Approved House Sweet by Tobi

[Tobi]

Hey everyone,
This is my application for house sweet in the northern Stormlands. As this is my first application for a canon project im very open for feedback/criticism.
Here is the link ==> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LJ4AYWKQS6CIrSVCk6LYkfL3deY0E2RUas8cYFB882Q/edit?usp=sharing

Tobi

 

[AerioOndos]

Just have been looking back through canon again and could add another level to the Sweetport sound Sunglass-Sweet rivalry. Could House Sunglass have pushed Sweet off the base of Massey's Hook and the sound itself? Sunglass is another Fot7 following house, probably Andal and there's been 6 thousand years for there to be infighting between Andals.

I'd suggest moving the main roads to go through the villages on the way from sweetport/Tally hill to sweet. Sweetport -> northern village -> Sweet and then Tallyhill -> centre west village with holdfast -> Sweet. Also, the most direct route from sweetport to Sweet could have a number of old fortifications on it, even if they're just watch posts on the high points, or tumble down holdfasts, having some indication of enmity would be cool! Converted holdfasts into septs/septries is also another possibility, or into village halls or barns.


I also love the idea of having a windswept coastal environment. I've looked around at some of your forest picks and think you could go with some taller trees in there too, to establish enough room for a developed understorey and subcanopy for stuff like the ghost oaks.

 

[Tobi]

I like the conflict idea, and i also could add a ruined village in the woods that is lived in by some traders or bandids. The conveted septs could be added to the villages but im not a big fan of the septries. In general the vibe should be "run down"/"old"/"post war". But there could be some "guarding posts" along the streets that are very ruined.

And maybe something like this for the roads?
If you want you can also draw your plans on the map.

 

[AerioOndos]

Just an quick edit, I couldn't find any evidence to suggest that Sweet is an Andal house while Sunglass definitely is with its less literal first name. So regardless of firstmen or not, weirwoods would all be chopped down. Sweet can work as either, but the simple literal name would suggest first men.

Below is my suggestion for the road system.

 

[Tobi]

Firstly yes there is a village up there.
Also i would like to add the yellow road that leads through the big forest area so my idea with the bandids can be done. Also the ruined village could be added alongside the road there.
Are the purple circle representing small knight keeps that protect the border?

 

[AerioOndos]

I love the ruined hamlet - bandit camp idea on the yellow road.

Yes, the purple marks were existing and additional ideas for small keeps or fortifications protecting the border. The middle one could be moved further east so that it isn't visible from Tally Hill.

 

[StanateeManatee]

Hey! So this project is obviously of great interest to me since it's right there and the ideas of connecting our projects somehow. I agree that Sunglass is obviously an Andal house and Sweet probably a Firstmen, so since they're both under Stannis, so assumedly these are placed appropriately, then it makes complete sense that House Sunglass conquered Sweetport from House Sweet. Aeks and I chatted some on voicechat the other day about and how it might be interesting to style the Sweet Castle somewhat like Sweetkeep (as an homage akin to the Manderlys building New Castle like Dustonbury). Aeks also mentioned with that that York Castle and especially its awesome Clifford's Tower might be a great inspiration with your old-new castle idea.

I love the idea of a sept built on the remains of a godswood. But also agree that there should not really be too many septs and no septries since I plan on having a motherhouse near Sweetport to the North and to the South, there's already a large septry by Parchments. Plus the dearth of septs would be evocative of the area's firstmen roots.


With your terra and houses, I see you are taking some inspiration from the Canadian Atlantic as I am. An old Scots colonial style would be great to see and would provide a good transition from the Norman England Crownlands to the more "rustic" Eastern European style that seems to be taking form in the Stormlands. I also agree that your project definitely should be a bit more downtrodden with the idea that its not desirable land (thus why the Andals didn't conquer it fully). It would also show the stark contrast between these people and the affluence of Sweetport-Rambton (money off shipping and sheep) and Parchments (House Penrose is noble enough to twice marry Targaryens). They also don't need to really match the middle/upper class look of Sweetport since that is a very isolated, unique style.

Just one big part of your plan that I would like to suggest changing, and that is having your "Sweetwater/Sweetstream" either head North and out into Sweetport Sound or have it bifurcate at the lake/reservoir with one branch as is and one heading North out Sweetport Sound. Otherwise very excited, great job!

 

[FD001__]

I love the idea of a sept built on the remains of a godswood. But also agree that there should not really be too many septs and no septries since I plan on having a motherhouse near Sweetport to the North and to the South, there's already a large septry by Parchments. Plus the dearth of septs would be evocative of the area's firstmen roots.

Wouldn't it actually be the opposite - as there would've been a stronger effort made to convert the area? More septs instead of less?

 

[Tobi]

I really like the idea that the Sweet castle is built in a similar style like the Sunglass one.

Also my plan is that the population is not really "converted" to the faith of the seven. So they use like the cave of the children of the forest and the cutdown weirwood as praying areas.

I also would agree to the change regarding the river/stream. So just for clarification, could you please draw your plan on the map from my last message.

 

[Tobi]

*car crash*

 

[AerioOndos]

Hey, so some feedback on your house style. I’ll try editing this message later with pictures but can’t do so for a while.

the current larger and middle class house styles, and those with the hipped roof, I don’t think ft brilliantly into the area. It’s a big jump from sweet’s style to the middle class/two storey style and it could be better executed to represent their materials. Doing variations on the smallest cottage as well as variations on the wooden house with stone ends (without the central stone segment) would be best imo. These can be pretty easily given hips and interesting rooflines and I’ll try and give you some examples of what I mean when I’m next online.

I’d also like to see a mini model of the castle, if that’s not too much effort.

 

[AerioOndos]

I’ve already done some variants of the stone ended house on the second floor of Stormlandstest so feel free to use them.
There’s also a two storey variant with plaster

 

[Tobi]

*explosion*

 

[Tobi]

Currently working on some more house designs.
But is there something with terra that should be discussed?
For me it would be better to start with the rough relief and then adapt the vegetation to it. I cant really built what I wanna do in form of a test.

 

[AerioOndos]

With the terrain, it'd be good if you could create a 20x20 diorama of the windswept forest and the kind of area you want to put the GhostPine into. Otherwise, I'd love to check out any new house tests/designs of yours.

 

[AerioOndos]

Heya, I'm confident that you can implement your plans for Sweet and make it an amazing project. I approve if I can check in on and approve the plotting of the main Sweet settlement before you open it to builders.

 

[Tobi]

So am I allowed to start with the rough terrain and start plotting or do I need another approval for it?

 

[Nomorefun_]

So am I allowed to start with the rough terrain and start plotting or do I need another approval for it?

you need second mod approval

 

[Emoticone11]

Hey Tobi,

I’ve had a chance to look over the app, and I think your plans and tests look pretty good! The only thing I’m unsure about is the hydrology. It seems like your streams are “backwards” in that they start as a single channel and then bifurcate. Natural bifurcation is pretty rare (except for deltas and such); instead you should have a bunch of smaller streams that start in a watershed area and join to form larger streams. I agree with Stan that it might be better to have the “sweetwater” originate in the hills around your lake, and then from the lake make its way over to the sweetport bay.

Other than that, you have my approval! Thanks for being patient. Keep me updated with your plotting and updated streams as well.

 

[Tobi]

I have a small problem.
As my ideas unwrap themselves i finished the rough terrain of sweet. But now its time for the detail and buildings. And thats were it gets problematic.
I have too many new ideas I just cant focus on one thing at a time.
So pls give me a thing to start with.