# Gallery > Cartographers Choice >  The Flying City of Argona by Ilanthar

## Diamond

*Map*



*Created using: Photoshop*

*Review*
Perhaps the hardest type of map to successfully create is a city map, the more so when it's a huge, intricate city like the one pictured here.  Ilanthar has been a distinguished member of the Guild for several years now, with many great works to his name.  The Flying City of Argona is fantastic on many levels - from the layout to the faux 19th century design, from the color choices to the attention to detail, this is truly a labor of love.




> And for those interested, originally demand of Jalyha , a short description of the city.
> 
> Argonauts's Company  General View
> The Argonauts's Company is quite recent (at least officially, with storefront) but based on a solid reputation. The company stands out by its exceptions : international but independant organisation, and motivated by clearly more than the simple commercial benefits.
> Some things are well-known and confirmed by the company, partly to stop some bad rumours. First, the company provides services for money or counterparts but with a unique and strange selection of its clients. Moreover, the company doesn't hide its ambition to make emerge the new heroes who will face the threats of tomorrow or prevent some possible wars-to-come.
> An other thing largely known is the presence of the Pythia ever since the beginnings of the company. Many people believe wrongly the Pythia of being the leader of Company. Few are those who know the founding events of the Argonauts's Company and when it occured. The only presence of the Pythia, added to the city of Argona veils the argonauts in mysteries.
> 
> The mythic Argona
> None of them will confess it, but some argonauts have entered the company only to get the chance to see Argona and walked its streets. The myth tells that Helios himself, right after the killing of a giant snake (the "Python", creature of the Astrals), offered the snake's magic scales to the oracle who told him where to find and how to surprise the monster.
> ...


*Original Threads:* 
Click here to view the Finished Map thread.
Click here to view the WIP thread.

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## arsheesh

Congratulations Ilanthar!  This was a huge undertaking, and one that you carried out very well.  A very well deserved award. 

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

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## Wingshaw

Congrats Ilanthar! Definitely a worthy award.

Now I just need to learn French so I can read all the details...

THW

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## - Max -

Congrats Ilanthar!

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## ChickPea

This map is incredible. I salute you, sir!

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## Ilanthar

Wow... I don't know what to say but "thanks"  :Smile: ! It's a great honor to me to be rewarded like that by the guild. As I said before, this particular map owe a lot to the guild and its precious help during the WIP.
So, thanks a lot everybody!

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## Corilliant

Congratulations! This is a very nice map.  :Smile:

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## Ilanthar

Thanks Corilliant!

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## J.Edward

This is a beautiful monster sized piece of goodness Ilanthar.  :Very Happy:  Very much deserved. I give it 3 thumbs up.  :Wink:

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## Ilanthar

Thanks a lot J.Edward! It's indeed a big stock of scenarios  :Smile:

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## Tigon

What a beast! Hugely impressive and well deserving of the praise given. Bravo!

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## Ilanthar

Thanks Tigon! It has been a hard one to tame  :Very Happy:

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## tainotim

Probably the largest city map I ever saw! Your very own Vorropohaiah's Elyden, but for City Maps, if you know what I mean. A well deserved award, and a very inspiring WIP-thread to go with it. Hope to see more from you soon!  :Smile: 

Congratulations,
Tainotim

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## Ilanthar

Thanks tainotim! I confess that I like big cities for numerous rpg scenarios.

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## CloudFang

OH MAN!  this is awesome.  Mind if I ask what size and resolution you made this image?  Inspirational.

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## Ilanthar

Thanks CloudFang, I'm glad you like it.




> Mind if I ask what size and resolution you made this image?


My software says : 4500x5000 pixels and 72 pixels per inch.

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## JustToBeFrank

This is awesome

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## Ilanthar

Thanks JustToBeFrank!

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## Lyre

This is so amazing with all of the details and the city plan. I love it. The detail is amazing. I must admit that part of what I love about it is the implied story, even without the contest in which you put it, and the different features like the docks and the lower level and the parks and individual buildings of note that make it come to life, and, in some cases, such as the quadrant de dökkheim and the air rail/trains that give it more dimension and are just brilliant ideas.

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## Ilanthar

Thanks Lyre! I always need a lot of written details for my rpg settings. And I've walked a long time the streets of this city in my mind to figure how it should be. So, I'm still very glad when I read that the map conveys this feeling, somheow  :Smile: .

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## El_Phantasmo

As a newbie this is inspirational. I love huge city maps for games, if it's not huge it's not a city! This ... is awesome though. To my newb eyes it's great.  :Smile:  Love the style too, so clean and clear.  :Smile:

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## Ilanthar

Thanks El_Phantasmo! I tend to do big cities as "tanks of scenarios"  :Smile: .

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## goor

Fantastic map!

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## Ilanthar

Thanks goor, I'm glad you like it!

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## Thomas Shack

C'est super, j'adore ça, c'est détaillé, imaginatif et vraiment énorme

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## Ilanthar

Merci Thomas Shack! J'ai longuement réfléchi la plupart des noms pour qu'ils fournissent l'ambiance adéquate.

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## liciobruno

Congratulations, Ilanthar!!!  :Surprised:  I'm really impressed by your work!

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## Ilanthar

Thanks a lot Liciobruno!

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## GeoCraftsman88

Love it. Absolutely beautiful.

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## Ilanthar

Thanks GeoCraftsman88!

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## cinsev

this is something to aspire to.  thank you for the motivation!

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## bgvictory

This is an excellent city map, and here I am, not knowing where to start with map making.

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## Ilanthar

Thanks a lot to you both!

@Cinsev : I'm glad it motivates you  :Smile: .
@Bgvictory : the guild is a good place to start with map making, I recommend you the Tutorials section.

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## rushhowell

Really impressive and incredible detail.  A terrific concept well executed.  Motivational indeed.

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## Ilanthar

Thanks rushhowell  :Smile: !

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## ethanlee

Congo for new achievement and i love it. :Wink: 

ethan lee

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## Ilanthar

Thanks, Ethan  :Smile: .

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## Levon Costa

Oh my, I was not expecting the zoom to be that close. Detail is above par!

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## urmane

This is simply amazing.  The detail is intense - street names, building numbers.  I am in awe.

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## Ilanthar

> *By Levon Costa*
> Oh my, I was not expecting the zoom to be that close. Detail is above par!





> *By Urmane*
> This is simply amazing. The detail is intense - street names, building numbers. I am in awe.


A big thanks to both of you! I still have the dream to redo this... or to do district maps. Maybe one day!

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