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Cedrica City Block: Elven Gardens In the Avalonian Quarter, it is absolutely essential that there be at least one tree on every street corner, otherwise the tight-wearing treehuggers get a bit, well, nervous. And it's important that there be somewhere to get tights, too. Fortunately, at the corner called Elven Gardens, Avalonians can have both within a few short paces. Rear view: The tights shop is small and narrow, but it has everything that Taimo the Tailor needs. And everything that Fred the Forestman needs, too. But of course there is more to the block than just tights! There is also Scott the Scibner's Cartography and Copies Shop. And there's the Red Dragon Tavern, too. They would have named it the Green Dragon, as being more fitting for Avalonia, but then there was already a tavern called the Green Dragon a few blocks away, and the proprietor, Mikkel George, had personally killed and taxidermied a red dragon. It's not the busiest place in the late morning, but that doesn't stop some folks from being deep in their cups. Up one level, there's a cozy bedroom for rent, perhaps currently being rented by a masked bounty hunter. There's also a jeweler's shop, run by Jemli the Dwarf. And a candlemaker's shop. Caleb makes the best candles in this part of town, with a consistent, clean burn. There's also a bookstore, but they won't let anyone inside to take pictures of any sort. Mrs. Davis, the proprietor, hates portrait takers and sketch artists. Poor takers and sketchy artists, she calls 'em. Up the stairs at the back will lead you to Skruj the Dwarf's Counting House and Moneylending Services. He's a hard man, er, dwarf, to bargain with and an even harder one to be in debt to. You'd be better off jumping off the balcony into the canal below. Skruj has a small bedroom through a door from his shop. It's got a lovely view and even a cozy fireplace. On the same level is Harold's Heraldry Shoppe, where Harold Brunhair paints the shields of all the fashionable knights of the realm. The official city guard's shields are painted there, and some say that Queen Ylspeth uses his services for her own shield. He does every shape and style, and never has a disappointed customer. And finally, up a ladder next to Harold's, is the Elven Tea Garden, a most peaceful place to meet some friends and conduct business, as long as one is an elf (or at least a half-elf, with your full-elf mother's presence). Galaria, Dragon Mistress of Druidham, is here on holiday with three of her children. Down in the street and on the waterfront, or up on the balcony level, lots of other folk can be seen, including Henjin Quilones, Master of the Druidi Order of Druidham, and his elder daughter. A tree hugger sights the tree, fresh from the tights store. Going to the post office to send a letter to his dear wife in the Trifork. Discussing the day's news with purchases from the bakery. After a visit to Skruj, it's hard to smile. The canal in the back is a quieter place, great for fishing. And dumping out waste water. And while hugging the tree is always allowed, it is not advised that you climb the tree. You might regret it. ______________________________________ Sorry for all the pictures, but there's a lot to see! And none of the pictures turned out as well as I would have liked. But that's the way it works out sometimes. There's also the section that is for Cat. 10C, the Aslanic Chapel, and together they look pretty cool, too. Check the spoiler. Building 360-degrees and with full interiors might be the norm for someone like @soccerkid6, but not for me! So this was especially labor-intensive and time consuming. But fun.
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CDC2 Ancient Wonders: The Nest of the Flying Tiger God
Henjin_Quilones posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The Nest of the Fying Tiger God An entry for the Ancient Wonders category of the second countdown challenges. High up in the Rakath Mountains, close to the roof of the world, lies the Nest of the Flying Tiger God, a monastery and temple complex devoted to the worship of the deity who is said to have once dwelt in Tiger's Nest Cave. The structure is built above, around, and even in the cave, which is very ancient and filled with the marks of the claws of some giant beast. Numerous experts from the University of Petraea over the centuries have come and explored the scored furrows in the rock, and all agree that they appear to be the marks of very large tiger claws, claws larger than any tiger ever heard of. The experts could not agree about whether such a mighty tiger could have existed, or whether a flying tiger had ever existed (for of course, the only way out of the cave is by flying, since the drop from the cave mouth is a thousand feet or more to the valley floor below). Some suppose that it could have been an extremely large and striped gryphon, but no further evidence supported such a claim. But the inconclusive opinions of the experts have done nothing to quell the fervor of the followers of the Flying Tiger God who tend the shrines, nor quench the ardor of the pilgrims who brave the arduous and often deadly trek up into the highest peaks of Kaliphlin through bandit (and dark beings come south from Nocturnus) infested passes. Some say they have seen the Flying Tiger God far over head as they hike the mountains and heard his voice roaring in their dreams. Fresh claw marks occasionally appear in the cave, and shakes caused by his roars have caused parts of the temples to be rebuilt over the years. It is no wonder that this deity is one of the most popular in eastern Kaliphlin and even beyond. ____________________ ......................................... Based, of course, on Tiger's Nest Monastery in Bhutan, a real-life place. But it seemed too good to not include in the Guilds somewhere. -
Of Dragons and Druids Chapter 4: The Apprentice It had been several long years that Gahlen had been stuck working with the dwarves. He didn't dislike dwarves, per se, but he did not like doing dwarf work. It was hard, backbreaking work, especially for a growing boy of half-elf and half-human stock like him. His small frame was not meant for such strain. Or at least that's what he was always telling his father. But of course, Henjin merely smiled and said, "It'll build character," or something else awful like that. The worst of it was that Gahlen really just wanted to be out flying with his dragon, but he was not allowed to ride Koeden for more than an hour or so each day, and only short flights at that, since the dragon was still young and his mother did not trust either the dragon or her son to not over-tax themselves or worse, get lost somewhere out in the Mystic Isles that Druidham sat in the midst of. Folks got lost out there and never were heard from again. Actually, that wasn't the worst of it. The worst of it was that despite working as an apprentice to Stenkarlek for three years, Gahlen had still never been allowed to pick up a hammer and beat any metal at the forge. Never. He was stuck hauling things for the dwarves, like finished helms that needed to be set in the growing pile of arms outside the armory of Druidham. The armory itself was full, so the forge floor outside it was now piled high with armor, swords, helms, and shields. And it was Gahlen's job to haul it and stack it. Blaegrid and Injini got to pound on metal and make stuff, like swords and lanterns and pots. But Gahlen had to haul a barrow. Grinberd could pour molten iron to make swords and cool stuff. But Gahlen had to haul a barrow. The pile outside the armory was growing and growing, and still Gahlen had to haul his barrow, his face covered in grime and soot from the air inside the forge. It certainly wasn't from getting close to the glowing forge itself. Except when it was his job to haul coal to the coal pile in his barrow. And sometimes he even got to shovel the coal into the furnace! What delights! Gahlen noticed that Stenkarlek was talking to his parents, who were standing in the doorway with Koeden. He wondered what they could be talking about, but knew better than to try to eavesdrop. In the noisy forge, full of the clang of metal, the ringing of hammers on steel, the shriek of wheels grinding edges, and the whooshing of pumping bellows, it was impossible to hear anything without getting very close. And very noticed. "How has he been doing, Stenkarlek?" asked Henjin Quilones, greeting his old dwarf friend with a handshake. "Is he working hard?" "Oh, yes, very hard," said the old dwarf. "Though not with a smile on his face." "Smiling is hard when you are working hard," smiled Galaria, watching her son trudge around the forge floor. "Not for a dwarf it isn't," grumbled Stenkarlek. "We take joy in hard work. The harder the work, the bigger the smile." "Humans and elves are different," said Henjin thoughtfully. "Perhaps he should have a day off to fly with Koeden. Would you like that, Koeden?" The dragon nodded his head, his eyes lighting up at the suggestion. "Very well, then, how about tomorrow?" asked the Druid leader. "Fine," muttered the dwarf as he walked away. They could hear him saying something about soft elves and weak humans as he entered the noisy forge. But they just laughed, knowing that the dwarf was only half serious. And old enough to appreciate the differences between the races. "Shall we go back to the orchard, my love?" asked Henjin, escorting his wife by the arm. "Look, Rokka is picking apples. Perhaps he will share one with us." ____________________ ........................................ It has been a long time since the previous chapter of the story, a long time indeed. Chapter 3 was over two years ago now! Yeesh, things get busy. So I tried to keep the style similar to previous Druidham builds, like the library, kitchen, and hall, but this time to add a bit more detail to the walls. It's subtle, but there. This one might also be bigger than the rest, especially since it includes the outdoor scene. I am also using this for several HSS categories, notably Military: Armory, Craftsmen: Blacksmith, and Agriculture: Orchard. I just need to get a build with laborers and I can have a settlement on the map. Unless I decide to count Gahlen as a laborer... Oh, and Comments and Criticism welcome, as usual. I do plan to take a picture or two of just the dragon, for those who ask for such things. I know I haven't done it before, but I really do plan to do it this time, since I am rather pleased with this little guy. [Edit: the picture of the dragon is in the spoiler below]
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Of Dragons and Druids, Ch. 3: The Kitchen of Druidham
Henjin_Quilones posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
Of Dragons and Druids Chapter 3: The Kitchen of Druidham Gahlen knew that he should be going back to the cellars to help Stenkarlek delve them, but he did not want to go back just yet. The dwarf did not particularly like him, considering the boy more of a nuisance than a help, even with a dragon to help moving the rock. And that was all they did, Gahlen and Koeden. Bring one load of loose rock up to the surface after another, until Stenkarlek decided that they had done enough for the day. Gahlen grumbled at his father silently, since it was he who had volunteered the boy's services to the dwarves. But that had been months ago, and the dwarves were still digging. They were nice storerooms and cellars, expertly hewn, painstakingly precise in their corners and utterly smooth in their floors. But the job was tedious, and the seven-year-old wanted to go run around outside and bother some of the other children of the island. And so Gahlen was stopping by the kitchens, hoping to draw Jalme away from his chores. Jalme was the son of the steward, Dervin, who ran the day-to-day affairs of Druidham, assisting Gahlen's father Henjin. The two boys were almost the same age, though Jalme was eight and a bit taller. As he approached the kitchen doors, Gahlen's mouth began to water; succulent smells were wafting on the air currents of the hallway to his nose, reminding him that it was nearly time to eat. Koeden nudged him the back, indicating that he too would like a snack. Hadn't he fed the dragon today already? Young dragons were always hungry, though, and were always growing, too. Perhaps he could sneak a snack from Gregi, the butcher, for Koeden and something from Grishna, the orcwife, for himself. Gregi was busy chopping the heads off of chickens when he opened the door. A faint smile flickered in the corner of the bald man's mouth when his eyes saw the boy and beast framed in the dim doorway. At least Gahlen thought it was a smile; the butcher's beard was so thick that it was hard to tell. Another head popped into the bucket at Gregi's feet, and he slowly slid the whole bucket of heads towards the door. Marni, scaling fish at the same table, clucked in disapproval, but said nothing. The old matron had a soft spot for the roguish youth and his dragon, and the boy exploited it whenever he could. If only he could sneak in and see Sorna; she always had a pie or cookie ready for him, but he would have to avoid the eyes of Jalme's aunt, Julippa, who ran the kitchen and had no use for rascals in her way. Unfortunately, Sorna was talking to Kupika about berry pies as the elf brought over a sack of gooseberries for a pie. Several pies were already cooling on the table; probably currant pies, judging by Sorna's pile of currant sacks by the table. Unfortunately, Julippa was sharing a table with Grishna as the two prepared a stew and some salads. That meant no snack from the orcwife today. Grishna was the best, always doting over the young dragonrider whenever she saw him, giving him big hugs and lots of treats. Her husband Urglan, was a dragonrider, too, the only orc to become one so far. Jalme was looking decidedly unhappy as he turned a spit with a large islebird over the fire. He was definitely hot, and always grouchy. But there was no way that he would be able to get away from the work without getting into serious trouble with everyone in the kitchen. Bummer! Gahlen lingered in the doorway for a moment longer, before deciding to go outside and try to find one of his sisters to bother. Or maybe his mother, if Galaria might be around somewhere and not busy. But he was done with carrying rocks today. He grabbed the bucket of chicken heads and a bit of cured sausage that Gregi had tossed to him, too, and went back the way he came, out into the lower courtyard of Druidham, into the bright sunshine in the midst of the Mystic Isles. (with updated lighting) ____________________________________ ........................................................................ More pics: C&C welcome. I'm not as happy with the lighting in this one as I would have hoped. There are too many different pieces to it: a lamp under the roasting pit, a flashlight behind the bread oven, light bricks and another flashlight lighting glow crystals in the wall, and another lamp shining through a bank of windows (out of shot) to imitate daylight coming in. It was ambitious, and perhaps I'll give it another go before tearing it apart; the results here are "good enough" but not great. -
Of Dragons and Druids, Ch. 2: The Library of Druidham [Avalonia Task 1: Part 1]
Henjin_Quilones posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
Of Dragons and Druids, Ch. 2: The Library of Druidham A freebuild for Avalonia Also a build showing part of the army of Druidham, fulfilling Task 1 for Avalonia "I know it is here somewhere," muttered Henjin Quilones as he reached towards the shelf from the narrow wrought-iron ladder. "We have The Book of the Invisible Sun, and it should be somewhere over here." "Try a bit to the right, Henjin," offered Gree helpfully. "Keep it down, Daddy," shushed Emmalie from where she stood near Thorra's chair. "Fangort is telling a story of the Enchanted Forest." "What happened next?" asked Thorra, listening intently to the Grent's story. "How did you escape?" "Well, you would not believe it, but a family of Werecoons came out of the hollow log and began to attack the lumberjacks!" said Fangort excitedly. "And then we came to live here, all of us." "Oooh! How exciting!" clapped Emmalie in delight. Meanwhile, Reyska was talking to Korra, the Kolgari elf who had joined the Druids when she and her twin sister had arrived at Druidham. Keryyna was now a dragonrider, but Korra was explaining to Reyska how the two of them planned to return to the Sunken City someday. "There are very few ways into the Sunken City, all of them guarded closely by the Kolgari. But it is worth the visit, let me tell you. You think the flora around here is vibrant? It is nothing compared to the hidden realm of the Kolgari." "So why did you leave?" asked Reyska. "It sounds lovely!" "Well, it's complicated, but to start..." Kaigar was talking to M'chungaji, the traveling human from Mwamba who had joined them on their journey, by the window. Afternoon light was shining brightly upon the texts upon the table in front of them. "Henjin thinks the lost shrine of the Druids has to be somewhere in this part of the Isles, but Galaria and the other riders say that they have seen no sign of it from the air," Kaigar was saying. "I think we need to go on foot." "Druids are probably better suited to finding the shrine than dragonriders, even if they are all elves," said M'chungaji. He was mistrustful of most elves, having had a bad experience in his youth on the streets of Bandari with a proud elf lord. "Then I suppose we had better arrange for some journeys to be made," responded Kaigar, pushing back his chair. "Let's get going." ________________________________ ................................................................ More pics: I know this is a bit unconventional for a Task 1 entry, but I first took pictures of some figs on a stand and then decided that it was not exciting enough. So I built the "army" of the Druids in a more natural setting. Part 2 of Task 1 will be to show the dragonriders in a room of their own, probably sans-dragons for space reasons. The original picture is here: From left to right we have Reyska, Thorra, Emmalie Quilones, M'chungaji, Henjin Quilones, Kaigar, Gree, Fangort, and Korra. They are the Druids of Druidham, Guardians of the Druidi Temple of Avalonia. C&C welcome. @Kai NRG, I tried to cover up the back, but in a few places light still shone through. Oh well! Maybe next time I'll get it perfect. -
The Isle of Druidham A freebuild for Avalonia Also a build for Avalonia Task III Deep in the midst of the Mystic Isles, beyond the routes normally taken by traders and travelers crossing the mist-shrouded network of islands and channels, lies a small rocky island pocked with caves. When Henjin Quilones and his wife Galaria returned to Avalonia after visiting the land of Mwamba, they needed a place to settle down, as they had been exiled by Galaria's father, King Fingolë the Golden, from the western High Elf kingdom of Hesperia and could not return thither. Also, during their travels they had had two children, Gahlen and Emmalie, and they needed somewhere to raise them and keep them safe. A life spent on the road was not an option for their family. In addition to their children, Henjin and Galaria had companions who had traveled with them, many of them fellow exiles from Hesperia, but others had been picked up along their travels: an orc, named Grisshak, who had been found half-dead in a ditch after a battle; a family of dwarves who had caught wind of a potential job working with stone; a couple of gnomes from Bandari, including the mad genius Injini; a forest Grent who aspired to be a Druid; a family of Werecoons; and a veritable army of others. They needed a place to settle and build, and Henjin had had the idea to search out the ancient Druid shrine that was located, according to legend, somewhere in the center of the Mystic Isles. So to the Mystic Isles the whole crew went, and Henjin had selected this particular island, unsettled by anyone, but bearing the marks of having once been home to Druids in some bygone age. And so they named the island Druidham. Now, there was one other group that was with the various races who made up the new inhabitants of Druidham: the dragons. During their years in Bandari and greater Mwamba, Galaria and several of her elf companions had been privileged to form soul-bonds with freshly hatched dragons. Some of the dragons, including Galaria's own Daeara, had even had hatchlings of their own since then, which was how Gahlen and their youngest daughter, Lycaria, had managed to also form soul-bonds with their very own dragons. It helps if your mother is the Mistress of the Dragons, and your father is the Master of the Druidi Order. For on the island of Druidham, there are two main groups: the nascent Druidi Order, resurrected from the ashes of the old Druids when Henjin appeared from the stars, and the Dragonriders of Avalonia, dedicated to training elves and dragons in the defense of the realm. A third group, no less important, provides the support the other groups need, as farmers, herders, smiths, cooks, housekeepers, stewards, and everything else necessary for sustaining a full settlement. There is no way to the island save by water or air, but for those who visit there is a guesthouse that is always ready to receive visitors of any race or creed. A few of the surrounding islands are used to pasture large herds of sheep and goats, mostly to serve as food for hungry dragons. Oddly, the sheep do not like to live on the island where the dragons themselves live. __________________________________________ .................................................................................... Another micro build from me, slightly less polished than Ovenntrie Castle, perhaps, but more intricate in many ways, with all of the different angles in the rockwork to make the dragon caves. It started as a small vignette-size build for the Summer Joust that I decided to expand into a 48x48 build. I plan to flesh out the island one building at a time, or one section at a time, since most of the "buildings" are in caves hollowed out of the mountain itself. Expect a bunch of interior builds! C&C welcome.
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Of Dragons and Druids: Ch. 1 In the Hall of Druidham Henjin Quilones sighed as he looked across the hall at his children. How much they have grown already, he thought wistfully. He could hardly believe that Gahlen was nearing his seventh birthday. Where had the time gone? Surely it was just last year that he and Galaria had been exiled from Hesperia by her father, the king, not even married yet and certainly no children on the way? Surely he had only returned from Bandari a few months back with a small toddler of three and a baby girl, only just turned one? Henjin shook his head wistfully. Emmalie was no baby any more; the five-year-old was the least Elf-like of his children, taking more after her Druid father than her Elf mother, and she followed him wherever he went. She was the only one of the children to study the in the Druidi Order, as Gahlen and the youngest, Lycaria, with her bright blue hair, were dedicated to the dragonriders of their mother and had already entered into a soul-bond with baby dragons. He loved his children deeply, and watching their play brightened his day. The day was already bright, though. The sun streamed through the windows of the hall, reflecting off of the newly varnished table and the brightly polished tiles of the floor. It was new, the hall. It had only been completed a few months back, and already it had been used for important things. The leaders of Avalonia had met here to discuss the opening of Varlyrio to trade, gracing his table with their presence. That was just a few mornings ago, and already Henjin had heard rumblings of fleets being launched to seek the goods and markets of the far western Guild. Henjin would be sending no fleets, however, since he did not have a fleet, only a few small fishing boats that brought in their catch from the straights and channels between the Mystic Isles around Druidham. "We really must finish the guest-house next, Henjin," Galaria was saying, bringing his thoughts back to the present moment. How much had he missed of what she said? "We have beds open here in the main keep, of course, but many who might visit us have higher standards than a simple bed in a shared dormitory or a small, simply furnished chamber. It's not like we can offer them a place in one of the dragon's weyrs, where the riders sleep." Henjin nodded. "This is true, Galaria," he said, stroking his beard. He had let it grow out since returning to Avalonia. "My only concern is that it will take manpower away from delving the storerooms and cellars. And by manpower I really mean Dwarf-power, since aside from Arkuhr none of us humans are much use working with stone, and while you may be soul-bonded to an Earth dragon, Daeara is more attuned to the living things on and in the earth than to the rocks of the earth itself." It was Galaria's turn to nod in agreement. "True, it would take some Dwarf-power from the cellars, and harvest time is nigh upon us, so perhaps we should delay that; but we could at least shift the Gnomes over to building the bridge to the outcropping where we plan to build the guest-house. It will not be cold here for a month or more, I don't think, so getting the geothermal pumps going can wait a little bit. And besides, Injini has nearly completed it anyways. He said our rock formations here are not so different from the ones beneath Bandari, so he did not have to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, to get our system going like the one under the Hatchery or the Dragon Halls there." "Very well," Henjin agreed. "We should get to work on the bridge, using the dragons to lift the slabs of stone in place according to the plan of Injini and Mvumbuzi. My Druids, especially Arkuhr, can assist with the stone shaping, at least the rough hewing, and perhaps we can convince Stenkarlek to shift his brother and wife over to the final shaping of the stones, while he and his father finish up the cellars." Just then Lycaria gave a loud shout of pain and Gahlen came running over to his parents. "I didn't do it, Dad," he said breathlessly. "What did you not do?" asked Henjin suspiciously. Galaria went over to Lycaria to comfort her and see if she was hurt. Emmalie was holding her hands over her sister, muttering some Druidic words of healing. "I didn't push her head into the table when she was chasing after me after I stole her hairclip," said the boy sheepishly. "Mm-hmm," grunted Henjin. "I need you to apologize to your sister for pushing her and stealing her clip. And you need to apologize to me for lying. And finally, I need you to go with Koeden to help Stenkarlek dig out the storerooms. He could use a small Earth dragon and even smaller boy down in the tunnels with him to help dig. And bring him this message that I am going to give you." He turned to the writing desk by the windows and began to write on a scrap of parchment. "Yes, father," said Gahlen with downcast eyes. "I am sorry for lying." "I forgive you," said Henjin, finishing up the message and handing it to his son. "Now go! Get your dragon and find Stenkarlek." ______________________________________ ............................................................................ The first chapter of my Book III story! Not unlike @de Gothia, I have chosen to make the time between the end of Book II and the start of Book III for my story be the span of several years (about 8 in my case). Hence there are now kids involved. My inspiration for the story, at least for the dragon part of things, comes especially from Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series, one of my all-time favorite reads. I will be tying things in from my previous Chronicles of Hesperia, plus the builds I did for the Safe Haven challenge. And there will be dragons. Lots of dragons. My characters will probably end up in Varlyrio's Sunken City at some point, too. The build itself is the same as the one I used for the Prelude: An Avalonian Council, but the lighting is different this time, with the sole light source now being through the windows. I really like the way that made it look, even better than before. Plus, I adjusted the white balance to look more warm. C&C welcome!
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Moto the Fire Dragon A freebuild for Avalonia < Previous Elemental Dragon Moto and his rider, the elf Lord Joto, are the Fire Guardians protecting the Elvish kingdom of Mwamba from any fiery threats, especially from volcanoes. Moto's wings are smaller than those of many of his peers, enabling him to crawl into lava tubes and into magma chambers without catching the membranes on any sharp edges. Lord Joto sits on the Elemental Council of Mwamba and was one of those who supported gifting dragons to the ragtag collection of Hesperian exiles that showed up on the streets of Bandari, including Galaria. More pictures: ______________________________________________________ ............................................................................................................ Moto finishes the collection of the Elemental Guardians of Mwamba, both dragons and riders. I need to build a council chamber for them to meet and show the story of Galaria and her friends being given permission to form a soul-bond with infant dragons and learn the basics of raising them, but I have been having trouble finding the time lately for much building. Hopefully soon! I've got some other stuff ready to go, but I need to have a day to take the pictures; maybe this weekend, unless another hurricane decides to drop lots of rain on us... C&C welcome. Moto is probably my second favorite dragon I've made. I was rather pleased with the base on this one, so hopefully @TitusV doesn't find something to dislike about this base, too! (I don't think any lines are too straight on the front, at least...)
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Hewa the Air Dragon A freebuild for Avalonia < Previous Elemental Dragon ... Next Elemental Dragon > Hewa and his rider, the Elvish King Mfalme, are the Air Guardians of Mwamba, soaring about the lofty peaks and through the clouds safeguarding the land from hostile threats. King Mfalme rules the land from the City of Bandari, where he is assisted by other elves, centaurs, gnomes, and humans. He graciously allowed Galaria to bond with a dragon of her own, which she and Henjin Quilones rode back from Mwamba to Avalonia, to start their settlement of Druidham in the Mystic Isles, a haven for druids and dragonriders alike. Other companions of the two exiles also were given dragons to raise as lifelong soul-joined dragonriders, the start of a new weyr of dragons in the West. More pictures: _______________________________________________ .............................................................................................. I tried something different with Hewa, as I have always loved the idea of feathered dragons. The wings were a bit of a struggle, but I am fairly happy with how they turned out. C&C welcome.
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Maji the Water Dragon A freebuild for Avalonia < Previous Elemental Dragon ... Next Elemental Dragon > Maji is the Water Guardian of the coastal regions of the land of Mwamba, together with her elf rider, Lady Mvua. They work together to keep the land safe from any threats from the water, and preserve the water from any threats from those who would wish to harm it. They were some of the first to welcom Henjin Quilones and Galaria to Bandari, and to show them around Mwamba, when they arrived there in their exile. More pictures: ___________________________________________________ ....................................................................................................... Back with another elemental dragon, this time water. This one was much harder to photograph with my setup, due to the dark color of Maji's hide. Still very posable and all that, but I have to admit I don't like her as much as Kijani. C&C welcome, as usual.
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Ovenntrie Castle A freebuild for Avalonia. Just off of the coast to the west of Avalonia, in the waters near the mouth of the River Lotharia, lies an island inhabited by Men. These Men are unique in that they are the only outsiders permitted near the famously exclusionary enclave of Hesperia, where High Elves, ruled by Fingolë the Golden, reside. Their castle is joined to the mainland by a bridge high enough for even the high masted ships of the elves to sail beneath, with room and more to spare. The humans have become wealthy due to their exclusive access to high-quality Elvish goods, and the elves have enjoyed the influx of money as well from the trade. It is not uncommon to see the ships of the Elves sailing into the Ovenntrie harbor to dock alongside the fishing vessels of the men, unloading their goods. The Hesperian Elves utilize enormous eagles as mounts for their messengers, so the men of Ovenntrie designed their keep to accommodate the preferences of the birds for a lofty landing and take-off position. Due to the amount of money involved, and the considerable amount of respect shown by the humans towards the elves, the settlement is a haven of peace and prosperity for both sides. Here an Elvish vessel approaches under the bridge, coming to unload its goods and take on others. The castle features a blacksmith shop and stables near the gate, as well as a decorative fountain that also serves as the water source for the castle, keeping them well-supplied in the event of a siege. A similar fountain in the town square below gives life and vitality to the celebrations of the humans. Long stairs lead from the town to the side gate of the castle More pictures: _____________________________ ........................................................... This was a build I did for the Summer Joust 2018, entered into the 48x48 castle category. I was pretty pleased with how it turned out, despite it being my first serious venture into the world of microscale building. I might just have gotten hooked though, so expect to see more microscale builds (and minifig scale, too) in the days and weeks to come. C&C welcome!
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Kijani the Earth Dragon Next Elemental Dragon > When Henjin Quilones and Galaria the Exiled Elf went to the Land of Mwamba, they stayed in the city of Bandari for a while, but eventually they traveled out to see the lands beyond the city. There they met the Lady Maua and her earth dragon, Kijani. The dragons of Mwamba are divided into four categories: Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. They serve as the guardians and protectors of each of their respective elements. The Earth of the rolling hills and plains is the special province of Kijani and Maua. ____________________________________________________________________ ........................................................................................................................................ Bonus shots:
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["A Safe Haven" Challenge, Cat. A] The City of Bandari
Henjin_Quilones posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The City of Bandari An entry into "A Safe Haven", the Fifth Anniversary Challenge, Category A Also Chapter 7 of the Chronicles of Hesperia The druid Henjin Quilones, Galaria the former princess, and Hamisha the returning exile stepped out of the rowboat and began making their way up the dock and onto the shore. They had to duck around several sharks hanging by their tails on the beach, strung up by the fisherman who lived in the house by the dock. Before them spread the City of Bandari, the jewel of Mwamba. Hamisha, who was leading the way, paused to take it all in, tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. She recognized so many faces that she had not seen in hundreds of years, not since the council of this city had voted to send her away. They had seen the Bahari, the master fisherman at work hauling in his nets as they tied up at the dock. Ahead of them was Chuma, smithing away at something at his forge. Winda, the elf scout, was standing up on a balcony overlooking the market, but her attention was fixed on something happening around the corner of the massive building on the hill. "That is the dragon hatchery," Hamisha told the others. "The dragons come here and lay their eggs, and then the elves take the best care of them until they hatch. They are very watchful and observant, too. Inside that building are sand pits kept at the precisely correct temperatures to maintain optimal egg health. The gnomes of this city tend to some sort of subterranean network of pipes that bring hot steam under the sand; there is always vapor of some kind coming out of the holes behind the hatchery." "But up on the side of the building," continued Hamisha, "You can see a sight that is quite rare; an adult male dragon meeting his hatchling for the first time! That is Nyeusimoto, and he is the dragon companion of Lord Mkuu, one of the elf princes of the land." "Watch your step in the market here. The sellers can be very pushy; or at least, the humans of three hundred years ago were. I doubt much has changed in the intervening time." "And whatever you do, do not mess with the aelfcats or the dragon knights, or step in the way of a centaur!" "It is good to be home." More pictures: ___________________________________________________________________________________ ....................................................................................................................................................................... C&C welcome! This one was light on story, heavy on build. For those curious about the figures seen throughout the build, my category B CMF series will shed some light on most of them, besides the aelfcats, who are new. This is by far my largest build, being about 100x100 studs, making it four times the size of my previous record, and I have been working on it since July or August. It was hard getting good shots of it, and I really only had one chance at pictures, as it took an hour or more to move it from my LEGO table to my outdoor photo site and re-build the sections, and then moving it back again resulted in stuff breaking. Fitting all that into the kids' nap time is not easy. Ah well. Someday it is my dream to have a designated photography studio in my house, or at least nice gear (besides just a camera), but that will have to wait until I win the lottery. For now it will be good to take this apart and have bricks to build other things finally. -
["A Safe Haven" Challenge: Cat. C] The Nagra Luca
Henjin_Quilones posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The Nagra Luca An entry into "A Safe Haven", the Fifth Anniversary Challenge, Category C Henjin Quilones, Knight of the Druidi Order of Historica, exile from Hesperia, and his constant companion, Galaria, formerly Princess of Hesperia, now an exile like Henjin, were discussing their journey on the poop deck of the Nagra Luca. The swift ship was making good time as it sailed ever westward, veering only the slightest bit south. It had been some time since they had left the Isle of Tíre, fully stocked with provisions for a journey that could possibly take months. And it had, several months longer than anticipated, in fact; they had been aboard this vessel, now terribly small and cramped, for far too long. The food supply was now rather short, nearly as short as the tempers of the crew as they spent their time walking the same planks and pulling the same ropes each and every day, seeing the same eighteen people day and night. The wolves in the hold below were particularly restless, and one at a time they were brought up to pace on the deck when the weather was fair, just to stretch their legs a bit. Skoll, Henjin's white wolf, had even leaped overboard once and swum with some dolphins for a spell before they could lower the rowboat and fish out the sodden beast from the briny waves. The whole hold had smelled of wet fur for a week afterwards. "We must be getting close, Henjin," said Galaria with a sigh. "We are, I can feel it," replied Henjin. "Sir Kravek's charts were clearly mistaken about some of the nautical distances, as this journey has gone on long enough, but those rocky fingers we passed sticking out of the sea yesterday at noon are supposed to be only a day's sail from shore to this new place. And besides, Hamisha has been saying for a few days that the smell in the air is that of her home, so we must be close." "My lord Henjin, Lady Galaria, the smell is stronger than ever, too!" shouted Hamisha from where she was looking over the maps and charts. "I apologize for interrupting!" "Apology accepted!" Galaria shouted back and shook her head. "She has always been a strange one," she said in a low voice, "not like the rest of my wolfriders. These Mwamban elves must be an odd lot if they are all like her. She is reliable, though." "What are we going to do once we get to Mwamba, though, Galaria? We are a crew of exiles, castaways now from your home, refugees far, far away from my own, with little in the way of a trade or skill to earn our silver and gold. I have some magic, I suppose, and you can hunt, and we are all good with swords, but unless there is some sort of conflict going on that particular skill is not very useful. What are we to do?" "We will figure it out in good time, Henjin," the elf said, resting her head on his shoulder. "We are together, and that is what is important to me. Besides, I was a princess, and I am still an elf, and elves are always welcoming to other elves, with the exception of my father. And we have Hamisha." "Who is now twice exiled, and still will not tell us what she did to be kicked out of Mwamba in the first place, I must point out." "You worry too much, my handsome druid." "Land ho!" came the shout from the lookout up in the rigging. "I see land!" Allicea shouted again. Soon others were climbing the rigging and crowding the gunwales of the fo'c'sle trying to see the shimmering blur on the horizon denoting land. "I see it too!" shouted Celdrian triumphantly. Soon the Nagra Luca was making her way into a harbor, with a large city overlooking the water. Small fishing boats were dotting the waves, and the shouts of people from the shore reached their ears. Henjin, Galaria, and Hamisha were lowered in the rowboat to the water and made their way to one of the docks. Some more pictures: ________________________________________________________________________________ ................................................................................................................................................................ C&C welcome! This was my first attempt as an AFOL at making a ship (besides, of course, the official ship sets that I have acquired over the past few years), and I am rather pleased with the outcome. I went entirely brickbuilt instead of using any of the large hull pieces that I have, since I wanted to try my hand at it and liked the look of it better. The ship is inspired by the lateen-rigged vessels of the past, particularly the caravel of Portugal and the dhow of India/Arabia, as well as a Ninjago ship built by @Garmadon, with some elvish flair of my own. -
The Chronicles of Hesperia, Vol. 1, Ch. 5: Stopping at Tíre Keep
Henjin_Quilones posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The Chronicles of Hesperia Volume 1: The Sky Man Chapter 5: Stopping at Tíre Keep The Previous Chapters: Henjin Quilones stepped out of the elvish rowboat and walked up the dock towards the tower. Though it was only early evening, the flames were already roaring from the beacon post at its top, ready to ward any passing ship away from the dangerous shoals that lined the coast of the island. Tíre Keep, with its lighthouse, was one of the most important strongholds of Avalonia, and one of the farthest, if not the farthest, west, a final stopping point for food and supplies for any Avalonian ship sailing out into the Great Western Ocean. His ship, or rather, Galaria's ship, was moored deeper out to sea, past where the rocks would cause a danger to the fragile wooden planking of a ship's hull. He had been sent ashore to this abode of humans, since he, a human, would not look so out of place as one of the elvish exiles on board the Nagra Luca, or Black Wolf in the common speech of Historica. His brother, Bu'kanjin, or one of their druid warrior companions, could also have been sent, but Henjin had volunteered to come alone to broker a deal for supplies sufficient for an ocean crossing. Of gold they had enough, if pressed, to buy everything they needed and more, but then they would have nothing when they reached the shores of some distant land; Henjin's powers of persuasion had become legendary among his friends, and they all agreed that he would be the best to negotiate a favorable bargain for them. Henjin sighed as he gazed up at the tall tower, its six sides facing every direction. He did not know when they would be back in civilized lands again. Galaria had taken it into her head to travel the world after her father had sentenced her to exile, and she had no desire to stay around the continent of Historica. She had been granted a Historican Title of Nobility for her actions in the war with Raavage, same as Henjin, and would thus find a warm welcome wherever the Ruler of Historica was revered, but she wanted to leave, to see how people lived in other lands. Henjin had agreed to go with her, as he found something about the green-haired elf maiden hopelessly attractive. Bu'kanjin felt similarly towards Yavenna, Galaria's trusted lieutenant among the wolf riders, as well, and had needed little persuasion to join his brother. The wolves. Skoll, the white wolf that was now his, along with Biryuk, who was Bu'kanjin's mount, Laika, who was Galaria's, and the other wolfsteeds of Galaria's band, was in the hold of the Nagra Luca, undoubtedly very unhappy and seasick. Henjin had to get enough meat to feed them, in addition to everything else they needed. The gold in his pouch needed to go a long way. As he walked towards the small door set in the wall, he observed a man fishing from the rocks. "Greetings, sir," he said. "Where might I find the lord of this keep?" The man turned from his fishing with a sigh, saying, "The fish are not biting so far today, I am afraid; I blame the weather. It has been too hot, unseasonably so. We need some rain, that's what we need, rain." "If I could send you rain, sir, I would," said Henjin. "Now, where might I find the lord?" "Right here, my good sir," smiled the man. "I am Sir Kravek, Baron of Tíre Keep, Ruler of the Isle of Tíre, Lord Councillor of Avalonia. How may I be of service to a traveler such as yourself?" "My thanks, Sir Kravek. My name is Sir Henjin Quilones, Knight of Historica. My friends and I need sufficient food and supplies to sail across the Great Western Ocean." "I see. Welcome, Sir Henjin. Well, you have come to the right place. Now, that ship of yours anchored off in my harbor is clearly elvish, or I am an orc, so am I to assume that you stole it, or are your companions elves?" "Yes, Sir Kravek, they are elves, as well as men. And one orc, a refugee that we picked up along the way. Not more than eighteen all told, plus beasts." "Destination? Unknown, I suppose? Well, Sir Henjin, let us step into my office, where we can discuss matters more deeply. I have what you need, including charts and maps, and a suggestion for a destination, a place sure to welcome a motley collection of humans, elves, orcs, and beasts, whose existence has been reported to me by sailors coming through. You, in your turn, will give me assistance (and gold, I am sure). Come, come, this way." ____________________________________________________________ ......................................................................................................................... Thanks for looking, and C&C welcome! This has been posted at long last, my entry to the Summer Joust with @TitusV and @The Maestro. If you look closely at the last picture you might be able to see them there. The hexagonal nature of the tower was a challenge, but it worked out pretty well, I thought. My wife, typically no fan of LEGO, thought that this was my best build, and was genuinely sad when I took it apart. It should be fairly clear where my story is going, what with a 5th Anniversary Challenge deadline just over a month away... -
The Chronicles of Hesperia, Vol. 1, Ch. 4: The Banishment of Galaria
Henjin_Quilones posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The Chronicles of Hesperia Volume 1: The Sky Man Chapter 4: The Banishment of Galaria The Previous Chapters: Princess Galaria sat in the gardens of the palace of Istolia, awaiting her father. She knew he would be displeased by her actions, yet she could not, would not, apologize for doing what had been necessary to save not only Hesperia, her father's High Elven kingdom, but all of Historica. She had returned after travelling far and wide, having used information taken from her father's library to defeat the threat of the tyrannical Lord Raavage. She had been keeping company with humans, in particular the druid, Henjin Quilones, but also lords and ladies of many lands from all corners of Historica. This was behavior decidedly atypical for an elf of the blood, scandalous, even, and Galaria had been hesitant to return to her father's halls to receive what was certain to be a stern censure. She heard sounds from the hallway outside, and pricking up her keen elvish ears to listen, caught the full conversation between her brother, Fingalad, and her father, King Fingolë the Golden. "Father," began Fingalad. "Surely you have heard that Galaria has returned from cavorting about with half-bloods and humans?" "Yes, my son, I have. I was on my way to see her now, in fact. My ministers informed me that she is awaiting my presence in the gardens." "And what are you going to say to her, Father?" Fingalad said, a note of anger in his voice. "I will demand an accounting for her irregular and dishonorable behavior," replied the king with patience. "No, Father, you must punish her for her disobedience to your commands." "What command did she break, my son?" "She stole from your library, she used the eagle riders without permission, she acted in your name without consulting you, and above all, Father, she violated your express prohibition against getting involved with the human affairs of the outside world." "You speak wisely, my son, and yet..." "Yet nothing, Father. She has disrespected and dishonored you, our family, our people, and our land. She has taken up with humans, in particular that pseudo-druid and charlatan, Henjin Quilones, becoming inseparable from his side. I have even heard that she has fallen in love with him, and would mingle our high blood with his baseborn mud. Surely you cannot tolerate such an affront and insult to our kingdom, Father?" "I will speak to her, and shall keep my own counsel, yet you have given me much to think on, my son," said the king. "Now depart from us, and I will enter and speak to your sister alone." _________________________________________ "My daughter, what have you to say for yourself? Why do you bring yourself back here surrounded by such clouds of gossip and accusations of scandal?" "Scandal, Father?" asked Galaria, as though she had not overheard her father and brother speaking in the corridor. "Will you agree to renounce the disgusting human Henjin Quilones, never to see him again, to remain here in the palace of Istolia for the next century or two, never going out into the woods like a lowly wood elf, to serve your sister Falaria as her handmaid?" "Father, no!" "Then will you dishonor me and your whole kindred?" "No, Father, I helped to save our people, and all people of Historica, by stopping Raavage and bringing the High Ruler of Historica to the throne, joining as one with the many realms out there! I did nothing to dishonor our people or you!" "You disobeyed my commands and in so doing have dishonored me and your kindred. To atone for this, I ask you again: will you agree to renounce the disgusting human, Henjin..." "He is not disgusting, Father, and neither are most humans out there that I have met!" interrupted Galaria hotly. "So you do love him!" shouted the king accusingly. "I don...I...I...I said nothing like that, Father!" yelled Galaria, now angry past her ability to contain it. "But you do not deny it! You would mingle our pure blood with the corruption of humans!" "Father, please..." "No, Galaria, the time has come. Either accept the terms I have given you, or depart forever from this land, an exile from the Elves of Hesperia, banished until the end of time." "Father, don't..." "Choose." "If I must choose, Father, then I shall leave, and maybe someday you shall repent of your foolishness and allow me to come back. Until then, farewell. I shall take a ship from the harbor and my companions, including the 'disgusting' humans, and not come back." "You have chosen wrongly, Galaria, but you may have the ship. Do not count on my heart softening for you, however. Time only strengthens the resolve of a High Elf's oath." "Goodbye, then, Father." ____________________________________________________ ........................................................................................................ The latest installment of the Chronicles of Hesperia. Feel free to make any C&C, though, to be honest, the build came together in an hour or so, and is mostly just a filler build to move the story, so it does not do anything particularly nice or fancy. Better stuff is coming soon! Another chapter should be up later this week, since it has been built, photographed, and dismantled now for several months! It just needed this story to fill the gap first, and I have been concentrating on other builds. -
Book II, Challenge V, Category B: The Armored Bears of Hesperia
Henjin_Quilones posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The Armored Bears of Hesperia A Build for Challenge V, Category B, on behalf of the Alliance. In the land of Hesperia, an elven kingdom in the far west of Avalonia, nestled in the depths of the Enchanted Forest, there are many beasts of great size, from giant eagles to mighty dragons. Among the fearsome creatures one might encounter under the shade of the magical trees, typically in the upper regions of the highlands, are enormous brown bears. Fiercely territorial and aggressive when provoked, nevertheless the elves have managed to recruit their aid in times of need to serve as mighty beasts of war. Blacksmiths work long hours to create custom armor to protect the mighty frames of the great bears from enemy projectiles while not seriously impacting the mobility of the noble creatures. Here, at Rogobel's blacksmith shop just outside the walls of Istolia, a major Hesperian settlement, Rogobel and his assistants are working around the clock to turn out armor for the bears. Urgaalikku, a proud Ursine chieftain, is receiving his armor. To keep the bears from leaving as the heavy metal is pounded and riveted around them, the bears are fed a steady supply of fruit and vegetables. "Rogobel!" shouted Haladrian. "We are going to need more fruit here pretty soon! Chief Urgaalikku is hungry today." "You've been working at the forge all day, Rogobel," said Tirian, his lead assistant. "Let me take a turn at the anvil." "Grab your own from the corner, Tirian," grunted Rogobel, "and make yourself useful rather than standing around like a maiden in a daisy field." "Feladrim, I'm glad you are here," said Drogo. "Did you grab the case of rivets from the shelf like I asked? I have to add the next row of plates above this one or Rogobel will be on my case." "Um, no, I grabbed the forward-mounted crossbow, like I thought you asked." ________________________________________________________________________ ................................................................................................................................................ Thanks for looking! C&C welcome. This thing was rather difficult to photograph, but I think it turned out alright in the end. -
The Chronicles of Hesperia, Vol. 1, Ch. 3: The Return of the Druids
Henjin_Quilones posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The Chronicles of Hesperia Volume 1: The Sky Man Chapter 3: The Return of the Druids The Previous Chapters: Henjin Quilones and Galaria, daughter of King Fingolë the Golden, walked a little away from the campsite of the others. It had been a long day for everyone: Henjin and his brother, Bu'kanjin, along with his companions, had endured a crash landing and an unexpected transformation; Galaria had ridden far on wolfback to reach the impact site, and then suffered the loss of one of her elf warriors when she was shot by Bu'kanjin. They all needed rest, badly, but first there were some questions that needed to be asked, and answers that needed to be heard. Henjin was the first to speak, as they reached the shores of a small lake. "Princess Galaria," he began. "Just Galaria, please," interjected the elf. "Galaria, then," continued the man. "Can you tell me more about the druids of your world? I read some of the inscriptions on the stones back at Stangraf, and they told me some things, but there are other things I would like to know." "Well, to begin, the druids left many, many years ago, after their race began to die out, and they left behind a powerful magic spell, hidden, never found, somewhere to the east of here among the islands. Then...they just vanished...turned to dust, the old stories say. Whether that is true, I do not know, since I was born here in Hesperia many centuries after the elves moved west, and even my father has no personal knowledge of the druids. Why do you ask, Henjin?" "Curiosity, I guess. Where I came from--and the memories get fainter every moment, so that I am not sure where that was--there was an ancient mystical order dedicated to preserving peace and justice, using the deep powers of the universe, the Living Soul of All Being, you could say; we could do incredible things, impossible things, even, except save people from death. Though some tried. Some were seduced to use those powers for selfish ends and became evil, but most of us used them for good. I think that your druids here in Historica might be the same as, or at least very similar to, the Druidi Order of which I was, or perhaps still am, a member. When a member of the Druidi Order died, typically he would be cremated, but some learned how to just...disappear, become one with the Soul of Being, just like your druids did long ago." Galaria turned to Henjin. "So...are you saying that you are a druid?" "I think so," said Henjin. "I am, and my brother is, too. That is how we have such quick reflexes to catch arrows, and do other impossible things." "But you could not save Ankeria after your brother shot her." "No, sadly, her soul had already gone to the Halls of Waiting, and I have not the power to recall anyone thence." "I see." A moment of silence passed as they looked out at the wind rustling the reeds on the shore of the lake. Somewhere far off a bird sang a song of evening. Galaria looked up, her eyes narrowing as she gazed at a dark speck just above the horizon, moving quickly across the setting sun. "Come quickly now, Henjin Quilones, Knight of Stangraf and the first of the New Druidi Order of Historica; we must make haste. I have seen one of the Great Eagles of Hesperia winging his way swiftly through the heavens, and it was unmistakably Aeriglaaac and his rider, Celdrian, my father's most trusted messengers, whom he sent to the far east to learn of the tidings of war. That he flies so swift and sure to Istolia, where my father is visiting, is a sure sign that something is afoot. We must go thither more quickly than I had planned. We go tonight! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ........................................................................................................................ Thanks for looking! C&C welcome. It's not much to look at, but I needed a build to move the story forward a bit, as well as explain a few things. A few more small builds will be forthcoming in order to set up a Category C story arc. -
The Old Geyser Location: G09 - Greater Drigo Tags: Exploration, Land Vehicle, Spaceship Previous story: "Someone else has been here, Sir," said the voice of Kiri, his walkie-talkie personal assistant. "That is a Kawashita KX-1902b Planetary Observer, and has not been there long." "I can see that, Kiri," said Henjin Quilones, the intrepid explorer. "I wonder who else has been sent to Greater Drigo. Kiri, do the logs show anyone else in this quadrant?" "Checking logs now...no, Sir, I see nothing here." "Very strange; very, very strange," said Henjin. "I wonder if I should call this in and report it..." He drove his Kawashita ATV around the rocks and saw a geyser lake, one of thousands that dotted the landscape. "Detecting a large amount of seismic activity, Sir," Kiri said. "Please be careful when driving near that lake. It may not be safe." Henjin ignored Kiri, as usual, since she seldom gave good advice, unless one asked for nearby restaurants or for pickup lines. He drove his ATV right up to the reeds on the water's edge. He would have driven it further, except the wheels got stuck in the thick clay and refused to spin. "Ah well, I guess we'll do this the hard way." He leaped off of the vehicle and began to patrol the area on foot, noticing how the geysers were behaving more like fountains, with continuous streams of water gushing forth, instead of a great big burst. He made a note of that in his exploration report and walked a bit further around the edge. There, on the ground by the shore of the lake, was a Kawashita Exploratory Corps uniform, and by the fit of it, it was a woman's. However, there was no woman in it now. "Oh no!" cried Henjin. "Somebody killed one of my corps-mates, and stole the body!" "Shall I call for help, Sir?" asked Kiri. "I...I don't know." "Oh, hey Henjin," called a fair voice from the lake. Henjin turned and started towards the voice, thinking it was some foul Drigonian geyser-lake mermaid, perhaps the one that had left that Kawashita explorer dead. But it was just Stefannie Stryyk, the one woman in the Corps who had ever even glanced his way. And she was lightly clad, bathing in the geysers. Very lightly clad. That certainly was not regulation swimwear. "The water's warm, Henjin, and there's room enough for two in this old geyser..." More pics: