Rogue Angel

Your Challenge Builds would have to be in the Guild to which you belong. The easiest would to be to locate in a Guild adjacent Nocturnus, and you can say you live on the border between the two. You cannot be in Avalonia, and then complete a Challenge build in Nocturnus and have it count unless that would somehow be relevant (Show your character involved in intrigue across Historica, etc.)

It's still technically August 1st for 6 more minutes.

It's a shame so many of you are committing to lesser Guilds when the greatest of the Guilds has yet to be revealed...

Welcome to Varlyrio Welcome to Varlyrio – The Guild of Merchants, Marauders and Mariners. If you are looking for political intrigue, desolate wastes or savage seas, look no further! Varlyrio is an island Guild located off the west coat of Avalonia, and is diverse culturally as well as geographically. The Guild colors are Gold and White, but Dark red, White and Black are the favored colors for buildings along the eastern coast. Incorporating these colors as appropriate into your builds will help show you Guild affiliation. Read on below for a much more detailed description of the Island Guild of secrets and intrigue. Section I: Guilds of Historica Background The bard’s song tells a tale of a world long forgotten. Race against race, clan against clan; shields clashed with swords, long ago when Men of the Lion fought Men of the Falcon, and human armies succumbed to Orcs and undead. Each group clashed with its neighbor for power, unleashing upon the world a great scourge. The arcadian land was thrown into chaos. When all seemed lost, a council of wise men and sages was summoned. From all the lands they came to convene in the old world’s greatest city: the fortress of Cedrica. To settle the grievances and end a millennium of bloodshed, the sages declined all the treaties of old and joined the clans into one mighty Kingdom: Historica. They founded the Four Great Guilds – each one a realm in itself – Mitgardia in the North, Nocturnus in the East, Kaliphlin in the South, and Avalonia in the West, so that trade routes would spring up and clans would meet in the markets and not in the theatre of war. The wise men chose a family of great honor, to uphold the truce and to keep the four guilds from dispute, and descendants of that mighty kin ruled the central lands of Historica for decades. But darkness and chaos had only been thwarted, not conquered. Magic was unleashed upon the land, magic that fell into the hands of Victor Revolword. Only in union did the Guilds find strength to defeat him and destroy the Elemental Helm that gave him power. Yet the struggle was not over, for out of the chaos magic had bred there arose a new threat: The Black Spire. Ravage the Terrible, of whom no man ever spoke save with bated breath and behind closed doors, ruled the darklands of Nocturnus with a rod of iron and resistance glowed only in scattered embers. Meanwhile Drow invaded Avalonia, Algus from the north swept into Mitgardia, and the resurrection of the ancient Desert King threw Kaliphlin into confusion. Slowly, the heroes of the Guilds realized the truth: the fire that fueled the powers of destruction and chaos throughout the land burnt deep in the heart of Nocturnus. There Ravaage sought for the ultimate power, the Necromancer’s Helm. Only by once again uniting, this time against Ravaage, could Historica be saved from ashes and the rule of the undead. But who would unite the Guilds? The King had been slain by Revolword, his son murdered by Ravaage; no other family could command the respect of all the Guilds or ignite their loyalty and patriotism. Yet a rumor arose, a rumor of hope. An heir had appeared, under whose banner all who desired peace could unite. Heroes of Historica, rise up and fight the invader who brings discord to your realm! And rise the heroes did. Throughout the land, in every corner, evil and chaos were subdued. Rivals pledged allegiance to the new, unknown King, and sallied forth to battle Ravaage together. Old jealousies were forgotten. Each man felt that it was the dawning of a new day for Historica. By trickery, the mages of Historica defeated Ravaage and destroyed him, sealing the chamber of the Necromancer’s Helm forever. Leaderless, Ravaage’s army has crumbled, his plans and power vanished. Disorder remains, but the worst seems to be over. All eyes turn toward the throne of Cedrica, where the new monarch, Queen Ylspeth, reigns and rebuilds. Much needs to be resolved, many questions remain to be answered, but at last, Historica breaths free. Guildsmen! This is the world you inhabit, this is the place where you will make your fortune, build a mighty empire, and battle for the glory and honor of the banner… Section II: Guild Background and Theme Varlyrio: The Island Guild of Secrets and Intrigue With contrasting expanses of great wealth with great hardship, Varlyrio is home to fertile lands, towering mountains, and dry wastelands, surrounded by the great oceans. The island is inhabited by numerous races and even more cultures. With the wind in your sails, Varlyrio is about 2 weeks sail west from the port of Barqa and even closer to the southern reaches of Avalonia. Varlyrio is known for its Master merchants, expert sailors, and convoluted politics, all driven largely by money and power. Varlyrio is ruled by powerful families, who fight for lucrative positions as trade ministers. The Ministers use their power and influence to further their own houses, and vie for the coveted position as the Varlyrio’s Minister of Trade, the Rego of the Guild. Not all of Varlyrio is easily accessible. Heavy easterly currents prevent all but the most experienced captains from accessing the western shores by sea, and for those that dare, they must also face the extensive pirates that roam the seas around the island. Only eastern Varlyrio can be reasonably accessed by sea. By land the island is just as hard to cross. A high range of mountains separates the fertile east from the wastelands to the west. The inhabitants of Eastern Varlyrio are similarly isolated, rugged and formidable. Standard Gold and White History Long ago, about the time that the sages of Historica were joining together in council at Cedrica - a time when myths still shrouds the history of the realm - the ancient family of Cioto claim to have been the rulers of Varlyrio, pointing proudly to the legendary Aureo de Cioto as the founder of the guild. However, the first written records still in existence date from the reign of Blasio Amancio, a master shipbuilder and a wise and sturdy leader, who brought peace and prosperity to his island kingdom and founded the city of Illaryian. When the king died from a jousting wound, however, his oldest son was still a babe, and the family of Chiaro, the merchants and builders of the guild, took charge of the island for three generations. They were benevolent and kindly, inviting some enterprising foreigners like the Khoar's, master armor-makers and experts in dragon-leathers, to the guild, but disaster struck soon after the last Chiaro mounted the throne as the two islands of Varlyrio crashed into each other and, shortly afterwards, the young Rego mysteriously died. The powerful lord of Baiamonte, head of a family which had long been building its way up through the ranks of the soldiery, stepped up to fill the vacancy. Ruling the land with a rod of iron, the Baiamonte's did their best to keep the families of Varlyrio always separate and at variance with one another, but despite all their efforts, the Amancios's, Chiaros, and the rising family of de Fiori, sword-makers of the realm, continued to grow in power and influence. The marriage of the dashing Dialto de Fiori to Angela Chiaro, eldest daughter of the house, was about to unite the two families, when the young bride was assassinated on the eve of the wedding by Baiamonte's minions. He had succeeded at preventing a union which would have given another family the dominance of power in the guild, passing up both the Amancios and Baiamontes, but it would prove the last straw for the Varlyrian people. The Baiamonte's involvement in the mysterious disappearance of the young Rego of the house of Chiaro, which had allowed the Baiamonte's to come to power and had previously only been hinted at in whispers, became the open talk of the guild, and before long, the Baiamontes were hurled off their misused throne, and the Amancios, more powerful and influential than either the Chiaros or de Fioris on their own, rose once again to power, amid the joy of the populace. Under their rule, though sustained by cunning and ruthlessness, the guild has prospered once more, and has even opened up in its trade and interactions with the other guilds. Supano Amancio, now the third generation of his family to continuously hold the throne, boosted his own popularity with the people by marrying his long-time sweetheart Ercilia Cioto shortly after he became Rego, but knows that he still holds on to the throne by only a thread, and is willing to use any and every means to stay in power and fight back the rival families. Meanwhile the de Fiori's, Chiaro's, and disgraced but still powerful Baiamonte's continue to hold their place, although the Cioto's, Khoar's, and a number of other families have been rising silently but surely out of the shadows and look to join or surpass them as leading families of Varlyrio. Politics and Economy The Politics of Varlyrio play out almost entirely on the east side of the island, and are deeply intertwined with the trade and economy of the Guild. Eastern Varlyrio is the breadbasket of the Guild, producing virtually all of the food, livestock, and raw materials that fuel the Island’s production and trade. The Cities along the east coast developed through trade, and those families that had mastered these trades were able to assume control in these Cities. The Eastern Varlyrio families have successfully funneled the island’s trade through these Cities to benefit their coffers. As the trade Cities grew, the ruling families began to vie for control over the eastern coast as a whole. The complex trade taking place within the Guild required a massive bureaucracy to help administer contracts, manage warehousing and storage, coordinate shipments and enforce customs and regulation. Merchants would negotiate contracts to provide materials and goods to markets outside their City, and Families began to negotiate these contacts on the behalf of the bureaucracy. It was determined that the family that negotiated the most income for the Bureaucracy would be awarded the position of Minister for that trade. Once this precedent was established, Families quickly began to buy up trade futures, and then use them to boost their families negotiating power. Today, there are 11 trade ministers (Finance, War, Arms, Art, Domestic Goods, Agriculture, Herds and Stocks, Plantations, Commerce, Seas, and the Prime Minister of Trade) as well as the ministers of Dwarven and Goblin Affairs. The family that earns the most contracts in all trade is granted the position of Minister of Trade, and serve as the Rego for the Guild. The Minister of Trade, and the two next highest earning ministers are called the Artori. These three ministers rule the Guild, with the Rego having the strongest vote. Each year, all trade contracts are finalized during the Tradewinds Festival (The beginning of the Spring trading season) and the Minister positions are reassigned to trade families based off a combination of 1.) the total contract amounts negotiated for the upcoming trade season, and 2.) the total value of export duties earned over the past 5 years. Trade minister positions are highly lucrative, and families will do anything to retain these positions, sabotage other families, or gain new positions. Assassination, forgery, blackmail and bribery are commonplace in Varlyrian politics and trade, and a number of families are rumored to have arrangements with the Western Pirates to target the vessels of other families and other Guilds. Section III: The Regions of Varlyrio Map: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Varlyrio/varlyrio_map.jpg East Coast The east coast of Varlyrio is the most beautiful part of the island with fertile deltas, sparkling rivers, sandy beaches and rising cities. This region has a very Mediterranean feel to it. The east coast is the heart of the Valyrian economy, trade and politics. The Bay of Illar is host to several prominent cities, including the capital city of Illaryian. The other major trade cities of Varlyrio extend north and south of the Bay, capitalizing on the Bay’s commerce. Each of the coastal cities started as isolated settlements, but over time have grown to the point that they stretch out like one great sprawling metropolis. Paved roads extend between the commercial districts of the coastal cities, and cities within the Bay of Ilar are crisscrossed with canals and channels. The bay is the safest access for ships to travel forth and back to Historica, and the main port lies in Illaryian. Varlyrian architecture focuses on grandeur and expense, and the Cities are characterized by large pillars, high roman/Greek/Venetian architecture, and tiled roofs with elaborate domed towers. The Bay cities are built around the canals, with businesses and residences lining canal corridors, or opening directly onto the water. Trade and transport is performed primarily by boat, and the rich and affluent travel by gondola. The agricultural countryside is dotted with small farming communities who maintain the large grapes, olive and plum plantations, and lavender and wheat fields. On the somewhat yellowish grass, goats and sheep graze. Varlyrian horse are bred for speed and appearance and are highly prized by the wealthy elite. The surrounding towns are focused on processing and transport of the crops and livestock from the area to the coastal cities. http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Valyrio/canal_city.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Valyrio/canal_city_2.jpg East Varlyrian Cities http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Valyrio/mediterranean_city.jpg East Varlyrian Countryside The High Ridge Mountains Known as the High Ridge Mountains by the Dwarves and the Coluna mountains by those to the East, Varlyrio is divided by this tall mountain range. Only one main road leads from the Eastern cities to the Wastelands and that is through a steep pass through the High Ridge Mountains. This mountain range is home to an ancient race of stout dwarves who have long mined and defended these mountains and the surrounding foothills. The dwarves have built fortress like cities within these mountains to serve as hub for trade and supply. These Dwarven strongholds can be accessed from the main road or from smaller roads the Dwarves have built out of Eastern Varlyrio to the north and south. The main pass is heavily guarded and toll payment is required to gain safe passage. The rains that help keep eastern Varlyrio fertile are caused by the High Ride Mountains, and the western side of the mountains are cold and dry, with only a few tops holding snow year-round. Little grows on the High Ridge, and the dwarves are dependent on traders and travelers for many of the fruits, vegetables and spices they use. Through the toll they collect on the main road, as well as their trade in ores and gems, the Dwarves have accrued vast wealth, and are more affluent than their other Historican cousins. http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Valyrio/dwarven_city.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Valyrio/dwarven_village.jpg Dwarven Fortress Cities Wastelands Stretching from the High Ridge Mountains to the western coast, the wastelands are hard, dry and forbidding. But this is no desert with sandy dunes, but instead stony hills, table mountains and broken hills govern the landscape. Little grows on the hardened soil of the Wastelands except scrub trees and bushes and sparse hardy grass. Water is the most valuable asset in the Wastelands. In the foothills and plains at the base of the mountains, the main denizens are orcs and minotaurs. The monsters fight for control of the lands and recognition in battle. Often living in tents and walled burrows they lead a nomadic life. The orcs grow berries and keep pigs for food. There are a precious few very deep wells provide the necessary water, but they are scarce, and are some of the greatest prizes for which the nomadic tribes battle. The dwarves have mountain outposts and patrols to guard their mines and lofty strongholds from the wasteland wanderers. Beyond the mountains, the wastelands inhabitants are hidden and largely isolated. There are no main roads or trade routes beyond the mountain foothills, except along the coasts, and the secrets of these wastes are known only to those that can survive there. The Coastlines are home to pirate ports, Tribes of Feline and Serpentine Races, and gritty bandit outposts. The Scarlet Marauders are the largest and most organized of the Pirate bands, and their scorpion sigil spells doom to those Historican Merchants that spy it on the high seas. They are rumored to have illicit agreements with some of the shadier Varlyrian families, but those rumors have never been substantiated. Gnome enclaves can be found dotted throughout the mountains and wastelands. The gnomes mine for ore, gems and other materials to help power their contraptions. Their advancements in technology are not always reliable, and many a gnome has tinkered a step too far, ending in an explosive last hurrah. The gnomes have been known to muster formidable defenses for their enclaves, ranging from golems to mechanical beasts to explosive traps (sometimes intentionally), and they are largely unmolested in their daily lives. http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Valyrio/wasteland_city_1.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Valyrio/wasteland_coastal_city.jpg Wasteland Strongholds http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Valyrio/gnome_outpost.jpg Gnome Outpost The Sunken City Long ago, Varlyrio had been composed of two separate islands. The eastern island was drier, and the western island was wetter and fertile, with a large inland sea. When the two islands collided, the High Ridge mountains were formed at the impact, the basin of the great inland sea was split asunder in the massive earthquake that resulted, and the water from the sea was drained into a massive subterranean cavern. With the new mountain range, the western land became dry and arid, but the subterranean lake continued to be fed by underground river that drain the High Ridge mountains. The ancient peoples (Largely the Kolgari race of Elves) that had dwelt along the inland sea were forced to migrate underground and settled along the shores of the great lake that had formed. Strange flora and fauna grew up in the great cavern devoid of sunlight, and the Kolgari used their knowledge and magic to alter their terrestrial seeds and seedlings to adapt to the subterranean environment. After centuries of constant use of this powerful magic, the plants, animals and inhabitants no longer resemble what they once were. Beautiful alien cities exist amidst beautiful colored flora. Only a lucky few have been able to witness these exotic sights. Some of the Kolgari have migrated above ground, and their magic and healing abilities are highly sought after, though few know where these people are truly from. http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Valyrio/sunken_city_1.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Valyrio/sunken_city_2.jpg Sunken City Races Varlyrio has a wide variety of races and strangely enough, these races don’t usually live close to one another. Humans: in the cities in the eastern part of Varlyrio, amongst the pirate bands in western Varlyrio, some adventure over the whole island Dwarves: Mostly in the dwarven mountain dwellings and great halls underground, with a large population also in the eastern coastal cities. Gnomes: some in the cities, but mostly in the gnome towns in western wastelands, and a few in the High Ridge Mountains. Orcs/minotaurs: warriors who live in camps and nomadic bands in the eastern part of the wastelands. They are often employed as mercenaries by Varlyrian nobles and families. Goblins: Infest the wastelands, as with any sparsely populated area that they have access to. Lionells: catlike humans who split between the eastern cities, the western bandit and pirate outposts, and their ancestral bands in the wastelands. Kolgari; Subterranean Elves who live underground and hardly dare to resurface, some Kolgari tribe are prized as mercenaries and healers Typical Varlyrian Builds: Eastern coast http://www.brickbuilt.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/close-800x.png Sunken City Tergiversa De Fiori Castle, mainhall Section IV: Current Guild Challenges After completing challenge 1 parts A and C, and at least your home scenery for challenge 2, Your family will be eligible for a royal minister position, based on the trade they are engaged in, as determined by the Lords of Varlyrio. The minister positions are awarded to the master of that trade, so the more your builds incorporate the parts of your trade (from raw materials to processing to shipping and sales) the better your chances will be for gaining your minister position. Participating in overall challenges and later Varlyrian challenges will grant your family other benefits, which will be determined. Varlyrio is the home to tumultuous political intrigue, and chaotic trade wars, and this will be incorporated through future mini-challenges. Guild Challenge 1 - Family affairs · You need to complete all 4 categories below to complete this challenge. 1A. Who’s in charge Present your main character or the person in charge of your family (if it is not your character) and include their backstory. Suggested: 8x8 Vignette 1B. Family and known associates A family contains of more than one person, so present each notable member with a short backstory. Suggested: 8x8 Vignette 1C. Line of business You didn’t get famous by sitting doing nothing. Display your business or main trade. Suggested: 24x24 or larger build. 1D. Everyone needs a home With all the fame and fortune comes a nice residence. Display your primary residence. Suggested 16x16 building with additional base, suitable for the area you live in. Guild Challenge 2 - Varlyrio Scenery · All builds should be a minimum size of 16x16 · The home area of your character should include your sigfig · You need to complete at least 3 of the categories below to complete this challenge. 2A. East Coast Cities Build a part of a typical Varlyrian city block or building 2B. Eastern Lands Build a part of the agricultural heartland of Eastern Varlyrio. This could be a farm, a homestead, or part of a small village or town 2C. High Ridge Mountains Build a dwarven mine, a minotaur lair, or some other mountainous scene. 2D. Wastelands Build a typical dwelling, watchtower or structure of the savages that live in these areas. 2E. Sunken City Build a scenery of the alien world that the denizens of the Sunken City inhabit. 2F. Western Coasts Build a pirate outpost, a marauder stronghold, or some other forsaken coastal stretch. Section V: Member and Family Overview http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Varlyrio/saputa_valencia.jpg Guild Leader: @Rogue Angel, Lieutenant, @Garmadon Rego: Supano Amancio (The Amancio family had early success in the ship-building trade, and they have been able to ride this success to semi-permanent status as one of the three Artori, and Rego for the last few generations. http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Varlyrio/bjarke_de_fiori.jpg Guild Lieutenant: @Garmadon Artori Family: Bjarke De Fiori (The De Fiori's are experienced sword-makers and the masters of that trade in Varlyrio. At least once within inches of ruling the guild - about six inches of a cold steel from it - the De Fiori's still hold their place among the top three, and might just be glancing surreptitiously once again at the throne...) Guild Lieutenant: @Narbilu Atori Family: Bran of Khoar (The Khoar family have mastered a mystical skill in finding, skinning and working the strangest hides into supreme armor). The Khoar armors are found all over Historica and their legends, which has helped raise them to the status of one of the three Artori. Major credit to Narbilu for work on the backstory of Varlyrio. Link to the Varlyrian Family Intrigue Thread Current Guild Members Supano Amancio, @Rogue Angel http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rogueang/Varlyrio/supano-sm.jpg Bjarke De Fiori, @Garmadon Bran of Khaor, @narbilu Luca di Carlo, @ZlatanXVIGustaf Fel D'Gatto, @mccoyed Vismund de Rabianací, @x105Black Meiyo, @Basiliscus Raxus Orsen Wayth, @Andrew Spader Arama Di Athena De Cioto, @W Navarre Ilazio Moccenigo, @TalusMoonbreaker

Penguin has em - I had totally forgotten about those.

This deadline is for the lore challenge - no building involved.

July 31, but if you are working on something and can wrap it up by August 1st or 2nd, post here and we can delay the deadline a couple of days.

The Guild threads will be relaunched for Book III, but feel to post in the current Book II thread as we if you would like.

Gameplay is largely driven by builds, but participation is critical to keeping people interested in Guilds. The interaction on the threads is one of the driving factors in staying involved with a Guild. The Guilds are a balance between promoting Guilds builds, and promoting Guild member and Historica interaction. Without one, we don't have the other, and then we aren't much different than Flickr. Our member interaction has set us apart from other similar forums outside of EB. BoBs is much more gameplay and rules oriented, but GoH is not BoBs, and we don't want it to become BoBs. Member interaction and participation is one of our main focuses.

Henjin - Fantastic work on the index update! I know how much time that must have taken. Cedrica is between all 4 of the guilds. The different maps don't exactly match, but Cedrica is the "4 points" of the Guilds.

We are hashing out the specifics with Book III right now. We have discussed pretty much everything that you guys have been touching on, with the added perspective of knowing A.) how things have gone on behind the scenes with the Guilds through the first 2 Books, B.) How we can make each Guild work logistically, C) How each Guild can work into the over-arcing storyline, and D.) How much interest each Guild has had historically. For both of the Books, Nocturnus has had 2/3 of the participation in discussion than the other 3 guilds (As you can see right now from Book II), and less than 2/3 the participation in builds. Varlyrio is a major opportunity for builders to join in at the ground floor for the Guild, OR start over with an entirely new build concept OR get in to a guild that is a little more buildable given the current set and minifig selections available. One of the key considerations for Varlyrio is how to incorporate readily available minifigure parts from current, or very recent sets, as you will see shortly (Aug 1st?) It always takes people a while to build freebuilds. It is not surprising that we haven't seen that much build activity yet. We have seen very few new sigfigs, even though that was suggested as part of declaring Guild allegiance in this thread. ( I know that some people are waiting to see how the Guilds change, but most people have been sticking with their previous guilds thus far). Also, I have yet to see anyone provide a summary of the Guild lore up to this point, which was a challenge presented in the first post of this thread. Age of Mitgardia is still active. Historican Settlement Challenge is still open, as are the Avalonian Tasks for Avalonians, and non-Avalonians are free to complete these as well (As shown in the Avalonia thread). More mini-challenges coming shortly...

Valyrio will have the same background/concept art/Resident examples as the other 4 guilds did when they started. Variety will NOT be an issue.

I really like the wood framing, combination supports and roof on the building. The manual Mill is a great concept that we don't see enough in builds. Great work! I

Fantastic dragon! The head and wings are great, as is the body as a whole. My only critique would be those large ball joints for the front upper legs. They work well enough on the back legs, but not as well up front. Excellent brick-built Dragon!

Excellent collab! I really like the entire build, but the chapel and the roof of the pavilion are my favorite builds, and the round tile roofing technique is odd but works very well! The sea looks a little rough for gondolas...

Excellent build! Quite a lot going on, as others have said. My favorites parts would be the sand Green windows, the light bley window frames and the first floor of the apothecary. Great work!

Great to see new members in Avalonia! Narbilu - I figured you would still be around. Welcome back!

Nice figs and posing Whitefang. I wish the Spears were a little more common/cheaper. They are far superior to the old Spears, but are hard to come by.

Kaliphlin has Cat people, lions, serpents, undead, lizardfolk, elves, dwarves, gnomes, jackals, eagles, apes, elephants, rhinos Mitgardia has dwarves, bears, gnomes, elves, yeti, wolves, hawks, cavemen, wights, ogres, cyclops, orcs Nocturnus has werewolves, goblin, ogres, orcs, ravens, elves, minotaurs, dwarves, dragons, undead, spiders, Medusae, bats, phoenix, vultures Avalonia has elves, gnomes, fairies, eagles, hawks, drow, merfolk, sprites, fox I'm sure I'm missing some, and there is some crossover with a lot of these.

Your country is not disappearing, it is just becoming less specific spatially.

Heenjin barely edged you out. Your entry was excellent! You can go ahead and name your City whatever you would like.

Book III will be starting on August 19th. Queen Ylspeth has taken the throne, reestablishing the royal line, as well as stability in Historica. (courtesy of Henjin Quilones, winner of Challenge V from Book II) Guild Allegiance With the transition from Book II to Book III, all existing Historica members have the option to switch guilds, or remain with their existing guilds. Please declare your allegiance by posting a picture of your sigfig in this thread below. If you are keeping your current guild and character, you can the keep your current sigfig makeup, but you are encouraged to update your sigfig in the time that has passed in Historica by providing a new picture of your character. There is the possibility that one of the Guilds may be retired if there is not enough interest. If this happens, any existing members of that Guild would have the option to remain in and build within that Guild, but a retired Guild will not be able to accrue points with Challenges or Free-builds. (Please don't ask for clarification on this, because we don't know if it will happen yet.) Allegiances must be posted by AUGUST 1ST for the official Guild count. As always, members that have not pledged their allegiance by this point will be able to declare after the 1st, but members will not be able to switch Guilds once their allegiance has been posted in this thread. Historica Lore I doubt anyone has noticed this, but the lore of historica is slightly daunting to review. Members are invited to provide a brief synopsis of the history of the Guilds that covers the basics of Historica prior to Book I, The period covered by Book I and the period covered by Book II. You do not need to cover specific Guild history, only the history of Historica as a whole. Feel free to post your synopsis in any format that you would like (paragraphs, bullet points, etc.) but the one rule is this: You must be able to read the synopsis in 3 minutes or less. (Don't ask for specifics on this about reading speed or word counts - use your best judgement). The member that posts the best synopsis (as judged by the collective consciousness of the Nocturnus Pie population) will be granted the title of Historica Lore-Master. Historica Reborn There has been a very large gap between Book II and Book III. Kids, work, real life have gotten in the way, but we are ready to move forward in the vein of Book I. We have incorporated some willing guild members to support the Guilds Leaders in running Book III. These guild members have shown dedication to Historica over the past few years, and will be key to the success of Book III. The chapters of Book III will be occurring every 4 months (August, December, April) and a month and a half will be provided to complete each challenge. We will also be revitalizing some of the non-challenge events like the Age of Mitgardia, Albion-esque City building and the HSS. Avalonia will be purged of all territories, and will revert to the placement of Cities, similar to Kaliphlin, so you won't have to worry about encroaching on what members have historically done. Many devoted members have continued to post and contribute during the "dark ages" of Historica, and thanks to them, we are able to move back in to the full swing of things. We want to make the Guilds a fun place to post fantasy builds, flesh out your worlds and ideas, and make friends that share your interest in building castle and fantasy with Lego.

Robert Howard had a very similar storytelling style for a lot of his stories, and often told a similar Conan-esque story in different settings, but it largely fell into a fantasy-type story with Technology falling more into "artifacts" of a sort. For most authors, there is a rather distinct difference between fantasy and science fiction. You will always have some exceptions, but the vast majority follow one type or the other.

GoH is not dead. I moved last year, took over running an office, and am taking care of my 2 and 4 year olds, and am frantically working to finish my Brickworld builds for next month. I have a number of GoH builds to post from the past two years, and we will be presenting a GoH collaborative build at Brickworld. We will also be finalizing Book 3 at Brickworld, so that will be kicked off shortly.

Excellent work! Very nice, compact, polished build.