robuko

Well, apparently I can't read a calendar. But I do have an entry for the challenge! The pic is the link, I hope you like the story. Thanks to Soccerkid for hosting

It is a terrible time in Historica. Grotesque creatures under the control of Victor Revolword have ransacked the land, leaving misery and devastation in their wake. In these times of formless chaos and terror, the people look to their leading citizens to show them a path to safety and a better tomorrow. Or any tomorrow. Some of the richest citizens of Kaliphlin have gathered to discuss their strategy at the private office of Ephraim Nobel, in Lost Vega. Ephraim opened the conversation, "My friends, these are times of crisis and chaos, and we must look for opportunities to build a better future. This is why I have invited you here today. Each of you has money, power, and the influence in your community to make things happen. I see it like this. Either we will together overcome these seemingly unsurmountable difficulties with our ingenuity, teamwork, and unfailing good cheer. Or we all die. So what I am saying is, there has never been a better time to get very long land. Look, there are a lot of motivated sellers right now. They can't pay the finance costs because the tenants have all fled, they are forced to sell out at pennies in the dollar. When these elementals are dealt with, these are prime sites that will get repopulated and the values will go up a hundred times. And if you're dead, you can't take it with you, so it's a one-way trade. Can't lose. Today I have some very premium areas to show you, no reserve prices, and open auction basis. Kalihpllin, Avalonia, Nocturnus, whatever you like. Lot number one, the (formerly) beautiful mountain village of Snowfell in Mitgardia. With original deeds and grant of title - yes, this one gets you a Dukedom. 1400 acres. Good grazing, forestry, hunting, clean water and plentiful copper ores, good climate for fungi. Huge potential to bring the Dwarves in. All wooden construction, and that was the slight problem when it was razed by the fire elemental. Very motivated seller, vampire financiers, know what I mean. What will you give for this lovely plot? Do I head one thousand crowns? Five hundred?" The select gathering looked at each other in surprise. This was the crisis meeting? Looting the misfortunes of the poor to add to their own considerable fortunes? Mr Slant the Zombie cleared his throat, "I think I speak for us all, Mr Nobel, when I say that capital is tight at the moment and we need to prepare for the expenses of the campaign. The people would see it as a frivolous waste if we were to throw away money on speculation. At that price. I am, however, a generous man, and always keen to help my fellow Historicans in distress. I would be prepared to offer a donation of say one hundred and fifty crowns to ease the woes of the selling party." Daniel Dee conferred briefly with his werewolf bodyguard. Was this a valid use of the funds that Lord Darecold had provided to arm the rebellion? And what would the finance cost be? "Two Hundred!" And so, the rich of the land got down to business. The business of helping themselves. director's notes Not all commerce in Historica is goods and chattels, I wanted to show the valuable role of commercial services in the economy. This build is an adaptation of my Hogwarts build (click the pic to go there).

Thanks Jack, much appreciated. Oh, sweet tag! Thankyou Mods!

BaraSH, I really like what you have done with the portraits. I have finished Dumbledore's office, which is an entry from Gryffindor House. This was quite a challenging build, especially the circular form and squeezing in all the furniture. I hope you enjoy it. ps if anyone would be so kind as to point me to how to link photos to topics, I would be very grateful.

For my Hogwarts Community Build entry, and my 500th post , I present some memorable scenes in Dumbledore's office over the years. I hope I can pick up a few rubies for Gryffindor House! Harry's first visit to Professor Dumbledore's Office takes place in Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets. "Of all the teachers' offices Harry had visited so far this year, Dumbledore's was by far the most interesting. If he hadn't been scared out of his wits that he was about to be thrown out of school, he would have been very pleased to have a chance to look around it. It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby tattered wizard's hat- the sorting hat." "Harry was just thinking that all he needed was for Dumbledore's pet bird to die while he was alone in the office with it, when the bird burst into flames." In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, we see more of Dumbledore's Office when Harry enters the Pensieve to witness Karkaroff's trial. He felt much calmer, somehow, now that he was in Dumbledore's office, knowing he would shortly be telling him about the dream. Harry looked up at the walls behind the desk. The patched and ragged Sorting Hat was standing on a shelf. A glass case next to it held a magnificent silver sword with large rubies set into the hilt, which Harry recognized as the one he himself had pulled out of the Sorting Hat in his second year. The sword had once belonged to Godric Gryffindor, founder of Harry's House. He was gazing at it, remembering how it had come to his aid when he had thought all hope was lost, when he noticed a patch of silvery light, dancing and shimmering on the glass case. He looked around for the source of the light and saw a sliver of silver-white shining brightly from within a black cabinet behind him, whose door had not been closed properly. Harry hesitated, glanced at Fawkes, then got up, walked across the office, and pulled open the cabinet door. A shallow stone basin lay there, with odd carvings around the edge; runes and symbols that Harry did not recognize. The silvery light was coming from the basin’s contents, which were like nothing Harry had ever seen before. He could not tell whether the substance was liquid or gas. It was a bright, whitish silver, and it was moving ceaselessly; the surface of it became ruffled like water beneath wind, and then, like clouds, separated and swirled smoothly. It looked like light made liquid – or like wind made solid – Harry couldn’t make up his mind. And again we visit Dumbledore's Office in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, after Nagini attacks Arthur Weasley . The instrument tinkled into life at once with rhythmic clanking noises. Tiny puffs of pale green smoke issued from the minuscule silver tube at the top. Dumbledore watched the smoke closely, his brow furrowed, and after a few seconds, the tiny puffs became a steady stream of smoke that thickened and coiled in the air.... A serpent's head grew out of the end of it, opening its mouth wide. Harry wondered whether the instrument was confirming his theory: He looked eagerly at Dumbledore for a sign that he was right, but Dumbledore did not look up. 'Naturally, naturally,' murmured Dumbledore apparently to himself, still observing the stream of smoke without the slightest sign of surprise. 'But in essence divided?' Harry could make neither head nor tail of this question. The smoke serpent, however, split itself instantly into two snakes, both coiling and undulating in the dark air. With a look of grim satisfaction Dumbledore gave the instrument another gentle tap with his wand: the clinking noise slowed and died, and the smoke serpents grew faint, became a formless haze, and vanished. And once more before Dumbledore's great escape, after Umbridge and her crew break into the DA meeting. "So, it's news to you, is it," said Fudge, his voice now thick with anger, "that an illegal student organization has been discovered within this school?" "Yes it is" Here is a view of the office from above Thanks for looking, I hope you enjoyed it. C&C always welcome.

Beautiful, Kayne! Even better than the early shots. The round tower is superb, with great doors. I love the whole seaweedy rocky dockyard, with working crane. The posing of the boat and selection of minifigs and expressions is very good. The micro looks great from the intended angle too. The elemental arms are very nicely done but the face is a little hard to see clearly because of all the blue on blue, maybe more trans clear here? I really like the way you finished off the sea, very clean. Great build for Kaliphlin!

KaiNRG, the only pieces you need for any guild are the ones you choose to represent your character's sigfig. Kaliphlin would be honoured to have you as a member

How many ways do I love this build? The tree was the first thing that blew me away, but there is so much more. The window detailing, the curtains and interiors, the hinged wall designs, the sappers concept, the drill, the archery range. So much going on here, and all of it is first class. This is so much better than I expected even from your wip shots. Absolutely brilliant!

Brickscape, I love them all. Great job! Superb integration of City and CMF. Woot for the queen, and pretty please can we have the alien tank next? I don't understand the disappointment over her brain, isn't it a recoloured one? Looks great to me. I think most AC fans here would not mind a slight hiatus if AC comes back again later

Really nice build, with so many fun details! My favourite parts are the swamp and the dragon's cave, but everything here is great, minifigs especially. The modular construction is a very good touch, it is very difficult to photograph a large "closed" scee like this and that's a great solution. We look forward to expanding our trade routes in Racoon Village (is it a Silent Hill reference?)

You mean Darlig Ulv-Stranden I think, home of Master Katsumoto (Odin's son Fred).

Many ways. You can just write about someone else for a while, become a monk, go into hiding under an assumed name, kill off your first character, et c. It's a story.

Great job Lord DaMaximus, these intelligence agents are pretty smart. Unlike the cartographers of the PGTC, who put the Holy Temple on entirely the wrong island! :blush: It is of course in the lake below Qarkry near Arakeen. Khamar Ibn Hakkad , if the Vacana Jamana find any temples, they belong to heretics, schismatics, or ancients. Or maybe it's just a forgotten Abbey, there are a few, here and there.

The palisade brick exterior is very individual and distinguished looking. Good job on the shutters and doors, my favourtie part is actually the ground, I think it looks great. The interior feels pretty bare and cold to me, can we interest you in some tapestries and furs?

Love everything about this. The snow and ice effect is so atmospheric, the minifigs have a real character, the presentation and focal depth is superb. And a happy story too! Wonderful build

I really enjoyed this happy story in such difficult times. Lovely build, the simple treatment of the corner building is esecially effective. Very nice

Are you referring here to Avalonia and Greater and Lesser Kaliphlin? The only weird thing here is some Northmen's geographical understanding :tongue Any new travellers are very welcome in the rich towns of Kaliphlin. But truly I agree, Nocturnus by its nature needs regular infusions of fresh meat

Where are my manners? Firstly, welcome brother and neighbour! Good to have you with us. The Holy Temple is forever being built and rebuilt by the Mad Monks, so it appearance changes on the month and on where you view it from. Think of a mostly white/tan Moghul Palace with a couple of Towers and you won't go far wrong, it is quite a large structure above ground and simply gargantuan below. Yoshi-san, welcome to you too. The Petraea General Trading company looks forward to helping you procure whatever you need for your people, from anywhere in Historica. If it's contraband, well, we don't carry those items. Officially... Mikel, gabe, good to see your WIPs, they are looking very promising. Mrs robuko has narrowed down my challenge 4 idea. A very oblique clue while I try to work out the build - it might appeal to Lord Damaximus' mediaeval national pride,. My other idea was for a giant tornado carrying away buildings.

This is the home of the Holy Order of the Mad Monks. I have not yet built the temple, so under Kaliphlin rules, it's yours if you build first. Or if you don't mind sharing with a rather eccentric order, I only plan the one building here.

Oh good, because my 32x32 is more likely to come out 40x24 or thereabouts. Hope this won't annoy anyone too much

I don't know how I missed this the first time, what a lovely scene. Great concept and execution, it is really alive with detail and activity. The net and fish and the falls are my favourite parts, and the smoker is a brilliant idea. My only suggestion is that Partus's shirt gets lost in the green scenery, which would work for a hunter but less so for a fisher. Beautiful build

These are great, I'll take 2 sets please! The grelf cracks me up every time Don't we need a boarder of some kind and a musician, by law?

Tolerance is the name of the game in urban Kaliphlin. Even Drow supremacists agree! Although, there is a good case for the majority of one particular tribe or rural area to be the same colour, there is no case for it in Historica. The board of the PGTC meets our diversity and tolerance criteria - we are all very very greedy

Thanks all for your kind comments, I am really happy you liked the minifigs use, it is thrilling to get a compliment on that from a master like Angeli. The were-rabbit is a reference to Wallace and Gromit, I am not sure if it travelled internationally, but do not be fooled by his gentle appearance Rougueang! The piper is essential to any army's march The shields idea came from thinking, how would archers defend themselves in lego? They need 2 hands for the bows (all those minotaurs up top have crossbows aimed at the rebels, by the way) and there's no room to dedicate a squire to hold shields. It actually looks pretty good, and I think works well for archers. I think I got lucky with that lava backdrop, the cooling lava streams really match up well with the colours and patterns in the MOC. gabe, thanks as always for your thoughtful ideas. The demarcation is not represented well in these shots, the studded are is 2 bricks higher than the lava and there are slopes covered with flames to smooth the transition - but they are not visible from this angle as they slope into the river (and that phoenix gets in the way). I designed with this photo angle in mind from the beginning, but forgot about that aspect. Wish I had more orange plates or tiles to smooth it. Actually, I would have given a kingdom for red plates in this build, and I just found out they were all holding the piscithopter together! The visible stud in the front side is one of these which is holding Bartimaeus above the flames. You are right about the stonework on the bridge, but I didn't have the height between bridge and lava available to carry it over to the studded part (because of that invisible drop). Looking at these photos (CBB, there are more, but they probably do not yet pass your dirty carpet standards test ), the amount of angles just doesn't show at all. As well as the offset for Daniel's House, the bridge changes direction at its landing point, and both Sharpe's tower and its surrounding wall are also angled. I'm kind of pleased that this is invisible, because it means the joins are not too obvious - but I will have to learn to choose better photo angles too! Edit: more angles seen here

Wyrm! I think I am responsible for bringing a little bit of Arrakis to Kaliphlin, so this is my payment of that debt