Church

[Szilard]

If I were running a dungeon and I had a church, as in the building and not the organization, what would it need if I were to map it?

[Fridesgerte]

If I were running a dungeon and I had a church, as in the building and not the organization, what would it need if I were to map it?

If you just want a basic "religous building" condsider the following:


Main doors opening into a foyer or antechamber (narthex).
Foyer opens into the large space for worshipers (nave). This can have side aisles, pillars, bays, etc. Can also have benches, pews or other seating for worshipers.
At the far end of the nave is the sanctuary (space reserved for priests/clerics). This can be set off by columns, carved screen, whatever.
In the center of the santuary is the altar. Usually with a least one door leading out to sacristries and other private spaces (preparation areas, offices, living quarters for clerics, etc.


You can add small side chapels along the side of the nave or around and behind the sanctuary. You can also add an entrance from behind/below the altar into an undercroft (basement). This one would probably be secret.

Add carvings, candles, mosaics, paintings as desired for atmosphere. Use high soaring columns supporting an elegant arched ceiling for a dramatic effect after low dungeon corridors or a low rough-hewn ceiling supported by wide fat columns for a more claustrophobic atmosphere.

Hope this helps.:smallsmile:

[Szilard]

Thanks, I'll keep those in mind.

[Soup of Kings]

Pews, an altar, podium, whatever. Probably a statue of the deity it was used to worship. But definitely pews, and if it was used for sacrifices, then an altar. If it was used for sermons, a podium at the front, or maybe a pulpit. And I'd recommend one or more statues of the deity. Other than that, it's up to you. Think of churches you've been in and try to emulate that.

[EDIT] Ninja'd upside the head, and feeling inadequate.

[Fridesgerte]

Pews, an altar, podium, whatever. Probably a statue of the deity it was used to worship. But definitely pews, and if it was used for sacrifices, then an altar. If it was used for sermons, a podium at the front, or maybe a pulpit. And I'd recommend one or more statues of the deity. Other than that, it's up to you. Think of churches you've been in and try to emulate that.

[EDIT] Ninja'd upside the head, and feeling inadequate.

Sorry, for once there was a question I know something about. College religion major and "ahem" years teaching Sunday School should be good for something. :smallbiggrin:

[sonofzeal]

Great job, Fridesgerte! The only thing I can add to that is that many churches (especially catholic and anglican ones) are deliberately built into the suggestion of a cross shape if seen from above. Concider tailoring the floorplan based on important symbols associated with the deity.

Also compare:

Blue Mosque (http://www.trailmonkey.com/europa/Turkey/maps/tmap_blumosque.JPG)

Notre Dame (http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/785/499477.JPG)

Somewhat more chaotic church (http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/images/jerusalem/church-of-holy-sepulchre/floor-plan-labeled.gif)

Solomon's Temple (http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/king_solomons_temple/images/king_solomons_temple_page_9.jpg)

[Alyosha]

A church building is as structured as the Church organization is.

In Real Life examples, a Catholic church is very structured. Even the pictures on the walls are placed deliberately and with purpose. Protestant churches can show similar degrees of organization, or they can just be a room with some chairs and a stool or a music stand for a podium.

Some pagan shrines have idols.

Some religions that don't necessarily have a god present in them (Taoism and some sects of Buddhism) Might have a garden or an open space with a tranquil view as their sacred space.

Given that the DnD world is mostly a pantheon of gods like Greco-Roman culture, the sacred spaces are going to be very different.

Nature gods will have trees and plants in their sacred spaces (real plants if not images) I would expect altars to be made of unhewn stone as well.

Heironeous' and Hextor's sacred spaces would be organized to the T.

A chaotic god might only have a small shrine as the only designation that someone considers the space holy.

[LibraryOgre]

Sorry, for once there was a question I know something about. College religion major and "ahem" years teaching Sunday School should be good for something. :smallbiggrin:

Depends on your religion; pews are really only necessary if you're going to preach at people.

It's going to depend highly on the religion, and the uses to which it puts its temple buildings.

[sonofzeal]

Depends on your religion; pews are really only necessary if you're going to preach at people.

It's going to depend highly on the religion, and the uses to which it puts its temple buildings.
Indeed. Common features are:

- Size. Even if attendance is low, size imparts a perseption of importance. Mormon and Hindu temples sometimes build whole businesses and office complexes inside to increase the apparent size of the structure.

- Open Spaces. Whatever else religion is, it's almost always communal. There needs to be plenty of room to gather, meaning at least one wide open space with good sight lines.

- Holiness. There's usually one particular part of the church that's concidered "holy" (in a Christian church it's the communion table; in a Mosque I believe it's the wall that face Mecca; in a Synagogue it's the Holy of Holies). It can be visible or hidden, but it's almost always the most removed from the enterances, so that the supplicant has time to absorb its importance.