July/August Entry: The Blue Fortress

[Aelyn]

You mean some kind of decoration, ornaments and stuff? I got lots of it, but it seemed to me that it didn't fit the style... well I'll look again.

Finally I got round to making use of the wonderful 3D model my brother developed. Since the clean style of a rendered image didn't fit the other map, here's what I came up with: A poster advertising the fane, to be put up at the Blue Fortress in order to remind joyful visitors that a short obeisance to the three goddesses might be appropriate.

[Aelyn]

Another update:

Here's the first draft of a bill board containing three parchments full of information. The newly added paper shows the game room in the temple and a schema of an Amalu Pit. I don't think I should include history of the Blue Fortress or the Amalu game rules in the picture, but maybe I'll write them down here.

[Diamond]

That's coming together quite nicely! Thumbs up from me.

[Aelyn]

This is the last update I'll post. I'm not entirely satisfied yet, but I don't have time to change anything else because 12 hours from now I'll be on my way to a wonderful holiday So I won't be here either to check the poll results and stuff. I'm aware not being here diminishes my chances of winning since my thread won't seem very active. Guess I'll have to live with that. Some Chianti wine will surely help me get over it.

But back to topic:

This is it, the final version of my contest entry The Blue Fortress. About 40 years ago, the Golden Empress initiated a project to foster the arts. The first building was the Arena of the Garnet-Embroidered Sky, or Garnet Arena as it is called by locals. Even today, all the main events are still hosted in this arena.
The site eventually grew bigger and bigger. Today, the Blue Fortress is almost a city in itself containing houses, a guard house, a hospital, myriads of food stands and - due to the Empress' wish for cleanness - a great number of public latrines.
Every three years, the great contest called The Games takes place. It has become a major factor in peacekeeping, even attracting foreigners. In front of the mostly wooden stockade, a huge camp of tents grows during the Games. But the Blue Fortress attracts not only commoners- it is considered chic amongst nobles to be seen here, mainly to please current Empress Lilianne, the Golden Empress' daughter.
And if you ever wondered about the name (especially since the stockade isn't blue at all)- rumour has it that the Golden Empress created this name in commemoration of her close friend, scientist and philanthropist Nedra of Kershet, whose death happened during the time the stockade was built. Nedra, who blew herself during one of her experiments, was nicknamed "Bluebell". The Empress (not known for her cordiality or compassion) is said to have actually grieved about Bluebell's death.

Now to the sports ground depicted: The game is called Amalu and is said to be the sports played by gods. The space in which this game is played is called an Amalu pit. The game features a caoutchouc ball that has to be thrown through a stone ring in the middle of the field. Two teams compete against each other, each one consisting of four players. Two rules are significant:

1. When your team gets the ball, it has to bounce off the back wall behind you at least once before it can be passed back to someone trying to score.
2. Use of hands and feet are forbidden. You may play the ball with your head, your arms (especially ellbows), legs, back or any other part of the body, but not your hands or feet.

In order to win a game of Amalu, your team has to win two sets (so there are at most three sets to be played). Each set ends once a team scores its 15th point.
This game is also popular among commoners under the name Tok-a-Tok. Of course the rules are slightly different, for example back walls usually don't exist due to a lack of an actual pit. The central elements remain the same: A stick with a circle on it, a ball, a rectangular space and 8 players - that's all you need to have a lot of fun!


I hope you like the final result. Thanks for the comments and tips! Hope to see you all again as lively as ever in two weeks

### Latest WIP ###

[Jaxilon]

That does look good. How do you get the ball in play without your hands or feet, or does the ball float or something?

[Aelyn]

No it doesn't float or anything. They say for the gods, not using hands or feet is no problem at all, and that humans simply have to train their abilities in order to improve. It is difficult, I agree, but that's the sense in it. A holy game isn't supposed to be easy, it's a ritual fight.
However Tok-a-Tok is far easier to play for it usually lacks a real canon of rules. People just gather, put a stick with a circle on it into the ground and start playing.

If you care to know more, it's a modification of the Mesoamerican ballgame which I have forever been fond of. Now I finally got the chance to include it into my work

[Jaxilon]

Thanks for the reference I was curious as to what you based it off or if you just invented it. It's a cool idea.

[Redrobes]

Very good entry - good luck.

[Aelyn]

Very good entry - good luck.

Thanks for the reference I was curious as to what you based it off or if you just invented it. It's a cool idea.

Thanks! Just dropping by to have a quick look at the other entries. Greets from Italy to everyone!