Pillars of the Earth - The expansion of the Starry Sept

[Lord Dread]

~~~ 287 AL ~~~

Being tasked by the High Septon to expand the Starry Sept, while securing himself the permission to organize this grand project,
Lord Rolland Hightower's way lead him immidiately to the Citadel, once the treaty between him and the High Septon was signed.
Given the current situation it was perhaps unwise to expand an existing building to the size of a cathedral, especially when considering that war was ringing at the Reach's doorsteps. Nontheless the Hightowers felt prepared, having raised their garrison and hired the Company of the Rose to relieve their duty upon the wall, while Hightower was building another monument within Oldtown, which should compete with the capital. Given by the size, he had already made plans of how he envisioned the build with a large, fortress-like tower linking the Starry Sept to the eastern Walls of Hightower to keep towards his promise in regards of a backdoor exit, which the High Septon could either use to support the town against defenders or to escape from a besieged Sept within the city till relieve from the Hightower guardsmen would arrive.

Hightower knew that to ensure the enormous size of the Sept growing that they had to expand the Plaza inwards, which would also mean the unfortunate task of relocating the southern graveyard area towards the northern wall section. Given that this deal was more a bureaucratic thing, he knew that he had to consider at the same time the needs of those, who wish to keep the family graves intact, especially when it came to the present merchant families. Thus it would already be a costworthy effort to move the plaza southwards.
At the same time, he wanted to expand the Sept into side aisles as well to provide the crowds and expected pilgrims more space on the inside for actually seeing the speeches of the High Septon. Furthermore he assumed that some of the areas would also get utilized for the quarters of the Faith Militant or other holy orders under the High Septon's task.

Nontheless Lord Rolland was confident to do the task. Oldtown could already provide 200,000 Gold Dragons to begin this Opus Magnum,
so he knew that if more would have to follow, he would be able to afford it.
After all it was the Hightowers, who light the way.

The planned expansion of the Starry Sept

OOC: RP regarding the Church expansion, upon which I will post from time to time.
Anyone welcome to RP an architect or someone of importance is free to do so, while I will also appreciate moderator work, if it can be provided.
Since a major war will most likely happen, I'll leave it to them, however.

[Lord Dread]

With the war having so far not affected the Reach, Ser Edmund Hightower looked over the plaza during one of his daily patrols through the city. A whole year passed by and yet progress was still going on, as Hightower craftsmen were providing along with the local guilds their support towards the project. The men have already constructed the main aisle of the future Sept where once the plaza was, while it's expansion towards the South had also been brought forward.
Though it was not an easy process to relocate the graves there, as some families had buried there their son, the Hightowers were nontheless able to do the job, given by the expertise of the Citadel and other men, whom they paid for this project. And as well the foundations of the grand Sept-tower had also been laid. There had been rumors that they might call the tower officially 'Rollandstower' in memory of the one, who actually allowed the High Septon to build it - yet, Edmund doubted that it would make it as an official name and rather would be what the townsfolk would call it. Even now they call him 'The Reformer' - titles, where the City Watch Commander knew, that his Lord brother wouldn't care too much about them. It always felt unusual for him, when people adressed him as Lord Paramount.

Looking at the entire Sept on it's own, it was hard to believe that the Hightowers would be able to turn this large building into a monument, where even the Great Sept of King's Landing would looked like dwarved. Yet it seemed however, that they would do it. It was merely a matter of time, as his family had always been one of reformers. It was their ancestors, who build the Citadel and provided the money for the project, it was them, who build initially the first Starry Sept.
It was guarenteed that this place would attract pilgrims to Oldtown - and given that Blackfyre occupied the capital with an unfinished and still destroyed Great Sept, it was even more unlikely that the next King, whoever it would be, would be able to change it.

[Lord Dread]

With news from the capital spreading that the Great Sept was continiued to be rebuild, a message from the Reachmen frontline was send to Oldtown towards Ser Edwynd Hightower,
current gouverning Hightower of their town and Admiral of the Hightower fleet,
that additional 100,000 Dragons shall be invested to continiue the build of the cathedral, so it would outshine any Great Sept Daemon wishes to rebuild. While the Hightowers knew the contract between him and the Faith had been renewed to ensure that the High Septon would spread his holy word from Oldtown freely, as it was traditional before the Targaryens bound him to the capital, there was reason to worry that the High Septon might not keep to his word or Daemon Blackfyre actually intended to weaken the new status of Tyrell's strongest supporter House.

Edmynd knew that their House had the rescources to actually maintain the cathedral build - another hundred-thousand Gold Dragons to the already invested 200,000 Gold dragons into the expansion wouldn't make a difference, while probably motivating the diligent architects and craftsmen on the project to put more effort into the final end product.
If Hightower would be finished with the build, the Starry Sept would be next to the Citadel and the High Tower the third prominent building, which could be seen from outside the walls. While there was no actual interest to see King's Landing growing to former prosperity, the family welcomed the progress and meaningness, which the project brought towards their old, ancient town, being founded thousands of years ago by the first Hightower merchants.