Lalande

Shamhash of the Orcs of Nocturnus would be delighted to trade some potions, if your human farmers come unarmed, carrying fresh vegetables and any luxury foods of your choice. Sounds delicious!

Shamhash the female shaman, carries the sacred obsidian dagger that she swallows in her ritual dances. It is told, that in these rituals, after swallowing the dagger she spits fire like a wingless dragon. Shamhash performs her magic deep within the caves of Rakath. According to legend, obsidian, the sacred material of the orcs, becomes charged with the manna of the goddess of the orcs only after a sacred blessing by Shamhash. When Shamhash ventures above ground, always at night, she is accompanied by her body guards, the Mesheddi. The Mesheddi proudly carry the iron weapons made by dwarves from iron mined by orcs. Itszli, Shamhash’s hunchbacked son, displays the flag that is colored with yellow and red ochre, also mined by these orcs. The orcs are a cantankerous and individualistic group, but under the leadership of Ssilyrrlith, who recognized their loyalty if given independence, they have become freeminers with their own gales. As long as they provide Nocturnus with the precious iron ore and ochre powder from the caves, they are allowed their freedom, and nobody asks questions about the ancient rituals that occur deep within the caves, or the human bones that they drag and flaunt as decorations. Ssilyrrlith knows that these orcs are mighty and ferocious in hand to hand combat, and are especially useful for any campaign that involves siege or earthworks. Some of the races look down upon orcs as smelly and stupid, but Ssilyrrlith has recognized them for their practical problem solving skills and willingness to forge on in dark and deplorable circumstances. His willingness to recognize their strengths and support their independence binds them to the cause of Noctornus. The support of Shamhash is invaluable because the orcs believe in her powers. (Besides, who knows, maybe she can work some powerful magic!)

Hi everybody! This looks great...I'll do the Tinker's Shop!

Thanks for your encouraging words! This one was a lot of fun to make so I think I'll be making more. I think I might try acrylic paints instead of watercolor so that the colors will come out more even.

Here is my latest creation which was inspired by Brickarm's rapier and of course the famous play by Rostand...and the days of dueling: I thought this character would be especially fun since ANY nose on a lego character looks too big, so it made it easy to make his nose seem giant. Here are the decals, I can't design mine on the computer like thrash does, so I just draw and paint them. The hair and nose are made with sculpey. If you all like this then I might try to make more characters with panache!

Great Job Pedro and Waterbrick Down! I really like the way you used the historical information when making your MOC Pedro! Waterbrick Down, My favorite part of your MOC is the actor practicing his lines, but the whole thing is excellent! Go Alpha!

la land As in Lalande 21185 (whose planets are most likely to have life). Sometimes mispronounced as La La Land

I finally finished my contest entry. Here is my Hatter's Shop! A lady shopper is examining the red hennin to decide if she wants to buy it. This next picture shows the half-timbering on the side of the shop, and the thatched roof. Look at all the hats for sale! Here is a close up of the overly excited man selling hats, and the hat rack. There are lady's hennins, and men's liripipes, hoods, turbans and other hats with plenty of feathers. What's that man doing up above? Here's a top view. From bottom left clockwise: The hatseller, a man's feathered hat, a floral chaplet partially completed on the shelf, scissors, a barrel of feathers, a man on a ladder dying a hat blue, a boy on a ladder dying some felt for a yellow hat, a jester's liripipe on the shelf, a man hammering some lapis lazuli to make more blue dye (partially hidden), and the hat rack. The fumes from the mordanting agents in the dye must be pretty strong... Who is that man hanging from the rafters?? Looks like he's mad as a hatter. Oh, wait, he IS the hatter... Hope you enjoy my entry!

I finally finished my contest entry. Here is my Hatter's Shop! A lady shopper is examining the red hennin to decide if she wants to buy it. This next picture shows the half-timbering on the side of the shop, and the thatched roof. Look at all the hats for sale! Here is a close up of the overly excited man selling hats, and the hat rack. There are lady's hennins, and men's liripipes, hoods, turbans and other hats with plenty of feathers. What's that man doing up above? Here's a top view. From bottom left clockwise: The hatseller, a man's feathered hat, a floral chaplet partially completed on the shelf, scissors, a barrel of feathers, a man on a ladder dying a hat blue, a boy on a ladder dying some felt for a yellow hat, a jester's liripipe on the shelf, a man hammering some lapis lazuli to make more blue dye (partially hidden), and the hat rack. The fumes from the mordanting agents in the dye must be pretty strong... Who is that man hanging from the rafters?? Looks like he's mad as a hatter. Oh, wait, he IS the hatter... Hope you enjoy my entry!

Your Dyer MOC is brilliant, Waterbrick Down! I had thought about doing this module myself, but I'm glad you did it instead, as you have done such a fabulous job! I love the way the men are stirring the dye, the dyed shirts hanging to dry and the run-off stream going by... This is a module after my own heart, since it reflects crafts of the era so well. Keep it up! By the way, I see why you wish he were on Beta, Thrash, since with his help Alpha is going to crush Beta! Go Alpha!

I love your vegetable garden Waterbrick Down! I especially like the stocks, the plum tree and the way you did the vegetables (are there some carrots growing there too?) Keep up the great work. I'm so glad you joined Alpha!

Hurray! I can't wait to see it! Go Alpha!

Erdbeereis, I really like all the details in your kitchen. I agree that the way the stew is boiling in the water looks perfect, and I really like the way that you used both square and long smooth pieces to tile the floor, making a nice pattern. My favorite part is the chicken about to be prepared. Now maybe the chef could make a pie with blackbirds baked into it??? Jerry Man, good job on both modules! My favorite is the siege too, with all the action. However with the cooper I especially like the way he is fitting the metal on the barrel. Go Alpha!

Phew! You had me worried there... but no worries, just a simple mistake... (if I'm not mistaken Dark Agent has posted his pictures in Alpha before...and he claims to be a Beta)

Erd - say it isn't so! Alpha needs you!!!! We need your kitchen! Don't go!!!!!!

Here is my first try at keep modules: a guest chamber and I put the Queen's Lying-In Chamber next door (not the same as her regular chamber on the third floor). By the way, the Queen is expecting...and the king is hoping for an heir! For more pictures go to the Alpha Thread, here. Hope you like it!

I really like all the new additions being posted, (even if some of them are Betas): ISC - I love the large treehouse. I think it's a nice creative addition inside our castle walls...after all we need some greenery in town! The Butcher is also great, especially the way you have the meat hanging in the back and the woman upstairs cleaning the floor. I bet it was really smelly in general to live in a walled town in the middle ages, but especially near the butcher, the fishmonger and the dyers. Dark Agent - Wonderful knights quarters. I like all the details like the designs in the tiled floor, the bowl of water, the shelves etc. But, I especially like the way the guy sleeping looks so content... Great stairwell too, I like the details with the busy servants. And it's great to see the keep modules put together like that. Just like everybody else, I wish we could see the whole castle together!

Great Dwarf Embassy Waterbrick Down! I especially like those nice looking lamps in the front, the mining cart and the ale barrel... Go Alpha! Presenting the Queen's Lying-In Chamber and the Guest Chamber next door... First, the Guest Chamber where a visiting knight (?) and his lady are staying with their tiny infant boy. And here is the Queen in her Lying-In Chamber - assisted by an experienced midwife, the midwife's assistant (holding the wine), the King's sister (with the stump of a candle), and her maidservant (with the mug of hot herbal brew, the midwife has concocted). Will there finally be an heir to throne? The Queen grips an emerald for luck! Things are not going well, more than 20 contractions and still no baby. The drawers in the furniture are opened. The midwife turns to the maidservant "Quickly, give me that tea..." but in their hurry the mug drops to the floor and shatters. Now the midwife addresses the King's sister, "Madame, I need more light to work by, please make haste to bring me more candles, while this maidservant cleans up this mess. There's no time to lose! The Queen needs a ruby to grip as well." Though not used to taking orders, the king's sister dutifully hurries from the room. Meanwhile, next door, the man has lifted the wall tapestry, while the lady has slid a shelf to the side, and what is going on?!? Waaaa! The wail of a baby...success at last... the midwife holds the newborn and cuts the umbilical cord. But is the child sick? If I didn't know better I'd say that he looks a little, well, green. Those trolls pop up everywhere! What treachery is this? The switch is complete...but does the queen know? (What exactly was in that brew, anyway?) The stones have been put back in place. Not a moment too soon! The king's sister is back with a new candle and mug, and a noblewoman carrying a ruby. Just in time to greet the "new heir"! The midwife will wash him with wine in the basin in the corner. But who is this baby boy anyway? A mysterious knight rides away in the darkness. And the plan has succeeded. The wolfpack has placed a child upon the throne. But, what will become of the Queen's child? Was she in on this plot? and how many more conspired...? Here are the characters: The Queen, the "heir" and the medieval birthing stool A noblewoman, the king's sister, the queen's maidservant, the midwife and her assistant The rebellious Wolfpack plotters: a mysterious knight, and the "knight and his "lady". Now where have I seen that wolfpack man in his armor before??? I'm not sure you can tell from the pictures, but there are two sliding shelves in the guest room. One slides to keep the stones in the wall in place, and the other shelf under the windows slides behind the bed so the windows can be opened into the room. Hope you enjoy it!

Wow! Everyone is really making amazing additions to the castle!!!! Wait...what's this? It looks like Stol's stonemason and LasseD's carpenter are in a high stakes poker game with a knight...or are they? Could there be more than meets the eye here? And where are they? That doesn't look like any place that's been posted yet! Stay tuned to find out....

Great Armory JimButcher, thanks for keeping us in the race! I love those mannequins. Now I can't wait to see Waterbrick Downs' embassy.! Go Alpha!

Go ahead and laugh Beta - I seem to remember an Aesop's fable about a race that involved a quick and gloating hare... In addition, remember, "He who laughs last, laughs best!" Alpha will prevail! P.S. Welcome Waterbrick Down!

That's great that there will be a contest! But wait - I looked over the team Alpha list and from what I can tell Pickerel is working on a scientist lab, torture chamber, and secondary gate house ; Wouwie is doing a kitchen or docks ; Adam is busy working on a wizard tower and back gate house ; Quarryman a mad scientist/alchemist ; Pedro is almost done with his money changer/bank ; Castlestrike666 and Erdbeereis1 are each in the middle of making a kitchen ; and Dan Church, Agersborg and Legoking are probably working on something, too! Our leader, Dragonator has the front gatehouse almost done... I also have a guest chamber almost done...but how much time do we have before the contest?? Go Team Alpha!

Fabulous Dwarf Embassy, ISC! Very creative the way you put it into a mountainside coming into the castle...

Nice try 3dBrickthing but unfortunately for Team Beta the names Alpha and Beta speak for themselves. Alpha means first in order of importance and Beta means second best!

Thanks, Thrash put my pix up on brickshelf for me, but then he went back to school, so that is why it took me longer to get around to posting the pix here myself. Thrash just does everything a lot faster than me...for instance it takes me forever to build my MOCs but he just keeps churning his out at the speed of lightning