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Darnok

The WTC Advent Calendar 2018

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The WTC Advent Calendar 2018

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Prelude

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

 

Merrynight is near, same as each year.

Minifigs all over the Brick Seas prepare for the festivities, and the WTC has found an early present.

 

What will they make of it?

You will find out here, one episode a day!

Edited by Drunknok

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Day 1 - Setting up the decorations

 

Mordo was grumpy, as usual. "What is all this fuss about, and why is there shiny stuff everywhere?" he snapped at a WTC Marine.

"Sir, you remember that boat we found just days ago? Examining this big book we learned a lot about Merrynight and all things around it. It demands proper decoration - as ayou can see here. We could not yet find an appropriate tree, as is written in Chapter 23, but we are working on it!"

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Still grumpy, Mordo looked around the room: "What is that other stuff all about?"

"Sir, we have yet to learn about the bag in the corner. Chapter 2 asks for freshly baked cookies and a glass of milk at all times though. We could not get milk - no cows in all of Mesabi Landing! - so took a bottle of good beer instead. Sir, we have lots to do, if you excuse me!" ... and off he went.

 

Chrissi, one of the WTC Operators, approached Mordo: "Sir, this whole thing seems to be about presents to be delivered for Merrynight. I believe we should take up this task, do as the book tells it. Presents for every minifig in the Brick Seas. This could be a great opportunity for the WTC! Think of the free advertisement we can get with this be putting a leaflet into each box!"

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As grumpy as ever, Mordo nodded approvingly: "Alrighty then Chrissi. Set up the production here, and get everybody to work on this. I want daily updates! And while we are at it: do some promotion in out WayMart stores. People are supposed to buy, buy, buy - that's the Merrynight spirit!"

Edited by Drunknok

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Day 2 - Furnishing the workshop

 

The ground floor had be redecorated a little bit, since more room was needed: to set up a proper workshop, tools, tables and chairs were brought in:

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Mordo wondered about an arrangement of green on a big central table: "What is this now?"

Chrissi explained: "The big book mentions something called advent wreath. Each of the four sundays before Merrynight you lit one candle, and today is the first of these Sundays."

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Spoiler

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Amusing idea and lovely little builds. Will be looking forward to following this!

4 hours ago, Roadmonkeytj said:

I don't have an advent calendar so I'm just opening random cabinets and eating whatever is inside 

:pir-grin:

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Day 3 - For the kids!

 

With the workshop properly set up, the work had started. One of the first products to be finished was a miniaturised horse butchery, complete with horse models an some mechanism to "slaughter" them. The gears for this mechanism were currently handcrafted, but Chrissis was amazed by how good the models looked already.

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WTC Horse Slaughter House

Rid the Brick Seas of a dangerous menace that terrorises innocent minifigs everywhere: evil horses!

Comes with two horse models and a miniature butchery with mechanical play feature.

Get the horses into the butchery, pull the trigger and shred the beasts!

For kids!

BDHoupD.jpg

 

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Day 4 - Getting the packages ready

 

The first presents being done, the attention now shifted to the packaging. The Big Book mentioned presents coming in colourful boxes - so boxes had to be coloured! Some WTC Marines were already at work, while another is... not as motivated in face of all the boxes yet to come.

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Day 5 - The Big White

 

Once upon a time, when Lego bricks were still made from wood, a particularly cold winter held all of the Brick Seas in its icy grip. It seemed like the snowstorms would never end, as all nations were buried under layers upon layers of snow - all lands were covered by white slopes and tiles.

It was in these days when a grumpy old man decided: enough was enough. The world was a place of colour! So he started building and painting, crafting many a small miracle. When, after many stormy nights, he was finished, all those gifts to the world were stuck into one big sack. The old man put on his warmest suit and hat, both in fiery red, and went out into... the Merrynight.

 

All minifigs had retreated to their homes, clsoing in on their warm fireplaces. To stand against the dark cold outside, candles had been set up in many placs, spending light and a cosy feeling for everybody nearby. Leaving the house was impossible, for the snow had risen high enough to block most doors.

So what could the old man do? Colour and joy had to be delivered to every minifig, but the doors were blocked. Only one solution remained: through the chimney! For the heat of the fires below had kept them open, with a bit of squeezing he could enter and leave every house despite the closed doors. No matter the weather outside, through hailstorm and bitter cold - an old stranger in red coat came to every home on this holy night.

 

And so a myth was born. A myth of an old man bringing colourful presents and joy to everybody at Merrynight.

 

From "The Tales Of Merrynight", aka the Big Book

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Day 6 - Cookies and candy

 

The production of presents was going well, but the Big Book spoke of more things being important for Merrynight. Chapter 3 was all about cookies and candy, and other treats handed to nice minifigs. So Chef Curtis was commissioned to bake a variety of Merrynight cookies - the first batch had just arrived for testing.

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It seemed like they were all good, but the gingerbread horse - with saddle and hair made from sugar, hoofs of black chocolate and an almond for the eyes - was everybodies favourite!

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Day 7 - Playtesting

 

"Woohoo, you can not sink my battleship!" ... "That is because you have none, doofus."

A heated discussion was going on, as two WTC Marines played the new "Fleets of the Brick Seas" a product just recently finished. Some bigger ships were still being built and painted, but the game was playable with what had been finished so far: a blue cloth "sea", some island terrain, and two models of smaller ships.

Here the pirates seem to have more luck than the ship under Corrish colours:

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Edited by Drunknok

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Day 8 - Merrynight Cookies

 

't is the season to bake cookies! The following is a very easy recipe, that you can use as a starting point for literally hundreds of variants. The amounts given here make for about one baking tray full of cookies. Simply scale it up if you want to do more.

Sieve 300g of flour and 100g of sugar powder, then mix with 200g of butter, 1 pack of vanilla sugar, a pinch of salt and a single whole egg. Knead well and let rest in the fridge for about two hours.

Roll out on a well floured surface, about half a centimeter thick. Cut into shapes as you like, either by hand with a knife, or with cookie cutters. Put the cookies on a tray with baking paper. The rest of the dough can be kneaded to a ball and rolled out again - repeat the process until the dough is used up.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 8 to 15 minutes. The cookies should be golden but not brown.

 

After letting the cookies cool completely, they can be decorated with whatever you want. The "usual suspects" are sugar frosting, chocolate coating, sugar beads, nots, or any combination of these.

Store in a tightly closing box. Putting a piece of apple into the box will keep the cookies from drying out.

 

This is how they should like like fresh out of the oven...

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... and with some sweet decoration (with a round variation using a chocolate flavoured dough):

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Edited by Drunknok
Pictures!

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Day 9 - Having a rest

 

After a week of hard work, everybody came together for an afternoon of recreation.

 

"Man, it is getting really cold outside, get a cuppa!"                                           Chewy doing its thing...

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The second Sunday of Advent was all about cookies, pastries and hot tea. There was a lot of work left to do - tomorrow.

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Day 10 - Shiny shakos

 

The workspace had been expanded to the basement downstairs. The room was not as pretty, but had a fireplace - which came in handy, since the temperatures had been dropping every day.

"Are we really doing shakos for Port Woodhouse? Since when are they on the Nice-list?"

"Don't ask me! It's in the Big Book, and we follow its rules apparently..."

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Day 11 - Wrapping it up

 

A first batch of shakos was done. Now the Big Book demanded all presents to be wrapped in colourful paper and ribbons - and so it was done. The pile of presents was slowly growing...

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Edited by Drunknok
Typo...

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Day 12 - The pile is growing

 

Shakos being done and packed up, the next thing on the schedule was "knitting". For where would you put all those tasty cookies, than into a woolen sock hanging over the fireplace?

The problem at hand: the previous suplier of knitted goods had gone silent recently. Some heat-related issues with the workers...

Thankfully every single WTC Marine was a trained knitter - woolen socks and knitted teddy bears were churned out effortlessly.

 

"Elenore, what did you knit there?"

"Oh, just some deep-sea goddess determined to crush all living minifigs and feed on their souls..."

"Oh, sweet. For the kids again!"

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The pile of presents was growing every hour...

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========================================================================================

 

Halftime! :pir-sweet:

 

Thanks everybody for the comments so far! Please note that I changed the cookie recipe a bit from the first time I posted it (now makes the right amount for one tray), and added some pictures.

 

On 12/2/2018 at 6:43 PM, Fraunces said:

this is a very cool idea

Thanks, I hope it helps to get you in the right mood for Christmas. :thumbup:

 

On 12/3/2018 at 6:22 AM, Roadmonkeytj said:

I don't have an advent calendar so I'm just opening random cabinets and eating whatever is inside 

Did you dome across the dead rat already?! :pir-grin:

 

On 12/3/2018 at 11:03 AM, Bregir said:

Amusing idea and lovely little builds. Will be looking forward to following this!

Thanky you. I hope it helps building some good community spirit.

 

On 12/3/2018 at 6:21 PM, Roadmonkeytj said:

For kids! 

Hahahaha

Indeed. rutality, explosives and insanity - what else? Did I mention that I am a teacher? :innocent:

 

On 12/8/2018 at 12:57 AM, Bodi said:

Looking good, I like these little builds. 

Thanks, the plan is to not disappoint until the end! :classic:

Edited by Drunknok

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Day 13 - More playtesting

 

Sitting around a gaming board with family or friends, a Merrynight classic! So it was decided to include "Oktoberfest - The Boardgame" with the presents to send out.

You take turns in rolling dice, gain points by drinking beer and lose them when vomiting. It goes round and round, last man still standing wins. A game for the whole family!

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Day 14 - An unexpected delivery

 

Work was going well, and Mordo had a rest at the fireplace with some tea and cookies. It was not meant to last...

 

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"Mr. Mordo I presume? I have a delivery for you."

          "How do you know it is for me, hum?"

"Well, it says:

Mr.  Kadeus Mordo

At the fireplace (with tea and cookies)

WTC Workshop

4 Private Drive

Mesabi Landing

Argentia

East Prio Sea

 

          "Damn, that is oddly specific! So what have you got for me?"

"Well, you better follow me..."

 

=====

 

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"Holy Prometheus! Who? Why? How?!" Mordo shouted angrily.

After a moment he composed himself and muttered: "Well, as my old man used to say: Einem geschenkten Barsch schaut man nicht in den..."

"Sir, I need a signature!"

 

Spoiler

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Edited by Drunknok

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1 hour ago, Bodi said:

What a lovely tree, may I know where these candles come from?

Thanks. :classic:

The candles are a new part for 2018, currently only available in the Harry Potter sets. See here on Bricklink.

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Day 15 - Toys!

 

The new Merrynight tree on the plaza quickly gained attention. Local traders were eager to set up a Merrynight Market.

A first booth was set up soon, with wooden toys on sale:

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The shop owner explained: "See, I produce fine wooden toys, and these soldiers and cannon are a favourite with the kids. The soldiers with their black boots, white trousers, red uniform and brown hats on their heads, the cannon in shiny black with finely crafted moving wheels! The kids can replay the glorious victories of the Crowns armies with these - massacre the legions of your teddy bears with them! Endless fun!

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Edited by Drunknok

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Day 16 - Stars for sale

 

Back at the workshop, Mordo discussed with Chrissi:

"This whole show will only run for another week or so, what will we do with this place once it is over?"

She replied: "Well, toys are a profitable business, so I think we should keep it operational. New shiny stuff every six months or so, overpriced of course. Ripping off kids and their parents is easy!"

"Hohum, good idea to be honest. Make it so!"

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Meanwhile, at the marketplace Merrynight Stars were on sale. Just recently introduced from the Myzec people, the bright red flower had become a common Merrynight decoration in many minifig households.

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