Slegengr

Nice build, Adair! The landscape is great, and that is a well-executed design for a half-timber house! The build would look interesting with water in back, but I understand if you did not have the pieces. The house looks great even without the water! The roof, stone wall portion, and door are also all well done!

Nice build, Lord Vladivus! That tree is particularly interesting! The landscape is also nicely done. The story leaves us waiting for more...

Thanks, dzidek! An outdoor smithy would not have been inconceivable. Most of the tools would stand up to weather rather well (though the forge would struggle during rain ;). Working outdoors during hot times of the year helped avoid the overbearing temperature inside an enclosed smithy. Thanks, TitusV! Thanks, Milo! I do not have historical record of an outdoor smithy, but it is possible from my experience. Stone would be a primary component in the stationary equipment, so definitely able to withstand weather. In this case, the smithy is not working molten metal, nor is he heat-treating metal. These would require much more precise temperature control. When shaping metal, there is not a precise temperature to work with. As long as the metal is soft enough to shape, it works. I also am using this build as a summer smithy, or a secondary smithy, which is outdoors to avoid the extreme temperatures of a forge inside during summer. I plan to build a smithy shop in completion for Frode to work in some day. Thanks for the constructive criticism! Thanks, Kai! Thanks, Puvel! Thanks, Graham!

Smithy Hut - AoM: House Phase I | Slegengr | Mitgardia

My new AoM freebuild is up: Smithy Hut - AoM: House Phase I

Out in the woods of Mitgardia, Frode Vitr built a small hut to live in during summer to work at his smithing outside. A bellows forge was built nearby to heat pieces of metal for shaping, along with an anvil and quenching tub of water. Steel pieces of a wide allotment are kept around for various projects, some of which are in various stages of completion. The hut serves Frode and Stian well for simple living quarters when they are working, as it provides protection from the weather and a safe place to store bedding and food. When word came that there were invaders, called the Algus, moving in from the Frozen Beyond, Frode’s skills were requested in making weapons and armor for Falkidalr. Frode heats four swords to finish shaping the blades. Stian works the bellows to blast the coal into blazing embers to speed up the heating process. Their two dogs, Koryn and Jaryn, are constant companions. The dogs also provide a watch to alert of danger… such as when three Algus scouts are seen approaching the hut! The icy invaders appear a threat, but Frode quickly grabs the coal shovel and scoops up some hot coals. Dashing the coals in the face of the frontmost scout, Frode sees the scout disappear in a cloud of steam. The first scout was reduced to a pile of armor in a pool of coal and water. With no time to lose before the second scout would be upon him, Frode grabs two of the heated-blade swords from the forge. He yells Stian’s name to inform him of the plan, but the name is enough information as Stian runs toward the forge. Charging the advancing scout, he swings to parry the scout’s attack. The hot blade slices right through the icy haft of the scout’s pike! Following through on his strike, Frode slashes the other blade, beheading the scout with the searing steel. Stian grabs the other two heated blades to aid his father. As Frode’s blades cool, he steps back to allow Stian, with blazing hot blades, to confront the third scout. Stian’s quick left-hand strike shatters the shield of the heavily armored scout… Followed shortly thereafter with a thrust directed into the eye-slot of the Algus’ helmet, dispatching the invader with a hiss of steam and a clatter of its falling axe. Frozen invaders are no match for heated steel! “They have come this far south!” shouts Frode as they drop the cooled blades. “Likely, there is an approaching army of Algus that will reach Falkidalr soon. We must warn them!” Stian and Frode run for their horses. Not to be left behind, Koryn and Jaryn run with Stian and Frode to sound the alert. The smithing site is left in disarray with the battle rubble as the men and dogs rush to warn Falkidalr. Additional Pictures: Figless Overview: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for looking! C&C is much appreciated. Sorry for so many pictures, but this is my first true story-build. I needed many pictures to show what was going on. -Slegengr

Nice build, LD! The colors really stand out here, especially the tower against the ground! The ground looks amazing! The round tower looks great as well. The technique used for rounding makes a very concise, realistic appearance. The dome works well, as does the arched window.

Nice work, LordDan! The monument looks great, as does the rockwork and general layout of the town square. The upper walkway is a great idea! For the blue tint, does your camera have a "white balance" feature? I have found this useful under different lighting circumstances, as it will adjust for incandescent or florescent artificial light and cloudy or sunny light conditions outside.

This is one amazing build, Macsen Wledig! The scale is just astounding, but I particularly like the little details and the attention to building historically! The guardposts along the wall are great, especially the rounded corners. Excellent roof techniques on the different buildings!

Wonderful build, Jacob! This has a perfectly medieval look to it, especially with the unaligned buildings and the stonework and roof slats! Amazing little details and story!

Nice work, TitusV! The roof and stone walls look great! Better lighting and focus for the pictures would be nice.

Great build, Milo! The stonework on the windmill is amazing! I would like to see more coverage of the gaps in the roof, but the roof still looks great as well! The activity of this build and the number of things fit into such a small space makes this one very nice build!

Nice market, SK! The snow and ice is particularly nice! The stalls are small but well-composed for a smaller build. The activity of the figures adds a nice finishing touch!

Nice little watchtower, SK! The snow is great, as are the structure and supports of the tower! The remake of a space set in Mitgardia is a neat idea!

Nice wolf, Mike S! I particularly like the rough fur and the pose-ability! The most striking element to me in this MOC, though, is the grass. The dark green slopes make an amazing landscape!

Vary nice build, Gideon! The landscaping is perfect for Kaliphlin! Nice use for the new olive green stalks. The crops look great, but the canal with the sloping water and water gate is the best part of the build! The tree canopy looks great, but it seems that the trunk is a bit too tall. Excellent Kaliphlin build!

Very nice build, Kai! That roof is superb! The vinyard is also very nice with the climbing vines and (gigantic:) grapes. This build is a definite fit for Kaliphlin!

Nice landscaping, Garmadon! The pine trees look great, as does the bear with his charming cartoonish look! The foliage looks very fitting for Mitgardia, especially with the snow.

Nice MOC and story, Ecc.! That half-timber is very striking with the arches and butresses! The water effect is a nice contrast to the gray stone and the foliage. Your dragons are top notch!

AoM: Tower Phase I - Outpost near Falkidalr | Slegengr | Mitgardia Husbandry: Deer Hunting in Mitgardia | Slegengr | Mitgardia

A border outpost is one of the first defenses a village can have. High enough to view a large area around the village, the lookouts in the outpost are able to keep an eye on goings-on. If the need arises, a messenger can quickly travel from the outpost to the village to warn the people of danger. Near Falkidalr, an outpost is constructed as a preliminary defense. Built on log stilts, the outpost towers above nearby hills and forests. A thatched roof reinforced with leather-covered decorative shields covers the top to keep out snow and rain. To accommodate the watchmen, a tent is provided for sleeping and a fire with a pot and tripod is provided for cooking food. A fence surrounds the base camp to provide a barrier to the native fauna and flora. Weapons and armor are kept on a rack in case of need. Now, the village of Falkidalr will not be easily surprised by any invading danger. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for viewing! Comments and Constructive Criticism are appreciated. The inspiration for this build came from AoM, but the inspiring ideas were the SNOTed logs and the leaf pieces hanging on the grass stems. The tripod over the fire proved to be challenging, but I liked the results. -Slegengr

Thanks, samlr! Thanks, Carson! The tree design colors are due to piece colors available, but I hoped it would give the effect of the dry parts. I am glad you noticed! Thanks, Graham! Thanks, Blufiji! The build is quite sturdy when moved, but it is easy to accidentally bump off foliage when placing elements inside the build, such as the deer. Thanks, Milo! Sorry to have disappeared from Eurobricks for so long, but real life changes have limited my building time. As for the droid parts, I find them most useful in many designs! Thanks, blackdeathgr! I am glad to hear it reminds you of a painting you once had! Thanks, Gideon! Lighting is still my number one largest issue. I did use multiple light sources, but I accidentally used the flash on the camera when I had not intended to. As I filtered my images for the best ones, I did not notice until too late that some incorporated the flash. Thanks for the constructive feedback! I am still striving for good photo quality like yours! Thanks for the many compliments, Jacob! I hoped the angles would present an interesting look at the MOC! Thanks, Aeghor! Could you tell me which part of the floor is too flat? I tried to break up elevation with different wedge plates, but maybe my technique needs improvement. Thanks, Covenant84! I did consider using dark brown for the grass along the river in order to make the deer stand out more, but I decided that the camouflaging is more natural. I must admit that I still think these LEGO deer get lost in LEGO foliage much more easily than real deer do in real foliage... Thanks, Kai! Thanks, LittleJohn! I am glad you like the snow on the trees. My younger brother kept telling me that they looked like Christmas lights! Thanks, TitusV! Would you mind sharing which part of the riverbank is too flat? Terrain and elevation have been broken up by the use of wedge plates, but perhaps my views do not show this well enough. Thanks, Alfadas! Thanks, Lord Vladivus! The quivers were an idea I had for my mountaineers in order to have left-handed archers (as I am left-handed:) Thanks, SK! I am glad you noticed the details! The MOC does revolve around the deer and trees, but my personal favorite part was also the grass and reeds along the stream.

My new freebuild for the Husbandry minichallenge is up: Deer Hunting in Mitgardia. and, I also have my AoM Tower Phase I build completed: Outpost near Falkidalr

My entry is up here: Deer Hunting in Mitgardia.

Food is in shortage as the effects of the Civil Wars take their toll. In northern Mitgardia, hunting is a necessary part of life to provide food. The pine forests are full of different types of wildlife, but a deer is a special prize, due to its size. Two Mountaineers are out hunting one evening when they find a trail by a stream that is well-passed by deer. Able to camouflage themselves completely, the Mountaineers hide in the trees and wait. Before long, they have a chance that cannot be passed up: a buck and a doe come to the stream to drink. Using a birdcall, the Mountaineers signal the shots and wait for the perfect chance. Just as both deer stoop to drink, perceiving no danger, each Mountaineer rapidly draws his bow and sends an arrow into the heart of his deer. With a start, the deer leap up, but the shots are true. The Mountaineers each track their quarry and find the deer when they finally fall. Slinging the deer over their shoulders, the Mountaineers head for home with a sufficient supply of meat. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thanks for viewing! Constructive criticism is much appreciated! More detail pictures are on Flickr. Sorry to not include story pictures, but every time I moved my hands near the stream I knocked off a grass stem, which cascaded into more grass stems getting knocked over when I tried to set up the first... This build was inspired by two ideas I have had for a while: using droid torsos for deer heads and bodies, and using droid arms and the curving spiked foliage piece for a pine tree. I am satisfied with both of the results, though I wish I had some other way to fill the holes in the deer other than using arrows... -Slegengr