Henjin_Quilones

Book II, Challenge V, Category C: Historica United

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Historica United

A story illustrated by builds, for Category C of Challenge V of Book II. 

 

Like most of the Category C entries, this is a picture- and story-heavy post, so it may take some time to get through. I hope it will be worth your while. 

 

Part I: In the Halls of Hesperia

The story of the beginning of the end has been told elsewhere, in the tales of the build-bards of old, of intrigue, murder, magical items, quests, and alliances. Thus this is not the beginning of the end, but the beginning of the end of the end, if you follow. And the beginning of the end of the end begins in one of the furthest corners of Historica, in the far west of Avalonia, in one of the last remaining pockets of High Elves in the known world, the Kingdom of Hesperia. High Elves seldom get involved with the affairs of men, yet in times of the greatest peril they will venture forth with their glittering array of armor and gilded weapons. This is one of those times, with the threat of Raavage and his magically-unleashed threats of doom for all the living, and yet it is not so simple for the King of Hesperia, Fingolë the Golden. 

In his halls in his summer palace, at Istolia, he met with his trusted advisers, his two eldest children, Falaria and Fingalad.  Suddenly, ignoring his guards, his youngest daughter, Galaria, and several others burst in.

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"Father," cried Galaria. "You must listen to me!"

"And why should he listen to a child as rude as you?" retorted Falaria, speaking in place of her father, who sat on the throne glowering at his impetuous, almost wood-elf daughter. 

"Surely you have heard the message that Celdrian has brought?" said Galaria, gesturing to the blue-clad Eagle-Rider beside her.

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"Of course I have," spoke the king. "But neither he nor you were invited to this meeting, were you? And is that a human in my presence?"

"Yes, Father, it is. This is Henjin Quilones, a knight of the Druidi Order, whom I found while on patrol in the forest. You also saw the fireball flying through the sky, did you not? That was his arrival, and the sign that the fulfillment of the prophecy is at hand. The true king of all Historica returns!"

"Bah!" exclaimed the king. "A druid he may be, or perhaps not. I have no use for humans, nor dwarves, nor even lowly wood-elves. Begone from my presence! And think well before coming before me again uninvited, Galaria, my daughter."

"May we have permission to search the library of the palace here, Father?" Galaria asked before leaving.

"Search all you want, just do not disturb my councils again!" shouted Fingolë. 

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__________________

 

"A charming fellow, your father," said Henjin when they were safely in the library. 

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"Indeed," agreed Galaria. "I would like to say that he takes some getting used to, but even after four hundred years I am still not used to his arrogance and pride. He is obsessed with the proper place of the High Elves, and as the years go by he thinks less and less about what is good and true and beautiful in the universe, still less about the fate of Historica."

"Are you sure this is the proper section of the library, Galaria?" asked Henjin. "These stacks are palatial; I have never seen such books and scrolls in my life."

"Well, whatever else can be said of my father, he takes it very seriously to have a record of every book, parchment, decree, spell, recipe, or anything else ever written in the four lands, and beyond, in his libraries. There are plenty of maps here, but which is the correct one?"

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"We need something referring to a helm, the Necromancer's Helm," chimed in Celdrian, the messenger, who had joined them in their search. 

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"I thought there was just a battle over helms a few years back," said Yavenna, Galaria's most-trusted elf-scout. 

"That was the Elemental Helm, this is the Necromancer's Helm," corrected Galaria. "Very different, though both helms."

A shout came from the balcony level and the others saw Henjin waving a tattered scrap of parchment over the railing. "I have found it! This scrap tells of the location of the Necromancer's Helm!"

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"Quickly, then, let us compare it to the maps and mark the place where the Helm may be found," said Galaria. 

"Then what?" asked Yavenna. "What do we do when we know where the Helm is?"

The group fell silent. They had not thought that far ahead. Henjin joined them below and they stood around the table in the library, pondering. 

"We need some way of neutralizing the magic of the Helm, I think; something to control the arcane flows that radiate out from a magical artefact like that."

Celdrian looked up at the druid in surprise. "Did you say 'arcane flows'?"

This time it was Henjin's turn to look surprised. "Yes, I did. Why?"

Celdrian smiled. "I know just the people who specialize in the regulation of arcane matters, on a very practical and technical level. Make a copy of the map and everything we know about the Helm, and I will bring it to Zotharith and Onicimus; they will know what to do."

"We also need to have the armies of the various guilds ready to fight, in a unified front against our different, and yet united, enemies," said Galaria. 

"I will bring letters to leading men in the guilds, telling them where to bring their troops and when, while I am on my way to deliver the map to Zotharith," said Celdrian. "Aeriglaaac flies faster than the wind, so we can have it done in no time."

"When you are done, return here and collect us," added Galaria. "We still need to make sure the True King can retake his throne."

 

Part II: Heroes Assemble

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And so Celdrian mounted on Aeriglaaac the Great Eagle and visited the four guilds, bringing messages to leaders far and wide. 

As he flew eastward over the forests and plains of Avalonia, he stopped in Eolas first, to deliver the message to the Maestro:

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Soon he met deGothia in the halls of Sionnach:

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Then he flew north across the mountains of Mitgardia and visited Fin of Terydian on the edges of the tundra:

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Sir Glorfindel was next, near the gates of Nordheim:

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Then the mighty eagle flew on the back of the North Wind, faster than the currents of aether, and was soon in the lands of the south, in the Guild of Kaliphlin, where he stopped in Barqa to meet the half-elf Lord Gideon:

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Katoren was next, with the Lord Aymeri greeting him by the gate:

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Finally he flew further east to Nocturnus, and visited Lord Vladivus at Shadowmere:

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A stop in the lowlands near the Reach allowed him to visit Gal-Turok, Leader of the Goblin Clans:

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After many miles, though only a few hours aloft, Celdrian and Aeriglaaac circled down over Zotharith. 

 

Part III: Zotharith Council Meeting

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In Zotharith, a council meeting was underway, with Exetrius standing in for his father, Onicimus, who was busy tinkering with his gadgets far beneath the city. That such an inexperienced and low-ranking member of the Order should be leading a meeting rankled some in attendance, but all held their tongues out of respect for their leader's wishes. Exetrius called them to order. 

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"If we could find the Helm, my father thinks that we have both the manpower and the technical knowledge to disable the Helm and its magics," the white-haired mage said.  

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"But what of Raavage?" said one of the others in attendance, General Zeruko Urima. "My armies are well-trained and well-equipped, but I am not sure they are ready to face the dreadful power that is Lord Raavage."

"Even Raavage cannot defeat an entire army of warrior-mages, General," replied Exetrius. "We will bring a combination of your warriors and some of our best mages, so that we shall not fail. We will also be provided with several of the arcane-regulation devices that link up to the core that my father has been building, which should, if the calculations are correct, neutralize the artefact entirely. If only we knew where it was!"

At that moment, Celdrian knocked at the door and entered. 

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"I think I can help you there, young Exetrius," said the elf-messenger. "My friends have pored over the extensive libraries of Hesperia and discovered the location of the Helm you seek. They have included instructions in that letter, and marked the place here on the map in red."

"Thank you, Celdrian, and may the wind be ever under Aeriglaaac's wings."

"May your mana never run short," said the elf as he bowed out. 

"We start tonight!" cried Exetrius after the elf had left. "We cannot afford to waste even one day in this quest, since Raavage has already had several days' head start. Let us go!"

 

Part IV: The Great Battle of Historica

While the Zotharians were travelling to the location deep beneath the Rakath Mountains that held the Necromancer's Helm, the armies of Historica were on the march, too. From every guild, from every race and people, the armies came forth. The enemies of the guilds also marched forth, drawn by the reports of spies that the guilds were gathering. And so the battles were fought between the armies of the four guilds and their deepest enemies, enemies united behind the banner of the Black Spire.

 

The Battle of the Moruth Highlands

In Nocturnus, Gal-Turok led his goblin armies in the charge in the Battle of the Moruth Highlands, joined by the armies of Anfauglir, Lord Vladivus, Anzar the Dragon Master, and Lord Jorrith, among others. The press of black horses against the charging Uruks of the Hand of Corruption carried the day, despite the chanting of witches giving the Uruks strength. The charge was glorious and valiant, and the army of the Resistance won the battle, scattering the remaining Uruks in every direction, to be picked off one by one. 

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The Battle of the Shifting Oasis

In Kaliphlin, it was the Barqan fire that won the day, burning through the armor and flesh of the High Council troops who had joined with the Spire. Not all had, and many within Kaliphlin chose not to fight at all, as the scars of the civil war were still too fresh; but those patriots who desired peace and the return of the True King to Cedrica bared their blades and fought with those who wished for dissension. In the shifting sand dunes outside of the famed Shifting Oasis, the two armies met, and the High Council soldiers, and the occasional orc, were routed. Led by soldiers of the Desert King, Barqa, Katoren, and Khadira, the armies loyal to the cause of the True King rode off victorious. 

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The Battle of Crystal Tarn

In Mitgardia, the Algus were stopped once and for all at the Battle of Crystal Tarn, when the Mitgardian men, led by Sir Glorfindel, Lord Fin, Sir Gunman, and Davok Shieldbasher, among other great northern heroes, and an army of dwarves met the onrush of the mysterious ice-people. Despite the blasts of cold and ice launched by the sorceresses of the Algus, the Mitgardians stood strong with their dragon-forged steel and destroyed their enemies. 

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The Battle of Green Leaf Pass

In Avalonia, the Drow armies were annihilated at the Battle of Green Leaf Pass, with not a twisted dark elf left alive. The Flight of Dragons, led by Lords de Gothia and Alric Drondil, together with the Maestro and Brandon Stark, some elves, forest men, and one strange half-elf, charged up the pass and broke through the Drow lines, and Laesonar did the rest with a few well-placed leaps and swings of his katanas. The back of the Drow army was broken, and it would be years before they could muster another army and pose a threat to anyone. 

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All of the free peoples of Historica were participants in the Great Battle for Historica, fought on many different fields but all joined together in one spirit. 

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Part V: The Chamber of the Necromancer 

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Meanwhile, beneath the Rakath Mountains, Lord Raavage finally reached the crypt that held the Necromancers helm. 

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The only problem was that instead of one helm, there were eight. "Which one is the Helm I seek?" Raavage muttered. "Which one is it?"

He reached out to first one, then another. Each felt distinctly magical, but he could not tell which was which. 

Behind him he heard a noise, which caused him to turn around to see who had made it past his guards. It was those infernal Zotharians, the mages who refused to join him despite his many threats. No matter. They would be dealt with once he had the Helm. 

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"Raavage!" the white-haired one in the front shouted at him across the chamber. "Step away from the Helms and we will not hurt you."

"Ha!" snorted Raavage. "Hurt me? You? A half-grown, 39th-ranked mage? Did Zotharith have no one better to send? Did Daddy not want to come himself, so he sends his little runt in his place?"

"I am not alone, Raavage, as you can see. I have behind me some much more powerful mages than I, and what is more, I have the knowledge of which Helm you seek, which, from the looks of it, you lack."

Raavage growled. 

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"How can you be so sure, Little Mage? Did Daddy tell you?"

"No, an Avalonian druid and elf princess did, after studying the lore available in their library. It is really quite amazing what you can learn if you read, I hear. Not that you would ever bother with such mundane matters yourself, I am sure, being a big, tough beast like you are."

"Grr! Which helm is it, Zotharian?"

"The helm you seek will call out to you, if you listen. But be warned, Raavage, the lore says that if you choose the wrong Helm, it will destroy you utterly."

"Are all of these fake, then?" growled Raavage. "Except the one real one?"

"No, they are Helms of different powers, but they are not powers for the likes of you and me to tamper with."

Raavage turned his back on Exetrius and felt along the alcoves with his magical intuition, seeking the call that the Zotharian had said he would feel. He was not sure why he felt that the mage was trustworthy, at least in this matter, since he seldom trusted anyone for anything, but he did. At last, feeling over the second-to-last helm, he felt a small tug. Nothing much, nothing he would have noticed if he were not on high alert, but it was there. He lifted down the helm and began to laugh. 

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"The power is mine! After I don the Helm, I shall slay all of you and raise you back up, and you shall be my undead slaves!"

He put on the helm, still laughing.

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But his laughter soon turned to a scream, as the powers of the helm he had donned began to age him and rip apart the fiber of his being. His fur turned grey,

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and then white,

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and then all his flesh wasted away until he had nothing but a skeleton remaining.

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The body of Lord Raavage fell to the ground, lifeless, his soul sucked from him by the Helm he had chosen. 

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Even the bones vanished, leaving nothing but the Helm and the armor of the once-mighty lord. 

Exetrius and two of his companions came forward, carrying arcane devices. 

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"It worked, just like you said it would," one said. 

"All we had to do was use the device you are holding to alter the flow from that helm just enough to make him choose it," Exetrius said. "It was rather simple after all."

"What does the other device do?" said the other. 

"That will close up this cavern and lock it into another dimension, inaccessible to Historicans again. Let's get out of here and activate the device. Raavage is defeated."

 

Part VI: The Throneroom of Cedrica

"Are you sure the King is in here?" asked Henjin as they stood outside the door. It had been recently repaired, it seemed, and the mortar was barely set around the new hinges. There had been no king in these halls for years, and some work had been necessary to get things back in order. 

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"Yes," said Celdrian. "The King is in here, as everyone has told us."

"Very well, let us enter."

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To Henjin's surprise, however, it was not a King who sat upon the golden throne, but a Queen. A young, very beautiful queen.

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"Welcome, my friends," the Queen said in a gentle, mellifluous voice. She stood up and came forward to greet them, and they bowed before her.

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Henjin proffered his sword to her, and she accepted it kindly. "Your sword, Knight Henjin Quilones, of the Druidi Order, I accept and return to you. Bear it well, for me, Ylspeth, your queen, and may you always fight for the cause of truth, justice, and right."

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"I shall, my queen, Your Highness."

"You have done me great favor by bearing tidings to my people, allowing our armies to overcome on the field of battle, and our mages to overcome in the realm of the arcane," continued the Queen. "I shall bestow upon you whatsoever you wish to show my gratitude."

"I wish nothing, my Liege, save to be counted among those loyal to you," said Henjin. "That, and I would like to know how you came to be on the throne, alive, when all the rest of your family is dead."

Queen Ylspeth laughed, and it sounded like clear water flowing over rocks, like the the honeyed song of birds. "I shall tell you, then, Druid Henjin, but not here. I am parched, and the wine here has been awful without the proper government in place. Do you know the Grand Griffon Tavern? The proprietor, Master Gabbold, is an old friend of mine, and he keeps all the best in his cellars. Let us go thither and talk over some drinks."

"Do you mind if I bring a few friends?" asked Henjin.

"Not at all! The more the merrier!"

 

Part VII: At the Grand Griffon Tavern

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"When Henjin said a few friends, I assumed he meant a few friends," said Queen Ylspeth to Princess Galaria as they were pressed by the bodies of many sweaty warriors fresh from battle. 

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"Well, he has made connection with many folk from the different parts of the kingdom, so getting to know them all will be helpful for you," said Galaria. "In fact, Your Highness, in this room are many of the most important figures in your kingdom, all eager to hear your tale."

A voice somewhere in the room shouted, "Three cheers for Queen Ylspeth!"

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A loud cheer erupted from many voices.

Then the room grew silent.

"Thank you all for joining us here. Master Gabbold will be happy to serve you whatever beverage you like, and the tab is on me, so do not stint yourself. Aymeri, I see you drinking tea, you can get something stronger if you like. Lord Vlad, O-positive? Good. Many of you are wondering just how I came to be here. My father, the late king, was killed by Raavage soon after Revolword was deposed; the rescue party came too late. I, either by good fortune or bad, was away from Cedrica at the time; indeed, I was away from Historica at the time. I was aboard one of my father's ships, sailing from distant land to distant land, exploring the different islands, meeting new peoples. I hope that all of you have a chance to do so someday, as the world is so much larger than you think. It was my father who sent me, perhaps realizing the danger the kingdom was about to face, on my sixteenth birthday off to sea. One day, on an island far, far from here, away off west, I came across news of my father's murder. I wondered about the fate of my brother, fearing the worst, and the worst was confirmed at another stop. My mother, too, was cruelly butchered at the hands of Raavage. Knowing that I was not prepared to rule, and that to come back then would be suicide, I stayed at a western island, training with an order of warrior monks. They taught me their wisdom, gave me access to their library, and trained me in their manner of combat. When I was judged to be proficient, nay, a master of both wisdom and war, I came back. It seems I was just in time to inspire the last forces of good to make a stand, and to do so with success. My eternal thanks to you, my brave warriors, for all you have done. I am forever in your debt."

When the queen had finished, those in attendance gave another loud cheer and called for another round. 

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Lord Gideon, who had arrived late after grooming his horse, got his drink. 

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And as the talk went on, Laesonar, who had never moved far from the queen, finally managed to strike up a conversation with her. 

"So, Queen Ylspeth, are you seeing anyone?"

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"Not currently, no," she replied. 

"But surely you will need heirs to the throne, right?" the half-elf persisted, putting out the vibe. 

"I suppose so, yes, but I have not yet met the right man."

"You have met me, now," he said with a cheeky grin and a wink. 

"I am sure I shall have hordes of suitors lining up. Perhaps I shall hold a joust of some kind, or a contest, to winnow down the candidates?"

 

 

The end.

 

________________________________

................................................................

Wow, so if you read the whole thing, good for you, and thank you! I hope you appreciated it and enjoyed it. More pictures can be found on my Flickr page, especially of the battles. C&C is of course welcome. I tried my best, with the parts I had, to make as many sigfigs as I could, but I know that I missed many, many figs of some really excellent builders. Please take no offense at any omissions, as I assure you that no one was left out on purpose. 

I for one am glad this contest is over now, and I can go back to regular, leisurely building. And spending time with my family!

If this wins, by the way, Queen Ylspeth can be made easily with either Rey's face (from Star Wars: TFA, for fleshies) or Wyldstyle's face (from The LEGO Movie, for yellows) with Barbara Gordon's hair from The LEGO Batman Movie. I tried to pick elements that are currently available from relatively cheap sets (the hair is found in a CMF, for example,and Rey's speeder was only $20US) that will continue to be available (with more SW and another TLM in the works) for a while, while still being distinctive. 

 

Edited by Henjin_Quilones

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I think this is about the finest and most detailed build story ever!

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This is gorgeous man :drool:

The story is great, and as for the builds: my favoured must be the library, followed by the throne room (the horse mosaic is just crazy :wub:). The crypt is also quite cool!

Amazing entry overall man :thumbup: 

(also, did you draw inspiration from ZCerberus's Historica United?)

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Wow ! :wub:

Magnificent builds !

A unicorn mosaic !? Seriously !? You're a crazy builder ! :laugh: on a good way of course !

Excellent !

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Great Build and Story! Looks like, we both want a High Queen, to rule Historica, and we both kills Raavage with his pride :grin:

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Excellent, fine story, accompanied by the finest of MOCs - and many of them.

I like this very much, especially the notion of a united Historica.

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Wow! *huh*  What an epic series of builds... have you had time to sleep the past few months?  Your interiors are especially fantastic... so much to see - but that four part battle scene is really cleverly done too!  Amazing work!

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9 hours ago, narbilu said:

I think this is about the finest and most detailed build story ever!

Wow, thank you for your high praise, Narbilu!

7 hours ago, TitusV said:

This is gorgeous man :drool:

The story is great, and as for the builds: my favoured must be the library, followed by the throne room (the horse mosaic is just crazy :wub:). The crypt is also quite cool!

Amazing entry overall man :thumbup: 

(also, did you draw inspiration from ZCerberus's Historica United?)

Thanks, Titus! Yours was pretty awesome too. I am glad you like so many of the different builds, too. I wish I had had my new camera when I built some of the earlier builds, but they had to be sacrificed for the larger builds later on before I got it. 

As for Z's Historica United, if that was the winning entry for the end of Book I, then yes, I certainly took inspiration from it (the throne room was a pretty deliberate adaptation). I did not read it through carefully before building, though, besides checking for bits of lore to include. The name of the entries being the same is purely coincidental. 

5 hours ago, Faladrin said:

Wow ! :wub:

Magnificent builds !

A unicorn mosaic !? Seriously !? You're a crazy builder ! :laugh: on a good way of course !

Excellent !

Thanks, Faladrin! I felt crazy after I started building the mosaic, that's for sure. Originally I intended to make it the whole unicorn, not just the head, but space constraints put the kibosh on that, and I settled for the head. 

4 hours ago, kahir88 said:

Great Build and Story! Looks like, we both want a High Queen, to rule Historica, and we both kills Raavage with his pride :grin:

Indeed we do. It seemed more likely to me that any surviving children of the old king would be girls, rather than boys, due to the way threats to security are often viewed. Thanks for the compliments!

3 hours ago, Captain Braunsfeld said:

Excellent, fine story, accompanied by the finest of MOCs - and many of them.

I like this very much, especially the notion of a united Historica.

Thanks, Cap! I am glad you like it all. Historica should stand together, especially as we learn more about the world beyond our shores. 

2 hours ago, Kai NRG said:

Wow! *huh*  What an epic series of builds... have you had time to sleep the past few months?  Your interiors are especially fantastic... so much to see - but that four part battle scene is really cleverly done too!  Amazing work!

Umm, quick answer is no, I have not slept as much as I should have recently... Thanks, Kai!

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Holy Goodness.. HQ, all this is amazing! :wub: I don't even know where to start from. Overall, the amount of builds is simply WICKED, I have no idea how you managed to build this much and with such clear thought in mind - you have obviously thought things through very carefully. As for the builds themselves, I reckon there are some of your best ones to date in here, the details in each one of them are stunning, from your peculiar elvish architecture, to the stained glass windows (I can't tell how you built the ones in the library..), the tail of the great eagle, the wall with the helms, the mosaic on the floor of the throne room, the throne itself and even the ale mugs (nice touch with that 1x1 round at the bottom!).

But there is more. I absolutely love how not only you included many builders' sigfigs, but also how you represented them, with your own style and yet replicating some iconic details for each one of the builders: when the messenger visits Maestro, we can see tilted and textured walls, sloped snow close to Sir Glorifindel, the Mitgardian banner for Fin, a dome above Lord Aymeri's head and so on, and so on. And there's also to mention the way you intertwined some of Exetrius' last builds (the meeting room, but also the unseen arcane core) with your own story. I haven't been here very long, but if you ask me, this represents and brings together very well and in a very cool way what has been going on in Historica over the last few months.

This is recalled by the title you chose: Historica United. This idea we can see once again in the 4 builds of the battles, the different landscapes of which are brought together seamlessly as they "join together in one spirit" (and in one build ^^).

All of this is sewed together by a brillant, well written story. And finally, guess what? There's a Queen instead of a King! :cry_happy:

.. am I biased because we can see Laesonar flying up twice, in battle and then when he start flirting with no one else than said Queen? Maybe a bit :laugh: but still, the rest cannot be denied :wink:

Seriously though, a wonderful job, HQ - you're gonna need to be proud of it :sweet:

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Wow! - another very impressive entry here, to start out with, that's simply a stunning number of builds! :oh:  The first two elf-ish ones have some very nice and appropriate color choices and architecture, and all the messenger ones are very nice as well (Sionnach probably being my favorite of those!)  As Kai and the others have said, the four-way battle is very clever, and the eight-helm dilemma is an excellent idea too (and a great build)! :laugh:

The last two definitely put this entry over the top, though - brilliant work with that throneroom, and the Grand Griffon Tavern is very nicely executed as well!  Altogether, a spectacular job! :wink:

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Okay, I might be a *bit* biased as well... :blush: Let's just start off as objectively as possible, then. 

Your builds are rock-solid, all of them! The Hesperian throne room and the library share a very distinct style, which matches up perfectly with its residents. What immediately catches the attention are the elegant stained glass windows and bright lighting crystals, but there are more unusual things to appreciate here! Great use of the golden blades on the pillars, somehow it gives off Egyptian and Asgardian vibes. NPU with the fenders and chains on the throne, too. I didn't notice them on first glance, but wow: those scroll cabinets! :thumbup:

I'm going to say this again: the Eagle (and wall section, too) are mighty majestic!!! 

You have captured a variety of areas from all across Historica with great success, in your series of messenger vignettes. My favorite would definitely be Gal-Turok's; the tree is intricate and beautiful which also reflects @Blufiji's personal style. Also, it is bizarre to see my build reproduced with 99% accuracy, for the sake of story! It's crazy, and I like it! 

The whole '4-seasons'-esque battle scene is a view to behold! Once again: superb work, translating the Book II lore and the guilds involved into vivid individual scenes, which look even better when connected together (geographically correct configuration, neat!). :thumbup: I find the Mitgardian one to be the most impressive: the Algus, the pine tree and the hidden cave. 

Now, the Chamber of the Necromancer: beautiful. Deep beneath the mountains, surrounded by abyssal lava lakes, enclosed by bedrock, obsidian architecture à la @lisqr and @MassEditor. I can't think of a better stage for the darkest hour of the plot, then this one. It also serves as a fantastic backdrop for the Zotharian forces, it enhances their eccentric, powerful appearance, if I may say so myself. The dialogue in this part is especially well-written, seamlessly picking up on the Zotharian lore. I'm stunned that Exetrius has been granted such an important role in this turn of events, I am simply overjoyed, thank you! :blush:

(I have to rush my reply for a bit, as it is getting late..) Gorgeous work on the throne room of Cedrica: awesome mosaic, fantastic throne and banners, and one sweetheart of a Queen! :wub: The Tavern Inn has an impressive level of detail, too, and it's bustling with cheerful, carefree minifig activity. The scenario of the disappearance of the royal family is dealt with in an appropriate, plausible way. 

To sum everything up, I wholeheartedly support this addition to Historica's lore, you have delivered a truly magnificent entry, Henjin! High praise! :thumbup::thumbup: 

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On 5/1/2017 at 6:36 PM, en_zoo said:

Holy Goodness.. HQ, all this is amazing! :wub: I don't even know where to start from. Overall, the amount of builds is simply WICKED, I have no idea how you managed to build this much and with such clear thought in mind - you have obviously thought things through very carefully. As for the builds themselves, I reckon there are some of your best ones to date in here, the details in each one of them are stunning, from your peculiar elvish architecture, to the stained glass windows (I can't tell how you built the ones in the library..), the tail of the great eagle, the wall with the helms, the mosaic on the floor of the throne room, the throne itself and even the ale mugs (nice touch with that 1x1 round at the bottom!).

But there is more. I absolutely love how not only you included many builders' sigfigs, but also how you represented them, with your own style and yet replicating some iconic details for each one of the builders: when the messenger visits Maestro, we can see tilted and textured walls, sloped snow close to Sir Glorifindel, the Mitgardian banner for Fin, a dome above Lord Aymeri's head and so on, and so on. And there's also to mention the way you intertwined some of Exetrius' last builds (the meeting room, but also the unseen arcane core) with your own story. I haven't been here very long, but if you ask me, this represents and brings together very well and in a very cool way what has been going on in Historica over the last few months.

This is recalled by the title you chose: Historica United. This idea we can see once again in the 4 builds of the battles, the different landscapes of which are brought together seamlessly as they "join together in one spirit" (and in one build ^^).

All of this is sewed together by a brillant, well written story. And finally, guess what? There's a Queen instead of a King! :cry_happy:

.. am I biased because we can see Laesonar flying up twice, in battle and then when he start flirting with no one else than said Queen? Maybe a bit :laugh: but still, the rest cannot be denied :wink:

Seriously though, a wonderful job, HQ - you're gonna need to be proud of it :sweet:

Thanks, En_zoo! I agree that these are my best builds yet. I'm glad that the details were not lost among it all! It took a lot of time, a lot of thought, and a lot of sacrifice of other things to put it all together. I did my best to incorporate Historica as I have seen it in my time here, while also being true to what came before, giving honor to some of the more prolific/famous builders by imitating their styles, and trying to include as many sigfigs as I could in general. And I did my best to make the sigfigs look good - and ones with big personalities came out a bit, like Laesonar. Thank you for your praise!

On 5/2/2017 at 11:59 AM, Garmadon said:

Wow! - another very impressive entry here, to start out with, that's simply a stunning number of builds! :oh:  The first two elf-ish ones have some very nice and appropriate color choices and architecture, and all the messenger ones are very nice as well (Sionnach probably being my favorite of those!)  As Kai and the others have said, the four-way battle is very clever, and the eight-helm dilemma is an excellent idea too (and a great build)! :laugh:

The last two definitely put this entry over the top, though - brilliant work with that throneroom, and the Grand Griffon Tavern is very nicely executed as well!  Altogether, a spectacular job! :wink:

Thank you, Garmadon! I am glad you like them all, and the last two are the best, I think; at very least, the best photographed and presented. 

20 hours ago, Exetrius said:

Okay, I might be a *bit* biased as well... :blush: Let's just start off as objectively as possible, then. 

Your builds are rock-solid, all of them! The Hesperian throne room and the library share a very distinct style, which matches up perfectly with its residents. What immediately catches the attention are the elegant stained glass windows and bright lighting crystals, but there are more unusual things to appreciate here! Great use of the golden blades on the pillars, somehow it gives off Egyptian and Asgardian vibes. NPU with the fenders and chains on the throne, too. I didn't notice them on first glance, but wow: those scroll cabinets! :thumbup:

I'm going to say this again: the Eagle (and wall section, too) are mighty majestic!!! 

You have captured a variety of areas from all across Historica with great success, in your series of messenger vignettes. My favorite would definitely be Gal-Turok's; the tree is intricate and beautiful which also reflects @Blufiji's personal style. Also, it is bizarre to see my build reproduced with 99% accuracy, for the sake of story! It's crazy, and I like it! 

The whole '4-seasons'-esque battle scene is a view to behold! Once again: superb work, translating the Book II lore and the guilds involved into vivid individual scenes, which look even better when connected together (geographically correct configuration, neat!). :thumbup: I find the Mitgardian one to be the most impressive: the Algus, the pine tree and the hidden cave. 

Now, the Chamber of the Necromancer: beautiful. Deep beneath the mountains, surrounded by abyssal lava lakes, enclosed by bedrock, obsidian architecture à la @lisqr and @MassEditor. I can't think of a better stage for the darkest hour of the plot, then this one. It also serves as a fantastic backdrop for the Zotharian forces, it enhances their eccentric, powerful appearance, if I may say so myself. The dialogue in this part is especially well-written, seamlessly picking up on the Zotharian lore. I'm stunned that Exetrius has been granted such an important role in this turn of events, I am simply overjoyed, thank you! :blush:

(I have to rush my reply for a bit, as it is getting late..) Gorgeous work on the throne room of Cedrica: awesome mosaic, fantastic throne and banners, and one sweetheart of a Queen! :wub: The Tavern Inn has an impressive level of detail, too, and it's bustling with cheerful, carefree minifig activity. The scenario of the disappearance of the royal family is dealt with in an appropriate, plausible way. 

To sum everything up, I wholeheartedly support this addition to Historica's lore, you have delivered a truly magnificent entry, Henjin! High praise! :thumbup::thumbup: 

Thanks, Exetrius! I'm a bit biased, too! Your recent builds inspired me to think of the solution to the Raavage problem, so it was only fitting that your characters be the ones to take him down, since it was pretty clear that conventional warfare strategies would not be effective. I am glad you approve of my presentation of them! I'd like to think that all Historicans had a part in taking down the menace to peace and freedom, so it was only right to try to represent that in the story as best as I could. 

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After looking through all the builds and reading the story, I'm nearly speechless. The detail in your builds is just amazing and far beyond my current capacity, so I hope you don't mind me borrowing a few ideas. I also appreciate you using my sigfig, and am incredibly honored with having my sigfig lead the Avalonian army. Overall this is a great set of builds you have here. 

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Not even sure where to start commenting on this amazing blend of story and builds. It is easy to see that you put loads of thought, time, and effort into the whole entry.
I'll give some thoughts on each build, then move onto the overall story.

The Elven throne room does well at capturing the most important aspect of an Elvish scene: looking Elvish. Your use of color is unique, and effective while the textures and layout give a properly impressive atmosphere for an ancient realm :thumbup:

Good work tying the Library into the same style, and it's easy to imagine the scene as just a small section of much larger archives. Neat floor pattern, that is simple and effective.

Incorporating your previous messenger scene is logical, and a nice 'extra' illustration.

The cottage done in rickety style certainly is fitting for The Maestro, and stonework and tudor are both very nicely detailed.

Really nifty use of SNOT techniques for the pillar decorations in the Sionnach build :thumbup: I'll have to remember that SNOT plate border technique, it works really nicely and isn't something I would have thought of myself.

Fin's recruiting build is instantly recognizable as being influenced by his style via the base design, stone texture, and palisade. Plus that banner!

Nordheim's Gates certainly look like something I would build, and I'm intrigued by the use of neck brackets in the palisade. Do they connect the posts to the gateway?

Gorgeous roof and arch for Gideon's scene. Your use of engaged columns certainly helps spice up the wall :thumbup:

Neat combination of slopes and arches to shape the window in Katoren, and great work sneaking in the SNOT turntable fence design.

You made good use of turntables again for LV's room too. And those long curved slopes were incorporated very smoothly.

Quite a lovely tree in the next model.

The council meeting looks super accurate to the original, and helps establish this storyline by tying it into a previous MOC.

Having four individual battle scenes all connect to form an overall idea of the battle taking place in the guilds is super clever. Each guilds setting is excellent. I particularly like your depiction of Nocturnus with its spiky rocks, nasty tree, and creepy swamp. Quite beautiful trees and tundra landscape in the non-frozen portions of Mitgardia too :wub:

The Necromancer Chamber is quite possibly my favorite of all your builds here. Perfect architectural styles, lovely layout, and the helm's crypt area is simply magnificent :wub: Including a lava stream and some torches helps break up all the black, while maintaining the deep underground affect.

Cedrica's Throneroom is also massively impressive. That mosaic... :drool: Stunning details all around, from the floor to windows and furnishings :thumbup:

Taverns are an often built subject matter, but yours stands out with it's rafters, fireplace, and elaborate wooden paneling. The huge pile of capes in the back is a perfect finishing touch :laugh:

Your story fits into the established GoH lore very well, and gives a believable resolution to the Raavage/Spire threat. Having a queen rather than a new king is a neat twist.
Well done all around! :excited::excited:

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I saved this for my commenting for last, as I wanted to take the time to write something meaningful.  There are some really awesome builds out there for Category C, and out of all of them, this is my favorite.  The detail in each one is astounding.  I don't know how you found the time to do all of them, but there aren't any that feel 'thrown together' or put in as an afterthought.  The large and the small all look like you took your time and really thought about them.  On top of that, I am impressed with the way you were able to make each area of Historica come out in the colors and architecture.  I think my favorite part is the story that you crafted.  Very, very well done.

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On 5/6/2017 at 5:03 PM, Brandon Stark said:

After looking through all the builds and reading the story, I'm nearly speechless. The detail in your builds is just amazing and far beyond my current capacity, so I hope you don't mind me borrowing a few ideas. I also appreciate you using my sigfig, and am incredibly honored with having my sigfig lead the Avalonian army. Overall this is a great set of builds you have here. 

Thank you for your praise, Brandon! Use all the things you like; I know that I borrow stuff left and right from other builders, if it looks good. I am glad you approve of Lord Stark leading the charge, too! I tried to include as many sigfigs as possible of the more currently active builders, to emphasize how universal the struggle is. 

On 5/8/2017 at 5:09 PM, soccerkid6 said:

Not even sure where to start commenting on this amazing blend of story and builds. It is easy to see that you put loads of thought, time, and effort into the whole entry.
I'll give some thoughts on each build, then move onto the overall story.

The Elven throne room does well at capturing the most important aspect of an Elvish scene: looking Elvish. Your use of color is unique, and effective while the textures and layout give a properly impressive atmosphere for an ancient realm :thumbup:

Good work tying the Library into the same style, and it's easy to imagine the scene as just a small section of much larger archives. Neat floor pattern, that is simple and effective.

Incorporating your previous messenger scene is logical, and a nice 'extra' illustration.

The cottage done in rickety style certainly is fitting for The Maestro, and stonework and tudor are both very nicely detailed.

Really nifty use of SNOT techniques for the pillar decorations in the Sionnach build :thumbup: I'll have to remember that SNOT plate border technique, it works really nicely and isn't something I would have thought of myself.

Fin's recruiting build is instantly recognizable as being influenced by his style via the base design, stone texture, and palisade. Plus that banner!

Nordheim's Gates certainly look like something I would build, and I'm intrigued by the use of neck brackets in the palisade. Do they connect the posts to the gateway?

Gorgeous roof and arch for Gideon's scene. Your use of engaged columns certainly helps spice up the wall :thumbup:

Neat combination of slopes and arches to shape the window in Katoren, and great work sneaking in the SNOT turntable fence design.

You made good use of turntables again for LV's room too. And those long curved slopes were incorporated very smoothly.

Quite a lovely tree in the next model.

The council meeting looks super accurate to the original, and helps establish this storyline by tying it into a previous MOC.

Having four individual battle scenes all connect to form an overall idea of the battle taking place in the guilds is super clever. Each guilds setting is excellent. I particularly like your depiction of Nocturnus with its spiky rocks, nasty tree, and creepy swamp. Quite beautiful trees and tundra landscape in the non-frozen portions of Mitgardia too :wub:

The Necromancer Chamber is quite possibly my favorite of all your builds here. Perfect architectural styles, lovely layout, and the helm's crypt area is simply magnificent :wub: Including a lava stream and some torches helps break up all the black, while maintaining the deep underground affect.

Cedrica's Throneroom is also massively impressive. That mosaic... :drool: Stunning details all around, from the floor to windows and furnishings :thumbup:

Taverns are an often built subject matter, but yours stands out with it's rafters, fireplace, and elaborate wooden paneling. The huge pile of capes in the back is a perfect finishing touch :laugh:

Your story fits into the established GoH lore very well, and gives a believable resolution to the Raavage/Spire threat. Having a queen rather than a new king is a neat twist.
Well done all around! :excited::excited:

Wow, thanks, SK! Thank you for taking the time to break it all down. The earth tones seemed appropriate for the elves, and are something I hope to continue to incorporate into my Hesperian builds. The smaller builds for the individual builders were rather fun to make, as each of them challenged me to confront problems in ways other than my own natural instinct for building; there are so many different styles and excellent builders out there, so I tried to pay tribute to that fact in the series. The neck brackets do connect the additional posts, by the way, since it looked too bare with just the main posts around the doorway. I love the spinner base's versatility as a part, and so I have a bunch of them now! The battle scene turned out pretty well, as you said, and I tried to incorporate details that marked each guild as distinct. The Mitgardian trees are inspired by you and @Ecclesiastes, of course, two of the finest Mitgardian builders out there. 

I am glad you like the Necromancer's Chamber, as that one was one of the more difficult to conceptualize and execute, and even harder to photograph. It looked great in person, better than the pictures show, as all the black tends to blend together. 

Steal the mosaic! Improve upon it! Use it in other things if you like! Everyone in Historica can use it freely, and I would be honored to see it around or to hear that it popped up at conventions here or there. 

The pile of capes seemed fitting, given that most sigfigs wear capes, but inside people would take them off; somewhat obscured by the capes are the piles of weapons and other gear in the corner, too. There are a lot of sigfigs packed into that room!

Once again, thanks, SK! 

On 5/10/2017 at 0:46 AM, Grover said:

I saved this for my commenting for last, as I wanted to take the time to write something meaningful.  There are some really awesome builds out there for Category C, and out of all of them, this is my favorite.  The detail in each one is astounding.  I don't know how you found the time to do all of them, but there aren't any that feel 'thrown together' or put in as an afterthought.  The large and the small all look like you took your time and really thought about them.  On top of that, I am impressed with the way you were able to make each area of Historica come out in the colors and architecture.  I think my favorite part is the story that you crafted.  Very, very well done.

Thanks, Grover! High praise indeed! I am glad you like both the builds and the story, as both took time! I neglected some other stuff in real life to cram in as much building as I could, and, since I am a teacher, having Spring Break in there helped tremendously. Without the extension I would have been toast, though!

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Wow an amazing series of builds... I really like your "quadrabuild" but the throne room is my favourite. The colors at the stained glasses are superb.... Amazing job done. Also the mosaic at floor is Excellent.....

I really like builds with sigfigs, thanks a lot for including me too, really liked it! :laugh:

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I am ecstatic! All those builds! And how beautiful and lovingly created all of them are! I liked the eagle and the throne room the most and as far story is concerned, I also like the twist with the necromancer picking the wrong helmet. It's photo-transformation into a lifeless skeletal body is phenomenal. Once again, great job.

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A small question:

What torso is it you used for the queen in the last few pictures? Am looking for something similar...

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On 5/26/2017 at 3:52 PM, Gunman said:

Wow an amazing series of builds... I really like your "quadrabuild" but the throne room is my favourite. The colors at the stained glasses are superb.... Amazing job done. Also the mosaic at floor is Excellent.....

I really like builds with sigfigs, thanks a lot for including me too, really liked it! :laugh:

Glad you liked it, Gunman! I tried to include those whom I could, and the clone trooper face from The Clone Wars sets worked well for a fleshie Lurikeen face. 

On 5/27/2017 at 1:30 AM, kanethemasterbuilder said:

Exquisite detail and inspiring determination. Well done and thank you!

Thank you for the praise!

On 5/27/2017 at 5:28 PM, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

Every single piece is impressive and just perfect! :wub:

The whole mocs are gorgeous and the story board is amazing and perfectly combine with all the diorama :wub:

Glad you like it! It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun to build. 

On 5/28/2017 at 5:23 AM, blackdeathgr said:

I am ecstatic! All those builds! And how beautiful and lovingly created all of them are! I liked the eagle and the throne room the most and as far story is concerned, I also like the twist with the necromancer picking the wrong helmet. It's photo-transformation into a lifeless skeletal body is phenomenal. Once again, great job.

Thanks!

2 hours ago, narbilu said:

A small question:

What torso is it you used for the queen in the last few pictures? Am looking for something similar...

The torso comes from Poison Ivy from The LEGO Batman Movie. I got it with the Scuttler set (70908). It is one of my favorite torsos! 

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On 2017-5-1 at 7:38 AM, Henjin_Quilones said:

you can get something stronger if you like. Lord Vlad, O-positive? Good.

 How come I didn't catch this the first time I read this? :laugh:

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