Keymonus

I never commented this storyline but it was nice to read and full of interesting building techniques. Your scenes are very nice, but the Brickwall is the real masterpiece… by sure it deserved the bonus card!

Wonderful build Bart, by sure it required far more effort than simply modifying a little the original Narwal! I also love the idea of a slightly rotting ship brought back afloat, especially with the "modified" figurehead. Nice job!

Quite late at the party, but I had to comment! I like your build a lot, as others said it has a strong Vietnam War vibe! The vegetation is very well done, both with large trees and undergrowth. The colour variations made them more realistic and, therefore quite claustrophobic… well done!

Name: Fort Arltrees Ownership: Squatter settlement founded by Tristan Rimbaud Location: El Oleonda, New Haven Sea Map: Mayor: Lieutenant Marcel Dubois (@Keymonus) Who can own property in Fort Arltrees: Citizens of all the Empires, and the independent traders who call themselves "Sea Rats" Who can freebuild in Fort Arltrees: Citizens of all the Empires, and the independent traders who call themselves "Sea Rats" Description: Fort Arltrees was founded as a small military outpost during the first El Oleonda Campaign. The nearest settlement, Fatu Hiva, was several hundreds of miles far from El Oleonda, and the Kingdom of the Light needed a stable foothold in the area. The fort was at first nothing more than a fortified camp with a few warehouses and a pier, a place where soldiers could rest and friendly ships could resupply. Located in a little bay on the North-Western Coast, Fort Arltrees is in a strategic position between the Carnite cities in the West and the Lotii settlements in the East, and also represents an excellent starting point to explore the northern part of the archipelago. The settlement is surrounded by a thick tropical jungle, but a nearby river -recently named River Rimbaud- offers easy access to the interior. Most of El Oleonda inland is still unexplored, but the recent expeditions have mapped quite well the surroundings of Fort Arltrees. The first expeditions in the interior confirmed a limited presence of other nations in the area -substantially some small military units hunting one another- and found a number of small native villages, likely inhabited also by indigenous people and early Lotii explorers stranded on the island. The jungle around Fort Arltrees is also spotted with large ruins, ancient roads, and a system of canals, likely remains of an advanced civilization. During the last months, the settlement has grown quickly: after the end of the first hostilities, the small tent camp surrounded by a palisade has grown into a bustling, large town. The first wooden shacks were soon replaced by large stone buildings, including a new impressive fort guarding the bay. However, small wooden buildings such as farms and hunter shelters are common in the outskirts of the settlement. Despite the fast development, Fort Arltrees is still a frontier settlement, where life is hard and can end with a sudden, violent death. However, thanks to the new, imposing fortifications, it is very unlikely that Fort Arltrees can be simply wiped out of history. War is raging again on El Oleonda, but everyone feels safe inside the settlement, and both businesses and services are rising. Outside the palisade, on the contrary, almost everyone carries a musket in everyday activities: the natives of El Oleonda are mostly friendly, but bands of both Carnite and Lotii stragglers still haunt the jungle. Even if the settlement has grown quickly, most of the future buildings are expected to be simple stone or wooden structures, and development plans are still focused on the basic needs of the inhabitants. Most of the residents are currently soldiers, hunters and adventurers, but more and more colonists are looking for fortune on El Oleonda. With the growth of the population and of the settlement economy, large stone builds have appeared in Fort Arltrees, and important urban development plans are ongoing. Outside the settlement, instead, most of the buildings are still simple wooden houses and small farms, often fortified against the bandits. More Information on El Oleonda: El Oleonda is one of the four main islands of the New Haven Sea region. Like most of the lands of the New World, it is largely covered by jungle and thick tropical forests, but grasslands, marshes, and a variety of other biomes are also present. The central part of El Oleonda is crossed by a range of rocky hills, one of the highest in the whole New World. The island is inhabited by several native tribes, each with its unique traditions and culture. Moreover, the abandoned ruins of an ancient civilization (imposing temples, canal systems, even large cities) are scattered all over the island, and often host the -far more modest- settlements of El Oleonda tribes. In 620, El Oleonda was the theatre of one of the major wars of the Second Era of colonization: tensions and fights between Carno and Lotus Empire quickly escalated into an open war. The Madrician Empires were soon directly involved in the conflict, with the military campaigns against the Lotii forces and the Lotii raids against Spudkirk and Jiangkai. You can find more about the first El Oleonda Campaign here or in the spoiler below. Garrison: 1 Company of Essener Totenköpfe El Oleonda Ragamuffins - local militia unit Builds in Fort Arltrees: Please post a link to your build and specify if licensed or not. Licensed properties: 37 Size for EGS purposes - Level 4 'Large Town’ Properties required for the next level Artisan: 10/8 Commerce: 14/8 Cultural: 7/2 Educational: 4/3 Factory: 8/8 Residence: 13/8 Royal: 0/1 Total points: 69/61 Notable Events: A fort in the jungle - Founding of the settlement, in February 620 The Battle for El Oleonda - The First El Oleonda War, started after the Lotii raid against Spudkirk The Seawatch Campaign - Military campaign of allied Madrician Nations (Carno, Corrington, Eslandola, and Oleon) against the Lotii forces on El Oleonda, started after the Siege of Seawatch and the Lotii raid against Jiangkai The Foreign Merchants' District - A new commercial district of the settlement, attracting several merchants from foreign nations Residence: Fort Arltrees Vicarage - medium Hotel in Fort Arltrees - small Tree House - small An Essener House - small Marshal DeQuesne’s Flat - small Homestead - large A mostly warm reception - small Forward HQ Corrington Expeditionary Force - small Tamish bothy - small Fort Arltrees brig - small Factory: Vin de riz brewery - medium Small Factory Sawmill - small Smoked meat for the Fort - small Candy Factory - small Smith’s Smithy - large Plantation: A'Chua's people - small Rice Plantation - medium LBSF wheat farm - large Mine: The mine at the World's End - gold mine Artisan: The Tavern - large Fort Arltrees Bazaar - large Mr. Shur's Lotii Curiosities - small Ship repairing workshop - small Rimbaud Aqueduct - medium Commerce: Sutler's shop - small Lighthouse of Fort Arltrees - medium Small Commercial Wharf - small Dress Shop - small Among thieves - small Fort Arltrees military HQ - medium The Altonian Commercial Mission - small The Ferrer Family Commercial Enterprise - small The Essener New World Trading Company - small Terraversan Commonwealth Rum-Runners - small Garvian League Guildhouse - small Miroslav Dobric's Trading Emporium - small Education: A Little Schoolhouse - small Fort Arltrees public school - large Art & Culture: Church of Hades - large House of the Ancestors - medium Gardens of Poseidon- medium Forts: Fort Arltrees - small Gatekeeper Point - large Unlicensed Builds (similar to EGS properties): Essian Reiterhaus - a small garrison of Essian light cavalry Other Freebuilds (not similar to EGS properties): Sweet, sweet rotten eggs - A sulfurous spring, somewhere in the interior Monsieur le Filon - Prospecting outside Fort Arltrees found a gold vein A patrol encounters a bear outside the settlement - an unpleasant accident Return to the Tyree'dee - Bishop François returns to El Oleonda Introducing General Hercule François - General Hercule François arrives at the settlement Adieu, mon général - General Hercule François is deadly wounded during the Battle of Seawatch

Entry for Cat A

Thank you! I accidentally published it while I was writing… sorry!

Fort Arltrees, February 620, El Oleonda "Now you are a lieutenant, Marcel, and you are the new governor of this metropolis… you are climbing the ranks, my friend!" "You too, Monsieur Regiment General. Before the end of this story we'll probably have a new Maréchal." Or they all would have been dead, thought Tristan. With the crisis between Carno and the Lotus Kingdom turning into an open war, the plans of the Etat majeur required a foothold on El Oleonda, nothing more than a little fort to secure the landing point for the contingent. A clever move, Tristan had to admit, but with the risk of losing the whole contingent sent forward… an hypothesis that Tristan didn't like at all. "Coming back to the plans… tomorrow I will leave with twenty men and our native scout for a long range recognition. We must be sure that we are far enough from both Lotii and Carnite forces. I don't know how far our diplomacy has gone up to now, and our presence could be… a little unwelcome. As I was saying, Lieutenant, you have the command of the fort until my return. You should provide for the needs of the garrison, and prepare for the arrival of more soldiers from Lavalette. A little pier could be useful, but avoid being noticed." "Yes, sir! The mouth of the nearby river could be a good place for a sheltered landing point, at least according to our native scouts." "I agree with you, it could also be a good starting point for our expedition in the inlands. According to the map drawn by the scientific officer, we could go upstream it for several miles, going faster than crawling in the jungle. Probably it's also the best option to find out something about the presence of other troops in the area." "Another thing sir… What about the other empires? Do you expect hostile activities?" Tristan feared that question. He decided to be sincere, also because everyone in the contingent knew the answer. "As far as we know, we are the only ones on the island, apart from the Lotii and the Carnites. We should avoid any hostile activity but, if we are attacked, we will defend with all our strength… that currently isn't that much. However, the high command intentionally leaked some secret information about massive troop raising in the West, and that should be enough to deter any attack against us." Otherwise, their bones would have remained on El Oleonda. The Oleander Army would have avenged them, but in case of large scale attack everybody in Fort Arltrees would have been killed. They all knew that, and they all were ready to give the life for Oleon, but nobody liked the idea of being sacrificed as a pawn in a game of chess between empires. Currently, however, the moral was quite high: after weeks at sea, the cook was finally preparing a real soup with some fresh meat… the ship rations were acceptable, but both hunting and sauces were completely absent from the mariners’ diet. Better not to waste too much time: waiting in the jungle, knowing how precarious their position was, would have worn down the soldiers. The expedition in the interior was also a mean to keep them active and, who knows, possibly to discover something about the Tyree'De, the mysterious natives of the New Haven Sea. Before his return the building of the fort would have been completed: the soldiers were cutting down the bushes along the outer palisade... …while the inner structures, currently just skeletons of poles and beams, would have soon be completed. Fort Arltrees was rising, currently nothing more than a small outpost in the jungle. May the Gods help him and his men, or it would soon have become also their tomb! An overview of the building: This is an official action, even if I still have to figure out exactly how to complete the paperworks. With this Tristan Rimbaud is starting a squatter settlement on El Oleonda, in a position still to be defined (I though somewhere near to the Eastern Coast, let me know if it is possible). Tristan is officially doing this as a personal initiative, but as you can understand he has a certain level of endorsement and backing from the faction Edit: I accidentally published the post before it was complete… sorry!

Thank you guys! It was a real pain taking the pictures without something going out of focus/too dark/too bright, but I'm very satisfied by the result! To achieve the effect of an overcrowded market I used 20 minifigs in the small area of the street, so some details are partly covered, but I'm very proud of this build, probably one of my best ones up to now.

Great entry! Your choice of minifigs and parts is great, as well as the writing. Some of the details are not so evident in the photos, only the last one allows you to see everything, but you did a great job also with the shots. Well done!

Nice little scene and, as usual, excellent writing! I think your builds are improving a lot with time… my only suggestion is only to make the wall a little less plain, probably with real bricks it would still be ok but with the perfect white of the LDD it can be a little too much. Nice job with the pieces of furniture too, you created some nice details!

Keelhauling! Keelhauling is always the solution! Great build and hilarious writing as usual! I like in particular the chair design and the blackboard, they are really nice touches! I'm also glad that my character could attend, some lessons can always be useful for… err… for a friend, who may think sooner or later to raise a black flag!

Nice scenes @KotZ! The angled walls are very well done, even considering what a pain is making they turn out well! I also like how you built the “murder holes” for the cannons (I’m not sure it is the right term), they are very well done! Excellent work with the training scene too, that shooting range is very nice!

Infero Pordejon, December 619, Charlatan Bay Tristan followed the instruction received… an abandoned warehouse in Lowtown, no guards, just before the dawn. He couldn't refuse the "invitation", considering that it came from a department of the Oleander administration in charge of some "special duties", but the possibility of disappearing without leaving a trace worried him a lot. By sure, he thought caressing the hilt of his sword, he wouldn't go without a fight. Fortunately for him, Tristan's suspects soon proved to be wrong. In the old warehouse he only found a man… he didn't seem the one that he had met in the morning, but the men of the Secret Service of Oleon were known for their ability in disguises. "If you want to assassinate me, you should try now… by sure, you chose the right place!" Said Tristan with a half smile. Not to find a platoon of hired killers waiting for him was a great relief. "Nice to meet you, monsieur Rimbaud. You know who I work for, and I think you understand that we don't want anyone to hear or see to much. We are in a turbulent settlement, but the elimination of witnesses may always rise some troubles. I'll be brief: some big wigs wanted you to be charged with treason, but in general the colonial authorities were satisfied by your personal endeavour here in Charlatan Bay. Bringing here regular soldiers was impossible due to the political implications, but the stabilization of the pirate settlement was functional to our interests in the region. Probably you will even find a medal waiting for you in Astrapi, where you must return as soon as the circumstances will allow. In this letter you will find all the instructions you need for now, but our men in the settlement will give you more details." The man didn't show any emotion saying this. Curiously, Tristan noticed, he was speaking with a light Altonian accent, probably part of his cover identity. "I imagine that there is something more than simply some handshakes for my role in the end of this awful civil war, isn't it?" He knew well that the man wouldn't have said anything he had been ordered not to say, but still hoped in some more details. "What do you know about the Lotus Empire?" Replied the man. Tristan was completely surprised by the question. He answered frankly: "Almost nothing. I know that some commodities are imported from that state, such as expensive pottery, tea, silk and a salty sauce beloved by our aristocrats; on the contrary, we export there only a few goods, mainly tobacco and silver, but in both directions goods pass through several hands and borders, while direct contacts are very rare. Once I met a sailor who claimed to have visited a Lotii port, but I don't know how much was true and how much a tavern history…" It had happened almost eight years before, but by sure it was enough to ignite the imagination of Tristan, at the time a young captain hunting for Saleeki pirates. The sailor described a lively and rich settlement, with beautiful women… ...floating markets, selling fruits never seen before... …exotic foods, such as a strange roll of seaweed, rice and raw fish. The settlement, said the young sailor, was called Sazanparu, that meant roughly Pearl of the South... one of the evocative names that make sailors dream. -Far more pictures in the spoiler- "Did you hear me?" Tristan was recalled from his juvenile dreams of adventure and exploration. "I said that Lotii activity was recently reported by our agents in the New Haven region" "The Lotii? Here in the New World?" "Yes... and what's more, it seems that they are going to start an open war with Carno, due to their conflicting interest on El Oleonda. I don't know much more, but all the details are in the letter. Read the new orders, then destroy it." Tristan cracked the seal and started reading, while the other man walked towards the door. "Wait a second! -uttered Tristan- YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT???" Overall view. The little warehouse in Charlatan Bay is in truth the base of the tower on the left… A little of magic, time travel and teleport!

Thanks! By the way, the ship is almost complete and I wanted to show it with full masts, but the combined inefficiency of Serbian and Italian post systems... err... the difficulty of finding trees high enough for the masts is delaying a lot my work

Somewhere in the South Prio Sea, February 620 The chessboard was ready, and the pieces had started to move. After months of planning in the shadows, of deception, of hidden preparations, everything was ready… Tristan and his Raiders would soon have been once again in the heart of fire. The Scamander rolled gently, while the bow sliced elegantly through the waves. Every inch of sails was hoisted to catch the wind: after the departure from Astrapi and the short stopping in Lavalette, wind had almost been in their favour… a good omen or, more likely, a confirmation that the Eastward winds blowing south of Prio Island are almost perennial. Suddenly, a shout broke the silence: "Sails! It seems a Corrish lugger!" Tristan made a quick calculation, then ordered the helmsman to turn 30 degrees South. The mast of the other ship was lower, so they couldn't see the Scamander yet… better to slip unnoticed towards the destination, the mission was too important to waste secrecy so early. Huge forces were moving and, when the interest of the empires collide, it's far too easy to be grinded between them. Tristan Rimbaud was informed about the plan only a few months before, when in Charlatan Bay he was approached for the first time by a member of the secret service. The man approached Tristan in an alley of the port, when his escort soldiers were still behind the corner. He only showed Tristan a letter with a seal that any Oleander officer knew, and whispered an address before disappearing in a side street. Tristan's guards didn't even see him… nothing to say, that man surely knew well his job! Credit to @Bodi for this build The whole build; again, all credit to @Bodi --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A new storyline has just started, this time in a joint storyline with other members of my faction. The next build is ready, and will serve also as my Cat A entry… I just need to wait tomorrow to have a better light!

Nice figbarf, I always like your use of "metropolitan" and "colonial" soldiers (even if in this case the metropolitans are the ones from New Oleon, while the colonials are the European-looking ones, strange thing! ). Since I'm not completely satisfied by my field artillery design I would like some close-ups of the cannons too, if possible!

Nice cannon design, I like the way you depicted mounted artillery! I'm not so sure about the green background, but I like minifig choice and posing a lot!

Nice dry docks, the crane in particular is very well done! Maybe (but I don't know how much it is possible in LDD) some close ups and a little more activity (more minifigs, piled planks…) would look better, but in general I like this a lot!

Maybe a little exaggeration, you know… history is written by who wins! However, I realized that this could be a little too much, even considering that I didn't build anything in support and that it's before our storyline period. If anyone thinks its better not to flesh out Juniper War so much, I can change the CV of our National Hero into something a little more misty ("some naval victories during Juniper War" or something similar)

Sir Admiral Dukesc, a National Hero of Oleon, has received a command in La Royale The Iron Admiral, the Lion of Balondia, the Devil of the Northern Bay… Sir Admiral Dukesc earned all these nicknames during the Juniper War, when with a small squadron he destroyed the small Corrish fleet guarding Balondia, then dragging the Corrish Royal Navy in a useless hunt across the Merlonic Sea. Only a few weeks later, he crossed Oleon by horse, took command of the Northern Fleet and took by complete surprise the enemy counterpart, partly drydocked for winter repairs. By sure one of the most successful Admirals of Oleon ever, he is considered a National Hero by the citizens and an example to emulate by the Navy Officers. PS: I'm not in charge of the convoy, but others faction members couldn't post it. Credit @Bodi for the picture

LeBellan, Old Mission of Zeus of Breshaun, February 620 Name: Legiòn de Mardierennes, 1ere Compagnie Unit size: Company Type: Line infantry Motto: Per Re Filippo e per Oleon! The last two years represented a harsh awakening for the Empire of Mardier. The colonial army, the navy, the Bumble Tuna commercial fleet… everything crumbled under the enemy cannonballs. Terraversa and Isla de Medio were lost, and entire units simply ceased to exist. With Eslandola ruling the waves, hundreds of soldiers, functionaries and civilians were left behind. Some of them accepted to remain under the rule of their enemies, while several others resettled in the near colonies of Corrington and Oleon. In Breshaun, a new company was formed with expatriated Mardierians, mainly from the garrisons of Terraversa and Isla de Medio, but also some of the few survivors of the Admiral Cadiz's expedition to Charlatan Bay, recently evacuated by Tristan Rimbaud. The members of the Legiòn de Mardierennes (Legion of Mardierians) are equipped with the same weapons of the regular army, but wear peculiar uniforms and are led by Mardierian officers. Although most of the Mardierian volunteers are already veterans, they received some weeks of training in the old Mission of Zeus in Breshaun, converted in barracks a few years before. The training included marches, bayonet drills and firing in the shooting range, as usual... ...but also lessons of Oleander language and culture, especially for the officers. As several times in the past and in other nations, the members of this company of expatriates will become loyal members of the Royal Army, while keeping a proud memory of their origin. Per Re Filippo e per Oleon! The uniform of the Legion

Nice scene, the pavement in particular stands out! I like the dark red Torii and the minifig choice, good entry!

Nice pieces of furniture and nice little scene! I'm glad to see the HRS Combattante afloat again!

Lovely micro-ship, great MODding and nice name choice! But… why is everybody getting mad with genies in this period?

Noooo, that lovely cannon! Despite he is not a pirate, Tristan Rimbaud enlist himself to receive option #5 as an addition to his crew, if possible!