Avalonia Guild: Homepage, Sign-up and Discussion

[ZCerberus]

Like BrickDoc, I also wondered about the giant tree.

I really do like the map. My watch tower belongs on the lush grass land plains it is too bad it doesn't seem to be defending much... Guess I will need to build a worthwhile village for it to protect! I can see you will need to be doing alot of editing when more cities and watch towers are placed... this will be quite a task!

Edited November 28, 2011 by ZCerberus

[Andonii]

To complete my watchtower, I just need the delivery guy to arrive and give me my foliage .

[MikeyB]

Great map JC, Does we know what scale it is? I would imagine it is a least a several days ride across the Guild's lands.

[Dustin]

My lord, Artorious Rex, you finally have my alliegance to the great Avalonia. I;ll be working on a few MOCs. Also, one thing; I think the High King should be represented by the Crownies! It would be great. If you did not mind, I'd love to work on MOCs with Avalonians and the High King.

[Kerntechniker]

Jason Cicchini your map is outstanding. It is really perfect. But one question so far, where the hell you got the Information that close to my watchtower is a river? Your great map fits perfectly with the map/plan of the earldom I've thought to build.

[ZCerberus]

Jason Cicchini your map is outstanding. It is really perfect. But one question so far, where the hell you got the Information that close to my watchtower is a river? Your great map fits perfectly with the map/plan of the earldom I've thought to build.

It is quite clear Jason has mystical powers. This will work out well because now BeerBeard will have another wizzard to share his tricks with.

[Derfel Cadarn]

Greetings guildsmen!

Firstly I would like to welcome all new members to the guild. We are glad to have you with us, feel free to settle and build where ever you wish.

I am really pleased with our new map! Excellent work both of you. A well thought out piece indeed and we are grateful that you have taken the time to do this and update it. Special titles will be rewarded to you both.

I noticed a bit of unrest over posting of task mocs. Lets not let things get out of control here. As others have noted, the point of these tasks was something extra to help people practice and work on building mocs. The main challenges are what will get our guild points, so the tasks are to help people work on their building to prepare for the main challenges. There is plenty of time to do these in, so take as much time as you want.

As you know, titles will lead to prizes. The members with the most titles will win prizes, and lots of titles will be available to earn throughout the project. Some titles will be given out for special things that members do.

You may have noticed some members with a Knight title. As you may have noticed, Avalonia was loosely based on the King Arthur Legend, but only loosely as I didn't want any restrictions on what you can build. The Knight titles are basically Alias titles. Handed out to members for special deeds, effort and any mocs that have a similar feel to any of the Arthurian myths.

Don't worry to much about earning these special titles, as you will all earn plenty along the way. The titles that should mean the most are the ones that are given out to those who score the highest in the main challenges.

Things are quiet in Historica at the moment, guilds are at peace. This is the chance to build up our land. Our capital needs building, but because it is such a mighty capital, it needs to be planned and different parts assigned to each member to build.

This will be coming soon, and each of you will be able to choose what part you would like to build.

We will have the mightiest capital of all the lands! Time to get things started.

[ZCerberus]

M'Lord,

Years of peace have allowed our capital’s walls to weaken and wither. Our great hall is in disrepair and no man has kept our keep. In recent days our capital has been penetrated by spies and ruffians. As Commander of the Capital, it has become most evident to me that our defenses need strengthening and our capital need be returned to her former glory.

I request we recall all our architects and great Lords to the capital to rebuild her to her former glory. As Commander, I will present our building plans to the architects and Lords for consideration. Assignments to be doled out as M’Lord sees fit.

[JacksonRemus]

My most Venerable Lord Artorious Rex

Your envoy has finally reached me in my lair, Azgareth, located in the far northwest of Avalonia on the Mitigardian and Nocturnus borders.

I wish to declare my allegiance to your banner. Where you command, I will obey.

I have from my treasury, a gift of tribute for the realm. My Lieutenant will be making the delivery on my behalf.

My lord we are a small band of warriors and smiths who have located ourselves in an dark iron and obsidian rich valley. I would be honored to produce dark iron weapons and machines of war for the realm.

Your Servant

Captain Jackson Remus.

My Flickr Page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71047934@N08/

I am new to this and these are my first attempt at MOCS. From my reading of the historic forums I will need to be doing some visiting to bricklink to catch up on pieces to match the awesome MOCS that are coming from all builders.

[Fantu]

Jason Cicchini your map is fantastic!

I'll ask you to add my Elven City Hybrasil in your map. I think the best place would be between the position of the towers number 2 and 3 in the Enchanted Forest. It's a very hidden place, while people can see it on the map, no one never will find it if the elves don't want to.

Pictures here -> http://www.flickr.com/photos/FantuX

PS.: Still trying to build a tower. It's not that easy as I thought in the begining taking the elves as my people, but I'm very happy with this challenge that I have now.

Edited November 29, 2011 by Fantu

[Jason Cicchini]

Firstly, a thank you to my fellow guildsmen for the praise! My heart is warmed you all enjoy it!

As for the questions posed:

Brickdoctor - The tree icon represents the "mighty tree in the mystic isles" Derfel talked about in I believe the Avalonia description. (I can't seem to find the name of it, so it is as yet unlabeled. Also, I grappled with placing it, as it is supposed to be "impossible to find.")

MikeyB - I'd ask Timura, as he was invaluable in placing certain things based on relative distance between. I believe it is somewhere around a week's worth of travel from one side to the other, but I could be wrong.

Kertechniker - I'm guessing it's a good placement? I took a stab in the dark based on the landscape and description you made, but can definitely change it if need be.

Fantu - Hybrasil will be placed where you have asked. I have several other new things to add, such as Azgareth and the Obsidian Tower that was just posted. An updated map should be up in the next few days, so stay tuned!

Now that the bulk of work for the map is out of the way, I can finish my watchtower and get started on the task MOCs! Will tinker with it tonight, and wait for good lighting to take pictures in the morning. More to come!

[Brickdoctor]

Brickdoctor - The tree icon represents the "mighty tree in the mystic isles" Derfel talked about in I believe the Avalonia description. (I can't seem to find the name of it, so it is as yet unlabeled. Also, I grappled with placing it, as it is supposed to be "impossible to find.")

Hmmm... I see a mention of a giant oak tree in the first post of this topic, but it's in the Enchanted Forest.

[timura]

Brickdoctor - The tree icon represents the "mighty tree in the mystic isles" Derfel talked about in I believe the Avalonia description. (I can't seem to find the name of it, so it is as yet unlabeled. Also, I grappled with placing it, as it is supposed to be "impossible to find.")

MikeyB - I'd ask Timura, as he was invaluable in placing certain things based on relative distance between. I believe it is somewhere around a week's worth of travel from one side to the other, but I could be wrong.

The "mytical Oak" is located in the Enchanted Forrest according to the first mesage.

The distance between towers number 14 and 18 is approx. 50 miles (80 km).

[NiceMarmot]

The distance between towers number 14 and 18 is approx. 50 miles (80 km).

That's very interesting -- that makes the distance between your capital city and Cedrica about 130 miles as the crow flies. I was working off assumptions for the Kaliphlin map that gave almost the same exact value (140 vs 130)! Good to know that we arrived at approximately the same scale.

By the way, someone on a good horse on a decent road or path can travel about 35 miles per day (without exhausting the horse; you could go much faster but you wouldn't be able to ride the horse the next day). I make the distance between Cedrica and your capital at about 165 miles by the roads, or nearly 5 days by horse. That's probably a good distance. From your capital to Barqa in the western Siccus it would be about 265 miles by road, or 7.5 days by horse. And from Cedrica to Petraea, the capital of the Badlands, it's 271 miles by roads, which is nearly 8 days. I think those are all good distances; not too close together, but also not unreasonably far either by medieval standards.

By that scale Historica appears to be about 770 miles wide, from the western edge of the Enchanted Isles to the eastern shore of the Moruth Swamplands. I don't have a good map of Mitgardia, so the north-south dimension is harder to measure, but I'd guess it appears to be about 600 miles or so. That puts Historica at about the same size as a rotated Texas, which is about 790 miles north-south and 660 miles east-west. By contrast, France is about 600 miles in both dimensions.

[SkaForHire]

That's very interesting -- that makes the distance between your capital city and Cedrica about 130 miles as the crow flies. I was working off assumptions for the Kaliphlin map that gave almost the same exact value (140 vs 130)! Good to know that we arrived at approximately the same scale.

By the way, someone on a good horse on a decent road or path can travel about 35 miles per day (without exhausting the horse; you could go much faster but you wouldn't be able to ride the horse the next day). I make the distance between Cedrica and your capital at about 165 miles by the roads, or nearly 5 days by horse. That's probably a good distance. From your capital to Barqa in the western Siccus it would be about 265 miles by road, or 7.5 days by horse. And from Cedrica to Petraea, the capital of the Badlands, it's 271 miles by roads, which is nearly 8 days. I think those are all good distances; not too close together, but also not unreasonably far either by medieval standards.

By that scale Historica appears to be about 770 miles wide, from the western edge of the Enchanted Isles to the eastern shore of the Moruth Swamplands. I don't have a good map of Mitgardia, so the north-south dimension is harder to measure, but I'd guess it appears to be about 600 miles or so. That puts Historica at about the same size as a rotated Texas, which is about 790 miles north-south and 660 miles east-west. By contrast, France is about 600 miles in both dimensions.

Some quick math, and a shotty eyeing of the coast lines, there seems to be about 350 nautical miles of Avalonia's mainland from border to border (through the Mystic Isles), while if one was to sail all the way around there seems to be around 550. Much weaker is my eyeing of Kaliphlins coast. I come up with around 700 nautical miles. I wish we had a scale on the maps! Anyway, there may be a few that want to know this, but with an average sailing speed around 7 for a late medieval cog, we are looking at about 170 nautical miles a day (with good wind, and sailing 24 hours a day).

That would mean a little over two days for the voyage from Kaliphlin to Mitgardia through the Mystic Isles. Three and a quarter days to go around the whole coast, and four and a quarter to sail Kaliphlin's whole coast. That is at max speed with very favorable wind. A galley under row power averaged around 2-3 knots, with short bursts in battle up to 9. BTW, a small cog would probably max out around 10 while a large cog could hit perhaps 13 knots an hour.

Alright time for bed... But hypothetical fantasy math is fun!

[Angeli]

The Questioning

...to much gore for my taste (and I am a nocturnian :))

[K.Kreations]

Firstly, a thank you to my fellow guildsmen for the praise! My heart is warmed you all enjoy it!

As for the questions posed:

Brickdoctor - The tree icon represents the "mighty tree in the mystic isles" Derfel talked about in I believe the Avalonia description. (I can't seem to find the name of it, so it is as yet unlabeled. Also, I grappled with placing it, as it is supposed to be "impossible to find.")

MikeyB - I'd ask Timura, as he was invaluable in placing certain things based on relative distance between. I believe it is somewhere around a week's worth of travel from one side to the other, but I could be wrong.

Kertechniker - I'm guessing it's a good placement? I took a stab in the dark based on the landscape and description you made, but can definitely change it if need be.

Fantu - Hybrasil will be placed where you have asked. I have several other new things to add, such as Azgareth and the Obsidian Tower that was just posted. An updated map should be up in the next few days, so stay tuned!

Now that the bulk of work for the map is out of the way, I can finish my watchtower and get started on the task MOCs! Will tinker with it tonight, and wait for good lighting to take pictures in the morning. More to come!

Before you add those could you wait till I post my tower? It will be later tonight, thanks!

[Andonii]

That's very interesting -- that makes the distance between your capital city and Cedrica about 130 miles as the crow flies. I was working off assumptions for the Kaliphlin map that gave almost the same exact value (140 vs 130)! Good to know that we arrived at approximately the same scale.

By the way, someone on a good horse on a decent road or path can travel about 35 miles per day (without exhausting the horse; you could go much faster but you wouldn't be able to ride the horse the next day). I make the distance between Cedrica and your capital at about 165 miles by the roads, or nearly 5 days by horse. That's probably a good distance. From your capital to Barqa in the western Siccus it would be about 265 miles by road, or 7.5 days by horse. And from Cedrica to Petraea, the capital of the Badlands, it's 271 miles by roads, which is nearly 8 days. I think those are all good distances; not too close together, but also not unreasonably far either by medieval standards.

By that scale Historica appears to be about 770 miles wide, from the western edge of the Enchanted Isles to the eastern shore of the Moruth Swamplands. I don't have a good map of Mitgardia, so the north-south dimension is harder to measure, but I'd guess it appears to be about 600 miles or so. That puts Historica at about the same size as a rotated Texas, which is about 790 miles north-south and 660 miles east-west. By contrast, France is about 600 miles in both dimensions.

Good quick maths. It's great to know the size of Historica. How large would it be on minifigure scale? Also, is that the final version of the Kalaphlin map that I put on my maps thread, or are you going to make another one?

[NiceMarmot]

Good quick maths. It's great to know the size of Historica. How large would it be on minifigure scale? Also, is that the final version of the Kalaphlin map that I put on my maps thread, or are you going to make another one?

At 1 stud per foot, that would be 4,065,600 studs across. Anyone got that many bricks?

I will be doing another version of the Kaliphlin map, probably in the next day or two once we get a few remaining key features named. I will post it to your maps thread when I do.

[Andonii]

At 1 stud per foot, that would be 4,065,600 studs across. Anyone got that many bricks?

LOL, certainly not me

I will be doing another version of the Kaliphlin map, probably in the next day or two once we get a few remaining key features named. I will post it to your maps thread when I do.

Good. Take your time. We want the maps to be the best they can (although I think that so far yours are the best that we can so far, followed closely by Avalonia ).

[NiceMarmot]

I think that so far yours are the best that we can so far

Thanks! I appreciate the praise. It's been kind of fun making the maps. I hadn't really done anything like it before; only had done a little editing of photos before. As you might imagine, I definitely was using the Tolkien maps as an inspiration. Most of the effort has been in learning how to use the image editing tool. I'm using GIMP, which is sort of an open-source PhotoShop, and it's very powerful, but takes a while to learn and get proficient. Luckily there's plenty of tutorials and such on the Web, and there's also quite a lot of good info on the Web for fantasy mapmaking. Apparently there are lots of people making maps for mods to RPGs and so on. I had a week long business trip two weeks ago, with no access to LEGO, so mapmaking was a good thing to do late at night and on the plane. If anyone has any questions about how to do something, I'm happy to pass on what I've learned.

[Andonii]

I'm using GIMP, which is sort of an open-source PhotoShop, and it's very powerful, but takes a while to learn and get proficient.

I'm using GIMP to, but I can't seem to be able to get rid of the background, change it white and not mess up the foreground. If you can help me it would be much appreciated.

[Andonii]

By the way (I know I shouldn't ask on this thread, but I think I'll get an answer more quickly) how do you set a member title.

[ZCerberus]

Are you talking about a title under one's name... like mine says "Classic-Pirates inhouse ship expert" and de Gothia's says "Faction man"?

Those cannot be changed by the member, the mystical powers that be at Eurobricks can change them. I would never request a title or a title change, they just sorta come and go when a memeber does something cool and a moderator etc. feels like they need a title. Same thing with tags. I don't know when I got the MOC expert one, and I SHOULD have a Classic-Pirates Crew tag, but those are also given, by the powers that be.

Edited November 29, 2011 by ZCerberus

[Andonii]

Cool. Thanks for clearing that up. I wasn't sure about it.