[MOC] Black Falcons' Keep

[giejones]

Hi everyone, as a child I was captivated by the LEGO Castle sets that appeared on LEGO catalogue pages. When I was eight, I was lucky enough to receive King's Mountain Fortress/Ghost Castle (depending on your region; set 6081) which was an absolute dream present. After my dark ages ended, around the time I had children, the passion for LEGO Castle was there but I didn't have the time to do anything other than reminisce. As my children have grown older, we can build together and that made me rediscover the skills I'd left idle for many years. When Lion Knights' Castle (LKC) came along, I was blown away but I still had this itch to create something myself. I wanted to go big and I wanted a companion (or adversary?) to LKC so that led me to the Black Falcons. Then, the heart of the build came to me: the giant brick-built Black Falcons shield that dominates the dining room. I decided to go with dark stone grey, as I've not seen many castles in that colour before.

 

This gave me the impetus to consider what else I wanted in my castle and I developed a backstory from this. I'd love to take you through it now.

The chronicles of Black Falcons’ Keep

As it emerges from a rocky outcrop on a tranquil river, Black Falcons’ Keep looms tall above the seemingly peaceful landscape. The years of vying with the Lion Knights for supremacy has spurred them to build high, to make would-be assailants think twice before launching a siege. The battering ram attack that was successful against them nearly 40 years ago would surely be doomed to fail against this giant fortress.

The Black Knight may be gone but a queen has come to the fore to lead her faction to new glories. In finding a new location from which to rebuild, was it mere chance that the bedrock bore a darker hue than their past homes? The material quarried for the castle walls somehow reflects the sombre mood that hung over the Black Falcons as they regrouped from their defeat at the hands of the leonine faction. The signature of their previous fortresses still remains, though, as wattle & daub walls provide some elegance amidst the brutal dark stone grey defences.

As visitors approach, it is a forbidding sight. Should envoys be invited up the ramp and over the drawbridge, a giant, imposing Black Falcons’ insignia greets them in the dining hall. It leaves them in no doubt as to where the power lies in the coming exchanges. Whether the hall is host to a victory feast or the breaking of bread with adversaries before a negotiation, the cook is on hand to prepare a banquet fit for a queen. Musicians play their part in building the atmosphere too, as the lute and harpsichord can strike a jubilant note in celebration or foreshadow an escalation of long-held tensions. 

 

Visitors should remain on their guard throughout proceedings, as a pleasant sojourn to take in the air on the balcony may be cut short by a fall through the trap door to the dungeon cell below. The confident young Lion Knight sent to charm the queen may feel he has the upper hand, but he may soon be taken down a peg or two, quite literally. 

Down below, across from the dungeon, the castle brewery has brought prosperity to the Black Falcons. Using the water that runs through the basement, the brewer produces enough to keep the inhabitants happy and to sell excess to outsiders. There are regular visitors by land and by river to pick up supplies, and today a humble boatman is pulling in to purchase a few barrels. However, this caped figure may have more on his mind than trading, as a glimpse of the crest on his tunic suggests our Lion Knight now has an ally. What dramas will unfold as he moors his craft? He may have (or, more accurately, has) spotted that weakness in the dungeon wall.

While things get serious below stairs, up in the throne room, where the colours of the Black Falcons are proudly displayed, the jester is on hand to lighten the mood. The tumultuous nature of ruling in medieval times means that the queen is perhaps not so receptive to his efforts, but a barb at the Lion Knights’ expense will usually find favour. 

When it’s time to retire for the evening, the queen’s chamber is a place of solace. The castle’s kitten is on hand to offer a friendly ear to the musings of a ruler. The four-poster bed looks luxurious but the strain of leadership means a comfortable night is hard to come by, and the chimes from the bell tower punctuate those long hours.

Above the chamber, the divination tower is a lookout point in more ways than one. Its high vantage point can spot onslaughts from afar, while the crystal ball may see further than any eye. Occupying the tower is Majisto. How curious that he is now in league with a different faction. Is he there of his own volition? Has the crystal ball shown him sights that made him change allegiance? And can his supernatural powers really be trusted? This last question runs back and forth through the queen’s head as sleep eludes her.

The supernatural is not limited to the abilities of a wizard. As the last candle is extinguished in the dining hall, a castle ghost has been rumoured to emerge from the chimney stack. Has the brewer’s produce led to imaginations running wild or is there a secret from the past that continues to haunt the Black Falcons? 

I hope you've enjoyed this tale. If it's caught your interest, you can support it on LEGO Ideas: Black Falcons' Keep. Any support would be greatly appreciated!