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Architecture
Alpine Style
As one travels deeper into the country, external influences are gradually lessened, and more traditional Deadbeat architectural styles re-establish themselves. Wood as a structural framing material grows less common and finds itself in use in roofing, decorations and trimmings instead, letting cut stone occupy this niche instead. Mahogany doors and window sills are particularly popular in the lower slopes of the Onyx Range; larger buildings begin to adopt more tapered shapes, as more material is required near the base of the buildings to support the weight of the stone above. Walls and roofs take on more angular shapes, which can be cut in the quarries less wastefully than rounder ones.
Many elements of these structures reflect the warsome past of the country; the massive stones making them up are impervious to fire, resistant to light artillery and easily barricaded. Windows are usually narrow and tall, with sidewalls angled so as to minimize exposing the defenders while maximizing their field of view. Diamond-shaped windows are particularly widespread, since they combine this benefit with an auspicious symbol of the goddess, and a section of the window through which a larger ranged weapon can be aimed at assailants.
Once one reaches into the heart of Morijigoku, the mountaintops, new advantages and features arise. First, in the most bitter of colds encountered in these magically refrigerated regions, the insulating properties of thick stone walls come to light. Though Deadbeats are comfortable in cooler temperatures than most, the cryogenic atmosphere of certain regions of the Eastern Onyx Range are still potentially deadly; a well designed Deadbeat monosikil (1) will be able to keep its rooms forty to fifty degrees C warmer than the outside with minimal heating input. Entering this region also introduces new materials into the architects' palettes: marble where Reaper's Eye crystals are observed. Using these stronger stones, much larger edifices can be built. Thanks to this natural attunement, these are also well-suited to being inscribed with magical circuits, which can be used to power a wide range of devices within the batiment, transmit energy to magical users within and without it, and circulate heat throughout the building. Since these magical circuits function better at lower temperatures, they can usually be seen tracing paths on facades. For the most active of these magically empowered towers, an excess amount of waste magical radiation is generated; these magical circuits also serve to funnel these emissions towards the roof, where they are harmlessly emitted towards the heavens.
Found in downtown Oppea on the northern slopes of the Ilimyth valley, Kuroma Tower is a fine example of traditional deadbeat civil mordimsag (2), and representative of the style. Nestled on a cliff-face, the obelisk houses hundreds of residents, a market, and the barracks and trimmings of a local Lukur (3) chapter, including their temple, school and armory. Moreover, like all buildings in the alpine regions, Kuroma Tower extends at least half as far below ground as it does above, connecting to the local catacomb network and the tunnels of the neighbouring estates.
1. Name given to Deadbeat buildings generally following this design: rectangular base built upwards with a taper out of large stones.
2. Lit. magical engineering.
3. The arcana-wielding priesthood of Morijigoku.
