Book IV Prelude Challenge: Category A: The Bridge Troupe

[TalusMoonbreaker]

The Merchants' Bridge - Il Ponte dei Mercanti -

The Merchants Bridge is an old bridge built centuries past along the Zaglio River near the center of Porto Caglaveri. The Zaglio River runs from the High Ridge Mountains and winds its way through the fertile hill country to the coast. Anzola Moccenigo, the grandmother of the famed architect Brabantio Moccenigo, designed the layout of the canals that flow out from the river. The Moccenigo family maintains the story that Anzola also constructed the bridge to replace the rickety old wooden bridge. The Ziccardi family maintains that this is all lies and that Bastian Ziccardi was the actual builder of the bridge. The denizens could care less because it is a nice bridge. In the years since the construction of the bridge, merchants have set up shops along the edge of the bridge, jutting out over the Zaglio River. Indeed, it has become the most popular shopping district in the town, a welcome place where coin is plentiful for the eager bard. In an unlikely collaboration, the rival Ziccardi and Moccenigo families designed the corridor that runs over the shops. Many of the denizens of Porto Caglaveri were surprised that the families were able to cooperate in its construction without any bloodshed. Their astonishment was diminished when they learned that the mayor ordered the project with the hope that it would help the families to put away their vendette permanently. The mayor was disappointed and the citizens baffled at the mayor’s silly - but noble - intentions. Regardless, the mayor and their staff appreciate the direct route to the town hall.

Shoppers among the Bridge of Merchants. A local construction worker peruses the selection at the bakery. 

A dapper, young noble inspects a golden rapier at Jacomo's Oddities. Quite useful for conducting political intrigue and revenge. A Varlyrian dwarf purchases a mace head from Dalyn the blacksmith.

With the new Rego’s economic policies and support for the arts, the bridge became a common spot for busking. Of these buskers, none were as popular as one trio of Varlyrians from all across the realm. On the lute and vocals, Zuan Aironetto, a local bard from Porto Cagliaveri. On the flute, Eydis Willowtongue, a traveling Kolgarí minstrel from the Sunken City. On the electric guitar, Gromli Ironlungs, member of the popular dwarven band DEEPAXE. And on vocals, a random guy on the balcony, who has joined the song. Collectively, they have been dubbed the Bridge Troupe, a name with little style or flourish, but great accuracy. 

A boatsman rows with his goods down the Zaglio River while keeping beet with the troupe's song.

The Bridge Troupe

Local gossip has it that Zuan met Eydis and Gromli on the bridge whilst stumbling home drunk one evening. He just so happened to have bumped into Gromli while he was getting his guitar fixed by the dwarven blacksmith, Daryn. Then Gromli, who was reportedly also drunk, decided to test his guitar and Zuan joined in the song. Eydis, who was shopping at Jacomo’s Oddities, heard their music and pulled out her flute. Thus, their trio was formed. Of course, that’s just hearsay. 

Eydis, Zuan, and Gromli performing one evening.

Before becoming the locally famous and respected bard, Trovatore del Ponte - Troubadour of the Bridge -, Zuan Aironetto was a fisherman. He gained his epithet Little Heron from his days spent among the fens at the delta of the Zaglio. Although he was a fisherman, he played songs for the merchants in a small tavern above a shop along the bridge. One day, he hoped to open a luthier shop. With the crowning of a new Rego - especially one who had gained power with the support of the masses and un po’ Varlyrian politics (i.e., backstabbing) - Zuan saw his opportunity to trade in his fishing net for the lute permanently. Thus, he journeyed to the capital, Illaryian, to seek an audience with the Rego. At this point, the Rego was well known for his generous patronage of the arts. Zuan made his case before the Rego, who generously promised his patronage. Beyond ecstatic, Zuan travelled back to Porto Caglaveri singing and playing his lute the whole way. This attracted quite the crowd of traveling folk, eager to forget their tired feet and happy to listen to Zuan’s songs. Legend has it that the crowd followed him into the town of Porto Caglaveri to the bridge. Whether this leading of the crowd led him to run into Gromli and Eydis by pure chance or not, no one can recall. Of course, no one is completely sure if this is the real tale of Zuan Aironetto because they were all too drunk to remember it in full. Regardless, he has become quite the popular musician with the bridge feeling quite empty without the echo of his voice underneath the portici of the corridor. 

Before joining the troupe, Eydis Víðitunga was a member of the Musician's College in the Sunken City of the Kolgarí. She set out on a journey to learn about the local stories and songs in other parts of Varlyrio. Near the end of her journey, she has decided to stay in town for a while before returning to the Sunken City. The people of Porto Caglaveri will miss her song when she departs. 

Gromli Ironlungs is already famous among the dwarven clans of the High Ridge Mountains and even those of the mainland as the lead guitarist for the band DEEPAXE. He is currently taking a vacation along the coastal regions after their last tour to Mitgardia and Avalonia. Unfortunately, during a tour of Illaryian by gondola, the boat flipped and his precious guitar fell into the canal. Thankfully, he was able to get it repaired by Daryn, a local blacksmith who owns a shop on the Merchant’s Bridge. 

The evening is young. The bridge is still crowded with shoppers making their last purchases before the stores close. And the minstrels begin to sing and play their instruments.

Spoiler

Great to build for the guilds again! Hopefully, not my only contribution for the year, unlike the past two. While definitely not my best build by far, this was definitely a fairly challenging one. I only had a few dark grey arches, so I had to brick build the inside of the arches, which wasn't easy. I also apologize for the terrible photos and lack of a proper setup. I had to rush them due to a lack of time with the start of a new uni semester. 

Initially, I planned on building a tavern with a wine cellar for the troupe, but decided to build a medieval bridge, complete with shops, because it seemed like a cool idea. 

I was predominantly inspired by Il Ponte Vecchio in Florence, but also took some inspiration from the Old London Bridge (rip :( ), Pont des Marchands in Narbonne/Narbona, France (in

Occitània/Occitanie/Occitania, where the troubadours/ trobador and trobairitz originated), and the Krämerbrücke in Erfurt, Germany (Predominantly Ponte Vecchio and Pont des Marchands). The corridor takes its design heavily from the Vasari corridor, built by Giorgio Vasari in 1565, which connects the Pitti Palace to the town hall of Florence (Il Palazzo Vecchio). The major difference is the radius of the arches (mine are more akin to horseshoe arches but without the bottom flairs, such as those in the prayer hall at the Mosque of Tinmal (Masjed Tanmul in Morocco) and the style of the main window on the back. Also, the arcades should only be in the centre of the bridge, but I had to extend them because of the width of my bridge (this did create an issue, as I had to redesign the arches to create a cohesive look while having a limited amount of arch pieces)

There are two really good builds of Il Ponte Vecchio that recreate them completely (and accurately) out of Lego:

Lorenzo Vezzi: https://corrierefiorentino.corriere.it/notizie/cultura-e-tempo-libero/24_gennaio_28/lorenzo-vezzi-e-il-suo-ponte-vecchio-con-i-lego-l-opera-realizzata-con-35mila-mattoncini-in-12-mesi-5f2a4806-8ac1-451f-b995-356bd592axlk.shtml

Deborah Hidgon: https://www.flickr.com/photos/buildingsblockd/52151872830/in/album-72177720299852634

I utilized Juliana de Luna's Names from 16th Century Venice when deciding on some of the characters' names. I highly recommend it for any Varlyrians. https://www.s-gabriel.org/names/juliana/16thcvenice.html

Here's a better look at the underside of the bridge (featuring Captain Cockatrice and a random pirate)

And here's a photo of the trio:

 

 

[T-86(swebrickLUG)]

Digging the Ponte Vecchio-feel! My favourite details are the protective bars on the windows and the overall composition with sort of hanging houses on the supportive pillars! Nice job @TalusMoonbreaker

[TalusMoonbreaker]

@T-86(swebrickLUG)Thank you! The horizontal bar design was inspired by Lorenzo Vezzi's moc. And the nobles need to protect themselves from assassins breaking in through the windows! I'm glad you like the hanging houses, they repeatedly fell off during construction. The pillars were a bit tricky to figure out how to attach to the rest of the build, but I found a simple solution of attach it to 1x1 clear tile in the water layer. 

[SimWies]

Love it @TalusMoonbreaker! The Ponte Vecchio vibes are strong with this one  I especially love the color scheme making the scene feel alive and fibrant with the different colors of the houses "clinging" to the bridge. The water is also nicely done!

Edited 19 hours ago by SimWies

[Khorne]

Instantly recognizable as being inspired by the bridge in Florence. Cool to see a built-over medieval bridge with shops and the likes. The colors of the houses pop and contrast nicely with the natural hues of the bridge itself.