Nuju Metru

You achieve some pretty brilliant shaping using so many techniques; the battle droid legs as Mortax's nose and the curved horns as his eyebrows work perfectly. A small thing I also like a lot for whatever reason is the front-barbed spines along the ridge of his back; I'll probably use that alignment on one of my own dragons sometime. I can't wait to see how you achieve the full body of the beast!

I don't think a large Minas Tirith is a terribly unrealistic prospect... LEGO just released the UCS Tumbler, which is from a movie that came out years ago, and made an expensive set for it, too. Minas Tirith, if TLG made it, would hopefully exist in the same vein: a pricey, collector-oriented affair. At least, given the Tumbler and the Tower of Orthanc as examples, that's what I'd predict. The only question would be whether they'll hold onto the Tolkien license after what will probably be the last wave of Hobbit products. But hey, why speculate when you can act?

Thanks everyone for your feedback! Yeah! I designed 64018 and 64020 originally as one set, actually, but when it got too big to conceivably be a retail-sized product, I split it in two (and then separately developed them a bit more, making sure to keep compatibility with one another). I love rearranging them into lots of combinations, and designing a system to allow for the kind of modular flexibility I wanted was a terrifically fun challenge. I don't currently plan to put these on Ideas... I don't have faith in my abilities to "market" even a licensed idea (this should've been an easy sell! ), so I don't want to be disappointed when support for an unlicensed idea, even one I think is really pretty neat, is weak. I think the theme is significantly stronger as a whole, anyway, and I'm even more skeptical of the possibility of any one of the sets earning significant enough momentum alone. I've always estimated my imagined prices a little low, probably; as I wouldn't be able to put back together most of the things I build if I took them apart, I've never bothered to take piece counts of my creations, which is the most accurate way to figure out price point. This is also a major reason why I can't make instructions (along with the fact that they'd take me ages to do!).

For those of you that might've wondered the extent to which 64018 and 64020 were built for each other:

I've added the final set of the wave to the first post: 64020 Battle for Myrdoc Tower! While I've got a few bonus photos to edit (of some possible combinations of 64020 and 64018), this is the last thing to see. Hope you guys like the completed series!

Huge set added to the first post: 64019 Siege of Issiad. Go take a look! "64020 Battle for Myrdoc Tower" (referenced in the descriptions of 64012 and 64018 if you read them) is my flagship set. It's been photographed - I've got a lot of editing to do before publishing, but it's on its way! The joint between tower and ground spacer is one Technic pin; this is designed to be a pretty insecure connection, because the spacer is a deliberately separable module. But this also makes the set extremely easy to break into two sturdy halves, if you're unable to hold one tower in each hand; just pull the two towers at ground level and they come right apart for transportation or rearrangement.

Well, you get your wish - the newest set, 64018 Alchemist Workshop Defense has been added to the first post!

Live from Brickfair '14 VA: Just uploaded the next set, 64017 Skolek Confrontation!

The next set, 64016 Ormser Ambush, has been added to the first post!

First post updated with the next set: 64015 Fythold Ultimate Dragon! Enjoy.

Thanks all for the feedback! Just added the next set, 64014 Necromancer's Peak. Check it out!

Hey guys! This is the topic for a group of creations I've been working on for a while now. My general M.O. for MOCing is that I make creations to be as stable, functional, and reasonably-sized as real LEGO sets. The creations I make in my "themes" are designed to go together well, and be highly playable as a cohesive theme. The theme below is the fifth I've made this way, and is sorta a "revamp" of one I did a few years ago, with many of the same set concepts executed in much greater depth and detail (and better photographed!), but at once streamlined and simplified. I'm calling it "(Not) LEGO Dragon Lands." The premise of (Not) LEGO Dragon Lands is pretty basic, to stay in line with what TLG would do for one of their original themes: the humans of the Kingdom of Ardun are at war with the orc-like Ustokal of the Essoni Desert. Doesn't really matter what they're fighting over, does it? Magic is a big component in this world, as sorcerers and wizards and powerful Legendary Weapons and Dragons(!) are all key assets in the Human-vs.-Ustokal conflict. Something fun I decided to do was set the theme in two principal locations: the hot Essoni Desert, and the Kingdom of Ardun in the wintertime... it should be pretty apparent which sets are from which locale, as the Ustokal will or won't be wearing mittens! There are a few recurring main characters, who get both desert and winter outfits, which was something I liked playing around with. I had a great time implementing a lot of "magical" functions in these sets, especially by using the new Star Wars spring launchers as "Spell Launchers." I also had a blast updating my old dragon design to be much more detailed and poseable. I challenged myself to make the siege engines that appear in the theme to be as compact as possible while maintaining their functionalities and structural integrity, which actually made me create some weapons I'm very happy with (you'll be seeing them in some later sets). Clicking the images below brings you to larger versions on Flickr. Feel free to visit the theme's Flickr Album for more in-depth looks at the sets! If you want to see the next steps of the (Not) LEGO Dragon Lands project, check out wave 2 here, wave 3 here, and wave 4 here. Thanks for viewing, any comments and critiques you have are welcomed. 64020 Battle for Myrdoc Tower ($130 USD) Clash for mastery of Myrdoc Tower’s magic! The ancient and mysterious Myrdoc Tower, home of the wizard Althior, is under attack! The Ustokal sorcerer Rothut will do anything to possess the Legendary Staff, and his minion Kimvor, riding the greedy dragon Imaust, wants to take the Legendary Axe for himself. It’s up to Althior, his apprentice Brigid, and Prince Orion to hold the tower and protect its primeval magic. Includes Althior, Brigid, Orion, Rothut, and Kimvor. Includes 5 minifigures with assorted weapons and accessories: Brigid, Orion, Rothut, Althior and Kimvor Myrdoc Tower features impressive gothic detailing, flying buttresses, stained glass windows, spires, and plenty of wizard accessories Move the magical force field from the stairs to the air bridge When Kimvor tries to grab the Legendary Axe, drop him into the dungeon with a secret trap door Roaring fireplace really lights up Climb the side of the tower using the rusty bars Launch the boulder at invaders on the ground Pick off enemies with a spring-loaded spell launcher at the end of the tower’s air bridge Set also includes a spell launcher disguised in a rock Remove one of the flying buttresses to reveal red and blue shots for the spell launchers Remotely open the magical shield covering the Legendary Staff by sliding the bar below Imaust the dragon is fully poseable, with 32 points of articulation including folding wings, moving toes, and an opening jaw Imaust features flexible cloth membranes on his wings Seat Kimvor on Imaust’s back Weapons and accessories include a sword, a crossbow, an axe, 2 wizard staffs, a snowy owl, a treasure chest with gold coins, the Legendary Axe, the Legendary Shield, and the Legendary Staff Myrdoc Tower is constructed modularly for easy assembly and rearrangement Combine the modules of Battle for Myrdoc Tower with those of 64018 Alchemist Workshop Defense to create dozens of different castles Imaust measures over 13” (33cm) long, with a wingspan of over 16” (41cm) and a shoulder height of 3” (8cm) Myrdoc Tower measures over 20” (53cm) tall, 13” (33cm) long and 7” (18cm) wide 64019 Siege of Issiad ($115 USD) Lay siege to the Ustokal city of Issiad! The soldiers of Ardun, led by General Lerus, are staging a full-scale attack on the oasis city of Issiad, and they’ve come prepared! Against the Ardun force’s massive trebuchet and tall ladder, the Ustokal warriors will have to use all their defenses, including boiling oil, wall-mounted crossbows, and a portcullis. Prince Vorash himself, along with his vicious desert wolf, is prepared to join the fray. Will the Ardun soldiers pass Issiad’s high walls, or will the Ustokal continue to rule the desert? Includes General Lerus, two Ardun soldiers, Vorash, and three Ustokal warriors. Includes 7 minifigures with assorted weapons and accessories: the exclusive character General Lerus, 2 Ardun soldiers, Vorash, 2 Ustokal warriors and an Ustokal archer Also includes a horse and tame desert wolf The walls of Issiad feature powerful battlements, anti-climbing spikes, skirted bottoms, arrow slits, torches, golden domes and plant growth Drop burning oil on invaders with the buckets Raise and lower the portcullis with a wheel on the back of the gatehouse Shoot invaders with the wall mounted flick-fire giant crossbow, which includes extra arrows Includes a functional, easy to load rubber-band powered floating arm trebuchet with extra shots Scale the walls of Issiad with the siege ladder Discover the Legendary Dagger in its hiding place among the rocks Enter Issiad through the secret door a the base of the tower Detailed interior of Issiad includes Vorash’s throne room, a dungeon, a market stall, a blacksmith, a cellar, and a dining table Feed the Ustokal warriors fish, apples, chicken, and vegetables Weapons and accessories include 4 swords, 2 pikes, 2 spears, 2 shields, 2 claws, 2 axes, a scythe, a longbow, a hammer, a treasure chest with gold and silver coins, a desert owl, 3 scorpions, the Legendary Dagger, and the Legendary Hammer Issiad is constructed in 8 modules for easy assembly and rearrangement Trebuchet measures over 8” (21cm) tall, 5” (18cm) long and 3” (9cm) wide Set includes more than 27” (68cm) of Issiad walls, which are up to 11” (27cm) tall and up to 3” (9cm) wide 64018 Alchemist Workshop Defense ($75 USD) Defend Aona’s alchemist workshop from the Ustokal army! Ustokal forces are advancing up the mountain, and they’re intent on taking Aona’s alchemist workshop! The workshop is full of valuable potions, but more importantly it also houses the Legendary Beacon, a light that never goes out. The Ustokal army is strong, and armed with a ballista, but the workshop has its own defenses: a drawbridge, high walls, Aona’s spells, and a ferocious ice wolf. Includes Aona, an Ardun soldier, two Ustokal warriors, and an ice wolf. Includes 4 minifigures with assorted weapons and accessories: Aona, an Ardun soldier, and two Ustokal Warriors Enchant the fierce ice wolf to help protect the workshop Alchemist workshop features shelves, tables, a stool, a staircase with a banister, a stove and lots of magical ingredients Raise the drawbridge with the working winch, and release it by pulling the lever Send the Legendary Beacon flying by pushing the trigger on its base Climb the spiral staircase to reach the bridge Includes a working rubber-band powered Ustokal ballista with 2 extra arrows Also includes a spring-loaded spell launcher disguised in a rock Remove a section of the workshop wall to reveal shots for the spell launcher and other accessories Weapons include Aona’s staff, a spear, a sword, a shield, an axe, 2 pikes, and the Legendary Beacon Alchemist workshop is constructed modularly for easy assembly and rearrangement Combine the modules of Alchemist Workshop Defense with those of 64020 Battle for Myrdoc Tower to create dozens of different castles Ustokal ballista measures over 3” (8cm) tall, 4” (12cm) long, and 4” (11cm) wide Alchemist workshop measures over 10” (25cm) tall, 15” (38cm) long and 7” (19cm) wide 64017 Skolek Confrontation ($50 USD) Confront the two-headed Skolek with the Ardun Dragonslayer! The soldiers of Ardun have a new secret weapon: a huge, repeating spear launcher called the Dragonslayer. But as the Dragonslayer is drawn through a mountainous pass illuminated by the Legendary Torch, Vorash and his two-headed dragon Skolek ambush its convoy! The Dragonslayer is powerful, but will it be able to pierce Skolek’s special iron armor? Includes Vorash, an Ardun Knight and an Ardun Soldier. Includes 3 minifigures with assorted weapons and accessories: Vorash, an Ardun Knight and an Ardun Soldier Also comes with two horses The Dragonslayer features a cool, semi-automatic rotating reload system Disconnect the Dragonslayer from the cart horse, and flick-fire its six harpoons Skolek is fully poseable, with 37 points of articulation including folding wings, moving toes, and an opening jaw Skolek features flexible cloth membranes on his wings Seat Vorash on Skolek’s back Skolek includes 11 pieces of removable metallic armor Weapons include 2 swords, 2 lances, a pike, an axe, and the Legendary Torch Also includes a pedestal for the Legendary Torch and a mountain brazier more than 4” (10cm) tall Dragonslayer and cart measure over 4” (10cm) tall, 10” (27cm) long and 2” (7cm) wide Skolek measures over 13” (32cm) long, with a wingspan of over 18” (48cm) and a shoulder height of 3” (8cm) 64016 Ormser Ambush ($30 USD) Reclaim the Legendary Halberd with the swift dragon Ormser! The Ustokal sorcerer Rothut has stolen the Legendary Halberd! Wizard’s apprentice Brigid and her dragon companion, Ormser, must reclaim the powerful weapon from him. Brigid and Ormser ambush Rothut at his oasis, swooping down from the sky. But Rothut is a skilled sorcerer, and he shoots spells up at them. Is Ormser fast enough to dodge the spells and snag the Halberd? Includes Brigid and Rothut. Includes 2 minifigures with assorted weapons and accessories: Brigid and Rothut Ormser is fully poseable, with 32 points of articulation including folding wings, moving toes, and an opening jaw Ormser features flexible cloth membranes on his wings Seat Brigid on Ormser’s back Launch the flick-fire arrows on Ormser’s harness for an aerial attack Weapons include Rothut’s staff, a crossbow, and the Legendary Halberd Fire Rothut’s 3-shot rapid fire spell launcher Also includes a pedestal for the Legendary Halberd Ormser measures over 13” (32cm) long, with a wingspan of over 16” (41cm) and a shoulder height of 3” (8cm) 64015 Fythold Ultimate Dragon ($20 USD) Rule the skies with Fythold, the Ultimate Dragon! The black, spiny dragon Fythold is a powerful and clever beast. With cool barbed armor, sharp teeth and claws, and mighty wings, this dragon strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies! Prince Orion hopes to gain Fythold’s help in the war against the Ustokal, but Fythold proves a hard bargainer. Will Orion win Fythold’s allegiance, or will he be the dragon’s lunch? Includes Orion and Fythold. Includes 1 minifigure: Prince Orion Fythold is fully poseable, with 32 points of articulation including folding wings, moving toes, and an opening jaw Fythold features flexible cloth membranes on his wings Seat Orion on Ormser’s back Fythold’s saddle is removable Arm Orion with his broadsword Fythold measures over 13” (32cm) long, with a wingspan of over 16” (41cm) and a shoulder height of 3” (8cm) 64014 Necromancer’s Peak ($13 USD) Challenge the Necromancer Scallow on a frozen mountain peak! It’s the final showdown! Orion, Prince of Ardun, has embraced his destiny, and has climbed the mountain to confront the evil Necromancer Scallow. Clad in strong royal armor, carrying his trusty sword and the Legendary Shield, which can create magic force fields where he needs them, Orion feels ready for anything. But Scallow’s wicked spells are powerful, too, and may put an end to Orion’s quest. Includes Orion and Scallow. Includes 2 minifigures with assorted weapons and accessories: Orion in royal armor and Scallow Features a collapsible spire Includes a spring-loaded spell launcher with eerie green shots Shoot Scallow’s spell launcher at Orion’s magic shields Hit the magic shield underneath the spire to make it crumble Also includes a separate floating magic shield Weapons include Scallow’s bone scythe, a sword, and the Legendary Shield Spire measures over 8” (21cm) tall, 3” (9cm) long and 2” (6cm) wide 64013 Desert Duel ($13 USD) Face the skillful Vorash in a harrowing desert duel! Vorash, King of the Ustokal, routinely practices his combat skills against a special training machine outside the walls of Issiad. When the Witch Aona comes to challenge him, a high-speed, high-stakes duel ensues! Both fighters are expert and agile, and they seem perfectly matched. Can Aona and her magic overcome Vorash and his weapons? Includes Vorash and Aona. Includes 2 minifigures with assorted weapons and accessories: Vorash and Aona Training machine features a spinning central column with slots to hold axes, flails, and more Knock out characters with the spinning flails Position characters on the training machine’s middle column to recreate athletic attacks Weapons include 2 axes, 2 claws, a scythe, a sword, a hammer, and Aona’s staff Weapon rack included Launch Aona into battle with the magic catapult Training machine measures over 3” (9cm) tall, 4” (11cm) long and 4” (11cm) wide 64012 Myrdoc Army Pack ($10 USD) Fight for the snowy pass with the Myrdoc Army Pack! Myrdoc Tower is under attack, and Ustokal forces with a giant crossbow are trying to advance up the mountain to join the fight! The Ardun soldiers must hold them at bay from behind their stone barricade. Includes two Ardun soldiers and two Ustokal warriors. Includes 4 minifigures with assorted weapons and accessories: an Ardun solider, an Ardun knight, an Ustokal warrior and an Ustokal archer Features a flick-fire giant crossbow Shoot giant arrows at the barricade defenders Weapons include 2 swords, a shield, an axe, and a longbow Also includes a fish with a cooking fire Combine with 64018 Alchemist Workshop Defense and 64020 Battle for Myrdoc Tower for an even larger battle Giant crossbow measures over 2” (6cm) long and 2” (6cm) wide Barricade measures over 3” (9cm) wide 64011 Issiad Army Pack ($10 USD) Build your forces with the Issiad Army Pack! The epic siege of Issiad is underway, and both armies need reinforcements! The Ardun troops have a catapult, but will it be enough to get past the Ustokal skirmishers? Includes two Ardun soldiers and two Ustokal warriors. Includes 4 minifigures with assorted weapons and accessories: 2 Ardun desert soldiers, and 2 Ustokal warriors Features a functional rubber-band powered catapult Fling rocks at the Ustokal defenders Weapons include 2 spears, 2 swords, 2 shields, and a scythe Also includes a barrel of apples Combine with 64019 Siege of Issiad for an even greater battle Ustokal banner stands over 4” (12cm) tall Catapult measures over 2” (6cm) high, 2” (6cm) long and 2” (6cm) wide

Hey guys! This is Nihi. She's one of my characters from the BZPower's BZPRPG, a Menti warrior of the Dasaka species (What's that?). Nihi, though being just a lowly warrior in the Dasaka's rigid caste system, is frequently entangled by fortune (or misfortune) in situations a little bit out of her league. She's dealt and conversed with princesses, sparked public debates, visited foreign lands, and been wronged by the infamous Piraka. This build took me, on and off, about a week to finish. The hardest part to get the way I wanted it was the torso. I had a lot of fun trying to implement Nihi's Dasaka crystal armor in the right way. Click pictures for bigger versions on Flickr. Thanks for looking! Any comments/critiques you have are welcomed. In which Grokk makes an unfavorable first impression...

Thanks! I used the bigger parts to try and beef up the ankles a little bit; they didn't restrict movement, and I ended up preferring them. The right forearm/fist is a big cluster of crystal through which the Abettor wields some of its powers, including alchemic abilities (turn foes into water, etc.). As for the Kanohi, no, there are three in there. I tried to fit four but the difference in mounting assembly was huge, and it wouldn't have fit in the torso I designed. There's a secondary joint on a titan piston, actually... but looking at the pictures I took, I realized that I photographed the Abettor from all the right angles to hide that support joint! If you look at the reverse view picture up there, you should be able to see the pistons on the back of the lower legs.

Hey guys, This MOC is of an entity of mine, known as the Abettor, that was created for BZPower's main text-based Role Playing Game. The Abettor serves as the powerful and mysterious guardian of a very important place in the game. Back in mid-October, I drew the Abettor to get the concept out of my head and for the benefit of other players that wanted to interact with the behemoth. Following that pencil version, I made a digital drawing on MS Powerpoint as a game banner. The creation below is based on my earlier art of this character. It was a very fun challenge to work "backwards" in this way, to go from art to MOC; the last time I'd done so was with my MOC of Heuani, which was based on an artwork by BZPower member Vezok's Friend. Alright, enough exposition. Here's the MOC. The main function I incorporated into this MOC was the Abettor's trademark ability: cycling through Kanohi. The guardian has several masks at its disposal, and by rotating a great wheel within itself, it can select which one it wants to use. By turning the gear on the back of the MOC, the mask in the Abettor's niche will rotate. If you want to see larger pictures, feel free to visit the set on Flickr. Thanks for reading, any comments and critiques are appreciated!

Interestingly, nobody has ever brought that point up with my creations! Well, I can tell you that I do pay attention to reducing my element diversity in these sets - most times, basic connector/building bricks are all the same across a set (i.e. 1x1 studs are all gold in a set, or 1x2 plates are all dark tan) - and in fact, unless necessary to change it to a different color out of aesthetic reasons, I try to employ only one color of elements within the framework of a set. There's still a large variety of parts used in a set, of course, but the color simplification cuts down on that. As for elements appearing across sets, I'd like to imagine that these sets have a pretty similar "parts vocabulary;" many types of pieces are employed as inter-set motifs, like barrels, olive green leaves, 4-bar handles, etc. But maybe this was all more prominent in my head, too! Thanks for the feedback.

A Steam City would be a pretty cool set, as would a "Spark field..." I can definitely imagine those, and they look pretty big! The bad guys are pretty ambiguous, I suppose, and you're right that it might be nice to see what else they do. Thanks for the feedback!

Thanks everyone for your feedback! I might put these on Cuusoo; if I did, though, I'd have to pick just one, since they only make single-project ideas. As for instructions, I don't have any, and I'm afraid that, were I to take my stuff apart to make some, I might not know how to put it all back together again! Yes, the floating rocks include built-in trans-clear stands. I decided to edit them out in the pictures, but they're there, and I consider them part of the "sets."

Thanks everyone! The final set - "The Auriga" - has been added to the first post!

The next set, "Cloud Cliffs Lair" has just been added to the first post! Only one set remains to be posted.

Thanks everyone for the feedback! The first post has been updated with set #3: The Circinus. Go take a look!

First post updated with set #2, Airfield Assault! The light blue is the "faction color" for the crew of the Auriga, so it's included on the mech to designate its faction. Red, conversely (as can be seen in the next set) is the color of the bad guys. Since it's hard to make completely distinctive color schemes for competing steampunk forces - a certain pallette is required to create the right tone in the MOC; colors like gold, browns, tans, and etc. are difficult to avoid - I decided that small, bright spots would have to serve to distinguish the two sides. On such a small creation as this, I see how the light blue could look out-of-place; it's mostly there for the benefit of matching with larger things yet to come. As for bull horns, I thought that tusks looked cooler; it's only vaguely minotaur-shaped, mostly in the "hoof" region, but I preferred "Steam Minotaur" to "Steam Mace-wielding-bipedal-thing." Thanks for the feedback!

Howdy guys! This is the topic for a group of creations I've been working on for a while now. My general M.O. for MOCing is that I make creations to be as stable, functional, and reasonably-sized as real LEGO sets. The creations I make in my "themes" are designed to go together well, and be highly playable as a cohesive theme. The theme below is the fourth I've made. I'm usually a medieval fantasy builder - most recently, I worked on a line of "Lord of the Rings" sets (an idea that I'd started working on before TLG announced their plans to do the same!), and before that was MOCing a series of Dragon-related creations - so my choice to undertake this project was a refreshing break from my norm. I've always loved the imagery and whimsy of the Steampunk genre, and so I decided I'd like to try my hand at it. The theme below is set in a fantastical world of flying rocks, superlight gases, and - of course! - steam power. A warlike nation seeks to capitalize on a newly-discovered source of power: a strange fluorescent plasma, nicknamed Spark, that with proper treatment can be converted into pure, strong electricity. Sadistic gentlemen work together with twisted scientists at the head of the fledgling empire's efforts to gather the plasma. Meanwhile, the crew of the airship Auriga - a rogue sky frigate - has decided to do what it can to stop what they see as an evil regime dead in its tracks. This small, motley group of idealists may be all that stands in the way of the empire's search for Spark! So yeah, the fairly basic TLG stock conflict over an energy source. Real creative... Well, if you can overlook that, I hope these creations are to your liking. Be sure to check out the Flickr sets - in them are some videos of these MOCs' functions. 5) The Auriga Ajax Calloway, stoic captain of the Auriga, takes great pride in the abilities of his airship... and he has every reason to. The Auriga's propellers are powered by a unique Spark engine, making the ship extremely fast and durable. Unfortunately, the large quantity of Spark required to run this engine is extremely appealing to the nefarious gentleman Gordon Ravensdale, instigator of the empire's power-hungry actions. Ravensdale, riding his personal gyrocopter and accompanied by an army Vaporbird plane, will do anything he can to steal the Spark straight from the Auriga's engine, or else blast the airship from the skies! Will the airship's intrepid crew be able to fend off their attackers and stop the Spark from falling into the wrong hands? Imagined price point: $120 USD Includes: Humphrey Vole, Mark Davies, Abigail Davies, Ajax Calloway, Gordon Ravensdale, Pilot Soldier Flickr Gallery 4) Cloud Cliffs Lair Horatio Graham, the gallant first mate, and Humphrey Vole, the cavalier demolitionist, make an spiffing pair. But are they skilled enough to take down the base at Cloud Cliffs, the nexus of the empire's research into Spark? It seems like quite a daunting task; aside from the high-security prison cell, the swarms of nefarious personnel - including Edmund Mackenzie, the infamous cyborg dandy, and the cruelly apathetic Dr. Thornwood - and the revolving Spark cannon, the Cloud Cliffs lair is also assembling a new weapon: the Spark Boxer robot! Can Graham and Vole sabotage the operation, or will they be taken down by the old one-two? Imagined price point: $70-80 USD Includes: Horatio Graham, Humphrey Vole, Edmund Mackenzie, Dr. Thornwood, Soldier Flickr Gallery 3) The Circinus Abigail Davies, exasperated navigator of the Auriga, considers her own small dirigible - the Circinus - to be her place to seek peace and quiet among the clouds and floating rocks. Unfortunately for Abigail, the Auriga's resident academic Malcolm Willougby recently invented a rocketeer backpack that lets him accompany her on scounting missions... and her attempts to stop his intellectual tirades usually fall on deaf ears! However, when the Circinus ambles into a trap, Abigail is more than happy to have Malcolm along. Can they escape from the sights of the mounted repeating gun? Imagined price point: $35-40 USD Includes: Malcolm Willoughby, Abigail Davies, Soldiers (2x) Flickr Gallery 2) Airfield Assault Horatio Graham, gallant first mate of the Auriga, is on a mission sure to reaffirm any impressions about his character; only someone as infamously brazen and dashing as he would consider assaulting an army airfield armed with only his wits and his weighty broadsword! Can he stop the stealthy hot-air balloon from rising before it can drop Spark bombs on innocents, or will the barbed wire and armed soldiers (trifling obstacles, Graham claims) put a stop to him? Imagined price point: $25-30 USD Includes: Horatio Graham, Officer, Soldier Flickr Gallery 1) The Steam Minotaur Rupert Calverton, the Auriga's satirical engineer, has a problem: he has been stranded landside with a dome of Spark, and he is being approached by an imperial Soldier intent on taking it by force! Luckily, Rupert Calverton also has a solution: his not-yet-patented, remote-operated "Steam Minotaur." Will the Steam Minotaur's spinning gun and spiked mace be enough to defeat the Heavy Soldier? Of course it will... but you decide! Imagined price point: $10-12 USD Includes: Rupert Calverton, Heavy Soldier Flickr Gallery Thanks for viewing! All comments and critiques are welcome.

Thanks everyone for your feedback, I really appreciate it! The custom painting/sharpieing isn't so much for aesthetic necessity as it is for character accuracy. Grokk's gold tooth and his tattoo are signature features of his face, so it was important to me to add them, both to signify the MOC as Grokk and as not-Avak. The painted Hau isn't much different than a plain black one, you're right, but as Heuani is supposed to be wearing a more unique mask than the Hau Nuva, I liked the idea of giving him something different on that front too. As for the cladding system, my supply of Hero Factory parts isn't too large, but I've been playing around with them a while. I'd really like to make a dragon. Thanks! The cape isn't the LEGO one, no. It's from a 12" Darth Vader statuette I had lying around. It detachable on Vader with a velcro-ended chain; when that broke, I decided it'd be a nice part to MOC with. It's held onto the top of Uhuraz's back by that big blue flap you can see in the back view photo, which folds over the top of the cape and holds it there by friction. I'd agree that the circular plates aren't too necessary... to be honest, I slapped them on there mostly because the armor that worked presented a perfect 2x2 region which would be easy to affix something stud-bottomed to, and it seemed like too nice an opportunity to disregard. I'm actually very happy you said that about Heuani! I meant to give something of a feminine air to him. He's intended to be very graceful, smooth-armored, and attractive; some studies have shown that the most attractive people aren't hypermasculine or hyperfeminine, and I wanted to use that here. The posing (especially in his hips) was intended to add to the impression. Grokk's body isn't perfectly satisfactory to me, either. I wanted him to retain mobility in his abdominal joint, but also use those Toa Inika thigh armor pieces (part of my short supply of reddish-brown). I'll probably end up tweaking it a little in the future.

21/2 Dead Characters. Howdy, y'all! I don't think I've ever posted creations in this forum... but when the MOCing bug bites, it bites hard. Sometimes there's nothing more fun than pulling out the old BIONICLE bin. Certain Brickfair acquisitions of mine - some useful new elements I bought, custom-painted parts, and prototypes from years past - only spurred on my desire to create. I can take this opportunity to point out that the custom-painted elements seen below (I Sharpied the Piraka spine myself) were done by BZPower member MrCod. On to business. I've made three MOCs, all of which are based on past and present BZPower Role Playing Game (BZPRPG) characters of mine. You can see them below: From left to right: Grokk, Uhuraz, and Heuani. Characters are built to scale with one another. These three are characters near and dear to my heart. The BZPRPG, being a text-based role playing game, is wholly driven by the interaction of characters, and these three have been some of my favorites to interact as over my years in the game. I hope you'll permit me to indulge myself a little as we go, and tell you a bit about each of the characters as they crop up. We can start with Heuani. (NOTE: The linked names of characters from here on out lead to their respective Flickr Galleries, where higher resolution versions of all the images below can be found.) Heuani, Toa of Shadow. Sword is a prototype element; mask was custom painted. In the 2012 arc of the BZPRPG, the world of the game was very similar to Mata Nui in the BIONICLE canon in 2001. Similar, not identical; instead of triumphing over Makuta as they did in canon, the Toa Mata failed, because one of their number betrayed them at the crucial moment. That Toa, once he submitted himself to serving Makuta, was warped into the hateful persona of Heuani. He also died at the end of the 2012 arc. Heuani was a dark and seductive presence. He was defined by his statuesque, lusty beauty, his honeyed words, and the dangerous shadow powers that Makuta endowed him with. He was armed with a crystal flamberge and a Kanohi Felnas, both of which he used to devastating effect against dozens of his enemies and captures. He was at once alluring and repulsive. BZPower member Vezok's Friend made a stunning artwork based on my descriptions of Heuani, capturing his enigmatic nature and appearance admirably. His artwork was my basic reference for my MOC of Heuani. There was no suitable piece for either a humanoid Felnas - Heuani's face had to be more attractive than Gorast's head! - or for the crystal flamberge, so I am very happy that I was able to have Heuani's mask specially painted to resemble VF's art. Heuani's sword here, while neither transparent, double-sided, nor ripple-bladed as it was in the game, was one of the coolest pieces I had, so I thought it'd have to do. Building challenges: getting the shoulders right, beefing up the thighs, torso stability. As good as he was at working for Makuta, Heuani's true calling was always to become a supermodel. Next up is Grokk. Grokk, Skakdi of Gravity. Gold tooth was custom painted, spine was Sharpied. Included with Grokk is his Fusa Flipper, a wind-up toy. Grokk is the only character I've had for my whole time in the BZPRPG (2009-2013). He's the only character in this topic that hasn't died yet. If there's one distinctive thing about Grokk, it's his narrative voice. He is written in 1st person, which isn't altogether unique in the game; however, Grokk's blend of bad puns, incessant self-promotion, fourth wall breakage, and stray thoughts is generally distinguishable when it appears. Grokk is prone to whimsy, loves casual crime, and takes immense pride in his mouthful of "pearlies." Grokk's childish behavior, however, is belied by a conspicuous absence of moral relativity or empathy. He carries a Zamor pistol, and he's an excellent shot. The reference for Grokk is several drawings I've done of him. He's the smallest and the simplest of the MOCs in this topic; I wanted him to be stable and playable. The little gizmo at Grokk's feet is a Fusa Flipper, which is a small wind-up toy that Grokk stole for his enjoyment during the current arc of the game. Building challenges: retaining torso flexibility, incorporating more brown, making a vaguely kangaroo-shaped contraption at the right scale. Towards the end of his photo shoot, Grokk discovered that he could, in fact, take pictures of himself: "#selfies #lol" Lastly, there's Uhuraz. Uhuraz, Makuta. Bleeding head is a prototype element; cape comes from a Darth Vader figurine. Makuta Uhuraz the Merciless was a character I played before the reboot of the BZPRPG. Uhuraz was one of my first characters; he was a fairly basic "big bad," but he was a load of fun to write. He ended himself at the close of the 2010 arc shortly after realizing his dreams and rediscovering his conscience. True to the first in his bloated list of titles, Uhuraz was merciless. He was a savage hunter, prone to fits of destructive rage; armed with titanic brute strength and a heavy flail, his wrath often resulted in broken bodies. For all his power in the temporal world, though, Uhuraz's true power lay in his mind. Uhuraz was a masterful manipulator of the mental plane, especially when it came to attacking other consciousnesses. Uhuraz, supremely confident in his might-means-right world view, wanted to become a god. The head Uhuraz is holding belonged to his former mentor and enemy, Master. Master was also a practiced wielder of psychic energies; when they dueled one another, Uhuraz gained the edge over Master by deciding that the pain in his head was arbitrary. Because Master wore a Kanohi Crast, and I wanted to use that gorgeous prototype somewhere, it bleeds symbolically in Uhuraz's claws as 1/2 of another dead character. This is maybe the fifth update of my Uhuraz MOC, which has been at a few Brickfairs, but hasn't seen the light of the internet since it was much older and inferior. Building challenges: attaching the fingers to the ball joints, restructuring the leg armor. Let it be noted that "The Incredibles" had it right: several times during the shoot, Uhuraz's cape succumbed to my fan and pulled him the ground. Thanks everyone for looking! If you made it all the way down here, I'm surprised by your patience, and flattered by your interest. Comments and critiques of all sorts are appreciated.