[ESL-FB1] The Old Stone Church

[Capt Wolf]

When the first settlers came to An Holli more than 50 years ago and founded Weelond, they built the initial structures mostly from wood. As the settlement became more established, they replaced structures that were considered vital to the settlement with more permanent buildings made from stone. Other than the fort, one of the first structures to be rebuilt using local stone was Weelond’s church. It is located on the village green, between the town market and the waterfront’s warehouse district. Fifty years after it was built, it is now known simply as “the old stone church.”

Reverend Calvert DuBois invites us inside.

Once inside, we can see the sanctuary, which feels larger than one might expect due to the high roof and large stained glass windows.

At the rear of the church, Rev. DuBois has an office where he keeps his library and items needed for church services.

The church is a center of Weelond’s cultural activity. Rev. DuBois has a full house in attendance today for his sermon.

Let’s take a quick peek from his office as he delivers his sermon.

* * *

Build notes:

- I actually started planning this build before the Cultural and Educational categories were added to the list of property types in the game, so that saved me the trouble of figuring out how to classify it.

- The main roof comes off for easy access:

- There is no back wall, but I built it so that I could add a removable wall at some point in the future:

As always, all c&c welcome!

For details on the religion practiced here, the Church of Sol and Luna, also known as the Church of the Two Coins, see here:

Spoiler

 

The Church of Sol and Luna is a duotheistic religion that worships gods represented by the sun and the moon. Sometimes it is referred to as the Church of Two Coins, as Sol or the sun is represented by a gold coin and Luna or the moon is represented by a silver coin. Priests and priestesses of the church typically wear black or white attire trimmed with gold or silver, although gold (or yellow) and silver (or gray) are sometimes worn as the primary color. The color a priest or priestess wears may reflect the specific ceremony being officiated, or the priest/priestess’s favored deity. Sol is highly regarded by farmers who depend on the sun for their crops to grow. Mariners tend to favor Luna, who controls the tides and provides the stars for navigation. Those from outside Eslandola might be shocked to learn that a principle teaching of the church is charity, as one should give thanks for each gold piece Sol provides by giving away a silver piece to honor Luna. While the assignment of gold for Sol and silver for Luna would appear to slight Luna, the two gods are of equal importance; the occasional solar eclipse is Luna’s way of reminding worshippers of that, and increased public giving often happens after an eclipse.

In the scene presented in this build, it appears to be a Spring or Summer celebration of Sol. The yellow banners high on the walls of the sanctuary represent the sun, and the lower green banners represent the crops and everything that the sun’s warmth helps grow. Rev. DuBois, however, appears to favor Luna, as he is dressed mainly in black.

 

 

[Ayrlego]

A very beautiful church Capt Wolf! I like the stonework on the outside, it’s varied while remaining clean looking – not something I think is easy to pull off! Then I like that for the interior you’ve created a separate ‘skin’. Great build and lovely addition to Weelond!

[TitusV]

Very nice build, especially the tower! i love the fact that you've included an interior, and the priest-fig is great!

[Elostirion]

Lovely MOC, looking absolutely fantastic. The curved roof is a real highlight.

But who are they worshipping there? Are you setting up an Eslandolan religion?

I really hope we won't start ignoring the Eslandolan lore but will always use our MOCs to add to it.

In other words: I lack a bit of story about the religion they are practicing and the goods they are worshipping. Or maybe the church serves another purpose, like an assembly hall?

[deraven]

That's great! Such a simple and classic shape, but with a lot of great detail built in. The windows are really nice viewed from the inside and out, and the interior detailing is super as well; I especially like the roof rafters and the furniture in the office.

[Jacob Nion]

In other words: I lack a bit of story about the religion they are practicing and the goods they are worshipping. Or maybe the church serves another purpose, like an assembly hall?

Hahaha! Great pun with Eslandolans worshipping goods instead of gods! Sounds like a reasonable religion for Eslandola.

But really, I think in a fantasy setting like BoBS there can be something like a "church of Zeus". On one hand I like the use of the greek/roman pantheon as main religion for the rpg. It's something everyone can deal with without being offended. On the other hand churches, monasteries, cathedrals fit the culture of our nations by far better than temples.

So why not worshipping Poseidon in a church? That's just a matter of architectural desires. But I think for continuity there should be Zeus' flash or Poseidon's trident on top of the bell tower instead of the cross, which just makes no sense in the lore of Halos.

But now a few words about the build: I really like the texture of the walls. Another great example that a stone wall can look realistic without being overly greebled. Especially the colour scheme is great and keeps the structure from being monotone.

Also cheers for the inclusion of an interior.

[Kai NRG]

The stained glass windows here are fantastic! The stonework is well done too, and I love the interior!

[Garmadon]

Another lovely church building, Capt. Wolf, excellent stonework, texture, and shape on the exterior, and the inclusion of an interior is always a bonus!

@Elostirion & Jacob Nion,

...Eslandola has no state religion, but leaves such matters entirely to the desires of its people...

It is perfectly fine as it is. I can see very well (it being my own case, for one!) how someone who might wish to build a church would not want to make it for the worship of 'Poseidon' or some other good (?), and especially as it is a church in Capt. Wolf's own town and in the nation of Eslandola, there is no problem at all. That sentence was put into the signup thread particularly for this purpose.

[Elostirion]

Just to get this clear: I am absolutely pro religion in Eslandola. Go ahead. A church of Zeus? Why not? Or of the "Moneyshitting God of Goods"? Why not? I just wanna know what/who/why etc. if there is such a MOC. That's all. :-)

[Capt Wolf]

Elostirion, I have the backstory you want, and will be able to post it a few hours from now. I think you'll like it.

[Captain Braunsfeld]

Excellent build, I think it is my favourite from you.

You can be very proud of this. Very beautiful, making efficient use of well fitting building techniques.

[blackdeathgr]

SUCH a great build! I particularly like the different sweet angling of the roof. And the bell tower which is stunning!

[Capt Wolf]

Who are they worshipping there? [ . . . ]

I really hope we won't start ignoring the Eslandolan lore but will always use our MOCs to add to it.

In other words: I lack a bit of story about the religion they are practicing and the goods they are worshipping.

I think for continuity there should be Zeus' flash or Poseidon's trident on top of the bell tower instead of the cross, which just makes no sense in the lore of Halos.

I can see very well (it being my own case, for one!) how someone who might wish to build a church would not want to make it for the worship of 'Poseidon' or some other god, and especially as it is a church in Capt. Wolf's own town and in the nation of Eslandola, there is no problem at all.

Garmadon, thanks for your comments. I’ve been intentionally vague on issues of religion in my church and chapel builds up to this point because, while I felt the existence of places of worship were important for the game, I didn’t really want to get into religion the way Oleanders do. As such, Jacob Nion has a good point that I shouldn’t have topped the tower with a cross. In fact, this build didn’t start out as necessarily a BoBS build, and once it did I thought about removing the cross at one point, but either forgot about it or decided to leave it simply as an architectural element.

But Jacob Nion also has another good point, that I could have easily topped the tower with some other symbol. And Elostirion is persuasive when he wants more details to flesh out the lore of the game. So, after some thought, I present to you the Church of Sol and Luna…

The Church of Sol and Luna is a duotheistic religion that worships gods represented by the sun and the moon. Sometimes it is referred to as the Church of Two Coins, as Sol or the sun is represented by a gold coin and Luna or the moon is represented by a silver coin. Priests and priestesses of the church typically wear black or white attire trimmed with gold or silver, although gold (or yellow) and silver (or gray) are sometimes worn as the primary color. The color a priest or priestess wears may reflect the specific ceremony being officiated, or the priest/priestess’s favored deity. Sol is highly regarded by farmers who depend on the sun for their crops to grow. Mariners tend to favor Luna, who controls the tides and provides the stars for navigation. Those from outside Eslandola might be shocked to learn that a principle teaching of the church is charity, as one should give thanks for each gold piece Sol provides by giving away a silver piece to honor Luna. While the assignment of gold for Sol and silver for Luna would appear to slight Luna, the two gods are of equal importance; the occasional solar eclipse is Luna’s way of reminding worshippers of that, and increased public giving often happens after an eclipse.

In the scene presented in this build, it appears to be a Spring or Summer celebration of Sol. The yellow banners high on the walls of the sanctuary represent the sun, and the lower green banners represent the crops and everything that the sun’s warmth helps grow. Rev. DuBois, however, appears to favor Luna, as he is dressed mainly in black.

As for the top of the tower, the church clearly needs to make some repairs! That is not a cross, but merely a framework that is supposed to hold two discs or small spheres, one on either side: a gold one for Sol and a silver one for Luna. Apparently the big storm that blew through the islands the other night has damaged these important symbols! I’ll post pics of the repairs as soon as they are made.

Note that there are many religions worshipped by Eslandolans in the islands and on the mainland, including this one. I’m sure many Eslandolans worship Zeus and Poseidon as others do, but prefer to make that choice their own, rather than be told who and how to worship. As it happens, among the early settlers of Weelond was a large group of followers of Sol and Luna. It quickly became the predominant religion on the island of An Holli, but by no means is it the only one, and worshipers of any religion are welcome in Weelond.

[Littleworlds]

Amazing little church! You got the look just right - from the stained glass windows, to the belltower, to the interior. Everything just says YES! I'm also quite happy that there is a healthy degree of religious acceptance and diversity. That's how it should be

[Mpyromaxos]

Beatiful church! loved the stonework you made!

Great interion design also!

[Tomsche]

Love this build, the shape, windows, interior...

[Bregir]

A very beautiful church, Capt Wolf. The dark grey accents on the textured grey and tan walls are great, and it really looks realistic. The interior is very good and looks fittingly smooth, without looking too polished.

My favourite detail, though, is the round bricks used on the top part of the tower. It gives the impression of the tower being slimmer, which again helps give the impression of perspective, making the tower look taller. (This is a technique that has been used in RL too. Not specifically the round bricks, though... )

I think you addition of lore is a really nice touch. The more our MOCs can help build off the lore, or be build into the lore of BoBS the better. I think you should add it to the original post - it is simply too good to be left dwindling in that reply! I love the idea of giving one silver coin each time you make a gold one! Seems like a great way to justify taxes!

[SilentWolf]

The church is a great build and there are so many elements that add up to make it great. The texture of the exterior walls makes it look like a real building made of stones. The stained glass is also a great touch. I also like that you have an interior wall that covers the rockwork. The office is also well done and I like the shelf with the scrolls on it.

Good job on creating a lore that will fit well into the game and yet not fall into that horrible Oleon religion. I had also noticed that historically the church was an important early building in the settlements and often doubled as the school and the local government center. I was unsure how to include this into BOBS but you have done it very well especially with the background lore. I look forward to more builds!

[Elostirion]

Great religious background, thank you so much for that!

[Captain Green Hair]

Beautiful model, I really love the stained glass and the wooden beams under the roof. The old walls are convincing and the interior is just the icing on the cake. Well done!

[Capt Wolf]

Thanks to everyone for the kind comments about this build. I stumbled onto the right combination of colors for the stonework. The tan arches for the stained glass windows forced me to use tan as one of the colors. I originally had more dark gray and some dark tan in the stonework as well, but it didn't look right. It turned out that less was more in this case.

A very beautiful church Capt Wolf! I like the stonework on the outside, it’s varied while remaining clean looking – not something I think is easy to pull off! Then I like that for the interior you’ve created a separate ‘skin’. Great build and lovely addition to Weelond!

Thanks! The interior "skin" was the only way I could come up with to get the effect I wanted.

Very nice build, especially the tower! i love the fact that you've included an interior, and the priest-fig is great!

The priest fig is Shakepeare from the collar up, and the villain from Prince of Persia for the torso and legs.

Lovely MOC, looking absolutely fantastic. The curved roof is a real highlight.

But who are they worshipping there? Are you setting up an Eslandolan religion?

I really hope we won't start ignoring the Eslandolan lore but will always use our MOCs to add to it.

In other words: I lack a bit of story about the religion they are practicing and the goods they are worshipping. Or maybe the church serves another purpose, like an assembly hall?

Thanks for pushing for me to include the back story with the church of the two coins. I appreciate the encouragement!

That's great! Such a simple and classic shape, but with a lot of great detail built in. The windows are really nice viewed from the inside and out, and the interior detailing is super as well; I especially like the roof rafters and the furniture in the office.

Thanks! My first attempt at the rafters didn't quite work, but I was very happy with the second attempt.

Hahaha! Great pun with Eslandolans worshipping goods instead of gods! Sounds like a reasonable religion for Eslandola.

But really, I think in a fantasy setting like BoBS there can be something like a "church of Zeus". On one hand I like the use of the greek/roman pantheon as main religion for the rpg. It's something everyone can deal with without being offended. On the other hand churches, monasteries, cathedrals fit the culture of our nations by far better than temples.

So why not worshipping Poseidon in a church? That's just a matter of architectural desires. But I think for continuity there should be Zeus' flash or Poseidon's trident on top of the bell tower instead of the cross, which just makes no sense in the lore of Halos.

But now a few words about the build: I really like the texture of the walls. Another great example that a stone wall can look realistic without being overly greebled. Especially the colour scheme is great and keeps the structure from being monotone.

Also cheers for the inclusion of an interior.

Thanks for the push for something more game-oriented atop the tower. A revised pic will be posted eventually.

The stained glass windows here are fantastic! The stonework is well done too, and I love the interior!

I was happy with how the stained glass windows turned out, too. Thanks!

Excellent build, I think it is my favourite from you.

You can be very proud of this. Very beautiful, making efficient use of well fitting building techniques.

Thank you very much!

SUCH a great build! I particularly like the different sweet angling of the roof. And the bell tower which is stunning!

Thanks for noticing the angles of the roof. That was a part of the actual church I modeled it after that I wanted to capture.

A very beautiful church, Capt Wolf. The dark grey accents on the textured grey and tan walls are great, and it really looks realistic. The interior is very good and looks fittingly smooth, without looking too polished.

My favourite detail, though, is the round bricks used on the top part of the tower. It gives the impression of the tower being slimmer, which again helps give the impression of perspective, making the tower look taller. (This is a technique that has been used in RL too. Not specifically the round bricks, though... )

I think you addition of lore is a really nice touch. The more our MOCs can help build off the lore, or be build into the lore of BoBS the better. I think you should add it to the original post - it is simply too good to be left dwindling in that reply! I love the idea of giving one silver coin each time you make a gold one! Seems like a great way to justify taxes!

Thanks! FYI, the tower was the first part of this I built. Then I had to find something to add it to! And I appreciate the feedback on the added lore. But the giving of the silver piece is to honor Luna, not Caesar.

The church is a great build and there are so many elements that add up to make it great. The texture of the exterior walls makes it look like a real building made of stones. The stained glass is also a great touch. I also like that you have an interior wall that covers the rockwork. The office is also well done and I like the shelf with the scrolls on it.

Good job on creating a lore that will fit well into the game and yet not fall into that horrible Oleon religion. I had also noticed that historically the church was an important early building in the settlements and often doubled as the school and the local government center. I was unsure how to include this into BOBS but you have done it very well especially with the background lore. I look forward to more builds!

Thanks. Coming up with the lore had stymied me for some time, but when I figured it out it all fell in place.

Beautiful model, I really love the stained glass and the wooden beams under the roof. The old walls are convincing and the interior is just the icing on the cake. Well done!

Thank you! Much appreciated!

Thanks again to everyone for the feedback, especially the comments that helped push me to include the lore and make it all fit in the game a little better!

[Captain Dee]

Beautiful church. It's really a fairly simple design but it looks great and shows you can build some nice things without resorting to advanced techniques all the time. Those windows are lovely and the interior turned out really nice as well. Keep it up.