JimBee

"I'm sure the emperor would be willing to help out those in need. Especially if he doesn't know. " "Eh? Where am I?" the man saw Nerwen standing over him, blessing him. "Damn you, elf! I was just havin' a nice rest 'til you came along. An' I've had enough already this week. Get out of here before you'll regret it! Go!" The man gestures angrily at the party, who scramble to leave before a conflict can arise. The party returned to the market, where Emeraldo was already waiting for them with the horse-drawn carriages. "Good to see you again, heroes, I hope all went well. Now if you're ready, we will be heading to our next destination shortly. We're heading to a royal fort, known as Fort Drakon, to transport some weaponry to our front lines. The fort is well within our borders, and we do not expect an attack there, so the weapons are better suited to reinforce our fronts. Ah, here are the workers now." A line of burly dock workers and pack mules headed towards the caravan, and began packing the medical supplies into carts as directed by Emeraldo's troops. "We will be leaving shortly, so make any preparations before we depart."

Nice ones Oky. I really liked that .GIF a few pages back. I have to ask though, why do Deadpool's speech bubbles have to be yellow?

Most impressive... you've done an excellent job with the little details, such as the floor SNOT (which matches what I remember from the scenes really well), and the blinds and cushions in Yoda's quarters. I also really like the striking red and dark brown used for the Chancellor's office, very accurate to the film.

"No, in fact I just unloaded these boxes a few hours ago." "Actually we'll just have them transported to the carriages. We wouldn't expect you to carry all these crates and fight at the same time!" Oh. Russel steps over to the crates and lifts the lid from one of them. Inside potions, remedies, bandages, and other medical supplies can be seen. "Yup, these look good. I guess it's a good thing for caution, though. If you're all ready to go, we can pack up and head to our next destination before midday, after meeting his highness back at the market district."

Yes. Would you expect the chrome gold C-3PO, which came for free in 10,000 sets in North America a few years ago, to require you to paint the gold on yourself, or just be pearl gold? Promotional items are supposed to be valuable, and it's these sort of things that make them special. No I did not. I imagine the line was a lot shorter, but I didn't really care for them in the first place. Maybe we saw each other there without realizing it...

Congrats, you two, I'm sure you'll both do a fine job at keeping the boards tidy.

Not sure, either from an Atlantis or Pirates set. Sorry.

The man takes the letters, opens and reads them. "...Alright, these have the signature and seal of the Emperor, so you're good to take these medical supplies. Good luck. Oh, and uh, my friend here, his wife left him, he got in a fight a few days ago, and he's been drunk for the past week. Please, he just needs some time, and his job is all he has... so please don't call the authorities..." The man looks nervously at Russel while the shirtless man begins to sing to himself, off-key.

Thanks everyone. Don't let me stop you - we do allow more than one review of the same set here. But of course it's up to you. I didn't, but I saw it while waiting in line and on my way out. Wish I would've stopped by, though, would've been cool to meet you! Ah, yes you're right. Thank you! They said that but I had to be at least the 500th person in line, and they still had plenty when I checked out. I could be wrong, but they had to have more I think. I just tried that out on mine, and yeah it would make sense if this was in original design. The PaB wall does look good like that. Agreed, I imagine the hype over them will die down at least a little after more stores are opened. Still, as with any collector's item the price will soar after as time goes on.

With 12 new LEGO stores opening in North America this year, one happened to be in my hometown of Wauwatosa, WI. The news was very exciting since it would be the first LEGO store in Wisconsin, and the closest store was in Schaumburg, Illinois. For the store grand openings, this set was one of the giveaways for spending $35 or more. My time there was quite the experience. I had to wait in a line of 2,000 or so people, which stretched the length of the mall the store is in and then some. Kids and AFOLs alike lined up starting at four in the morning to get their hands on this promotional set, and luckily, after a two-hour wait, my 10 AM arrival was awarded with this very rare set. Set: 3300003 LEGO Store Promotional Set Number of Pieces: 280 Number of Minifigures: 0 Price: Free with $35 purchase Theme: Promotional Bricklink Catalog Flickr Box: The box is simply designed and much smaller than I originally thought (about the size of a 20 USD set). The minimalist black design reminds me of the Architecture series box designs, which is a good thing in my opinion. I almost don't want to open the box, because of its potential value. I see a few people who were at the event in Wisconsin are already selling them for insane prices. The back of the box shows a few of the interior details of the store. There's a kind of artsy photograph of the set serving as the backdrop here. You might also notice that the box is opened by popping in a punch hole rather than by tearing the flaps. A welcome addition, I think; I will probably keep the box because it opened so well. The top and bottom of the box just show some details on copyrights and where the various components of the complete set where made. The left and right sides of the box show the set from different angles, and also feature more Lego store silhouettes. Nothing much to see here, but extra details probably aren't necessary for such a small and irregular set. Contents: Pouring out the contents, we have four baggies of pieces, an instruction booklet, and yes, a Dreaded Sticker Sheet. Luckily it's only one sticker, but I would think to increase the value (and uniqueness) of this promo set the designers could have printed it on. I would like to note that the bags were packed pretty snugly within the box when I opened it, so that the instruction booklet lay flat inside and was not bent at all. In addition, none of the pieces were scratched or otherwise damaged, so I think that TLG should start packing all sets like this to save on money as well as cut down on paper production. The instruction booklet, like the box, is also very simple. Featuring a calm, blue background and piece call-outs for each step, the building process is fairly straightforward. There aren't many pieces of similar color in the set, so there isn't really any issue when it comes to using the right parts according to the manual. Before we start the build, I would like to point out some parts that caught my eye. Firstly, there are a lot of different trans-clear element included, which can always be useful. This set contains three-brick high windows, 2x2 round bricks, 1x1 bricks, headlight bricks, and the new 1x1 round plates all in trans-clear. We also have smokey cheese, 2x2 yellow plates with center studs, and an interesting 1x4 black tile with a stud on either end. I'm not sure how new that last element is, but I'm sure it could be a great substitute for using both plates and tiles. Build: Starting right away with the build, we start be laying the foundations of the mini-scale building. At this point the placement of parts may seem a bit random, but it will all make sense shortly. You can see that the base makes use of a lot of tiles, for a smooth surface. Studs are only present when there's a need to attach something, and that's something I really like. Now we build up the walls a little bit and add some interior details. In the front of the store there is a trans-clear 1x1 brick representing a glass case containing a displayed set (in my store it was the mini-modulars). The stacked 1x2 red plates are the giant classic 2x4 red brick frequently seen in Lego stores. We've also added the checkout counter complete with a black cheese slope as a cash register and another glass case, I assume. Note the studs attached to bricks with studs on the side on the back wall. This is a colorful and clever design for the famous pick-a-brick wall. Next we finish building up the side and rear walls as well as complete the four rows of pick-a-brick containers. Together the studs make a rainbow of colors, and I am instantly reminded of that awesome feeling you get when you fill a cup up to the brim with bricks for the next big MOC project. This next part is really cool. Two identical "shelves" are built to line the side walls of the store. The multi-colored bricks represent various set boxes, and the white 1x1 bricks on the side are the posts. The trans-clear 1x1 is another glass display case, and - this is my favorite part - the 1x2 bricks with Technic pin holes are the little round display windows that show some MOCs that decorate the store. I thought this piece usage was really cool, and although simple, I would've never thought of adding this detail. Here's what I'm talking about: Kudos to the designer for adding this small but much appreciated detail. Here's the store with the shelves added. Also notice the two micro sets displayed in the very front. I assume the left one, in blue and grey, is the giant Super Star Destroyer (let me tell you that thing is impressive ). And then on the right I think the house-shaped thing is supposed to be a modular building. Both are really neat details. Now we start building up the front windows. The black and clear parts go well together, and this is where the trans-clear headlight bricks come into play. They are used to attach the "door handles", which work really well for creating an all-glass door. I will surely be using these special pieces for that technique in the future. On another note, building the stacks of black 1x1 bricks is a little repetitive and annoying to get them to line up correctly, but this doesn't really take away from the overall experience too much. Building up the rest of the front wall. The trans-clear 3-high window pieces look really nice here and allow a good view to the inside. Also, the Lego sign is added, which I have a few gripes about. Firstly, the sign should be all red (so using red pieces instead of white). Also, it's a shame that the logo is a sticker and not printed on to the tile. Like I said earlier, it would really make this exclusive set exceptional, not only for the value but also not having to deal with the annoyance of applying the sticker (my hands are not steady at all so it's a miracle that I got it on at least partially straight and center). Next we top the walls off with plain tiles and the new tiles with studs. These will help keep the roof on but also make it easy to remove. This is not a new technique on TLG's part, but the parts that do it are. The piece is certainly easier to use than 2 1x1 plates and a 1x2 tile that it replaces. Also notice the little green cones that represent trees on the outside. I'm pretty sure my store inside the mall didn't have these, but they're still nice details that fill out the outside. Finally the roof is built. In the center are six yellow 2x2 tiles with center studs, capped off by the new trans-clear 1x1 round tiles. This little design symbolizes stud shapes, which is a cool little detail that is certainly better than a plain roof. And I can only begin to image the usefulness of the 1x1 round tile. Not to be forgotten, the underside of the roof features some pieces that make up a light fixture for the inside of the store. Again, it's these little details that really make mini designs like this. Complete Set: The complete set. Overall, it is instantly recognizable. The design is smooth and sturdy (so no worries about kids breaking it unless it's dropped on the floor, and even then I think it would hold up pretty well). Although the whole thing is rather small, it is also impressive and makes a great display piece or paperweight. A front view. This scene should be familiar to any FOL who's had the chance to visit a Lego brand store. And an angle on the back. Not much to see here, though what could there possibly be? I think I would prefer it to be plain than if they added some sort of design, such as stickers or even a mosaic. The roof can be attached and removed from the walls really easily, as mentioned before. It's fun to do and allows one to peer inside: Extra Pieces: The extra parts in this set were quite generously given. A lot of 1x1 round plates and even a 1x1 round tile are left over. One thing I don't get is why another 1x6 white plate was included. The parts inventory says that there is eight included in the set, but this one makes nine. Strange, but okay. Final Ratings: Build/Design: 10/10: I thought that the design was very clever with all of the little details representing different things inside a LEGO store at a miniature scale. The pick-a-brick wall, round display windows, and details on the roof were all great. Playability: N/A: As a collector's item and a promotional set, this category isn't really applicable here. It's more of a display item than anything if you're like me and actually open the set rather than sell it for profit. Minifigures: N/A Parts: 9/10: This set definitely contains some unique and useful parts. The trans-clear headlight bricks and 1x1 round tiles are pieces that I've never seen before, and they certainly add to the value of the set. My only gripe is that the logo sign was a sticker and not a printed tile. Price: 5/5: This set comes free with a $35 purchase, so it's a really excellent deal. I suppose if you consider the time cost a factor (waiting in line for two hours), you could say it costs a lot. But I don't really mind that, because I feel privileged to own such a neat set and it was well worth the wait. Final Score: 24/25: An excellent rating. This set is exclusive and is well-designed to boot, and I'm really glad to have it. I was also shocked to see so many Fans of Lego in my area, young and old alike. It is pretty much unheard of to have lines longer than a few hundred people in the small city of Wauwatosa and even in Milwaukee, but thousands of people from all over Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Canada came to this event. That really goes to show the popularity of our favorite little bricks, and also rejects the general notion of people unfamiliar with Lego that "they're just for little kids". Overall, I highly recommend this set to anyone having a store opening near them this year. It's a cool thing to have, and it's also very valuable if that's your thing. Get there early, because there's a limited amount of these. I don't know if buying one of these for over 200 USD is worth it to someone who's not a die-hard collector, but I guess that's really up to you. And of course there won't be that satisfaction after you waited two hours in line to get it, but that's just me. A minifgure peers inside, wondering when his local store will open its doors. Too bad he's too big to fit inside...

Happy birthday, Shadows!

Hybros was dozing at a table when he noticed a woman dressed in green enter. He had never seen her before. She was carrying a basket with... with something moving! What could this creature be? Curious, Hybros snuck up behind the woman standing at the balcony, and peered into the basket. He gasped in horror at what it was and stumbled backwards. Bundled inside was little pile of pink flesh, looking up and writhing, biting its own stubby fingers with its toothless mouth. "Disgusting," he thought. He had known about human offspring for a long time, but had never actually seen one before. Now he wished he hadn't. "Viviparous... nasty... disgusting creatures..." Hybros had gotten used to human appearance and behavior since his arrival on the surface some 50 years ago, but never, he thought, never would he get used to the fact that they gave live birth. And to think - that little disgusting creature had come from this woman. And a heroine at that! Heroica was no place for a woman with an offspring... At any rate, he hoped that the woman wouldn't notice his repulsed glare and the fact that he had actually touched it.

The man with the tunic seemed to be moving cargo, while the other was drinking from a bottle. The man in the tunic seemed to take charge. "Good morning. This is important cargo here, just arrived this morning. For the emperor himself. I'll need to see some papers if you're going to take this. And please excuse my colleague here, please don't tell our boss. He's having a rough week." "Eh?" Russel turns to Sarick. "These are everyday dock workers. They handle the cargo. We're stretched thin as far as manpower because of the conflict with the Rogue Lion Knights, but there are usually guards patrolling the dock areas so that no one steals anything."

QM Note: No problem Fugazi, have fun at the event. Russel leads the party to the docks, where he locates the area where the medical supplies were supposed to be. The party is greeted by the glimmering waters of Lake Glaz, and two men "working". What will the party do?

Happy Birthday iamded!

"Hmm, let's see. Here's an entry about this chimera." "Other'an that, I don't think this man knew too much in the grand scheme a' things. *hic*"

Hybros entered the training room for the first time. He felt he was ready to expand his skill set and learn the ways of a more powerful servant or Heroica. The Copper Fox was waiting for him. He listened as the Veteran explained the skills that the imp could learn. After he was finished, Hybros considered for a moment. Learning the ways of a sorcerer could lend him the ability to control the power that lay hidden in his garnet and emerald, just as his ancestors did so many eons ago. But something inside was telling him that he wasn’t ready, not yet. He needed more time to explore the full potential of himself and the world around him before he could control them. In the meantime, he had to continue his journeys in Heroica. And he wasn’t going to let anything stop him. He had the Copper Fox teach him the skills of an Assassin, so that he may dispatch his enemies quickly. The Fox taught him how to kill in a single strike, and to take better aim at his opponents. Hybros also practiced his rogue skills, so that he may flee when the battle looks grim, and that he may stealthily take the stolen gold of criminals. After hours of vigorous training, Hybros finally felt ready. The Copper Fox bestowed the title of Assassin on him, and he departed. In the streets of Eubric, he wandered. He came across a clothing vendor, and decided it might be time for new garb. His old tunic had holes and burn marks in it, and he would need something more subtle if he really was an Assassin. He entered, and left wearing a ragged black cloak with an emerald sash running around his waist. The vendor didn’t have much in Hybros’s size, so she had to cut up some old scraps to fit the imp. Feeling much more capable of completing his goals, Hybros returned to the Hall once more. Hybros: Level 18 Assassin 50 year old male imp Power: 30 (26 for throwing weapons, except 23 for Shuriken of Mercutio) Health: 32/32 Gold: 883 Inventory: Zoot's Reaper (WP:12, Earth), Shuriken of Mercutio (WP:5, retrievable), 2 Throwing Knives (WP:8, retrievable), Banana Bladerang (WP:8, damage all, retrievable), Ancient Throwing Dagger (WP: 8, retrievable), Helmet (Max HP +1), Cat Statuette (Max HP +1), 10 Grand Potions, 10 Potions, 5 Remedies, 2 Phoenix Essences, 2 Smoke Bombs, 3 Holy Bombs, Nostrum, Mead, Smelling Salts, Deadly Venom, Bone, Bedroll, Skeleton Decoy, Shovel, Emerald

"In the mountains somewhere. Where exactly I do not know." "I'm sorry, there doesn't seem to be anything else. Just some scribblin's of chimeras and ceremonies, no hints about other locations. And it sounds to me like these friends a' yours just used this Dmitri fellow, for his criminal skills and ability to uh, remain undetected." James downed the rest of his ale and belched loudly.

I've presented everything I know. Whether or not that makes a "case" is insignificant at this point. I am suspicious of you because of your actions, and both Shanalon and Meahon were, too. I never claimed to have any solid evidence on you. There was no investigation on you, unless Shanalon did before she was killed last night. We do not have the luxury of having everything be so easy like it was on Day 2. Nothing is cut and dry in this game... of life and I would expect you to realize that. No, there is no "case" against you. For the last time, these are suspicions, based on the behaviors and conversations of yourself and others. I refuse to reiterate this point again. Everyone, it is your decision to take action. I am just trying to do something that could be productive, rather than do nothing. And if you choose to do nothing, than it is your fault if the Assassins overcome us. When did I say that I was in contact with Meahon privately? I received all of this information from Shanalon and her interactions with you and him, as well as actions in public. And what would you like to prove your guilt, an investigation result? Oh wait, Shanalon was killed before she could give that result. I am quite aware of the risk I am taking, thank you. I've already mentioned our options, and I am taking the better of the two. Might I add that you have not suggested an alternative that would benefit us more than lynching you would. Not lynching you, of course, but that doesn't really tell us anything, does it? We will see, then. Oh, well thank you for the contribution. I applaud you for your hard work for the Royal Court. I am not going to try to convince you further, the information is out for you to see. You can vote and at least try to do some good or you can sit there and do nothing. It's up to you, but I don't want to hear it when it's not your (and anyone else's) fault when they didn't take action. There are three votes currently, and eight people. That is not a majority.

Hybros stepped out to the marketplace. It was time to restock on potions and upgrade his many weapons. He also needed to unload some of the gold that was weighing him down. Starting with 1938 gold, he first visited Portia's Potion Shack. He picked out 6 Grand Potions, 7 Potions, and 2 Remedies. He placed 115 gold on the counter and stuffed the bottles into his sack. Next he headed to Anwyl's. He unsheathed all of his weapons except for the Shuriken of Mercutio and placed them on the table. "I would like this scythe to be upgraded to WP: 12, and the throwing knives, bladerang, and throwing dagger all to WP: 8, please, eheheh." The blacksmith took the weapons, and began work on them. It was a few hours before they were finished, but Hybros didn't mind waiting outside. Zoot's Reaper was sharper than ever, and his throwing weapons had a new sheen to them. Pleased with the results, the imp poured 940 gold onto the counter. Departing with 883 gold, Hybros felt much better equipped and much lighter.

Hybros woke with a start. He was sill in the Hall, sitting at a table with a blanket wrapped around him. He didn't recall taking it, but then again he was in a state that only Boomingham would've been able to match. Or so he thought. "No more mead," he said to himself. At least he was feeling somewhat better. It would be good to get some fresh air, so Hybros decided to leave the hall and take a visit to the marketplace. Still ignoring the questboard, he pushed open the doors to let the burning sun in...

"Yes, very much like yourselves. No, I do not recall anyone of the description, though there was a lot of confusion in the attack yesterday." "I've said all I know about the Rito." QM Note: Just wait and see.

"Then I suppose you missed the incident yesterday. One of Emperor Septrine's subjects visited here, and there were some sort of explosions. A group looking a lot like yourselves was here too, with some rugged looking guy. He was handsome though... Hans I think his name was... oh, um, excuse me. What I meant to say is, be careful. Things are getting rough around here with the Lion Knights and such." "Like Rirk here said, the Rito don't really have contact with the outside world. I know they can fly, but I don't think they're very similar to dragons. And a chimera you say? I'm afraid I don't know what that is, but if you want to know more about the Rito clan you should seek them out. Word is they don't take too kindly to strangers, though." "Certainly, sir, here you are." James takes a large swig from the mug, and takes a look at the documents. The journal that reads "Dmitri" on the inside cover is mostly blank, but it appears to contain recent events, judging from the dates above each entry. "Hmm, now let's see... forgive me, this particular dialect of Basic is very rare to see, and I am not used to reading it. A rough translation:" James stopped reading. "Hm, whatever this is it sounds very creepy. I won't be gettin' into any trouble by tranlatin' it, will I? The rest is very hard to read anyhow, like it was rushed. Something about reviving the chimera, whatever that is, and kidnappin' people. I think you folks need to find a better crowd to hang around if this is your idea of the sort you wanna keep outta trouble with."

Here's what Shandola said: Quotes above, call me a liar if you will. If you have more substantial evidence to share, then I urge you to. Sure enough to risk your life, yes. Or did you have a better idea? Sit around while you and your Assassin buddy pick the rest of us off, yeah? Like I already said, part of the reason for lynching Meahon was to get a more solid idea on your allegiance. Again, I'll take those chances. I am pushing for something - a situation where us royalists will have one less Assassin to deal with. Thank you for pointing that out. I am not presenting any false claims here, just what we have. All of you, the vote is yours to make, just as will be tomorrow. You are free to vote for me tomorrow if I'm wrong, of course. I am just presenting facts here. With that, I will Vote: Polly Altamond (Pandora)

QM Note: Fixed. "Oh well uh, you can just call me James. An ale would be fine." The bartender looks up hopefully. "What can I get you, sir?" Ale – Restores 5 health to target (5 gold) Wine – Restores all negative effects to target (8 gold) Rum – Convinces the target to flee, usable only on certain enemies (15 gold) Mead – Causes encouraged effect on target for one battle (25 gold) Vodka – Unknown effect (50 gold) "Rirk not know much else about Rito. Rito rarely heard from." A woman clad in purple sitting across the table overhears the conversation. "The Rito aren't much for riding dragons since they have wings of their own. Forgive me, the name's Malkyn. How long have you folks been in town? You're not merchants are you?" She noted Cronk's sword sheathed at his side.