[OL - FB - Astrapi] Seminary of Axel the Martyr

[Ross Fisher]

May 16, 620 - Astrapi, Île Zeus 

My Brothers,

You may remember that, nearly a year ago, I was able to consecrate a Treasury of Hades the Harvester here in Astrapi. This treasury was to be guarded be the Brotherhood of Hades Inflamed. 

It seems that the Canon François was determined that the Brotherhood should form the active arm of the Inquisition out here in the Brick Seas. To that end he has erected a seminary of Axel the Martyr in Astrapi. 

I am given to understand that Brother Axel was a contemporary of the "Black Bishop" Meloche who refused to renounce his faith and was killed by the heretic as a result. Canon François has asked us to consider his beatification, and I am certainly willing to forward his request to you. 

The Seminary will function as a teaching and training centre for the monks; transforming the order into a chapter of Brothers at Arms, instead of one at Prayer.

As long as there are men like Meloche in this world, we will need more men like Brother Axel. I only hope that this seminary will go some way to helping us achieve that. 

For the Underlord,
Monsignor Orfeo

 

I am licensing this as a Medium education property in Astrapi. We will be teaching important skills, like book-burning, torture and exorcism. 

Edited May 16, 2020 by Ross Fisher

[Professor Thaum]

That's a nice one ! The dome is especially well thought !!! And the statue too !

 

Very cool !

[Beleg the Ranger]

The architecture and story make your build excellent, @Ross Fisher! As @Professor Thaum said, the dome is great, too.

[Brickwolf]

Nice reference to the infamous Captain Meloche.

[Keymonus]

Nice build Ross Fisher! The dome integrates perfectly with the architecture, and the decoration of the wall is excellent! Nice statue too!

35 minutes ago, Brickwolf said:

Nice reference to the infamous Captain Meloche.

Yes, it is a great reference to Kwatchi’s storyline! He gave a fundamental contribution to the shaping of our world!

[Ross Fisher]

@Professor Thaum @Beleg the Ranger @Keymonus @Brickwolf

Thanks guys, the main build was part of a Naboo build I did for Factions over on the Star Wars forums. However, I'd wanted to do a seminary for a while, and I'd had it in mind to reference @Kwatchi's Brother Axel, so I had the statue built and ready to go. Maybe someday in the future we'll see a church dedicated to Saint Axel the Martyr.

[Beleg the Ranger]

Ah, I did remember the centerpiece tower from somewhere...

[Bodi]

The tower looks good and I like the paved baseplate, I also like the use of halbard and shields, giving the build a more medieval-ish feel, inquisition in perspective.

[blackdeathgr]

I like it! On the other side, I like each and every domed building in LEGO form. They look so cute and Middle Eastern!!!

Teach them well Canon! Book-burning?!?!   

[Fraunces]

I like the small monastery as well. The dome stands out. Good story to accompany the build too.

[Legonaut]

Nice scene, I like the use of the planet piece and the minifigs, the use of the hagrid toros as statue is interesting!

[Khorne]

Nice scene and story to go with it, as usual. Cool way to tie in past events into a current narrative. I've said it before, but I like the look of the Brothers with their matching bowl cuts. I see they're already receiving their book-burning instructions .

The tower is the stand-out part of the build with NPU on the roof. Some parts of it feel rather empty to me though. Maybe the ground could've been somewhat less flat? I can't really put my finger on it. Or maybe some crates in the background as filler? It would've been cool to have brickbuilt trees as well, the prefab ones can also come off as "simple". However, I'm not an expert in any way on building trees, so I probably would've used the prefab ones too . Like I said, I can't quite put my finger on the "empty" feeling, I"m just reaching here... Overall, I really do like the build, story and figures though!

[Ross Fisher]

@Bodi @blackdeathgr @Fraunces @Legonaut Thanks guys, I appreciate it. 

@Khorne Yeahhhh, you got me. I later added in some benches so it looked like more of a teaching facility, but I agree that it looks a bit bare. I tried to copy the same style as the Treasury of Hades. I stand by my use of the prefab trees, though. I wanted a row of cypresses, and I think they do a damn good job. 

Edited May 17, 2020 by Ross Fisher

[Keymonus]

To the attention of Monsieur Tristan Rimbaud, Count of Astrapi

Dear friend,
I'm writing to you about a concerning evolution in the situation here on Ile de Zeus. The Brotherhood of Hades Inflamed, that you asked me to keep under control, is constantly growing in numbers and insolence. A new seminar was erected and the founder, Canon Francois, makes no longer any mystery about the real purposes of the religious order... This man is a dangerous ally and, even if he achieved a great success finding the sacred relic here on the island, I've also heard rumors of intimidations, brutality and malfeasances against the little mining communities of the inland. His methods are well-known, both against the natives and against heretics, true or supposed; now, I fear that the Canon of Hades may want to create a climate of terror and religious persecution on the whole island, or even in the whole New World.

You know what I think about the pervasive presence of religion in our statal apparatus... it is a fundamental element of our culture, a constraint for the evils and a consolation for the unfortunates, a support for our soldiers and a guide for our actions. However, in my opinion, kings are made and torn down by the men, not by the Gods! Answering only to the Gods, in the past, has to often become an easy excuse for the worst crimes.
Now, we are seeing again a return of the most zealous fanatics, of inquisitions and stakes, of sentences for blasphemy. I'm more than concerned about that. The convivence with the natives has always been peaceful after the conquest, but the fire still smolders beneath the ashes. How long will it take before a chief will start blowing on those embers if provocations will continue? May this be exactly the purpose of those fanatics, to wipe out "the heathens" once and for all?

I'm concerned, my friend. A few weeks ago a group of Lotii merchants was lynched, with the only guilt of praying different gods. When will it be the next incident? Who will be the victims? A prostitute, a beggar, a man with a dissolute life... or maybe only the ones who hamper their rise?

I think that the Brotherhood of Hades represents for us a danger by far greater than the "enemies of the Faith" they say they hunt. We should consider increasing the number of regular soldiers on the island, and discreetly check the loyalty of all our men in key positions. If the Brotherhood gained too much control over the hearts and the minds of the Astrapians, terrible times would be ahead!

Your friend and loyal servant,

René Duchamp

 

 Only a little IC reaction to your build, with no real consequences for now... but who knows, the relations between the secular and the religious parts of our state are not always excellent (see Calida and the Council)... for sure I would feel safer with the Brothers on another island!

[Ross Fisher]

9 hours ago, Keymonus said:

in my opinion, kings are made and torn down by the men, not by the Gods!

You want to be careful with that line of thinking. It's practically Eslandolan!

9 hours ago, Keymonus said:

with the only guilt of praying different gods

Only? I would be concerned about your man's priorities. There's a dangerous level of tolerance in his thought.

There is nothing to fear in the rise of the Inquisition. They carry the colours of Oleon as well as the colours of Hades. 

The Seminary of Axel the Martyr reminds us that the Inquisition is here to promote all three of the Aplynician Brothers, equally. And any attempt to stifle the activities of Hades' own people will be regarded as a move against that equality. 

The Inquisition will shortly be moving to another island. But the Île Zeus will always be home, for them. 

[Keymonus]

9 hours ago, Ross Fisher said:

You want to be careful with that line of thinking. It's practically Eslandolan!

Only? I would be concerned about your man's priorities. There's a dangerous level of tolerance in his thought.

There is nothing to fear in the rise of the Inquisition. They carry the colours of Oleon as well as the colours of Hades. 

The Seminary of Axel the Martyr reminds us that the Inquisition is here to promote all three of the Aplynician Brothers, equally. And any attempt to stifle the activities of Hades' own people will be regarded as a move against that equality. 

The Inquisition will shortly be moving to another island. But the Île Zeus will always be home, for them. 

I know, quite dangerous opinions! 

I never deepened much the story of Renè Duchamp, the administrator of Rimbaud finances, but you can imagine him as an illuminist intellectual in an absolute monarchy (Prussia, Russian Empire or, obviously, monarchic France)... loyal to the crown behind any doubt, but quite intolerant about the most extremist aspects of political or religious repression.

The Rimbauds tolerate, and in part share, his ideas... but obviously never in public!

Sooner or later I’ll do a series of flashback builds, even if then probably I’ll have to be careful not to step into a burning stake... 

[Bodi]

All these speculations about burning stake are fun to read, it's true that the Order has strong influence inside the kingdom, but don't forget we've a Royal Armoury in Astrapi, and a military academy, meaning the balance of power would be in favour of science and enlightenment.

[Ross Fisher]

9 hours ago, Bodi said:

the balance of power would be in favour of science and enlightenment

Ugh. The Redcoats would be jealous. 

[Sir Kingston]

3 hours ago, Ross Fisher said:

Ugh. The Redcoats would be jealous. 

Not at all, a bit of internal conflict in Oleon to destabilize their colonial holdings sounds acceptable to me

[Bodi]

5 hours ago, Ross Fisher said:

Ugh. The Redcoats would be jealous. 

Emmm, Oleon is called the Kingdom of Light for some reason, let's hope this light doesn't come from a burning stake.

1 hour ago, Sir Kingston said:

Not at all, a bit of internal conflict in Oleon to destabilize their colonial holdings sounds acceptable to me

Non sense, we are bound by a brotherhood forged in internal conspiracies. Lord Calida is far away from home now, his brothers would be glad to take over care of his possessions for him.