The Buildings
Benlunar is built on the side of a great mountain. The views are breathtaking and the buildings are built tall and into the bedrock of the mountain. Only expert craftsmen have the ability to shape the wood and rock around the mountain’s many recesses. Every house is steeped in history and if the walls could speak, they would tell you tales of a bygone age of magic.
The Stave Churce
Overlooking the Benlunar Town Square, the Stave Church stands taller than any building in town. Many people think it to be the oldest building on the mountain. Probably built by early settlers as a home to the spirits they believed to reside in the mountain. Over many generations it has absorbed the many stories and lessons from the multitude of spiritual experiences and sightings in the region. The tapestries hanging on the walls were made over 200 years ago and depict various gods in their animal forms. The most impressive has to be the giant green and blue masterpiece depicting the Padda Stone.
This building pictured is actually an old Norwegian Church. I’ve travelled around Norway a lot as an actor and these beautiful old buildings can be found dotted around the country. They’re always impressive to look at, especially when you know that not a single screw or nail was used in their construction. - Simon
“A stave church is a medieval wooden Christian church building once common in north-western Europe. The name derives from the building's structure of post and lintel construction, a type of timber framing where the load-bearing ore-pine posts are called stafr in Old Norse (stav in modern Norwegian).” - Wikipedia
The Fox & Octopus
Benlunar’s other community meeting place. This famous inn is run by Xander & Liny, the brains and talents behind the town’s best food and drink. Packed every evening with locals swapping gossip, there is no living room more comfortable or kitchen well stocked as those of the Fox & Octopus. No one know how the inn got its name originally, although legend has it that a man with a colour changing fox stayed there once, a long time ago.
The Town Square
The Benlunar market square is the hub on which the town turns. Not only is it in the middle but it also houses Benlunar’s famous market. Because the stalls and people cover it so often, its intricate stone work is often overlooked. Some people have tried to cancel the market for a day or two so that they can study the writings and marks in the stones. This hasn’t been achieved yet because no one wants to miss the market for an entire day!
The Thoreson House
This grand house on the edge of the market place marks the last man made structure before you find the mountain path. It has a tower on the east side and a large dining room. It used to be the residence of the town’s mayor when the empire was marking its territory through the mountains. Since then it has been in the possession of Benlunar’s oldest family: The Thoresons.
Lilian’s House
It may be small, but the house belonging to Polly and Edward Lausanne has significant historical importance to Benlunar. Originally built as a guard house, it would have housed men and women who’s job it was to keep an eye on the river. Over the years the threats from surrounding tribes diminished and the house was built upon again and again. The original beams that made the guardhouse are still there, but the rest of the rooms are new (ish).