SANJIESAN LORE / Symbols and scale
Do not treat a map icon as a building footprint
A large castle icon on a regional map can accidentally turn into a castle covering half a city. USGS’s symbol guide distinguishes point, line and area representations, including small features shown by points. For a fictional atlas, decide which drawings locate an object and which describe its actual extent.
Assign the symbol a communication role
On a region map, choose a clear mark for a fortress. State whether it indicates an approximate location, an entrance or another project-defined reference point. Keep that role consistent across similar marks. The pictorial tower need not be drawn to the region’s ground scale, but readers should not be invited to measure its width as if it were. A concise key can clarify the intended use.
Redraw the extent at the closer scale
Create a city sketch with the fortress’s chosen walls, courtyards and surrounding streets. Use the established location as a starting point, then draw the extent required by your design. Do not enlarge the regional icon and call it a plan. A symbol showing one tower may represent a whole complex; conversely, a visually grand icon may stand for a compact location important to the story.
Check the transition a reader follows
Place the region and city views side by side with a common name and a clear locator. Ask whether readers can find the place in both without assuming matching footprints. Check routes that approach the actual entrance rather than the centre of the decorative icon. The atlas gains a reliable connection between views while each map remains free to use a representation suited to its own scale and purpose.