Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'nocturnus'.
Found 316 results
-
Previously on The Adventures of Lupin 'the Mad Dog' Vandimion : Part 1:The Mad Dog Part 2:Tally-ho! Part 3: No-Man's Keep Looking back I've led a pretty content life, married my childhood sweetheart from the village. Had to join the Avalonian militia for a while, but survived the few battles I'd seen and when I returned home bought a small plot of land, start a family. So I managed to build a hovel from the wood and stone around us, we didn't have much in the way of possesions, but we had eachother and that was enough for us. Until that accursed day, my mind was so foggy, like a darkness surrounded me and when I came to... She was dead, my dagger, her blood, something sickening, something twisted, did I kill her? I killed her?! Each night, the same dream, the same terror. Can only death redeem me now, do I still have a purpose in this mad world.
-
Previously on The Adventures of Lupin 'the Mad Dog' Vandimion : Part 1:The Mad Dog Part 2:Tally-ho! After a long, but also not too long! I'd say about medium long'ish and uneventful journey, our hero... erhm villian, no that's not quite right either... let's call him anti-hero for now, arrives at No-Man's Keep, a Drow stronghold. Acompanied by his loyal and trustworthy companion Lady. : Alright, managed to slip past all the guards unseen so far, just one of those things between us and the target now. Wait, why am I talking to a dog, oh well just got to be quiet and wack this guy... or gal... before it knows what hit it. : TALLY-HOOO!!! : Oh for ****'s sake! Who's side are you on anyway! After a long but not too long struggle with the guard... : Target aquired, Camilla Petalstorm, Witch specialized in Biomancy. : ... you talk ey, should've figured. Alright lady, and Lady, let's get out of here quickly before the other guards come rushing in. Alright ladies and gentlemen, as always I hope you enjoyed. Also as always C&C is always appreciated. Fun fact, Camilla was to have some dialogue here too, but then I forgot to take a picture of her and already broke down my entire photographing set-up without time to rebuild it T.T (Ps. Any Dutch people, please have a look at my Flickr stream.)
-
Book II: Challenge V - Category A (Alliance) - Wetland Delivery
MaasEffekt posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
Welcome! Would like to present my moc for the Book II: Challenge V - Category A, Alliance side. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wetland Delivery As the moon kept climbing, and the stars were shining over the dark, hazy wetlands of far eastern Nocturnus, a small wooden boat glided across the wild and hazardous region, called the Eight legged archipelago. Lothar von Vonnegut scanned the lush shore, and the waters for dangers thoroughly, as the edge of the land was getting closer and closer every moment. Only thing he could see over the side of the boat, was a big tree, with a scarlet magnolia near it. Some red fruit grew on the bush, the blood berry- but the man was unfamiliar with the flora and fauna of these parts. Couldn't identify the blazing stinger reed nor the rusty swamp sedge. - We are almossst theeere! Welcome to Bygone Bayou! - hissed his makeshift shady ferryman. An interesting fella with lime colored skin, and some red stripes at the sides of the chest. Had some garments, but not much. A green belt, and a few brown leather pads here and there. Sly and fishy visage. They ran into each other back in Skavenport, at the Black Knight's Inn. Lothar drank some good ale with his brother- in- arms there, before they parted ways. Their mission was the same, but their destination was different. And here he stood now, only a few hours later, on the island of Eeryland, the largest one of the archipelago north of the strait known as Street of Cerberus. In enemy territory, late night, alone, surrounded by a suspicious kind of a cold- blooded lad, who stated that he will get him to the Queen of Spiders, Lady Ashibikaashi. He loved every minute of these perilous assignments! Vonnegut carried an important message, which had to be delivered into the queen's hand only! But this was not an easy task given to him by his superiors in Shadowmere. Lord Raavage's forces patrolled these lands lately, and the soldiers of the Spire would commit horrendous things on a spy without any hesitation or remorse. Getting caught was not an option! - Who is that?! - raised the little bit edgy courier from his seat, because he spotted a shape of some humanoid on the shore. Couldn't make it out in the darkness but it held a spear, that was unmistakable. The boat hit land, with a slight impact, but Lothar didn't lose his footing, he stood solid in his black apparel, one hand behind his back, with a dagger in it, hid by his cloak. It was a cloak and dagger mission after all... - No need to worry my fffriend! He isss just a commuter offf mine! I will take him to the mahrrrket in Ssskavenport. Trades fruitsss of the ssswamps for thingsss hisss people needsss - answered the sketchy reptile chap from the front of the boat, as he finished up the docking procedures. - What are you talking about, scales?! You told me, you will guide me to Ashibikaashi! - the warrior of Shadowmere lifted his voice a bit. His shemagh covered some of his shock, and anger. - Relaxsss! I got you! I do not have a death wisssh to meet that ssspinner! By accsssident you arrive in feeding time, and you are finissshed... But! But! I know a perssson, he resssidesss clossse! Jussst get off the boat, and head eassst for a while! You will sssee a sssmall ssshelter! Sssearch for the light of the fireplace inssside! - Who lives there?! Speak, or i will cut out your forked tongue! - Captain von Vonnegut stepped closer to the slithering serpent to intimidate it a bit with his robust stature. - There'sss no need to get physssical! Pleassse!!! - Gutkeled the Tangled lives there, stranger! A feared, and rather mysterious person in these lands! I reckon he is some kind of elf maybe, with skin yellowish- greenish... His place is a short hike from here, but be wary! The night swamp is full of violence! Always be on your guard! - intervened the next passenger. Lothar slowly turned his head, took his eyes off of the snake, and looked at it- who still stood on the shore, with a sack in his hand, the spear in the other. It had some kind of back pack. The creature resembled a spider. - Gutkeled can get you safely to my Queen! - added the being, who had brown skin, beady yellowish eyes, two big white fangs, and wore some kind of grass, bones, and web as clothing. - And will he?! Out of the kindness of his heart, am i right? - leapt Vonnegut ashore, and he was skeptical at this point. Wasn't fancy of lies, deceivers, and changes of plans, and deals. Around him, the swamp was alive and well. Olive green sour snaketail grew everywhere. Between those some sprouts of lavender rush lived, and a magenta mangrove bush bloomed. Under them ebony vipers bed for the night. Couldn't sleep much, since a quag toad performed a concert for some hours now. - Have no idea. Would never approach The Tangled! I am just an insignificant fruitmonger for my kind. But you had the guts to come to these lands. Why stop now?! You don't look like a human, who backs down easily - replied the merchant. - Let'sss gooo! We mussst go! The tide is coming sssoon! - whissspered the ferryman anxiously. - I hope you two speak the truth! For your sake, and mine! - stepped Lothar aside to give way towards the boat. - Good luck to you! - said the spider guy, as he passed. - Keep your bootsss dry hoooman! - waved the cold blooded, as the boat slowly disappeared in the murk, behind a giant maroon cypress. Captain Vonnegut could clearly hear the high- pitched sound of the flying mourner mice, as they were eating a midnight snack of tasty bayana fruit. Above them a grey corbie had a nap. It wasn't aware, that a swamp spook lurked close, looking for its prey! Even the sentinel of the swamp, the brown cloaked glider raptor on the top of the cypress didn't detect its presence yet! The all alone man looked up, and spotted some kind of giant coccoon, hanging on one of the lower branches. He was fortunate, he didn't know, there was a giant spider's dinner in it. Only a few days old. A hapless avalonian adventurer. Probably his party couldn't made it much further neither... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The pictures: IMG_20170203_112758_3 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20170203_113011 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20170203_113153 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20170203_113232 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20170203_113435 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20170203_113646 by Erhard Maas, on Flick The characters: Thanks for watching! The moc's album on Flickr. -
The Exetrius Saga (13): Taking a stand, for Nocturnus!
Exetrius posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
Exetrius Saga 1: Fallen leaf 2: Message in Kyrrath 3: Equipment upgrade 4: Subjection of a legend 5: Family Dinner 6: Attack of the Hunters 7: Taking the Runestone 8: Supplies Arrive! 9: Festival of the Ranks (part 1) 10: Festival of the Ranks (part 2) 11: Festival of the Ranks (part 3) 12: The ranks are out! Episode 13: Taking a stand, for Nocturnus! Three weeks ago, a messenger from the west brought the word of the new heir of Cedrica to Zotharith. The prevailing mood was positive, but some warrior folk and a couple of small bounty hunters groups were clearly displeased with the unfaithfulness to the rightful ruler of the land, Lord Raavage. His influence in Zotharith had been minor up to this point, since its existence had been little known by the non-magical society. That is bound to change, for a city that is continuously growing in size, prosperity and strength... In the heart of the city hall, also known as Zotharith Headquarters, Onicius was leading a periodic council gathering. Onicius Minister of the Department of Magic, please fill me in on the latest developments of the crystal reserves. Have the stocks recovered from Festival of the Ranks yet? Durkon (Minister) Your highness! The total volume of crystals is exceeding the last recorded level, before the Festival of the Ranks, by one fifth. However, two thirds of this total volume consists of mere red crystals. I estimate that the total mana capacity will be around 62.500 equivalent spells, which is a decrease of two fifths. On a more positive note, we once again created purple crystals, which means that it should be possible to reach the power level of... Onicius I assume the matter is urgent? Damascian (Messenger) Sir! My apologies for interrupting the Council. In the town of Carakath, a dark figure, who claimed to be an archmage of the Black Spire, gave me this letter. I heard they have been recruiting lately... Onicius Thank you for your duties, Damascian, take a seat. As for the rest of this council gathering, we will continue at a later time, you are dismissed! The councillors quietly left the room. Onicius took the letter and looked at the seal, it was genuine... He went into cold sweat, put the letter aside for a moment. He took a deep breath, opened it and started reading. "... By order of His Majesty, Lord Raavage, rightful Ruler of all Nocturnus, each settlement in the Darklands is obligated to send armed and trained troops on His call. ... Zotharith is requested to deliver an army of 500 worthy men, trained and equipped. ... Any resistance shall be obliterated under His own hands. Hail Nocturnus!" It was as he feared... Onicius Damascian, summon the Order of Zotharith, whoever is in the city right now! General Zeruko, Taskmaster, 1st and 2nd Division commanders, Lady Asagrim, Ryo, my son, wherever he is hanging out these days... Also, I want Durkon to be chronicler of this gathering. ... This is of utmost importance, be quick! Two hours later, everyone had assembled in the overcrowded conference room. Onicius recited the letter. After the tumult had subsided, he continued. Onicius My esteemed fellow wizards in the Order of Zotharith, gentlemen, ladies. Lend me your wisdom! Today's decisions will inevitably carve out our fates, even that of the city itself. Give me a piece of mind. Zeruko was the first to speak. Zeruko First of all, an army of 500 strong is ridiculous! Theoretically, we would have enough men, but what would that mean for the city? Farmers, tradesmen, fishermen; they would become soldiers, but soldiers don't feed themselves. Kira Derisquar How about the equipment: helmets, chestplates, swords... iron, barracks, everything! Our resources are gravely insufficient to support an army that large, am I wrong? Ryo Kokoro Can't you use magic for that or something? Zeruko Look kid, it's not that simple. You need... The discussion was getting out of hand and everyone was talking at the same time. Onicius SILENCE! ... Alright, continue. Exetrius Eh.. If I may say something? .. Let us start with our motives. Is there anything we can gain from having Lord Raavage as our ally? Zeruko Our motives? I suppose we want to save our pride, Zotharith, from complete devastation.. We built this city with our own hands, a place where we can all research the ways of magic to our hearts content and become powerful wizards! This is our home, is it not? We may not be rich, but we have powerful knowledge, which we must protect from falling into the wrong hands. Exetrius Then, is it right to entrust Raavage with this knowledge? Sooner or later he will certainly find out that the true power of Zotharith is magic, if he doesn't know already. Deliora Asagrim Lord Raavage already holds a vast amount of power, but he craves for more. In his vanity, he would slay anything and everything that stands up to his ultimate dominance. Mark my words: Raavage will take down his strongest allies, one by one. It happened to Covenant Lord Anfauglir, and the same fate will befall the others; the Algus, the Drow and eventually the Archmage Senurhem... It would happen to us as well. Onicius But, even if Raavage himself will try to take our power for himself, perhaps we can at least retrieve knowledge and power of his allies for our own benefit. Imagine the incredible advancements we could make, if we were to lay our fingers on Drow magic, or Algus... Deliora Asagrim With all due respect, Sir, but do you really think, there will still be a 'we' after our submission to the Spire? He will shatter our unity! When we are all on our own, what would happen to our ambitions? Our powerlessness as isolated individuals would break our spirit. Fear, despair and the terror of war will bring us to our knees, enslave us to the iron will of Raavage, until all that's left of us are shells without soul. Are we going to accept this rotten destiny? NO! We must join the Resistance! Onicius Thank you, Lady Asagrim. .... I have made up my mind. We shall protect our city, not only for our own sake, but for the fate of Nocturnus! Henceforth, I, Onicius Centario, Leader of the Order of Zotharith, will ensure that Zotharith becomes the most powerful Resistance stronghold of Nocturnus! All Hail Zotharith! Hail the Resistance! Hail Nocturnus! To be continued.... in the next episode: Ride through Nocturnus Hello everyone, here's a pretty small MOC with a pretty big story! Altogether, it took me long enough, so I hope you enjoy! Anyway, now that the epic revelation is done, I can finally do my Cat. A: Rider build without spoiling the fun. Thank you for viewing/reading, C&C appreciated! Oh, I also took an overview shot, I know some of you can appreciate : -
Previously: Part 1:The Mad Dog Oh goody you've awoken, you'll be feeling much better now. A modernately fresh set of clothes and a new fasionable nocturian haircut always invigorate body and soul. Oh and I lifted that misty mind-veil that made you believe to be some Avalonian Noble Schmoble. But how rude, I have yet to introduce myself, Ravena, a pleasure I'm sure. ... What do you want from me? Oh deary it's not about what we want, it is about nothing less than your very destiny. Purapapaaa!!! You have the great honor and pleasure of having been selected as Slayer canidate! You will become our Champion. I have no insentive to become anybody's Champion, I only seek death now. The insentive, hehehehe, revenge... for your family!!! ... and as for death, you will find plenty of death on the road ahead. I killed them. Yes, and no. Would you not discover the truth, find awnsers and yummy delicious revenge hihihihi. No. Aaagh, well not wholy unexpected or surprising, but honey we have one final card in the deck. You will obey for now, or we will kill the last remaining things in this world you care for. Your younger siblings, we've got them and well let's just say they are alive for now. Hihehehe. *Tsssk* How cliché, but fine for now I will do what ever it is you're asking of me, know I'll kill you for this some day wench. Good, a will to live, for now you must gather some allies to aid you on your journey and unlock your latent power. First rest, tomorrow you'll depart to save a witch being held prisoner by Drow in No-Man's Keep, we have maps to lead you there and also supplies. We will keep an eye on you from afar but you'll also be joined by the first of your new companions, say hello Lady. Tally-ho! You've got to be... Tally-ho Tally-ho!
-
An Excerpt from Recorin Geni | Volume 8235 | Cometi Cycle 7634 | Wredurin (General Chronicler) Ringel IX "The great cometi has passed over the horizon yet again,and so begins the chronicle of Cometi Cycle 7634. The oredurin (Travelling Chronicler), Arcturin, has convinced the Ovesin (Council) to allow a small force to join him in support of an Alliance formed in the blazing upper. He says that all Inani need fear if the war for the upper goes the way of some Raavage. After much consideration, and Arcturin convincing the Ovesin that he will take records of all events which he observes in triplicate, and ensure that at least one copy returns to Vacunani, he was granted his wish. The Ovesin ordered the great drums to be sounded for the first time since the passing of my predecessor, Cassor XV nearly 40 cycles ago. Arcturin's group, however left via a side passage, so the Grand Portal of Lurtin remains closed, as it has for over 6800 cycles." It's nice to get a freebuild done! This is my first freebuild of 2017, and the first dive into developing the lore behind the Inani. Feel free to ask any questions, and C&C welcome!
-
A Poor Choice Of Mount [Book II Challenge V Category A]
Isundir posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
A Poor Choice Of Mount, Book II Challenge V Category A, Alliance Even with great haste, one can still choose his mount poorly, especially the insectoid-class monstrosities known most commonly as the Nocturian Antlion. These creatures while extremely fast and deadly are also extremely unsuited for riding. Welp, I put a lot of effort into this, so I REALLY hope that the judges will allow this entry given my peculiar and still unresolved situation. C&C is welcome. -
Hello residents of Historica! Would like to happily present my third moc. This is my second moc for GoH, and Nocturnus. (You can check the first one here, which is a vignette.) I built this moc in LDD first, because i've started to use that program not too long ago, and i am liking it very much. This way i can try a lot of things, and variations on a moc, and if i decide to build it in real life, i can save a lot on bricks, because of the parts list provided by LDD. I wrote a short story again, and continue to give you some background information on my character, Gutkeled the Tangled. Here we go! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Saga of Gutkeled the Tangled II. From the Cradle to the Vague I.: After Gutkeled the Tangled saved Cailleach Bheur, they agreed to team up and travel together temporarily. They headed south south- east, towards the coast. The mighty Kyrrath Mountains indicated the right direction for a while. Both of them could use the company, and it was safer together. Lots of nasty things were going on in the grim and dark lands of Nocturnus on any day, but now with the civil war raging, it was more than worse. Nobody was safe! Eventually they reached Skavenport, and paid for a ferry to one of the nearby islands, where Gutkeled had a small boat, and a cabin deep on the bayou. He invited Cally for a meal. - Cozy wee but an' ben ye got here! - took a looksy around, as she sat down. - Thank you! I've build it with my two hands! Carved it out of the wilderness here. Kind of reminds me of home! - said Gutkeled, and served some food, and refreshments. - How lang have ye been living here? - asked Cally before the first bite into a scone. - A few years i guess! Who counts, eh?! - smiled the taciturn man, with a face full of buns. - Come on! Whit are ye feart of, loon! Cat got yer tongue?! No gaun to sit here in silence, listening to yer munching! Tell me a tale from yer early years! Whit did ye dae as a bairn?! Where did ye live? - forced the vamp a story, so Gutkeled gave into it. - Okay- okay! Just let me collect my thoughts, and swallow my morsel! Those were eventful years of my life for sure. - sighed the man, then began. - When I reminisce about all those years, I see many things. Life and death strung together, like the meadows and forests in which we lived. There was family and adventure, but also solitude and uncertainty. There was laughter and joy, and there was also sadness, and tears. But even more than tears, blood was shed. And so many were left to their unadorned graves, unburied. But to me, death was just another journey. Through the darkness, which i'm striding unflinchingly into the unknown, on a path paved with gray stone. And after all, when I reminisce about those years, I mostly remember green. Endless forest on the West, began from an end, filled with magic. Mysterious, and proud folk with pointy ears shaped like mine. Eerie atmosphere all around, isles constantly covered in thick fog. Light drizzle falling on me face. Mother's long ginger hair dancing in the cool, early moring breeze, as we were scouting the trail father suppose to arrive with the rising sun. Sometimes you could catch the gleam of his sword's blade on a clear day... - Wus he a knight? Yer auld man? - Cailleach slid to the edge of her chair curiously, interrupting Gutkeled's monologue. - Well, he was a warrior if needed. Always in the heart. A wanderer, seeker of forgotten tales, poet on other days. He was from the frozen lands, all year snow and mountains. Long nights and ale contests, pale lights and pine forests. Leifr Bárðrsson, clansman. Son of Bárðr, and Þórunn - the yellowish green faced man described his father, and his background passionately. - Dinna fancy they norsemen. Their blood is somehow feels cauld. Brrr!!! Shiver runs doon ma spine just as ah think of it! Whit did ya put in ma medd anyway? Tastes like a wicked witch on a rainy day! - twitched the woman from the bitter beverage that her host introduced her to. - It's the blood berry, Cally! That is what gives its sourness, and the scarlet color. I call this marsh mead. Fremented it meself - smirked Gutkeled, and sipped some from his green goblet. - Now that ye mention blood, ah wull need some soon! Cannot live on mead, bannock and buns. No offense chiel! Ye're a good cook, but ah just need a wee bit of me poison if ye ken what ah mean! Don't we aw?! - grinned the hungry vampire, as her eyes lit up with a twinkle, and her fangs appeared in her opened mouth. - All right! All right! Let me just finish my meal, and then i'll escort you to somebody i know, and can help you out with your... needs! - capitulated Gutkeled, and started to destroy the rest of the contents of his plate. - Guid! Ca' canny now! Don't choke on it! On oor way, ye can tell me mair aboot yerself! - pried the lady a bit. She was interested in Gutkeled. Saw something in him. Didn't know what. Yet! Maybe potential, opportunity! One thing was for sure. He didn't look like an average tree hugger, or a frost- blooded. The skin, the ears... Was he some kind of drow, or elf? Was Gutkeled even his real name? And what was about with that death thing? Too many questions rose up in the mind of Cailleach Bheur, but she had to wait a wee bit to learn everything. She knew she must tag along! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The cabin in LDD: Original LDD version: hut001_6 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr In real life: Updated: IMG_20170131_130413 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20170131_130453 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20170131_130610 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20170131_130543 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr Interior: IMG_20170124_105217 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20170124_105253 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20170124_105324 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr Thanks for watching! C&C welcome! More pictures here!
-
: Woah man, can't believe they'd send out all this security for one prisoner, must be one helluva bastard this one. : Heh, you haven't heard sonny, this is non other then Lupin ' the Mad Dog' Vandimion. He's the talk o' all the towns. : Wha-what!? You mean that psycho who butchered his own family. : Yeap, they had to gag him. Wouldn't stop raving about being some noble lord, Reinhard o' Sternvale or something, guy's a complete nutter. And o' course, he be claimin he ain't done it. : Bah, if you ask me they should execute these freaks on the spot, what's with the Inquisitors though? : Well, I reckon they must suspect something occult or demonic be going on. All I hear say, he was found surounded by bits and pieces what was left of his family, covered in their blood. Wait, did you just hear someth-... Greetings all, made this in two hours today (due to time constraint 2 to 4 hours is about all I have to work on MOC's per week). I hope you like the MOC and the, albeit a bit grim dark, story so far. Due to not being a native English Speaker/Writer I find this method of story telling which I've taken from Andromeda's Gates to be the best way for me and I hope it'll be allowed. I plan to keep building a new story segment each week. As a bonus check out these Avalonian Inquisitors, the Avalonian Inquisition specializes in the hunting down of Demons, Blood Magic users (such as wicked witches) and other dark things that can not stand the light:
-
While Lord Nar Bilu spends his days rebuilding his city on Hemresa, he sends out his great great grandson (future Narbilu, or the Green Shade as he was named here) to try and find out what is happening in Nocturnus. Weeks passed, roaming the wild woodlands and swamps of Nocturnus ground until an anomaly appeared. Narbilu reacted somewhat startled at first, but quickly he recognised the ghostly form. It was the commander of the fallen Avalonian warriors. It only spoke a few clear words “War already started, take this home now, haste back”. It handed a letter to Narbilu. A bit disoriented Narbilu turned his head to see where the ghost went, but he had vanished in thin air. The ground beneath his feet started shaking and as Narbilu jumped aside a large bonelike monster erupted from beneath the soil. It hovered a few feet above the ground, patiently awaiting Narbilu’s response. As Narbilu saw that the beast meant no harm, he threw a rope around the neck of the beast and climbed his back. Swiftly the animal flew away, clearly heading west. Back home. For more pictures, check my FlickR account
-
Somewhere in the marshy outskirts of Zotharith... Ryo Kokoro leaves his home to attend an important meeting. ====================== Hi guys! I was visiting my friend, Jaapxaap, in the holidays. Of course, we wanted to build something, so we decided to do a collaborative build, to further expand the City of Zotharith. I was able to complete the house on the right just in time, except for a few smaller details. Credits to Jaap for the house on the left, the terrain and the photography! Building with Jaap's parts was great; currently, my own collection doesn't allow me to build even half of what you see here... Anyway, thanks for looking, C&C always appreciated!
-
Attention! Since it took me nearly a year to continue this story, recent events have overtaken me. Therefore, this story part takes place before MassEditor's prelude story that is linked below. All links are in chronological order. Make sure to (re-)read it! Glance into the future Three Ravens At the Black Knight's Inn The Resistance Unites (by MassEditor) When you ran out of coin, get out of here! the host had said. “Always the same sad business. No one treasures the value of a wise old man anymore.” Perry Ratchett mumbled into his grey beard, while he stumbled out of the Black Knight’s Inn. Aye, that old hoax of the heroic black knight defending a bridge against a king and losing all his limbs, one by one. That was a popular tale here in the East. The old wizard wondered how the people would react when they were told that this very story served as a shining example of chivalry and ideal courage in Avalonia. “I’m too late again! Foolish old dunderhead. “ Ratchett thought. He had never been an excellent wizard. Often he had proven himself not even an average wizard. But, after all, he was one. It was not a matter of the prowess as magician at all, he was just unfortunate enough to live in a wondrous world that offered as much kinds of ale, vine and liquor as it housed magical miracles. But now he was on a quest. He had witnessed what may would be and no it was on him, Peregrine Ratchett, the purple wizard, to prevent this city and its lord from ruin. He could see his course clear, the first time for years he felt the weightiness of his role in the world. He now had influence on the lifes of many. And although he was well aware of the immense threat to come, Perry silently enjoyed the feeling to be of some importance again. This wizard was back into business. As soon as he set a foot on the rough cobblestone the wizard had found for whom he was looking. Several armed men surrounded him, ensuring there would be no escape. A tall rat furred with brown and white hair approached. His look was strict and hard. But for those who were able to listen, his eyes would tell stories of grief and sorrow, deeply immured in an will of iron. The wizard recognized him immediately from his vision. “What is thy business in this town, old man?” the rat lord said. “I was told of a wizard arriving, speaking of great matters; dark menaces toward. Now all I see is a drunken vagabond, maybe hoping to be kept by my household in return for palmistry and other legerdemain. Do not dare to waste my time by trying to fool me.” The old wizard had expected mistrust. But this rat proved to be amongst that kind of stubborn beings who wouldn’t believe in dragons unless they recognised the smell of their burnt skin, or fur in such a case. He had to take care of what to say:”You may take me for a drunkard an impostor. And whilst I cannot deny my flaws I affirm you that serious wizardry is my business. I am Peregrine Ratchett. And I am called the purple wizard. And not only for the colour of my hat, I assure you. That is just frippery.” The lord of Skavenport kept his straight face, while his companions bandied inquiring gazes. A very uncomfortable silence spread and lasted far too long. Perry realised that this lord was still waiting for his explanations, either to be convinced or for having a reason to throw him into the deepest dungeon of the city; “I have come to assist you by the quest that lies ahead of you. For I have seen what may will be, and I say you there is no time to lose!” Osric Isentooth’s face became even more sceptical: “And what quest shall this be? Gathering my troops, march out with all the banners of red and gold waving in the wind? Many souls in Nocturnus call for this. No day that I do not receive requests for assistance from this lord and that village. I have no need for another supplicant to tell me about the sorrows that plague this land. I know them. Call the town watch and chase this vagabond out of my city!” The wizard rushed towards Osric:”The Lord of Shadowmere is calling for you! Will you deny his request?” The lord’s face turned angry: “You should have heard the rumours on your pub crawl. It is told in every tavern; Vladivus is dead.” Ratchett’s lips formed a grim smile: “He is alive. At least as much as his kind can be. You will see. Assemble Skavenport’s army, my lord. March out and engage the Black Spire. You are not alone. Raavage’s craft is to cloud his enemies’ awareness. The resistance is still strong. But you must unite your forces. Separating the last strongholds of the Darklands, destroying the remaining free peoples of Nocturnus one by one is the very intention of the Spire. Unite your armies, reclaim the East from Raavage, and the other guilds will join you. Because this fight is not the mere battle for Nocturnus. If you fail it will conclude the fate of all Historica. Tis the quest I have foreseen, the quest you will have to face up to.” Osric seemed to stare into an abyss, when he finally spoke: “All what you say... it either makes you an egregiously able wizard, or an equally able agent of my foes. Either way, I will learn the truth. Into the dungeon with him!” Perry felt that everything had gone wrong. While he resigned himself to a longer phase of soberness, a black hooded messenger arrived, bowed shortly before lord Osric, giving him a small piece of parchment, before heading away in a hurry. The rat lord looked at the sigil in surprise, broke it and unfurled the writing. It took him a moment to come to terms with it. Then he looked at the wizard and spoke: “Bring him to the castle. Host him in the keep, but do not let him leave it. And keep him sober.” He turned to his two captains, a rat and a grim looking sturdy human: “I have to leave the city. Lord Vladivus is indeed alive, or correctly: undead. A council will be held in Shadowmere. A council of the Resistance. I have to go.” “Alone? My lord! Every swathe of land between Shadowmere and the Grimwoods is occupied by the Spire. Damn it! Every single bloody stone in the Moruth has a Spire soldier guarding it!” the human said indignantly. “I have to go. And no time to lose. But I am well aware of the dangers such a journey involves. Therefore you will escort me, Dunstan. Why shall I fear a thousand Spire soldiers with you roaring at them?” Osric responded. Visibly amused the other captain began to speak: “I rest assured that you will make the journey without harm, my lord. My dear Sir Dunstan is no doubt the loudest man in Skavenport. But what are thy orders to me?” “You, good sir Aethelrat, will procure that an army in readiness will await our return. Gather supplies, lade war machines and keep the city’s fortifications operational.” Lord Isentooth commanded. Then he turned back towards the purple wizard: “I am still in doubt about your intentions. I will concern myself with you when I return. But for the time being I shall not call you a liar; war is to come. Allies are calling. And Skavenport shall answer.” ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________- So far, thanks for reading! And I am deeply sorry about the low photo quality. It's impossible for me to get the right lighting for such a weirdly angled build.
-
Hello! Would like to present my second MOC after my dark ages. (Sorry, i build like a 12 year old, twenty years ago.) (You can check out my first MOC here!) I joined Nocturnus a few days ago, so i decided to (try) build something not too big, because i don't have that much bricks, and it is easier to start small i think. So i had a little scene in mind, then it slowly changed and transformed into this final form. I made an order on BL, and built it. Sorry, i do not own a professional camera, so i just used my phone. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Saga of Gutkeled the Tangled I. Swamp Rescue: As dusk settled over the dangerous lands of Nocturnus, Gutkeled the Tangled was gingerly heading East, passing through one of the deadly, and smelly swamps to stay hidden from the happenings of the civil war going on his beloved homeland. He was just getting across a dodgy bridge, when he heard the murky water splashing, and a woman's screech as well! First he thought it is just a crow with its raucous voice complaining about something, somewhere in the dense vegetation... Wasn't good for his ears, i tell you that. Anyway, it was really a woman. Or something like that. His mama Leofflæd taught him well, to be a good and honorable man, and to be helpful, especially to ladies, so he decided to lend a hand to the stranger. Even if she seemed like a vampire, or should i say swampire. - Good evening Ma'am! Don't you worry, i will pull you out in no time! - shouted Gutkeled, whilst he cut down a long, strong vine with his sword from a nearby tree. No answer came, just panic, screams, and the swamp's greenish water stirred up even more. The young wanderer cautiously stepped on the edge of the bridge, and held the vine in front of the woman. - Grab it, and don't let go! - said Gutkeled in haste. He wanted this to be over as quick as possible, because above them on top of the tree, in its crown, two swamp spooks nested. Some people and other life forms called them bog bogeys, and those creatures didn't like anyone near their home! Especially noisy ones. Usually the female laid a crystal thingy on top of a tree, while the male caught and killed some lesser creatures, and took their souls to trap it in the crystal. A few nights later the next generation of swamp spooks were born from it. They were always born during, or after full moon, because the crystal needed to catch the moon's rays to transform the souls into those nasty little spirits. Although they were only preying on smaller beings, they could mess up Gutkeled with an attack, if they wanted to. They literally just fly through someone's body, or head, causing headaches, nausea, dizziness for long hours, or in some cases, days. - Almost have you! - Gutkeled managed to pull the woman closer to the bridge, then lay on his stomach, and reached down with his hand to grab her. Soon both of them were sitting on the bridge. Safe and sound. - Are you all right, Ma'am? - asked the man, looking at the soaked and wet, and needless to say malodorous bloodsucker. - Handsome, ye call me ma'am one more time, an' ah wull have ye for dinner! - voiced the exhausted woman, as she observed her savior. - Be careful, vampy! Your sharp tongue might cut your throat one day... - stood up Gutkeled, and put his left hand on his swords hilt. The woman immediately get on her feet too. - Please, before we get carried away, let me introduce maself! Cailleach Bheur, at yer service! Ye assistance is much appreciated! - the change of her tone was comforting. - You are welcome, Cally! I am Gutkeled. Nice to meet you, i hope! What were you doing out here in the middle of nowhere alone? If you don't mind me asking! - Ah've heard some avalonian adventurers roaming these swamps. They are usually delicious. I almost had them, but lost ma footing on this cursed piece of poor woodwork. Dinna have to tell ye, i am not fond of watter and stuff. - I assure you, i taste nothing like avalonians, that's for sure. But i have some dried meat and even some red wine, if you are still hungry. - lied Gutkeled, as he was half avalonian (- half amazing) after his mother. - No need to worry darlin'! I won't bite, for now. But ah take the meat and wine! Let's find a good place, an' get a fire gaun! Have to dry ma dress! - grinned Cailleach mischievously. - Agreed! - nodded the young man, and shortly they disappeared into the night. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- First, some pictures without the characters.: IMG_20161224_120422 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20161224_120514 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr With minifigs.: IMG_20161224_120955 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20161224_134529 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr A slightly different version. : IMG_20161224_135129 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr More pictures in my Flickr album.
-
Somewhere among the sprawling marshes of Nocturnus an Avalonian force is helping the resistance lay siege to a black spire city. Catapults hurl rocks at the attackers and arrows fall like rain. Yet the siege weapons roll on, determine to take back what is rightfully theirs. CCC XIV - Siege warfare My last entry to the CCC, my last Goh build and also my last biggish castle build in 2016. A bit rushed and very simple I think it turned out well. The trees are defiantly my favourite part. The siege tower itself is a bit eh but I didn't really have enough pieces to do a better model I think the rock and the crater-thing turned out nicely as well. I've had a blast this year on Goh and i've kind of only got you guys to blame for my increase in skill. I really appreciate the feed back you guys give me, so thanks for an amazing year and merry Christmas and have a happy new year. (Also happy Fifth Goh anniversary ) Hope you enjoy and C&C needed as always.
-
Exetrius Saga 1: Fallen leaf 2: Message in Kyrrath 3: Equipment upgrade 4: Subjection of a legend 5: Family Dinner 6: Attack of the Hunters 7: Taking the Runestone 8: Supplies Arrive! 9: Festival of the Ranks (part 1) 10: Festival of the Ranks (part 2) 11: Festival of the Ranks (part 3) Episode 12: The ranks are out! A month had past since the Festival of the Ranks took place. The celebration, which had fulfilled its purpose of answering the cravings for leisure of the city folk, was over. Revitalized, the people of Zotharith had slipped back into their usual, daily rhythms. The warriors and mages, on the other hand, had been less at ease, as the new rankings had not yet been established. Not all of them were able to participate in the festival's battles. Some were desperate to attract the attention of the Zotharian elite and prove their strength; recklessly accepting tasks beyond their capabilities and getting into unrequested duels with strong fighters. However, the occurrence of these events came to an end, as on this day, the new ranks were revealed. Following tradition, the 30 highest-ranked wizards and warriors were announced at the city square, by none other than Zeruko Urima. Exetrius attended the ceremony, like just about any other inhabitant of the city. Seeing the tables turn at the very top is always exciting! Afterwards, he went to the town hall, to check out the complete rankings. It turned out that he had climbed four places on the mage ranking, form 43rd to 39th, despite the fact that he hadn't won a magic combat match during the festival. He had also established a warrior rank: 121st place, which was a little underwhelming... Meanwhile, Yukino climbed an whopping 17 places, obtaining the 55th warrior rank. He went home, packed a bag, and set off for an afternoon training session in the forest, to get some piece of mind. On his way out of the city, Enzan Armafur, whom he had become friends with, caught up to him. Of course, there were important matters to discuss... Enzan Dude, have you seen Kira Derisquar today? She's hot! Exetrius Enzan, we've talked about this... But I'll tell you what's hot: the flames of my new spell, it's on fire! I'll show you in a moment. Enzan Hah, bring it on, I'll absorb them and fire them back at you and I will beat you! Exetrius Sure, I bet you can't! Afterall, I'm ranked more then ten places above you! Enzan You're pushing your luck... To be continued.... in the next episode: Taking a stand, for Nocturnus! Hi all, it's been a while since I've done a GoH build! I'm sorry that the build is unrelated to the story, but I've been wanting to physically expand the city of Zotharith, while I also really needed some story progression. This watchtower is found at the edge of the city, near the forest. More pictures can be found on my Flickr, thank you for viewing! As always, C&C appreciated!
-
Across Nocturnus, bands of warriors roam. Not all of their allegiances can be ascertained easily, and mercenaries flit from side to side, lured by their greed and the promise of gold coin. Isolated villages are forced to rely on these nomadic warriors to defend them, and others to raise militia levies to serve the feuding Lords of Nocturnus; both Resistance and Spire alike. Orcs are common in the foothills of the Rakath, being hardy and warlike creatures, and their militia patrols venture far into the plains between the great peaks and the Moruth Swamps to the East.
-
A shrine to a forgotten deity, hidden away in the Rakath mountains of Nocturnus. Carved directly into the mountain itself, it remains perfectly preserved thanks to the ley lines that run beneath it. Forgotten Shrine by tilenull, on Flickr Still new to castle building and my photography skills are sketchy; C/C is welcome. Edit: Thanks @Legofin2012 and @Henjin_Quilones for the help with the picture :)
-
It is a well known fact that the Kazzar are not particulary enamoured of the Witches of the Moruth Swamps. At least, since the witches have started to steal valuable Kassava claws from the various tribes, to make drugs that are much sought after by the Black Spire. So, when a travelling Swamp Witch reaches a Shadowmere Guard encampment at the base of Shadowwmere's great black walls, the grizzled Kazzar Blackcloak commanding the small detachment of veteran zombie warriors is swift to react. Only a swiftly barked command from an inspecting Fenrir Bloodcloak saves the witch from a gruesome disembowlment by a Kassava lance. The witch arrives. The Kazzar Blackcloak. The Witch herself, apparently of Mitgardian descent. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C+C welcome! I'm not too sure on the style of pictures, was fiddling around with some editing software.
-
The Fell Company is a bit of a misnomer, being but two warriors strong, but one that is carefully cultivated. Our story finds them leaving their Rakath Mountain hideout. A Knight in dull armour, astride a mighty black steed inclines his head towards the zombified squire next to him. "Come. It is time we find my son. We ride for Shadowmere." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I'm still alive, honest! C+C welcome.
-
The Resistance Unites [Book II, Chapter V: Prelude, Part V]
MassEditor posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
No one spoke as they entered Lord Vladivus' throne room. Each of the six men raced through thoughts of the tremendous task that lay before them. To the outsider, this meeting would have appeared unexceptional, perhaps no different than one of the usual economic or political conferences held here. But to the trained eye, the identity of the men in this meeting place indicated something more serious was underway. Besides Lord Vladivus, the leaders of most of Free Nocturnus were present: Anzar of the Dragon Masters; Lord Jorrith, the vampiric warlord; Osric the Rat, fresh from his victories fighting for the Desert King in Kaliphlin; Gal-Turok, Lord of the Reach; and the Black Spire defector Anfauglir. Getting these leaders together had been no easy task. These six men stood as the bulwark between Raavage and the complete enslavement of Nocturnus. As host to these disparate commanders, the task of creating a unified resistance fell on Lord Vladivus' shoulders. Vladivus surveyed the group and spoke. "Gentlemen, you have all heard the rumors: the forces of the Black Spire are again marching to war. But these are more than rumors. Reports from the frontier suggest the Black Spire is raiding our lands, enslaving our people and killing any who resist. They seek to crush the last holdouts of resistance to Raavage's domination. Unless the forces of Free Nocturnus unite, I'm afraid we are doomed." Several figures in the room shifted and mumbled. Although they could all agree that Raavage was the biggest threat facing Nocturnus, they shared little else in common. Trust was a hard thing to come by these days, when betrayal and treachery were everywhere. Gal-Turok was the first to speak up. "Aye, on this point I won't disagree. But how do you expect us to stop Raavage when you invite the enemy into our planning?" He turned and glared at Anfauglir. Vladivus held up his right hand. "I will attest to Lord Anfauglir, a guest invited freely into my home, just like yourself, Gal-Turok. He no longer shares fealty to the Black Spire." Anzar stepped forward. "Gal-Turok, let me also attempt to ease your doubt. It was Anfauglir who saved me at Lagash-Ur, and he took great risk in doing so. He seeks to topple the Obsidian Spike, as we all do." Another voice rose up. "Ha! It was only recently that your mouth no longer tasted Raavage's largesse." It was Osric, who had remained silent until now. He wore a golden shied and sword given to him by the Desert King for his victories in Kaliphlin. "Word I've heard suggests members of your family - your brother, Tanzar, in fact - still fight for the Black Spire. What say you to this?" Anzar turned to glare at Osric. "To think I journeyed this far to explain myself to a rat! But to address your allegations, I would say what you hear is wrong. The truth is, our relationship deteriorated after the death of our father. It has been many months since we have spoken, but I know he would never pledge allegiance to that dog Raavage. The Dragon Masters will never forget Raavage's trickery. Nor we will stop fighting until his head is on a pike outside my father's castle." Vladivus shook his head. The resistance was threatening to crumble before it even formed. "The fight is out there, not in here! If we do not stop the Black Spire, the other Guilds will invade Nocturnus and attempt to do so themselves. We cannot let that happen." The room fell silent as Vladivus spoke. "Perhaps there is one thing that will help you make up your minds. It is why I asked you to temporarily leave your lands and meet here in person. Anfauglir has shared with me some grave news that you must all know." Vladivus motioned for Anfauglir to address the others. Anfauglir scanned the room before speaking. "Even before the events of Lagash Ur, I had learned that Raavage was seeking an immensely powerful artifact. After defecting I received information no the location of the map. My lieutenant, Samarkand, left some weeks ago to retrieve it. During his absence Lord Vladivus and I believe we have discovered the nature of this artifact. The revelation is most concerning." Everyone had their eyes locked on Anfauglir. Raavage sought any vile creation he could use to his advantage. What had he found now? "We believe he is looking for the Necromancer's Helm." Gal-Turok threw his head back and laughed. "Now you've really gone mad, believing in bedtime stories!" Anfauglir continued. "I wish it was true, but this is no wild guess. You all know the stories: the Elemental Helm was found and nearly brought all of Historica under Raavage's rule. Now he seeks the Necromancer's Helm, which potentially wields much greater power… the power to raise a legion of undead soldiers." Again Gal-Turok objected. "Although I trust Lord Vladivus' judgement and I accept this alliance, I have trouble believing such fancies. I for one cannot waste time here talking any longer when we must bring battle to Raavage. He can raise his undead army if he wants to, it will be more foes for my men to crush!" Vladivus spoke before Anfauglir could respond. "You are right, Gal-Turok, the time to wait is over. We must retaliate now and everywhere we can. If Raavage thinks he has found the Necromancer's Helm, we must stop him before he gets to it. The most important thing is that we fight together, a resistance united against Raavage." Osric turned to the group. "My sword fights with Lord Vladivus and you, leaders of Free Nocturnus. Together we shall drive Raavage back to the netherworld!" Vladivus looked at Anfauglir. "You must find out what happened to Samarkand and the status of the map." He then turned towards the others. "And you, leaders of Free Nocturnus, you must leave here and continue to build the resistance. The people of Nocturnus must know they do not fight alone." -
It had been hours since Samarkand lost sight of the Black Spire forces tracking him. Night was descending on the swamp and Samarkand was desperately lost. The wound in his leg throbbed, blood still dripping from the badages. He had to stop. Those clumsy fools have about as much luck finding me as I do of getting out of this swamp alive, Samarkand thought to himself. Besides, there are worse things roaming about when night falls in Nocturnus. Samarkand stopped his horse in a small clearing a good ways off the path. He needed rest. He tried not to think about Hexana, her lifeless body no doubt desecrated by the Black Hand soldiers. Hexana had been one of Nocturnus' best spies. Her death would be a serious blow to the Resistance. More poignantly, she and Samarkand were lovers. Their love grew even when they found themselves on opposite sides of the Civil War - that is, before Samarkand followed Anfaulglir into rebellion. None of that mattered now. Suppressing his hatred and torment, Samarkand knew what he had to do: get the map to Shadowmere and the leaders of the Nocturnian Resistance. He did not know what the map pointed to, but he knew Anfauglir would. Whatever it was, it must be very important to Raavage - it seemed as if half the Black Spires's army was looking for him. Samarkand took a step and the pain from the arrow wound in his leg shot through him like a thunderbolt. I've got to get out of this swamp, he thought. But how? It was then that a faint glow caught Samarkand's eye. As his eyes adjusted to the falling light, Samarkand could see the shape of a small house in the darkness. The light must be from a fireplace, he thought. There are a few who call this swamp home. Surely they can point me towards the road to Shadowmere. Samarkand noticed a small path nearby that seemed to lead towards the house. He followed it until it reached the edge of a vast bog. The house appeared to be on a patch of land in the middle of the water. He found a small boat just off the path. This must be how they travel back and forth, he thought. Though Samarkand questioned its stability, the little boat stayed afloat as it ferried him across the bog. He slid the boat onto the bank and walked up the stone stairs leading to the door. Samarkand knocked on the door. A moment later the door opened, just enough for Samarkand to see a small woman peering at him. She was an Orc and looked very old. "A visitor? I hope you're not here for trouble. I'll have you know a powerful sorceress lives here and she does not take kindly to troublemakers!" Samarkand put his hands out to gesture his peaceful intentions. "I am just a weary traveller, wounded by a bandit and lost in these woods. I hoped you could point me towards the road to Shadowmere." The little old woman looked him up and down. She muttered something and opened the door to let Samarkand in. "Come in, come in. These lands are treacherous, it is wise of you to stop here." Samarkand entered the home. It was small and smelled dank but a fire in the chimney looked as inviting as any he had seen in Nocturnus. "I thank you greatly. The powerful sorceress who resides here, will she mind my presence?" The little old woman laughed. "Oh, I made that bit up to scare off troublemakers. It's all this old woman can do to defend herself." She pulled a chair up to the fireplace. "These are dangerous times and you cannot trust everyone you meet. But I can see in your face that you do not seek trouble. Come sit down and enjoy the fire. It is too dangerous to travel now, I will show you the way in the morning." Samarkand wanted to waste no time but he knew the old woman was right. He needed rest and to treat the wound left by the Black Spire arrow. The old woman disappeared into another room and left Samarkand by the fire. He took out the map and studied it. The strange markings were unrecognizable to him. What could this point to, he thought. Hexana, you died for something I cannot even understand... After a time the little old woman reappeared and shuffled to the kitchen, returning with a loaf of bread. "Here, you should eat something. You will need your strength for the journey ahead!" A strange comment, Samarkand thought. He cocked his head towards the old woman. "The road to Shadowmere, is it perilous?" The old woman's mouth twisted into a grin, showing her stained and cracked teeth. He looked down at the loaf and began to cut off a piece. "All roads from this place are, but yours will be particularly difficult. For you have something that does not belong to you, and it must be returned to its rightful master." Samarkand recoiled - maggots poured out of the loaf he had just cut. Though the fire still burned, a chill hit Samarkand and darkness began to consume the room. He looked up and the old woman had disappeared. A deep voice revealed the presence of another in the room. "You pathetic thief. You thought you could steal from ME! Do you even realize the power you wield with that map? You are a fool like all the others who oppose my will." A dense shadow rose before Samarkand, out of which appeared Lord Raavage himself. Samarkand reached for his sword but a force immediately lifted him and threw him across the room. "A mere mortal against the rightful ruler of Historica? Ha! The stupidity of your kind never ceases!" Raavage loomed over Samarkand, who tried but failed to stand up. "With the map in my hands, Nocturnus is mine for the taking. After that, all of Historica." Samarkand glared at Raavage. Still he could not move. "Raavage, you worm, you will fail. The resistance will banish you back to the hole you crawled out of!" "You must be more ignorant than I thought. Wretched mortal, you have no idea what this map leads to, do you?" Samarkand managed to lean himself against the wall. He knew Raavage would not let him leave the room alive. "Raavage, your cheap conjurer tricks are running low. The resistance grows stronger every day while your alliance crumbles to pieces." Raavage's face snarled with fury. He placed his right boot against Samarkand's chest. Samarkand grimaced as several of his ribs broke from the weight. "I should cut off your head right now for such insolent talk. But first I will tell you what this map leads to, so that the last thought which runs through your head is that of the destruction of your land and people. Even you have heard of the Helm of Elemental Magic. Victor Revolwood, a mere puppet in my service, nearly conquered Historica through use of the Helm. What you may not know is that the Helm was one of two vastly powerful artifacts crafted in ancient times. The Elemental Helm controlled the forces of water, earth, fire and air. The second, much more powerful helm controlled the forces of life and death. It is this artifact, the Necromancer's Helm, to which this map will lead me." Samarkand could not believe it. The Necromancer's Helm was a story told to frighten unruly children. Rumors said its wearer possessed the ability to resurrect and command the dead. Such black magic was not unknown in Nocturnus - Necromancers had the power to raise the dead, but only temporarily and in limited numbers. The Necromancer's Helm, it was said, could raise permanent legions of the undead. "Lies! The Necromancer's Helm is the substance of ancient stories, nothing more. Raavage, your thirst for power has rotted your mind." Raavage laughed. He was tiring of this episode. "The Helm is real and will soon be mine, thanks to you. With its power I will bring Historica to its knees. It's a shame you will not see what I am capable of once I'm in possession of the Helm. But you have already wasted too much of my time." Raavage withdrew a dagger from his belt and plunged it into Samarkand's chest. Raavage closed in, just inches from Samarkand's face. "Die knowing that all you treasure will be consumed by the Black Spire." Samarkand tried to speak but the words would not leave his mouth. Blood oozed from the dagger wound and his eyes began to fade. As darkness enveloped him, Samarkand managed to feel at peace for the first time in ages. His thoughts escaped from Raavage and turned to the one thing he had ever truly loved. The word slipped from his mouth when no others would - "Hexana." ---------------------------------------------------- For those who might need a refresher on Samarkand and how he acquired the map, see here! Extra pics of the hut, with fog!
-
Never Look Back [Book II, Chapter V: Prelude, Part III]
MassEditor posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
War is a funny thing. It makes you question just about everything you thought you knew - your purpose, your friends and yourself. The world around you can change in an instant without you ever seeing it coming. Old memories were on Anfauglir's mind as he passed Shadowmere's gates. Two years ago, he was in Lagash Ur enjoying the status and benefits of a Covenant lord. As a high officer in the Covenant army he commanded an elite company for the Covenant leader, Lord Senurhem Nogad. Anfauglir's position had been an easy one. Senurhem, caught up with his many experiments into the dark arts, paid little attention to much else. Back then, the Covenant had few enemies. Conflict was confined mostly to small border disputes with Shadowmere and other Resistance forces - though Senurhem still remained neutral in the ongoing Civil War. Then everything changed. Lured by promises of land and magical artifacts, Senurhem announced his plans to join the Black Spire. He purged anyone who opposed the alliance. Entire companies, thought by Raavage's minions to be unfaithful to the cause, were disbanded or sent to work Raavage's mines. Fearing his men would be next, he defected with as many loyal men as he could. Everything else he left behind. Now, his men fight a desperate battle against the army they once fought for, holding out among the peaks of the Rakarths, hungry, cold and constantly hunted by Raavage. Yet they continue to strike back, even liberating several Covenant villages under Black Spire occupation. Anfauglir's men weighed heavily on his mind as he continued his midnight stroll, which had become a regular occurrence since his arrival in Shadowmere months ago. The thought of his men battling the enemy, hundreds of leagues from Shadowmere and their leader, was agonizing. Anfauglir hoped the Resistance meeting in Shadowmere would be worth his absence. The Resistance needed desparately to form the basis for a renewed and strengthened front against the Black Spire. Otherwise Raavage would crush them, one by one. The snap of a breaking tree limb woke Anfauglir from his thoughts. He hadn't noticed the fog thickening, or the lack of sounds from the usual night creatures. By the time he saw the huge, writhing shape materialize in front of him, it was too late. A large tentacle struck Anfauglir in the chest, throwing him off his feet and into a tree. The creature approached, eyes glaring ferociously, its dozens of tentacles failing wildly at Anfauglir. He stood up just in time to avoid another swing. Several other tentacles shot out but Anfauglir's sword was quicker. They continued coming but always Anfauglir was faster, until the creature screeched in pain and lurched backwards. Seeing his opportunity, Anfauglir leaped at the wounded beast, and, with several deft swings of his sword, it lay dead upon the ground. Anfauglir started at the creature, no doubt some foul and horrific servant of Lord Raavage. Anfauglir removed his hood and ran his fingers through his hair. His back was aching badly. Figuring he was too tired to head back to Shadowmere, he set up camp just off the road. His stomach growled. Anfauglir looked at the fallen creature and thought of the hunter's creed: you eat what you kill. He quickly got a fire started. Staring into the fire, Anfauglir thought of the battles ahead. He pondered what other nasty tricks Raavage had hidden away, what he was prepared to do to win his war. He grabbed his aching back. "I'm definitely getting too old for this." (A bonus, Halloween-themed shot!) The effects were done with a fog machine and Lifelites. No photoshop here! Hope you're not getting tired of my fog-themed builds, I'm really trying to get my money's worth out of that machine. Good thing is, the neighbors finally stopped calling the fire department when I use it! -
Victory and Vengeance [Book II, Chapter V: Prelude, Part II]
MassEditor posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
Lord Raavage entered the castle like a tempest. He made his way to the command room, pushing his way through the Black Spire solidiers who rose to salute him. Throughout the halls could be heard the victory celebrations of drunken soldiers. Until yesterday the castle had belonged to the Nocturnian Resistance. Located near the Mitgardian border, Mortag Keep served as a convenient staging point for foreign troops assisting the resistance. It had long been a thorn in Raavage's side and he was glad to have it in his hands. Raavage listened in on a soldier who retold the story of Mortag Keep's capture to a group of reserve troops who had missed out. "So, we snuck up to the castle in the boats, all quiet like, while their soldiers were still sound asleep in their beds. They hadn't expected anyone coming from the swamp, the road was the only thing the sentries had their eyes on." The soldier took a long pull from his drink. "We gathered in the woods, wondering what to do next. Then up came one of Lord Raavage's wizards. He carried about some jar filled with black powder, placed it at the base of the wall, spoke a few words under his breath and told us to run." "Good thing we did, aye! Next thing we know the jar explodes and there's a hole in the wall. We rushed in and took the whole damn place before they knew what happened. When we found the commander he was still trying to put his trousers on! The rest of the survivors we rounded up and sent off to Lord Raavage's slave camps." It was a tactical victory, no doubt. Until word of Mortag Keep's fall spread, Raavage's forces could launch ambushes on any enemy troops who thought it was still in friendly hands. Foreign troops wishing to aid the resistance would have to enter Nocturnus along a more difficult route. Yet this victory was worth much more - more than anyone knew, save Lord Raavage himself. The inhabitants of Mortag Keep, a motley array of Resistance fighters, had discovered a map hidden in the nearby caves which led to something only a few knew existed - an ancient artifact so powerful that Raavage hungered for its possession. With such power, Raavage reminded himself, Nocturnus will fall into my hands, and then all of Historica." The thought of such power caused Raavage to salivate. He wanted the map in his hands, now. Raavage entered the room and interrupted the soldier's story. "To your feet! The Black Spire celebrates your victory here, but drunkenness and laziness on duty are punishable by death. You will return to your posts at once or else you will find yourselves hanging from the trees outside!" The soldiers rushed to their feet and hurried to their posts. Raavage stopped one of the troops. "Soldier, where is your commanding officer? I must speak to him immediately." The soldier stammered, obviously frightened by the Black Lord's presence. "Ssss…irrr…, he is upstairs, in the private quarters." Raavage turned and stormed towards the fort commander's room. Inside were several Black Spire officers, including General Azuk, who had commanded the force which captured Mortag Keep. A bandage on his right arm betrayed a grievous wound. "Azuk, congratulations, good work, well done and all that, but where is the map? I must have it now. I travelled a great distance to be here and I will not wait a moment longer." Several officers looked at each other with grave expressions, and then left the room. Only Azuk, Raavage and two of his Royal Guards remained. Azuk looked at his hand and then Raavage. "Lord Raavage, the map has been lost. A Resistance spy broke in last night and took the map, along with my hand. She was killed, but another agent was able to retrieve the map. We lost track of him in the swamps." A great fury took over Raavage, like a storm ready to destroy all in its way. He began to shake and froth at the mouth. "What to you mean, LOST THE MAP? To a Resistance SPY? You bumbling, incompetent, ungracious fool! You disgusting, treacherous lout! Anyone could have taken this lousy fort - I tasked you with recovering the map and this is the news you share?" Azuk backed up, cowering. "M'lord, there was nothing I could do! I will recover the map, please spare me! She took my hand, have I not suffered enough?" Raavage's lips twisted into a crooked smile. "You do not know the meaning of suffering, not yet. I should exterminate you where you stand, but that would be the easy way out." Raavage turned to his Royal Guard and gestured towards Azuk. "Take his other hand. Then his eyes and tongue. I want him kept alive. When you are done with him, throw him into the mine pits where he will repay his betrayal to our cause!" Azuk fell before Raavage to no avail. His pleas could be heard throughout the fort as the guards carried him away. Raavage smashed his fist on the commander's table. The crash echoed through the halls like an explosion. "Dammit! I am surrounded by fools and traitors! I will find this rebel spy and tear him to pieces. Then I will take back what is mine and then all of Nocturnus shall lay at my feet!" (And some pics of Mortag Keep. I tried incorporating more shots of the castle itself into the story, but after the forest collapsed several times, I was tired of messing with it! -
It seems something is brewing in the Darklands of Nocturnus. Click the picture for a link to the first prelude for the final challenge of Book II in the Guilds of Historica.
-
The Falling Darkness [Book II, Chapter V: Prelude, Part I]
MassEditor posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
Darkness, growing ever blacker, falling ever deeper, consuming ever more. In Nocturnus, there is no escaping it. The light grows dimmer, the darkness more encompassing. These lands have never known true peace. War and death are staples here. Since the Obsidian Spike rose in the East, Nocturnus has bathed in the blood of its own. From its gates the Black Spire lord, Raavage, unleashed his army across Nocturnus. His quest for power and the resulting Civil War cleaved Nocturnus in half. Father was pitted against son, sister against brother, countryman against countryman. The conflict speeds to all corners of the land, and few escape its brutality. In recent times the war had slowed to a stalemate. Lord Ssilyrrlith, the nominal leader of the Nocturnian Resistance, remains holed up in the capital, Abyssian, besieged by a Black Spire army. Leadership of the resistance has fallen to Lord Vladivus of Shadowmere and an assortment of commanders united in their hatred of Raavage. Bravely they hold the line, attacking the Black Spire where it is weak and falling back only when they must. Allies in other Guilds send what they can to bolster the Resistance armies. Shamans, wisewomen, sorcerers and witches offered blessings for the Resistance troops and provided safe places of worship. But now the resistance lines are beginning to weaken while the Black Spire's grow stronger. Despite setbacks, and there were many - the treachery of the Drow and the Valyrian, Count Basil; the Zugal's turn against the Black Spire; the failed trap at Lagash Ur; and the defection of Anfauglir from Raavage's Covenant allies - the Black Spire has shown no signs of faltering. New armies are emerging from the Obisdian Spike's gate to bring Raavage's rule to the remaining Resistance enclaves. Raavage is clever and merciless, his armies powerful and numerous. With help from new allies, Raavage threatens to crush all in his way. Senurhem Nogad, the Covenant lord, continues to support the Black Spire with his powerful armies and dark magic. Other new and fearsome allies arrive from far off lands to assist the Dark Lord. The power of the dark spirits are not lost by Raavage's forces. They, too, seek divine assistance and to curse their foes. Futhermore, rumors spread among the Resistance leadership that Raavage seeks a mysterious and powerful artifact to aid his conquest. Such power threatens the precarious balance of forces. Failure to stop him would allow Raavage to spread his influence to all of Nocturnus and possibly beyond. The leaders of Historica's other Guilds watch with despair the events in Nocturnus. Kingless and without a united front, Historica holds its breath and prays for Raavage's defeat. What this renewed war will mean for Nocturnus, no one is sure. But one thing is certain: the bloodshed is only just beginning.
