While felling some trees, I found a bit of clay. I baked it into terracotta for some extra variation in decoration. Given the limited amount, I had to use it scarcely, which created a bit of novelty moving forward.
I dug further into the other tunnel and split it into four sections. The first leads to the previous section, the path to the right leads to bedrooms and a shrine, the path to the left will eventually lead to a storage section, and the path forward leads up to a perfect spot for a balcony.
I used some stone walls and a bit of the terracotta to add variation at this juncture point. This keeps the style of the whole building while adding a small piece of eye candy at a point where I will probably cross often.
I like to spend time with my staircases. Usually, I make a giant, decorated stairway straight to the center of the Earth, but since I’m playing to deliberately slow my progress down and inspire creativity through limitations, I’m going to have to wait until my civilization learns what power tools are.
I mix up the blocks I use and how I use them to add texture to my constructions. I try to add tiny bits and pieces which don’t stand out too much, but are there for a person to take their time and examine.
Lighting on stairs can be a pain if you’re trying to be very decorative. I tend to put torches on the ceiling, and glowstone lamps in the walls, but since we won’t have the latter for a while and I want to spice things up, I created a pattern of alcoves where I set my torches on polished andesite.
As I said, this stairway leads to an absolutely perfect vantage point right at the canopy level of the trees. It was a happy accident, as Bob Ross would say.
Uh oh...looks like there’s a lava pit out there. I still have flashbacks to when a single fire could turn an entire forest into a napalm scene right out of a Vietnam movie.
This is the hallway leading to the bedrooms (on the left), and the shrine (on the right).
The shrine, carved out:
The shrine, completed:
I am planning on adding more details as I get the blocks/resources. I definitely see a picture on the wall, and some potted plants on the blocks around the room.
I haven’t finished the storage section yet. That is a lower priority, and I only chose to make it because the section under it was full of granite and andesite. I think it will look interesting with another dome.
Also, first iron!
Since I’m at a point where I have safe rooms and iron, I’m going to exit peaceful mode and see what hijinks I’ll get into. I have a story idea, which will help shape the world as I go, and the additional rules I like to play with will ensure I can never just sit back and relax.