LOL, You're not a heretic, It's only a matter of utilizing all the tools in your arsenal.

Nice modeling job.
I think the render is fine, try a different POV, even your crop area over the top of the house with the lead in from the foreground and a slightly pitched FOV from the ground. It'll give you that approaching doom feeling like a trick-or-treater. Maybe the moon in the BG too.

Check out my 999 Carrion Crest View Pic.

Glad you're still around.

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Ockham's razor- It's that simple