Soulfire's Viking Hall

A while back I started to build holiday venues for the Soulfire Club into other prestige homes.  I was a bit tired of having to change the decor for every holiday especially when some of those come pretty quickly behind another.  So putting each holiday venue into a prestige home allows me and Soulfire Club to not have to redecorate over the weekend or such.  For some reason I'd tear down Soulfire and put it back together in a day or a weekend.  That got a bit out of hand...

 

During Brewday of this year I realized that I had neglected to give Soulfire a Brewday venue.  I had a Nights of the Day, a Frostfell, and an Erollisi Day venue.  But no Brewday.  Brewday is a very important holiday that deserves its very own home.

This year there was a Brewday SC package that came with the house and the Brewmaster's Furniture set.  That was a really nice deal.  I was going to donate one to Soulfire Club, but someone beat me to it, dangit!  (Thank you Maya for the donation)

Anyway, it took me a good few months to really get a design in my head.  I knew one thing...Euryale liked Vikings.  Euryale wanted a Viking Hall.  Vikings...hmm.  Hmm.  Okay so I need bear rugs and stuff...and I have this stone tables and such...hmm.

Long story short...I finally did get an idea after I finished A Pirate's Timeless Tale.  So here she is ready for Octoberfest!

 

 

Name:Soulfireannex

Location:Thurgadin Grand Hall, Thurgadin

Server: Antonia Bayle

Leaderboards:N/A

Decorator(s): Neversea Crimsonblade

 

Entry

 

 

The Bar

A simple stove and sink

Bar cabinets

One of the things I wanted to do was encourage people to sit and interact with others.  What better way to do that than by a nice warm fire?

The Stage had to be fairly simple.  Vikings prefer to dance on the bar and such.  They're also very loud.

Of course every Brewday tavern has got to have it's own Brewery!  (Walk-in freezer unfortunately not walk-in able due to various reasons.  I hate you item count.)

View from the stage

Whatever you call them, Vikings, Barbarians or what-have-you, they all have one thing in common.  They're hunters and they celebrate the hunt in various different ways.  Yeah, there's lions and tigers and bears (Oh my!), but those are all a cakewalk compared to taking down a dragon!  So I thought it fitting for the Norrath setting that there be The Dragon Hunter's Shrine dedicated to all our dragon slayers out there.

Also in the shrine room, you will come across two doors.  One of these leads to the Soulfire Restrooms while the other leads to....well honestly I have no idea where it came from.  It seemed to have built itself.  Hmm.  Maybe the Dragon Hunter's Shrine has something to do with it.  Either way since the door clearly states... BEWARE!  NO ADMITTANCE! We should probably stay out...for now.

Also in the Dragon Hunter's Shrine, you'll find a pair of the dragons holding up a magical teleportation pad that will take you too...The Crystal Garden.

I have a little something extra for this part.  Some of you know that I have previously written stories or built homes based on my own stories.  Well, this is a little different.  usually it's the story that inspires the home, but this time it was the home that inspired the story.  So if you're interested here's the story:

And Welcome to the Crystal Gardens

 

 

The icy-white crystals on the right are my favorite.  They're Pure Salt Crystals that turned a clearer, icy color when placed in water.

Special lava-crystals have their own place to grow set away from the rest.

And there you have it.  These dragons will take you back to the Dragon Hunter's Shrine!

This home may not appear on the leaderboards, but it will be open to visitors.  You just have to go to Thurgadin!

Despair, the Black Violin

I wanted to wait to show her off with the rest of her ship, but I can't wait. So here she is, Despair, the Black Violin from Darkness and Light and The Pirate and the Song of Despair from my stories...

A Pirate's Timeless Tale

I have working diligently since...April?  on a project for myself.  This is a project I have been meaning to do for years and just never had the time nor energy nor the proper tools to do so until now.  The project consists of 10 homes, 4 of which are now finished.  The other 6 are either in mid-construction or waiting to be done up.  And I will be doing those up soon!

This project is from a story I wrote years ago (and have rewritten way too many times)  so it has some meaning for me and it feels great to finally put a vision to the words, even if it's not fully finished, the main parts are.

As there are TONS of screenshots, I decided to not post individual posts, but instead a consolidated post with links!  I do recommend seeing all of these in person as the screenshots do not capture the essence of it all.  They are all connected to the ship, so there's no need to keep opening up the leaderboard window ;)

I'm sure you're tired of hearing me rattle on, so here you go!  Enjoy!

The Lotus Blossom

Name: Neversee

Location: Calleon of Dreams,Qeynos

Server: Antonia Bayle

Leaderboards: Medium Homes, The Lotus Blossom

Decorator(s): Neversea and Lalayla Crimsonblade

 

One half of her hull is pure white and the other black as night.  Past the white-washed wood there is an island.  The sea here is a deep blue.  Spreading across the sea are millions and millions of pink and white lotus blossoms.  A clam, peaceful and welcoming breeze flutters over the white hull.

Past the other side, the darkened, blackened wood there is an island.  The sea here is black and foreboding.  There are no flowers decorating the sea.  There is only the raging storm and the whirlpool that engulfs all to risk coming near to it.  A furious breeze wrecks the blackened hull.  Rain drops spill over the ship, but none touch the whitened hull.

 

It is as if two worlds were broken in half and fused together to form a third.  Time stands still here.  Days, weeks, months and even years pass here while only a few hours may pass on Norrath.

You see a calm blue sea off the white-washed side of the ship, covered in millions of purple and white, pink and even blue lotus blossoms.  In the distance, there is an island.  Do you wade the waters to peace?

Off her other side, you see an eternal storm, always brewing, churning.  In the distance, there is an island.  Do you dare to brave the storm?

Vale of Eternal Serenity

Name: Neversea

Location: Vale of Halfpint Delight,Qeynos

Server: Antonia Bayle

Leaderboards: Massive Homes, Vale of the Eternal Serenity

Decorator(s): Neversea and Lalayla Crimsonblade

You have sought the peace and calm, braved what dangers that you have faced along the way.  Rest now and know only the Eternal Serenity of this vale.

Vale of the Eternal Tempest

Name: Neversea
Location: Storm Island, Freeport
Server: Antonia Bayle
Leaderboards: Massive Homes, Vale of the Eternal Tempest
Decorator(s): Neversea and Lalayla Crimsonblade

 

You have survived the storm and have made it to the shores of the Vale of the Eternal Tempest.  But will you be able to leave the island?  Will you brave the storm once more?

 

 

Crimsonblade Armada VIP Guest Rooms

Name: Neversea

Location: Secluded Sanctum, Freeport

Server: Antonia Bayle

Leaderboards: Hall of Fame, Crimsonblade Armada VIP Guest Rooms

Decorator(s): Neversea and Lalayla Crimsonblade

 

You've been invited to stay and rest upon the ship after your visit to the islands.

 

 

Enjoy!  And remember don't touch the rum!

 

The Lotus Blossom

Name: Neversee

Location: Calleon of Dreams,Qeynos

Server: Antonia Bayle

Leaderboards: Medium Homes, The Lotus Blossom

Decorator(s): Neversea and Lalayla Crimsonblade

For years I have wanted to build this ship out of a story I wrote long ago.  In the beginning we didn't have all we have now, so it wasn't completely possible to do.  When the marble came out and the use of the editor, I thought I might be able to do it, but it never came out right.  Now we have building blocks and I may one day build this ship on its own rather than use the galleon, but for now the galleon is perfect!

While I was working on this ship, I was actually working on four others.  The other three are not quite finished yet, but they will be soon.  When I finished this one, I had to build the other pieces of the story!  So I set aside the other ships to do just that.

One half of her hull is pure white and the other black as night.  Past the white-washed wood there is an island.  The sea here is a deep blue.  Spreading across the sea are millions and millions of pink and white lotus blossoms.  A clam, peaceful and welcoming breeze flutters over the white hull.  

 
Past the other side, the darkened, blackened wood there is an island.  The sea here is black and foreboding.  There are no flowers decorating the sea.  There is only the raging storm and the whirlpool that engulfs all to risk coming near to it.  A furious breeze wrecks the blackened hull.  Rain drops spill over the ship, but none touch the whitened hull.

It is as if two worlds were broken in half and fused together to form a third.  Time stands still here.  Days, weeks, months and even years pass here while only a few hours may pass on Norrath.

The ship has no need for a barracks as the crew consists of the people on the islands nearby.  When they must sleep, they return to their island and another comes to take their place.  What would be the barracks has been turned into a training room as new members of the crew may need to learn how to fight on a moving ship.

Across from the training room and inside the middle of the ship you will find the room of the pirate's ward, Tytania.  The little girl he adopted has grown up to be a woman, but her room has stayed the same.

She loved to collect sea shells from the beaches of the nearby islands, so she had a special place to sorta them.

There was always a book near her bed and a chair pulled up next to her every night before bed for the Dreadful Pirate Captain Neversea would read to her every night.  There would stories of valiant knights, pirate adventures that always ended with lots of rum and treasure, along with fairy tales of all kinds.

As a pirate's daughter, she wasn't one to count sheep to go to sleep.  Instead she counted how many daggers could be tossed at her target.  Her guardian was quite proud to find so many so close to the middle in the morning.  He was not happy that some imbedded into the fine wood of his ship.  That got her extra long training sessions.

The hold has been magically sealed so that nothing can be taken out and so nothing will slide out during a storm.  We'd hate to loose all that treasure!

Further inside the ship we will find the Navigation room!

And the galley!  Mind the rum or you may not have a hand left.  The Captain is VERY protective of his rum.

Across from the galley you will find the VIP Guest Rooms!

And finally we come to the Captain's cabin.

A small sitting area

The Captain's desk where all pirate matters are dealt with.

The Captain's private bath

Most nights the pirate's youngest children, a pair of rambunctious red-headed twin boys, will stay on the ship.  This is their play area!  They seem to have stolen some of dad's treasure...I think they'll make good pirates one day!

Their beds

And here is where the Captain sleeps after all the pillaging, plundering, run drinking, bacon slaughtering and story telling.

Often the Captain can be heard playing on his piano or playing his violin.

I hope you have enjoyed your stay on the Lotus Blossom!  Be sure to brave the waters of the storm and the calm to visit the islands nearby!

Vale of Eternal Serenity

Name: Neversea

Location: Vale of Halfpint Delight,Qeynos

Server: Antonia Bayle

Leaderboards: Massive Homes, Vale of the Eternal Serenity

Decorator(s): Neversea and Lalayla Crimsonblade

When I first bought the halfling vale, I wanted to build my own ship there, but I never had time to.  Eventually the galleon came out and I decided not to build my own ship at that point in time.  The halfling vale was perfect for this big project and I am glad I picked it, because it helps bring together the image of serenity that I wanted.

Enjoy!

You have sought the peace and calm, braved what dangers that you have faced along the way.  Rest now and know only the Eternal Serenity of this vale.

The only problem I had with the house was the halfling mound.  I had no intention to use it at all, but I couldn't decide how to cover it at first.  And then I decided I wanted a mountain!  So I made one!

It did however make a nice frame for the Hua mein portal to the inner island. 

I wanted a real jungle look and those new plants made that very possible!  Hooray! \o/

A small camp to relax and fish in.

If you look out, you can catch a glimpse of The Morning Star and Dawn's Fury.

Further out on the island you will find the dry docks where a pirate builds his own ships.  It looks like one is ready for it's first journey.

 The Temple of Prexus - Make sure you read the story of the temple!

Be wary of what you will find within the temple.  Take nothing for a cursed treasure lies within.  There are many more dangers within the temple.  You have been warned.

As you explore further into the temple, you will notice something very odd.  It seems the templ sinks under the sea.

You might have to do some swimming to get to the center of the temple.

In the storybook by the temple, it tells about a young woman who sacrificed herself for the people who live on the island.  This is where she was put to rest.

Before you return to the ship, be sure you stop by and give a cracker to Mister Squiggles!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to the Vale of Eternal Serenity!  Make sure you visit it's twin Vale of the Eternal Tempest once you get back onto the ship!