The Arbor: Applications thread

Elduwin

Skinchanger
Staff member
Hey there,
This thread is dedicated to the applications process: posting, discussion, approving, post approving.
Post here any application you would have for parts of the Arbor project. Refer to the main Arbor thread to know what is open to apply.
 

Antony

Printmaker
Hey, I'd like to apply for the Isle of Pigs.

General Overview
The island is small, will include a small 20-30 house town, with dirty streets, and small houses, home to merchants, sailors, fishermen, and captains of ships. Since there are no great agricultural sources on the island, except fisheries and seafood, the town will include a small granary complex. By the town there will also be the small castle, official seat of the House ruling over the Island, House Farrow. Currently the castle, plays more the role of barracks, storage, and prison, while the family, lives in a nice 2 storied manor in the town.

The town, used to have an "upper" level, on the massive rock above. Due to constant raids by the Ironborn, in the times of the Kingdom of the Reach, the upper town, home of the richer townsfolk, was destroyed by the pillaging Ironborn, and later on its remaining ruins, were dismantled for masonry by the people of the lower town to rebuild. Now the upper town, remains virtually invisible, with only a few remains of house walls, still standing, as it is used for small pastures, a few fields, and 1 or 2 olive groves. One can also find, along the cliffs, and shores of the island, a few beacons, used to guide ships away of the island's shore and to the nearby ports.

Along the cliffs of the great rock, that makes up the island, one can find nests of seagulls and other birds, which make most of the wild fauna of the island. There are no forests on the island, and its flora, consists mostly of wild flowers, bushes, and a few small pine trees scattered along the cliffs and rocks.

Canon
According to new Canon from Winds of Winter, the town is home to a castle and a noble House.
The chapter can be found in the following link:

Interpretation:
1) In the castle there is a cell that the tide can get in. Its damp, dark, and windowless, with rats all over, and the chains are rusted.
2) The dungeons, are connected by a spiral stair with stone steps (which at some point, has a small arrow slit window on the wall to the left,) to a torchlit gallery that leads to a bleak stone hall with wooden rafters. The building must be near or above the sea, as Aeron claims to smell the sea.
3) The castle and the island, is owned by a noble Family. Thats evident, because when Aeron asks, who are the dead hanging from the rafters, Torwold Browntooth replies, "The lord that held this castle, with his kin". Later on, a man called the Red Oarsman said, called them Pigs, and added: "This was their Isle. A rock just off the Arbor..." . The fact that they are referred to as Pigs, and also the fact, that we know that the Isle was used as headquarters by Euron (A Feast for Crows), implies that that's the Isle of Pigs, off the coast of the Arbor.

A general map of the island
The map shows a general outline of the island. Keep in mind, that the castle, will most likely won't take up, that much space as it is shown.
There is no road on the Northern shore, but I do plan for a small path going to the edge.

Στιγμιότυπο 2020-12-30, 10.06.53 μμ.png

Tests

Στιγμιότυπο 2020-12-30, 9.17.57 μμ.png Στιγμιότυπο 2020-12-30, 9.14.51 μμ.png

Inspiration
Inspiration for the town and island will be mostly drawn from typical Romanesque Architecture, and the towns of Monemvasia in Southern Peloponnese in Greece, and the town of Eze, in Southern France.
Some inspiration, regarding the condition of the town, will be drawn by La Citta di Candia (Heraklion, Crete) in 1455, as the city is described by a Venetian soldier in a letter (where he is asking God to be assigned elsewhere) as having "streets for pigs and houses for horses" (Strade da porci e case da cavali) he continues saying he has never seen a city so badly made than this, referring to its dirtiness and narrow winding streets and alleys.

The castle is inspired by the main part of Castello Scaligero, in Sirmione, in layout at least if not in style, as stylistically I will try to make it look similar to La Chateau de La Napoule, and Cathar fortresses, like Chateau de Peyrpertuse. As it is obvious, the castle, as well as the town, will be simple.
Relevant Pics:


Thanks for reading.
All tests can be found at /warp Antony2 on the western side above the 1st level
 
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Elduwin

Skinchanger
Staff member
Hey Antony Jakethesnake8_8 CashBanks
Thanks for your interest!

Just to let you know, I will leave a delay of one week before approving any application, as to leave some time for others that might be interested to be able to apply as well.
Also, regarding these apps, they're compatible with immersion/own projects. But always consider your own workload and free time when applying as well, don't take up to much on your plate ;)

Jakethesnake8_8 as I told you in game, lemonbear is also interested in applying for Mermaid's Palace, and as her former version builder, she has priority on it.
I recommend you to either contact her and see if there's room for a co-op, or see if you have any interest for another sub project of the Arbor, like Bastard's Cradle.
 

Elduwin

Skinchanger
Staff member
Now, regarding Antony 's app for the Isle of Pigs.

We've discussed quite a lot on that isle, and the fact that it's the only (so far) to have a bit of canon coming from Winds of Winter makes it quite interesting for the whole archipelago.
Monemvasia and the castle insps are obviously approved due to being suggestions I gave you.

The gradients / house tests will need a bit more work, I'm glad to help you on that.
Several things so far:
- as I told you, sandstone won't (very probably) be part of the gradients. If they are, they would be restricted to detailing/sculptures/etc, but overall consider replacing it by the arbor large bricks. The texture will be reworked to match the other arbor blocks better.
- consider having some flat roofs for the poorer houses, and also have lannisport tiles in addition to the brown one for roofs. The wood might change as well from oak to birch, need to compare a few tests to see which works best.
- i'm fine with having some houses using timber frames, but I think the house in the test needs more work.
- on the gradient, I would keep the OT blocks on the base of the builds. Also have in mind that there should be an addition of arbor small bricks variants (stair/slabs/etc) in the future to complete the arbor blocks set.

To complete the application, please also add a layout and/or small test (like a facade or a tower) of the castle.
 

Antony

Printmaker
To complete the application, please also add a layout and/or small test (like a facade or a tower) of the castle.

Well, I have not made any of those... but rather... the whole castle.
Which tbf, is rather small, since there is not much space, on the island. I will post a pic as soon as I can.
 
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Antony

Printmaker
The gradients / house tests will need a bit more work, I'm glad to help you on that.
Several things so far:
- as I told you, sandstone won't (very probably) be part of the gradients. If they are, they would be restricted to detailing/sculptures/etc, but overall consider replacing it by the arbor large bricks. The texture will be reworked to match the other arbor blocks better.
- consider having some flat roofs for the poorer houses, and also have lannisport tiles in addition to the brown one for roofs. The wood might change as well from oak to birch, need to compare a few tests to see which works best.
- i'm fine with having some houses using timber frames, but I think the house in the test needs more work.
- on the gradient, I would keep the OT blocks on the base of the builds. Also have in mind that there should be an addition of arbor small bricks variants (stair/slabs/etc) in the future to complete the arbor blocks set.

I'd be happy to add lp slate to the pallette, that can give some variety. But I must say, I am against flat roofed buildings, this the Reach, not Dorne. So on the one hand, they wouldnt fit stylisticaly imo, and on the other hand, to be made, they need certain materials, which on this Island, the Isle of Pigs, shouldnt be available, like certain kinds of clay, some of which would be available only near a riverbed. (I am getting a bit more technical on the matter, because I happen to know, one or two things, since there are a lot of old traditional flat rooved buildings in Crete).

Finaly, I wont replace them, for now, with arbor bricks, the contrast is way too big, between the two blocks (arbor bricks-arbor cobble) that it hurts my eyes, in a litteral sense, plus the arbor brick is way too smooth, and clay like. I'll be happy to do that, though, when the new textures appear, which I believe will blend much more with the rest.

Ah, btw, I also found some more dope inspo from the south rural Peloponnese. Which imo, should be the rural Arbor.
 
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Elduwin

Skinchanger
Staff member
I've decided to drop, the app for the Isle of Pigs.
Since I've lost interest in it, and got no time, to work on it either.
Sorry to hear that.
The plans were good, so anyone looking to apply for the Isle of Pigs could definitely pick them up.
 

JohanKR850

Royal Messenger
Stonecrab Cay

By Johan And Jakethesnake​

Canon:
” They have taken Stonecrab Cay, the Isle of Pigs, and the Mermaid's Palace, and there are other nests on Horseshoe Rock and Bastard's Cradle.”

Stonecrab Cay Is only mentioned this once. So, we don’t know much about the island. We can interpretate from this quote, that the island is at least noteworthy enough to get mentioned.



Overview:
The island will be home to about 15 households of which the far majority is involved in the fishing industry. The village is walled by thin walls of no great strength. Atop the islands is a small holdfast. The home of a knight and his kin. On the western tip is a beacon, lighting the way for the many ships sailing around the Arbor. The village would have a dock for larger ships on the eastern beach. While smaller ships get dragged onto the beach.


Economy:
The island economy is as said based on fishing, in the great seas all around it. On the map further below, you will see a few buildings in light blue. Those the local’s fisher’s co-operative fishery. Where the fish and shellfish are processed and dried or salted before being sold of the island. The co-operative fishery allows the fishers to cut down their expenses and to sell together in higher volumes with more negotiation power and thus ensure higher profits.


Terra and what is a cay?
A cay is a reef around which sediments gather to form an island. They can have corals but not necessarily. It depends on among other things the location of the cay. Since we can’t build stuff under water, this will not be a coral reef. It can always be added later if we get the necessary updates. A cay can have rock formations but are always low elevation. These rocks can be seen in the inspiration pictures below.
We will have rocks and the large characteristic sand beaches. With the holdfast being built upon the highest point of elevation.

1610189233155.png

1610190154426.pngBillede1.png

Map:
This map is test at what the island could look like. But i would be edited in the produktion world

1610189458495.png
Red: Holdfast and town walls.
Purple: Non-residential.
Light blue. Co-operative fishery.
Yellow: Housing

The main inspiration for the village is Korcula town in Croatia and Spinalonga island in Crete. For the palette we have drawn inspiration from other recent Arbor palete tests.

1610189744998.png

1610189793953.png1610189810819.pngdownload_4.jpeg1610189861866.png

Tests can be seen near /warp contest2019
 

Elduwin

Skinchanger
Staff member
Hey JohanKR850 Jakethesnake8_8
The app looks good so far, I have just a bit of feedback before approving it:
- I'm a little skeptical about the wall: there wouldn't be much stone on the island itself, so every stone they'd need, they would import it on boat. I don't think they would use it to build a wall for such a small community.
- regarding the hamlet's plotting, you might have oversized it. Especially considering some of the professions: I don't think an inn or a brothel fit on this island. Most (if not all) people would be mostly fishermen/farmers/peasants.

I would also like to see some tests of "crab" fishing, i.e using nets and stuff like that, maybe a piece of sand shore terra with this kind of fishing. Could be fishing of any other seashells as well.
 

AerioOndos

Donkey Lord
Staff member
Pronouns
they/them
If you desperately want a brothel, maybe go for just a woman living alone with a red lantern hanging above her bed.