Book III - Challenge IV: The Turning Point

[Henjin_Quilones]

The Guilds of Historica Book III

Challenge I: A Time to Rebuild

Challenge II: Bread and Circuses

Challenge III: What Will Tomorrow Bring?

Challenge IV: The Turning Point

Preludes:

What Lies Beneath

The Spring of Hope

The Winter of Despair

Even a Feather Can Tip the Scales

 

Historica On the Edge

The rumors have been pouring in from every corner of the land, of undead monsters, secret powers behind the scenes, rebellions against the guild leaders, demons from other realms, lizard people, giant chickens, and Drow invasions, to name a few. There is great unrest in the Guilds. It seems that Historicans find peacetime to be as difficult as war, perhaps because they had such high expectations for it after so many years of war. But work in peacetime is still work. Crops need planting and harvesting, bread needs baking, iron needs pounding. Life goes on, and so do the complaints. Is it Queen Ylspeth's fault? She is of the royal Cedrican bloodline, but is she the strong, unifying leader the Guilds need? Or is she weak, in need of a replacement?

 

Category A: The Crown in Danger

It is time. The uncertainty about the Queen must come to an end. Is she the queen or must we look elsewhere for leadership? Pick your side carefully. You must either: build a scene that depicts the end of the rule of Queen Ylspeth; or: build a scene that depicts the solidification of the rule of Queen Ylspeth. The scene could be anything: a decisive battle, a key assassination, banishment of enemies (or Ylspeth), or whatever else your imagination can create. It does not have to feature the queen in it, nor does it have to show the literal moment of the end (or the opposite) of her rule (though it could), but it should be a decisive moment that makes or breaks her reign, like Actium or Hastings. But again, choose carefully! This category will be scored by the judges in the same way as the quarterly freebuilds, taking both quantity and quality into consideration. If the side in favor of the queen has more points, Ylspeth stays in power; if the anti-queen faction wins, she topples. You, the people of Historica, are building the story of the Guilds. 

Size limit: your parts collection (a.k.a. unlimited base). But remember: bigger is not always better. Quality always wins over quantity in a LEGO build.

You can build an entry for both sides if you so choose. However, in doing so, you are increasing the chances that the side you want to lose will win, unless you just don't care. 

 

Category B: The Crown in Daily Life

While weighty events shape the course of history, most people are about their own ordinary lives. But even the ordinary folks are thinking occasionally about the events transpiring around Cedrica. So, build a scene of ordinary life in Historica, but with a catch: you must use at least one crown element in the build. Any of these will work: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12. The creativity of crown integration will factor into scoring. You can build in any scale (i.e. macro, minifigure, or micro) and use as many crowns, and styles of crowns, as your imagination can conceive. 

Size limit: 12x12 (or equivalent stud area) with limited overhang. 

 

General Rules

Scoring:
Builds will be scored on build quality, presentation, and photography with bonus points to entries with original concepts or stories.  For both Categories, a 1st and 2nd place will be selected.  Each Guild can have up to 1 winner per category (so 2 guilds could have 2 winners, there can be 1 winner per guild, etc.)

Rules:
One entry per side for Cat. A, and only one entry total for Cat. B.
Borders can exceed the maximum size restriction, within reason.
Maximum sizes can be varied as long as the build does not exceed the footprint of the given size restriction (e.g.: 32x64 instead of 48x48 is permissible).
No clone brands (Megablocks, KREO, etc) allowed, but 3rd party fig parts and accessories (Brickarms, Citizen Brick, etc.) are acceptable.
All entries should be posted in their own topic, with the title of: "CHALLENGE IV: Category X: Name of your build".  Please also post a link to your topic here.

Deadline:
Entries due the end of the day on Oct. 31st.  November 3rd. The deadline was extended so builders can use entries for the CCC if they so wish. 

Prizes:
The build with the highest score in Category A will win set 75946: Hungarian Horntail Triwizard Challenge.*

The build with the highest score in Category A, from the opposite faction as the first prize, will win set 70671: Lloyd's Journey.*

The highest scoring build from the winning faction will have its story enter the official canon of Historica. 

*We reserve the right to substitute a LEGO gift card of equal value to the set if shipping costs to your location prove to be financially ruinous. 

Edited October 23, 2019 by Henjin_Quilones

[W Navarre]

What a nice challenge!  I would be very glad to enter, and I think I should be able to find the time!  Very much looking forward to other people's creativity as well! 

[Grover]

Awesome!  Looking forward to it, and long live the queen!

[Eoin Wallace]

looks like a great challenge. Down with the queen!  (Insert evil laugh)

[Grover]

Thinking about this I have a few questions:

1. Who exactly is opposing the queen right now?  I've read the preludes and it seems that some of the Mitgardians, particularly some of the dwarves there, are discontent with bandits and what they see as price gouging by Avalonians, but there seems to be little else specific.  Are we to make up the threat to the crown (or choose our favorite Category A from Challenge 3) as well as the outcome, or is there a specifically named group of individuals that we need to depict?

2. Does this have to be one build, or can it be several that are linked together (a la the last build of Book 2)?  I assume that repositioning minis/horses/characters within the build for multiple pictures is allowed in either case?

Edited September 17, 2019 by Grover

[Henjin_Quilones]

12 hours ago, Grover said:

Thinking about this I have a few questions:

1. Who exactly is opposing the queen right now?  I've read the preludes and it seems that some of the Mitgardians, particularly some of the dwarves there, are discontent with bandits and what they see as price gouging by Avalonians, but there seems to be little else specific.  Are we to make up the threat to the crown (or choose our favorite Category A from Challenge 3) as well as the outcome, or is there a specifically named group of individuals that we need to depict?

2. Does this have to be one build, or can it be several that are linked together (a la the last build of Book 2)?  I assume that repositioning minis/horses/characters within the build for multiple pictures is allowed in either case?

Good questions, Grover! As to 1, it is not clear that there is a cohesive force opposing her, so much as this or that lord, or this or that region, or the like. There is a strong anti-Queen sentiment to the north in Mitgardia, as you note, and there seems to be some resentment towards her in Varlyrio, due to trade policies that upset their monopolies. Also, the Desert King has never approved or acknowledged her reign, to my knowledge, and still considers himself the King of all Historica, same as he was when he died 2,000 years ago. He could be a powerful shaker in this conflict. All of these forces, and perhaps more, as your imagination runs (certainly the Drow, who oppose everything, everywhere, oppose her too, right?) are enemies of the Queen by their own free will. 

As for 2, I meant to put that in the rules! I knew there was a detail that I had forgotten. Yes, since it is unlimited base size, you can also have unlimited builds. And you can absolutely have lots of pictures of posing and action within a scene. 

[Eoin Wallace]

An entry for category B

[Aurore]

Another entry for Category B :

 

 

[Henjin_Quilones]

The deadline has been extended just so slightly to the end of the day anywhere in the world on November 3rd. That does two things: gives an extra weekend to build, and also allows builders to use their builds as entries to the Colossal Castle Contest, if they so wish and can fit the categories. 

 

Hope that helps get some more entries out there!

[Exetrius]

I don't know if I'll enter, but thanks for the extension! Weekends really help. 

[mrcp6d]

My Category A entry:

 

[kahir88]

My entry, for the Category B: The Crown in Daily Life.

 

[Eoin Wallace]

Thanks for the extension, I have one build that might just make it!

[Louis of Nutwood]

Entry for Category B: The crown in daily life.

For Mitgardia!

[Gideon]

My entry for category B.

 

[Etzel]

My entry for category A, "Burning bridges":

 

[kahir88]

My build for the next Challenge.

[Grover]

A build for the queen.

 

[Louis of Nutwood]

Entry for category A: The crown in danger.

Down with the queen. For a prosperous and boulder Mitgardia!

Hope you all enjoy the story. 

[LittleJohn]

My entry for Category A:

 

[adde51]

Finally found some time to finish my entry as well. Glory to the queen!

 

[dathil]

forgot to post my link :O

 

[Exetrius]

Ah well, my cat. A entry stranded. I'll finish it in due time, though. 

[Henjin_Quilones]

At long last, the results are in! Congratulations to @Grover for his winning entry that will become part of the official lore of the Guilds. This means, of course, two things: 1. that Queen Ylspeth stays in power; and 2. that minidolls are part of GoH canon, for better or for worse. At least they are evil villains. Great entries, everyone!

 

Highest scoring entry supported the queen: Grover - The Enlightened (Avalonian Cat. A)

2nd highest scoring entry also supported the queen: LittleJohn - The Grand Victory at Al Tajir (Kaliphlin Cat. A)

Highest scoring entry out of those opposing the queen: Etzel - Burning Bridges (Mitgardian Cat. A)

2nd highest scoring entry opposing the queen: Louis of Nutwood - Sjalen's Torn (Mitgardian Cat. A)

Top entries per guild and category:
Category A:
Grover - The Enlightened (Avalonia)
LittleJohn - The Grand Vicotry at Al Tajir (Kaliphlin)
mrcp6d - An Axe Throwing Agreement (Mitgardia)

Category B:
Gideon - Garden in Barqa (Kaliphlin)
Aurore - Autumn Garden (Mitgardia)
kahir88 - Tick-tock (Avalonia)

 

The gold won from the challenge:

Mitgardia: 55.5 = 56 gold
Avalonia: 39.833 = 40 gold
Kaliphlin: 33.5 =  34 gold
Varlyrio: 0 = 0 gold

Thus overall gold standings should be (check my math, somebody!):

Avalonia: 718 gold
Mitgardia: 557 gold
Varlyrio: 409 gold
Kaliphlin: 365 gold

[Louis of Nutwood]

There's an old say in the cold northern mountains that goes:

"Often times it is not numbers that win the victory, but those who fare forward with the most vigor".

'Tis night we shall drink ale and celebrate a victorious endeavor. For Mitgardia is once again topping a mighty challenge with courage and strength. 

Skol! To sire @Grover with a well deserved highest scoring entry. And Skol to all who shared their inspiring entries. 
Now we can only hope the remaining queen will strengthen our paths and solidify our alliances.