Louis of Nutwood

Lady Aurore, what a pleasure to read through your comment. I think it’s the first time I thoroughly though about the pictures and the story together. And I’m glad you enjoyed them presented that way. Thank you for the lovely words, milady.

Lovely work, mate. The color choice is bold, and I couldn’t be more pleased. It looks really cool. The layout in this castle is awesome! Very authentic and pleasing. I particularly like the wooden sections on top of the light grey stonework. Specially the watchtower, which I think looks amazing. Overall it may be a small build, but it sure looks grand with such great part selections. Great work, lad.

My friend, tho is too impressive. Sooo much detail. And what amazes me the most is that you worked so well on all the flooring and ceilings, of each and every room. Impressive. To me, this level of attention to detail is what sets this masterpiece apart. Awesome choice of colors too. I love the tan roofs in this castle. It’s not so usual to see it, and it blends beautifully. The natural elements such as the shore, the waterworks and rockwork are amazing too. Finally, beautiful layout in this massive castle. I feel like each tower plays a role on their own, here. Outstanding work, man. You should be proud.

Fellow Mitgardian! I’m glad you liked it, sir. Dear traveler of the North! Thank you for the comment. I’m glad you felt the damp feeling I tried to translate into this MOC. Yes! The green is supposed to represent moss and general green stuff you may find in a dungeon. I think it adds some touch of color. As for the storytelling, I’m happy you mentioned it. I’m looking to develop and enhance it, so would really like some constructive feedback. Thanks again, fellow wanderer!

Chapter 09. The Keeper. As fast as I could, I ran down the narrow steps of the spiraling stairs. Jumping every two sets, I had to lean my body against the wall, cautious not to trick or fall. The small corridor leading to the dungeons was only lit by erratic torches nailed to the walls and the irregular stonework on the steps would not allow me to go any faster. I felt my stomach pressing against my throat and had to reduce my pace and recover my breath just before reaching the lowest level of the keep. The dungeons. To the flickering light of the torches, the golden lion seal in a white and red vest was highlighted once again before my eyes. Not again, I though. But this time, it wasn’t a bearded battler or a savage soldier that stood in front of me. To my surprise, a thin and fragile young man, who was no older than myself, stood tall in between the cell doors. He held a rusty old sword with undeniable difficulty. His vestments were torn, a number or two larger than the ideal, and held loose against his malnourished body. His prominent cheekbones and lean forearms showed he had little to eat for days. His red and weary eyes widened over his darkened eye bags and his breath fastened, forcing the air in and out. I reached for the grip of my sword. He looked at me, motionless as a statue, as I unsheathed my blade. His mouth trembled and his eyes filled from within, turning smaller and smaller with every breath. His sight moved away from me and stopped starring through the thick air that separated us, and into the cold ground, as if his sight could no longer deduct what was right in front of him, lost in his own thoughts. It seemed as if his soul had flown away from his body. Somehow, he seemed even smaller and weaker. He’s just a frightened boy. The dead silence of the room was broken when his sword fell from his hand and hit the stoned floor, emitting a loud clanging sound. He kneeled, put his hand over his face and sobbed, while struggling to contain his tears from falling. From a pitch-black shadow, two silhouettes, each in its own cell, approached the bars and into the light. Two cavernous men arose from the dark. Their arms stretched away from the black and materialized from between the iron bars, as if coming out of a painting, and I felt their invisible eyes still covered in the shadows, staring at me. I shook and took a step back. The cell doors opened in a shrieking sound. The two men walked away from their cells, looked at each other for a moment and headed to the stairs leading to the armory. As they walked me by, the prisoner with black hair and a ponytail stopped and stared at the young soldier kneeling in the dark. He then looked at me and touched my shoulder, noticing I still had my sword in hand. - You will take care of him, right? It hit me. I could not give him a straight answer. Before I could say anything, he left behind his companion through the spiraling stairs. Kill him? I turned to the boy and tightened my fingers around the grip of my sword, trying to contain my arms from trembling. I felt drops of sweat dripping down my forehead. His head sank between his legs. Below him was a small pool of water, which I could not and would not describe if it was tears or his own piss. I felt weak, as if something was pulling me to the ground. The sound of metal scratching against stone echoed through the room as I walked to him, dragging my blade beside me, feeling its burdensome weight, perhaps for the first time. - Get up – I said in a feeble voice. He did not. If anything, he clinched even more. I then, grabbed the bunch of keys and open the cell door behind him. - Get in. I will not ask again. He turned himself facing down and crawled inside the cell. He took a deep and long breath, as if he realized it would be his last, and stood up, facing the dark stone wall in the back of the room. His knees stiffened and his back straightened, when he held the air inside his lungs. The sound of metal echoed again through the emptied dungeons as the door to the cell closed. I turned the keys, locking the boy inside that cold and wet cell. Moving away from the bars, the weeping, the darkness of that damp dungeon, I couldn’t help but wonder if by leaving, was I keeping that boy's life or making his death more long-lasting and painful. I tossed the keys aside. ___________________ Louis of Nutwood Chapter 09. The Keeper

Hahah. Very fun little scene. Great tree and the base fits soo nice! Cheers!

Impressively beautiful scene! So many colors! The green transition in the trees, the blue lagoon, and the golden tower mix perfectly with the sandy-tan terrain and constructions. The base surrounding the MOC is outstanding! Very mid-eastern. And the filled markets are very inviting! The harsh winds in the north don't ever let us cultivate this many fruits and spices. All tied up in an excellent story tale. Great build, mate!

Nice! Great build, with a beautiful touch of Kali. There's a lot going on, which is great for a market-commerce place venue. The stalls are terrific! And so is the main tower and the huge wall protecting the market. Beautiful and very inspiring build. Keep it up!

Gods be good! Lady Aurore, you never cease to impress me. That's an outstanding little abode! The roof with leveling is amazing, the rockwork and woodwork are solid. Great addition of colors, with purple and yellow in a good amount., breaking the sand green. Always love to see the goat. And that water flow is mind-blowing. Everything put together in a compelling story. Spectacular and lovely MOC, fellow builder. Congrats!

Ooooh, the cold winds are blowing, and with them, comes the glory of the North! It warms my savage heart to see a bunch of extremely creative and inspiring entries for this challenge. To that, I say "well fought, fellow wanderers", as I can't wait to see what the next challenge should bring upon us. I'm proud to see Mitgardia in such high standards! And even more, to see my village, Valnötsträd depicted in the rankings. I see our premium ale being even more requested, for now on. What a rush, what a victory! Skol!

What a pleasure to read your commentary, Dear Count Ayrlego! Coming from such a skillful builder, it makes me even prouder of this MOC. Thanks for mentioning the tree, as it is one of the parts I like the most of the whole thing. But also, consider yourself being an inspiration for tree building (I'm thinking of your recent mainly yellow build), as they are always stunning. If you ever adventure yourself in coming to the village of Valnötsträd, I'll make sure to pour the finest mead we own. Cheers!

Beautiful way to add color to a not so colorful region of the globe. The snow is great, and I like the fact that your trees are distinct from each other. The pathway is perfectly balanced transitioning from dark tan, to light tan (with a couple acqua) and finally the white snow. It's awesome to see the tauntauns (or Naioths) wandering around, and the elves clan is beautifully depicted in this build. Plus, great to see the Stranger Things leaves being put to use in Mitgardia, already. Only thing I would do different is the full black background, maybe to something more grey-ish. But I totally understand the choice when the borders are mainly white. Awesome build, milord.

The thing that impressed me the most is how fast you come up with new MOCs, fellow wanderer. I really like these ruins! The fact that are bits (literally) almost falling is amazing! It feels like being in a swamp. I really like the green pond. Great MOC, once more, Eoin! For Valholl!

Fellow Mitgardian Wallace. Excellent build, with beautiful lightning. A great example that a full castle-village scene doesn’t need grey/bley bricks. Nice addition of the background, man. And your snow is improving! Also, great use of wood. Congrats on the cool MOC.

Beautiful build with excellent use of color. The cyclop’s huts are incredible! Amazing design. Must have been a trouble to keep those roofs together. Te tower is excellent as well. Great addition on the upper wooden section. And the trees are awesome! Congrats on the cool build.

Lord Luke, what a pleasure to read your thoughtful commentary. Thank you for the kind words. Know you are welcome to pass by the village of Valnötsträd and prove our premium ale. Building snow has been a challenge I’m facing for some time, now. But our fellow castle-builders here in GoH were kind enough to give me a lot of welcomed tips (which is basically buying huge amounts of white curved slopes). As for the path, I can understand how the pattern I used can feel a bit too overwhelming. As I’m currently working on the village’s expansion, I’ll rework the pebble/cobblestone paths, reducing the use of color and rearranging the studs in a more organized way (I have this bunch of studs that need to be put to use). Hopefully it will look better. Any suggestion on how to organize it? Cheers! Thank you, fellow wanderer. Building snow can be a true challenge. But it’s really a matter of having enough white curved slopes and a lot of trial-error initiative. I’m glad you liked it, though. For the guild!

Thank you for the kind words, my good lord SK. As our weather can be mischievous sometimes, warm feather beds and wood for the fireplaces are necessary for the whole of our days, right? I'm happy you liked, and happy the architecture is fitting. Yes! I tried implementing the recent suggestions, and surely the result pays off. Thanks again for all the help! I didn't add the new photos to the thread since this is part of an ongoing challenge. Once it is done, I'll make sure to reedit the post with the nicer looking pictures. Glad you liked, SK. I'm currently working on the village's expansion, and thought of rearranging the cobblestones to a more organized (and cleaner) manner, but still using a whole bunch of studs. Any suggestions on this topic? Cheers!

Hey, nice job! I really like it. Despite being a small build, you managed to pack it with a bunch of little details. The uneven floor is beautiful. The furniture is cleverly made - specially the hanging clothes, and the decor is exquisite. I like the portrait, the scissors and the reels on the floor are perfect. Beautiful job, and great little story. Hope to hear more of Luke's path. Cheers!

Oooh, my! Look how many cheese chunks! Outstanding build, mate. Nice flooring texture, the roofing is beautiful, great addition of foliage all around the construction. The main tower is spectacular. The architectural choices as very fantasy-like, and I like the color scheme. Plus, having interiors is fantastic. But I got to say that the cheese chunks are surely my favorite part. Great job, fellow Citizen.

This looks great, man! I like the use of the golden teeth, as they add a great amount of texture and detail. The little theater is also spectacular! Awesome work. Very entertaining.

Thank you, sir! I'm happy you liked it. Thanks, Lord Rogue! I'm very happy you enjoyed it, as I'm also really satisfied with the way it turned out. I'm enjoying adding chunks of snow into my builds, and those white teeth do the trick. We know Mitgardia can be chilly throughout the year, right? I don't remember using the wand, though :P - in which part have you seen it? Whenever I can, I'll make sure to share the next bits and chapters of Louis of Valnötsträd's story. Thanks again! Cheers.

This is beautiful, Lady Aurore! Very impressive for your first MOC, and certainly a great addition so we can get to know the meadows near your village. Lovely story, and excellent pictures! The stone is awesome. I like how there are drops of glowing liquid coming out of it, to finally form the 'unseen deer'. Your trees are very well done and the use of colors is great! Keep it up! Can't wait to see more of Horgaard and its lands. Cheers!

Still wondering what's inside this beautiful trophy... It's impressive how all regions are so well depicted in such small space. The title of "Book III" written on the side is amazing, and the banners are a perfect fit. I reckon all the lords are yet to deliberate the winners, right?

Man, I keep coming back to admire this build. To me, it’s stunning! The boat is incredibly clever. In the islands, the mixture of natural elements (the path in dark tan and rockwork in dark bley) is absolutely perfect. Plus, the addition of the wooden boards is so smooth! The angles on the ruins are great looking too. Finally, the divided black bases are very unique, as well. Amazing build, man. Cheers!

It looks amazing! I love the color scheme. There’s a lot of tan, but you managed to make the MOC colorful with those tiny details - basket, flags, Minifig, roofing, glass window. Brilliant use of color. I really like the tan owls completing the angles of the main tower, too. Only thing I would add is a bit more texture to the brown roof. Still, outstanding build, mate.