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A thread for AI generated or other concept art for Avalonian settings. Reserving first post for highlights.
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HISTORICAN SETTLEMENTS Historica is home to many towns, villages, hamlets, and even a few Cities. The Royal Cartographer's Guild of Albion and the Avalonia's foreign affairs minister wish to officially recognize the many settlements of Historica. As a prerequisite to official recognition and inclusion in the "Royal Registry of Historica's Locations of Note" and "Avalonian Sites and Monuments: a comprehensive guide" each settlement must prove that they contain the minimum facilities to provide for their residents. To establish your settlement, you must post MOCs from the following categories. These MOCs CAN be already completed, but they MUST not already be referenced to a different location. (if you try to alter a description of an existing MOC to fit this challenge, you will not be allowed to enter ANY settlements, so do not edit topics you already posted. you can add a post later on in your topic, but if I see that the topic was already posted before Feb 14th, but edited after Feb 13th, it will not be allowed as part of this challenge.) There are a couple of building types that can be counted for multiple types (a Fishery for example can be counted as a nautical AND agricultural). Here are the categories: REQ - Agriculture - Grains & Produce: Farm*, Mill, Granary, Orchard Agriculture - Livestock: Farm*, Cattle/Horse Ranch, Swineherd, Sheepfold, Fishery Nautical: Harbor, Shipwright, Quay, Fishery*, Ferryman REQ - Military: Keep, Barracks, Gatehouse, Tower, Castle, Fort Religious: Chapel, Monastery, Temple, Shrine Medical: Apothecary, Herbalist, Infirmary, Physician Hospitality: Food & Beverage: Bakery, Butcher, Winery, Brewery, Tavern REQ - Hospitality - Lodging: Inn, Stables, Coach House REQ - Laborers: Lumber Mill, Mine, Stone Cutter, Mason REQ - Craftsmen - General Goods: Cooper, Wainwright, Tannery, Dyer, Glass Blower Craftsmen/Merchant - Arms & Armor: Blacksmith, Bowyer, Fletcher, Armorer Craftsmen/Merchant - Clothing: Cobbler, Seamstress, Furrier, Woolen Mill Craftsmen/Merchant - Specialty: Candle Maker, Wood Carver, Bookbinder, Jeweler, Potter Services: Herald, Cartographer, Money Lender, Scribe, Courier, Shipping House Scholars: Observatory, Alchemist, Philosopher, Astrologer Entertainers: Minstrel, Fortune Teller, Performing Troupe, Theatre Administrative (Town or City only): Town Hall, Chancery, Forum, Courthouse Now, the examples provided are not the only things you can build in a category, they are just options. Also, the build must be substantial - showing an interior of one room, or throwing a bunch of bricks up on a plate will not be acceptable entries. Hamlet - There are 5 categories that are required for a Hamlet (the minimum recognized settlement) - Agricultural (either one), Military, Hospitality (either one), Laborer, and Craftsmen. Village - For a Village, you must meet the Hamlet requirements plus meet a total of 8 of the 16 categories. Town - For a Town, you must meet the Hamlet requirement, plus a minimum of 2 Craftsmen buildings, both Agricultural categories, and both Hospitality categories, plus meet a total of 10 of the 16 categories. City - For a City, you must meet the requirements for a Town, plus one administrative building, plus meet a total of 14 of the 16 categories. Port - For a Port, you must meet the Village requirements, including one Nautical building. For this task, there is no time limit, and again, is open to all Historicans. I will be starting a separate thread for this once I get home tonight where you can post a link to your topics. Each person should have only one reply in this topic, where they will post all of their entries. You can have more than one settlement recognized if you wish. You should only have one post per Settlement. Feel free to ask questions, but I will delete them once they have been answered, and compile the answers in the thread below. Do not post for a settlement unless you have a build to post. I will delete any topics that do not contain a link to an existing MOC (no MOCs in progress allowed either) Let me know if you have any questions. Some further ideas for the categories are in this list curated by @Grover. But again, even this extensive list is not exhaustive; if you think your build qualifies for a category, put it there. Creativity is always encouraged! Agriculture Grains and Produce Farm Garden Mill Granary Marketplace Vineyard Orchard Livestock Farm Cattle/Horse ranch Dairy Swineherd Sheepfold Marketplace Kennel Beekeeper Fishery Nautical Harbor Shipwright Quay Fishery Ferryman Port Dock Lighthouse Military Keep Barracks Gatehouse Tower Castle Fortified Bridge Wall Beacon Cavalry Stables Ballista Tower Fort Religious Chapel Church Monastery Tomb Cemetery Temple Mosque Shrine Medical Apothecary Herbalist Infirmary/Hospital Mortician/Necromancer Torture Chamber Barber/Physician Hospitality Food & Beverage Bakery Butcher Winery Kitchens Brewery Café/Street Food Tavern Lodging Inn Stables Coach house Celebrations Wedding Festival Laborers Lumber Mill Grain Mill Mine Stone Cutter Wood Cutter Mason/Adobe Maker Stable Hand Cleaning Workers Field Hands Foresters Carter Diggers Quarry Craftsmen/Merchants General goods Cooper Wainwright Tannery Carpenter Dyer Marketplace Fishing Rod Merchant Glassblower Arms & Armor Blacksmith Bowyer Fletcher Siege workshop Armorer Clothing Cobbler Seamstress Textiles Furrier Woolen Mill Specialty Candlemaker Wood carver Stone Carver/Sculptor Goldsmith Bookbinder Florist Jeweler Horse Tamer Merchant's Hall/Guild Coal Merchant Magic/Potion Vendor Tinker Potter Services Herald Cartographer Money lender General Store Scribe Courier Trading Post Shipping house/Warehouse Scholars Observatory Alchemist Philosopher Library University/Academy Astrologer Entertainment Minstrel Fortune Teller Street Musicians Performing Troupe Brothel Sports Arena Theatre Administrative (Town or City only) Town Hall Chancery Forum Council Building Administrative Building Meeting Hall Customs House Palace Embassy Courthouse
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[Freebuild] The royal joust in the dragon clan fortress
Sympatik Brick posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The Royal Joust: The nobles’ indulgence Each year, the Dragon Clan fortress hosted a great festival, culminating in the Royal Joust. The most brave knights fought for the favour of the queen! In the royal gallery, we find of course the royal couple but also many personalities from the surrounding kingdoms: dwarves from the northern lands, elves of the Avalonian forests, nomadic orcs of the desert, and nobles from the island province of Valyrio. This was my contribution for the Brickscalibur contest in « the Rich and the Poor » category, partnering with Eyrezer. -
Gyrdher has left his parents and the family farm to seek adventure in Avalonia. At a market place near the river, he met a merchant who was getting ready to travel with his goods to Faeril. Gyrdher asked to come along and offered to row as he has no money to pay with. The merchant, who did not want Gyrdher to row, let him come along without payment. The journey went through the landscape of Avalonia. The river wound its way through a beautiful landscape of green fields and huge oak forests. Gyrdher stood in the stern and took in everything he saw and enjoyed the journey. He has never before been this far away from home. His stomach tingled with excitement and curiosity. During the whole afternoon they were rowing quietly down the river. At one point, the river narrows and the water starts rushing. A ruin from an older fortification was located on the river bank. Gyrdher was fascinated by the ancient ruin. The crew on the other hand did not have time to take in the view. They had total focus on the river. This was the most difficult passage of the entire journey. The narrow river and the ruin that has partially fallen into the river creating an underwater reef, makes this part extremely difficult to pass. I The crew has made this trip many times before. But their concentration were on the edge. They know of countless of other boats that have sunk due to inattention at this location. After a few intense minutes, they passed the narrow rushing part of the river. They leave the ruin behind and the boat floats ones again on the quiet and calm river. The forest thinned out. Further away beyond green fields, the outlines of a town was seen. The merchant turns to Gyrdher. “There Gyrdher, you have your city, Faeril.“
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Nestled in the busy streets of the city of Albion in Avalonia is a cozy bookstore. Although small in size, it is packed from floor to ceiling with books of all shapes and sizes, and is renown for being one of the best places in Historica to find knowledge. From ancient tomes to magical spellbooks, Nocturnus cookbooks full of questionable recipies to Varlyarian romances, any type of book can be found here, for the right price... Notes: Hi guys! This is a 8x32 Modular Bookstore I built for my LUGs build challenge . Of course, I decided to build mine medieval themed and set in Avalonia. I posted this a bit ago on Flickr, but hadn't gotten around to posting it here until now. Hope you enjoy
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I'm reposting my entry for Brickscalibur here, the Monarchic Minifigures category - photo, text and reading! The build: The story: Were-beast hierarchies were notoriously fickle; leaders changed with the moon phase: wax, wane or sickle. The Wulf-Tang Clan was one such curious case; led by Matriarch Wulf, firm grip on the royal mace. Rip, Fang and Wrinkle, her loyal sons three; keeping them in line? Certainly not free: Pay for the damage when Rip fought in bars; Pay off the victims whose tongues Fang kept in jars; Pay for the tools as Wrinkle read the moon and stars. A change in the guard, though, when the harvest moon come: as Runt took over as leader of the pack, with his running mate Ocker watching his back. Sweet Lily, too, had ambition for the peak; Trice already she’d eliminated the weak. A lick of charm, males ate from her mitten; Runt, especially, reduced to a kitten. What she couldn’t obtain with just feminine wiles, Lily removed with a drop from her poisoned vials. Regardless of whoever was leader day-by-day, everybeast knew don’t cross were-coon Fay. As den-mother, her power was wide; Get on her wrong side? Your tail was fried! But one thing was true across all the moon’s phases, the bottom of the heap was reserved for tree grazers; Were-beaver serfs – they might not be free, but leaders beware … they could still fell the family tree. The poet's reading: If you like to hear the bard's own reading of this story, there is a sound file available on the Brickscalibur Discord server here. I don't think I can upload to here directly (or to Flickr). Build notes:
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[Freebuild] the « Golden Dragon » tavern-inn in Marginea (Avalonia)
Sympatik Brick posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The golden dragon tavern-inn benefits from an extraordinary location close to a hot spring. The virtues of these bubbling baths attract a large female clientele. The dragon clan garrisons are also regulars here. Are they attracted by the quality of the beverages served in this tavern, by the regular presence of women from elsewhere or by the name given to this place? Certainly a bit of all three. Only the elves living in the nearby forest take a dim view of the presence of soldiers and personalities who have come from so far to the border of their forest-sanctuary. -
[Freebuild] Embervale Castle - Basement (Chronicles of Embervale Digression #2)
Aurore posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
Fleshing out Embervale Castle...and taking part in this year's Summer Joust, in the "Subterranean" category. --- Guard Captain's log, arcane date-time 140630B SUM 1322 Intruders broke into the basement. Two killed, two captured. One vanished. No own casualty. Minor material damage. Prisoners interrogated: they’re from the Adventurers' Guild, tasked to retrieve some magic gizmo (see attached drawing). Contracting party unknown. They had a map marking the hidden room in Lord Dresghar's cheese cellar. I'm off to the city to have a word with the representative of said Adventurers' Guild. Side note: the trap in the goblins’ crypt was triggered. No need to feed the plant-thing below before next week. --- Level 0: from the scullery, access to the well and to the storage room below (with a handy goods elevator - carrying barrels while using a ladder is quite a delicate task). Level -1: just a regular storage room, with food and jumble. Level -2: the goblin guards' crypt. The idol's pedestal is held together only due to the friction of its side plates. Messing with it - e.g. removing the idol - triggers a trapdoor that leads direcly to the lower level. Concealed behind a sturdy, regular stone wall without any secret door, this level also includes a treasure room shielded by a shadowguard... Level -3: let me introduce you to Eriaxis Monstrosa, a subterranean carnivorous plant from the Kolgari realm, that definitely appreciates the snacks the trapdoor above keeps sending it! Level -4: the cheese cellar and the well. And a secret door hidden in the wall, that leads to a (rather disappointing) secret room... -
A "military" build to flesh out Embervale in the Historical Settlements and one day get it included in the "Avalonian Sites and Monuments: a comprehensive guide"...and also my entry for Brickscalibur's "Interior Architect" category. Here are the command room and the armoury of the castle of Embervale! (Global photos in the hidden section) The story - Chronicles of Embervale Episode : To arms! Featuring… Alrune - The Elf Maiden, Lady of Embervale, mage Dresghar - The Chronicler, her faithful uncle, erudite Evrart - The (recently promoted) captain of her guards Gram - A guard Rex - The guards’ pet tarasque Goblin guards, skeletons "So, how are you doing?" Dresghar cheerfully asked the captain. Brooding next to the window of the command room, his arms crossed and his eyes gazing into space, Evrart let out a slight sigh but did not answer. Shortly following their expedition to the druidic mausoleum, out of the blue, Lady Alrune had come up with the unfortunate idea to appoint him as the captain of her guards. Her goblin guards. Only recently had the pesky little thugs dropped the idea of eating him, he wondered how she could think they would obey him anytime soon. "Are you alright?" Dresghar repeated. Evrart sighed again and gestured toward the courtyard on the other side of the window, where a few goblins were enthusiastically poking each other with blunt spears. "I’m trying to get them through basic training, sir. Teamwork. Hierarchy. Elementary hygiene. Stuff like that." "And it doesn’t go as intended?" "Oh well, they happen to follow my orders from time to time. And they know which side of a spear is supposed to be pointed at the enemy. I guess that’s a start." One of the goblins tripped over his own weapon, fell in a puddle, and made all the others giggle foolishly. "Let’s just hope the lady doesn’t have short-term military ambitions, sir." Evrart turned his attention away from the goblins – his goblins – and observed Dresghar snooping around the command room. It was a large study located in one of the most ancient parts of the castle, reflecting the architectural style of the humans who had built the early stronghold rather than the ornate design of the elves who had later besieged it, won it, and rebuilt it. The successive elven governors of the castle had kept the room as intact as possible, going so far as to hire human workers to renovate the elaborate parquet floor and furniture. Lady Alrune’s father, who had used the place as his headquarters during all his campaigns, was allegedly the first to add his coat of arms and colours on the walls and decorate with personal items and weapons. "Do you know how to read and write?" Dresghar suddenly and unexpectedly enquired. "More or less, sir," Evrart replied after a short hesitation. "The baron I used to serve taught me how to sign my name and read simple messages." "Well, I guess that’s a start,” the elf sneered. "Now that you’re an officer of Embervale, you’ll need to participate to administrative tasks as well as military ones." Evrart rolled his eyes. "Very funny, sir." "Oh, I’m not joking," Dresghar replied with a mischievous smile. "There. Here are the books where my niece was recording her military expenditures. She’s very bad at accounting, even you can’t do worse. Give it a try!" And, still smirking, he left the room and abandoned Evrart with a pile of books and the unpleasant feeling of being snookered. First, irksome goblins, and now administrative chores. Why did he come to Embervale already? Oh, right, he had no place to live when the baron got rid of him, and he deemed the lady here as a respectable person. --- He spent the rest of a day – an eternity – struggling to decipher the tiny, tight handwriting of the said lady. He was almost concluding she had encrypted her writings, when an ear-piercing shriek shrilled. He froze, all senses in alarm. And soon, he heard the distinct sounds of a scuffle right from the next room. The armoury. He rushed out, only to find three panicked goblins trying to fend off a much larger group of skeletons. Good old stupid skeletons, wielding decaying weapons, fighting bluntly without a hint of cooperation. Not that it really put them at disadvantage against the goblins, who were hardly better at tactical thinking. Frightened eyes were peeking out from the door that led to the guards’ dormitory: the rest of the goblins, not even helping their comrades in need. And, much to Evrart’s surprise, Alrune was in the room too. Unarmed, her hair undone, wearing a white nightgown, she was trying to comfort the guards’ pet tarasque cub. He briefly wondered why she was playing damsel in distress instead of fighting, but chose to focus on more immediate issues. "Get out, you wimps!" he shouted at the hidden goblins. "Take weapons and fight!" He heard them squabbling and moaning, but only one of them hesitantly ventured out of their lair. And stopped halfway when he noticed he was alone. Exasperated, Evrart crushed a few skeletons out of his way and reached the strongest among the fighting goblins. "Gram, make those cowards come out! If any of them dares to resist, feel free to tear off their ears – or whatever else comes to your mind!" The goblin flashed him a vicious smile and headed to the door. A few squeaks and screeches later, the whole company was in the guards’ room and frantically grabbing the nearest weapons. "Leave those freaking spears alone! Take clubs and maces!" the captain yelled. "Clubs and maces, you freaking fools!" Gram repeated while dropping her own spear. And, much sooner than Evrart had expected, all the intruders were shattered. --- The goblins cheered and drank all night long, boasting at their military prowess. The next morning, their captain was in a foul mood and had a severe headache when he met Alrune for their daily brief. "I regret to say that, but I have yet to find where the skeletons came from," he reported bitterly. "Really? They simply come from the basement. I animated them in the catacombs under the castle." He recoiled, staring at her in disbelief. A silence fell. And last. "I’m what your people call a dark elf, and I’m a mage," Alrune finally stated, her voice deeper than usual. “How could you not expect me to know enough necromancy to animate a few skeletons?" "If you say so! But why the heck would you do that to attack the armoury? I mean, your own armoury?" "It was a live exercise for the goblins and you! Or rather, an undead exercise," she added with a slight chuckle he found appalling. A rather puzzled Alrune watched him leave the room swearing under his breath. She had given him a trusted position, helped him train his men – err, goblins, and yet the guy was still as grouchy as ever. Oh well, humans. Strange people, really.
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The build: The Rise of Slågö Farm The story: Marija Slågö ran one of the most productive horticultural centres in Notomys. While the land had always been fruitful, Marija’s hard work, shrewd business sense and innovation had taken it to new heights. This had seemed unlikely even one year earlier. Back during the Drow-Elf civil war, Marija’s husband Grigor had been wounded defending the hamlet. Several years trying to fight off infection and caring for her increasingly debilitated husband had seen the farm slowly neglected. When Grigor finally succumbed to death, Marija was left with two toddlers and one newborn. Some in the village urged Marija to abandon the farm and return to her childhood village. Marija had other ideas. Leaving would mean betraying her husband’s dreams and leave their children ignorant of the home they’d built together. Instead, she vowed to turn the farm around. First, her mother-in-law Đoris moved in to assist with caring for the children. The homestead itself was built around a large, stone storage room perfect for storing the root vegetables that were their staple crop. Accessed through a wooden ladder, the second floor was a single room, dominated by a large bed with enough room for Marija, Đoris and the two wriggling toddlers. The infant, at least, had its own cot. A small kitchen, play area and Gregor’s dented amour completed that floor. A small attic completed the structure. Ever since the war, Marija kept her bow and a full quiver up there; with windows on each side, she could defend the homestead from all sides. Marija’s second intervention was to sidle up to the local gnomish tinkerer and convince her to develop some new fan-dangled beehive prototypes. Marija had noticed that, the more active the farm’s bees, the more plentiful their crop. One of the local wood elves even volunteered to maintain the hives in exchange for a small portion of the honey. With the new beehives working a trick, Marija also increased the wildflowers surrounding the farm. While some neighbours considered this a waste of precious labour, Marija was convinced it would support her valuable pollinators. While she didn’t yet have a buyer for her abundant flowers, she was hopeful the well-to-do Varlyrian newcomer in town might be persuaded to purchase some. Finally, Marija also scaled up her manure production. She liked to repeat the story of the visiting scholar from the University of Petraea who’d tried to convince her that soil in the Enchanted Forest was so fertile, you could plant beans anywhere and overnight expect to find a giant beanstalk. The truth every Avalonian farmer knew was that soil gave back what you put in – and that meant compost. So Marija struck up a deal to secure copious amounts of the best manure available: centaur manure! Forest fillies were regularly seen lugging bulging sacks up Slågö farm track, leaving shortly after, light of step, and accompanied by the clink of coin. This season, Marija and Đoris’ efforts had come to fruition: a great crop of spuds and peppers; pumpkins, red and green gourds well on the way; and the full crop of giant corn sold even before it matured! Of course, none of it would have been possible without the support from the other women of the village, many of whom had lost their own relatives in the war. Inspired by stories of the Avalonian Oak Maidens and Sword Sirens, Marija was one of the founding members of a small archery militia, alongside the trapper Jultarra and the hunter Roisin. As a small way of giving back, Marija had chosen to host a banquet to mark the graduation of four new, fully-fletched members of the archer’s guild. First up was Ari, manager of the local delicatessen; next was the fisherwoman Sofia; followed by Bess, whose mother ran the tavern. The last to attempt the test would be the Cyclops Scythia. This would be her third attempt, having struggled to overcome her lack of depth perception. To assist Scythia, the other guild members had pooled funds to buy her a crossbow. Hopefully this time would be different - at the very least she had been warned multiple times not to hit the old beehive! The cast: The Slågö family and helpers Marija, Kalene, Miri, Đoris, Cara, the cat, the bees, Medb, the chickens, the armadorses The centaur gong farmers: Đamerus, Thalile, Sophare The archery guild: Jultarra (trapper), Roisin (hunter), Ari (delicatessanier), Sofia (fishmonger), Bess (publican's daughter), Scythia (Cyclops), Zara (butcher), Joan (baker), Alice (candlestick maker), Agnes (shopkeeper), Donika (shepherd). Build notes: More photos on my Flickr album.
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The build: Lord of the Flies Agaric The story: Mushrooms were big business in the Enchanted Forest and one of the best mushroom groomers was Flix. The pixie specialised in painting fly agaric mushrooms, making sure their white spots were vivid and perfectly round. While mushroom grooming was often a relaxing task, Flix was always wary of insect attacks and kept his rapier with him at all times. Build notes:
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The woods of Avalonia were home to many critters, familiar and rare, wild and civilised, magical and mundane. One that was rarely sighted was the shy talzoin. Sometimes called “cave-bears”, the talzoin lived underground in the Wizard’s Spine mountains. The bipedal creatures were covered in thick grey fur and sported four eyes, which granted clear sight in the dark caverns and tunnels they carved in their subterranean domain. On odd occasions, talzoin would emerge into the surface forests for a spot of moonlight.
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[Freebuild] Hunting the blue woolly eel (Anguilla galidoris)
Eyrezer posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The build: Hunting the blue woolly eel (Anguilla galidoris) The story: Every spring, baby blue woolly eels migrated up rivers from the ocean, a highly anticipated chance to catch the small delicacy. Its ocean breeding grounds had never been found, a mystery the mermaid Ciara and her ikateren friend, Weroti, were determined to solve. They tracked the elvers into the depths of the ocean, fending off shark and other predators of the deep. Eventually, they came across an ancient seamount, covered with corals, kelp and other life. As they drew close, the pair saw two of the monstrously large blue woolly eels, their gaping maws displaying circle after circle of razor sharp teeth. Could these be the original progenitors of the tiny delicacy? Ciara knew no one would believe them - unless they could bring back one of the eels as a trophy! The hunters: Ciara was a young mermaid, living in a commune off the southern coast of Avalonia. For work, she tended the kelp gardens and warded off the giant sea turtles that liked to uproot the plants. She was often seen riding the wake of the Varlyrian schooners that traded goods along the Avalonia coast. Weroti was a wiry ikateren, a tentacled race allied with the mermaids. Weroti was the spawn of the local chieftainess and recently earned his coming of age tattoo on his arm. He was eager to prove himself as a worthy heir to his mother despite it being almost unheard of for a male to lead an ikateren school. Ikaterens were bipedal creatures typically patterned in orange, red or green. They had fins on their legs and a long spiny tail that aided in swimming and balance. They had black eyes and two wattles around their mouths. Build notes: -
In the glorious city of Albion, the capital of Avalonia, there are many taverns and inns famous for their fantastic food and drink. This particular tavern is a popular hangout for Avalonian guardsmen and servers a large variety of ales and other spirits.\ I built this nearly a year ago now, but I was waiting to try and build a landscape to go with it ( which never happened), and I forgot that I hadn't posted it to GoH yet.
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[Freebuild] round windmill in Marginea (Avalonia)
Sympatik Brick posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The hamlet of Marginea is expanding rapidly, its border location between Avalonia and Kaliphlin makes it a regular crossing point for merchants and traders of all kinds. The establishment of the armies of the dragon clan significantly increases the number of mouths to feed. In the oven and in the mill, a couple is active night and day to grind the grain, make and bake the bread. There is no shortage of work, we will have to think about recruiting. -
[Freebuild] Something was rotten in the forest of Notomys
Eyrezer posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The build: Something was rotten in the forest of Notomys The story: After the archery graduation ceremony at Slågö Farm, Tarra rejoined her litter mates at their trappers’ camp in the forest. While she loved the women in the local archery militia – their steely determination to protect their families, their commitment to mastering their skills, and the warmth of community they shared – they were still foreign. Human ways were different and often strange to the ways of Tarra’s people, the Jerboans. Take for instance, the women’s militia garb. It wasn’t a uniform – they were too informal for that – but most chose to dress in green robes thinking this would help them blend into the Enchanted Forest. Maybe it did if you relied so heavily on sight, but for Jerboans, whose ears were as large as heads, all it did was generate many sounds foreign to the woods: leather rubbing on wool; wool rubbing on burlap; burlap rubbing on furs. She’d tried suggesting the women wear less but that idea had only gained traction with Scythia the Cyclops – and even Tarra herself opposed that idea! In her absence, Tarra’s litter mates Otis and Bibly had continued trapping and skinning martens. This season they’d set up temporary camp near a pond that provided ready access to fresh water. Marten furs fetched a good price at the hamlet of Notomys and it had been a bumper season. “Look at this monster,” said Otis eagerly on Tarra’s return, showing off a plump marten. “I should get double for this pelt!” “‘We’ will get double”, she corrected as she deposited a freshly caught hare by their hut. The camp was simple – not like the elaborate structures her human friends built: a simple semi-circular hut, covered in treated hides; a small cooking brazier; a drying rack; and a few supplies that couldn’t be foraged from the surrounding lands. This was another difference between the Jerboans and Humans – the former preferred more nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyles while Humans seems to prefer to hide behind large stones. As Humans had moved in the Jerboans had accommodated them but it led to the curious naming of the hamlet Notomys. The word “Notomys” literally meant home in the Jerboan language but it had become just a place signifier in the common tongue. About a week later, the trappers received an unexpected visitor – another Jerboan accompanied by a white swap wolf. “Bayawarra!” called Tarra, recognising their guest. While Tarra and Bayawarra were from different packs, they had fought alongside each other in the Notomys militia years earlier. “It’s been too long. Do you know Otis and Bilby?” she said, introducing her litter mates. After introductions and niceties, Bayawarra took Tarra aside, his nose wrinkling as it did when he was contemplating something serious. “This isn’t just a friendly visit,” he began. “Have you … have you seen anything strange recently?” “Strange? Yes, definitely”, chuckled Tarra nervously, “I saw Bibly do some actual work!” “Oi! I can still hear you from over here,” interjected Bilby from the other end of the camp, “these ears aren’t just to make me pretty!” “But seriously, no, we haven’t seen anything odd that comes to mind. Why?” Bayawarra continued, “I’ve increasingly been coming across animal corpses in the woods, but they haven’t been eaten – or even touched by wildlife – as you’d expect. And some have had … well mutilations is the best work I can think of. Hearts removed but nothing else. And what concerns me most is that I can barely find tracks to follow.” He paused, petting his wolf. “Simma here can pick up a little scent, but I can tell it’s unfamiliar to her.” “Gosh – no we haven’t seen anything like that. It sounds creepy! You don’t suppose… no… Look, if you can’t track it, I’m not sure that I can do much better.” “Perhaps, but you know this area far better than I do. I’m starting to miss the Inner Marshes. I would really appreciate your help tracking this down – if you’re free to come that is.” Tarra knew a request like this from Bayawarra would only come if he was deeply worried. What could she say but yes? “Sure, Bay, I’ll come. Can you stay for some tucker first or do you want to move straight away?” Bayawarra agreed to spend the rest of the day at the camp. That night they all traded stories over the campfire; Bilby adding levity with his comic impersonations of friends and foes alike; Otis delighting with a few of the simple magic tricks he was practicing; and the tracking animals – Bay’s marsh wolf, Otis’ corhounds and Tarra’s fox – sniffing and grooming each other. It was a moment of rest and tranquility that poorly foreshadowed what was to come. Build notes: More photos on my Flickr album. -
Guilds of Historica Collectible Minfigures: Homecoming Yes, I remember now... I don't know why, or if this is common, but I tend to forget where it all started. How I ended up doing what I do. But as I set out to write this topic, it came back to me. I think it was around 2014 that Guilds of Historica caught my eye. I'm sure it must have been one of the many awesome castle builds that guided me to this forum. I went over the New Member Guide, the Guild topics one by one, and saw the maps. And then I saw minifigures, unlike any I had seen before. Custom factions, armies, fantasy races, built from official lego pieces! Up to that point, my (teenage) creations were based on official LEGO themes, built to be populated by official LEGO minifigs. With Guilds of Historica, it all started to change. A new world opened up for me, a journey, and a place to belong. I started building custom figures myself, eventually a sigfig and his family, friends and foes, and joined the Guilds a year later. So looking back at it, the figures have always been there, sparking new builds and stories. Perhaps that's why I have this feeling of homecoming. Introduction by Exetrius Welcome to Historica, fellow adventurer! On my travels through this land, this mighty continent, I have seen many wonderful people, creatures and other beings. Of course I can't tell you about all of them, that would take days, weeks, months probably! But, don't worry: I have made a selection. Let me introduce you to some of those I have met, or heard about. From the cold North to the hot South, from the tumultuous East to the calm West, from the world above to the world below, and from places within to places outside the continent. Let's start with the four guilds on the continent, and Varlyrio. Mitgardia Magnus, Lord of Spróggefjell Keep "Staring at my armour isn't going to help you get through the winter, get to work!" Yffreya, wilderness hunter "A mercenary job? Sorry, but I don't hate humans that much. Do I look like I do?" Kaliphlin Madame Quarrat, mine owner "This deep pink sapphire came from the latest expansion. Work for me, and you might find one too..." Norri, badlands nomad "This is Bërtah, my favourite of the herd. She's a little shy around strangers, though." Avalonia Fiona, Mystic Isles messenger "It's mostly good news from Albion this time around, so I can afford to take the scenic route. You can join me for a while, if you like." Jerome, salvager-carpenter "You are leaving your old wagon in good hands, sir. And, on behalf of the trees in our forests, I thank you!" Nocturnus Pandemonium, 6th wizard of Zotharith "Yes I burned the town, got a problem with that? There wasn't a good soul in the whole rotten place anyway..." Umdurin, Vacunani scholar "If I'm not mistaken Volume 467 of the Recorin Orbi makes mention of such a tunnel exit. I'll check with the archives." Varlyrio Don Giullio, art dealer "100% genuine, for certain. This is a one-time offer: 13 silvers and it's yours." Rebecca, maid and assistant-chef "I'd love to chat, but the market will be closing soon. Later!" Outside of the Guilds, there is also plenty of interesting folk. Some of them I never met in person, for better or for worse... Ghost Islands of Yureishima Yoshintamaru Sasekageojima, Master swordsman "I see your spirit is fierce, but you lack technique. And away with those runes, they ruin the flow between you and the blade!" Miyuko of the Dawn, folk legend It is said that those who meet Miyuko die on the spot, and depending on her judgement either get sent straight to the realm of the dead, or are reborn from their former bodies. The Underworld Zugal defector and Demorian informant "The war really changed the Clan, you know. I tell you: flying up and down the Underworld is better than serving Raavage." K'sirtllhisqr, Drow mage "Where do you think you're going, surface critter? Trespassing this area is strictly forbidden, even for Drow..." Cedrica Sabrina, spoiled brat "Say hi to Marco, I got him for my half-year birthday! Hey, I'm not spoiled, you're just too poor to understand!" Lunarius the Formidable, archmage "A City of Magic, you say? Sounds like something I need to keep my eye on..." ---- And there you have it: 16 figures! I wasn't feeling very inspired from the beginning, but I had said I'd participate so I didn't go back on my word. I found a way to produce solid figures nonetheless. There are a number of little hints to previous builds or other references baked into the figs and their bios, tell which ones you like! I could do a breakdown later. Thanks for looking! Criticism welcome, hit me with all you got. @Henjin_Quilones I'm not going to keep this from you: Fiona with nougat skin and white elven hair looked glorious. For example as a Hesperian dragon rider. However, it just looked wrong next to the carpenter... Maybe a fleshie figbarf isn't all that unlikely anymore.
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The Brickscalibur event is over… and it was fun and interesting to see all these medievals builds. I was inspired by all 6 categories and choosed at the early beginning to make one submission for each… but I had no much time… and no much bricks left for my participation so I choosed to work on vignettes for 4 of the category. I decided to stage my sigfig Walt Herboï in a little adventure. Vignette - 12x12 (Walt’s journey 1/4) The riches that passed through the port of Barqa were numerous and accidents during unloading were not rare. The Varlyrian nobility also sometimes tended to dispose of objects that have become cumbersome directly in the port. That was enough to persuade Walt to visit. He crossed the Whiter Woods to reach Barqa and went for a swim as refreshing as it was lucrative. Rogues and Outlaws (Walt’s journey 2/4) Gold is good, but it's complicated to transport. Walt was forced to part with it at a second-hand dealer from Barqa. Dreaming of adventure, he exchanged it for a treasure map, which seems to indicate the presence of a cave guarded by a dragon not far from Marginea. As he recrosses the Whiter Woods, he comes face to face with elves ready to rid him of his riches. The old parchment in his hand does not make the elves pursue him too long ... it would have been quite the opposite if he still had his pockets full of gold coins. Monstrous Encounters (Walt’s Journey 3/4) The map Walt obtained at the port of Barqa indicates treasure hidden in the mountains south of Sionnach, allegedly guarded by a dragon. Thirsting for adventure, Walt climbs the mountain’s steepest side and comes upon a temple carved into the rock. It seems uninhabited but its contents shine brightly. With his foot on a gold coin, a terrible rumble resounds. Huggingy the wall, Walt feels the warm breath of the half-awakened dragon. Interior Architect (Walt’s Journey 4/4) In a defensive reflex, Walt grabbed a sword very close to him before to roll down the mountain. If his legs saved his life, this sword would change it ... his dream is finally coming true, he will be able to enter the throne room and offer his services at the same time as this sword to King Dagorn and thus follow the path of his late father. Thank you for your feedbacks… my rogues and outlaws participation is the least successful of the four builds but I’m happy with the elves!
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[Freebuild] The "Zany Snake" potion store in Marginea (Avalonia)
Sympatik Brick posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The « Zany snake » potion store The "Zany Snake" potion store attracts a very diverse clientele and these clients sometimes come from faraway kingdoms as its fame is so good. The store has an entrance located on the village side and an exit which leads directly into a gloomy forest. This particularity allows a minimum of discretion to the customer who can thus if he wishes to consume his potion out of sight. The store manager, Salzar Natrix, only allows one person in his stall at a time. Her latest client, hooded, seems in a hurry to bring home her precious beverage ... But isn't she wearing a uniform belonging to the dragon clan? Why is she trying to hide her identity? -
I recently built the small Disney castle, which put me in a fairy-tale mood. So here is something more...sugary than usual. Now I need to find a bridge to my main storyline... The main photo is my entry for the "Kiosks" contest on Brickcentral, while the tidy vignette version is my entry for the "12x12 Vignette" category of Brickscalibur. Once upon a time, far away in the heart of the Enchanted Lands, there was a city. A city of lights and wonders, a city renowned for its alluring balls and fascinating masquerades. And in this city, there was a little mask-maker who had a secret...
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The build: Hot pools on the hunt The story: A steep mountain range ran through the heart of the Enchanted Forest, dividing the very ancient forests in the northwest with the merely ancient forests in the southeast. The range went by many names to the peoples of the forests: the Wizard’s Spine, Titan’s Jaw, or merely “the range”. One particularly tall peak had, in times past, been volcanically active; now, geothermal vents still peppered its southern flank. If you knew where to look, some of these vents emerged in thermal hot pools, providing a steamy respite from the surrounding snow and ice. The Varana sisters, Ooru and Gudoo, used the thermal pools as waypoints on their hunting expeditions. Despite the sulphurous emissions, the pools were the perfect spot to remove their snow shoes, warm up, dry out their sodden fur cloaks, and brew a little tea. On this expedition, the siblings had a special target: the elusive giant snow bear. It would be a challenging hunt – to even find a bear; let alone kill it. Snow bears had long, white fur, which provided almost perfect camouflage against the snow and the ice. If you were skilled enough to track one down, you then had to content with their sharp claws, almost as long as a Varana head. Still, Ooro and Gudoo were excited by the hunt: Not only would it challenge their skills but when you were paid upfront with a gold bracelet – with the promise of a second on completion – how could you not be excited! Build notes: C&C welcome.
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Just a quick double dip before I leave for a few days! Collab part 1 : The Poor by jesse van den Oetelaar, on Flickr Orginally made for Brickscalibur, but why not make a freebuild for GOH too?
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The Galaxiflora is an ancient forest, home to a multitude of sylvan communities. When a rare evil threatens to corrupt the Galaxiflora, Lady Bandruí forges an unlikely – and fragile – company of heroes for a dangerous quest to save their home. Despite being composed of champions from the five strongest races of the forest, even the oracles cannot foretell whether the fellowship will survive the quest – or each other. From left to right: Cillian: wood elf cleric. His magic specialty is pyrokinesis – a brazen decision among forest dwellers, a fact that gives him much pleasure. Medb Táin o Cú: queen of the local faeries. She is as sharp with her caustic wit as she is with her knife. Bandruí: dryad and high priestess. She is determined to hold the company together for as long as their quest takes – and not a day longer. Horoeka: treant brute. Taciturn and tough as old boots, he considers splintering foes with his axe fair justice for decades of deforestation. Saoirse: night elf sellsword. The deadliest fighter of the company, she says little except for when goading Cillian.
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[Minifigs] Dark Elves Royalty (Chronicles of Embervale Digression #1)
Aurore posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
My entry for the "Monarchic Minifigures" category of the Brickscalibur contest! I could not miss the opportunity of having fun with minifigs while fleshing out my main character Alrune's family history. The minifigs (from left to right) - Dresghar, court minstrel - Thyrulnë the Fair, his sister, sorceress - Prince Aerenion, second son of the Queen - Shellethnir, Queen of the Dark Elves - Crown Prince Aerenthir, first son of the Queen - Alrune, his daughter - Wilwë the Elder, battlemage and advisor to the Queen Their story Once upon a time, in this very land we live in, there was a Queen. Queen Shellethnir, as she was called, had been widowed at a young age – losing her King to a sudden apoplexy stroke only two years after their wedding. Shortly before her widowhood, the Queen had given birth to two sons. Twins, but as different as siblings could be. Aerenthir was born first, and first he was in everything. A bright and fair child, the pride and joy of the Queen’s court. Aerenion was born second, unexpected even by his own mother. A shy and silent child, hidden in the shadow of his brother. While their mother ruled the kingdom with an iron fist in a glove of the same metal, the two princes grew up under the thumb of a most renowned tutor, Wilwë the Elder. A battlemage, a veteran of most – if not all – the wars the kingdom had known before. And also, incidentally, my father. But that’s not what matters. What matters is that Aerenthir became a brilliant tactician and a ruthless conqueror, the perfect crown prince his mother had hoped for. And that he soon married the fairest maiden of the court: my sister Thyrulnë, proud offspring from a long lineage of sorcerers and a mighty sorceress herself. Meanwhile, Aerenion stood behind the scene, finding serenity in study and solitude. The court rejoiced when Thyrulnë gave birth to a little girl, for the child would be as bright and fair as her parents. But when the kid grew up, it became obvious that she was as shy, as silent, and as solitary as her uncle Aerenion. Murmurs and rumours spread across the court. Aerenthir chose to flee. He threw himself headlong into military campaigns, marching even on neighbouring countries he used to see as allies. Thyrulnë chose to fight. She threw herself headlong into arcane studies, morphing her bitterness into dreadful weapons against the courtiers she used to see as friends. The harm had been done, and the halcyon days were over. The crown prince never came back from war. Neither did my father. And while my sister held on, the Queen as for her sank into despair. Soon after the funerals of her favourite son and her most trusted friend, she abdicated. And disappeared. That’s how Aerenion the Unexpected was crowned King. That’s also how I ended up taking care of a little girl, my niece Alrune, and how our story began... -
In the fantastical Historica, there are times where magic can have unexpected consequences. Some of these are random, while other times the unscrupulous or unwitting can bring changes on themselves… Avalonia Bunny Swap Too near a nexus of magical energy, this adventurer had his body swapped with a nearby Avalonian Giant Hare. Pig Headed “Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger.” This king found out what the wizard thought of him after causing grave offense. Elarf An Avalonian elf and his Mitgardian dwarven traveling partner were unfortunately part of a magical explosion. The elf got the short end of the stick. Mitgardia Dwalf The Mitgardian counterpart to the Elarf. Reaching new heights. Stoned This warrior agreed to fight a ‘Meh’ Doula in a crowded bar one night. Too bad he had prepared to fight an average midwife and not the serpent haired demon he did. Now he is a bird garderobe. The Vanished Cursed to be ignored after taking advantage of a tribal priestess, this popular playboy slowly faded from sight and is largely forgotten now. Kaliphlin Mermaidman Having failed to kill a sea-witch, this old triton was transfigured into the body of a mermaid. Sandmaid The sandman is a mythical being who brings sleep to the weary. A tryst with a mortal produced a daughter who puts people to sleep when she is not sleeping herself! The Dessert King Never a good speller, the erstwhile ruler of Kaliphlin angered a minor goddess and was forced to bring pastries to his subjects for a month he wishes would be forgotten. Nocturnus Orctaur One of the few beneficial mishaps, an enchantment gone awry from the local shaman melded the body of an orc warrior to his horse, bringing greater speed and stamina. He's also faster on foot and can run for longer periods without getting winded. The One Eye Love Captain of the Nocturnus cheerleading squad, Carrie was not popular with the other cheerleaders. She was criticized for lacking any depth of field and was always unable to see the other side of an argument. WTF? Yeah, it’s Nocturnus. Don’t ask. Varlyrio Snakebuckler This swashbuckler prayed for fast, smooth moves. Prayers answered. Slimfast™ This overly vain DiCarlo daughter felt she was overweight so drank a potion to help her slim down. Lawyer “You are ssssserved!” Literally cursed by an unhappy client. Philadelphia Bob Cursed by a gypsy after drukenly vomiting on her, Bob found himself in Historica and traveled about, finally settling in Avalonia.
