warren is a sort of honeycomb type structure.

Still needs a lot of work, all advice welcome!

### Latest WIP ###



Cheers,
Wolram

[Diamond]

Wow, that's a huge jump in progress from the first post to this one! That is looking great so far; it has a really sinister feel.

Are the green tracks that lead to the Abyss some kind of ghostly rail system?

(also, I edited your post to add the WIP tag)

[Wolram]

Oh yea, thanks! I'll try and remember to do that!

The intention is that they are a ghostly image of their graves where they lie in wait for the judgement of the dead king!

[saria]

This is great! I really like the feel of this map and the color scheme, very well done!

[Gudern]

I don't understand the neon green . What is doing that ?