MassEditor

Nice work, a very humorous but top notch build! That cabinet is very good and that's a really interesting technique for the eye-washing tub. Never thought of a cyclops eye as the way into a lady's heart, but I've tried other crazy stuff!

Another great build Mccoyed, definitely one of the prettiest representations of waves/costal water I've seen. The shield walls and posing are great, with the way they're just peeping over the top of the shield I can almost feel the tension of when the two groups meet.

Superb work man, an incredibly lively and detailed scene. I love the different colors used for the buildings (too often we only see tan and white). And the third photo in particular looks so life like! Great work!

Awesome build Jorrith, this is some really cool rockwork and storytelling! Man that path is really something else, wonderful elevation changes and great variety in the rockwork. I totally understand the trouble of ordering slopes for mountain building, you think you got too much then find out you got way too little and have to order some more. I've been asked how many dark bley slopes I have and the answer is always the same: not enough! In any case, as much as I enjoy this build it is the story which really makes this top notch, IMO. I'm really enjoying Lord Mortis' story and look forward to seeing where it goes. Your builds and storytelling is an awesome contribution to Nocturnus, if I may say so!

Greetings fellow Nocturnians, a couple of MOCs to help advance our glory! The next Hand build: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=100078 And a free build from the other day: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=99962

Back at Lagash Ur, a great change was now taking place. The old fortress' barracks and watch towers were filling with elite Hand troops, who interrogated Covenant army units for any signs of further betrayal. Several companies had vanished during the previous night's events, undoubtedly to join Anfauglir in the mountains. The Black Spire enforcers would ensure no one else dared to do the same. In the great halls of Lagash Ur, the few remaining red and gold Nocturnian banners - which proudly symbolized the strength and determination of Nocturnus' people - were being torn down and replaced with the black and white standard of the Spire. Throughout the fortress the recital of oaths could be heard, an allegiance not just to Senurhem but to a new name as well: Raavage. Try as he may, Raavage could not corrupt Senurhem, but he had broken the old necromancer's will. Senurhem had long ago turned his back on leading the Covenant, instead preferring to spend his days and nights locked deep inside Lagash Ur's catacombs. Here, it is rumored, he practiced his foul and twisted necromancy while governance of the fortress had been left to a group of Senurhem's inner circle - Anfauglir, who had perhaps served his lord longer than any other, had not been included. Long had the Covenant's commanders hungered for conquest, but they found Senurhem too preoccupied with his experiments. Some suggested Senurhem was losing his mind in Lagash Ur's secretive depths. But Raavage - deceitful and ruthless as ever - had promised to quench their bloodthirst and carry them to power as he said they deserved. In this way, Raavage was able to quietly wrest control of the Covenant army. Senurhem, himself blinded by the power Raavage had promised, especially in regards to his research, did not see these events overtake him. Though his presence would still invoke fear in those below him, all knew where the Covenant's allegiance now lay. And later, when Senurhem was to find out how irrelevant he had become among his own army, it would be far too late. For now, however, Raavage needed Senurhem. Raavage's allies had grown thin in recent days, though this concern he shared with no one, save Malicia. Count Basil had only been informed several nights before that he would be recalled to Varlyrio, undoubtedly to deal with the unrest plaguing its population. General Zurn, who knew Raavage had guessed his own deception, had fled during the battle in Lagash Ur's dining hall. In any case, the Drow could hardly be counted on because, as Raavage had recently learned, the bulk of the Drow army had secretly committed itself to conquering Avalonia. The Black Spire was weaker than it had ever been, and Raavage knew it. Senurhem, if anything, would help fill the resulting vacuum. Besides, it would do Raavage no good to get rid of the necromancer just yet. Only he knew how to unlock the evil power kept hidden in the bowels of Lagash Ur. Senurhem had shown Raavage ancient tomes which spoke of this power, a dark magic able to raise the dead. These books rumored of a device which could magnify this necromancy a hundredfold. Nothing within the books detailed what this catalyst would be, but, unlike Anfauglir and the other Nocturnians, Raavage knew where to look for it. Covenant and Hand scouts had already left the fortress in search of the fabled artifact. Raavage and Senurhem had stayed behind to discuss their next move after the previous night's escape. In Senurhem's private chambers, the two meet to finalize their plans before Raavage departs Lagash Ur and returns to his redoubt, the Obsidian Spike. Senurhem: The Zugal Brothers and the Dragon Master fought side-by-side to slip from our noose. Do you not think they will combine their forces against us? The question infuriates Raavage. Though he did not show it, Raavage had been forced to play his hand when he ambushed the delegation during the dinner. Instead of uniting the Zugal and Dragon Masters against Abyssian, his forces were now hunting their leaders throughout the surrounding mountains. Raavage: They will never unite! The Dragon Master is lost without his father's keep, and the Zugal are too proud to ever return it. Their war has only just begun, the Hand will make sure of that. What is left when the dust settles will hardly be a pebble in our way. Raavage would have liked to watch as the Zugal and Dragon Masters hurled themselves against Abyssian's defenses, but now he would see them destroy each other. Their escape the night before, though dramatic, would be inconsequential, thought Raavage. Senurhem: We must not forget that scum, Anfauglir. He has holed up in the mountains like a rat, but he will be a thorn in our side unless crushed. Anfauglir has already convinced several of my finest companies to join him in his treachery. Raavage studies the old necromancer's grimaced face; Senurhem is obviously worried about his traitorous commander. Anfauglir's betrayal had not been expected, and his next moves were unknown. Only guesses could be made at his intentions and whereabouts. Raavage: Anfauglir deludes himself if he hopes to stop the Black Spire. I will furnish you with a company of Hand troops; with these soldiers and your own you will find and destroy him! Senurhem: They are already assembled and only await my word, Raavage... m'lord. Raavage: Good. Send them to crush the rat in his hole. I must return soon to the Obsidian Spike. I have remained far too long in this damp dungeon you call a fortress and have other matters to deal with. We cannot allow the other Nocturnian scum to stand in our way! Senurhem leads Raavage to a balcony overlooking one of Lagash Ur's great halls. Arrayed below is an entire Covenant legion, supported by cruel-looking Hand warriors and a pair of mountain trolls gifted to Senurhem by the Black Spire. url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/94545380@N06/15024713659/] Senurhem moves forward to address the throng but Raavage is the first to speak. Raavage: Warriors of the Covenant, you have been betrayed by your supposed brothers! They have deserted you, and now they slink into the mountains like snakes! Out of fear they hide from your rightful supremacy, and out of jealousy they wish to take it from you. They have forsaken your lord, and it is your rightful duty to show them the error of their ways. The Black Spire knows this treachery must not go unpunished, and it will fight with you. Go forward and do not return until the traitors' heads sit on pikes outside your walls! The hall erupts in blood-curdling cheers as the fortress doors open, unleashing the vicious horde into the surrounding mountains. Long columns of Covenant troops, with the Hand enforcers shadowing closely behind, begin filtering throughout the barren terrain. The light from their torches is visible for many miles as the columns descend the mountains like a great fire-serpent. One who saw this dreadful spectacle erupting across the landscape was a Covenant cavalry commander named Sakarmand. An old friend and lieutenant of Anfauglir, Samarkand was one of the few military leaders who chose to join the insurgency. He and a small group of soldiers had positioned themselves near Lagash Ur to scout the Covenant's movements. His heart sank as the seemingly endless lines of heavily-armed troops filtered from the fortress. They would assuredly find Anfauglir's stronghold in the Panjshir. And, with such strength arrayed against them, they could not hope to holdout long. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some extra pics, including a photo of this group of serious badasses! And a few shots of the MOCs, sans figs: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this MOC: Greetings once again! Here is another installment in the ongoing Hand of Corruption story for Book II in Nocturnus! Before I say any more let me offer yet another round of apologies to you guys for the delay in this installment. Sorry if you guys got a little rusty on this story in the meantime! I must also apologize for the quality of some of these pics - only realized how difficult this would be to photograph after I built four walls and much of a ceiling. Kinda hard to get the camera in there to take some proper pics! I finally gave up on the photo of Senurhem and the glowing orb, and had to go with the one above. It was the best one I got but it still looks like his last known photo or something, like it should be on the back of a milk carton... Any advice you guys can share on taking photos of lighted MOCs would be appreciated. In any case, thanks for taking a peek and, as always, any criticisms or comments are welcome! Other installments of this story: The Hand Book II: Summit at Lagash Ur The Hand Book II: Summit at Lagash Ur Part II The Hand Book II: Escape from Lagash Ur The Hand Book II: Anfauglir's Camp For a refresher on the events leading up to these series of builds, please start here!

Great scene and photography dude!

Nice work BrickCurve, this is a pretty little scene. I think the color scheme works well and the overall design is simple but elegant. I too like the grassy area but maybe a small boulder or two would have broken things up a bit. The advice given above is all really good and could help you turn this into a really first-rate MOC. As it is, the build is just a little too symmetrical (even the figs are standing in the same spots) and could use some variation here and there. In any case, good job!

Lovely little scene, as mentioned already the dunes are top notch.

Thanks a lot Josh, glad you liked it man! I think it's important to show that most Nocturnians are humble, hardworking people like their counterparts in the other guilds, just uglier... No kidding, I remember getting this pack in one of my first Lego sets as a child. That Adventurers line was really something else, still got most of the figs assembled after all these years too! In any case, here's the backpack on Bricklink if you haven't found it already. Ok, got ya, figured there was meant to be an elbow in the ribs there, but I was still unsure how you Mitgards would feel for such a snow-free scene! I for one hate snow, but you crazy Mitgardians just seem to love it! Thanks Hammerhand! Come on now, just because their hideously ugly doesn't mean they're not normal folks like everyone else!

Hilarious scene Gunman, nice work! Great border too, the helms representing each of the guilds was a very cool touch.

Haha, nice little scene Rob and another good glimpse into the tragedies which even the little people of Nocturnus suffer! Though, I didn't know there were so many pandas in Nocturnus... Also glad you found all your bricks again!

Nice scene TUB, especially like the throne and snotted floor.

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions! Thanks Scaevola, great feedback and suggestions I'll definitely keep in mind! Thanks mrcp6d! I realized I might have been pushing it without including some snow, but my thinking was that the parts of Mitgardia adjacent to Nocturnus would have a more temperate climate. In any case, something to keep in mind for the next one! Exactly what I was thinking! Warriors are like gangstas, you don't see many old ones (besides those that gave it up). Thanks a lot cesbrick, I'm really glad you joined GoH! Thanks for the feedback Thomas! I was a little unsure about the dark orange myself, but I thought it worked well as a muddy, well-trodden path. Thanks! Haha, no trouble surely, but they may just take all your jobs! As always, excellent critique, very helpful and a lot to keep in mind for future builds! Thanks Gideon! The pond was my least favorite part of how this turned out, and your suggestion of tile or snot bricks would have definitely looked better. I can see too how more of the green coloration on the rocks would have been more accurate. Thanks again, this advice definitely makes me want to try again! Yessir, from the old Adventurer theme line many years ago.

Nice build Bregir, I really like the use of color in this. The little window garden is excellent, simple but pretty. Cool interiors and furnishings too, good work!

Another ingenious and pretty build! Very creative roof and the entire architecture of the building is superb. Nice work Gunman!

Stunning build here, easily one of the most impressive works of East Asian architecture I've ever seen. The waterfall, tree and terrain are wonderfully done as well. This is certainly a masterpiece. Excellent work! (btw, I know you titled this build off the two builders mentioned above, but Liu Zhang was also a famous warlord of the Chinese Han Dynasty!)

Fantastic job, I had wondered if you we're working on building the entire company, and the results are spectacular! Each character is impressive on its own but as the entire group, this is something altogether more amazing. Great work!

Very nice work Wedge, beautiful building and a great scene! I really like how the house is built into the stone structure, and the interior looks great as well (especially with the ground level photo you took, makes this look so spacious and realistic). The fountains a pleasant touch as are the rock outcrop pings along the building. I agree a little more variation to the wall would benefit this MOC, but otherwise superb work.

Thanks Aland! Thanks cesbrick, the posing was definitely the most challenging part of this build. Thanks Dan! Thanks BP, glad you like it! Thanks Thomas!

Excellent way to get folks excited, this is a seriously epic story and series of builds. Stunning presentation, this will definitely take a few reads/looks to truly appreciate. I love the idea of a sneak attack against the Drow using their own sinister methods, and the dilemma/desperation of fielding weapons from the dwarven ancestors again in battle. Wonderful work guys!

Cute little house Aland, nice work!

Wow, a really top-notch build LV! Everything about this is great, that incredibly detailed and diverse scene, the photography, the intriguing story and some excellent, first-class figs to boot (the hugely diverse and unique population you put into this MOC was very cool). Really good job man, definitely my favorite build from you and one of the top notch Nocty builds in Book II! Can't wait to see some more of Shadowmere!

Another great build man, a ton to appreciate here. Awesome techniques for the house/roof and the lit furnace is a wonderful touch. I would love to see a closer pic of the work area. The stair case looks like it could use a little more detail, maybe some dark bley accents or some edging, but otherwise lovely build. Again, really glad you joined here!

The ongoing troubles in the Darklands has forced the displacement of many Nocturnian families, both rich and poor alike. Whole villages emptied after rumors arrived of marauding armies in the countryside, who forced villagers to provide quarter and food while ransacking those who resisted. Mostly the "pillagers" were nothing more serious than a group of bandits or, on occasion, a few Dragon Masters, displaced themselves after the fall of Dragon Keep and in need of nothing more malicious than a warm meal and bed. But troops carrying the Black Spire's standards had been seen more frequently in recent times. Reports grew every week of villages which, suspected of aiding the rebel cause, had been razed by Raavage's soldiers. This growing fear became too much for many of Nocturnus' already struggling people. Life here is hard enough without the constant threat from pillaging armies. So what was at first a trickle of refugees became a steady stream, as whole families packed up and sought shelter with relatives or friends in the quieter areas of Nocturnus - or, in some cases, in other lands. In fact, perhaps nowhere was the exodus more noticeable than in Nocturnus' border communities, where relative safety could be just a day or two's march away. Deciding to start their lives over in the lands of another Guild must have been a difficult decision to make. Those with plenty of darics in their pockets of course had an easier time, but poorer families had to face not only distrust in their new homes but also little to no employment. Most daunting to these refugees, however, was the journey itself. Mitgardia, with its harsh and unforgiving terrain, was most suitably to the hard-living people of Nocturnus, but neither rich nor poor could avoid the treacherous, mountainous roads connecting the two lands, where one misstep could prove disastrous. Often the men of the house had stayed behind to sell the family's property - or, most unfortunately, had themselves been forced into the ranks of passing armies - so these perilous treks were made mostly by woman, children and the old. A few of the older villagers, who had perhaps fought in the past and still kept a rusting sword or old bow hidden in their homes, had to be relied on to provide some measure of protection for the other refugees. Still, the well-patrolled roads kept most bandits away, and the majority of those who dared the journey were successful. Although their troubles would not be over, the Nocturnian refugees could at least hope for peace and a chance to raise their families. But hope, alas, can be fleeting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- tl;dr - Pictured below, a group of Nocturnian refugees from Covenant lands enter the Mitgardian lowlands in hopes of a better future. The journey is not easy for everyone but families do their best to aid the old and sick. Fortunately, a cold, spring-fed pond abuts the trail, providing the group with fresh water and a good place to rest from the withering trek. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this MOC: With Challenge III underway in Mitgardia soon I needed some practice building something other than a swamp, lavafield or mountain so I put together this little freebuild. Mostly wanted to try out some new color schemes for me and go with a Mitgardia-flavored landscape. I thought parts would (correct me if I'm wrong ) look close to the highland-type areas of Scotland so I tried to go with a craggy, rock-strewn landscape, and sparse vegetation consisting mostly of moss and scrub grass. Of course, with current events in Mitgardia, these refugees might have to make the trek back... In any case, thanks for looking and any feedback is certainly appreciated!