Konrad (kaiju.kohime) and Saskia Rieko are back with another iteration of their Nathhimmel Homestead region. It’s a place I always enjoy visiting as Konrad and Reiko offer imaginative takes on places, myths and events from the physical world, and I’ve covered it on numerous occasions in these pages.
For the latest iteration of the region, Rieko and Konrad have turned to mythology of South America – specifically that of Viracocha (aka Huiracocha), a creator deity originally worshiped by the pre-Inca inhabitants of Peru, and later appropriated by the Inca.
The stories and legends surrounding Viracocha highlight his role in the creation of the universe, the Sun and the Moon, and humanity itself. According to tradition, after forming the rest of the heavens and the earth, Viracocha wandered through the world teaching men the arts of civilisation. As such his character is complex, blending elements of a god of creation with those of a wandering deity who brings knowledge to the people – and while he came late to the Inca Patheon, the cult of Viracocha is regarded by some as having been more important than the cult of the Sun god.
Given the complexity of his role in various mythos, Viracocha had a long list of titles, such as the Old Man of the Sky, Lord Instructor of the World and the Ancient One, and went through multiple transmogrifications. Legend claims he created peoples then destroyed them before recreating them and educating them before dispersing them across the land. As a wanderer, he journeyed widely teaching and instructing before departing across the Pacific Ocean – and as Kon-Tiki, Viracocha was said to have brought Inca culture to Polynesia.
With Vira Cocha, Konrad and Saskia present a personal take on the legend, complete with their own telling of the tale, which can be obtained at the Landing Point (click the Info sign).
The setting presents a landscape surrounded by mountains and water, suggesting a lake island – perhaps one on Lake Titicaca, where Viracocha is said to have created the the Sun and Moon – and indeed, a huge Moon, as if freshly-made, sits low in the sky. Carrying a sub-tropical jungle feel, the land forms a U to enclose the water that also surrounds it. Paths offer a route around the land, carrying visitors to various points of interest.
The latter are many and varied and offer a series of unique elements to the build. Statue-like rocks stand as echoes of the legend of Viracocha creating people from stone. Then there are pod-like structures raised on stilts; they are not of an Inca design and their smooth surfaces and looks give them an other-worldly – or at least a futuristic – look. Mixed with these are very contemporary elements – surf boards, the wreck of a truck converted into a beach shack, modern-looking wooden decks offered as hang-out spaces; all of which combine to give the setting a sense of mystery and welcome.
Hints that this is South America are provided in various little touches of detail – Capybara, snakes, flora, all of which contribute to the depth of the setting. A real sense of mystery can be found to the north-west side of the island, where the path around the headland is marked by small bonfires, as if lighting the way to a place of night-time rites. They encourage one onwards and around the headland.
SLurl Details
- Vira Cocha (NewMoon, rated Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 