Norro Posted January 27, 2009 The next installment in my "Entrance to the Caves" series is now finished: Forgotten Beacon I'm really quite proud of this model. There is a lot of detail, a new curved tower technique, and some fairly impressive caves... Also, the accompanying story page is now available: NTbricks.com/Tales.html And in case you missed the beginning: Comments are appreciated! God Bless, Nathan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zepher Posted January 27, 2009 Oh, I had hopped it was titled "Forgotten Bacon". Very well done. The river, looks really great, as does the landscpaing. i'll certainly take a closer look at this and the first, which I've bearly seen but think looks fantastic, sometime soo. -Zepher Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Asuka Posted January 27, 2009 That´s a very impressive work and a simply marvelous landscaping and an overall very clever and inspiring construction! The caverns look brilliant, the subterranean stream´s beautiful and that beacon´s a smooth piece of art. The story´s also very well told. A monumental, a titanic, yes ... a simply mountainous MOC indeed! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Blackmoor Posted January 27, 2009 That's very cool! I really love your new curved tower technique, never seen it before. The snow covered mountain (and it's caves!) looks great as well. Yes, you may be proud of this! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SlyOwl Posted January 27, 2009 Looks great! Fantastic ice-scaping. That's an interesting texture with the snow - and I like it The beacon is lots of 2x3 wedge bricks, right? Good job, although it may get to be quite expensive if it catches on. Can you use both left and right slopes together, or in alternate layers? Any reason the vikings are not horny hornless? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erdbeereis Posted January 27, 2009 Outstanding Norro! The ice is fabulous and I really love the tower. I also think that the inner caves are remarkable, the trans-blue contrasts with the rest of the MOC beautifully. Great work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
I Scream Clone Posted January 27, 2009 Its so nice to see you building something monumental again Norro! I love the snow technique! Its such a beautifully captured moment in time as the vikings struggle with the elements. I the new curved tower/beacon design and the internal rocks look amazing. Oh to have your amount of bricks Cheers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Loganwan Posted January 27, 2009 Very nice. It is an amazing build. I am wondering if you are able to move it? It looks like just the weight alone would be monumental, not to mention the delicate nature if the mountain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlueBard Posted January 28, 2009 Huge and very impressive model! The snow-mountain technique and the round beacon are quite interesting but about the interior cave I have just a word for you: BRAVO! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bonaparte Posted January 28, 2009 It must have been a hell of a job to make this snowy mountain look this realistic. This is a very worthy next installment for the "Entrance to the Caves". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Norro Posted January 28, 2009 Thanks very much all! To cover a few specific Qs: The beacon is lots of 2x3 wedge bricks, right? Good job, although it may get to be quite expensive if it catches on. Can you use both left and right slopes together, or in alternate layers? I use 2 x 4 wedges (it's bigger than it looks ) and yes, you really have to use alternating layers of left and right wedges to achieve the lovely hewn effect... Any reason the vikings are not horny hornless? I don't like the horns, so my tale takes place without them.... Subjectivity at its best... Its such a beautifully captured moment in time as the vikings struggle with the elements. Thanks, you've described exactly what I aim for. A single moment in time telling a story. The MOC is really secondary... I am wondering if you are able to move it? It looks like just the weight alone would be monumental, not to mention the delicate nature if the mountain. It's actually not fragile in the slightest, but the weight surprised even me. When I began to rotate it to take pictures I found myself having to push I think it is because this is made of much smaller and more densely packed pieces than my previous larger works... It must have been a hell of a job to make this snowy mountain look this realistic. This is a very worthy next installment for the "Entrance to the Caves". Thanks, and cheers for the understatement . Getting the surface to look even remotely like snow was a slow, tedious, but ultimately enjoyable process... Thanks again all and God Bless, Nathan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brickzone Posted January 28, 2009 Monumental effort Nathan. The snow texture is certainly one of the aspects I admire, but I like all the detail inside the caves to make them look craggy and with stalagmites. It's very convincing too in the little details that suggest some man-made levelling of the cave floor in places. The effect acheived by the wedge-tower technique is indeed very aesthetically pleasing. The sheer amount of bricks needed to acheive this, I can't begin to imagine! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJ Force Posted January 28, 2009 Could you maybe show a building step of that Beacon? I donßt have my bricks with me, and with LDD Iit just doesn´t work. At least I can´t get it to work... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blackheart Brit Posted January 28, 2009 This is amazing. I have a question about the story though. Is the first Moc in the series the entrance to the cave with all the treasure and this is just part of that cave or is the tresure spread throughout many caves? The first installment had what looks like the Stone treasure cart described in the "legend" and I assumed the treasure too. Was that cave on one side of the waterfall not easily connected to the big Lodge with the broken table, Or is this just another cave? I really like how the tower worked out with those wedge pieces. The whole thing is great. It is nice to get a fun story too, it seems stories don't happen as often as they should with out Mocs. There are so many great builds that tell stories but a few words add so much. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Green Hair Posted January 28, 2009 The shape and used techniques on the mountain make this a true work of art! The walls inside the cave might be a bit plain for rock walls, but perhaps this was ment to look man made? Guess we'll have to wait for the series. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Dillon Posted January 28, 2009 Wow Nathan, this is quite the epic scene! The size alone of the mountain is pretty amazing, and you've done a great job with the snow drifts. I like the various paths and structures within the caves, and that tower is very clever. It's good to see another creation from you, especially one as nice as this one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Raphy Posted January 28, 2009 Words cannot express my love for this masterpiece of bricking and skill at what you are good at, sir, this is once more a true masterpiece. Now THAT's melodrama with a capital M! Love it. ~Raphy~ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rook Posted January 28, 2009 Wow. I'm a great ship builder. I have a huge collection and this just makes my heart sink. I have about 5-15 more years before I'll have enough pieces to be able to even attempt a build like this. Just amazing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Legoman Posted January 28, 2009 (edited) WOW. Simply amazing. You have a true talent That is an amazing peice of work. And its huge!!!!! That a really nice peice of art there. Do you break your creations down or keep them built? Also. How big is this? I'm thinking its built on 6x 48x48 baseplates? Edited January 28, 2009 by legoman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zepher Posted January 28, 2009 I just looked at it again on your site. Could you do me a giant favor and explain a few things to me? 1) I really don't get the story.. well, I vaugely do, but not to much. Could you help? 2) Why are you shuch a good builder? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skinny Boy Posted January 28, 2009 Sorry I never commented on this Norro, its so fantastic! I loved the first one, but I never realised you were doing a series of cave MOCs. Its very atmospheric, as I'm feeling rather cold now... Really great work! 2) Why are you shuch a good builder? Why, he's Irish of course! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tacitus Posted January 28, 2009 Yeah, well done! The cave detail is fantastic! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Norro Posted January 29, 2009 Thanks so much for the feedback all! To update the Qs list: It's very convincing too in the little details that suggest some man-made levelling of the cave floor in places. Thanks! And I'm glad you picked up on that! Could you maybe show a building step of that Beacon? I donßt have my bricks with me, and with LDD Iit just doesn´t work. At least I can´t get it to work... I don't have the bricks with me at the moment, but I'll take one when I can. Essentially you just lay out a circle of wedges, than another one on top (of right wedges if you used left beforehand). LDD might struggle with the friction hold ... This is amazing. I have a question about the story though. Is the first Moc in the series the entrance to the cave with all the treasure and this is just part of that cave or is the tresure spread throughout many caves? The first installment had what looks like the Stone treasure cart described in the "legend" and I assumed the treasure too. Was that cave on one side of the waterfall not easily connected to the big Lodge with the broken table, Or is this just another cave? Disclaimer: the story was written to resemble a legend, the key events are agreed on, what exactly happened and how much time elapsed between them is at the discretion of the individual bard. That said, here is my understanding : Part 1: The greatest warriors set out in search of their chieftain's brother, they find him dead next to the legendary treasure. Missing: They are, however, incredibly lost by this time and unable to find their way back to the original entrance, decide to leave the cursed treasure buried with the lost brother and move on. Part 2: They emerge (who knows how long later/how far away) to a snowy landscape. One of their number has smuggled a jewel from the horde and lets another drown to keep his treasure. Hopefully the bare essentials make sense ; ) Really the details were intended to be highly discretionary... I plan to publish some far more rigid stories in the future... The walls inside the cave might be a bit plain for rock walls, but perhaps this was ment to look man made?Guess we'll have to wait for the series. There is always an element of human intervention in this cave system... but how long ago was it? It's good to see another creation from you, especially one as nice as this one. Thanks much! Now THAT's melodrama with a capital M! I need to take lessons... Wow. I'm a great ship builder. I have a huge collection and this just makes my heart sink. I have about 5-15 more years before I'll have enough pieces to be able to even attempt a build like this. Just amazing. There are a lot of pieces in my models, but rarely as many as people think The models are hollow and built to fit within my collection, mostly provided by those bonus boxes from a few years back... Do you break your creations down or keep them built?Also. How big is this? I'm thinking its built on 6x 48x48 baseplates? They are mostly destroyed almost immediately after the pictures are taken... I need the bricks And it's closer to three 48x48 baseplates, I only have one... I really don't get the story.. well, I vaugely do, but not to much. Could you help? See above Why, he's Irish of course! Thanks again all and God Bless! Nathan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dennimator Posted January 29, 2009 This is wonderful!! You´d better hide it away...*goes to your house and steals it* Can you teach me some of your great building techniques?? Looks great! Fantastic ice-scaping. That's an interesting texture with the snow - and I like it The beacon is lots of 2x3 wedge bricks, right? Good job, although it may get to be quite expensive if it catches on. Can you use both left and right slopes together, or in alternate layers? Any reason the vikings are not horny hornless? Yea, we had this whole discussion about that. The vikings didn´t have any horns originally. I still think they could be horny, though... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fluyt Posted January 29, 2009 I'm not too fond of the inside of the cave (it looks a bit too "clean" for my taste, even if it was meant to be manmade). But the landscaping is simply amazing, one of the best landscapes I've seen, and probably the best snow-landscape ever. I'm just jealous of such enormous collections . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
