Ufff... Are you ready for an Art class? This part of the tours talks about the relationships between gargoyles and buildings *sits flotating on the air again*
The origin of the word gargoyle comes from the ancient french word gargouiller; that came from the sound that the water made when falling trought the drains on the rooftops; it evoluted to gargoule and in actual french it's gargouille. Why all of this? *cocks an eyebrow and smiles*
In the architecture of the XII century they started to embellish the rooftops drains with sculptures of humans, demons and mithic beasts. These sculptures were called gargoyles.
Now if we check the small bits of history of the gargoyles clans we have we will see that they have always been there, but getting more and more unobserved as the centuries passed by. In the X century humans had the knowledge that the gargoyles existed, and in some places they lived with the humans; but finally the gargoyles chosen to continue protecting the humans in the darkness and anonymity. That leads to an sculptor of the gothic period, who maybe heard gargoyles histories during his childhood, or even knew of the existence of these beings, and wanted to give them a kind of homage... How? Putting them in the facades and roofs of the main buildings.
About this theory I prefer the idea of that a gargoyles friend did that to provide them a safe place to rest during their day sleep *Puck looks at nowhere and remains pensive a few seconds* Or it could be too someone who missed the gargoyles in the roofs too... What do you think about this? *looks at you and smiles*
At your right: the Eyre Building with the Wyvern Castle
| Wyvern Castle |
It was the clan's originary home. Built on the edge of a hight cliff it was an excellent place to glide from. As all the castles in the mid age, they were built in places with difficult accesibility in order to give their inhabitants an easier way to defend themselves from attacks. According with this building policy the castle was built on a cliff's edge: they won't have attacks from the flanks exposed to the sea. As all castles it had high walls around the main towers and courtyards, with several strategic defensive spots for the castle defenders. There are several courtyards at different levels, connecting the towers and constructions wich compose the castle. When Xanatos bought it, the castle was practically in ruins, with stones and several cave-ins all over the place and lots of vegetation too. It had also bad reputation among the habitants of the surroundings, they said it was haunted... The Xanatos' construction crew dismounted the castle in pieces big enought to be handled by the machinery, and transported it to NY. They rebuilt it on top of the Eyre Building, piece by piece and reconditioning it in order to make it habitable again. The basical distribution was kept but modern improvementes were made: electric light, glasses on the windows, elevators, the heating system... Apparently the dungeons were kept too, but the moat dissappeared. The courtyards now are gardens and the Castle's Main Entrance was modified, because now it was useless. also one of the courtyards was arranged as helicopter landing place. |
| Eyre Building |
A giant of stone, steel and glass. The NYC highest skycraper and the main headquarters of Xanatos Enterprises. It's top is so high that it rises above the clouds, and it it's top is where the Castle Wyvern was rebuilt in a great and manificent way. The cimentation of the castle is now "floating on the air", held by powerful steel girders, the effect of the castle "floating" is increased by the nocturnal ilumination that comes from beneath, enhancing the contrast between the modern and funcional style of the lower part of the building with the castle on it's top. In it's huge lobby are located some of the elevators wich traverse the building from the basements to the castle. As it's also the entrance to the Xanatos Enterprises headquartes it's decorated and illuminated to enhance too his size, resulting quite impressive to the visitor. |
| Clock Tower |
This was a temporary refuge for the gargoyles clan during their "exile" from the Wyvern Castle due to Xanatos' behaviour. This tower is placed on top of a police station and it holds the machinery of an enormous clock. Behind the clock there's a big room, used by the gargoyles during the night, when they're active. The access to that room is from a cubbyhole wich leads to a wooden staris. Elisa equipated it with a refrigerator, a small kitchen, a TV... The gargoyles sleep in the balcony in front of the clock, posing as statues as they always did in the castle, with the different that now they all sleep at the same lever. Goliath used to sleep in the highest spot of the tower, but now he uses the balcony rail as the rest of the clan. That balcony is used too as landing area, ans a small door on the VI number leads to the main room. |
Satisfied with these comments? *Puck stetches and places his feet on the floor again* You wanna continue? Now it's time for the bookstore *gets closer and gives you a mischievous smile* Did you know that a lot of the books in there talk about me? *chuckles* It seems to be that me and my alter ego have lot of admirers...
The rune, please
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