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Calligo
August 16, 2026 at 04:29 PM
Added the territory zone layout with a starting zone table
Calligo is the continent that hosts every pre-alpha test of Anvil Empires. It is the shared map on which the three factions build settlements, fight wars, and trade. The world is shaped to support large-scale strategic play: it is small enough for caravans and armies to cross within a single test, large enough that no faction starts within easy striking distance of every objective, and varied enough that each region has its own resource profile and tactical character.
The map was rebuilt from scratch for the MS 67 build that opened Pre-Alpha Test 46 on 21 July 2026. Terrain was redesigned to have less frequent and less extreme elevation changes, which opens up more usable ground for homesteads, fortresses and set-piece battles. Region descriptions written from earlier tests may not match the current world, and named locations should be checked against the live build.
The measurements most often quoted for Calligo describe the map as it stood before the rebuild, not the world in the current build. In its final pre-rebuild form the continent covered roughly four hundred and eighty square kilometres, about twenty kilometres east to west and twenty-four kilometres north to south, split across sixteen networked regions. The main landmass sat in three large sections joined by four additional landmasses along the edges of the map, with fourteen scattered islands across the surrounding waters. The studio has not published dimensions or a region count for the rebuilt map, so those figures should be read as the previous world's layout rather than the current one. What has been described for the new map is that it covers the centre of the world, that further expansion outward is planned, and that it carries more even terrain and more usable ground.
Calligo is divided into named regions with distinct biomes and visual identity. Major regions referenced on the world map include:
Region | Character |
|---|---|
North Astria | Dense forests, wooded valleys, and the staging ground for many northern Ancients campaigns |
Etenweall | Frigid northern mountains and snowfield approaches; clothing layer matters here |
Lisinger | Murky swamps with limited horse travel; favours caravan-and-foot logistics |
Humberweald | Mixed terrain useful as a contested middle ground |
The Hræcen | Highland and craggy stretches, often near religious sites |
The Vens | Coastal stretches and inlets, with port access for cargo ships |
Forty or more named locations sit across these regions, including Drowner's Bay, Aegmore Gulf, the Astrian Sea, Billhook Bay, and Stormcaller's Crown. Faction Town Centers, neutral Reaver camps, Bear Dens, Cassiterite Mines, Caves, and Relic Sites are placed across the world according to the test seed; some sites are static, while others rotate between tests.
Since the MS 68 build, control of Calligo is measured in territory zones. The map is divided into twenty-seven claimable zones whose borders follow rivers, coastline, and the natural lie of the land, and each zone is Claimed, Contested, or Neutral. Fifteen zones start a war Claimed, five per empire, each containing a town site; the other twelve start Neutral and can be claimed by building or capturing a Keep. Controlling a set number of zones is the military victory condition, and every zone carries a unique name.
Starting Control | Zones |
|---|---|
Remnants | Upper Wights, Myrce, Trivium, Stella Lucida, Lost Sister |
Ancients | Second Sister, The Beorma, Ent’s Ear, The Gield, Briarcourt |
Pagans | First Sister, Brimrad, Solopgang, Módorhold, Isa’s Glory |
Neutral at war start | Billhook Bay, Roaming Scales, Anchor Ridge, Crus Pulli, Wyrmlíc River, Ellernford, Broodwood, Tunnecomb, Dream’s Whisper, Princemarch, Thunder Copse, Raven’s Hook |
The same build introduced a new set of stone and wood world bridges in narrow and wide variants, some of which allow small boats to pass underneath, and repositioned the neutral Reaver camps and forts to fit the reworked map.
The continent runs through a range of biomes from frozen mountain heights to fertile lowlands and southern islands. The studio has called out craggy highlands, verdant fields, dense forests, murky swamps, and frigid mountains as the recurring landscape types. Climate matters in play: winter and snow conditions in regions like Etenweall reduce stamina and warmth, and clothing pieces plus faction-specific underlayers offer the warmth needed to operate effectively up north.
The three rotating trade resources (Flax, Lead, Resin) spawn in specific regions of Calligo and shift annually within the game's calendar. The current trade zones become strategic objectives in their own right because their output feeds Superior tier weapons and armour. A region that was unimportant in one war can become a primary frontline in the next once the rotation lands its trade resource there.
Beneath the surface of Calligo runs the Underworld layer, a network of cave systems accessed through surface entrances. The recent build added a second deeper level to the Underworld with new creatures and resources that feed Heavy Armour and Superior weapon crafting. Many surface regions have one or more cave entrances; control of the surface entrance lets a faction route Underworld output into its supply chain.
The continent is surrounded by the Wayward Sea, which provides shipping lanes between the main landmasses and the scattered islands. Cargo Ships and Small Boats are part of the vehicle mix, allowing logistics around fixed land bottlenecks but exposing supply runs to coastal raiders. The Aranic Pagans, whose lore frames them as seafarers from the southern islands, have the strongest seaborne reach in pre-alpha lore.
In the studio's lore, Calligo is described as a land that once birthed an enlightened people and now serves as the battleground for three claimants. The Ancients (Mirrish) describe it as ancestral land. The Remnants (Novan) describe it as fertile recovery ground after the collapse of an older empire. The Pagans (Aranic) describe it as a target of conquest sailed to from the southern islands. The named gods that appear in faction text include Sigor and Scade, the goddess of night, both venerated by the Mirrish.
Beyond the passive game and aggressive predators that roam the surface, the most recent development update named two notable creatures tied to Calligo’s lore. The Mánadýr, described in ancient texts as the "Man-Deer," is said to be born of moonlight and hunts at night. The Stonwulfe are underground wolves that dwell in the caverns of the Underworld beneath the continent and carry some of the largest Silver bounties. Both feed the bounty economy as high-value targets.
Factions
Settlements
Underworld
Trade and Economy
