Free Build Mitgardia: Stalker in the mines!

[Blaze]

After defeating the ice dragon at breezerock cabin, Virgil went to Kurt, the blacksmith at Pikesteel who is specialised at working with dragon bones and scales.

 Dwarven Mine by Jan Pennings, on Flickr

Kurt: Virgil, it has been a while, what do you have there?

Virgil: Hello Kurt, how are you doin’? This is the skull of an Ice Dragon I killed at Breezerock, you think you can something out of it?

Kurt: Ah nice, an ice dragon, you know that they have one of the densest bones of all the dragons? Its because they live in such cold places, people say they are granted strong bones and scales to endure the extreme cold they live in.

Dwarven Mine by Jan Pennings, on Flickr

Virgil: That’s great news! I will hear from you when you crafted something right?

Kurt: Oh yeah I almost forgot to tell you! Captain Marcus was looking for you and he was in quite the hurry to find you! I bet he has another project for you!

Virgil: Thanks Kurt, I will see him right away, have a good day!

 

Virgil makes his way to captain Marcus’ quarters. Marcus is known as the newspaper of Pikesteel, if anyone knows something, it is most likely he heard it from Marcus or one of his men. He also tends to gamble and gossip a lot though, so you never know what is true and what is not.

Dwarven Mine by Jan Pennings, on Flickr

 

Virgil: Marcus, heard you were looking for me?

Marcus: Ah finally Virgil, how long did it take you to get here, it seems longer than two years!! (I made the ice dragon in 2016 ;) )

Virgil: Yeah sorry, I was busy with some other things, but I never forgot about this. But lets get down to business, you needed me for something?

Marcus: Well at least you still go straight to the point after all these years. But yes, indeed. I had heard some news that in an old rune of the dwarves north of Omurtag there was a great treasure of gold sighted. So I sent some of my men to the cave, but none of them returned. And that was 3 weeks ago. And also, a week after I sent my men, I also heard news that many jewelry and chains were missing around that place. And there was something quite particular to that, the only things that were missing were gold chains and everything as long as it had gold in it. So with these stories all combined, I believe a Stalker is owning the cave now as its home.

Virgil: A Stalker? You mean one of the smartest big lizards in existence. And not only that, but the gold they steal they melt it and use it for their claws and fangs, which make it even harder than Vanadium steel!

Marcus: You sound scared Virgil. I thought you were the great dragon slayer haha.

Virgil: I am no slayer, only when I have to I kill them! And I’m not afraid, give me the location and I will bring you your Stalker and all the gold I can find, you know my price Marcus. And this time, I want it before the quest.

 

Marcus: Here you go Virgil, good luck! And before is because you want to drink yourself some courage right haha

 

A couple of days later, Virgil sets out to the old dwarven rune Akadum together with Sue and Kane, two fellow rangers with the skills he thinks he needs for this challenge.

Dwarven Mine by Jan Pennings, on Flickr

 

After a couple of days travelling they enter the rune and soon they find the old crypt of the old Dwarven Lord Adkuhm. In front of the crypt are giant stacks of all kinds of stuff, but they are not normal items, everything is made of gold!

 Dwarven Mine by Jan Pennings, on Flickr

Kane: He is here somewhere!! Keep your heads up!

Dwarven Mine by Jan Pennings, on Flickr 

All of a sudden the door of the crypt breaks open and a giant black Lizard crawls out with enormous golden claws and teeth!  

Dwarven Mine by Jan Pennings, on Flickr

Dwarven Mine by Jan Pennings, on Flickr

Dwarven Mine by Jan Pennings, on Flickr

 

I was building the big piece of the mine with the stalker first, than i wanted to add more of a story to it, so I started building the other rooms, attached to the mine, I never did that before, so now it is one story in a single moc, I am quite pleased with it as you can see on these pictures:

Dwarven Mine by Jan Pennings, on Flickr

Dwarven Mine by Jan Pennings, on Flickr

Please comment and let me know what you think of my first freebuild in more than two years!!

 

[zoth33]

Nice build.  I like the 2 different sides of the build.  The rockwork is good.  I like the brick built beast.  The interior on the other side is neat, I like the brick built skull.  I also like your figs.  

[W Navarre]

Good work, the interior is neatly done with the rows of weapons! 

[The Last of Nergoue]

great work i really enjoy the duel scenes!

[Henjin_Quilones]

Each of the scenes is nice, but I think they don't necessarily work the best all joined together like that. I like the skulls of the dragons, especially the one on the floor. I like the columns in the mine courtyard, too. I think your fig posing could be more dynamic, as right now in every scene the figs are just standing with both feet on the floor, even when they are walking across a bridge and confronting a dragon. If you could show them walking or running (towards the beast, as they are brave rangers) that would help bring the scenes some life. 

[mccoyed]

I really like the interior here. Just the right amount of detail.

[Blaze]

Nice to hear you guys like it! @Henjin_Quilones you are right about the posing of the figs, I normally try to implement them more dynamic, but now that you've mentioned it I can also see that everyone is standing there like a statue, I should pay better attention next time!

[Grover]

Nice work!  I like the cold, Mitgardian feel to it.  The knit cap on the blacksmith lends itself to intimating that the cold of the outdoors is seeping in through the windows and maybe walls despite the forge.  Marcus' quarters looks more cozy.  Love the stuff on the shelf there!  I also like how the build has multiple areas that you can photograph separately, but they all fit together so you get a sense of where everything is in the overall shot.  I also like how Virgil just drags this big dragon skull into the shop! lol  The contrast with the indoor and outdoor scenes between orderly and disorderly (as nature isn't known for a lot of right angles) is good, too.  The brickbuilt dragon is great, as are the bones around the lair.  I'd assume it's summer since there's not a ton of snow piled up everywhere?  Well done!

[soccerkid6]

I really like the style of rockwork you used here Nice nod to your previous Ice Dragon build, and the dwarven pillars are excellent

Good selection of weapons inside, and the stalker is a fun unique dragon concept