Rogue Angel

This is absolutely fantastic and took me completely by surprise. Great work!

This is a fantastic building that is very well executed. Really enjoy the timber technique, and the tile coloring works very well. One of many very good builds from you over recent months!

Sorry for the late bump, but I had to comment on this one. I love the use of the car hoods, the hinge pieces for the window and the crenellations. Very clean and creative build as always

I've got some Elves that would take on your orcs ? Very nice Army-,,much better with the ships! Reminds me of the opening scene from Warcraft II.

That is perfectly fine. Also: You can enter multiple categories You can only win in one category, even if you would have multiple builds scoring the highest in different categories. (which will be determined by points, or our discretion if you were to have multiple contending entries.)

OK, Apocalypseburg satisifes my need for Mad Max figs (not that it's particularly historic, nor do I really want to pay to buy the whole set) The CMF series has a couple decent parts - Scarecrow hat, as Swamp mentioned, just wish the stripe was tan instead of ORANGE. Hopefully the mold will be reused in other colors because the mold is fantastic. - Wildstyle's hood is excellent, but from a more modern to futuristic standpoint --- as long as it does have any clip component or something on the back - Dino-cowboy's hat is useful hopefully, his toros and legs maybe, but I'm guessing there are some futuristic elements to it that will prevent it from being used in Wild West builds. - Cat ladies torso and legs are decent - Dorothy's hair is OK - Scarecrow's torso and legs may be of limited use. Not that bad of a CMF series, especially if the Scarecrow's hood gets any reuse.

The Guilds of Historica Book III Challenge I: A Time to Rebuild Challenge II: Bread and Circuses Preludes: The Queen's Council The Long Discussion Always Be Willing to Lend a Helping Shove Kaliphlin Talk Northern Conversation Historica lives again... Historica has been hard at work rebuilding as the era of civil war comes to an end. But more needs to be rebuilt than just buildings - families, friendships, and loyalties of all kinds have been heavily strained. Today, Queen Ylspeth calls upon all citizens of Historica to relax, to celebrate, and to really enjoy life after the hardship and agony of the past years. Category A: Bread Starvation and want have run rampant through the guilds. While the fertile fields of Varlyrio may still be growing strong and areas of Avalonia are producing record crops, many places are still just barely surviving. Queen Ylspeth, out of her own treasury, is buying surplus grain and redistributing it to more needy areas of the guilds. Many other nobles and leaders are following her example and providing for their cities and followers. Your task: Show the efforts of the Queen, her lieutenants, or another leader to bring basic necessities of life to needy areas of your guild. Maximum size: 20x20 Category B: Circuses It's time to take a break Historica! Relax and remember what life was about before mayhem broke loose. Have another dance around the maypole, a jolly evening courtesy of the royal cellar, or an exciting day cheering at the ostrich races. Whatever your town specializes in, make it happen this circus season! Your task: Build the greatest show that's been seen in your guild since the royal tour of Book I! Maximum size: 64x64 Category C: Plot and Counterplot Now you've heard the Queen's pitch. Your representatives at the royal council might tell you that she took the advice of her foreign adviser, N'ri, in defiance of anything they said to the contrary. They might tell you that your support is being bought with charity and clown shows. They might warn you that Avalonia is getting rich at the expense of the royal treasury, or that dissenting nobles are being shut down with ruinous taxes. What is really going on? Is Bread and Circuses as innocent as it seems? Your task: Show the back alleyways of Historican politics. Are Kaliphlinians getting bribed? Are Varlyrians landing rich contracts? Are Avalonians having food confiscated to help "needy" Mitgardian millionaires? Maximum size: 32x32 General Rules Scoring: Builds will be scored on build quality, presentation, and photography with bonus points to entries with original concepts or stories. For all 3 Categories, a 1st and 2nd place will be selected. Within these 6 winners, all 4 Guilds will have at least 1 winner (so 2 Guilds may have 2 winners, or 1 Guild may have 3 winners) Rules: One entry per category per person. Borders can exceed the maximum size restriction, within reason. Maximum sizes can be varied as long as the build does not exceed the footprint of the given size restriction (e.g.: 32x64 instead of 48x48 is permissible). No clone brands (Megablocks, KREO, etc) allowed, but 3rd party fig parts and accessories (Brickarms, Citizen Brick, etc.) are acceptable. All entries should be posted in their own topic, with the title of: "CHALLENGE II: Category X: Name of your build". Please also post a link to your topic here. Deadline: Entries due the end of the day on January 31st. Prizes: The Build with the highest score will win a copy of the Ideas Pop-up Book, or Lego Gift Card equivalent (The larger build categories will be more likely to score the most points, but that is not always the case) The next highest scored Build in a DIFFERENT CATEGORY will win a $25 Lego Gift Card

Varlyrio can be referred to as the Seahorse, Viper, Kraken, Fish, Horse, Hydra...

Is a gold coin an animal?

Always Be Ready To Lend a Helping Shove - Varlyrian Proverb A Prelude for Challenge II of Book III The newly established trade agreements between Varlyrio and the other Historican lands had been a mixed blessing for Varlyrians. The Varlyrian economy had been a masterpiece of supply driving demand and monopolization that largely affected the wealthy and affluent of Varlyrio. With the new influx of resources, many lowly merchants and tradesfolk had found their way of life turned upside down. The common folk had gone from dismal expectation to volatile ups and downs, without knowing how things would change next, or in some cases where their next meal would be coming from. For some, the news of High Queen Ylspeth's decree instilled a cautious optimism, while in others - more trepidation. And some viewed the news with thoughts of opportunity and profit. As with most twists of fate in Varlyrio, a precious few would stand to make great gains at the cost of the many. Illaryian - Capital City of Varlyrio Part 1 - Varlyrian Business as Usual A Varlyrian guardsman converses with a merchant; the merchant seems somewhat tense. Lorgiono: All I can tell you is that the market for exotic creatures and performers has exploded since the word got out of these "Exhibitions" as everyone is calling them now. I tried to buy up the contracts on Elephants, dancing bears, unicorns... Agnacian: I swear Lorgiono, sometimes I don't know how you even made your first Copper! You don't think those would be the first to be secured? I told you to book the Golden Sail pleasure barges! With the extravagant fireworks the Artori Family keeps putting on at each Tradewinds Festival, they're bound to want to paint their names across the skies during these exhibitions, and we could rake it in with spectators in the Bay. Lorigiono: I thought about what you suggested, but do you know what they charge to rent those out for just an evening? I didn't have that kind of money at a moment's notice.... Agnacian interrupts: You FOOL! It wasn't a suggestion! All you had to do was scrounge up enough money to butter up their purveyor and secure the contracts. We could have gotten the loans from your Uncle, or even one of the money lenders if we'd needed to. I swear, first you squander our earnings on the barley contracts, even after you heard Amancio was securing all the grain barges he could, now this! If you weren't Amancio's nephew, I would slit your throat and be done with it - maybe... Lorgiono: NO, I'm still of value, I swear! I will secure those barge contracts, I swear! I won't fail you! As Lorgiono hurries away, Agnacian shouts: This is your last chance! Don't make me regret this! Maybe the fool will actually pull it off, then Amancio will be stuck and will pay a fortune on those garish cogs. If not, I could always fulfill the contract on Lorgiono with the Rabianacis.... PART II - All the Fish in the Sea Fisherman: I tell you Ramse, all these foreign arrangements are just sending money out of Varlyrio, out of the pockets of hardworking people like us! Ramse: With the new influx of all these foreign contracts, it's anyone's guess as to where the profit will be. It's like throwing darts in a squall at night - no one knows what is even worth pursuing right now. I had been saving up for one of the sweet red wine contracts, but now they are all being sent to Kaliphlin instead - Dirty sand peasants! Fisherman: You're telling me! It used to be that the big fish merchants would choke the fish supply to keep the price high, and I was making a nice healthy living selling off my boat. Ramse: I feel for you, but at least you've still got a way to make some money. The racing stallions used to be my go-to, but with the combination of foreign horses being added and with the betting houses laying out all these sucker odds now, I have to spread my money too thin to get any returns. Fisherman: Some of these fish have been rotting here for a week now! The wharves are flooded with Avalonian fisherman who stink worse than the canals in a spring flood. How can I compete! I might as well fill my boat with stones and be done with it! I can think of something else that stinks around here, Ramse thinks to himself. Ramse: Well, I have to get going, but I will stop by next week. Good luck friend. Part III - Learning the Ropes Two fellows chat amiably Rory: That's 5 silver you owe me now. Orvier: You never cease to amaze me. I should have known better than to wager against you. Rory: Well, you are still learning, that is the goal of any apprentice. Orvier: I know, and I want to thank you for all you've taught me so far. These sessions have been extremely valuable. Rory: You are too kind. Orvier: No, you are held in high regard by every one that I asked. I clearly chose the correct profession. Rory: You are too kind, but you are right on both points. Varlyrio will always have need of our service, and I feel I am indebted for the patronage I have received so far. At least that has not changed with these new winds that have been blowing in from the East. Now, why don't you run along, and I will clean up here. Orvier: Same time tomorrow: Rory: Same time. Why don't we meet at the great fountain, the sunrise is a beautiful sight from over the bay. Orvier: The great fountain it is. So long! Rory whistles cheerily as he drags the corpse of a young noble back into the alley....

Oh ye of little faith...

I was excited for TLM2 sets too until they were revealed and didn't include a single useful fig. Maybe the CMF line will have a couple, but I would use those for a Mad Max-ish or Star Wars build. Luckily, my other Lego love is Star Wars, and those sets keep chugging along.

I've gotta say, this is probably the worst year on record for Historic Lego sets. a few Harry Potter sets, absolutely zilch from the lackluster TLM2 and Overwatch sets, Ninjago is mostly re-releases, Only 1 regular CMF line (if that even happens), no Castle, no Elves.. So a monastery set, maybe a Harry Potter set or two, and hopefully a couple CMFs? and yet there are 18 non-creator, non-technic "themes"? 6 years without a Castle line, LotR ended in 2014. Starting to feel pretty well abandoned.

The perched crow looks nice, but I've found it to be practically useless, because of the pin as well as the splayed out pose that crows are never in, except maybe in flight, but that is extremely limiting. The eagle is also limited in use due to the midflight pose, while the seagull is still pretty usable despite having the wings up. This bird is much more ysable since it is in a perched pose, just like the parrot and owls before.

I disagree. I find this extremely useful, and will be using it in builds immediately. As @Aanchir said, sizes aren't ever perfect in Lego, just look at Minifig height vs.width! I'm quite excited about this piece.

New BIRD in Aladdin set!

Welcome Mesabi! I look forward to seeing your character's story and builds play out. As a sidenote, the Kolgari only get involved in the deceit and intrigues of Varlyria as Mercenaries for East Valryrian families. The Kolgari in the subterranean caverns to the west are completely separate (although your character could easily have been led to believe that they are involved, and is quite likely that other East Varlyrians make the assumption that all Kolgari are like the ones they deal with in the Eastern Cities.)

Depending on whether you are more south or north Varlyrio, you may not need a chimney, but instead a smoke hole or vents. Southern Varlyrio is practically tropical, just without the rainfall on the east side. (The southwest coast is downright lush!)

Oh yeah - @mccoyed - loved the costumes that you made for Halloween! As my kids get older, we will start getting into Halloween big-time, but not to the extent you have. Maybe my kids will get some interest in GenCon down the road, and then all bets are off!

I'm in the process of updating my armies (across the castle/Historica spectrum), and will be posting some better Varlyrio army/Soldier/Guards pictures shortly.

I have modified HQ's post above, but to reiterate: The free build scoring periods roughly match the Challenge periods, but end 15 days before the Challenge deadlines. Challenge 1 ended on Oct 15th, and the free-build period ended on Oct 1st Challenge 2 (tentative) deadline is January 31st, and the free-build period is scheduled to end on January 15th. This allows us to score free builds before we have to score Challenges.

You have to follow the HSSS and post an HSS to start off your HS.

Where do you think you are? Mitgardia?

If they do, you are correct to keep them separate.

HSS: Historican Settlement Submission