Duil Architecture

Duilintinn has a very diverse series of architectural styles and trends.

As a general rule, Duilintinn's architectural structure features a bunch of smaller, isolated towns and communities that join together in name and identity but not in terms of physical location. Since the kingdom was founded after these communities established themselves, Duilintinn had to adapt the kingdom and its culture to an existing architectural layout, rather than build itself around an existing culture, like Haneul.

White bricks of stone and red tile roofs are common in the east due to the influence of Waldren. The ancient grey stonework of Feadhainn is more often found in the west. In the Southern Mountains, architectural styles can range from cozy log cabins to bumpy walls of uneven, multicolored cobblestone.

 Styles

You've got four major types of architecture in Duilintinn: Feadhainn Era, Waldren Occupation, Interim Years, and Mountain settlements.

### Feadhainn Era

Also known as “Remnant” architecture, Feadhainn Era architecture features round layouts, circular towers, and intricate walls of perfectly shaped grey-blue stone that required no mortar. Most of this architecture is concentrated in western Duilintinn. Examples include Iolla Beacon, Mulladún, Monacoil, and Fort Conchúr.

Unfortunately, Feadhainn architectural techniques are mostly lost to time. No one knows how to build cities with nothing but some chiseled stone in the same way. No designs remain; the skill was passed down from mentor to mentee over generations, and that inherited knowledge was lost when the Dragon War destroyed the majority of Feadhainn.

#### Modern Updates

Over the course of several years after Duilintinn's founding, Fort Conchúr, Iolla Beacon, and other decrepit Feadhainn Era structures like them were repaired in a series of government-created civil projects. After the repairs had been completed, barely a few months passed before The Watch was founded and the structure was chosen for its use. To this day, the original reason why Fort Conchúr and Iolla Beacon were being repaired is unknown. Perhaps it was nothing more than a public works project to bring the kingdom together, or an attempt to preserve the land’s ancient heritage.

The biggest change made in these renovations is newer, wooden flooring. By the time Duilintinn was founded, the original floors of Feadhainn Era structures were at least a thousand years old. Despite how long Feadhainn’s architecture had lasted in most other respects, gravity and exposure to the elements left most of the upper floors of these structures in a weakened condition, so the floors were replaced over time in a series of civil projects created by the government in the earlier years of Duilintinn’s history. Granted, some of the original floorings probably could have been left alone without the risk of sending someone falling through the ceiling, but no one wanted to take that risk.

### Waldren Occupation

Waldren Occupation settlements were built specifically by settlers from Waldren. They feature white stone bricks, tile roofs, and strict grid systems. Most of this architecture is concentrated in eastern Duilintinn. One of the best examples of this style is Fionport, Domhainn Outlook, and the Administrative District of Cordoire.

As Waldren discovered, the chalky clay soil of the Costageal Plains and Monaidh Plains is fantastic for brickmaking. White bricks made from the chalky clay soil of the plains were a popular and affordable substitute for the cut limestone used in classical Waldren Occupation architecture, used both by the original Waldren colonizers and by modern architects to this day.

### Interim Years

During the Interim Years, a number of settlements were built for practicality’s sake that didn’t ascribe to a particular architectural style. Most of these were built by the powerful factions vying for power in the vacuum left in Waldren’s absence. These typically either blended the Feadhainn and Waldren architectural styles or focused entirely on practicality and ease of construction over any sort of aesthetics. For example, Fort Stiofán is an example of this weird combination of blended and practical architectural styles.

### Mountain Settlements

Finally, the people living in the Southern Mountains were relatively isolated from the influences of Feadhainn, Waldren, and other powerful groups. As a result, the architecture in this region is completely unique.

Influences from dwarven architecture taught these people how to safely and expertly build settlements in the mountains, but the style of the buildings themselves was completely different because (surprise) they weren't living underground.

For example, you might see:

* Homes built into the side of the mountain from sod, like a hobbit hole.
* Thick roofs covered in sod and moss, with long awnings to protect from the constant rain
* Lots of wood used in the west, closer to the Western Forest.
* Lots of stone used in the east, which is more hilly and rocky.

Note that the stone used in Mountain Settlements is very different from the stone used in Feadhainn Era architecture. The former chiseled away at each stone to make them the perfect size and shape to hold together without mortar, featuring patterned, intricate stonework. The latter uses stone of all shapes, sizes, and colors and a thick mortar made of the constantly available mud to hold it all together, creating a dynamic, rustic mosaic.

### Inspirations

Several inspirations for this type of architecture have been posted on the Watch AU blog, which are linked below:

* Architecture in the western Southern Mountains
* Architecture in the eastern Southern Mountains
* Sod roof and example stonework
* Sod roofs and example woodwork in mountainous regions
* Example of “fancy” upper-class mountain-style architecture

## Average Town

Things that would be in almost every single town in Duilintinn:

* Amphitheater structure
* Marketplace/Town Square
* Message Board (for both local news and news delivered by the Wander Legacy)
* Local farm(s) and pasture(s) (single large one or multiple small ones)
* Healer/Doctor/Nurse/Herbalist
* Town Hall
* General Store
* Blacksmith and various other craftsmen/shops
* Place(s) of Worship (may meet in buildings used for other purposes)
* Inn/Tavern
* Well
* Guard Barracks (if guards are hired to protect the town each year)
* Schoolhouse (smaller towns may share another town’s school)
* Houses (though store owners would live over or in their shops, while others may rent space in the inn or another person's home instead of owning a place of their own

As a general rule, there wouldn’t be a shop for everything. There would be basic shops for necessities, and you’d travel to different towns for more specific services. So one town might have an enchanter, while another might have a potion maker, and yet another maybe has someone making textiles, etc. etc. etc. Obviously, the bigger the town, the more cool shops there would be. Better-off towns can afford to pay for more nonessential services, allowing people like librarians and artists to survive on that task alone.

There are very few laws about land ownership in Duilintinn. Some local laws may exist, but according to national and regional law, if no one is cultivating or using the land, it’s perfectly reasonable to drop a house on it and see what happens. Granted, that’s becoming a lot less common nowadays, since the whole community thing is a big deal in duilintinn and it’s far safer to live near others in these trying times, but there are quite a few people who feel most comfortable somewhere isolated.

## Plumbing and Sanitation

While smaller towns still use basic wells and/or river water for drinking and washing, most large cities basic plumbing/sanitation routes are common within large towns and major cities, thanks to an early collaboration between the Order of Stone and Ocean Men.

### History

Before being named the capital of House Brody, Aghaboy suffered from extremely crowded urban sprawl, thanks to decades of entrepreneurs trying to set up their business as close to Waldren’s trading centers as possible. Therefore, when Aghaboy was chosen as the site for the next capital and the Ocean Men and Order of Stone were officially recognized as guilds, their first major project was to create a quality sanitation system for the city.

Mostly, this "plumbing" was just waste removal, irrigation, and better wells, but they also included actual fountains of running, potable water. Pre-existing outhouses were connected to a sanitation route that would ensure waste was carried away to an area beyond the city limits.

After that was finished, the Ocean Men took it upon themselves to campaign for similar plumbing systems to be built in the other major cities (a few of which had rudimentary sanitation systems) and large towns throughout Duilintinn. One by one, most of these locations agreed to the renovations, prompting the Order of Stone to create smaller guild hubs in major cities across Duilintinn to delegate the construction efforts.

### Bathing Options

Thanks to these efforts, all of the major cities and most large towns have at least one public source of running water for people to draw from. The wells still exist and are used, but these waterworks make things requiring a lot of water, like drawing a bath, relatively accessible for most people, albeit a bit of a process if you want the water to be warm or particularly deep. However, when constructing the waterworks for the major cities, the guilds recognized the value of a) clean citizens and b) not having the dirty water of several thousand people dumped in the streets every day. So they also built large bathhouses that would be filled automatically and would drain the water somewhere out-of-the-way as needed. On the other hand, if you live somewhere that's more rural, it may be easier/convenient/accessible to just jump in the nearby stream, especially if you're in one of the few tiny rural communities (or a cabin in the middle of nowhere) that still relies entirely on well-water.

## Amphitheaters

Originating in Feadhainn Era architecture, almost every town in Duilintinn has a large amphitheater structure that functions an open town square, marketplace, sports arena, festival grounds, performance stage, and ceremony venue.

Amphitheater styles would vary depending on when and where they were built.

### Older Amphitheaters

Amphitheaters built in the Monaidh Plains during the Feadhainn Era were close to the center of the city and were partially dug *into* the ground, rather than built entirely as a raised structure. This automatically means that the architectural work is simpler. You only have to do the math for one layer of stairs/seats, while the ground will ensure that the other ones don’t cave in.

This type is most common in the Monaidh Plains, where the ground is firm. However, while this soil makes for good structural integrity, modern architects are stumped as to how the Feadhainn peoples actually managed to dig out so much hard, unyielding earth in the first place, though it's likely the same way that they diverted the Agrona River. For this reason, lowered amphitheaters are rare, only found in cities and towns built during the peak of Feadhainn culture.

However, while Monacoil was also built during that period, the marshy land of the Draoidh Valley made building their amphitheater into the ground a bad idea. In fact, the construction of this city likely marks the architectural transition between lowered amphitheaters and raised ones in Feadhainn culture. For this reason, most amphitheaters in cities and towns west of the Agrona River are raised.

### Newer Amphitheaters

Since these structures originated from Feadhainn culture, cities built during the Waldren Occupation would’ve lacked amphitheaters for some time. When these structures were finally added to the city, the location would be a lot less central, and most of them would be raised, rather than lowered.

The exception to this rule is Cordoire, which was given a lowered amphitheater in a construction project commissioned by King Sean in the years immediately after Duilintinn's founding. Not only did this provide hundreds of uncertain new citizens with months of stable work, but it also turned the amphitheater into a symbol of Duilintinn's diverse population coming together for a brighter future. Soon afterward, other towns and cities began to add amphitheaters, creating yet *more* jobs and solidifying the amphitheater as a fundamental part of Duil celebrations and social life.

## Places of Worship

Religious structures like temples, churches, mosques, etc. are community-led, not government built. If you have a large population of a certain religious/spiritual belief in your town, they will probably have built some sort of structure for their religious services/practices.

A belief system with fewer followers will likely only have a small shrine, or perhaps meet in a place that is also used for other things (community center, someone’s home, etc). Sometimes, multiple religious groups will collaborate to build a shared space for people of any religion to use in peace. The Watch has applied this idea to its outposts and garrisons, which each feature a quiet, open space that anyone can use to practice their beliefs.

## Roads

Duilintinn has fairly well-maintained roads, usually made of brick. Bricks are relatively easy to make, can pave roads and keep dust and mud from ending up in sidewalks, drain easily, and don’t wear down or get stuck in hooves. They do have to be maintained on wet areas, where dirt sweeps through the cracks and causes the road to cave, but that’s easy to fix.

However, certain areas have different materials for their roads. Cities and towns with well-preserved architecture from the Feadhain Era and Waldren Occupation have precise stonework for their roads. In rural regions of the dry Monaidh Plains, there are long stretches of roads simply made of firm, packed dirt. Cobblestone is sometimes used in towns close to rivers, which make rounded stones easy to find and eliminate the need to make bricks. And, of course, some extremely rural towns across Duilintinn still have mud roads.