mccoyed

Thanks! Thanks! Thanks SarahJoy. I was a little tempted to throw in a certain lady minotaur... but her day will come! Thanks!

Yeah, I may have to do non-purist series for each guild!

Amazing, Legonardo. One of my favorite takes on waterfalls that I've seen. I also love your trees. The angles and widening base make them look very natural.

This! But yes, this is a great series and one of my favorites so far. I also debated using Rocket Racoon so I'm glad someone did!

My favorites are the Wardancer, Raider Nomad, and Gorgon.

Yeah. I wanted my figs to be representative of their guilds. As for the fig colors, well, I always understood that it was personal preference. It just feels like baggage that gets dragged into any MOC where the builder mixes colors. It's like this weird debate happened about it and everybody decided on etiquette that I was never around to take a side on. I've gotten called on mixing before, and seen it happen. It's just very weird to me that people feel the need to state their preferences about this. It would be as if I commented on MOCs by pointing out my favorite color is blue and x builder used more blue. Why bother mentioning it though? I mean, I'm surprised it's not treated the same as any other color preferences. If I used green for water and it made no sense and people said blue looked better, at least there'd be some reasoning there. The flesh vs. yellow thing? What's the basis for the preference? It's exactly as arbitrary and personal as a favorite color or food or sports team. If that's all there is to it, I guess I'll ignore it.

It's actually part of the lore for the Faelites that they are particularly pale-skinned, hence the fleshies. But honestly, why do people care about mixing flesh tone with yellow? Why is this a thing that someone always brings up when they see a mix, or a color they don't personally prefer? I've never understood it and it seems arbitrary and just about personal preference. If there's no compelling general reason to avoid mixing, I don't see why it matters and I can't personally care about any silly debate about which style is better (which you see from time to time in AFOL circles). I don't think mixing is objectively ugly or confusing or detracting from the quality of a MOC, and I don't understand why some, such as yourself, dislike it enough to mention it as if I should care or as if it is a legitimate criticism of a build. I don't mean any offense to anyone here (especially you, Garmadon! :D), but I honestly just don't understand and anytime I've asked about it after someone mentions it, I get very unsatisfactory explanations.

Thanks Tomsche! My early sketches were tons and tons of warriors and I had to narrow it down to categories and be pretty disciplined about it to keep from doing too much of the same thing. It's tough! Warriors are fun and Lego has so many elements for that. Thanks! Thanks! Thanks LV! Both of those are faves of mine too. Thanks Yooh! Why obviously? Me too. I often have to restrain myself from putting it in every build. My wife was very critical about earlier versions of the Magister and helped to bring it to life. Wow, glad to see so many (with great entries themselves) pick out so many of mine as favorites! Thanks SK! I love the shieldmaiden too. I wanted to use that hairpiece for a viking-style build ever since I saw it. Thanks. The bard is my absolute favorite and another one my wife wouldn't let me put down until she was perfect. The glassblower is another one that took many revisions. Thanks ME. I've been watching closely to make sure my stuff was different enough from that of other entrants. I think the closest is Robuko's dwarven artificer, who feels like a CMF gender-swap with my sculptor. I actually wish I'd teamed up with others, unofficially, to more closely emulate TLG's tendency to do gender-swapped alternates/companions for their various themes. For example, male and female cyclops! Haha.

My favorite's probably the mountain man. If I can extend a potentially nitpicky criticism, Infernum, it's that you overuse the sword-through-cape. There's like three figs with that exact thing, so it takes away from the uniqueness of each.

This is awesome ME. So much rockwork here that studying it will help a lot with others who struggle with even this technique (me!). Your photography and presentation remain impeccable.

Here's mine, but I think it's fair to say I'll be expanding this into a bunch of freebuilds at some point. I love figbarfing and it was very hard to settle on these guys, which is why it took so long for me to complete my entry!

The whole series is based organized by guild and vocation. From front to back: Mitgardia, Avalonia, Kaliplin, Nocturnus. From left to right: Laborer, Warrior, Artisan, Noble. Though much of Mitgardia has moved on from the Old Ways, the west is still home to many traditional clans. The Jarl is the war leader and representative of a clan, to whom the warriors swear conditional fealty. The Jarl provides the direction and doles out the treasure, arms, and other resources of the clan in exchange for the service of the warriors. This Jarl straddles two worlds, the old and the new, with his patriotic display of Mitgardian colors contrasting with the traditional arm-ring of the western clans. The dwarves of Mitgardia are esteemed craftspeople. Stone is one of their favorite mediums, allowing dwarves to turn their monuments and settlements into awe-inspiring sights down to the most minute detail. This young woman has a flamboyant streak, decorating the obligatory hardened dwarven head gear with a colorful jewel and golden plume. The Shield Wall is an ancient battlefield technique that can allow a disciplined and brave band of warriors to take on much greater forces. This woman has tossed aside the traditional role of women in Mitgardia in favor of taking up a place in a Shield Wall. A veteran of many campaigns, she is a fierce and striking figure. There are many tribes of beastmen throughout Historica, but the best trackers are the Snow Stalkers of the Northern Wolf People. With his camouflaged cloak, tough leather armor, and canine companion, this Snow Stalker is prepared to take on any of the many dangers of the North. His speciality is the hunting of wargs. The elves of Avalonia are well known for their affinity with nature and the ephemeral magics of life itself. Druidism originated with the elves, and they are still its most fervent practitioners. In the secluded wooded realms of the most isolationist elven bands, High Druids tend to be community leaders, responsible for the spiritual and ecological well-being of everyone. This High Druid has not been in her position long, but her will power and confidence are unshakeable. Avalonia has a proud tradition of poetry and music. Bards are travelling entertainers that often move around Historica as their wanderlust drives them from place to place. However, Avalonian nobles and knights love to hire bards on retainer as part of their households. Patronage of the arts and the ability to entertain important guests are crucial parts of life for the gentry, giving bards higher status in society than your average street minstrel. This lovely bard is sings to the lute, favoring rousing ballads of heroic deeds. Avalonians love to hand out knighthoods, but the problem is there often isn't enough land to go with all the titles. Hedge Knights are landless, traveling warriors who either sell their swords into the service of a noble or tour the various tourneys and jousts that are held all over the land. This Hedge Knight has been at it for many years, and hasn't lost his fire for the melee. The lush forests and wetlands of Avalonia are home to a shocking variety of important plants and animals. Herbalists spend most of their time deep in the wilderness, gathering reagents to sell to healers and alchemists. Herbalism is a common trade in Historica and an important part of the economy, and no one does it better than the Avalonians. This herbalist, average in most respects, would have a grasp of herblore that would trump even a professor at the University of Petraeus. Kaliphin cities often have more nobles around than anybody needs. It has always been common for duels, feuds, and reprisals to thin their numbers but in some cities it's become a great affair of ritual, pomp, and circumstance. Bravos are Kaliphlinite nobles who do very little besides practice swordplay, talk about swordplay, and challenge each other to duels. Glassblowing was long the province of secretive guilds that could command blown glass at incredibly rich prices. In recent decades, the old guild system has broken down and freed the discipline to any who would learn it. This journeyman glassblower traveled with a Lion Tribe caravan his entire childhood before his parents apprenticed him to a glassblower. Now he and his master have taken up residency in Ruadh. The Goldpikes are a famed mercenary group that work exclusively in the beautiful lands of southwestern Kaliphlin. Unlike many such groups, the Goldpikes are exclusively women who hire themselves either individually or in small groups to local lords. The Goldpikes often claim their arms and armor are made of expensive Githril, a testament to the wealth they earn by being so good at their jobs. This Goldpike serves a Kaliphlin ambassador and is therefore required to fly the official Guild colors alongside her company's gold and white. In most parts of Kaliphlin, oil extraction is limited to digging around whatever seeps out of the ground. Many fortuneseekers dig trenches in regions surrounding known oil patches, hoping that their next shovelful of sand will make them rich. This oildigger appears to have gotten lucky, as the black gunk in his shovel and on his hand is indeed the famous Kaliphlin black oil. Long ago, magic ruled most of the lands now belonging to the Nocturnus Guild. Though most of the ancient Magisters, the rulers of that bygone era, have long vanished, a few remain. The only way they can maintain their lives and their power is through truly dark magics, including necromancy and diabolism. Though they are not truly undead themselves, Magisters are often associated with them. Blood is one of the truly unique economic commodities in Nocturnus. Like anything else, however, there are degrees of quality. Sanguinists are the artisans of the Blood Trade. They are the tasters, testers, mixers, and connoisseurs. Many become famous for their tastes and their scathing critiques of lack-luster vintages. Though most Sanguinists are vampires, this woman is not. No one knows whether the white of her skin is glamour, makeup, or her true flesh. She is the Red Lady, a famous Sanguinist that no one knows anything about. This Faelite pikeman serves one of the many petty kings and nobles of his people in their near-constant wars for control of their patch of Nothern Nocturnus. Humans are uncommon in Nocturnus, though the pale-skinned Faelites are well known. A phalanx of Faelite pikemen is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. No pikeman fights alone, though they cut just as impressive a figure as when they are viewed in full formation. Those who need unseemly things can often find them in Nocturnus. The trouble is, it also means dealings with unseemly creatures. It is unknown how many of them are out there, scouring the battlefields and boneyards of Nocturnus for their livelihoods. No one knows if there is one or many, and a glut of myths and stories have developed about the Bonegatherer. Even the most frightening denizens of Nocturnus tell their spawn to be wary of the Bonegatherer without ever knowing, truly, why they should be.

Very cool stuff here. My favorites are the Northern Lady, Fire Mage, Explorer, and Sentry (dat camo!).

Great figs. Great parts use. My only "oh nooooo" is that I have a fig very similar to the dwarven artificer but I think it can work as the "female version" the way TLG often does with CMF. :D I think my favorite is Baron Zamedi. What's the helmet for the Chieftain though!?

Is... is that dwarf standing on a rat!?

Thanks Jakorin! Appreciate these compliments, SK, especially because your work is a major inspiration for this build (and a few of my other ones, let's be honest). I have to give my brother credit too, for the smoke, because he is the one that pointed out that it didn't look right the way I had it before, with a less random color pattern. I had dark then light then white in grades which he said made it harder to tell what it was. I thought about using GIMP but not sure how much it would have improved things as I think lighting isn't all of the problem. These pictures turned out clearer than I expected, though I don't think the overview of the exterior of this build really does it justice. I don't have a backdrop sheet large enough to cover it, except for that wrinkly white crap which I can't iron straight no matter what I try. I've even tried Gideon's use of a rollscreen but with little luck finding one that didn't bounce off too much light. But I'll shoot you a PM about it and see what kind of tips you can offer. I've looked at some tutorials and gotten a few tips here and there but it's always good to get a refresher.

Really great combos here and lots of cool diversity. The SW stuff is bold and well used. I love the different kinds of elves with different skin colors. It's hard to pick favorites with this series, but I'll have to go with the Flesh Eater, Baker, and Knight of the Southern Cross as standouts.

Once that Bricklink order shows up, I'll be swimming in minotaurs.

But Drow are SOOOOOOO EVVVVVVILLL that their inky black skin absorbs all that is light and good.

Ah, so glad to see these guys. Great execution of the concept for this build too, by the way. I look forward to doing a build in the near future involving a certain lady minotaur and her magnificent rack... ...of horns.

Yikes. That is one scary thingy.

\Thanks ME. Glad you liked it so much! The lute is from Brick Warriors as are a few other pieces shown here, including the "Viking Axes" and the armor/helmet display near the Jarl's chair. The armlet and shoulderpiece worn by the warrior near the tree at the entrance as well as the elf's crutch also come from BW. I can see your point about the doors. I should have seen if there was any way to fix the back of them as I really like those lego Stockade doors. That doesn't mean you're not right about how they look from behind, though. When I added them, I wasn't 100% sure how I'd be positioning them for the final build and overlooked this! I may be doing a few story scenes in this build before it gets recycled, so I will probably be closing them and may fix the issue then.

Thanks! I borrowed that rubber band technique from some really cool How to Train Your Dragon builds. The architectural style was too exaggerated and cartoonish for my purposes, but I loved the rubber band thing. I only wish my green ones were a better shade. In some of these pics, they look blue! I'm glad the Norse design paid off as I did a lot of research on the construction of mead halls (as best we know now) as well as looked at tons of concept art and screenshots from games, movies, comics, etc. Thanks SarahJoy. Can't take credit for the rubber bands, but I like to think I did it well! It took almost four weeks to complete and is probably the most overthought build I've done. The technically more complex Dwarf Statue Head I made was a breeze by comparison. I've been trying to do those runestones in my Arnarvhall builds and to do them slightly differently each time. Thanks for the general compliment about my improvement. I feel like I'm never quite where I want to be and that drives me to keep bricking on, as Slegengr would say. Sometime in the next year or so, I'd like to make some dramatic improvements to my photography setup. Maybe adding one more lamp would help for now but I'm usually pretty unsatisfied with how my bigger, overview pictures turn out. I think this build really isn't done justice by the pics, especially compared to others like SK, Gideon, Gunman, Ecc, Kabel, etc who often get such beautiful and clear photos of huge builds. I sorta rambled on there haha. Haha yeah. I wanted to reflect a little of what's going on with the tensions in my own way. Arnarvhall is so far out on the west coast of Mitgardia that it's largely insulated from what's going on. That doesn't mean elves and dwarves get along all the time! And who knows, maybe that messenger is bringing word of something involving the dwarven aggression? Thanks Kai! Thanks Carson! Thanks Vitreolum! Thanks, Kabel. The snow and ice is owed largely to the way SK does it. The roof style in general, with the irregular plating to imitate rough material is something I think he does really well. Not sure if that's an old technique or not but I like it quite a bit. Thanks! Thanks Alfadas! I was hoping someone would mention the wolf head :D

AoM: Barracks Phase-Vegrsala / McCoyed / Mitgardia

Oooo titles. Here's my third Barracks for a third title! http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=102754