It has been no secret, the amount of time and thought put into designing everthing that goes into The Underground. When creating a new character, it’s important to make sure that he stands out against his peers. Rightfully so, the same can be said when creating a new location for the book. Each key locale must be notably different. It must convey some sort of feeling. The reader should be able to see a single screenshot, and have an idea of where the scene takes place. The Amicable Plains were easy. Plains….not much to it, then we decimated the place! Not much more thought needs be placed in that corner. Then came Coryn. This required a little more research, and the determination of a theme. Still, it was the first real destination for our characters, so there was little to compare it to. It stood out, due to it’s lack of comparative reference. The Fly Federation however…now this is where the fun started! Where Coryn was clean, or regimented in its construction, the Fly Federation is a mess of junk, and refuse. It is an insect metropolis built in the garbage piles of the Man-beasts. So I started with some reference pics of…well… garbage. Then checked out some reference images of some rundown, abandoned, industrial cities around the world. Many from sections of Detroit. I’ve found that the key is in layering the junk. Constructions, and buildings will be small piles of junk, covered with more junk. I’d start with choosing two or more items of garbage, and putting them together to form a building structure. Then I’d layer some smaller garbage on top. Then, I’d put some small droppings of dirt, grime, slime, and excrement. Sound gross? Good. Welcome to the Fly Federation.