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[Freebuild] Embervale Advent Calendar 2023 - Winter Nights
Aurore posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The nights are getting longer, the air is getting colder, and it's even starting to snow here in France : time for fire in the fireplace, and time for an Advent Calendar! From tomorrow onwards, I'll update this topic with a small build or minifig per day.This year's theme will be winter nights in Embervale, with comments from my main GOH characters Alrune (elven mage and governor of Embervale), her uncle Dresghar and Evrart (the captain of the guards). Scene 1. Night Watch Scene 2. Embervale by Night -
THE BUILD The Adventurers' Guild and the workshop of Guillemin, the luthier of Embervale. As soon as that "double arrow" modified tile (3396) showed up, I knew I was going to use it for a timber-framed house inspired by the place I come from - Alsace. It took me a while to figure out the design (and choose the colour)...but here it is! The border is designed to be very easily removable to allow further expansion of the village. All custom printed parts are from Briquestore. More photos of the interior in the spoiler section below. THE STORY In the last episode we left Alrune unconscious, stunned by a banshee’s wailing, her spirit drifting away in the ethereal plane. Will she be alright? Will her devoted uncle find a way of healing her? What’s for dinner? Let’s just let those fundamental matters rest for now, dear reader, and let’s have a look about a year earlier. Let’s go back to a nice fall afternoon, in the mountains at the border between the Elven Empire and the Human Realms. Let’s focus on a castle surrounded by a picturesque wine village and deep, dark forests streaked with turbulent streams. This place is called Embervale – a phonetic and misleading transcription of Ombreval, its name in the local dialect – but you probably already figured that out. Embervale has a long and chaotic history. Over the past centuries, it had been besieged, captured, recaptured, occupied, and annexed by Elves or Humans, by one faction or another. At the time of our story, though, it had been under control of the Empire for a couple of decades. The Elves had expanded the castle, improved the battlements, appointed a governor, and then seemingly forgotten about it. Yet the dreadful reputation of the Empire and the strength of the fort were enough to ensure peace, and the place was enjoying quiet, prosperous days. Due to its location, the village attracted travellers of all stripes. Merchants, frequently, and many wanderers from the Human Realms coming to seek adventure in the mysterious mountains of the Elven Empire. And on this day, on this beautiful fall day when our story is about to begin, Asceline the Head of the Adventurers’ Guild was gleefully attributing quests, selling gear and having drinks served to a colourful bunch of guests. Her business was thriving. The story began with a handful of riders stopping by the Adventurers’ Guild of Embervale. Four men, wearing the dark red and silver colours of the closest Human barony. ne of them, as Asceline realised when he loudly demanded drinks for his retinue, was the Baron himself. “I sent three letters to Governor Voronthir, and he never replied,” he barked at Asceline – as if she could do anything. “Mind you, he never gave me back that mushroom knife I lent him last winter!” Adventurers were starting to pay attention, always on the lookout for quest opportunities. “I’m afraid he won’t be able to answer you anytime soon, sir,” Asceline said. “Everyone is sick in the castle, and they have closed the gates to all visitors until it gets better.” “What kind of disease?” The Baron’s sergeant enquired. Some of the adventurers were now taking notes. “The kind that, er – gives rash,” she replied. Neither the soldiers nor the adventurers looked impressed. “Very itchy? Extremely painful? Highly contagious?” Still no reaction. "Did people enter the castle and never came back?” one of the soldiers asked, and beamed when he received enthusiastic approbation from nearby adventurers. “Not really. Some did. It’s not the kind of serious epidemics that decimate populations, you see. Just a fleeting and very unpleasant inconvenience.” Disappointment loomed over her audience. There was nothing heroic in facing a mild infection to retrieve a mushroom knife, and no reward had even been mentioned. A few adventurers moved away. But the Baron was made of sterner stuff – and had subordinates to take care of the dirty work. “Evrart, you’ll be going,” he ordered his sergeant. Who was, literally, saved by the bell as the bell tower of Embervale chose this precise moment to start ringing the solemn pattern that announced the arrival of an Imperial visitor. THE CAST Front, from left to right: - Asceline, the Head of the Adventurers' Guild - Guillemin, her husband, luthier - Agnès, their housekeeper - Pernelle, Angès' granddaughter - Mahaut, the village elder - Urbain, the apothecary - Roland, Guillemin's cousin - Two visitors from below the mountains - Adventurers (bard, ranger, fighters, mages) Behind, on horseback: - The Baron d'Autours - Evrart, his sergeant - Two soldiers
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Built for the SJ fantasy heights-category. Crossposting continues! "A nameless primeval seer have made her dwelling in a large ornamented stone tower.Wearing a hooded brown cloak she is seen walking around with her mysterious staff. A long time ago she left her order in the mystic isles and headed for the parts of Historica today known as Avalonia. As no others followed her, she established and built the great tower. The sheer hight of it makes it distinguishable all the way from the outskirts of Dandelume on a cloud-free day. The seer hold great magical power, guarding the four seasons. As a nameless being she is only known as she appears in respective season: ‘Summer’, ‘Autumn’, ‘Winter’ and ‘Spring’. Atop the tower she planted a magical seasonal tree that grew stronger and taller over the years. All types of creatures; from agricultural humans, wild forest beings to elves and fauns cherished the wisdom of the seer. Her magic controlled nature, animals and weather in the area. Many came to visit her, highborn and common folk, for an audience to maybe learn more from all the knowledge she had. The inhabitants can look to the sky to see the official changing of the seasons as the tree had a close connection to, and ruled all other nature in the area. The seer’s two peculiar birds residing in the tree will fly around but have their nest beneath the roots of the tree." Some closeup photos:
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The southeastern corner of the city wall of Cedrica near the large lake boasts an unusual green tower that the locals nicknamed 'The Jade Tower' due to its color. The color comes from a high olivine content of the sandstone used in the construction of the tower, not from real jade, but the name stuck. A small sally port is guarded by the Cedrica city guard, nicknamed 'the white helms' due to their signature white helmets. The gulls from the lake create a nuisance to the small merchant stands and guards there, and the small pier is a favorite fishing spot of the locals. It is rumored that less scrupulous guards take bribes to allow black market goods to enter the sally port at night... This was a fun collab with @Kai NRG. It actually has all the connections for the Ninjago City style base as a corner piece, but wound up being part of the outer city wall as we built rather than the usual 3 story housing, so if it needs to be moved to 10C due to not meeting requirements, go ahead. C&C welcome as usual!
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Dandelume [Avalonia] The city of Dandelume is located west of the great eastern plains of Avalonia, midway between Albion and Cedrica. The city and surrounding areas create a flourishing territory with great amounts of municipal farmlands and small-scaled villages, all loyal to Wifgrir- the duke of the city. Dandelume leadership: Court champion, Lady Alannais, Countess Arianne, Feudal duke Wifgrir, Trandill- mage, Court champion The vast region moving from Dandelume all the way to the great mountains on the mitgardian border is more diverse. A landscape consisting of smaller woodlands, rivers and trading-routs.The population residing in and around Dandelume are humans, dwarves, fauns, elves and other creatures. Together they form an alliance under the reign of their feudal duke. Though first and foremost humble subjects of queen Ylspeth, ruling Avalonia from her throneroom in Cedrica. History of Dandelume The first settlers in the area were nomad gatherers trying to live out of the lands. It is said that they were following a herd of deers through the plains and woods. And in the fields they stumbled upon the eatable herb they named ’the red dawn’. They found that it could be harvested throughout all seasons do to its perennial abilities. In addition to a fertile soil, ’the red dawn’ made the nomads permanent residents, and thus the agriculture in the region was born. Moving ahead, from the finding of ’the red dawn’ to present day, the city of Dandelume have been formed in a slow yet perpetual pace. Attracting different creatures and clans of Avalonia to the region, several meager power struggles have evolved during the years. However, during the rule of the first avalonian king, Artorious Rex, the line of feudal dukes of Dandelume began. Wifgrir is the direct descendant of the first appointed ruler of the city. He is continuing the heritage of wearing a stag or stag horns as coat of arms in memory of the first settlers. In the great hall of duke Wifgrir the feudal city crest hangs on the eastern wall. A historic memento of the past but also a potential foreshadowing of future actions. The sword ‘The red dawn’ is depicted twined in the herb with the identical name. An homage to the first settlers finding the herb and therefore settling in the area. The sword portrayed in the city crest belonged to the legendary heroine Dand El Alume. Her name was gifted to the city. Dand El Alume’s tale dates back to ancient times and is a living part of folklore in Avalonia in general, but in Dandelume in particular. Dand lived during one of the centuries of the first druids and mighty wizards. A time long before Avalonia formed as a realm under the first king Artorious Rex. In a turbulent era of mystic and great dangers. Her many heroic acts are written down in the chronicles ’Bringer of the red dawn’ but are also recited in poems and traditional storytelling. In the ‘horn-squadron’, the knights are taught the chronicles of Dand by feudal scholars. They all aspire to one day be able to become the new ‘bringer of red dawn’….. Trade and crafts Dandelumes brand of trade are the many different refined wines that the winery’s keep producing. The key spice-ingredient always being ‘the red dawn’. For many years the citizens throughout Avalonia have relished the bottles coming out of Dandelume. The municipal farm- and woodlands provide enough for the regional population and the feudal army, but can also be used as export goods. The Dandelume-breed of cattle is said to be strong work-animals, and spiced with ‘the red dawn’ herb they even grant you pleasure in their afterlife. The oldest guild in Dandelume is the Wheelwright's guild. Formed by an alliance of skilled elves and humans. Due to the nearby trading routes and large population there is always recurrent labor for the guild members. Wheelbarrows, various carts and carriages in need of repairs or entirely new wheels keeps the guild busy. Armed forces of Dandelume All the different races from the population are represented in the regular army of Dandelume. Always ready to defend the city, its people and in extension answer potential call for aid from the queen regent. The armed forces are composed of six smaller legions: Light footmen (swordsmen and spearmen) Vanguard (Elite scouts, workmen and sappers) Artillery (ballistas, scorpios) Archery (bowmen, pavisors, crossbowmen) Heavy footmen (the court champions and the 'Horn squadron') Cavalry “Flight of the dragons” (a variety of mounted knights) Prelude A period with several years of drought and stunted growth have haunted Dandelume. Leaving the common folk suffering from severe famine and the storages to cry empty. Marked by the absence of the labourers, the windmill was left to natural process. Overgrown with weeds and the infamous red herb called the red dawn-it was not in its finest state. But when the avalonian rain threw itself down onto the crops once more, the windmill-workers were sent back. The abandoned mill in the outskirts of Duke Wifgrirs feudal dominions being re-established and the wheat growing again. A new beginning, and a possibility to once more become a prosperous and thriving east-avalonian farmland…. The abandoned windmill The tale of Erdil Chapter 1, Part 1: "The old Inn at Nhymride" and Part 2: "The fishmonger's cottage" Erdils story began in a fishmonger’s tiny cottage near a small river. His mother died in childbirth and Erdil had no siblings. Growing up with an aging father, Erdils childhood was therefore filled with much work and less play. His father could still get the fish out of the water but he was too weak to travel. Hence Erdil was forced to bring his fathers wheelbarrow with fish to the small crossroad-village of Nhymride. Erdil would bargain his fathers fish for other goods in the market outside the old inn. Or, in rare ocassions, earning a goldpiece or two. This was a lively place compared to the solitude fishmonger cottage. And the young Erdil was most found of the smell from the small bakery, housed in the same building as the noisy inn. It was on one of countless times visiting the market he first saw Dandelume swordsmen in real life. He had been brought up on legends of swords and heroes, and in that moment his dream to become one himself was born. The old Inn had been owned for generations by House Quilla. Henry Quilla- Innkeeper and head of the family, a harsh and hardworking man. Erynna Quilla- Wife of Henry and responsible for the small bakery housed in the old Inn. Eireia Quilla- the innkeepers youngest boy and normally up to some daily mischief. Hauder Quilla- Oldest son in the family and right hand man of the Inn. Ceylir- A half-wit elven man that was left by his kin long ago visiting the crossroad market. Always jolly but perhaps not a contributor work-wise. A very close friend of the young Eireia. Avalonia TASK 1-6 Task 1 Armed forces of Dandelume Task 2 Erdils crew/entourage From left to right: Boroghan, Miadin, and Dweldin. In front: Erdil Being the youngest in the crew of comrades Boroghan is also the least experienced in fighting. He was born on the inside of the city walls of Dandelume, and therefore had the most priviliged upbringing in the crew. Due to his great ability to navigate, track and flawless orientation-skills he makes the perfect scout for the party. Miadins lineage is rumored to go all the way back to the first nomads that settled in Dandelume. A small tribe of fauns that wielded long spears, twice as long as themselves, at least. And this legacy still lives on today via Miadin and his other kinsmen. Dweldin grew up as the sixth son of the leader of a hunters guild in the eastern plains of Avalonia. When all of his siblings followed in their fathers footsteps Dweldin chose otherwise. Instead he sought the glory of becoming an archer in the service of the Dandelumian duke. Task 3 Territorial description of Dandelume The city of Dandelume is located west of the great eastern plains of Avalonia, midway between Albion and Cedrica. The city and surrounding areas create a flourishing territory with great amounts of municipal farmlands and small-scaled villages, all loyal to Wifgrir- the duke of the city. The vast region moving from Dandelume all the way to the great mountains on the mitgardian border is more diverse. A landscape consisting of smaller woodlands, rivers and trading-routs.The population residing in and around Dandelume are humans, dwarves, fauns, elves and other creatures. In the many farmlands and small-scaled villages the people of Dandelume go about their daily life-growing crops and keeping livestock. Some are cattle-breeders by trade and there are also some vineyards located in these parts of Dandelume. In the diverse area that constitute the Dandelume shire there's also 'the Wendelin mudlands', a very small and limited low-lying part of the region. 'Wendelin Mudlands' get flooded in wet seasons and stays in a marsh-like state all year, with a terrain consisting of cavities of moist mud. Parts of the dwarf-population living near this small area became potters and have specialized in digging the mud and creating all sorts of earthenware. The 'Port of Dondess' is a busy avalonian port in the municipality of Dandelume. Wether it be smaller fishing boats or the larger frigates the port is very much alive when the watercrafts prepare to leave. A larger ship has just started to get caught in the wind and will be leaving with mighty power once the sails are set." The Sanctuary of light is a mystical yet revered location in the Dandelumian folklore. Located somewhere south of the port city Dondass. The sanctum had a part to play in the great life of the heroine Dand El Alume. Task 4 HSS Current status and HSS -progress for Dandelume Task 5 Keep The feudal keep is located on a small hill in the outer northern part of the city. Task 6 Brand of trade The dandelumians specialize in three greater brand of trades: wine, breeding of cattle and earthenware. I will update this thread as I go along building and have taken pictures of builds and minifigs!
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GoH 10 A Life in Cedrica: Beneath the shadow of the capital
kahir88 posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
The square of Rundolf Longspear. He was a hero a very long time ago. Now the only memory about him, he was a dragon slayer, and now he has a statue in this small square in Cedrica. The traffic isn't that big, but, it's good for the residents who live here. Maybe the most noteworthy stores are the Silver Scissors and the Basket O'Goods. A tailor shop and a bakery. A smaller watchtower erects next to an old, crumbing district wall. The next district is a boring place, like this one. The fish seller maybe the most recent change in the past three-four years. No one knows what was there before that time. Maybe someone: "- Yeehaa! Take that you filthy bandit!" - screamed the little boy, on a hobby-horse, while he swung wildly, with a stick. "- Slow down little buddy, that bandit is already trembling in fear." - smiled the old man, while turning the page. Yirroc corrected his grandfathers' helmet. He enjoyed staying with him, he had so many great stuff, and stories from the time, while he served in the army. "- Grandpa-Grandpa! Can you tell the story, of how you fight alongside Draconius?" "- Again, but you already heard it a thousand times." - he bends the corner of the page, and puts down the book. - "Okey, where should I start?" "- But!" - interrupted the tale Yirroc. " -can I have your mace while you tell the story?" "- Sure, but be careful, not like last time." The rattle wouldn't be heard, cause a lute started to play a melody, and a voice joined in. "- It's him!" - the young girl jumped up from the stool, and run out onto the balcony. Her makeup wasn't finished, and her hair was messy. "- It's him..." smiled the woman on her way to the fish vendor, and remembered what happened last night. It's him... The elf woman remembered the tune from last week. She turned her blushing head away, pretending like she is observing the tailor shop's window. "- It's him! Baldween! Give me the..." "- Here sire..." - the servant handled the crossbow to his master without a flinch. "- Thank you Baldween. You are a loyal servant. Now! - the nobleman cocked the crossbow. "- Go and tell the Citys Watch, do not worry, this is just a family matter." Both strings strummed at the same time. The last verse perfectly matched with the noble's "Die Bastard" warcry. The bard quickly throw away everything and made his escape before another crossbow bolt would hit him. On his run, he stumbled into a boy and a girl, coming from the baker with fresh pretzels. "- Oh no, my coin!" -screamed the boy, and dropped his wealth on the ground, while he tried to find his balance. The golden coin smoothly landed on stones, and with tinkling sounds, quickly approached the nearby sewers. The boy's effort was futile, to catch it. The sound of the rolling coin suddenly stopped and with a last golden shine, the darkness swallowed the coin. "- Oh darn! There goes my whole fortune!" - sobbed the boy. "- Can't we go after it?" - asked the girl, and gripped her coin more tightly "- No silly, there are alligators in the sewers!" And the boy wasn't wrong. And our little story would be ended here if he didn't drop his coin. So let us continue. Follow the money. Like thunder! The small coin, with a gleaming flash, impacted the planks. Next to a couple of dark elves. None of the flinched, they have some serious business to talk about. Maybe another plot? What people can tolerate this kind of scum in this city? The answer is the city's scum, like them. Welcome to The Shadow Tunnels. A city under a city. A connection of tunnels, sewers, pits, and coves, filled with filth, garbage, mud, debris, and gods knows what other things. The weak won't last here even for a minute. And those who choose this life, under a shining city of the realm. Both terrifying and miraculous. Let's meet them, but... keep a safe distance, and first only listen to them: "- HEY! How could you cheat and beat me, when first I cheated!" "- Ow.. sho! Sorry, Starry-eyed... I wasn't able to catch you a little friend..." - the boy threw back the old boot into the filth. The fish blinked with its three eyes, one after another. "- Here-here! Two amputations for the price of one! Just for now!" Can you smell it? Yes, that came from the Golden Ox. A well-known establishment from a kinder era. Maybe, Rundolf Longspear also had one or two meals here. "- What's that smell? Smells delicious!" "- Bat-stew!" - replied the cook. "- Wanna tasting?" "- Bat-stew? Never heard of it. Is it good?" "- This stew will be so famous, everybody will talk about it!" "- What're this ... Documents forgery?" "- I can fabricate you any kind of paper! Need to prove something, which you don't have? Find me! Need a diploma, so you can open a small surgery? Here I am! Want to deceive others and make a profit? Should we start now?" - rubbed the shady figure his hands together. "- Excuse me, but I didn't understand the second sentence. Someone screamed downstairs like a charlatan butchering his legs... And how good are you? Where did you learn this trade?" - asked shyly, and tired to not look down between the gaps. "- Here is my official document about it!" - and pulled out a dirty paper, with a wax seal. "- But... But.. You created your own document? But this is a crime!" "- Really?" "- What do you sell?" "- Mushrooms. Wanna try one?" - asked the vendor, and pulled out his cleaver, to take a slice. "- Whoa, not so fast!" - protested the man. "- Is it safe? Aren't those poisonous?" "- Nah... it just smacks you in the head a little." - nodded with his head, to the nearby guy, who sats near the counter. "- Here's my last customer. Let's ask him. HEY buddy! How do you feel?" The man was somewhere between this reality, and the next one. His mind slowly crawled back to his body. He looked around, trying to find the source of the questions. His pupils were wide, saliva ran down his chin in thick streaks. He opened his mouth to say something. "- Funny fish people! You can't talk!" - and with that, his mind was already lightyears away... "- See!" - smiled the vendor " - I told you, he is experiencing weird things! So... wanna find out?" And here is the full build: Both Closed and Opened: More pictures here:Beneath the shadow of the capital -
The creaking of the wheelchairs could be heard from miles away. "- Slow down apprentice! You will shake the little life out of me!" - scolded the old man his much younger companion. "- Bah, I don't remember these cobblestones on this road! Indeed. Deep Garden, the small town now has a pretty solid stone wall, to protect it. And not only the wall but now the roads are now covered with cobblestone. Some would call this, civilization. The old royal cartographer visited the place when the wall was erected. And he remembers it was built, from wood and planks. Much has changed. The town is now able to get quality stones from other lands, And they were able to improve their fortification. "- I remember when I was here, to re-design the area map, after the town built that wall, and now... I must come once again, to redraw it again. pointing out, the new stone wall!" His apprentice was a little disappointed. He joined the royal cartographer's guild, to see the world, meet interesting people, learn their stories, and their culture, and draw maps, about new places. And now, here is he, pushing an old man, in his last days, and only heard stories, about how the world was a better place, decades ago. "- We finally arrived. Now let's check what improvements have we here... Stone wall, gates, yes, the tower is also made out of stone. Armory, messenger birds..." - the old man stopped for a second, to smell something. "- Can you smell it? They are making stew. I wonder what stew they are making..." The apprentice's visage stopped on one of the soldiers, who was picking mushrooms. None of them were experts in mushroom picking, but the apprentice was sure If they stay for dinner, then this will be his master's last supper... Here is the original build: Also, you can find more pictures from the newer version, of Cat. B: here
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GoH 10A: “The house of proclamation” [Life in Cedrica]
T-86(swe) posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
This is my modest entry for the GoH 10A-competition - “Life in Cedrica”. It was interesting to build on a time-limit for the first time. A very stressful one due to minimum time to spare but thanks to the extended deadline I finished it. I wanted to use different colours than from previous builds, but I was limited to the ones I actually own enough pieces of. It was fun yet challenging for me to do interiors which I have not done a lot. They are what they are even if Im not satisfied with the final result. I wanted to depict some kind of fun smaller theme in the scenes in the build. I went for ‘hunted rats and rogues’ for what the figs are up to. I also incorporated my sigfig’s storyline to the build! The tale of Erdil [Chapter 1, part 3] Erdil travels to Cedrica to demonstrate official allegiance to Queen Ylspeth and to be acknowledged by royal decree as a swordsman in the service of the duke of Dandelume. He is accompanied by his comrades Dweldin (bowman), Boroghan (scout) and Miadin (spearman). The Queen herself, preoccupied with other more urgent business of the realm and foreign emissaries, confide the affirmation of new recruits to the Cedrican administrative partition. Many of these administrative offices are located in houses down by the port of the capital. Along the port and the many small canals several houses of power share the wharf with other more dubious enterprises. A system of narrow alleyways and houses cramped together create a lively place during all hours. Rats and rogues lurk about to find scraps of all sorts. The city guard patrol the area to ensure law and order among citizens of Cedrica and the many travellers visiting the capital. Erdil and his small entourage visit the house of proclamation, located down by the waterfront, to receive their official letters of affirmation. More pictures: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAxUy6 House-descriptions: Cedrica general storage house First floor: Small nautical storage Second floor: Port guard’s storage Third floor: Homing pigeon service for royal port business. House of proclamation First floor: Entry hall for stating business of visit. Second floor: Master of decree’s office. Third floor: Office for the master of avalonian accounts. -
I’ve taken way too many roads to remember them all. I’ve ventured through the unknown, into the white horizon. Fearlessly, bravely. But once I stepped on this one road I knew so well... I shivered. “To move forward, you need first to face the demons of your past. It cannot be changed, forgotten, tossed in the wind, or buried in the snow. It can only be accepted”. I was not ready to come back. But destiny unraveled, and there I was. Looking for answers in the memories I tried to bury. Høydefür, as I remembered, was once an imposing fortress. A mixture of stone and timber, admired for its fortitude. Big and strong and solid. Thick walls and towers that could reach the skies stood vibrant amidst the white peaks and mountains of the North. ... But that was years ago. It’s funny how time plays its part. For in the distance, hidden in the bleak stillness of nature, a shy and lonely fort stood still. Høydefür, the strongest of the northern castles, remained untouched, unchanged. Just as I remembered. The cold wind tightened on my throat. And every step towards the wooden gates was a tough reminder of the years gone by. But the closer I got, clearer it became. The green boy I thought I killed, lived within me still. Inside the walls, the sound of metal clang and the crackling of wood resounded in my chest. Like a beast, opening its mouth to swallow the prey, the wooden gates yawned open, welcoming me to my own past. Høydefür was no more than a decaying shack. A hollow dump I used to call home. ________ Entry to the GoH 10 Challenge, Category C: Miscellaneous. I hope you all like it. Høydefür is a little story about going back to a familiar place, and finding it just as it was, but still completely different. It's funny how sometimes a little distance can change your whole perspective about a subject. It's not always comfortable to adventure through your own past. But it sure makes us grow. The green boy I thought I killed, lived within me still. Louis of Nutwood.
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GOH 10 C: Ethereral Castle (Chronicles of Embervale Ep.05)
Aurore posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
This is my entry for Category 10 C of the Final Anniversary Contest: the castle of Embervale...or rather, one of its counterparts somewhere in a different plane of existence. THE BUILD Inspired by the excellent game Monument Valley, and by the no less excellent art of David Umemoto. THE STORY Warning : it's long. Very long. Way longer than the previous episodes. So long I'm thinking of putting it in a spoiler section. Previously, on the Chronicles of Embervale: Thyrulnë the Fair, court mage and mother of Alrune d’Embervale, sent a banshee to her daughter to deliver a macabre present. Scuffled ensued and Alrune ended up stunned by the banshee’s wailing. Days later, she is still unconscious. Chronicles of Embervale Ep.06 - Confusion Featuring… Alrune The Lady of Embervale, necromancer Other beings Alrune was confused. She could think, she could move, but she could not feel. She was wearing her lace nightgown, but she could not feel the usual itching of the collar. She was breathing, but she could not feel air in her nose. She could not even feel her own weight as she moved forward. Forward, but where? High spires, sleek arches, brightly-hued vines on grey stone walls – it looked like her castle. But something was off. She did not recognise this archway, precisely. She extended her hand to reach a nearby pillar, and touched it. It did not work the usual way. She could not pass her hand through it, but she did not feel the cold and roughness of the stone under her fingers either. Maybe it was a dream. She closed her eyes – which did not impair her vision – and tried to concentrate on the energy flow in her body…or rather, in her currently non-corporeal envelope. First observation: there actually was an energy flow. Second observation: she could manipulate it. Deduction: magic worked, it was not a dream. Yet it proved unusually tiresome to create a comforting little flame dancing in her palm. She realised there was no other usable energy than her own, as she could not draw anything from the world around her. Turn left. All right. First, she needed to keep her mind occupied. Occupied with some useful train of thought, that is – otherwise, it would soon trick her into panicking. Go up the stairs and turn right. She decided to task her mind with finding out where she was. Not from a geographical point of view, of course, but from a cosmological one. She reckoned she was in some kind of spirit state, in a plane of existence where she could manipulate her own energy, but that did not allowed magic in the same way the material plane did. Which left several plausible options as for which plane of existence this was. She was most probably merely disembodied and haunting her good old castle without being able to interact with it. She could have travelled a little farther, among hungry ghosts and restless spirits. There was also a slight chance she had ascended to a plane of enlightenment from where puzzled superior beings observed the deeds of humanity. Turn right again. And, of course, she could not rule out the possibility of being in a plane about which modern scholars had not even theorised yet – or that she had not heard of. Cross the bridge. She could also…wait, what bridge? There was no bridge in her castle of Embervale. It occurred to her she was following an irresistible urge to go on moving forwards, but she had no clue where she was heading for. Nor why. She forced herself to stop. There is something behind you! She quivered and looked back. There was nothing. Of course there is something! Still behind you – only, the other behind now. Before she could think about it, she was moving again. Faster. Now it is following you. And other things are flanking you. Flee! Great. Now she was scared, had invasive thoughts, and was chased by hungry beings. She forced herself to stop once again and did her best to maintain inner peace. She could see her chasers now, pallid humanoids with empty eyes and crooked mouths. She cast a shield, a translucent, opaline sphere glimmering around her. No! That silly shield is going to attract them like a beacon! You need to move forward – this is the only solution. The creatures around her hissed. Indistinct, larger figures were gathering behind them. She struggled with herself to disregard them, and to evaluate her situation as coldly as possible. Grey stone, grey arches, everywhere. And mist. A dense, opaque mist that was flooding the whole scenery and blocking the view. Forward! See the light over there? It means safety. There was indeed light, a clear, bright light that pierced the fog, and she was drawn to it like a moth to lamplight. Unfortunately, her chasers seemed to be attracted the same way. They were now a whole pack, surrounding her, and irremediably moving in the direction of the light. Go with the flow! Don’t worry, the light will take care of everything… She struggled to evade the crowd. Creatures screeched and yelped when the shield touched them, but there were so many moving in unison that she could not oppose them, no more than driftwood could oppose the rising tide in the material plane. The shield was standing firm, but her self-control was failing. The creatures terrified her. The inexorable movement terrified her. The light fascinated her. Come to the light. She focused her attention on the light. It was appealing, yet cold and harsh – not unlike the inner voice she was desperately trying to silence… Trust the light. It was so familiar... The light, the voice… Magic, it was magic! Cold-blooded magic. Or, more precisely: necromancy. From the other side. No! She was being invoked like the helpless errant spirit she currently was. But this shall not happen – she refused to end up possessing a corpse, subjected to the will of the invoker. She cleared her mind as best as she could and turned inwards. No! She gathered all her remaining energy. Lowered the shield. Took aim at the light. NO! And let everything go. … The world turned to a silent, endless, empty white. -
For this challenge, I decided to build Amalia and her favorite little brother, my main character Ásgeir Di Cioto, at a scale which we rarely see attempted in LEGO. It was a daunting endeavor, and one not to be entered upon lightly! I hope you like it, although I know it's flawed, and I welcome any advice or criticism :) . Ásgeir and Amalia Ásgeir Venerio Di Cioto The youngest child of a poor gentleman from the wasteland city of Ilesole, Ásgeir is a wild, impetuous boy, thoughtful and keen at times, but far too guided by his own rash impulses and his friends’ bad ways. Afraid of his father, fond of his sister, and condescending at best to his ailing brother, he is used to defying his father’s laws and bearing the consequences if he must, staying away from the house in spite of all his father has threatened and not daring to come back until is far into the night, hoping to sneak upstairs unnoticed although the darker it grows the angrier his father becomes. Ásgeir tries to “be good” as his sister entreats of him, but he cannot bear the poor and wretched hovel they live in and often slips unnoticed out from the upper floors where his father rarely comes. When he stumbles into a secret he never wanted to know, he pushes on with daring curiosity… never dreaming how far he would go for it in the end. Amalia Di Cioto Ásgeir’s only sister and the oldest child of the family, Amalia is a charming and strong-willed daughter and the only one who can stop her father in his wrath. She has always cared for Ásgeir since their mother died and loves him dearly, striving to bring him up in good ways, and willing to do anything in the world for him. Because her father dares not call a doctor, who would make them pay the last of all they have, she is left to tend her sick brother Horus almost night and day, while she waits and hopes that Ásgeir will come home safely. When she loses all of what she holds dearest she is driven to desperation and distrust, and perhaps in the end her own cleverness will be all that can save her heart’s treasure: and her own heart also. You can follow the Saga from its beginning here.
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GOH 10 B: Falconry Training (Chronicles of Embervale Digression #4)
Aurore posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
My entry to the "Old but Gold" category of the final contest of the Guilds' Anniversary: an updated version of one of my very first GoH builds. Two years and a half have past since I posted the original, and time has flown by. I feel like my style and taste has evolved, both as a builder and a storyteller. Recreating a build designed for the Mitgardian wilderness in the more organised, refined surroundings of an elvish castle in Avalonia, and trying to translate its characteristics features, has been a lot of fun! ________ “Have you noticed, honey," Dresghar asked his niece as his eagle pinned the lure to the ground, "how the airspace above Embervale seems to be a very popular flight route among homing pigeons, lately? Well, my bird and I are only one training session away from finding out what’s it’s all about...” ________ Original version: ________ More photos of the new version: ________ And, of course, the recreation would not be complete a bit of information about the birds... -
Great Lighthouse of Barqa The Arkbri River has been a major trade route through the heart of Historica since ancient times. Where the great river meets the sea, the port city of Barqa is ideally positioned to connect the inland river shipping with the sea traders, making Barqa a major hub for trade between all corners of Historica. To ensure a safe haven for the valuable shipping, fortifications have been guarding the harbor of Barqa for centuries. Over time this has grown into a strong harbor citadel. To guide seafarers into the port, it has been a long tradition to keep a fire burning on the top of the citadel and this platform has been built higher and higher over the years, becoming one of Historica’s most prominent lighthouses. This lighthouse was however heavily damaged in the elemental attacks at the culmination of the Revolword war, and it also fell further into disrepair when the trade along the Arkbri river was disrupted by the Kaliphlin civil war. As the trade resumed when the hostilities ceased the prosperity returned to the city. The city council, led by chancellor Gideon, could therefore commission a major restoration and expansion of the lighthouse. Its peak now soars higher than ever before, dominating the Barqan skyline. In daytime, the new whitewashed upper section is the first thing seafarers spot sailing into the Arkbri estuary. When darkness falls, the fire - burning bright thanks to being fueled by Kaliphlin naphta - is now visible farther out to sea than ever before. Great Lighthouse of Barqa, as seen from the Arkbri estuary. Great Lighthouse of Barqa, as seen from inside the city. (To be continued...) The upper balcony of the lighthouse is an excellent platform to keep an eye on all maritime traffic passing in or out of the Arkbri estuary. The harbor side of the lighthouse, with some roofed stalls for storage or fishmongers, next to the docks. One of the main offices for the tax collectors of the port of Barqa is in this fortress, protecting the not insignificant share of the wealth passing through Barqa which is mandated to remain in the city. Chancellor Gideon, always in a hurry, has visited the fort. Probably for a meeting with some tax inspector manager or some other bureaucratic duties, quite far from the life of a wandering warrior he lived 10 years ago… As the citadel has been expanded over time, only some small portions of the original rock it is built on is still visible. Some persistent seagulls however still try to claim their ancestral home. This is a re-interpretation of the lighthouse I built for Challenge II of Book II: I also built the orginal lighthouse to display at Brickworld Chicago 2014, but since I had to dismantle it (to keep the bricks safe from losing clutch power in a hot parked car during our 2 week roadtrip following Brickworld ), it was one of my shortest-lived builds. However, that build is also one of the most special in my AFOL journey, since Brickworld 2014 was my first convention abroad and the first time I got to meet some other GoH builders in real life. Special thanks to @Rogue Angel who helped get my build a spot at the EB tables, where I had a great time haning out with the EB people there over the weekend! One of the reasons I chose to revisit this build was that I wanted to improve on the blocky “brick” arches over the windows. I also really wanted to try my hand at more advanced water building at a large scale, which I hope is an improvement over the original build’s poured round plate technique. The water in the new build is based on a 3-layered technique, with different shades of blue in the bottom layer, trans-dark blue/trans-light blue/trans-clear in a middle layer and finally trans-light blue on top. This enables both a better sense of depth of the water and mixing “new” colors, to achieve a better gradient. I also added some waves at the end, with trans-clear plates as foaming water next to the shore and a pattern of waves out on the open water, at an angle against the “grid”. Building several layers of small pieces creates quite a lot of stress on the plate, so as only building it on a baseplate creates a quite substantial “banana effect”. This was counteracted by having a full Moduverse plate underneath the water to provide additional rigidity to keep the water flat. The corner turrets were a particularly challenging part of this build, especially the domes. I borrowed the concept of using the dinosaur tails for a dome from @adde51, but figured out myself that if I staggered their mounting points it was possible to create such a dome with only 8 studs diameter. Thanks to the tile revolution in recent years (particularly the 3x3 curved tile finally filling the gap in the rounded tile lineup!) I also managed to completely tile the interior. Not that anyone will notice when exhibiting the build, but I know that it is there Interior of one of the corner turrets. This is also intended to be the first section of a long-term project with more parts of the maritime side of Barqa being built - and hopefully also being able to be integrated with some of my older builds for future exhibitions. While the original lighthouse basically exhausted my supply of tan and medium nougat, this only scratched the top of the tan bins in 2023… Lighting by LifeLites, “candle flicker” diodes by the entrance and a eLite Advanced kit (the size of a 2x4 brick) controlling 8 individual diodes in a fire pattern at the top. Film of the fire at the top of the lighthouse. The battery box is hidden inside the city wall for ease of access:
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Kaliphlin District of Cedrica Kaliphlin District of Cedrica Cedrica is a melting pot for all of Historica’s guilds. Life is busy on this warm day in the Kaliphlin district. Ladies enjoy drinks at the café while merchants haggle on the streets. Kaliphlin soldiers patrol these canals to make sure the right sort of justice is enforced. Merchants, Soldiers and Ladies I created this 32x32 module for the Guilds of Historica final 10th Anniversary Challenge: “Life in Cedrica” category. This was a great way to bring a Kaliphlinian look to another setting while building out a bit Cedrica’s lore outside the palace. View from Behind Roof Architecture
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[Minifigs] Embervale Main Characters v2.0 and an Important Announcement
Aurore posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
After a few years of making custom minifigs, I have come to realise that minidolls are by far superior. The are way more realistic and expressive, and on top of that their elegant figures are a perfect match for the setting of my storyline. So here is an improved version of my main characters, from left to right: - Grog, Goblin Guard of Embervale - Evrart, Captain of the Guards of Embervale, - Alrune, Necromancer and Governor of Embervale, - Dresghar, Cultural Attaché of Embervale, with Rex the Tarasque Cub. Much better, right? -
[Minifigs] Miscellaneous Historicans (UPDATE: Carnival in Varlyrio)
Aurore posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
It's not exactly a secret that I enjoy making minifigs, especially fantasy-themed ones. And unsurprisingly, I make minifigs way quicker than I build the MOCs they could populate. So why not have those minifigs take part in the Historican Adventure too - the ones that are neither tied to a build, nor to a contest? I'll share them regularly here, in this thread. And don't hesitate to join me! Now for the first issue, in the first comment below, I’ll go for a very seasonal theme and a recurring question! Index: #1 - How to win someone's heart? #2 - Carnival in Varlyrio -
[Minifigs] Hademar's Household (Chronicles of Embervale Digression #3)
Aurore posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
My entry to the "Farmstead Figures" category of this year's edition of Brickscalibur - and a handful of hard-working citizens for Avalonia! --- Hademar Half-Dwarf had lost two fingers and half a leg to war. Yet he deemed himself fortunate, for when peace had come the Baron had granted him several acres of fertile land and a few heads of cattle. This enabled him to marry his long-time sweetheart. They were blessed with five healthy and hard-working daughters. And for years their little farm kept thriving nicely. Until one day an old friend of his, a former brother in arms, showed up at the gates with a frightened young girl. An orphan, he said. A poor little thing he had rescued from brigands. They talked about the old times, they talked about their fallen fellows and about the ones who lived, and his comrade soon talked Hademar into welcoming the girl in his household. And while he welcomed her with warm words and open arms, Hademar felt deep in his heart that this meant trouble for his farm and his family. From left to right: Hersent, Heloïse, Hildegard with baby Hemma, Heilwig, Hademar Half-Dwarf, his old comrade Renart, the orphan girl, and Hermine with her horse Hero. -
[Freebuild] Embervale Castle - Elvish Crypt (Chronicles of Embervale Ep.04)
Aurore posted a topic in Guilds of Historica
THE BUILD THE STORY Previously, on the Chronicles of Embervale: Alrune met an old friend who passed her an order from her mother. Tasked to retrieve the embalmed heart of an ancient hero, she eventually got qualms of conscience and refused to comply. Chronicles of Embervale Ep.05 - A Wail in the Night Featuring… Alrune The Lady of Embervale, mage Evrart The captain of her guards Grog A goblin guard Seisiri An unwelcome visitor “Sir, Sir! Open the door! Serious matter, I swear!” the squeaky voice of a goblin shrieked. Evrart curled up under his blanket and desperately tried to ignore him. It was the third time this week his insufferable subordinates had come to wake him up in the middle of the night for so-called serious matters. The last time, it was about a nightmare. Not some kind of demonic horse, as he had initially understood, but just a bad dream. And they had waited until he had gathered and equipped a whole squad to eventually spill the beans. The screaming was going on. The goblin even started to bang on the door – and Evrart could have sworn he heard him sob. He came to realise the pesky little bugger would not stop. He begrudgingly left his bed and opened the door, only to find Grog, the smallest, weakest, nicest of the goblin guards, panicking in the corridor. “There’s a ghost with a corpse in the elves’ crypt, sir!” the goblin whined as soon as the door moved. “Sounds regular. Leave me alone!” “But sir, it’s a ghost of the Boss’ mother!” “What the…When did her mother pass away?” “No no no, sir! Not what I said! Not a ghost of her mother, a ghost of her mother!” Evrart sighed and rubbed his eyes. All right. He had no clue what Grog was talking about, but still: it was his duty to deal with intruders. He ordered the goblin to gather a squad. Thinking it a little more, he sent him wake up Lady Alrune and her uncle first. Whatever the Lady's mother had to do with this, it seemed to be a family affair. Then, once equipped, he reluctantly headed for the elvish crypt. He positively hated the funerary complex that previous owners had found tasteful to set up under Embervale Castle, a labyrinth of bleak passageways connecting an absurd number of crypts and vaults. Many of those had interesting architectural features mirroring the fancy ornaments of the castle above, but he found those displays of pride distressing in the cold and darkness of the underground. The elvish crypt was one of the most elaborate parts of the catacombs – and, indeed, there was presently a ghost inside. A bluish-skinned lady with fine yet shrivelled features, whose face displayed a smirk when Evrart entered the room. “Someone, at last! No offence, but hospitality leaves a great deal to be desired in this castle!” “Hospitality is for guests, not for ghosts,” he grumbled while scanning the room. There was something white on the catafalque behind the spirit. “Ghosts?” she laughed – a clear, but eerie laugh that sent a shiver down his spine. “I’m not a ghost, my fair sir, I’m a banshee. I have a present for Lady Alrune d’Embervale, from her loving mother.” She waved a hand at the catafalque and floated aside as Evrart cautiously approached it. A corpse. The thing on the catafalque looked very much like a corpse wrapped in a white shroud – just as the goblin said. As he stared as it, the already icy temperature in the crypt seemed to drop a little more and the Lady of Embervale entered the room. “Your Highness,” the banshee stated in her honeyed voice, and bowed. “Your mother wants you to know that you have greatly disappointed her.” “I always do so, Seisiri," Alrune replied. "Could you be more specific?” “Her Grace had entrusted you with a simple, basic mission. And you failed, if you may be so kind as to excuse such a severe word. But as a matter of fact, you could not even retrieve some helpless heart from a mundane mausoleum.” "This is between her and me. I’m certainly not answerable to an underling, and I’m not going to discuss the matter with you.” The smile of the banshee got wider, and she hovered towards Alrune until their faces were only inches away. The Lady quivered, but did not move and held the spirit’s stare. “Someone else has disappointed Her Grace, ma’am,” Seisiri sneered. “Your Halfling friend, the one she had tasked to ensure you would follow the orders. Her Grace kindly sends you her body: she will make a pretty little undead servant! Her Grace also says you need to be reminded you’re a necromancer, ma’am – it’s not good for you to be surrounded by so many beating hearts.” Alrune turned pale, and she cast a dismayed glance at her captain. He silently folded the shroud aside to reveal the face. And his heart missed a beat when he recognised the corpse: she was, indeed, the friendly, cheerful halfling who had given a book and a letter to the Lady at the summer fair. He nodded sourly. Glowing darts of magic whizzed from Alrune’s fingers towards the banshee, who dodged and burst out laughing. As the elf aimed a second spell, more powerful but hardly better prepared, the laughter of her opponent morphed into a creaky, high-pitched howling. Evrart felt his mind crack like a crashed mirror as the wailing increased. He saw Alrune collapse. He struggled briefly but faltered, and passed out just as three black daggers darting from the darkest corner of the room took the banshee down. ...to be continued ADDITIONAL PHOTOS -
A vignette of the wheelwright’s guild house in my city Dandelume. I will post som history and further builds in the upcoming weeks since I have finished them in the order I wanted to for my story! Feedback always wanted.
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Erdils story began in a fishmonger’s tiny cottage near the small river of Aerima. The river Aerima is one of many tributary streams of the grand Avalonian river, moving past Dandelume all the way to the hidden city Zamorah on the mitgardian boarder. Erdil's mother died in childbirth and he had no siblings. Growing up with an aging father, Erdils childhood was therefore filled with much work and less play in the solitude cottage. His father, Obardil could still get some fish out of the water but he was too weak to travel. Hence Erdil was forced to bring his fathers wheelbarrow with fish to the market at Nhymride to trade for other goods or coins. The aged father of Erdil was Obardil, a proud man that lived his life by his two inherited mottos: perseverance and discipline. His lifelong craft as a poor fishmonger had taken its toll and expedited his declining years. For more builds and story: Dandelume-thread
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Breaking out the discussion on AI generated concept art from the main Kaliphlin thread. Reserving first post for highlights. Feedback and requests for other renders are very welcome! I'd be happy also to work on some other guilds's if someone wants some copyright-free concept art for those environments too
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Tried to make some concept art for Varlyrio also before my Midjourney susbscription runs out. I've based most of these prompts on my understanding of the contents of the Varlyrio wiki page. Illyria was tricky for the AI, perhaps not so much to make suitable Mediterranean Medieval/Renaissance enviroments but to not have them spammed with modern day tourists and other details by the AI And if you don't mind the electrical cables and parked bicycles that the AI kept adding: Dwarven dwelling in the Coluna mountains: Inland sea: Plantations/orchards: Quarry: Some concepts for the inhabitants of Varlyrio. Dwarven artisans: Leander merchant in Illyria Orc raiders: Minotaur pirate:
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Made some AI-generated concept art for Mitgardia too. You are welcome to use any of these pictures however you want! I would also happily accept ideas for improvements and especially ideas for other environments to try to generate Sometimes things don't go as expected, asked for a ranger hunting moose...but it turned out to be more of a fusion between the two But I thought they looked a bit cool so I'll put them here.
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My entry for the "Your crew" category of this year's Colossal Castle Contest! And more citizens for Historica... Hear ye, hear ye, good people of Historica! Today, only in your town, Janko and his Jolly Jokesters! Come, listen close, and follow the adventures of the legendary King of Kazoo, played by yours truly - Jannnnko! Come, and scream in terror facing Gaston - he's your living nightmare! Come, and fear for Romarich - so good at impersonating fair damsels that many a noble has already asked for his hand! Come, and admire Kes' adroiteness - our little elf, now way taller than you! Come, and applaud Elmer - the bravest, the mightiest, the hottest of us all! Come, good people, and cheer for Janko and his Jolly Jokesters!
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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
