WesternOutlaw

Shadow Chapel, Parish of the Good Pastor Grimstone: Shadow Chapel was a re-design of a very early Ghost Town Creation. Redesigned a bit smaller with a different color palette, the new creation would have a much more sinister look and a back-story to go with it. Here is the 1st version of the chapel in one of the most earliest Ghost Town Pictures. About the Story: The story of the Shadow Chapel centers around a new villain in Grave Stone known as Pastor Grimstone. He wears the black clothing of the clergy, and bears a friendly smile that hides a much more sinister motive. He uses the Parish of the Shadow Chapel to recruit new parishioners to do his bidding. While the story does not reveal how he came to Grave Stone nor his real identity - I intended to share more of his story in later creations that would prove that the Good Pastor is nothing more than a Boxcar Hobo that moves from one town to another after he is discovered as a charlatan. The white hankerchief was intended to serve two purposes; 1) a disguise as a "man of the cloth", and 2) the hankerchief that a train hopper might wear. The story also brings Jeb Snotworth of Sutter's Mill and Harold Axewood into his congregation while hinting as to how Tex Grimwell met his demise. Inspiration: I based some of this story on Stephen King's novel, Needful Things, a story that involves a new town resident, Mr. Leland Gaunt, who comes to town to open a special gift shop. His items are the wishes of people, and once received, they must do "little favors" in return. Pastor Grimstone operates under a similar premise in which he grants Grave Stone sinners salvation and membership into the Church in return for their loyalty, no matter how dark. The Story: On top of Hang Man's Hill rests a quiet little church known as Shadow Chapel. Pastor William D. Grimstone presides over his small congregation of the sinners of Grave Stone. Pastor Grimstone appears as a mild tempered gentleman who always wears a white handkerchief and is willing to lend a hand and a dollar to those in need. The only thing that he asks is for a short visit to his chapel and a single favor to his parish, "once you get back on your feet", he always adds with a gentle grin. But Pastor Grimstone hides a dark side. Many mysteries surround Shadow Chapel especially the rumor of the night that the good pastor and his flock went after Tex Grimwell, the old miner. Supposedly, they dragged him from his bed up to Hang Man's Hill and hung him in cold blood. Tex was never seen again and some even say that his spirit haunts Grave Stone. Jeb Snotworth and Harold Axewood are the newest members of Pastor Grimstone's congregation. Some say they are quite spiritual as they visit Shadow Chapel frequently. The MOC: I should also point out that Shadow Chapel is the only brick-built (as opposed to wood) structure within the desolate town of Grave Stone (at least so far).

Thanks everyone for the great feedback. Strangely, I had no interest in buying this set as I was collecting the Orient Expedition series. Only after I had picked it up on clearance and built it, did I realize - this is a great set! I've used many of the pieces in this set for creating various MOCs from Wild West to Indiana Jones. It's a fun set with great pieces.

Gotcha. You bet you can use the design. Thanks KD, as well as your other comments about the Grave Stone Collection. Nice photo-editing does make the MOCs look better. For most of my creations, I am usually pretty scarce on the minifigs, at least for Grave Stone. The story of Grave Stone revolves around a Ghost Town where there are few inhabitants. In addition, I am a bit challenged with building good minifigs because at any given time, I only have a few boxes of Lego in the house (usually by theme). This limits my ability to mix and match parts to get a good fig.

This is excellent, and perfect for Lego's yellow mail transport vehicles. It has a very creative and unique design. I also like the way you created the border. BLOGGED!

After voting, I'm in line with the majority on all three questions. I like the bench and the boom box, but $10 (USD) for a few random figs just doesn't do much for me. If the signs were printed vs. stickers, I would be happy to pay the price. I'm not a big fan of fig sets (esp. for City), that one can generally create themselves from figs of various sets. I've had this set in my hands several times at various stores, always reluctant to buy it. With other $10 sets on the store shelves (like Indiana Jones Motorcycle Chase), in which you get some nice elements/pieces, I always pass it up.

This is fantastic SW! Lots of terrific details and custom builds within a large town. I esp. like the classic town-style train and the way you built the long bridge/platform to support it. That's an excellent idea that I have not really seen before (except for maybe a Lego train magazine). It's always difficult to add a train to a town and most generally build it level with the rest of the town. You've done a nice job here. Also, I really like the yellow castle cottage. The trees are equally impressive. Overall, a very nice Town/City.

This is a very nice truck Eilif. I like the design and colors. The back section would work for hauling just about anything. The frog used as a hood ornament is a clever idea. This deserves a BLOG! Nice job.

REVIEW: PART 2 Continuing the 2nd part of this review, we're going to take a look at the Palace: On the left side are two brown doors: They open to reveal anything you'd like to place behind them: Here's a shot from the back. A creative builder might try adding some custom furnishings: The right side is somewhat similar, but has a tapestry (flag) for the entry. This is a fantastic piece: Not much behind the tapestry: On each side of the 2nd floor is a small balcony and rounded roof dome: The domes lift open for added playability: Under each dome is a decorative arch (2 included in the set): In the center of the palace is a large brick-build scorpion with two claws: Attached to the front and tail of the scorpion are two flexible tubes which serve as track for the large trap ball/boulder (Indiana Jones-style): Here's a shot of the mechanism on the back. A string attaches to one of the scorpion claws and the top mechanism: The ball is placed on the mechanism: When Adventurers attempt to pull out the chest in the scorpion's claws, the right claw caused the mechanism in the back to tilt: The mechanism tilts, and the ball/boulder rolls off: After the boulder has rolled atop Lord Sinister and company, Johnny Thunder and the Professor can get the treasure: Here's a shot of the middle section above the scorpion: The large dome piece is very unique: Behind the dome is the Golden Shield: Pulling the beam out releases the trap door: Here's a shot of the palace looking down on it: Here's some additional accessories and extras: And lastly, the complete set (Elephant pictured previously): SUMMARY India was a fantastic place for an Orient Expedition sub-theme, and Scorpion Palace a very unique set among the collection. The set offers an abundance of special pieces including 16 Dark Orange 1x6 pillars, 10 1x6x2 white arches (two with ornate print), Dark Orange fence pieces, 2 brown arched-doors, and a number of other very useful pieces. The figs are fantastic, esp. the Maharaja and the other Indian villain. I think I picked this set up for under $20 (USD), and just regret not buying a few more at the time. I hope you've enjoyed this review and the pictures. It's a great set!

REVIEW: PART 1 Within the dreaded Palace of the Scorpion, located in Southern India, Johnny Thunder and Dr. Kilroy are in search of the mythical Golden Shield. Unfortunately, Lord Sinister and the Maharaja have ventured into the palace one step closer to the fabled treasure. Who will be thwarted by the deadly trap that lies within? Set #: 7418 Theme: Adventurers Sub-Theme: Orient Expedition, India Year Released: 2003 Pieces: 358 Minifigs: 5 Price: $50 USD Scorpion Palace is a "real jewel" within the Orient Expedition Collection. Found on many clearance shelves a year after its release, the set offered a great amount of playability as well as an abundance of decorative and useful pieces. Let's take a look at this set closer, shall we? An adventuring Brickster presents: The pictures depicted on the backside of the box provide two alternate models: Alternate #1: and Alternate #2: The side of the box shows the five terrific minifigs included within the set: I love the artwork on the instructions, as Johnny Thunder holds the map: The backside is actually a map depicting the three geographic regions of Orient Expedition: India, Mount Everest/Himalayas, and China: Included within the Orient Expedition sets is the Lego game, which I never opened. 15 years ago, I would have probably been playing it. Not pictured is a single die for the game: The set includes five figs. The "good guys" are Johnny Thunder and Dr. Kilroy: The bad guys include the Maharaja, Lord Sam Sinister, and another Indian thug: A nice assortment of accessories include two custom shields, scimitars, and a few other extras: The set includes a light grey elephant. This is lighter than the elephant included in 7414 Elephant Caravan: The top of the elephant has a simple brick-built saddle and sun shade: This concludes Part 1 of the review. We'll venture inside the Scorpion Palace in Part 2, coming soon... Lego.com Orient Expedition has a neat comic (Episode #4) of the Scorpion Palace to keep you busy until Part 2.

Thanks Zorro - we may just see a WW theme in the future. Wicks?

One of my personal favorites of the Grave Stone collection, for both design and story, is the Whispering Windmill. Not exactly a traditional structure one would find in the Old West, the inspiration for this windmill came from a Picture in Lego Idea Book 6000. Not exactly sure how a European-style windmill would look built with Wild West log bricks and lots of black, I was very pleased with the final product which required very few re-builds. I particularly enjoyed writing about the creaking windmill, and later added the story of the Card Creeper, introducing the new villain to Grave Stone. I'm not sure where I came up with the name, but I remember one person referring to the Card Creeper as a name one would hear in a Scooby Doo cartoon. I had planned to revisit the Card Creeper again in a gunfight with my signature fig, the Phantom Rider. The Card Creeper was used again only to add a bit of Grave Stone to a simple MOC called the Decrepit Bank, based on the old structure in Rhyolite, Death Valley. I may choose to include him in a future creation. The Story So, the story of the Whispering Windmill: In the distance, the creaks of old wood and scraping rusty metal can be heard wining. The wind blows a mysterious howl that encircles you and chills your spine. Halloween is fast approaching and the spirits of Grave Stone haunt the night. The ghostly winds of the Whispering Windmill speak a frightful tale; a tale of death, a tale of despair. A mysterious green glow can be seen from the distance emanating from the Whispering Windmill. What twisted tale does the windmill blow? And The Dark Tale of the Whispering Windmill: Grave Stone legend says that the Card Creeper was notorious for card cheat'n in many crooked games of cards. On a dark and stormy Halloween night, after stealing hundreds of dollars from a drunken bunch of outlaws, the angry men took matters into their own hands. They dragged the Card Creeper out to the Whispering Windmill were they stopped it and tied him to one of the windmill blades. Once the blades began to turn, the men shot at the Card Creeper nicking him almost a dozen times before a final shot to the head finished him off. Before that final shot; however, the Card Creeper cursed the men swearing vengeance upon all of them for what they did to him, laughing hideously with an evil grin on his face. Bang! He was finished. But that was not the end of the Card Creeper. Someone or something heard his curse and brought back his evil soul to seek vengeance upon his killers. Some even say it was the "putrid water" that runs under the windmill. On every Halloween night, the Card Creeper awakens seeking out each of his killers. And always found on his victim's body, is a black ace of spades. The story also provides a hint of something sinister below Grave Stone, Putrid Water. This element would be re-visited again in future Grave Stone MOCs and stories. The MOC: I've included a few pictures of the interior. I wanted to add some working gears, but never got around to doing so when Grave Stone was still standing: Card Creeper Upper Level - Gears Lower Level - Pump Complete System

Excellent fig D. I love that gold plate. Very nice!

This is a really nice review, but I'm sorry to say that I think the set is horrible. Aside from the minifig, Mike, that I've always liked, and the Pterodon, the rest of the set looks like some extra pieces thrown together. I've got a number of the Dino Island sets, which is my least favorite of the Adventurer sub-themes, but I never picked this one up.

Just a photo-edited picture of a MOC from a few years ago. I'm not that fast. Yes, I used one of the red pieces from Fort Legoredo not thinking that it stands out a bit. Thanks Batbrick. I always enjoy reading your comments (positive or negative). You're really good at critiquing. Yes, I took the pictures along a hike a number of years ago. I doubt you know where this place is though, in that it is remote and not visited very often. Perhaps it looks like another location in the Mohave. Thanks Millacol. I had to look up Tom Thompson as I do not know who he is. I see what you mean about his art. Thanks for the comparison.

Sava: I love your creations. These trains are fantastic. Each of them looks great, esp. by changing your camera setting as you've done. I really enjoy looking at these and may try adjusting my camera for future MOC pictures.

Well, if you'd like me to, no problem. But I am sharing quite a bit about each creation, its inspiration, and information not previously shared when I released these a number of years ago. I'd like to keep them separate for this reason, if that's okay. Otherwise, the thread will be pretty lengthy and I doubt any one would want to read so much about many of these creations, all at the same time. In addition, I don't have all of them photo-edited to post them all at once. EDIT: I could perhaps consolidate a few if that's better?

This is a fantastic MOC and extremely detailed. I love the architecture of the buildings complete with statues (a very nice touch). I also like the way you created the road and the chariot. When I was a kid, we use to build Roman Chariots using the round macaroni bricks to make a front curve (three on each side). I really like your design. This is a top notch scene!

I wanted the tree black to represent an old rotting/dead tree similar to a tree used for Halloween decorations. All of the background photos used throughout the Grave Stone collection are from the same place; an actual place (except for maybe one or two). That's part of the mystery that surrounds Grave Stone, and that I'm still not ready to reveal. The barrel is used throughout Lego's Wild West theme. The black door comes from Fort Legoredo.

Spooky Shack was sort of an after thought to Grave Stone. Fascinated with sets like Rocky River Retreat, I wanted to blend the Mohave Desert of the Wild West with more of a wilderness/mountain set like a cabin one might find in the woods. The result was this Spooky Shack. Never having constructed a tree before, I had a whole pile of black 1 x X plates and wanted to use them for something. The product was the spooky black tree standing next to the house. I realize a rounded trunk would have looked a lot better, but I was working with bricks that I had available at the time. The story of this MOC introduces a hint of the female witch character that I always wanted to add to Grave Stone. While I didn't have a witch/spell-caster, nor a broom for her to ride, I envisioned her flying above the Spooky Shack with a skeletal face. This particular story is also one of the darker stories surrounding Grave Stone definately not intended for younger fans. I particularly liked the name Harold Axewood as the mountain man wood chopper. I may have also drawn some inspiration from the Johnny Cash song, .The Story: Near the outskirts of town, not far from the desolate town of Grave Stone, a spooky old shack stands next to a dead black tree. It is rumored that someone or something was buried under that old black tree years ago before the gold in the hills that surround Grave Stone went dry. Harold Axewood, a rugged mountain man, lives in the spooky old shack. Some say that Harold was once married to a woman by the name of Millicent Clemens and that he drowned her in the well near his shack, burying her in a shallow grave under the old black tree. Her spirit haunts the shack and she can sometimes be seen as a witch flying above the tree. No one visits Harold Axewood anymore, but on any given day, he can be found chopping wood outside the Spooky Shack.

Excellent! I love it. The creative story is equally impressive. I like the pitchfork above the bed. The bed also looks terrific. I also like the way you built the candle, a design that I may just try myself. Overall, a very nice vignette/scene.

Although a very nice set, we've asked that EB members do not post preliminary photos which is against EB policy. The top of this thread (page 1) mentions this.

Yes, strange addition to the WW theme, but included within Fort Legoredo.

This 2nd creation of the Grave Stone series was intended to elaborate on the story of the Haunted Mill, and serve as an accessory. The inspiration behind this little hay wagon was a large wagon that was part of a ceramic Christmas Village, thus the use of green used for the MOC. I never really liked this wagon as it was a bit boxy and didn't really capture the rickety wooden look I was trying to create, but it does go hand-in-hand with the Haunted Mill. The Story: Riding along the dark and unpaved road to Grave Stone is the Ghostly Hay Wagon. You may catch a ride with old Jeb Snotworth as he whips his black steed without mercy. He's on his way to Sutter's Mill with a special cargo of hay. Oops, was that a head that just rolled out. It is! Set includes horse, wagon, Jeb Snotworth minifig, and scythe.

That's a really good suggestion. I had considered an upper door that I often add to my WW MOCs with balconies. I just didn't want to get a similar look like the 1st floor. I still have this little house set up, so I may just see what a recessed door would look like.

Wow! I haven't seen much of Chuck Norris lately. Interesting creation. What would a guy like Chuck be without a truck? Now if you add some Delta Force motorcycles and anti-terrorist vehicles, then you'd be talking the Chuck I remember - the MIA Chuck, not the newer Texas Ranger Chuck. Your overall design of this pick-up is nice, esp. the bed. I like that it has a more squarish look compared to the more rounded 6-stud wide vehicles coming out lately. Good solid design. Nice job on this. I would say that Chuck looks good too, but based on that bio you provided, Chuck looks great!