Sartar Reaching Moon construction and development information?

[Vizbillie]

Trying to see what details are available about the actual building of the Reaching Moon temple before the Dragonrise. Timeline, details of location, construction, that sort of thing.  Lots of slave powered construction obviously.  Local mining? Were there shaft mining for elements as well as surface mining for stone?  And always the interesting question of how you keep prisoners safely working when spirit magic is so accessible.   I haven't been able to find much in the way of granular information on this pivotal project.  Any suggestions?

[Erol of Backford]

There was a bit posted under the Lunar Retribution thread related to this, so the plan to extend the glowline was in the works 22 years before the full invasion of Sartar (If the timeline in the Well has not been redacted/censored?) It took about 23 more to get eaten, I think it was in 1625, so from direction to build, plans were drawn up, likely similar to other temples and so the site integration had to be done once the site was approved. That would have taken another 2-3 years to find the perfect location above a dragon's mouth?  I assume a bit of thought/planning went into the security and defensive fortifications due to the ? The Provincial Survey Team was likely on site by 1605 actually layout grade stakes and using gnomes to check subsurface conditions. Guessing about 20 years for construction. 

I noticed that this had been in the works since 1580 as directed by the Red Emperor 1557-1600 - Conflict with the Lunar Empire from the Well of Daliath.

1580	Red Emperor orders the plan for building a new Lunar Temple in Sartar funded and implemented.

Edited May 14, 2023 by Erol of Backford

[Squaredeal Sten]

If you want how it is built, as far as i know no one has published  the construction -slave-labor-camp story.  But your speculations seem to me to be right on.  Write it up and publish it in JC!

I would add importation of decorative stone from long distances, along the lines indicated in the much less significant Lunar temple construction in Griffin Mountain.

If you want a building plan, blueprint style- I know of one source: It's not canon - but very popular and does not contradict canon: look at Andrew Logan Montgomery's The Company of the Dragon, pages 243-245.

[metcalph]

There's a plan and some details of the New Lunar Temple in four pages of the Sartar Companion (which is now OOP).

The plan was ordered in 1580 ST.

The site identified in 1612 ST.  It was stalled due to Starbrow's revolt and the death of its general.

The temple reconstruction restarted in 1617 ST with the arrival of Tatius the Bright. 

As of 1619 ST, most of the temples are still being constructed.

The temple is in the shape of a hollow circle with ten gates on the outer ring.  The gates are carved in the image of Yara Aranis.

At the centre of a temple is an altar, called Sedenya's footstool.  Surrounding this are ten temples to various lunar goddesses and Yelm.

There are other temples surrounding the reaching moon to the Celestial Gods.  

During its construction, it has a population of 5000 (much of this is forced labour from the Dundealos) and swell even more with slaves from Heortland.  There are about three slaves to every free builder. 

There are about 200 magicians from the Lunar Field School of Magic present.  More will arrive in 1620 ST from the Heartlands.  Security is provided by the University Guards who worship Yanafal Tarnils.  

[Erol of Backford]

I am sure this will be wrong but assuming the classic Dara Happan (ie. Mesopotamian) styles (noted by Sir Godspeed) I'd see it something like the the Great Ziggurat of Ur but with something like the pantheon atop but with the walls depressed/sunken in about 50% into the greater ziggurat base/platform. This sunken area would be the dancing ground? This is so when you take the stairs to the top and enter you are actually on the ceremonial mezzanine (spectator balcony) looking down into the sacrificium, a cylindrical pedestal (Sedenya's footstool as noted by Metcalph) with blood grooves possibly at the center would be removable or could maybe retracts into the floor magically as desired? The Companion shows 10 sides but I'd go with 8 with the entryways on each flanked by alabaster caryatids of the seven mothers? Couldn't the space be octogonal with one surface the main entryway and each other have a statue? Curious, would the Red Moon actually ever be directly over the oculus? The ziggurat would fit nicely inside the 200 x 300 meter enclosure described in the Company of the Dragon. The stairs would go up to area 6 on the plan and the dome/pantheon structure would sit over area 7, again only half the height of the walls would extend about the mezzanine level, area 6.

    

Edited May 14, 2023 by Erol of Backford

[Vizbillie]

Thanks!  The timeline information is very helpful.  Puts things into good context. 

Starting to read up on mining from Paleolithic to Roman to Middle Eastern to get real world analogues.  Also stoneworking.

Interesting tidbit, in Paleolithic times, deer antlers were used for mining picks, and the ratio of right and left antlers in use then mirror the present day ratios of right and left handed people. 

 

[David Scott]

11 hours ago, Vizbillie said:

Any suggestions?

Greg's sketch map of the layout:

https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/temple-of-the-reaching-moon/

and Gill Pearce's map from the Sartar Companion:

https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/home/catalogue/publishers/moon-design/heroquest-2nd-edition-2009-2012/sartar-companion/art-of-the-sartar-companion-2/

Larger image on Gill's website

http://www.hellionsart.com/gallery/picture.php?/212/category/22

Edited May 14, 2023 by David Scott

[Erol of Backford]

13 hours ago, Vizbillie said:

Interesting tidbit, in Paleolithic times, deer antlers were used for mining picks, and the ratio of right and left antlers in use then mirror the present day ratios of right and left handed people.

Bizzare but interesting. How does anyone now know how many antlers where used for right or left handed persons? Also on the dark side maybe there were more left handed persons but they were killed or banished?

[jajagappa]

22 minutes ago, Erol of Backford said:

How does anyone now know how many antlers where used for right or left handed persons?

I haven't seen any specific information, but I'd guess: 1) the curve of the antler will indicate whether it is a right or left antler; and 2) the wear marks on the antlers from mining will indicate whether the user was right or left handed.

[Erol of Backford]

As envisioned and as actualized with oculus at the top of the partially recessed coffered dome. They did keep the original gate design however:

   

Edited May 14, 2023 by Erol of Backford

[Vizbillie]

The building site of the Temple is really a small city.  More than I'd considered.  Probably in the top 5 in Dragon Pass, or at least close.   Tremendous amount of infrastructure required for support of the endeavor.  Probably should start investigating Egyptian pyramid building conditions.

 

Oh, and apparently for mining and digging right handed Paleolithic peoples used right side antlers due to the efficiency of motion, left handers the opposite for the same reason. 

[Erol of Backford]

Assuming the Stormwalk Mountains are mostly rock they'd likely have a quarry close by (even on site possibly integrated into the complex) but not sure about lime or sandstone. Marble might be easier to find locally as well? Nice thread, will be looking forward to what you come up with in the end.

I another thread there was talk about thwarting the building efforts or waylaying the special objet d'art enroute to the temple... maybe attic stock and multiple shipments need to be ready just in case, LOL supply chain issues in fantasy settings as well!

[Erol of Backford]

This was posted by Lordabdul:

https://godlearners.com/journal-of-runic-studies-1/

The Dendera temple complex in Egypt could have looked like this during its heyday in the Ptolemaic period. This should give you permission to make your Gloranthan holy sites BIG!