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The Region of Valliana
Server: Nameless

I've found a nice spot to start work, and I'm currently in the process of earmarking the land. My plans are to build an oriental (possibly) style region, complete with dojo, gates, houses, etc. I'll be posting and updating this thread with WIP and status images and descriptions.

Overview
I've yet to lay down any specific plans, but I have broken the region down like so:
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Temple Area - The main feature that will tower over the rest.
Town Area - Housing and urban sprawl - the valley in that area will sport a dojo.
Tea Gardens - Few buildings. A tea room, a few fancy houses. Focus on natural seclusion.
Icy Reach - Not sure if I will develop this area, but it is earmarked for a Tibetan Monastery

To begin with I'll be working on the Temple Area.
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Community
There will be a minecart station, connection to the main road to the west and north, and I'm open to ideas and involvement as long as they fit the oriental motif.

You are very organised! So much planning and prep! Gonna be awesome!

The foundation rises from the dirt blueprint.
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I decided to make Birch the wood of choice for the temple.

Meanwhile, an expedition down into the dirt beneath the plateau...
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The cobblestone factory was buried during the construction of the plateau, safely contained inside an underground bubble. It is now accessible and providing all the cobble for the temple building.

I would recommend lighting up the area with touches where they wont get in you way, so you can build without thoughs pesky mobs. Otherwise it's looking really good already, and I especially like how you shape the stone bricks

Though I do already have torches placed just far enough apart to stop most mobs, I built the entire plateau in darkness and daylight. I ain't afraid of no ghost.

Now that the DynMap is back, I can properly see the changes to the terrain (look at the first map for comparison).
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The foundation has grown and is almost ready to have pillars put in.
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Fences and railings are laid in, and the central courtyard is grassing up.
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omahgerd, cover em wood lols

inb4 lightning strikes and burn everything

It's never happened to me yet, and I've played a lot of Minecraft.

Besides which, wood is easily replaced.

The fires gets erased after like 2 seconds by the rain.

Sadly, Quartz seems to be the most suitable material for the white parts of the wall, which will slow things down a lot. The design is a little in flux, but it is coming together.

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looking great Raven
I never hunt for quarts before because im too scared XD

Its getting really nice

More Quartz is gathered and laid out, the walls start to take shape. The style is still a little in flux, but it is coming together.
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As the Nether Portal under the Temple warps to a gate in the nether which then returns you to the village to the south of Valliana, a temporary rail link has been set up for faster transport. A proper station will be built later.
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Thanks to Everspine, I managed to get a Fortune 3 pickaxe. This has tripled the output from my Quartz gathering, and helped tremendously to moving things along.
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All that Quartz adds up!
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The temple is looking grate so far! I really like how you put a tree in the middle.

Yes, the tree in the middle is a nice touch! I love seeing your progress, I wish everyone did this with their builds! Lol

yeah the tree in the middle is a really good idea

I've visited rich people's houses with a garden in the middle of their house which is really cool

I wish there were more colored flowers.

MrsMeowys wrote:

I wish there were more colored flowers.

Never really thought about it, but that would be cool. I guess we are pretty limited when it comes to making gardens...

Here's a recap of all the work since my last post.

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I got some more Quartz, Redstone, and Glowstone, and the first level is now built. It still need furnishing, doors, etc, but it is sound and the architecture is set. Next will come the first level roof, which will be an interesting challenge.

However, before starting on that I decided to formalise the connection between Valliana and the Nether. The journey by foot isn't far, but there is a lot of fire and lava.

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Starting at the Valliana end, and with the 'help' of about twenty or so Ghasts, the initial station and rail segment is created, featuring dual tracks and gravity launching.

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Down, down, down, the track goes, skimming two blocks above lava level. Supported every eight blocks by pillars. Though most of the actual track is missing, it is ready to be installed.

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The track is very, very close to the hub now, and should be ready in a few days. The station will be placed at the end of the stone staircase behind the emerald nether portal.

For a while there I couldn't get any Quartz. Finding new chunks in the nether was near impossible, and my previous line was long exhausted.

Thankfully the map is back and my new line is just long enough to strike quartz. I have finally completed (95%) the move to all quartz, and there is now a roof.

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Since these pictures I have put in the missing columns, and started a little of the upstairs work. More quartz needed.

It's looking good so far, keep it up!

Great work, it's looking really good!

The ceiling is looking really great! Can't wait to see it finished