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MagPiesRUs

[MOC] The Witch-King's Hour

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This vignette depicts the stand-off between Gandalf and the Witch-King at the gates of Minas Tirith. It's one of my favourite moments from the book, and I've tried to incorporate all of the details into the vig as best I could.

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I always end up taking an excessive number of photos, so you can see more below (along with the accompanying text from The Return of the King):

The drums rolled and rattled. With a vast rush Grond was hurled forward by huge hands. It reached the Gate. It swung. A deep boom rumbled through the City like thunder running in the clouds. But the doors of iron and posts of steel withstood the stroke.

Then the Black Captain rose in his stirrups and cried aloud in a dreadful voice, speaking in some forgotten tongue words of power and terror to rend both heart and stone.

Thrice he cried. Thrice the great ram boomed. And suddenly upon the last stroke the Gate of Gondor broke. As if stricken by some blasting spell it burst asunder: there was a flash of searing lightning, and the doors tumbled in riven fragments to the ground.

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In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl. A great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl, under the archway that no enemy ever yet had passed, and all fled before his face.

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All save one. There waiting, silent and still in the space before the Gate, sat Gandalf upon Shadowfax: Shadowfax who alone among the free horses of the earth endured the terror, unmoving, steadfast as a graven image in Rath Dínen.

‘You cannot enter here,’ said Gandalf, and the huge shadow halted. ‘Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your Master. Go!’

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The Black Rider flung back his hood, and behold! he had a kingly crown; and yet upon no head visible was it set. The red fires shone between it and the mantled shoulders vast and dark. From a mouth unseen there came a deadly laughter.

‘Old fool!’ he said. ‘Old fool! This is my hour. Do you not know Death when you see it? Die now and curse in vain!’ And with that he lifted high his sword and flames ran down the blade.

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Gandalf did not move. And in that very moment, away behind in some courtyard of the City, a cock crowed. Shrill and clear he crowed, recking nothing of wizardry or war, welcoming only the morning that in the sky far above the shadows of death was coming with the dawn.

And as if in answer there came from far away another note. Horns, horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin’s sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.

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... And a few more pictures can be found here

Enjoy! Comments and criticism are much appreciated! :classic:

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Excellent work!

I really love Grond in the background! Furthermore I like the way you made the broken door :classic:

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Great work. The Witch-King looks around perfect with the trans-clear head and the crown piece. The rooster is a nice addition, too.

I wonder if Gandalf should be riding Shadowfax, but then again there isn't really suitable grey horses around.

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This is beautiful, a wonderful job of capturing the moment in Lego elements. Did you post this on the same date that the event happened on purpose?

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Thanks for the feedback everyone, it is much appreciated!

Great work. The Witch-King looks around perfect with the trans-clear head and the crown piece. The rooster is a nice addition, too.

I wonder if Gandalf should be riding Shadowfax, but then again there isn't really suitable grey horses around.

Thanks. I experimented with a mounted Gandalf, but as you said LEGO doesn't make reinless horses, so it's hard to create a proper Shadowfax without modification. I also felt that the vig composition worked better with Gandalf on foot, as it adds some extra menace to the Witch-King and Grond while also making Gandalf look more defiant - being the only one in the city to stand against the Witch-King in the darkest hour of the siege.

This is beautiful, a wonderful job of capturing the moment in Lego elements. Did you post this on the same date that the event happened on purpose?

Ha, I hadn't realised that! That was a total coincidence.

Thanks again!

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This scene always gives me the shivers. Wonderful job of interpreting it. Now, all we need is the arrival of Rohan. :classic:

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