Moruth Swamp Outpost Redux

[MassEditor]

To love Nocturnus is to love the swamps. In my mind’s-eye, there aren’t many landscapes that so embody “wild” as a swamp: dark, waterlogged, chirring with insects and frogsong—or, in northern wintry mode, a frozen-over backwater of tussocks, deadfall, and horned owls. Should you doubt the healthful stimulus a swamp provides the human spirit, just dip into Henry Thoreau's writings. “I enter a swamp as a sacred place—a sanctum sanctorum. There is the strength—the marrow of Nature” (“Walking”). Or, from the same essay: “Yes, though you may think me perverse, if it were proposed to me to dwell in the neighborhood of the most beautiful garden that ever human art contrived, or else of a Dismal Swamp, I should certainly decide for the swamp.”

Here, here!

So, without further non-GoH ado, here is my Swamp Outpost Redux. Some of you old timers may remember my swamp outpost from a few years back. This one fills pretty much the same purpose: respite for the weary swamp travelers, a place to re-supply and a staging point for Resistance forces operating throughout the Moruth Swamps.

With lighting and smoke from a half-broken fog machine (it finally bit the dust on me!):

Thanks for looking!

[Servertijd]

Woah that's awesome, that last picture is so so good

[Kai NRG]

If it looked this good, I think I'd like to live near the swamp, too!   Fantastic build ME, the layout of the dock/porch is really cool, and so is the arch and the sand green of the building!  The last picture with the lighting is awesome!  

Interesting choice to present it without minifigures, but with all the other details such as fish, barrels, etc.  Makes it look like it's just waiting for someone to come in and take charge!

[Garmadon]

Splendid!   I absolutely love all the woodwork and that wild, black tree out front, and hardly know why.  It's just... 

Ahem!   - well, awesome work with the stonework on the outpost as well, ME, and your photography's spectacular as always (that last shot's great!  Sorry to hear that your fog machine is out of commission, though!  Maybe your neighbors'll stop calling the fire department? )  If there's one thing I might remark on it's that I think a somewhat steeper roof might have worked a bit better on top of the sand green section - I know others have expressed their admiration of it, so it could just be taste, but for some reason or another my eyes keep getting drawn up there and seem a tad... confused? ... by the roof.  Maybe it's the absence of gables that's throwing me - I'm not exactly sure.  I do really like those almost hidden stairs below and above and the door in there though!  

It's always great to see your builds, keep it up, mate!

[peedeejay]

Fantastic! Love the architetcure and balancing within it. Also the little details like the mushrooms sprouting near the water really add a lot to the scene. My favourite part though are the trees and how they are embedded into the scene!

[Muakhah]

The recent swamp builds by various people have really highlighted how people would actually live in these swamps. From hidden settlements that blend in to semi fortress ones like this. You can really get a feel for how civilization developed and struggled to survive in the swamps. The lighting and fog Ives great atmosphere and the build shows that Nocturnus is not undeveloped no matter how much the other guilds might look down on it as a savage place.

[TitusV]

Though I have little love to spare for the Darklands, my heart makes an exception for it's marvellous swamps. You, and some other like Blufiji, really created a "world in a world" there, with it's own building styles, vegetation and looks. IMHO, this is something to be proud of

As for the build itself: just ! Colours are excellent, as you always manage to do, photgraphy is even better (poor smoke machine!), and the fact that you didn't add figs only contributes to the lonely atmosphere created.

Yet another top-notch build from you, sir. Hats off

Edited July 15, 2017 by TitusV
Typo

[mccoyed]

I love your swamp builds and I remember the original quite well. You should throw some figs into this though, Patrick!

[Gunman]

The pic showcasing the lights is superb  Great atmosphere there mate... Also the dark brown contrasts nicely with sand green...

[Blufiji]

I see you put some effort into that intro lol. The overall build really flows together, but the use of color for the actual house is really what sets it apart.

[soccerkid6]

The massive wooden dock structures, large contained dock in the stone portion, and gorgeous trees all come together to make an absolutely stunning swamp house

Unique but oh so effective color choices, along with just the right amount of texture really make the build pop
 

[Slegengr]

Very nice swamp build, ME!

I really like the complex and realistic appearance you achieved with relatively basic and simple techniques!  I have been planning some builds recently that push toward this same thought: not all structures are covered in heavy textures that must incorporate complex techniques to accurately represent.
The color choices are perfect here.  The walls and roof with some wear showing are built in a straightforward and beautiful manner.  The large pier is a perfect addition to the build, and I also like the stone lower part of the building very much.

The story is a marvelous way to introduce this build!  Though I personally do not think the swamp lands would be my preferred area to live, you have piqued my interest with your builds.

Out of curiosity from someone who has never been to a swamp IRL to someone who has:
Are there areas of the swamp where the water is smooth on the surface with little to break it up?  I always pictured swamps to have roots, plants, algae, muck, fungus, whatever sticking up through the water and breaking the smooth surface appearance.  I suppose it depends on water depth preventing flora from reaching the surface (other than large trees like you included).  If you happen to have any real swamp photos that look similar on the water surface to this build, I would be interested in seeing them!

[Henjin_Quilones]

I loved this over on Flickr, and still love it here! The trees and the atmosphere sell it for me, and the build is just so technically sound and aesthetically pleasing that I could spend hours looking at it. An artistic masterpiece in LEGO form. 

[The Maestro]

Oh my, that texturing on the Tudor really sells it and so does the stonework, it complements the atmosphere very well. The trees are also great but the wooden dock would have to be one of my favourite parts of this build. The details really make it stand out! As always brilliant build and I love the use of smoke in the last photo

[Umbra-Manis]

This thing is just beautiful in that special Nocty way! Perfect color choices and great trees!

[AnalogPanda]

Wow! This is amazing! Perfect balance of detail and restraint all the way around. And fantastic color balance. Love the illuminated picks - very moody!