Condensing the Scope - Concept Art update (Patreon)

After laying out the project in a spreadsheet last week, I realized I needed to focus the vision for the project a bit. Trying to design 13 cities was too much. It was too unfocused, but also too much work. So, with that in mind, I consolidated down to six capital cities that will be the focus of the main campaign.

I've attached another 5 pieces of character concept art this week as my exploration of the Angelarium TTRPG visual identity continues, but my writing for this update will focus on the geography. More illustrations of these locations should happen soon!

Looking at the chart here, you can see that I've put two additional Angelic orders in each city giving a bit more diversity to each location. Including additional themes to draw from in each location should hopefully give them all more flavor. Trying to build a whole city off a single-word prompt is fine by me, but I think adding a mixture of different domains lays the groundwork for more interesting storytelling.

Beyond the capital cities, there are other areas of interest. I've created 3 of them with Angelic roots to act as a starting point. Here's a quick breakdown of my notes on these nine locations:

*Gabrialis* - The white city at the heart of the Edelborn lands. A center of commerce, trade, and political power. Though it is not the seat of religious power, its influence through trade has granted it influence that falls beyond the Angel's influence.

- Power, communication, trade, money, humanity

- Gabriel, Raziel, Remiel

*Raphaelis* - A mountainous keep that houses great houses of healing and spiritual growth. Considered the seat of religious power, it would be the capital, but its too distant from its neighbors to functional as a hub. Regardless of its isolation, there is a steady flow of pilgrims that seek its wisdom and power.

- Healing, blood, worship, reliquaries, divination

- Raphael, Shateiel, Shelegiel

*Matarialis* - A sprawling metropolis known for its extensive water gardens. At its heart is the temple of water. Human acolytes work to serve the water daemons which perpetuate the flow of pure water from the cracked vessel of the felled Angel.

- Rain, water, growth, life, knowledge

- Matariel, Zachriel, Eistibus

*Urialis* - A city of fire, perched between an active volcano and dense rainforest. The power of the fire within feeds an industry of metallurgy and mechanical engineering. Forever consuming and reveling in the power of transformation.

- Fire, industry, culture, marriage, union

- Uriel, Israfel, Suchlaph

*Sahaqialis* - A sprawling weave of farms and minor keeps. This is the breadbasket of the land. Known for its food, windmills, and the hub of airship travel.

- Sky, sun, soil, bread, farming, harmony

- Sahaqiel, Phanuel, Sandalphon

*Hasmedon* - A frozen port, pushing its ships through jaws of ice. A city of vice built on a foundation of corruption. Those in power enjoy the luxury if their trade while those without scape together a meager living as blacksmiths, sellswords, and sex workers.

- Death, destruction, war, weapons, undead, vice

- Hasmed, Azrael, Leliel

## Mysterious places of power

*Remphus* - A secluded seaside enclave dedicated to the preservation of angelic magic and the protection against its misuse. No one has seen nor heard from the priests of Remph for a while now. It’s unclear if their temple is still occupied or not.

*Simika* - A village hidden in the depths of an inaccessible swampland. Built in the collapsed ruins of a former castle. The inhabitants are a collective of outcasts from other societies that came to this place seeking absolution from their sins.

*Dumon* - A desert paradise known for its sensual experiences. The barren tree which grows inside temple is rumored to be origin of a mysterious, mind altering substance which is secreted to priests throughout the kingdom.