Supported
About This File
Map This! - Cartography Services
Hello, Everyone!
Map This! - Cartography Services is pleased to announce the availability ofits newest map, Smierc Smoka.As you will read, the storyline for this map has a Polish theme to it. Smierc Smoka is a fantasy map that contains four large city tilesand a variety of medium and small city tiles. The region offers a wide selection of terrains on which to develop -- coastlines, harbors, mountains, valleys, rivers, etc. There are a number of island groups as well.
Storyline
Before the founding of Kraków, there was the rugged land, lakes, rivers and seas. From the beginning of time, Smok Wawelski inhabited the land living in a cave under Wawel Hill on the banks of the Vistula River. The Dragon of Wawel Hill Ruled over the land and feasted on the bird of the air, the fish of the waters and the beasts of the fields. Life was good for Smok Wawelski and he grew strong off the fat of the land.
Good King Krak, the founder of Kraków, brought order to the land by imposing law and order, promoting commerce and business and brought in farmers to work the land. For Smok Wawelski, this was good fortune that could not be ignored. Daily, the dragon would cut a path of destruction across the countryside, killing the farmers and those that lived in the cities, pillaging their homes and devouring their livestock.
It was during the reign of King Krak that Smok Wawelski tasted his first human flesh -- that of a young and innocent girl. The unfortunate child was in the fields tending her family's sheep when the dragon descended upon the flock intent on eating them. Spying the little girl and sensing she was a much different food source, he did not hesitate to snatch her up and swallow her. Ah, such a taste -- such a delicacy!
From that moment on, Smok Wawelski demanded the people of the land deliver him a female child once a month at the mouth of his cave. In return, the dragon promised to only occasionally raid the farmer's livestock and stop killing the people of the cities and countryside. However, he further promised, if the people stopped bringing him the female child he required, he swore that no one -- not man nor beast - would withstand his wrath.
Now, King Krak was determined to stop the pillaging of the female children of the land and a challenge went out to all the brave knights of the region and to all the regions of the world -- fight and kill Smok Wawelski and be crowned the Prince of Kraków.
As word of the King's challenge spread throughout the world, the region hosted many of the most famous and bravest knights ever known. Months turned into years but alas, not one of the knights was able to defeat the dragon. Instead, they were roasted and devoured one by one.
Eventually, all the young female children of the region had been sacrificed except one -- King Krak's own daughter, Wanda. In desperation, the King promised his beautiful daughter's hand in marriage as well as the right to become the next King to anybody who could defeat Smok Wawelski. This new challenge was broadcast throughout the land and the world.
Meanwhile, Smok Wawelski was no longer being provided his monthly female child. Making good on his promise, he resumed the pillaging of the land -- killing its people and devouring the farmer's livestock.
Great Warriors and Knights from near and far fought for the King's prize and failed. It looked as if poor King Krak's beautiful land would be completely laid to waste by the dragon.
One day, a poor cobbler's apprentice named Szewczyk Dratewka accepted the challenge. The people laughed and mocked him saying how could a poor apprentice succeed where the world's greatest fighters failed. Undaunted, Szewczyk Dratewka made his plans to do away with Smok Wawelski.
He stuffed a lamb with sulfur and set it outside the dragon's cave. The dragon sniffed at this offering and ate it. Not long after, he became incredibly thirsty. Even though Smok Wawelski drank half of the Vistula River, no amount of drinking could quell his stomachache and, after swelling up from drinking so much water, he exploded. Large pieces of the dragon rained down on the land creating many of the landmarks and terrain features seen today.
Szewczyk Dratewka married the King's daughter as promised and was assured his rise to the throne once King Krak passed on. The King was so happy that the land has been spared that he declared a National Holiday and called this special day Smierc Smoka or, Death of the Dragon.
Peace came to the region and life once again returned to normal. The clock of life continued ticking. King Krak passed on and the new King Szewczyk and his bride, Queen Wanda ruled the region of Smierc Smoka and all that lived there prospered.
The region is 1025 x 769 pixels in size with a 16 x 12 pixel city configuration made up of a mix of large, medium and small city tiles.
Smierc Smoka is the result of a hand-drawn map that I scanned and then used Paint Shop Pro to create a grayscale image. I imported the grayscale image into SC4Terraformer and completed it within that application.
The region offers many coastlines, rivers, lakes, island groups and mountainous areas. There is ample opportunity to develop a wide mix of rural, small villages and towns and large cities within its landscape. The coastal and river complexes will afford a great deal of development -- both industrial and commercial -- as well as offer many opportunities for recreational development. The numerous lakes and harbors can be developed into recreational areas as well as serve as seaports for shipping and receiving goods. The islands afford both recreational and commercial development. The mountainous areas are not too rugged and many different types of mountain communities can be developed.
Smierc Smoka awaits your touch and creative hand to develop its resources. Come visit and build the land in which the dragon once ruled.
___________________________
© October, 2008
Vandy
Map This! - Cartography Services
Map Information
Map Type: Fantasy
Region Map Size: 1025 x 769 pixels
config.bmp size: 16 x 12 pixels
Dependencies: Either the SC4Terraformer or SC4Mapper applications are required.
For installation instructions, please read the included ReadMe file.
When unzipping the archive, ensure you use the "Use Folder Names" option.
If you have any questions or need support, please post a message in the Map This! - Cartography Services thread here at Simtropolis.
