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NiceMarmot

MOC: Mt Agnathka Lookout (Kaliphlin Watchtower)

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High up on Mt Agnathka in the Rakath mountains, there is a Kaliphlin watchtower keeping a lookout over the northern approaches to Siccus. These intrepid guardsmen brave the freezing cold and thin atmosphere to watch for trouble from the north through the mountains, the western foothills, or up the start of the Great Escarpment. At this height they can see about 150 miles on a really clear day, barely making out the towers of Petraea to the southwest. More easily seen are the Kelra Labyrinth (about 80 miles away) and the forests of central Historica (about 100 miles away). Queenscross is just out of sight at 175 miles away. If they spot trouble, they will light their signal fire, kept always at the ready, alerting watchtowers down in the valleys who then mobilize their troops.

This is no glamour posting. Built centuries ago, it very rustic, with just a simple hut for off-duty sentries to sleep, a small watchtower, and a pedestal for the signal fire. Norzah-Rakafu, the closest village, is eight miles away down a very rough path; one sentry a day makes the round-trip to bring back supplies. The defenses are minimal; their job is not to defend, but to signal an invasion and then escape into the mountains if threatened. Only the hardiest of guards are posted here, and after their two year tour of duty, they are usually rewarded with a posting to the Spice Islands.

Here we see our three sentries in a view looking south. Dabdar keeps a lookout on the tower, which doesn't need to be tall because it commands sweeping views to the north and west. Ardhazi is off-duty, sleeping in the hut; he must have the night-shift. And Morgbet is just coming back from a supply run to the valley. Looks like it's Rakath tirqui fowl legs and red bogifruit for dinner, and brook trinifish tomorrow.

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Mt Agnathka Lookout - front

Here's the view to the northwest, showing the foothills of the Rakath, as well as the plains below the Great Escarpment. The log cabin look was a bit of a pain until I figured it out, but I think it turned out fairly well. Lining it up to mount onto the stone base was challenging.

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Mt Agnathka Lookout - back

Right side, looking east.

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Mt Agnathka Lookout - right

Left side, looking west.

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Mt Agnathka Lookout - left

Trusty Dabdar keeping a lookout on the tower. Does he spot something down below the escarpment? Wait a minute; looks like he's posing. Let's see if we can catch him unawares and see what he's really up to...

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Mt Agnathka Lookout - Sentry Duty

Aha! Look at that- boombox, cup of wine, binoculars, boy that really makes sentry duty a lot easier! And that walkie-talkie sure beats the old signal fire! :laugh:

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Mt Agnathka Lookout - Sentry Duty (lol)

A few more pics on the Flickr photostream; click on any of the photos to get there.

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Lovely work NiceMarmot! Your image editing skills are excellent, I love the way the MOC blends into the background.

The SNOT work for the main tower walls is nice, as is the mix of colours on the roof. Keep up the good work! :thumbup:

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Your image editing skills are excellent, I love the way the MOC blends into the background.

Thanks! I've found that the hardest part of doing this is finding an appropriate photo that will match the MOC. Takes a lot more time than I thought. The blending and editing is a bit of a pain, but if you get the right photo it goes a lot easier.

Extra credit for anyone who can identify where the background photos portray!

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This is a great look out position, good idea to use this location for the forward scouts :thumbup: the Dark Bluish Grey mountain is nicely random and convincing, and using Light Bluish Grey for the sentry tower and dwarf stone walls of the hut gives a nice contrast, and to me indicates worked masonry as opposed to the natural rock of the mountain. Using the mountain top location was an original and realistic concept, and you have definitely done it justice now.

Edited by mikey

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Looking great! We really need more mountain-towers, we can get a Gondor-style beacon system going, lol.

Really nifty photoshopping too, very nice blending of brick to rock.

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Gex it is wonderful to see your tower, not only are your cartography skills great your construction skills are too! Also well done on your artist for capturing the likeness of the mountains. Great work :thumbup:

Kcaj

P.S. Love the last pic, lol.

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