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Calligo
May 24, 2026 at 09:00 AM
Embedded representative screenshot to anchor the article visually (2026-05-24)
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 most recent observed state of the world is roughly four hundred and eighty square kilometres, measured at about twenty kilometres east to west and twenty-four kilometres north to south. The main landmass is split into three large sections connected by four additional landmasses along the edges of the map, with fourteen scattered islands across the surrounding waters of the Wayward Sea. This layout keeps the centre of the map contested while pushing meaningful resource nodes and outposts to the edges.
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.
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.
