"This is the journal of Friedrich Von Stutgaard IV. I've decided to write down this pages, if anything, as proof that I was ever alive..."
Von Stutgaard began writing his first journal during the 1414 catastrophe. The journal as a whole tell about his exile from Excelia all the way to Eldar, and is widely regarded as an invaluable piece of testimony for the era.
On it's first pages, Von Stutgaard relates his fear of death and of not leaving any legacy behind. He had lost his home and work that day, along with his friend and former master Mies Van der Roach. He narrates the dangers he faced, along with all things he had lost in the catastrophe.
"...now all I see is my life destroyed into pieces. But that mustn't be right, for my life is all I have left"
Having nowhere to go back to, and refusing to go back with his estranged family in the South; Von Stutgaard joins a caravan of refugees heading North to Instari. He had hoped once he got there he could find one of his old master's friend and find employment that way. During the trip he writes in his journal daily, relating the fear and danger his caravan faced in that time:
"The rifts open randomly along the fields, and from there come out terrible creatures. So far none have spawned near our caravan but my blood freezes when I hear that terrible crackling. Should one be close enough, gods know none of us will survive."
After a week the caravan arrives in the outskits of Instari. Von Stutgaard writes then:
"For the first night in what feels like forever, I dare to feel hopeful. The night lights from the city twinkle peacefully as the stars we lost. Tomorrow morning I'll start looking for Felicity, whom I haven't seen in years and miss terribly. Maybe then I'll finally be able to start my life anew"
This hope wouldn't last long, as his arrival to Instari would coincide with the opening of the Divine Door, which left the city in disarray for months to come, and posed an immediate danger to everyone in the city for the following days. Thus Von Stutgaard was forced to flee the city the day after he arrived. He continued with the caravan Westward towards the Sacred Kingdom.
"The most rotten luck has befallen me. It seems everywhere I go misery follows. Every step a new torment, a new tragedy."
About Daederhya he writes that the people seemed mistrustful and weary at the time. Great debate is still held about this lines, as they stand among the few testimonies from the days leading up to the kingdom's Crisis of 1414. Testimonies from the kingdom's citizens describe this days as peaceful, leading scholars to assume the attitudes described in Von Stutgaard's journal were due to the anxiety surrounding the escalating catastrophes South; mixed with Von Stutgaard's own pessimistic feelings at the time. However, Eldar's historic cannons describes several high end crimes committed around the kingdom that lead to the Crisis' culmination, leading some scholars to believe this period wasn't as peaceful, casting doubt onto the aforementioned testimonies. Later in life, as the first historic cannon was written, Von Stutgaard doubled down on this idea, even adding embellishments that are widely regarded as ahistorical.
Due to his own doubts, Von Stutgaard decided not to stay in Daederhya, choosing instead to follow the last of the caravan further North, looking to settle in Eldar, a small town North of Mt. Titan.
A small glimpse of joy finds Von Stutgaard during this travel, as the caravan is joined by an Excelian automaton. He writes:
"A most wonderful encounter! A compatriot of the most remarkable kind! Although some of his metal body was clearly rebuilt, most likely in Instari for the looks of it, he still shines the metal spark of Excelian engineering."
Sadly, the journal describes Von Stutgaard's attempts at bonding with the automaton "unsuccessful", as he was "not very fond" of Von Stutgaard.
The journal then goes on to detail Von Stutgaard's arrival in the then small town of Eldar. He writes:
"Eldar is truly a sight to be seen. Never have I seen such diversity, as the refugees here. I believed foolishly that Excelia had some of the most diverse cities. But being here there are species I've never seen before. Some I didn't even know existed. It is also a sorry sight. The sprawling tents and rudimentary refuges built spawn of the ground without order. The small town's infrastructure is simply not sufficient for this sudden influx of people."
Von Stutgaard decided to take upon himself the task of organizing the precarious encampments. He found relative success with the people from his own caravan, and those whom recognized the name of his master; and he found a resounding failure everywhere else.
It wasn't until he began construction of the old tavern (now demolished and replaced by the Northern Refuge Inn) that he gained some trust by the people from the encampments. As the first wave of refugees started to settle permanently in Eldar, many of them started seeking Von Stutgaard's advice as an architect.
He established the Square of the Exiled two miles South of Eldar's old town center with those who trusted him, designating a lot across the street from it for his own house and study. From this point on, he uses his journal almost exclusively for his work.
The journal shows hundreds of sketches: his plans for the new neighborhood, houses for the people looking to live there, as well as stores and workshops. Due to the lack of a registry at the time, and many of his buildings been demolished by the time the first census was conducted, it's unknown how many of this plans were actually built.
As the diverse crises throughout the continent only seemed to worsen, more people decided to settle permanently in the relatively peaceful town of Eldar, and most of them chose the neighborhood built by Von Stutgaard.
The journal reaches it's final pages near the end of the year.
"How impossible it all seems, looking back on it. I couldn't have dreamed of such a year, both the good and the terribly, terribly bad. To call it a nightmare it's to rob it of its power, for no human mind could ever be able to create such a thing. And yet now, I have found the comfort and the love within a community that so many in my field aspire and few ever reach. It is pointless to wish things were different, so I'll bask in whatever little happiness I can find."
"The new year has found me with more work I could have dreamed, and more than I can keep up on my own."
Von Stutgaard's journals take a turn after the first, focusing little in his personal life and experience and more on his works along the years. This meant most of his journals from 1415 forward span several years instead of a single one, as the first one did.
1415 finds the architect, as the quote above suggests, overwhelmed with work; this is why he decided to take an apprentice. In February of that year he chose Rick F. Wheatsly, a then 17 year old from the city of Lixen who fled to Eldar with his family the year prior. Wheatsly's father was a carpenter and both men worked closely with Von Stutgaard erecting the new neighborhood. Von Stutgaard said of Wheatsly:
"Young Rick is a most clever boy, with a great eye for space. He always seems to know the exact size a room is ought to be, or how to best fill one that is already built. And although he often falls into the trappings of convention, his creativity and ingenuity have shown promise when I urged him to think 'outside the box', so to speak. I take him under my wing with the hope- no, with the absolute certainty, that he'll soon make an architect better and brighter than myself"
The town of Eldar was changing quickly at the time. More and more refugees left looking to rebuild their homes, and more came seeking refuge from the still ongoing crises. The situation worsened whith the Civil War that ended the Thermalia Alliance. With Vaalir invaded, Excelia and Daederhya in their worst political struggles in centuries, and Luthien dealing with the fallout of Evellyaf's resurgence; the small town of Eldar, protected my the behemoth that is Mt. Titan, was the last peaceful place in the entire continent. It is calculated that two to four thousand people relocated to Eldar between July 1414 and June 1415. But even with that constant movement, the worst was still to come.
"An emissary from Luthien arrived with news that are... frankly overwhelming. Five thousand people are to be reubicated in Eldar by the end of next year. The town doesn't even have the infrastructure to hold it's current population, if not handled well, this can become the greatest crisis this side of Mt. Titan."
A council was formed to address the situation and, thanks to the popularity Von Stutgaard gained among the newcomers, he was chosen to lead the design team for a massive expansion. Von Stutgaard seeked representatives of as many social groups as he could. He writes:
"My objective is not to build a city for those that are to arrive shortly, nor to create rigid districts for different groups. I believe in an Eldar that is as diverse as it's united, and I believe it can only be possible with the cooperation of everyone."
Von Stutgaard, along with Wheatsly and the occasional help of the council; spent the rest of the year working only in the new distribution. When 1416 arrived it found streets paved in stone, all new disposal systems for the town, old and new; and the Blessed Hope Hospital, Wheatsly's first build on his own; half built. By August 1416, when first of the displaced arrived, they found fully furnished houses waiting for them.
What was once a small town separated from the world suddenly became a splendorous city. Von Stutgaard's plans didn't stop with the nearly ten thousand people it had by 1416, the city as he planned it could house up to three times that size, and would be built in steps in accordance to it's population. On top of Wheatsly's Blessed Hope, the city was equipped with several building for public use including: the House of Representatives for Eldar's council, the Seaside Theater, the Titanfoot Park (now the May Saleswager Park; not to be confused with the current Titanfoot National Park); and the original building of Eldar's First School (now Eldar's First University). All of this designed by Von Stutgaard with Wheatsly
As his projects were well on their way, a new interest started occupying Von Stutgaard's time. In the latter half of 1416, among the newcomers he'd meet Rosa del Valle Morán, who would become his wife not a year later.
The next three years would be relatively quiet for Von Stutgaard, while the movement of people slowed down and he'd dedicate most of his time to his new family. He writes little in this time, as his intentions with this journal were strictly architectonic. Most information from this years comes from his last journal, in which he reflects on his life after his retirement.
By 1420 there was still a steady arrival of newcomers, but they were no longer refugees but middle-class citizens looking for opportunities in the now thriving city of Eldar, and even higher classes looking for vacation houses by the beach. For several years, Von Stutgaard's original plans were sufficient to keep with this growing population; but he saw this plans would soon become obsolete. This and the requests to take apprentices both Von Stutgaard and Wheatsly were receiving at the time, made Von Stutgaard decide to take the next generation of Eldar's architects into his own hands. Wheatsly and him started to plan for the Institute of Architecture back in 1420, both in it's curriculum and the building itself. These plans were slow as both man were very busy; Von Stutgaard with his family and Wheatsly with the Independist Movement, which he was one of it's first spokesmen; and both of them with their ever increasing workload.
"As I see it: The need for an architect in this city is already too large for myself to meet; and soon will grow tenfold. If there is something I can learn form my success in planning the city's expansion, is that one must be several steps ahead of the circumstance. This circumstance is already catching up to me, so I must act fast."
The Institute's curriculum was finalized by late 1423, but Vaalir's government refused to recognize it as an official institution, citing their own inability to send inspectors for the time being as the cause over and over. This ended up pushing Von Stutgaard to side with the Independist Movement, something he had stayed neutral up to that point. He published several essays declaring his allegiance to the movement, which would push it's popularity even further. The essays proved surprisingly effective within Eldar's native population that had felt Vaalir's negligence all of their lives.
"...They keep wasting our time with bureaucratic excuses, but anyone can see through their lies: they are jealous and fearful of our progress. They can no longer control Eldar and they retaliate in whatever petty way they find. Well soon enough they'll find none."
Eldar declared it's independence from the kingdom of Vaalir the 12th of May 1425.
Rumors claim Von Stutgaard was invited to sign the declaration of independence but he refused, but this claims were unverified. While it's possible, as he was a well established figure within the sphere of politicians at the time, there is no record from either these politicians nor Von Stutgaard himself that this was ever considered.
One of the first acts of Eldar's new government was it's full recognition of the Institute of Architecture as an education body. It also codified into law the work of an architect, making apprenticeships obsolete as a teaching method for the craft.
In July 1425, the Institute started operating, still in Von Stutgaard's and Wheatsly's study. It's first students were Raoul DuPlaix, Benjamin Schroist, Barbara McMiller, Velma Diaz and En'si of-the-quick-hands. The design and construction of the Institute's Garden Hall would fall to them, and that would be considered merit for graduation. Garden Hall was the Institute's first and only dedicated building until 1453 when it joined the EFU and became the College of Architecture.
The remaining pages of this journal is dedicated to Von Stutgaard's notes regarding the Institute. He writes:
"Many plans we've made fastidiously for years simply came apart when we put them in practice. Truth is neither Rick nor I are educators, although we're trying desperately to become ones. We were truly wise in choosing a small group for our first year; and equally lucky in finding a group so enthusiastic in learning, as well as patient in my deficits as a teacher."
The next batch of students started in August 1428, only when the older students were able to help teaching them. From this point on, the Institute accepted new students every year, although it's organization would change drastically once Breugh joined it in 1433.
In May 1433, the Institute of architecture saw it's second batch of graduates. By this point, Von Stutgaard and Wheatsly realized their plans for the Institute weren't working as they wanted.
Even though the Institute could now accept new students every year, the number of students it could take remained terribly small. The city had now outgrown Von Stutgaard's original plans for it, and him along with his students had more and more trouble keeping up with more and more expansions to the city, on top of their work in the Institute.
For this, Von Stutgaard decided he needed a radical change if he were to continue with the dream of educating a new generation of architects. The change came when Mikeel Breugh joined the Institute.
Mikeel Breugh came from Marit in 1416, escaping the war with his family. He had studied arts before his exile, and he had occasionally worked in architecture both before and after his arrival in Eldar, although he was self-taught in this discipline. In 1423 he joined Eldar's First as an arts teacher. In this time he continued his work in construction, even designing Seaside Theater's new front after it was nearly destroyed in the fire of '32. It was during this project that Breugh and Von Stutgaard became friends, after years of knowing each other only in passing.