HSS: Streets of Barqa

[Gideon]

HSS: Streets of Barqa

Barqa is the trading hub of south-western Kaliphlin. The city is located where the mighty Arkbri river meets the sea. The Arkbri river stretches all the way from the mountains of Mitgardia and is a major shipping route through central Historica. Barqa is a melting pot of people and cultures from all points of the compass, and dozens of different languages can be heard in the streets.

The proud City Guard of Barqa is in peacetime mostly a constabulary force, which is not to say that they are lacking work…

Some guards are of course also manning the walls, but this one don’t seem to be paying attention to what is outside the wall?

Aha, he is admiring one of the many lovely...gardens of Barqa!

Today, de Gothia is visiting his son Elijah who is studying in Barqa. He also meets with Lord Gideon, who is eager to hear about the achievements of the Kaliphlin artisans he has sent north to help de Gothia building the town of Sionnach. Elijah has already grown tired of the lengthy discussion of the grownups and is instead investigating a statue of some hero of old.

Bishop Sheyer of the Aslanic Order is also passing by, always travelling with an armed escort.

Many of Barqa’s inhabitants, some would say the majority, cannot afford living quarters with their own kitchen. For them, simple establishments as this one are the place to go to get a bowl of soup or something to drink on the go.

HSS Hospitality: Fast food

Barqa is well known for the excellent quality of the glasswares produced here. Like many other craftsmen and merchants of the city, this glass blower has a small shop along one of the covered sidewalks. These roofs provide protection from the sun during most of the year, and protection from the torrential rain in that season.

HSS Craftsmen, General Goods: Glass Blower

While black oil is the usual source of lighting in Kaliphlin, candles are considered a luxury which many people want to use to impress their visitors with. Especially the many temples and shrines of the various religions represented in Barqa are demanding candles in great numbers.

HSS Merchant, Specialty: Candle Maker

With Barqa being such a busy trade hub with traders coming from all over Historica and beyond, the cartographers of Barqa are among the finest in Historica. Today, this cartographer has stepped down from his studio upstairs and is providing maps to the city’s inhabitants and visitors.

HSS Services: Cartographer

The movements of the celestial bodies are closely observed by the scholars of Barqa. This particular astronomer is excellent at determining the exact time of day, and has built a clock tower to share this information with the city. Indeed, this clock is de facto the standard for time in Barqa.

HSS Scholars: Observatory/Astronomer

In many places in the city, music can be heard from the city's numerous musicians.

HSS Entertainers: Street Musicans

The frequent traffic with horses and oxen means that streets can get very dirty, despite the efforts of the cleaning workers. During the short but intense rain season, the streets can also be turned into something which looks more like canals when the drainage system is pushed to its limits. Therefore, most streets have stepping stones where pedestrians can cross without getting too dirty or wet.

Many children like to play on the city walls, sometimes even daring to go up into the towers. The guards are of course not happy with this practice...

The roofs are important parts of the homes where people spend a lot of their time. Here, a mother is feeding her daughter with a slice of a giant apple, fresh from the orchards of southern Avalonia.

When the searing sun is getting low in the sky the city really comes to life. The streets, homes and shops are lit by numerous oil lanterns.

There are a sizeable population of humanoids with Nocturnian origin in Barqa, many of them exiles from the internal Nocturnian power struggles. Soraya the assassin is hiding in the shadows, could it be one of these she is after?

Some more pictures of the build:

UoP credits claimed:

• Marketplace [Trade and Law]
  
• Arresting Criminals [Trade and Law]
  
• Music [Culture]
  

As this is a massive build, as you see I tried to include quite a few HSS categories. If any of these is not good enough here, I do can skip that claim and re-visit the category some other time.

I will display this build at the Lego Fan Weekend in Skaerbaek, Denmark, this coming weekend. I hope I will see some of you there!

[gedren_y]

You never disappoint, Gideon. Your tan collection must be massive by now.

UoP +1 on all credits. If you don't already have it, you could also claim the lighted build credit. If you decide to add that to the list, you have my +1.

[robuko]

Fantastic build Gideon! I love everything about it! My favourite detail is the cartographer's awning. The minifigs are all really appropriate to the scene. I'm envious of your tan Gothic arches and bishop's mitre, they look great. UoP+1 all claims.

[Dzoni90]

Wonderful! So much details, colors, technique, minifigs... Just fantastic.

[Yzalirk]

I would kill to be able to build like this! Gideon, this is just outstandingly beautiful and it is definitely in my top five favorite builds. :thumbup:

And in the picture with the General Goods shop, is that are "familiar" type of being I see there..?

[cablefoxley]

Wow, what an absolutely fand-dabby-dozy build. Loads of detail, excellent figs and the clock tower is pretty. My fav pic is the assassin at night, it looks like a film.

[Jorrith]

Don't want to kill anyone for it, but do want to be able to build like this! And photograph it just as perfectly as you did! So much details, and lighting too!

[legoman19892]

I don't want to be the guy sweeping poop with broom.

Give the man a shovel!

[-Carson Haupt-]

I've been drooling over this all night! It's so colorful without being absolutely chaotic! Exactly how I've been imagining Kaliphlin.

[LEGO Guy Bri]

Wonderful MOC Gideon! Looking at it lit up is my favorite pic. The detailing is fantastic, well done

[Yooha]

Beautiful! With the light bricks, you made a very cozy atmosphere. My favourite place is the hidden garden.

[BrickCurve]

I take my hat off to you, UoP +1 on all claims.

[SarahJoy]

I think you missed an HSS:Laborer with the guy sweeping the streets of droppings.

Seriously, though, this build is . . amazing? magnificent? stupendous? jaw-dropping? . . . I don't even know where to begin. You are incredible and inspiring.

[Tomsche]

A really fantastic build, the street life details are great!

I love the map vendor

[narbilu]

absolutely stunning... what a great build in every detail

[Aland1916]

Amazing build with great details!

[Lord Vladivus]

Wow Gideon! Superb, amazing build! You've really surpassed yourself here, I love all the little details.

[Alfadas]

Awesome! Looks very nice! Like the city guards, and everything actually! Great work!

[Gunman]

Long time to see a beauty like this... Lots of excellent details... Thats a keeper for the living room man... Lovely made moc.... Beautiful :wub:

[Bob De Quatre]

Tried to find a flaw in this city but couldn't found one! It's so lovely, lively and really great to visit at night

My only comment would be on the clocktower. I would have put a clock on the left side so that people on the central place can see it.

[Hobbythom]

Superb build! It is challenging to keep large ammounts of tan interesting but you managed to avoid this exceptionaly well! Great, great job!

Edited September 25, 2014 by Hobbythom

[Back to the Brick]

Wonderful MOC! There's a lot of nice details, and the doors are very nice.

[Jody Meyer]

wow, stunning detail, nice to incorporate the lightening. nice story line.

[lightningtiger]

Even though I'm an old Avalonian I say this is one AWESOME creation especially with the lighting.

Brick On 'Gideon' !

[ElCrab]

I was in awe, and then I saw the lighted pix. That's when my jaw dropped.

Incredible work, so much packed into such a great MOC. Well done!