CHALLENGE V: Category B: Takeover - The Mines of Rhangvar (Baiamonte, Part I)

[Louis of Nutwood]

Takeover - The Mines of Rhangvar

Entry to Book III: Challenge V, Category B (Baiamonte, Part I). This is a collaboration with builders @Gideon and @Henjin_Quilones for the story of the Baiamonte Family, in Varlyrio.
Part II: Finding the Lost General, by Gideon.
Part III: A New Ruler, a Mad Ruler, by Henjin.

 

The last entrance, on the higher part of the mountain was marked by a stone sculpture of a dwarf holding a sword pointing to the ground, covered in a dabble of white flakes. Rhangvar – the dwarf god of prosperity. The stairs, carved in the face of the mountain led to a set of wooden doors engraved with iron spikes, so tall that reached the skies and disappeared on a frigid grey fog. On the foot of the stoned dwarf were the markings: Mines of Rhangvar.

 

At the base of the tall wooden doors, Gen. Juan and his men lifted the beams blocking the mine’s entrance. Thirty miners trembled in the cold of the Ridge Mountains, anticipating the intensity of a day’s labor, and questioning if the rumors of the mountain that lived would prove to be true. Rufus Baiamonte closed the envoy, as the last guard to lead the group into the mountain. Before entering, Juan put a hand in his son’s shoulder.

 

“Return to the Rego and report our triumph. The mining operations will be reestablished, and we will soon have new riches. Alert the merchants and return with wagons. This folly ends today. You are dismissed”, said the general bending his head.

 

“Just be careful, sire”, whispered Rufus in the hissing wind. And that was the last time Lieutenant Rufus Baiamonte saw his father.

 

____
This is a short extraction of a full novel written for the Baiamonte Family, in Varlyrio.
Make sure to check the thread: Rise of the Baiamonte for the full story.

Hope you like it. 
Louis of Nutwood

Edited May 31, 2020 by Louis of Nutwood
Adding full story thread

[zoth33]

Great landscaping.  Love the layers of plates and the pathway.  The gold accents on the door way is nice.  Great looking figs and nice story too.  

[Louis of Nutwood]

9 hours ago, zoth33 said:

Great landscaping.  Love the layers of plates and the pathway.  The gold accents on the door way is nice.  Great looking figs and nice story too.

Thank you, sire Zoth33.
I'm glad you liked the build and the story. I find it too that the golden spots add some nice detailing and color to a not-so-colorful palette.

Cheers, mate!

[Kai NRG]

I quite like the dual toned rockwork here.  Great angles for the minifigure shots also! 

[Louis of Nutwood]

3 hours ago, Kai NRG said:

I quite like the dual toned rockwork here.  Great angles for the minifigure shots also

Sir Kai, we meet again!
I was a tad unsure about the dual toned rockwork, but these were literally ALL the slopes I had left unused, and I think they turned out fine, too.
Glad you enjoyed the minfig shots, as I feel they are always the best part of a MOC - it feels great to see the world in the eyes of a minifig, right?
Skol!

[mrcp6d]

I also really like how deftly you handled the color transitions here in the landscaping, not just with the dark and light greys but also with the other colors too.  Lighting is perfect to sort of make them all blend together as well which for me is a really cool effect.  As I said on Flickr the door framing is sweet.

I do think the door is a little too large/imposing for the minimal rockwork on either side and on top.  Some more studs of width of the upper section would have perhaps provided some needed heft I think.

[Louis of Nutwood]

12 hours ago, mrcp6d said:

I also really like how deftly you handled the color transitions here in the landscaping, not just with the dark and light greys but also with the other colors too.  Lighting is perfect to sort of make them all blend together as well which for me is a really cool effect.  As I said on Flickr the door framing is sweet.

I do think the door is a little too large/imposing for the minimal rockwork on either side and on top.  Some more studs of width of the upper section would have perhaps provided some needed heft I think.

What a delightful comment, mrcp6d! I'm glad the colors on the landscape are pleasant to your taste. The door frame was a great surprise, as it fit so well on the first attempt. 
But I do understand how another layer of thick rocks could add more depth to the illusion of the mines - but once the bucket of bricks is empty... there's not much to be done. I truly stretched with what was available, and I'm happy you liked the result.

Thanks for the support, lad!
Skol!

[W Navarre]

I am so intrigued to read the full story, sire! The rising path is very good, and the entrance posts are unique! Great build, I also like how it matches your other Varlyrio build, great coherency!

[Aurore]

What an exquisite build! Your rockwork is gorgeous, and the dual-toned rocks and the transition from the muddy path to the pristine snow make for a very harmonious color palette. The door is very beaufitul too!

Well done Louis, skol!

[Louis of Nutwood]

18 hours ago, W Navarre said:

am so intrigued to read the full story, sire! The rising path is very good, and the entrance posts are unique! Great build, I also like how it matches your other Varlyrio build, great coherency!

Sir Navarre, I appreciate your much thoughtful commentaries, and look forward to hearing your thoughts on the full story too, once you have the time (remember that hot beverage, as Aurore will certainly agree it helps the process). Glad you mentioned the frame on the gates, and yes! The Ridge Mountains are a tasty dish for a Mitgardian builder, I must admit. I'm kind of proud we adventured through other venues and regions in the Islands, instead of remaining on those smelly canals.
Thanks for the feedback and support, lad. 
Cheers!

9 hours ago, Aurore said:

What an exquisite build! Your rockwork is gorgeous, and the dual-toned rocks and the transition from the muddy path to the pristine snow make for a very harmonious color palette. The door is very beaufitul too!

Well done Louis, skol!

Ah, Lady Aurore. If you knew I used literally all my remaining grey-toned (and white!) slopes and was constantly in the brink of running out of bricks and ways to continue... But here we are, with a finished build in the Mighty Ridge Mountains. I'm glad you mentioned the path transition to the snow, as the effect (I think I've seen this from Mitgardian ruler SoccerKid6) is very nice. Thanks, Aurore! I also appreciate the fact that you were one who also adventured outside of the rat-filled canals in Varlyrio. 
Skol!
 

[Garmadon]

Excellent rock-work and pathway, mate - carving those ways up a hill is no easy work, not even when it's built out of plastic!  I'm intrigued by the snow distribution/placement too, as it seems quite realistic, but I'd never quite thought of doing it like that   Very nice minifigs and excellent photography too, and I'm looking forward to reading over the whole story!

[Louis of Nutwood]

On 6/9/2020 at 11:22 PM, Garmadon said:

Excellent rock-work and pathway, mate - carving those ways up a hill is no easy work, not even when it's built out of plastic!  I'm intrigued by the snow distribution/placement too, as it seems quite realistic, but I'd never quite thought of doing it like that   Very nice minifigs and excellent photography too, and I'm looking forward to reading over the whole story!

Thanks, Garmadon! I'm thrilled you liked the build. 
The landscape back home, in the Northern Hills of Mitgardia, tends to be chilly, so I gathered a bit of experience with snow in the past years. A lot of trial and error in an environment that challenges photography every time. Sir soccerkid is a great inspiration, as he contributed with a bunch of cold MOCs, but I'm glad I was able to add my touch and that it is to your liking. Hope you like the whole story too!

Cheers!