Aurore

My plan for this challenge was a full-fledged elven merchant's guildhouse. Then life happened, and I realised I would never be able to finish it in time - even with the extended deadline. But I really wanted to participate; so here is an unassuming entry, just for the enjoyment of building and fleshing out Historica. PS. Of course, I couldn't help but write a short story. A story that would take place a few years before my main storyline in Embervale, but featuring the same main characters. Elmire's Couture House Meborin, Avalonia. The great merchant city of the High Elves. A place of awe and wonder, where only the finest was good enough. In the upper part of the city, Elmire’s couture house was the kind of confidential place where a few high-end, unique articles were offered to the admiration of selected guests. Trivial things such as prices were never, ever spoken. If gold ended up changing ownership, it was patronage of the Arts. A sign of recognition of Elmire’s talent – nothing to do with menial trade. When Lord Dresghar, Ambassador of the Dark Elves in Meborin, solicited an appointment, Elmire got a bad feeling. Yet the Ambassador himself was as fine as a Dark Elf could be: he had a charming smile, beautiful blue eyes and the refined manners expectable from a diplomat. Alas, he was also afflicted with a niece who had none of these things but needed a new ball gown. “What have you done to me? I can’t breathe anymore!” Alrune cried out, struggling to free herself from the garment that was crushing her ribs. “Get me out of here!” “You just need to stop panicking, honey, everything’s all right,” Dresghar placidly replied. “Really, that’s all you can come up with? I’ll stop panicking once I’ll be able to breathe again!” Ties. There were ties beneath Alrune’s fingers. If only she could loosen them up…She felt searing pain in her forefinger – but insisted. Hopefully those nasty strings would give up before her nails. “That dress of yours is an exquisite masterpiece, dear.” She heard Dresghar’s voice say in an insufferable worldly tone. “Youthful yet elegant, with just a hint of glamour. That’s how a proper elf maiden should look like.” What? To hell with elegance and glamour – she wanted to breathe! And now, from the corner of her tearful eye, she saw the dressmaker smile blissfully at her uncle. None of them seemed to intend to move even a little finger to save her. All right. Too bad for the dress – it did look good, she had to admit, but it was trying to kill her. Under the increasingly horrified gaze of the dressmaker, she created tiny, glowing darts of magical force from her bleeding fingertips. And then, unceremoniously, she sliced the back of the garment. -- Epilogue Smelling salts were needed to revive Elmire after the incident, and it took Dresghar an elaborate floral arrangement and two boxes of candied violets to obtain forgiveness for the affront to her creation. Alrune kept the dress. Even adjusted to a more sensible fit, it was still as mesmerizing as Elmire had imagined it. Two more pictures...

Simon_S 1 point T-86 (swe) 1 point Talus Moonbreaker 1 point

My entry, as a team with @Sympatik Brick, for the collaborative category of Brickscalibur. Check his build here! And, also, a new episode in my main storyline the Chronicles of Embervale... THE BUILD My very first vehicle, and very first attempt at creating other Dark Elves than my main characters Alrune and Dresghar. I'm now very tempted to make a full-fleshed faction, Warhammer-miniatures-style, but I digresss. Here is a high-end but cumbersome carriage of the Dark Elves, traveling through the rugged mountains around Embervale and getting to know the local population... More details of the decor, minifigs and carriage in the spoiler section below. THE STORY Previously in the Chronicles of Embervale: a flashback brought us back when Embervale was ruled by a certain Governor Voronthir. Alrune had never set foot there, and Evrart was a sergeant for a neighbouring baron of the human Realms. As said baron was visiting Embervale to solve a minor conflict with the Governor, all of a sudden, the bell of the village made its ring heard… As the bell started to ring in Embervale, the quiet village became a hive of activity. Such a backwater corner of the Elven Empire hardly ever got visits from officials – even the local governor set foot outside of the castle only if he was really forced to do so. Imperial elves mingled as little as possible with the human populace of their most remote borders. But the bell was announcing imperials and rumours and contradictory information were spreading like wildfire. Who? Why? Good news, or bad omens for the villagers? The visiting baron was not the last to want to know more. Upon interrogation, the town crier explained him he had rung the bell because the miller’s son said there were imperial troops approaching. The boy had been warned by an adventurer. Who had heard it from one of the foresters. Who said a little bird had told him. At which point the baron’s sergeant had the greatest difficulty to prevent his liege from punching someone in the face. As the rest of the day passed on without any imperial elf showing up, most of the visitors from the Adventurers’ Guild left the village for places with more action and less damp squids. The baron, meanwhile, decided to stay. Partly because he had no intention to give up on talking to the Governor despite the hermetically closed gates of the castle, and partly because the local beer was excellent. And as he and his men were about to order their third round, a small black bird came to land on their table... “What the…? A crow?” One of the soldiers exclaimed with a large yet imprecise hand gesture intended to expel the intruder. “I’m not a crow,” the bird stated, scowling at the man. “Not everything that’s black and flies is a crow, you ignorant grunt. I’m an alpine chough!” An awkward silence was the only answer – during which the baron glanced at his beer with much suspicion. Yellow bill and red feet, you see,” the bird went on, unimpressed. “That’s an easy way to distinguish an alpine chough from a crow, which is all black. Anyways. If you get me a portion of this excellent roasted ham they serve here, I’ll tell you all you want to know about the elves who are approaching. Who were approaching – actually.” Perhaps it was the beer, perhaps it was curiosity, the fact remains that the baron ordered a portion of ham for this unusual informant. And, between two pecks at its lunch, the little bird told them about travellers it had seen in the mountains above Embervale. A big carriage and a handful of riders. They were what humans called dark elves, most probably, because they were clad in black and there were pointy bits on the (black) coach. The chough had spent some time perched on the carriage, and one of the elves had given it half of an excellent goat cheese. Then it had left them to tend to some important bird business, and the next time it had seen them, they were as good as dead. “What happened?” The baron snapped when the bird chose this precise moment to take the time to preen its feathers. "They were ambushed!” The chough answered with such a sudden wing gesture that the closest soldier spilled his beer. “Scary creatures! Cats and wargs! Claws and fangs – and weapons! They took the carriage!” "Any elf left alive?” The sergeant enquired. “Maybe. At least, I haven’t found the body of the nice one who gave me cheese.” “I would have expected the survivors to show up in Embervale cryin’ to their governor like little kids to their mama!” The baron sneered. “You dare to explain why you tell us rather than some pointy-eared rascal?” “You’re not even able to differentiate a chough from a crow! Don’t expect me to care for the differences between you primates,” the bird replied in the same tone. This time, the sergeant was not quick enough to prevent his liege from throwing a punch. But don’t you worry for the little chough! It dodged, and spent the rest of the evening enjoying roasted ham - while watching one of those classic tavern brawls that is bound to happen in any self-respecting fantasy story when someone loses their temper in a bar.

THE BUILD The Adventurers' Guild and the workshop of Guillemin, the luthier of Embervale. As soon as that "double arrow" modified tile (3396) showed up, I knew I was going to use it for a timber-framed house inspired by the place I come from - Alsace. It took me a while to figure out the design (and choose the colour)...but here it is! The border is designed to be very easily removable to allow further expansion of the village. All custom printed parts are from Briquestore. More photos of the interior in the spoiler section below. THE STORY In the last episode we left Alrune unconscious, stunned by a banshee’s wailing, her spirit drifting away in the ethereal plane. Will she be alright? Will her devoted uncle find a way of healing her? What’s for dinner? Let’s just let those fundamental matters rest for now, dear reader, and let’s have a look about a year earlier. Let’s go back to a nice fall afternoon, in the mountains at the border between the Elven Empire and the Human Realms. Let’s focus on a castle surrounded by a picturesque wine village and deep, dark forests streaked with turbulent streams. This place is called Embervale – a phonetic and misleading transcription of Ombreval, its name in the local dialect – but you probably already figured that out. Embervale has a long and chaotic history. Over the past centuries, it had been besieged, captured, recaptured, occupied, and annexed by Elves or Humans, by one faction or another. At the time of our story, though, it had been under control of the Empire for a couple of decades. The Elves had expanded the castle, improved the battlements, appointed a governor, and then seemingly forgotten about it. Yet the dreadful reputation of the Empire and the strength of the fort were enough to ensure peace, and the place was enjoying quiet, prosperous days. Due to its location, the village attracted travellers of all stripes. Merchants, frequently, and many wanderers from the Human Realms coming to seek adventure in the mysterious mountains of the Elven Empire. And on this day, on this beautiful fall day when our story is about to begin, Asceline the Head of the Adventurers’ Guild was gleefully attributing quests, selling gear and having drinks served to a colourful bunch of guests. Her business was thriving. The story began with a handful of riders stopping by the Adventurers’ Guild of Embervale. Four men, wearing the dark red and silver colours of the closest Human barony. ne of them, as Asceline realised when he loudly demanded drinks for his retinue, was the Baron himself. “I sent three letters to Governor Voronthir, and he never replied,” he barked at Asceline – as if she could do anything. “Mind you, he never gave me back that mushroom knife I lent him last winter!” Adventurers were starting to pay attention, always on the lookout for quest opportunities. “I’m afraid he won’t be able to answer you anytime soon, sir,” Asceline said. “Everyone is sick in the castle, and they have closed the gates to all visitors until it gets better.” “What kind of disease?” The Baron’s sergeant enquired. Some of the adventurers were now taking notes. “The kind that, er – gives rash,” she replied. Neither the soldiers nor the adventurers looked impressed. “Very itchy? Extremely painful? Highly contagious?” Still no reaction. "Did people enter the castle and never came back?” one of the soldiers asked, and beamed when he received enthusiastic approbation from nearby adventurers. “Not really. Some did. It’s not the kind of serious epidemics that decimate populations, you see. Just a fleeting and very unpleasant inconvenience.” Disappointment loomed over her audience. There was nothing heroic in facing a mild infection to retrieve a mushroom knife, and no reward had even been mentioned. A few adventurers moved away. But the Baron was made of sterner stuff – and had subordinates to take care of the dirty work. “Evrart, you’ll be going,” he ordered his sergeant. Who was, literally, saved by the bell as the bell tower of Embervale chose this precise moment to start ringing the solemn pattern that announced the arrival of an Imperial visitor. THE CAST Front, from left to right: - Asceline, the Head of the Adventurers' Guild - Guillemin, her husband, luthier - Agnès, their housekeeper - Pernelle, Angès' granddaughter - Mahaut, the village elder - Urbain, the apothecary - Roland, Guillemin's cousin - Two visitors from below the mountains - Adventurers (bard, ranger, fighters, mages) Behind, on horseback: - The Baron d'Autours - Evrart, his sergeant - Two soldiers

My entry for Brickscalibur's "Enchanted Forest" category. And a glimpse of how winter can look like deep in the Enchanted Forest of Avalonia, where the elusive Tellurites live peacefully in their crystal caves... Close-up photos in the hidden section below. The cast!

@zoth33 Thank you very much for this detailed feedback! I absolutely agree you need those Dreamling bodies, they are awesome. I hope they'll come soon in a bunch of interesting prints for fantasy MOCs! @Kai NRG Thank you so much! Your feedback regarding the yellow foliage is particularly interesting, as the reasons I chose these colours are precisely to be somewhat realistic and to play with the blue tones: - regarding the "natural" part, having so much snow when birch leaves are still green seemed off regarding the Avalonian climate. Besides, I really love the look of birch trees when they still have their autumn leaves and the first snow comes. - and regarding the "aesthetics" part, I aimed at contrast with the blue crystals and aqua Tellurites. Like they say, tastes and colours... (Eye candy below)

The colours, the lighting, and the choice of that dark fabric for the background really make that build shine! The shape of the roof looks wonderful too, and I love the trees and the shapes in which the tiles on the ground are arranged.

What a wonderful choice of colours! I'm also very impressed by how much detail (and how many houses!) you maange to pack on this footprint. The minifigs' expressions and posing is perfect too, and their backstories are excellent. Like @MrLind, I love Roberto and his Gelato!

The foliage...the rockwork...the blue water...your choice of colours and shapes really conveys a tranquil feeling even without looking into the details. Then, speaking of details, I really enjoy how much effort you put into it - especially with the earthenware "carelessly" piled on the right, and the amazing design of the little elvish chair!

That's a pretty little farm, and a very intriguing backstory! I especially like how the crops look neat and ordered, but with just a little bit of chaos to prevent them from looking boring. Nice job!

Awww! I too love those brickbuilt cows! You definitely found a great design for their heads, especially. I also really appreciate that the ground cover vegetation features Avalonia's colours!

Well, you already know how much I love the shape of the cart, and how proud I am of our joint entry - and of the consistency between our builds! It has been an amazing experience to create this with you, and I have to thank you again for letting your catfolk dwell in the mountains around Embervale. I owe you one!

@Kai NRG Thank you so much for your detailed feedback! I hear you with the general square-ish, grid-like look of the landscape...Perhaps if I had envisioned this build as "a landscape with a coach" rather than "a coach on a landscaped base", it would have ended up looking more natural. I'll definitely keep it in mind next time I build something like that! Oh, and an interior was absolutely needed! Loot for @Sympatik Brick's cat warriors! @Yperio_Bricks Thank you very much! I'm really glad you noticed and enjoyed the little shrine! The wooden tiles are @Sympatik Brick's idea, and I agree it's a pretty great idea which really gives personality to the base.

The nights are getting longer, the air is getting colder, and it's even starting to snow here in France : time for fire in the fireplace, and time for an Advent Calendar! From tomorrow onwards, I'll update this topic with a small build or minifig per day.This year's theme will be winter nights in Embervale, with comments from my main GOH characters Alrune (elven mage and governor of Embervale), her uncle Dresghar and Evrart (the captain of the guards). Scene 1. Night Watch Scene 2. Embervale by Night Scene 3. At the Edge of the Woods Scene 4. Night Forest Scene 5. Stargazing Scene 6. Grandfather Frost and the Maiden of Light

The only thing I may be interested in are the fairy wings, which seem to be new in glitter trans-light-blue.

Day 24 : The Maiden of Light Alrune - "Elven legends tell that three days after the Winter Solstice, the Maiden of Light descends to our world to try to bring her Grandfather the Frost back home. Which is not an easy task, as he's a stubborn old man who enjoys his time here and does not want to leave. That's why it takes a few months more before Spring comes!" Dresghar - "You still have room for improvement in terms of storytelling skills,honey, but that about sums it up." Previous And this is the last scene of this year's Advent Calendar. I wish you all a wonderful festive season!

Day 23 : Grandfather Frost and the Tellurites Evrart - "An elder traveller reports encountering wary but friendly blue-white gnomes with large eyes in the high mountains around Embervale" Dresghar - "From what I know, tihis may be Tellurites...Reclusive gnomes who live deep underground and rarely travel to the surface." Previous | Next @Kai NRG I hope you'll like it!

@Kai NRG Thank you, so glad you like it! The final scene is going to be much bigger than the other ones, actually, because I couldn't give up on the idea I had for the 24...which is quite large.

Day 22 : Crystal Cave Alrune - "The mountains around Embervale house abundant blue quartz deposits. Although very common, the crystals are prized both by mineral collectors and jewelers." Previous | Next @Yperio_Bricks Thank you so much! I'm really glad so many people enjoy this Stargazing scene! @zoth33 Same! I ordered a flock of butterflies as soon as they showed up! Now I'm waiting for the newer one in CMF 25...

@Kai NRG Thank you so much! I was absolutely thrilled when those butterflies showed up on PaB - they are gorgeous!

Day 21 : Moths and the Magic Light Alrune - "This kind of light, designed by Archimage Willibert on a day when he was bored, is not blinding and attracts the elusive Saturnia Borealis. A must-have for nocturnal naturalists!" Previous | Next Fifth scene...stargazing.

@Kai NRG Thank you! This book cover is my favourite one...It's a pity it came in only one set (the 2017 Silent Mary)! @Yoggington Thank you so much - both for following and for your kind words! Most of the builds were ready by the end of november or the beginning of december. At this moment, though, I'm almost late since I have not photographed the builds for tomorrow and the day after yet...and still don't consider the one for the 24 finished. @zoth33 I knew someone woud recognise the quote!

Day 20 : Alrune Stargazing Alrune – “People look up to the stars for fortune telling, navigation, orientation, and the measure of time…But I wish I could travel the cosmos, explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before…” Dresghar – “Well, you boldly went out of your laboratory tonight. I guess that’s a good start…” Previous | Next @Professor Thaum, @Yperio_Bricks Thank you very much! So glad you enjoy the telescope!

Day 19 : Telescope Dresghar – “A masterwork of elven craftsmanship. For once, the Court has sent an awesome present for your birthday, honey!” Alrune – “What, you didn’t like last year’s ballista?” Previous | Next @Kai NRG Thank you so much! The troll-printed slope is one of those parts I ordered just because it's awesome, without really knowing what I would do wit it. I'm so glad I found a way!

Day 18 : Dresghar Stargazing Dresghar – “In all times and in all places, people have gazed out at the sheer vastness of the night sky and seeked comforting patterns in the stars.” Previous | Next @Yperio_Bricks Thank you very much!