The Seven Sealands of Smalinger WIP

[randigpanzrall]

Introducing the Smalinger lands at the north shore, the so called Seven Sealands of Smalinger, a freedom loving, nearly autonome part of the Empire of the Wallungs. It consists of some eight larger regions of which seven are located at the coastline. One region is located more in the centre at a sea plate. Some more explanations will follow later.

The map is extracted from a larger map of the continent and the final map will be a regional map, as it could have been in use at the time, so it differs a little from the "real" proportions:

The real proportion:



The adopted map (first steps):

[Chick]

An interesting start, I'll be watching to see where you take this I think it has a lot of good potential

[randigpanzrall]

The seven Sealands are located in the most northern part of the Wallung Empire, which was divided into the northern Wallung Kingdom and the Southern Wallung Kingdom after Great King Walder died in 820. So the seven Sealands are a part of the todays northern Kingdom under King Waldur II, son of Walder.

The Smalingers are inhabitants of coastal areas and only 25% of the Smalingers are living far from the coasts. The Smalingers were independant for some hundred years before, when in 746 the Sealands were finally conquered by the Wallung King Walbur II, the father of Walder. Nevertheless, the Sealands stay quite strong and because Walbur II and his son Walder permitted a certain independance and autonomy and even avoid to exploit the Smalinger countries, it became a good and reliable part in the Wallung Empire so far. In fact the Sealands became a elemantary part of the Empire and Great King Walder was a true friend of the Smalingers.

Walder recognized a high level of autonomy in the Sealands and so the Sealands got their own administrative, their own lords and their own rules. Not even emperial Sherifs, administrators or Dukes were installed in the Smalinger lands, because Walder has great respect from the Smalingers (and of course he knows, the Smalinger wouldn´t accept them without resistance)

So today the seven Sealands are in fact eight larger regions, which are divided into several towns and communities. The Sealands were the only "Country" at this time, which was not ruled by lords and Dukes or something but which were organised in a cooperative way. Each town and county is appointing their own chief and when a chief looses the peoples support, they choose another. Most of the chiefs are men in fact, but there are even some femal chiefs accros the land, because the female Smalingers (so called Smalfrouwen) has high social reputation. Female Smalingers would even succesfully grab their swords, if neccessary.

Two times a year, all the Smalinger chiefs met at the so called "Thullting", a kind of legislatory assembly at the "Upstalsboom", field which was surrounded with stones from each Smalinger Town, with a kind of small stony pyramide in the centre ( just some 40 feets high). Here, the "leader" of the Sealands is voted, who is more a kind of a spokesman and high lawyer for the little and even big questions. The leader, the so called "Thull" could be seen as a kind of lord or king, but nobility is just stressed against foreign rulers and countries.

The Wallungs once decided to allow a special Smalingers way with auotonomy and equality, to took advantage of a stronger land in the north, because a total submission of the Sealands would cost a high blood fee. And of course a military strong region was a kind of insurance against potential uprising Aegeria and especially the great desire for power from the Northmen Kingdoms of Rogaland and Danneska. Especially the Danneska Northmen were a permanent threat for the emperial integrity and the Smalinger were a proven bulwark against the Northmens forays, piracies and raids against the northern countries of the Empire.

Even the economical importance of the Sealands is not to be underestimated. The Smalingers are well known for their sheep wool, their clothings and their coats. The Smalingers have an old tradition of seafaring and fishing, and the Smalinger Transport Ships are the most important in the northern Empire, to deal with Rogaland, Danneska, to cross "The Breach" and even in the trading with the lands beyond the Breach. Smalingers fish is well known in the northern hemisphere and it´s prepared with the unique Smalingers salt, which is won from peat. There is only one place, where amber is to be found in the Wallung empire: In the east of Smalingers land.

Dorrich is the biggest town of Smalinger land, it is located at the east shore of Jaevere River and it´s the biggest harbour and emporium in the northern Empire, with the same importance as the danneskian Heedaby or Rogalands Birka. Goods from all over the world are sold here and heavy load is coming in and leaving all the daytime. That all makes Dorrich the largest and most important town for the Smalingers economy and it´s even one of the most important places for the northern tradings of the Wallung Empire, Aegeria, Rogaland and Danneska.

[randigpanzrall]

Here a little update. I focussed on the north west, The Smalkant Region. I added the icon for settlements/towns and some woodland, even the "major" streets, which are in fact bigger paths..

[randigpanzrall]

Hiho,

I restarted this thread. I decided to focuss again on the Sealands but with a more modern and realistic map with a high degree of detailzation...

[randigpanzrall]

a little more colour:

[Mouse]

Wow! Look at all the detail in those rivers and channels.

Great map

[randigpanzrall]

Thank you, mouse.

now I added some more details

[Mouse]

You have a great deal of patience, I can see.

The lines defining the elevation are good, but won't they get a little bit in the way of other details later on? I mean roads and settlements and so on... or is this a purely topographical map?

[randigpanzrall]

Yeah, I think, they will not apear in a leter version, it´s just some experimentation