"AncientConflict" was a fantasy game project devised by James Oates, for which I was commissioned to make a series of maps. These maps stood primarily as concept art, providing the geographical framework and regional names for a realm inhabited by five fantasy species. This work is from 2011.
Map of Saren
Regional map of Saren - the only name decided in advance of my work. The level of detail required was not much more than that of a typical fantasy novel, however the map also includes primary routes and areas of interest to the game's plot.

Digital map, created entirely in Adobe Photoshop.
Map of Brannstadt
The hand-drawn, digitally-coloured and labelled map of Brannstadt features rich but aged colours on a more noticeable paper texture, and was intended as more detailed concept art for staging playable events.

Hand-drawn line-art, coloured and annotated in Adobe Photoshop.

As noted in the legend, Brannstadt is capital in the vampiric realm of Rimwald. It is positioned deep within the countryside on the island continent of Ingelvartz, comparatively near to the source of its longest river, the Ingelsfoll.

Brannstadt is named after its current custodians, the ancient Brann dynasty. It is they who ensure the safe keeping of the vampires’ Maker - a powerful being who was left in Saren after the departure of the world’s Guardians. It is also home to the country’s most esteemed centres of culture and learning.

Brannstadt is fortified, though not to the same extent as Rimwald’s coastal towns. Accessible only by foot through the river-side Brannstrass and Riverpoint Roads, and the hilly Zeppel and Karsten Passes - or by water up the Ingelsfoll - the city’s guardians have little cause to make more than basic defences. The city is surrounded to the north and west by the mountains of Luftridge, to the east by hills and dense forest, and to the south by rocky passes.

Unusually amongst Saren’s settlements, Rimwald's settlements are largely devoid of markets and farms; this is due to the unique lifestyle of the vampires, who have no need for livestock and grain, nor commerce in such things. As immortals of taste, they do consider a need for artisan wares. Accordingly, Brannstadt is also host to Rimwald's most prestigious thrall fairs.

Many of the cities and towns of Rimwald are given over to churches, cemeteries and private crypts. As vampires bore of their lives, they may elect to return to the crypt for a set period of time; it is here that they place their trust in familiars, be they a lower caste of vampire or an enthralled family, chosen from amongst the mortal races. Spiritual ceremonies of a sort are carried out at these churches - laying to rest those vampires who don’t own a private grave - but the churches are also heavily fortified.

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