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The Travelling Bard Tavern In the oldest parts of the city of Everwater, built even before the city walls surrounding today's Everwater, stands the tavern The Travelling Bard. Built in a time where there were no city walls yet, the tavern has thick and heavy doors and no large windows on ground level, which is entirely built out of stone and features arrow slits to defend the tavern. Just a few steps outside the main castle gates, but nowhere near today’s large town square at the centre of the city of Everwater, it has become a far less frequented address to the common traveller. But for those that know the reputation the tavern has, it is a must visit location in Everwater. The wooden outside-stage, which is accessible via a second door from the tavern, has seen many rising stars among the bards of Everwater and beyond. There is a simple saying among the older generations of bards of Everwater, that: “If the travelling bard has approved of you, you are ready to travel beyond the city walls.” Today is a special day, Cyrill Waterbend has returned to the tavern after completing his recent travels throughout the county of Everwater and other, neighboring counties. Once a year he travels beyond the city walls, but his true home is the city of Everwater. It is the place he grew up in. The son of an unknown sailor of one of the merchant ships that regularly lay at the piers of the port, he lived large parts of his youth with his mother in a small chamber in some shabby house down by the port. This all changed, when his mother met the owner of the Travelling Bard, the two became a couple and she also started to work in the tavern. From then on, Cyrill’s life was filled with music, stories and people from far away carrying news from everywhere through the heavy doors of the tavern. Naturally, Cryill picked up an instrument, the lute was his first choice and he started to write his very first songs. This was eight years ago and since, Cyrill has become a local celebrity among the bards of Everwater, not for his skills with the lute, but for the stories he brings home from his travels that he weaves into his songs. His mom and step-dad still own the tavern, allowing Cryill to freely use his time to travel around and gather news, someday he might take over as the owner of the Travelling Bard, but until then, he enjoys his freedom. The story he is telling today tells of the peace that has been built throughout Historica, how this peace brings freedom to grow and to develop. But his story also tells of the blood that was shed to build this peace and how it has to be protected, he tells of the fallen heroes and those that have endured and remain. His story now changes, starts centering more around Everwater, how the city had to endure difficult years, but he also tells of the hope their recently killed Lord Ellerion instilled in the people of Everwater. He mourns the dead soldiers from the skirmish within the castle and city walls and he closes his story with the news that the rightful heir to the county, Alric Ellerion has been seen crossing the border of Everwater together with Sam Weatherstone on their return to Everwater. Not only the people around the stage are happy about this news, Cyrill himself is a close friend of Alric and his friends. A certain person in the audience is also really happy about this message. Cyrill expected this shadow in a green coat already. We meet Cyrill late after his performance in the upper room of the tavern, where there are two beds available for travelling bards, stopping by. The shadow in the green cloak has revealed herself, it is Anna Ellerion, the sister of Alric Ellerion. Cyrill already expected her, they have been close friends since Cyrill made his first steps as an upcoming bard and Anna invited him to the Everwater castle to perform at a small reception they had for a guest. … A: “Is it true Cyrill, has my brother been seen at the border?” C: “Yes, Anna, he took one of the small paths through the hills and came by one of the southeastern watchtowers. I met a horse courier this afternoon at the city gates, the news should by now have reached the castle and you, had you not been at my performance”, he winked at her, “he will soon be here, and then this madness with your father and your uncle will hopefully find an end.” A: “I hope so yes, thank you for the news Cyrill, and for being the friend you are to me and my brother.” … They kept talking long into the night, of their friendship, of the turmoil the death of her father had brought to Everwater and how Historica on the contrary was starting to enter into an era of hopeful peace and growth. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This is my entry for the Prelude Challenge Category A of Book IV and I had great fun building this. The build originally was planed to be a bit bigger and include a large audience and the possibility to also have a look into the ground floor, but as the build progressed and time got a bit short I had to replan, notheless I am very happy with the result. I even managed to get some glimpses of my main Everwater story into the Challange, which I am especially happy about. Below are some more pictures to the tavern and its features. The roof, as well as the walls of the upper floor (in segments), can be removed to have the upper floor accesible.

Hello! Would like to present my second MOC after my dark ages. (Sorry, i build like a 12 year old, twenty years ago.) (You can check out my first MOC here!) I joined Nocturnus a few days ago, so i decided to (try) build something not too big, because i don't have that much bricks, and it is easier to start small i think. So i had a little scene in mind, then it slowly changed and transformed into this final form. I made an order on BL, and built it. Sorry, i do not own a professional camera, so i just used my phone. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Saga of Gutkeled the Tangled I. Swamp Rescue: As dusk settled over the dangerous lands of Nocturnus, Gutkeled the Tangled was gingerly heading East, passing through one of the deadly, and smelly swamps to stay hidden from the happenings of the civil war going on his beloved homeland. He was just getting across a dodgy bridge, when he heard the murky water splashing, and a woman's screech as well! First he thought it is just a crow with its raucous voice complaining about something, somewhere in the dense vegetation... Wasn't good for his ears, i tell you that. Anyway, it was really a woman. Or something like that. His mama Leofflæd taught him well, to be a good and honorable man, and to be helpful, especially to ladies, so he decided to lend a hand to the stranger. Even if she seemed like a vampire, or should i say swampire. - Good evening Ma'am! Don't you worry, i will pull you out in no time! - shouted Gutkeled, whilst he cut down a long, strong vine with his sword from a nearby tree. No answer came, just panic, screams, and the swamp's greenish water stirred up even more. The young wanderer cautiously stepped on the edge of the bridge, and held the vine in front of the woman. - Grab it, and don't let go! - said Gutkeled in haste. He wanted this to be over as quick as possible, because above them on top of the tree, in its crown, two swamp spooks nested. Some people and other life forms called them bog bogeys, and those creatures didn't like anyone near their home! Especially noisy ones. Usually the female laid a crystal thingy on top of a tree, while the male caught and killed some lesser creatures, and took their souls to trap it in the crystal. A few nights later the next generation of swamp spooks were born from it. They were always born during, or after full moon, because the crystal needed to catch the moon's rays to transform the souls into those nasty little spirits. Although they were only preying on smaller beings, they could mess up Gutkeled with an attack, if they wanted to. They literally just fly through someone's body, or head, causing headaches, nausea, dizziness for long hours, or in some cases, days. - Almost have you! - Gutkeled managed to pull the woman closer to the bridge, then lay on his stomach, and reached down with his hand to grab her. Soon both of them were sitting on the bridge. Safe and sound. - Are you all right, Ma'am? - asked the man, looking at the soaked and wet, and needless to say malodorous bloodsucker. - Handsome, ye call me ma'am one more time, an' ah wull have ye for dinner! - voiced the exhausted woman, as she observed her savior. - Be careful, vampy! Your sharp tongue might cut your throat one day... - stood up Gutkeled, and put his left hand on his swords hilt. The woman immediately get on her feet too. - Please, before we get carried away, let me introduce maself! Cailleach Bheur, at yer service! Ye assistance is much appreciated! - the change of her tone was comforting. - You are welcome, Cally! I am Gutkeled. Nice to meet you, i hope! What were you doing out here in the middle of nowhere alone? If you don't mind me asking! - Ah've heard some avalonian adventurers roaming these swamps. They are usually delicious. I almost had them, but lost ma footing on this cursed piece of poor woodwork. Dinna have to tell ye, i am not fond of watter and stuff. - I assure you, i taste nothing like avalonians, that's for sure. But i have some dried meat and even some red wine, if you are still hungry. - lied Gutkeled, as he was half avalonian (- half amazing) after his mother. - No need to worry darlin'! I won't bite, for now. But ah take the meat and wine! Let's find a good place, an' get a fire gaun! Have to dry ma dress! - grinned Cailleach mischievously. - Agreed! - nodded the young man, and shortly they disappeared into the night. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- First, some pictures without the characters.: IMG_20161224_120422 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20161224_120514 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr With minifigs.: IMG_20161224_120955 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr IMG_20161224_134529 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr A slightly different version. : IMG_20161224_135129 by Erhard Maas, on Flickr More pictures in my Flickr album.

For the Resistance Throughout the wild, overgrown swamplands of Nocturnes there are many tales of those who reside in the darkest depths of the swamp, tales of savages,monsters and other twisted creatures who call the marshes home. These natives of the swamps are rarely seen, and many folk think they are no more then witless brutes or primitive savages. However, In truth, these swamp people are far more organized than most believe. Although some of these people are in fact primate brutes many are quite intelligent and are masters of moving unseen and striking with vile poisons. However, the most curious of all these folk is their leader, a strange hermit that acts as a Shaman for all the folk that live in the swamp. He lead them in prayer, heals them with strange potions and rituals, settles disputes, and is responsible for most major decisions. Now he summons forth the natives to prayer, and from there to finally leave the swamp and join the war...

As they get nearer and nearer to the Arkbri river, two travellers, weary from there exhausting trek across the Oil Road, begin to see trees, and more signs of life sprouting up out of the barren desert. Overall, pretty pleased with how this sand technique turned out, pleased enough to order some more of the parts for my next large MOC!

Book 3 Challenge 4 A A build for the queen. Fair warning: This is a long, picture heavy thread. By the request of @Exetrius, I have made the nominal picture size smaller for those of you who don't have automatically resizing browsers, so I hope this helps. Click on each of the pictures to see it full sized. This is particularly useful with the panoramic shots. Late one night, Queen Ylspeth stood on the balcony of the tallest tower of her keep, looking out over Cedrica. The reports she had received were troubling. The rumors that had been circulating for months appeared to have some merit, and even worse, they were connected. Historica was going to be torn apart and would descend again into chaos unless she acted, but who could she trust? She had pored over the lists of guild representatives and thought back to those that helped her win a united victory over Lord Raavage and the Black Spire. She had written messages, carefully selecting the most trustworthy representatives she knew from each guild (with the exception of Varlyrio, where she had invited Rego Amancio by default, not having much diplomatic relations with any of the leaders there), requesting their presence for a secret meeting in her private council chambers in a fortnight. Now she waited, hoping she had placed her trust in the right people. ---------- A fortnight later, the guild representatives had arrived, conveyed secretly through Cedrica and into the castle by covered carriages, covert paths and back doors. They met in the queen's private council chambers, a secluded room beneath the keep reserved for the most sensitive of conversations. The queen stood near the table as the representatives took their seats, and a solitary figure in a black hooded cloak sat next to her. Queen Ylspeth surveyed the representatives: Rego Amancio for Varlyrio, King DeGothia from Avalonia, Sir Glorfindel of Mitgardia, Lord Gideon of Kaliphlin (the first to arrive), and finally Lord Vladivus of Nocturnus. "What is the meaning of this summons, and why have we been smuggled in here like common thieves?" demanded Rego Amancio, banging his fist on the table. The other representatives looked at one another and the Rego, perhaps a little surprised at his boldness with the queen. Queen Ylspeth took the question in stride, not betraying her thoughts on her face. "You would be wise to remember your place, my good Rego," she began. "I am not one of your family's adversaries. I am your queen, and I do not summon my subjects lightly or without reason." She took a few strides, letting her gilded chainmail jingle and show under her robes, positioning herself between the Rego and the door, subtly letting him know that she was not afraid of his threats. He visibly calmed, gaining a bit of respect for a queen he realized he might have underestimated. The queen balled her hands into fists and leaned on the table, looking at each of the guild representatives in turn. "Thank you all for coming here tonight at my summons. As you are aware, I value the freedom of the guilds and allow each guild a great deal of latitude when it comes to their own affairs. Particularly during this time of rebuilding after all of the civil wars, I found it most important to allow the guilds to police themselves. There is much left to do in each of our guilds, but I would not have called you together in such secrecy without great need." Queen Ylspeth stood up straight, removing her hands from the table. "We have in our realms a shadowed enemy who works even now against each of us, trying to turn us against one another." She paused to let this sink in. "We have all heard the recent rumors about demons, secret alliances, spies, lizard people disguising themselves in human skin, enormous animals tainted by magic, our ancient enemies of the drow and even Revolword himself returning. I was skeptical of these rumors until reports began piling up. Before calling everyone here tonight, I had to find the truth of these rumors, and have had to spend considerable time and resources gathering evidence. I have learned that these rumors have some basis in fact at their core, and we must band together or Historica will be torn apart and we shall perish. The utmost secrecy was required because this enemy is like a spider with its web everywhere, and I could only count on my most trusted allies." "What is this enemy you speak of, your majesty?" asked King DeGothia. "There is a band of renegade elves working to take over Historica and enslave its inhabitants," she replied. Queen Ylspeth held up her hand to stymie the murmur of disbelief spreading through her audience. "I understand it seems far-fetched. I had a hard time believing it myself, but these are no ordinary elves. Magic has wrenched apart their souls and has consumed and emaciated their bodies. They know no pleasure except in accumulating more power. Gathering this information has taken longer than I would have liked and claimed the lives of several good patriots, but here is the history as I understand it." "Almost a thousand years ago, a small group of young elves broke away from their clan in the Isles of Avalonia. These adolescents had known nothing but prosperity, and their parents had afforded them everything they could wish for. They had grown weary of their lives of luxury and sought something more, something exciting. Their leader, the wily Dion, had studied the arcane arts, and led her friends deep into the Enchanted Forest. Not before stealing many of the most advanced and dangerous spell tomes from the elven library where she studied, however." "At first, the young elves laughed and played. Dion used her summoning spells to produce food and drink, and conjured servants to attend them. Her original intent was not clear; it may have been that she only wanted freedom from authority, but we will never know. What we do know is that Dion began to summon more and more dangerous creatures, and some of the young elves became afraid. They returned home to their shame, which is how we know any of this story at all. The elven elders became concerned that Dion was not just having fun, but rather up to something sinister. They sent a small envoy to meet with her and surreptitiously inspect the keep in which she had set up residence." "When they arrived, they found that she had summoned demons and had been experimenting with powerful evil sorcery. They reported back to the elders who decided to put an end to this work. They sent a group of powerful mages and soldiers to stop the evil magic and arrest Dion and her followers. When they arrived, they found Dion had forseen their approach and a disastrous magical battle ensued. The old keep that Dion and her followers had been using was destroyed. No trace of Dion or her followers could be found, and, after cleaning up the remaining summoned demons, the elven force returned to the elders, declaring them dead." "Exactly what happened in the intervening centuries is unknown, but Dion and her followers had survived. However they had survived the blast, they had regrouped and rebuilt in the catacombs under the ruins of the elven keep where the battle took place. It appears that they have been plotting, patiently and slowly working to enslave all Historica under their control." "Your Majesty, may I ask how you have come by this information?" Lord Vladivus asked quietly. The queen nodded. "Unusually large creatures, called dire animals, were found in Avalonia. These were investigated by a local wizard and traced to their source, a ruins deep in the Enchanted Forest. The wizard, from a concealed position, observed unusual looking elves dumping magical waste into the local streams. This magical pollution led to the creation of the dire animals who drank from the contaminated water supply." "So you've been selling us food that has been tainted with contaminants?!" the Rego asked King deGothia, who glared back at him. "Unless you've been eating giant fowl or enormous ears of corn, no," the Queen cut in. "There will be time to discuss the effects and what is to be done later." The Rego settled down again and the queen continued. "The wizard realized he was in a dangerous situation and wisely returned to the local lord, who hired a skilled operative to discover more information." Queen Ylspeth turned to the short individual clad in black standing to her side. "Our infiltrator Silas scouted the ruins, inside and out. I will let him explain." The spy stepped forward to address the assembled lords, bowing slightly to the queen as he went. "I am here to witness to you what I observed while scouting the ruins." Sir Glorfindel held a hand to briefly stay the man and ask a question. "Are these the ruins of the original tower that the elves inhabited hundreds of years ago?" Queen Ylspeth nodded. "We believe so, yes." "Please, continue," Sir Glorfindel admonished the spy. "Wait," Queen Ylspeth commanded. She turned to Lord Gideon. "Did you bring the potion I asked for?" Lord Gideon rose and produced a bright yellow-green potion in a glass flask. "Yes, your majesty. I have brought the truth potion you have requested." He handed it to her. The queen turned and handed the potion to Silas. He took it from her and looked rather upset. "This was not part of the agreement, your majesty!" he said quietly. The queen looked at him sternly, and addressed him openly for the whole room to hear. "I do not like such magical coercement, but the situation requires that this story be told in full and without question of its authenticity. No one in this room is to ask you of any of your prior activities or secrets while under the influence of this potion. Is that clear?" she asked the room. The lords gave their assent. Seeing he had little choice, the spy sighed and drank the potion. A moment later, he looked at the queen, who nodded. Silas began: "I scouted the ruins around the outside at first. I approached the ruins early in the morning and carefully picked my way around, wary of traps. Moss and vines covered the ruins, and had I not seen occasional comings and goings of these elves, I would have thought the place abandoned." "However, the few elves I had seen had emerged from the chasm near the back of the structure. After observing from a hidden position, I found that there was a concealed entrance behind some ivy leading to the catacombs beneath the ruins. This chasm has a small stream that runs at the base, concealing footprints and movement of people in and out. I waited until all was clear, then snuck in. There is a magical trap near the doorway, and it requires a command word that I overheard the elves repeating. Beyond the doorway, the catacombs are immense under the structure, containing many winding corridors and many rooms. Some have been caved in from above or ravaged by fire, but the farther in you go, the less the rooms are damaged." "There are a number of magical workshops and libraries where they are conducting experiments on animals, humans, dwarves, elves, and a host of other creatures I didn't recognize. I don't understand much in the way of magical writings, but the mundane writing next to the magical texts spoke of experiments meant to bring about a race of super warriors, longevity, and construction of magical items. I helped myself to a few gems and precious stones for my troubles." He clenched his fist and grimaced at the effects of the truth potion. The queen raised her eyebrows and smirked, but otherwise remained silent. Silas continued. "Most of the way through the ruins is a vast cavernous room with an opening in the ceiling to let in light. A pool sits in the center of the floor and beyond it a raised dais. The room just beyond this dais is the main workshop. It contained all manner of magical experiments, a small library of tomes, and on a large desk a collection of journals, each labeled with one of the guilds: Mitgardia, Avalonia, Varlyrio, Nocturnus, and Kaliphlin. Each one contains detailed notes on progress of their schemes meant to undermine the authority of the crown: uprisings in Mitgardia, support for Lord Raavage and the Black Spire years ago in Nocturnus, the disappearance of Artorious Rex of Avalonia, unusual undead activity in Kaliphlin, the appearance of demons from a nether realm in Varlyrio... the web of deceit and plans was complex and vast. I was shocked, and I have seen quite a bit of treachery in my line of work." He quickly shut his mouth, about to say more, but choosing silence over blurting out more truths he did not want to speak. "Most disturbing was that in all, there were notes on a magical superweapon designed to wipe out entire castles at once. This was mentioned in all of the guilds' journals, tied in to the elemental powers that Revolword had tapped into. Despite the elemental helm being lost to another dimension, the elemental forces remain, and this group of elves was constructing a new device to harness these powers into a weapon. The details of the weapon seem to have been written in a magical language in another tome, but the mundane writing described that each use requires a soul, and that each of the guilds houses an elemental power necessary to construct it. It also seems that the weapon is nearly finished, if not already so." "The last pages of the journal implied that an army was being raised by these elves to attack all of the guilds, with the aid of the super weapon, while each of us was fighting amongst ourselves due to the rumors, lies, and hostilities that these elves had been sowing for years. " "The more I read, the more dangerous I realized the situation was, and I had to return with this intelligence. I retraced my steps back out, but was held up about halfway back: an interdimensional portal opened and a large group of evil creatures came through. I ducked into a room and pulled the door to. Through the small crack at the edge of the door, I watched as a whole host of skeletons and demons paraded by. They were followed by strange, emaciated elves. Their leader is an elf with black hair who has magically modified herself, or maybe mutated, having given herself antennae. They seem to have some sensory power, as they looked at me when she passed. I remained frozen and she passed by without incident, but it was unnerving to say the least. I estimated around a dozen of the elves, maybe 20 undead skeletons, and another dozen or so demon creatures of various types, including some with the capacity for flight. After that, I high tailed it out of there, and reported my findings." When Silas finished, the guild representatives gave one another worried looks. King deGothia was the first to speak. "This news comes as a surprise to us all I think," he glanced around the table to affirming looks, "but it also comes at a bad time when we are all rebuilding. How are we to raise an army to fight this foe?" Sir Glorfindel agreed. "Mitgardia is dealing with its own rebellion internally right now. We cannot commit large numbers of troops to a battle against this enemy." "Raising an army from Nocturnus will prove almost impossible," Lord Vladivus chimed in. "The destruction there is worse than the other guilds, and loyalties are still fractured." "Kaliphlin is still dealing with the Desert King and the undead apparently raised by these elves," Lord Gideon added. "Varlyrio is starting to see these demons," Rego Amancio stated. "Has anyone reached out to these elves and tried to bargain with them? They may be interested in reaching a deal." The queen shook her head. "We have not discussed anything with the elves. Indeed, they do not even know that we are aware of their existence. I thought that it was wise to retain the element of surprise, and besides, a small group of individuals raising an army against the state, sowing the seeds of rebellion, and developing a super weapon capable of destroying an entire castle... that is quite clearly treason, is it not? Those are not the actions of a group interested in bargaining." "What do you propose we do, your majesty?" asked Lord Vladivus in his calm, quiet manner. "It is clear that the Guilds of Historica are not at full capacity and to face a foe of this magnitude on an open battlefield would likely end in defeat," the queen began. "The only way that I can see for us to prevail is to strike with the element of surprise. We will need a small force of diverse talents to enter the ruins and eliminate these elves and their minions before they are able to gate an entire army into our world, or worse, use their superweapon." "The force would need to be stealthy," Lord Vladivus began. "And have formidable warriors to combat demons," Sir Glorfindel added. "These elves are magic users. We will require some mages as well," Lord Gideon spoke up. The lords at the table continued their discussion of the force amongst themselves for a few minutes. Then the queen spoke. "I ask that each of you return home, choose five of your best, plus one commander, and send them in a fortnight to the Golden Goblet tavern in Belynia, Avalonia, on the eastern edge of the Enchanted Forest. Silas will meet them there and lead them to the ruins." The lords discussed the proposal briefly and assented. The queen then spoke again. "Before we leave, there is the utmost need of secrecy. You cannot tell even your champions why they are going into battle. I have here a bottle of water that has been enspelled to prevent anyone who drinks from it of speaking of the subject that is uttered before it is complete. I propose a toast," she said, pouring water into everyone's goblet. After everyone had their goblets filled, she lifted her glass. The lords did the same, even Rego Amancio. "May we not speak of the conversations that we have had here tonight with anyone else until after the task is completed." She drank from her goblet, as did all the lords and Silas. "Thanks to you all, and may Historica prevail!" the queen entoned. The lords, now finished with dinner, took their leave, and the queen and Silas stood for a moment in silence. Then the large panel with the sigil of Historica on the far wall opened, and out came a dark skinned, blue-haired elf from the under regions of Varlyrio. "My queen," the elf curtsied. "The Kolgari are in support of the crown, your majesty. I appreciate your allowing me to remain hidden in front of the Rego." Queen Ylspeth shook her head. "It is against my better judgment to keep secrets from my subjects, but if some of the rumors of the Rego's ambitions are true, then we should be wary. With any luck, the Rego will send troops and then we shall have two contingents from Varlyrio." "We shall send our champions, your majesty," the elf replied. The queen then poured her water from the same bottle and made another toast. "May we not speak of the subjects spoken of tonight until the task is complete." The Kolgari drank with the queen. ---------- Two weeks later, the troops began filtering into the Golden Goblet. Silas gathered them in the private banquet room to keep them out of sight. The Avalonians, Kaliphlinians, and Nocturnians had already arrived, but only quiet conversations and a few drinks were had. As the hour grew late, everyone began to wonder where the Varlyrians and Mitgardians were. But then, several hooded, cloaked figures entered the room. Throwing back their cloaks and hoods, they revealed themselves to be Kolgari elves, from beneath the surface of Varlyrio. "I see our Varlyrian friends the Kolgari have sent us support," Silas said. Murmuring broke out amongst the other troops. Many had heard of the Kolgari but few had ever seen them. They were stunning to behold in their golden armor. The Kolgari commander held a fist to his chest and bowed. "The Kolgari are at the service of the crown," he said. A moment of silence followed, then the Avalonian commander stepped forward and extended his hand. The Kolgari commander took it, and a cheer went up. The troops then began to greet one another and were soon talking like old friends. A round of drinks later, however, it became clear that the Kolgari would be the last to arrive. Mitgardia and the above ground inhabitants of Varlyrio had not sent troops. With this realization, Silas rounded up the troops, paid the bar tab, and led them off into the darkness of the night. The darkness grew even deeper as they entered the enchanted forest. ---------- Two days journey in, the pace became slower as they drew closer. The troops were on high alert and traveled quietly as they stole their way around brambles and loose rocks. Finally, on the evening of the third day, they arrived at the ruins, crawling slowly in the underbrush on the nearby hill to gain a vantage. Silas pointed out the location of the secret door. They waited until nightfall, and saw no activity. Quietly, Silas led the group down into the chasm, said the magic password, and led the group into the catacombs. The group went room to room, seeing little activity, but seeing exactly what Silas had told the guild leaders about: laboratories and animal experiments. Silas continued down the hallway, motioning the others to follow, stopping just before the large room with the pool that Silas had described to the guild representatives. The group peered through the doorway and saw a long, high ceilinged room with light filtering in from a hole above, shining down onto what might have been an ancient elven room of worship. Some of the decorations had fallen and the raised dais on the far side of the pool was broken, but much of the original stonework remained. The light reflected off the water of the pool onto the walls, which were overgrown with ivy and moss in one corner. Unlike the ruined rooms and hallways of the catacombs they had seen, this large room had a strange, unearthly quality to it, and might have been a beautiful place to visit in better times. Silas paused at this room to listen and observe. The other three entrances to this room, one on the dais itself, and the other two on opposite walls, were dark and evidenced no movement. Only the quiet splash of water from the fountain located along one edge of the pool could be heard. "Let us make our way along the wall to the door on the northern side," Silas whispered. He led the troops along the wall to the left, picking his way carefully uneven and broken stone floor. As he peered around the doorway, a demoness stepped out from the darkness into the light. "What have we here?" the demoness asked in a loud voice. Silas sprang forward to attack and silence her as quickly as possible, but she moved with supernatural speed and knocked him to the ground. The troops quickly spread out to surround her, and as they did so, more demons appeared behind them from the hallway they had just exited. They moved to back to the other doorways, but elves and demons poured forth from these as well. The troops kept backing up until they found themselves standing in the pool, surrounded. A tall, emaciated elf dressed in black trimmed in light green, with black hair and strange antennae protruding from her head, stepped forward onto the dais, flanked by two hooded acolytes. She carried a wooden staff from the top of which glowed a magical all-seeing eye that darted this way and that at the troops. "Welcome to our home, feeble guild members," the black-clad elf said. "I am Dion, the leader of the Enlightened." She paused, then smiled a crooked smile and laughed as she looked at them. "Did you think that you would surprise me? My all-seeing eye detected you leagues away from here." She basked in the disappointment written on the troops' faces as they realized they had walked into a trap. "We are not unkind, even to those that would assault us in our home. If you lay down your arms now, we will show you mercy and you may live out your days as our servants. If, however, you choose to fight, you will be killed without mercy, and those of you who survive will have your souls removed to power our elemental weapon." As she spoke, human troops filed in, followed by skeletons, trolls, and orcs, some riding wargs. Worse still, ghosts appeared, and even three powerful trolls. The guild troops looked to one another, knowing that they were doomed; they were outnumbered and overmatched. The leader of the Avalonian troops stood up tall and rallied the courage of all the allied guild troops. "Are you going to fight or try to bore us to death with talk?" he asked in a loud voice before dropping his visor with a loud *clank* and raising his sword. The guild troops cheered, raising their weapons and preparing for battle. Dion frowned and raised her staff. A loud cry went up from the evil forces, and they charged. Battle had been joined. The mindless skeleton forces marched in first, doing little damage against the seasoned veterans, but distracting them while the evil elves rained down magical fire, ice, and lightning on the allied troops. Not to be outdone, the allied mages fired back with magic of their own, though most of their efforts were absorbed by the ground troops that the elves were using as fodder. With several allied troops now down, the next wave of the evil army hit, this time real troops supported by orcs and wargs. Flying demons dive bombed the allied troops all the while. More allied troops fell, and fewer of the evil army this time. The ranks of the allied guilds shrunk and the group in the pool became smaller. The next wave hit, this time consisting of the demons, the ghosts and the powerful trolls. The troops from Nocturnus, mostly intact to this point due to their undead nature, took heavy damage now from these magical attackers. The Enlightened began to draw nearer. The last few allied guild troops tightened their circle once more and were surrounded by the evil army. "Goodbye, worthless guilds," Dion said, before raising her staff and firing a lightning bolt at the group, striking down the Kaliphlini mage. The evil army began to advance for the final onslaught as the allied troops braced to receive the charge. As the monstrous army advanced and all seemed lost, a horn sounded, loud and low, echoing off the stone hallways. The demons and elves facing the dais turned around just in time to see a ferocious sight coming from the tunnel: a charge of bear cavalry. The Mitgardians had arrived. The legendary dwarven bear cavalry of Mitgardia plowed into the lines of the evil army. Their charge had not been resisted in over four hundred years, and today was no exception. The massive bears with berserker dwarves flowed over the demons and elves like hot lava on a meadow, tearing apart their ranks as they came. "Sorry we're late!" yelled one of the dwarves as they followed their screaming leader, Jarl Thimolir on the back of his massive polar bear into the fray. The allied guild troops, rallied by the late support, cheered and pressed hard against the enemy line. "First one to her head has a free keg!" yelled Jarl Thimolir as the bears plowed around the pool and up onto the dais. Dion, seeing that her lines were broken and thrown into chaos, desperately threw fire at an advancing bear only to have her head cleaved from her shoulders by the axe of another. The lines of both sides were now mixed, and chaos reigned. The allied troops, bolstered by the insane charge of the dwarven bear cavalry, began to cut down the evil army one by one. Multiple magic users ganged up on the trolls as the dwarves pounded them with their hammers. The ghosts were cut with magical blades of the Kolgari and dissipated into nothing. As the evil army began to be outnumbered, the troops began to flee, and were chased down by the bears. Finally, the last of the demons and Enlightened were vanquished, and the remaining allied guild troops gathered together, congratulating one another and cheering on the Mitgardian bear cavalry. "Not so easy to get a bunch of armed dwarves riding bears through elven lands in Avalonia when you can't explain what you're doing there," Jarl Thimolir said as the battle died down. "Glad you made it," said the Kolgari leader, grasping his hand in a shake. "How did you find us?" "After we reached the tavern and everyone was gone, our bears picked up your scent and we tracked you here. We came down, heard the commotion, and followed it to the battle, despite getting a little scorched by a magical fire trap on the way in." "If you'd been any later, you might not have had anyone to save," the Kolgari said with a smile. "Your timing couldn't have been better!" "I'll drink to that!" the Jarl said, producing a skin of ale and sharing it with the elf. The allies cleaned up the battlefield, laying their dead to rest in the forest around the ruins (including the spy, Silas), and standing guard as carts were brought in from a neighboring Avalonian community to haul off the magical and mundane books to be examined back in Cedrica. The animals and other humanoid creatures held captive were freed, and the extra-world portals demolished and sealed. The ground the demons died on was consecrated so they could not be raised again, and the other remains burned to avoid their return as undead. ---------- Queen Ylspeth met with the troops and the guild representatives at the Golden Goblet and congratulated them on a great victory, now able to tell them the entire story, which she did in detail. They mourned their dead and raised their glasses in salute to the fallen. The queen then made an announcement. "We shall erect a monument of the battle and for the fallen at the site of the ruins, memorializing a day when all of the guilds of Historica came together to defeat a dangerous foe. We shall not soon forget your deeds, or our strength together." "There is still work to be done. The main threat is dispersed, but it is unknown if there are survivors of the Enlightened, parts of their summoned armies may yet exist, and their spies still run freely in each of our guilds. I am assembling a group of scholars from each of the guilds to study the writings found in the ruins and we will try to discern as much detail of the plans of the Enlightened as we can. Keep guard! The battle has been won, but the war is not yet over."

previously Eoin had been living at Fort Cander for three weeks now, and had an escaped thief, an orcish sorcerer, a blind archer and some wolf thing called a Gnoll who had shown up on the second week he was there. It was a huge step down from having dozens of soldiers and a massive castle under his command. He was also very far away from any civilization but he was excited because he had just gotten last week's issue of the Weekly Mitgardian! Eoin had enjoyed all of his saturday morning reading the paper when, he heard a commotion coming from the woods! And he recognised Erdan running across the rickety bridge from the woods being chased by mitgrdian soldiers! "Help!" screamed Erdan, as he hopped gracefully off the falling bridge. Against what most would probably say was his better judgement, Eoin attacked the soldiers who were chasing his old friend. So after a chaotic battle, Eoin questioned Erdan about the whole event. Erdan told Eoin of how Queen Ylspeth had recently been to Nocturnus to practice necromancy. "I saw it all with my own eyes!" he said. "She was trying to summon her dead brother back from the grave, but the power corrupted her and I am on a mission to stop her from destroying Historica from within!" And Eoin agreed to help him. Here is som additional pics: Hope you like it,C&C welcome!

The Tales of Lady Gwenllian 8. Ambassador Gisela Due to the recent attempt on his son’s life, Staffen Conzaga decided to send his children away from him for their safety, choosing a different location across Historica for each. Distrustful and crafty by nature, Staffen sent false ‘official’ word of the locations and travel plans of each of his children ahead of them to confuse potential attacks. Only his daughter Gisela stayed behind in Varlyrio, but even this was a ruse. After a few weeks at home, Gisela set off to attend a concert of one of her favorite Nocturnian bands who were playing a show in Avalonia. She traveled light, and by all appearances, she was only going to be away for a few days. However, Staffen had secretly met with Gisela and her bodyguard Mohatu, directing them to attend the heavily guarded concert and connect with the many lords in attendance to secure a safe location for Gisela to reside while Staffen ruthlessly hunted down the source of the attack. Gisela was annoyed: she did not fear assassins and felt that she could take care of herself. She was not about to disobey her father when he was so furious, but she had little intention of begging some foreign lord for shelter while her family was under attack. Thus, she saw an opportunity to go to a concert, have some fun, and return home ‘unsuccessful’. She took one of her father’s nicer ships (loaded with all the comforts of home) across the sea, accompanied by her bodyguard Mohatu and several servants. Her ship anchored in the mouth of the Afondraig Riverat the fledgling rural community of Prenmôr and here she had attended a concert of The Rolling Bones. The concert was heavily guarded due to the number of nobles in attendance, and had drawn a huge crowd from across all the guilds. Gisela had enjoyed herself and the music, happy to be anonymous for a night, lost in the crowd. She hadn’t made a great effort to meet with the lords and ladies as she was more interested in listening to the music. The few she had met were from impoverished communities in Avalonia, the frozen wasteland of Mitgardia, or the desolate sands of Kaliphlin, none of which were appealing to her. At the conclusion of the concert, when Gisela had searched for accommodations for the night, she had found that this area was terribly underdeveloped, without a single inn or tavern yet. Faced with the unappealing choice of demanding shelter of some dirty peasant family or spending the night on her ship moored in the river, she chose the latter. In the morning, she had a mind to set sail back home, but, being the astute politician, had thought the better of it and decided to meet the local lord of this new community. Although she had no interest in asking the lord for a place to live, she had learned at an early age that it paid to make as many connections as possible, particularly among the nobility, in the case there was an advantage to be had. After all, this lord had put on the concert, so it was possible he was better connected than one could assume. After the servants had rowed Gisela and Mohatu to shore in the ship’s dinghy, Gisela had to make her way through the unseemly campsites of the peasantry who had attended the previous night’s concert, being careful not to dirty her skirt. Inquiring where the local lord might be, she had been directed to some temporary housing on the large elevated rock outcropping that overlooked the ocean, river, and the fields below. Without a carriage, and without a nice, paved Varlyrian street, she was beginning to regret her decision to make the climb when she finally reached the top. Several neat wattle and daub, timber-framed, thatched-roofed houses, surrounded by roughly hewn wooden fences, sat in a disorganized fashion near a well. Filthy peasants were delivering stone from a nearby quarry to new foundation footings being set for structures of some sort. Gisela set aside her distaste for the rough living conditions and made her way to the largest of the houses that bore the green flags of Avalonia, assuming that belonged to the lord. A little peasant girl in some low-cost clothing was on the side of the house feeding chickens, and a few soldiers were in a side yard practicing at swordplay. She bade Mohatu knock on the door, which he did without complaint. He stepped back, resting a paw on his sword hilt while keeping one eye on the door and the other on the soldiers to his right. A moment later, the door swung open, and a rather pleasant lady greeted them. She wore the green colors of her Avalonian lord, but Gisela was a little taken aback that she was wearing pants rather than the more proper skirt or dress. She hid her surprise well as the lady addressed her. “Well met, m’lady,” she said in slightly accented Avalonian speech. “What brings you here this fine morning?” Gisela ignored the unrefined direct manner of the lady, replying with a polite Varlyrian greeting. “I bid you a good morning. I am Lady Gisela Conzaga of Varlyrio, and I seek the lord of this house. Is he home?” The lady seemed amused at this notion. “Indeed m’lady, there is no lord of this house, but a lady, and she is here.” She gestured with an open hand to the two soldiers at practice. Gisela directed her attention to the soldiers practicing melee in the soft earth that doubled as a pig pen and quickly understood, surprised yet again. With their helms and armor on, she had a hard time deducing which one was the lady of the house, as both wielded their arms with terrific skill and force. The woman in the doorway led Gisela and Mohatu across the yard to the edge of the pig pen’s fence. “M’lady Gwenllian!” she called out, and the fighting stopped. “Lady Gisela Conzaga of Varlyrio is here to see you!” Both combatants walked over to toward Gisela. The taller of the two wore full plate armor with a visored helm and wielded a hand-and-a-half bastard sword in a single hand like it was a matchstick. The other more slight individual wore a closed helm with scale mail under a green Avalonian tabard and carried a mace. Gisela assumed the latter was the lady of the house due to her stature, but it was the other who sheathed the massive sword and strode forward to the fence, shooing a pig out of the way with a gentle shove of the foot. With practiced hands, the helm was quickly unlaced and Gisela was confused when a cascade of long, dark red hair flowed out of the helm as it was removed, to reveal a sweaty, smiling face of a woman in her mid 30s. Tucking her helmet under her left arm, she removed her gauntlet and glove, pushed some wet red hair out of her eyes, and extended her hand to Gisela in a warrior’s greeting. “Well met, Lady Gisela,” she said with the same slight accent as the other woman. “I am Lady Gwenllian. I see you have already met my Lady-at-arms, Lady Seren.” The usually unflappable Gisela actually hesitated a moment from shock, and started to curtsey before realizing that she had best return the greeting offered her. She took Lady Gwenllian’s hand to shake as she had seen her father’s warriors do many times before. She immediately noticed the feel of Lady Gwenllian’s hands: they were callused and incredibly strong, like the hands of a smith or a soldier, having obviously known hard work, and were not the smooth hands of nobility she was so used to. She sensed Mohatu stiffen ever so slightly to her side, not entirely sure of this strange and potentially dangerous woman. If Lady Gwenllian was at all distressed by an armed lionel standing before her, she didn’t show it. Gisela had always been tall for a woman, taller even than some of the male soldiers of her family’s home, but Lady Gwenllian matched her every inch and then some, standing several inches over six feet, with broad, squared shoulders and a muscular frame. She looked imposing in full plate armor, but her rather plain face and inviting smile put Gisela at ease and she quickly regained her senses. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Gwenllian,” Gisela began formally. The handshake ended and Lady Gwenllian smiled as she continued. “I am of the house Conzaga from across the sea in Varlyrio. I attended the concert last night and wished to meet the lord of these lands before I departed.” Pausing a second, she added, “The concert was quite lovely, and I greatly appreciated all of your effort in sponsoring such a lavish event.” Lady Gwenllian held her hand up. “I am glad to meet you, but I cannot take credit for the hard work of my household and the villagers that put up the stage and trappings you see below.” Just when she didn’t think that she could be more surprised, Gisela was. Here this noblewoman was giving credit to peasants? For labor they were supposed to be doing anyway? What? “How generous of you,” she offered. “I’m sure that you had many hours of planning involved." Lady Gwenllian smiled again. “Your compliments are what is generous,” she said with a laugh. “How about some tea? May I offer you a drink and a place to sit while we talk a bit?” She gestured to her house. “Thank you, I would be honored,” Gisela replied. She followed Lady Seren as Lady Gwenllian clanked into the house in her armor. Inside, the home was neat and tidy, or at least as much as a dwelling with a packed dirt floor and an open thatched roof could be. She found herself somewhat put off by this sparse, rural dwelling. The two-story house had a fire pit on the bottom level that fed heat into the upper level by means of a hole in the floor above that formed a sort of balcony. Lady Gwenllian led Gisela upstairs, which had a wooden floor, and offered her a chair while she doffed her armor on a stand near her bed. Gisela wrinkled her nose as she carefully wiped the chair off with a handkerchief before sitting. Mohatu took a post not far behind her, standing. “What’s your family business?” asked Lady Gwenllian rather bluntly, as she looked at Gisela over her shoulder while continuing to remove portions of her armor. “We are vintners, growing some of the highest quality grapes and fermenting some of the best wine in Varlyrio,” Gisela replied. “Very nice,” replied Lady Gwenllian. “I am originally from Albers, and my family were brewers.” Suddenly, everything was clear to Gisela. She remembered hearing of the land of Albers, far to the north of Varlyrio and west of Avalonia, across the sea. She recalled that Albers was a matriarchy, with families ruled and inherited by the first-born woman. She had always been fascinated with tales of this land as a small girl, wondering what it would be like to have the kind of power and respect her father and brothers did. She never thought anything past it being just a fantasy, however, and had forgotten about it as she grew up. The revelation that here, in front of her, was a real-life example of her childhood imagination was exciting: an intelligent, confidant, and capable lady who was completely oblivious to the male-dominated culture that she was now a part of. Gisela’s disgust with the backward, dirty village and home was temporarily lost as her interest was now piqued: this was no widow of some male lord, holding down the household until another man came along to marry her, as Gisela had assumed. No, this was the noble in charge around here, and it opened many new possibilities in Gisela’s mind. “We have not yet had a harvest,” Lady Gwenllian continued as she sat down across from Gisela, wearing her sweat-soaked dark green tunic and heavy breeches. Lady Gwenllian leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs as Gisela had seen her father do so many times before, but rather than seeing his fancy shoes, she saw a muddy leather riding boot crossed on Lady Gwenllian’s other knee. “But we hope that our first will offer enough wheat, hops, and oats to brew some ales and lagers this winter. One of our first priorities is our brewery, after we finish the forge for our blacksmith, of course." The same small peasant girl Gisela had seen feeding the chickens earlier arrived with some tea as Lady Seren joined Gisela and Lady Gwenllian. Gisela then understood that Lady Seren was not a servant, but a minor noble of sorts herself, as the Lady at Arms and seneschal of Lady Gwenllian’s household. The serving girl then interacted with Lady Seren in a way that made Gisela realize that she was not a serving girl at all, but the daughter of Lady Seren herself. This household was full of surprises! The conversation devolved into some discussion of the Conzaga family fermentation process, something with which Gisela was familiar but by no means an expert, so she confidently fabricated the details she didn’t know. When Lady Gwenllian began explaining the brewing process (which Gisela really couldn’t care less about), Gisela was more interested in the plain and direct manner with which Lady Gwenllian spoke. It was clear to Gisela that there was a great opportunity here: Lady Gwenllian would be underestimated by almost all the men who met her. Combine an underestimation of Lady Gwenllian’s ability with an adversary’s overconfidence and it would spell disaster for anyone who opposed her, and by extension, be a boon for those allied with her. For her part, Lady Gwenllian was similarly impressed with Gisela. She had been happy that a young lady had the temerity to approach her without a man (even if she was wearing a dress), something that had not yet happened since she had arrived in Avalonia. Listening to Gisela describe her family’s business, Lady Gwenllian realized that Gisela was extremely socially adept and that she was likely very good at something Lady Gwenllian was terrible at: politics. Lady Gwenllian’s direct nature, while beloved by the peasants of her land, had not been particularly well-suited for the court in Albers, relegating Lady Gwenllian’s family role to more physical activities like swordplay and jousting while her mother and sisters played political games. With the rest of her family having been murdered in Albers, Lady Gwenllian was now on her own and her household had a need for a shrewd politician. She thought that Gisela might be a great liaison for the neighboring tribes, communities, and fiefdoms, so she tried to steer the conversation in a direction to interest Gisela into staying. Little did she know that Gisela was already thinking along the same lines. “It’s not much now, but we have some designs on turning Prenmôr into a thriving community and a strong outpost. Lady Seren has already drawn up plans for the castle itself, along with some sketches for the surrounding lands.” She turned to Lady Seren. “Lady Seren, if you could please bring the parchments, I would like to show Lady Gisela the construction that is underway.” Their tea finished, Lady Seren rose to collect the plans, and Lady Gwenllian tossed a chain shirt over her tabard, fastening it with a belt. She led Gisela and Mohatu downstairs and outside. Lady Gwenllian motioned to the man she had been training with, who was sweeping up. “Chwyd, go fetch my sword,” she directed him. The man diligently scurried off without complaint. Gisela smiled to herself at the thought of male servants carrying out her every whim. “I prefer to be prepared for any eventuality,” Lady Gwenllian explained as Chwyd and Lady Seren returned. “You never know when you will be called on to fight.” After fastening on her sword and scabbard (much to Mohatu’s chagrin), Lady Gwenllian led Gisela around the grounds, showing her the foundations of the buildings in progress. Lady Seren walked alongside Lady Gwenllian as an equal, holding the unfurled scroll of parchment with the plans for the castle as Lady Gwenllian pointed out the areas where different parts of the fortress were to be laid and discussing the military strategy for each. Gisela did not have a formal education in engineering or military tactics, but it seemed to her that these two women knew what they were doing and had spent a great deal of time planning the strongest possible fortress. Lady Gwenllian stopped by the foundation of the blacksmith’s forge that was underway. “As you can see, we have some way to go, but by setting a priority, we will build the most important logistical and defensive structures first.” She looked around the high plateau, then back to Gisela. “I am in need of a strategist and liaison with the neighboring communities. We are surrounded by humans, elves, dwarves, hobbits, and other races, all of whom we need to trade and collaborate with in order to flourish and remain safe here. As we are a new community, we cannot yet bring great leverage to the dealing table, so we need someone practiced in negotiation to help provide as favorable a position as possible for Prenmôr. You strike me as such an individual. Would you be interested in taking up the position of Prenmôr’s official ambassador? At present, I cannot provide vast wealth, but I can assure you a living wage, room in my personal residence and such comforts as the area allows, plus travel to the neighboring communities and whatever entertainments and victuals accompany these, until such a time as our permanent residences are constructed.” Gisela paused a moment to take everything in. “May I have a moment?” Lady Gwenllian nodded, and Gisela took Mohatu aside. Gisela assumed that he would be displeased with the lack of fortifications of the area and would try to bring her to a safer area per her father’s instructions, so she was determined to force her will on him. “We shall be staying here. I know you’re going to argue that it doesn’t have high walls and all the troops of Varlyrio, but my father’s instructions were explicit that I find a lord willing to take me in until this family trouble blows over. I expect that you will send word to my father that this area and this lady are acceptable,” she finished with a pointed look. Mohatu held up a paw and shook his head. “My lady, I shall take no convincing and will wholeheartedly report that this area is secure. What it does not have in high walls and fortresses, it more than makes up for in its obscurity. With a population this small, outsiders will be noticed immediately, making it difficult for assassins to blend in, and this geographic site,” he motioned with his paw around the plateau, “provides a vantage over land, sea, and river, making it impossible for an advancing army to take the area by surprise. These ladies have done well in selecting the most defensible position, and while the lady herself,” he said, inclining his head toward Lady Gwenllian, “regrettably does not have a bodyguard, she looks… formidable,” he finished with a low growl and an almost begrudging respect. Gisela was pleasantly surprised, although she never let it show to her bodyguard, and smirked after turning away from Mohatu. She returned to Lady Gwenllian. “I accept your offer and the position as Ambassador of Prenmôr. I have a few household servants and my bodyguard Mohatu, who will require residence here.” “Of course,” Lady Gwenllian replied. “I will have space made for the servants with the rest of my household. Mohatu,” she turned to him, “you shall have a place downstairs in our residence with Lady Seren and her daughter Alis, while Gisela and I shall share the upstairs.” That settled, the servants began transferring Ambassador Gisela’s possessions from the ship to Lady Gwenllian’s home, and Lady Gwenllian’s household began making room for the entourage to share space with them until their permanent residences could be built. Gisela looked around the plateau, taking in the salt smell of the ocean, watching the gulls soar on the sea breeze and the peasants busily toiling away on the land below. Yes, this was going to be the beginning of a very profitable relationship.

The Bouncing Frog After the defeat of Ravaage and the fall of the Spire, the little principality of Falahuas in Avalonia became more peaceful. The Drow became rare and their dreadful raids on the countryside of the Avalonian province stopped de facto. Lord Faladrin managed to secure some safe trade routes to re-connect the city of Falahuas to the rest of the Guild and, in his efforts to dynamise Falahuas, he developped the port activities by using Elvish craftsmen and ship masters to rebuild the quays and the shipyards. In these elvish shipyards the best ship builder he had at his disposal developped a new vessel for the Falahuan fleet. He called this new ship a Nao (meaning simply "Ship"). This new design was remarkable on the ability of the Nao to maintain high sea perfectly and to endure dangerous waves that usual cogs or carrcks would not support. Its lateen rigging allowed it to almost fly upon water and to navigate close to the wind. And its newly designed keel permits it to strongly stay straight in high sea even in bad storms. This is aboard this brand new ship, recently baptised The Bouncing Frog (due to its ability to bounce from wave to wave) that our Hero, Faladrin, decided to run a maiden course. He was, of course accompanied by the ship builder himself, an elf engineer named Ehrtäin and of a capable crew of sailors and guardsmen. The objective was to sail further than any other vessel of Falahuas had ever been and to make some maneuvre to train the guards at operating the heavy ballista mounted on the bow. Faladrin was himself at the manoeuvre on the ballista and enjoyed being at the bow of the ship ! He was more than happy to set sail straight away on the sea and ready for adventure ! They were at sea for about 34 days and didn't expect the ship to be so strong and swift ! It was a pleasure to manoeuvre the Bouncing Frog ! Faladrin an Ehrtäin were discussing on the deck to organise the return trip when suddenly the watchman yelled : "At Starboard ! Land !" A land here was not expected at all ! Faladrin and Erhtäin decided to sail to this new unknown land. The taste of Adventure was too strong for the men... They had to see if there were something, or someone, on this new island. As it quickly appeared the land was a little island made of rocks but surprisingly covered on most of its surface by red roses bushes and even gigantic unknown red flowers... Faladrin named this island : The Isle of Roses. It appeared it was an inhabited island and The Bouncing Frog made a soft tacking to set sail towards the keep they've seen throne upon the rocks above the sea... To be Continued... Thanks for reading ! The next part of the Story will be developped with my other "Safe Haven" challenge entries. The ship is clearly inspired of the first real Portuguese Nao and Caravel designs. It has functional anchors, orientable sails and a functional rudder. C&Cs are welcome !

The people of the Isle of Roses Background : The isle of Roses is a far western island discovered by Faladrin during the maiden course of the Bouncing Frog. It is a rocky island covered by red roses bushes and giant red flowers. It is where a strange group of adventurers lead by Cônhardt, the barbarian king, are fighting the "Cold Bloods" to stop them producing Red Honey, a delicious beverage but with psychic effects that is slowly poisoning the high nobility of the barbarian king country. The Red Honey is made by the "Cold Bloods" by sacrificing prisoners to giant red flower monsters that suck out the soul of the poor prisoners to produce their nectar which is then gatered by hellish bees to be transformed into honey and then sold to the Barbarian king citizen to ensure the "Cold Bloods" supremacy upon the citizen of the Barbarian king. It is why Cônhardt has decided to settle a castle in the Isle of Roses to stop the production of Red Honey. Here are some people of interest in this far western island : First, the Barbarian King people in Castle Rose : Cônhardt, the Barbarian King : He is the leader of the group of the adventurers trying to stop the production of red Honey. He is a strong and rough man with the bad habit of swearing and yelling constantly. He is a very talented swordsman and enjoys to ride his battle panther to fight the "Cold Bloods" Felindra, the Cat Master : She is the intendant of the Barbarian king keep and she is in charge of the training of the battle panther and of her offsprings. She is a bad tempered girl and prefer the big cats company than the human one. Allistair, the Blue Mage : He is a noble man from the Barbarian King country but renounced to his rank to embrace the way of magic. With his power, it is possible to seal the hellish bees hives and to definitely stop the Red Honey production. Niansan, the Sword Master : He is a cat people from a distant land and joined the Barbarian King to fight the "Cold Bloods" to seek revenge for his people coldly slaughtered by the Lizard people of the "Cold Bloods". He is a master swordsman and his skills at sword are unequalled. Barbarella, the Huntress : She is the official huntress of the Barbarian King and is providing the keep of good hunting products. She is also a brilliant scout and knows the Isle of Roses like her pocket. With her, impossible to get lost on the Island. Goatyié, the Ninja : He is a Satyr people, frequently encountered in the Barbarian king country. Those goat people are normally farmers and hunters, but Goatyié is a discret and stealth well trained Ninja. He is mainly used in recon mission and to spy the "Cold Bloods". Niärl, The Beast : Also issue of the Cat people, Niärl lost his sanity when his family was killed by the "Cold Bloods". He is now a dreadful weapon at the order of the Barbarian King used to slaughter every Lizard man he can catch. Mauw, The Guard : Also known by Maurice Welligton of Lactoferis, simply shorten by Mauw, this Cow people is a rare variant from the Satyr people who are living in the Barbarian King country. They are usually peacefull land owners but Mauw is as bad tempered as Cônhardt and he decided to follow him when it appeared to Mauw he was better at weapons than at land administration. Horton, the Horse Master : He is a common people of the Barbarian King country who was send to serve as blacksmith and as horseman. He is in charge of the good health of the horses of the keep and is able to repair the horse shoes. Because riding by horse is safer than riding by Panther. Florton, the Peasant : He is the young brother of Horton and is the example of a common peasant of the Barbarian king people. They are regularly put in danger by the raids from the "Cold Bloods" but it doesn't prevent them to farm and to help Cônhardt to develop his keep. And here are the bad guys, the members of the "Cold Bloods" : Regit ,the Lizard King : He is the merciless king of the Lizard people on the Isle of Roses. He is a big fan of Red Honey and wants the production to raise in order to sell this dreadful product to farther lands. He is a dangerous warrior and loves riding his tamed Alligator. Zaira, the Lady of the Cages : She is the queen of the "Cold Bloods". She is responsible of the detention of the prisoners to sacrifice to the giant red flower monsters. She is also in charge of the security of the Hives. Her dark magic could be countered by Allistair's magic. Hisss, the Red Honey Baron : He is the intendant of the "Cold Bloods" and is in charge of tasting and selling the Red Honey production. He is a dangerous snake people which needs no weapon to harm people as he is more dangerous with words. A Red Honey servant : It is common to see servants and slaves in the "Cold Bloods" court. They are ancient prisoners the Lizard people decided to use to serve them the Red Honey. They are often brain washed by making them drink high quantities of Red Honey. A Red Honey peasant : The peasants the Lizard people are hiring or enslaved are responsible of collecting the Red Honey from the hives but are also in charge to collect prisoners to offer in sacrifice to the Red Giant Flower Monsters. A Red Flower Monster Offspring : Those devil flowers are the base of the Red Honey production. This is an example of a young offspring but the giant ones are highly dangerous. They feed on prisoner's souls the Lizard people of the "Cold Bloods" are offering to them and then are producing Red Nectar to be harvested by Hellish bees. Destroying those plants could help to stop the Red Honey production. A Hellish bee harvester : The hellish bees are gathering the Red Nectar in their hives to produce Red Honey that can be harvested by the "Cold Bloods". The Red Honey is particularly tasty and good but dangerously addictive and has Psychic effects. This is the reason of the decay of the Barbarian King country. He has to find a way to stop the Red Honey production. A Sacrified Prisoner : The "Cold Bloods" are detaining prisoners from raids they are launching in the Barbarian King country and they are sacrificing them to feed the Red Giant Plant Monsters to have Red Honey. Without soul to eat, it's impossible for the plants to give Red Nectar, and so, the production of Red Honey would stop. This is my Category B entry for the "Safe Haven" Challenge. Hope you'll like it ! It's clarifying some facts on the ongoing story of Faladrin in the Isle of Roses that began with my Cat C entry and continued with my Cat A entry. C&Cs are welcome !

Here's my series of 18 figs: 1. Fisherman of Aikapu: Fishing is an important occupation on the Island of Aok. This fisherman prides himself in being the best. Though, if all his stories were true then he would have speared more fish than could fill the Island from north to south! Front: Back: 2. Canoe Maker: The people of Aikapu may not be as technologically advanced as the rest of the Island of Aok, but what skills they do have they do well. This carpenter works hard to improve his design with each new canoe he makes. Front: Back: 3. Medicine Woman: Knowing what herbs to use when someone is hurt is this minifigure’s specialty. She may look mad, but that’s just because she’s tired of having to constantly deal with the people of Aikapu accidentally stepping on small, sharp edged objects! Front: Back: 4. Cocidius: A powerful creature born of fire and wrath. He is the self-proclaimed god/ruler of the island though he has a hard time getting the people of Aok to follow him. He has many agents in each area of the island and rules through fear. Front: Back: 5. Luigi the Green: This fearsome warrior is a veteran of a thousand battles. He fights to defend the honor of the Noble Green Family, one of four families inhabiting the land of Mimsy. He and his troops ride giant praying mantises into battle against the forces of evil. Front: Back: 6. Jamie the Yellow: The land of Mimsy is known for its oversized plant and insect life, but is it big enough for Jamie’s ego? He always has a broad grin stretching across his face and is constantly sweeping back his hair to make sure he looks his best. Front: Back: 7. Boris the Blue: The Noble Blue Family has a rich history of being one of the most stable of the families in Mimsy. Boris upholds this tradition by never taking an extreme position. However, even he recognizes that Hathor’s decision to side with Cocidius is a foolish one and he fights against her along with the other families. Front: Back: 8. Hathor the Red: Leader of the Noble Red Family, she has decided to throw her lot in with Cocidius. Her troops rush into battle on giant wasp steeds. She sometimes gets tired of carrying her staff around and will relegate the task to her least favorite lackey. Front: Back: 9. Blacksmith: Nadindel is home to many races, none of them human, and they all know a good weapon when they see one. This blacksmith is one of the best in the land and takes great pride in her work. Her blades are the sharpest, almost as sharp as her wit. Front: Back: 10. Nadindel Elder: The Elder had served Nadindel faithfully for many years. He sought to keep the various races living in harmony, which was no easy task! The heavy load of leadership had brought lines of age to his face, but also wisdom and knowledge. Front: Back: 11. Cartographer Faun: Living on an island, there was only so much land for cartographers to map. But what they lacked in area they made up for in detail. This faun’s maps were best known for perfectly charting every turn in every river as well as the best fishing holes! Front: Back: 12. Red Goblin Emissary: One of the craftier races on Aok, the red goblins were known for their wiles. Most of them had sided with Cocidius. This emissary served to relate Cocidius’ wishes with the land of Nadindel. He does so with no mercy in voice. Front: Back: 13. Wukong: Sometimes called “The Monkey King” because of his primate like features, Wukong serves to protect any who wish to be free from Cocidius’ wrath. Wukong has traveled the known world and has served in many different roles. But for now he is content to live in Keyama. Front: Back: 14. Palace Guard: Many have pledged their loyalty to Wukong. Some of them have been assigned to guard the palace. Many of Cocidius’ followers would like nothing better than to infiltrate the palace and it’s this man’s job to keep them out. And sometimes he has to break up the ghosts if they get too unruly. Front: Back: 15. Keyama Ghost: Keyama is home to a number of tribes of ghosts. They were once noble families who just never left even after death. They carry with them all the memories of their past lives which can lead to some old family squabbles coming up again from time to time. Front: Back: 16. Nervous Curator: Wukong has a great collection of books and artifacts. Some of them are rare because of their age, some because of their value. The curator has been employed in their protection for many years now, but that doesn’t stop him from being worried that something may happen one day. Front: Back: 17. Leander Explorer: The Leander race is known for its cat-like features. This includes a heightened awareness of one’s surroundings which makes them perfect for the task of exploration. In addition to being ready to explore, this Leander is also ready to defend his party against any would be attackers. Front: Back: 18. Xehanort the Heartless: A foul creature that inhabits the seas around Aok, Xehanort seeks to destroy all travelers in her path. No one quite knows her origins and no one has lived long enough to ask her. But many believe she was once a beautiful fairy whose love was spurned causing her to begin a life of vengeance. Now all she knows is destruction. Front: Back: The Complete Series:

Hey ya'll, I just thought it would be good to make an index of my mocs so far for this story, in case there is someone reading this: AoM Tower Phase One AoM Tower Phase Two Mirandor Castle Woodland Ambush Orc Outpost I will also be away for the next little while but i'll try to have another build in around 2 weeks. Now, on with the story! Eoin had made up his mind. He had sent his scouts out to look for the base of the orcs and after a few days, they had found it! It was close to the heart of the orc marshes, in a ruined watchtower. So Eoin had assembled his finest warriors expecting a fight, but Erdan had come out and challenged him to a duel! Of course he had to accept it was the only honorable thing to do. Besides, it would resolve this whole incident once and for all! Soon, the duel started going badly for Erdan... he fell in the water! Eoin thought he drowned. he was not so lucky... As Eoin was leaving Erdan bobbed to the surface, spluttering and cursing and moved out of sight. Then vowed to get his revenge on Eoin, no matter the cost...

After a long and uncomfortable journey, Erdan was woken suddenly as the carriage was knocked over! He was being taken to Erikson to go to a more secure prison than the one at Mirandor Castle. Now that he lifted his head and looked around, he saw an orc war party coming to attack! First they attacked the guards and then one even came around the back broke the door open and one asked him "why were you arrested?" "I tried to sneak into Mirandor Castle" replied Erdan, "why did an orc war party come to help me?" " We were told by one of our own that you were trying to sneak in, and that he gave you directions. So we watched the door and you didn't come out" said the orc " we were all very nervous when they assigned Eoin to the castle near the marshes, because we thought they were trying to take our lands and we thought you might know more. Can you help us?" "Alright, i'll try" said Erdan. More photos on flickr

7b. Palisade As the summer began and more people began to settle in Prenmôr, the peasantry became a little more anxious about their safety. Rumors abounded of lizard people taking human form, drow looking to invade again, the Mitgardian civil war reigniting, and to top it all off, there were rumors of the nearby Enchanted Forest harboring an evil elven sorceress who had been twisted by magic into a grotesque beast. A town wall was planned for around the community, but it would be a few years before all the stone could be quarried, cut, and finally built into a permanent stone structure. In the meantime, a temporary palisade was built, made of logs sunk into the earth with the skyward ends sharpened into points, held together with boards and tied near the top with rope. Unlike a wooden fortress, this temporary wall lacked wall walks and other features of a permanent structure. Simply meant as a deterrent to any potential attacks while the stone walls were being built, the palisade had a rudimentary wooden gate and was shored up with supports from the rear. While the foundation of the castle rested mostly on solid bedrock and overlooked steep embankments, the town wall was different. It was to be built surrounding the adjacent farmland with a foundation on the flat earth there. Thus, the laborers dug a ditch in front of the wall foundation where the palisade now rested, carrying out dirt and rock to be piled behind the palisade. This ditch would remain once the stone walls were in place, forming a dry moat around the town to add to the layered defenses.

7a. Rumors Lady Gwenllian was surveying the progress on the town’s palisade when she heard a commotion from one of the nearby farms. Quickly heading over to see what was the matter, she found a farmer obviously terrified. “What’s going on?” she asked the farmer. “M’lady!” the farmer said, and quickly bowed. “It’s the chickens! Please, come see!” Lady Gwenllian followed the farmer over to a small grassy area where his chickens and a few pigs were milling about. A man with a black beard, dressed all in green, carrying strange odds and ends strapped to his belt, stood watching the chickens. The man, however, was not the strangest part of the scene: in fact, the man was watching one enormous chicken amongst the others. His head turned to watch Lady Gwenllian and the farmer approach. “M’lady, this huge chicken came over to my flock today! I’ve never seen anything like it! It has to be some sort of demon chicken!” Lady Gwenllian looked over the chicken, which stood some five feet tall. Besides being a monstrosity, it appeared to behave like a normal chicken, pecking at the ground for bugs and plants like the others. The man with the green hat spoke. “This is no demon, my good man,” he began. “M’lady,” he said, tipping his hat to Lady Gwenllian. “It is in fact what magic users refer to as a dire animal, one that is enlarged unnaturally by a magical malady of some sort.” Lady Gwenllian looked at him. “And are you the wizard responsible for this bizarre creature?” she asked bluntly. He shook his head. “No, m’lady, I am not. I am here, in fact, because I am trying to track down the source of this beast. It is not the only dire animal I have encountered in this region, and I would like to know the source. There is word of an evil sorceress in the Enchanted Forest who, once a pure and good elf, has been twisted by powerful magic into a ruthless, power hungry monster. If this is true, these realms could be in peril.” Lady Gwenllian considered him, then the chicken. “What is your name, good wizard?” she asked him. “I am Razin, the traveling wizard, at your service, m’lady.” “It so happens that my household is in need of a wizard, Razin. How would you like to become Razin, the grand mage of Prenmôr? I have a very keen interest in solving this mystery and finding out if there is any truth to this rumor of an evil sorceress in the forest.” Razin bowed. “I would be honored, m’lady.” “Good, then it’s settled. I will have your belongings brought up to the temporary housing for my personal household.” She gestured to the wattle and daub houses on the high rock outcropping above. “Now what about this chicken?” she asked. Razin shrugged. “Other than being extremely large, it is just a chicken.” Lady Gwenllian looked at the farmer. “Get a spear. We are having chicken for dinner tonight.”

Introduction : Sigrid's journal "We were called to a meeting with the other village leaders yesterday. Jarl Elisif wanted us all to know about the victory at the Enchanted Forest. Of course, the word had already spread, and everyone was already talking about how Jarl Thimolir's bear cavalry saved the day. After months of tensions, even the most ardent sceptics now seem to veer to the side of the Queen. And that's great news. Instead of worrying about a possible war, we can now hope for peace. Instead of focusing on arming and training our people, I can now step back and also plan for the long term. It's time to rebuild Horgaard." In order to assist my sigfig's efforts to rebuild her village, I'm going to build a mead hall. And given that this is the first time I'll build such a MOC, I expect a lot of thinking, a lot of trial and error, and a lot of time. During the months by the housewarming hallwarming party, here is the thread where I'll track the progress of the construction and all the thinking behind. History Chapter 1. What could it look like? Chapter 2. Of roofs and doors Chapter 3. Woodworking Chapter 4. Construction delays Current state

A mysterious stranger nonchalantly sets down a sack laden with unknown contents. After a few minutes, he walks away, leaving the sack behind. Within moments, another figure appears and, after looking about to see if he is being watched, picks up the sack and moves quickly away. What exchange has just taken place? Historican politics are notoriously secretive…

Lady Gwenllian gave some thought to the Queen’s decree that all municipalities should participate in some sort of revelry. Prenmôr was still a fledgling community, and practical considerations had to be made. There weren’t enough townsfolk to staff an elaborate fair, jousting tournaments required large prizes and housing for more guests than Prenmôr could accommodate, and there were no traveling circuses at the time on the western coast of Avalonia. Thus, Lady Gwenllian settled on a concert. The stage was relatively simple to build and was adorned with the flags of each Guild. No seats were needed as the grass field served as a suitable seating arrangement while a special raised platform was constructed for invited guests of Lady Gwenllian. There was plenty of room for the crowd to camp on the undeveloped surrounding land, while Lady Gwenllian hosted as many of her invited special guests as she could in homes of her household. Two bands from Nocturnus were hired for the event: a zombie band, the Grateful Undead, opened for the headliners: the famous, ever-touring, centuries-old Rolling Bones. The day of the concert, commonfolk swarmed in from the surrounding countryside in the morning. The crowd swelled with the monstrous horde that followed the Grateful Undead from show to show. As the day wore on, fans from farther away, including Mitgardia, Kaliphlin, Varlyrio, and Nocturnus, began arriving to hear the famous bands play. Many of the lords and ladies of Avalonia made an appearance, and even some from Kaliphlin and Mitgardia as well. A few were flown in via dragon (courtesy of Lady Galaria, the mistress of dragons). The night grew dark and the skeletal band from Nocturnus made their way onto stage to the backdrop of magical fireworks provided by the band’s roadcrew wizards. The crowd was surprisingly large, having drawn from across the land. Lady Gwenllian’s family fortune had been built on brewed drink, and although she was unable to brew her own beer owing to the fact that Prenmôr had not yet seen its first harvest, she picked out the finest local beers, meads, and ciders for the concert, with some special wine in reserve for her invited guests. Some of the ladies of the guilds, Lady Eleanor of Bluevale, Lady Gwenllian, and Lady Galaria mistress of dragons, toasted one another with some spiced wine. Lady Seren poured wine for Lord Faladrin while Conrad the Sly waited patiently in line behind him for more drink. The guard lets Count Julian Arfelan back into the private section with his food. Naill chatted up a member of the local stonecutter's guild for leads on skilled labor for his community. Not all the concert libations were about the drink... Card tricksters hawked their game near the concession stand. A few of the concertgoers got a little wild. Visitors appeared from all over the realms. As the band played on into the night, a good time was had by all! Note: this build is 41x49

Book III Challenge 2 - Category A : Bread Looking for another cart Now with Lord Faladrin to be saved from a wreckage in the south and an expedition to prepare, Lady Walaehria had to find horses and carts to charge the needed supplies Faladrin asked her. But it is time when Our Great Queen Ylspeth ordered to redistribute bread to those in need. Lady Walaehria was looking for a cart to rent when she assited to this scene in front of the baker shop in Falahuas : "Sorry ! This cart is full !" Yelled the coachman. - Do you have place for this cask ? Please, just one cask more ? Asked the baker apprentice behind the cart ready to departure. - No ! No ! Sorry ! You'll have to look for another cart !" And the last cart Lady Walaehria could expect to recruit left the city to deliver bread and apples to the needies. "Well, I'll just need to make me build new carts, then." She thought And she headed towards the wheelwright workshop. A little build I have planned for my story and I can use in this challenge. Hope you'll find it nice.

Eoin had not anticipated the journey to his castle to be so eventful. One of the more memorable times, was when he had stayed the night at the home of one of his old friends from the army. His friend, Erdan, had taken up residence in an old abandoned tower located just east of Falkidalr. One day during his stay at the tower, Eoin was just waking up when he heard a great commotion going on outside! After he went outside he saw a group of orcs coming to assault the tower! Apparently the orcs didn't want him getting to his castle that was situated in the mountains close to the orc marshes...

Previously: Chapter 10. Don't look back Chapter 11. Wash away The sun had long set behind the mountains, so we rode by the dim silvery light cast by the full moon. Shadows formed between the branches and trunks, and made my mind see images that I could only hope were not there. We left the road and entered the woods, only to trust the moon and the stars and the echoes and the cries to guide our paths. Hours had passed and the horses kept their slow pace, careful not to trick or fall on the stones and broken branches hidden in the dark. The forest once coated with white snow gave way to dripping icicles hanging from the trees and slippery pools formed under their trunks. Lifeless leaves held ponds of ice that fell to the ground as we passed, melting in the dirt. Slow and steady. The earthy smell of grass and moss grew stronger as the sound of a flowing river grew louder. We are heading south. Dazed with the throttle and lost in the whistling sound of the wind and tinkling of our coins, I only came to my senses when a shout echoed between the trees. - Hold on, boys. – Hob had walked to the shore and stood next to the frigid green waters of the river, staring at the water. What is he looking at? It started with one splash. Tap. Then another. Tap. And then another. Tap, tap, tap. Soon, the whole pond was splashing with falling waterdrops, poking our heads from the sky, and wetting our cloaks on their way to the ground. A light tapping sound suddenly became a thunderous ovation among the trees. And then, the sky sunk on our heads. A huge lighting crossed the clouds and suddenly it was day again, but only for a second. The light was followed by a deafening roar that made my chest tremble and the trees shake off their dead leaves. A forewarning. Hob opened his arms, leaned his head facing the sky, so that the raindrops would hit him in the face. And he laughed. He laughed louder than the roars of the rain. Louder than the waterflows of the creaks. Louder than the blowing wind and crackling of leaves. - Freyr! We thank you for your kindness! We thank you for your gift! Soon we shall dine and drink in Odin’s Hall! – Hob shouted at the grey skies, saluted the gods and laughed, laughed, laughed. - It seems the god of rain wishes to take our lives, brother. – Shouted the man with a fuzzy hair. - No, my friend! Freyr is on our side. And he just made sure no one is to follow us here. – Hob stared at the trail behind us, where once were the markings of our footprints, now washed away and faded among the dirt. Hob laughed again. Only this time, he was not laughing alone. ________ Louis of Nutwood This is an entry for Age of Mitgardia: Stables - Phase I. It is also a little break from such cold and snowy environments. So we are heading to warmer lands in the south for a little bit. For the first time I adventured myself in using this fully SNOT technique for the tan rocks (which I think looks super cool!) and transparent studs as ice and rain (that I'm not that sure about). I hope you like this chapter. Please, let me know what you think. Skål! ________

Last weekend, my husband challenged me to create something that would make me happy, and that I would actually finish by sunday evening. I decided to go on with Age of Mitgardia, and here is the result! __________________ Spring had come in Mitgardia. The snow had already melt in the southern foothills of the Heavenly Mountains, and the deep forests around Horgaard were slowly waking up after the harsh winter. Sigrid usually woke up early at this time of year, and enjoyed going on a ride around the village. She listened to the birds, observed the vegetation, and sometimes stopped just to pick something interesting. This morning, she had noticed the bright breen, tender tips that were blossoming on the fir trees. Perfect to make cough syrup....or some flavoured beer. __________________ As usual, more info on the featured flora and fauna below. My herbalist sigfig could soon create a "Natural History of Mitgardia" encyclopedia...

The guilds once more defeated evil, even without help from the Rego. But what happened really then? To learn the secret, we must travel back in time. [flashback music] It was late afternoon in Illaryian. A flock of birds just lifted off from the roofs. Something scared them, someone was crying like an animal in anger. - THAT IMECIL! - the shout came from an ornate building. It was the Rego's office, something really upset him. - I asked him for a simple request. And he screwed it... I will blow up! - cursed the Rego. His headache started to return. The enchanted potion prevented him to talk about the queen's plan, and also caused a mild headache even the thought about it. It must be a side effect. He stormed in the hall, and he made his way to his office. - Gather some of the finest warriors and send them to the continent immediately! When the queen spoke about her plan, Amancio immediately sends a letter, to his nephew, to collect some man, and go to the exact location, where the other guilds send their troops. But after he arrived back to the island, he learned, about his nephew's incompetence. He collected some warriors, but without proper leadership, they disbanded, no money, no troops, a complete disaster. - But Sire... - disagreed the advisor with his superior, as he followed him to the Rego's personal office. - The other families will not only want to know why are we sending troops to the continent. Without any reason, they won't help us if we lucky only. Or else they will rebel against us. The guard saluted, then he opened the office's door, to let them in. The three of them entered the room, the candles were already lighted. The small room was filled with the smell of old, moldy cheese. The servant who lited the candles should at least open a window. Amancio put his hat down on the table, next to an opened bottle of Amber Cider. The carbonation of the drink was long gone, next to it, the letter from the queen. He rubbed his forehead, what a terrible headache... He would gladly share all the information, what he heard in the meeting, but the enchanted water tied his tongue and mind to speak, even thinking about the hidden enemy, and the queen's plan to deal with them. And the advisor's reasoning didn't ease the pain. - Advisor... - he started but the headache interrupted his effort, to tell the truth. - As your Rego, you must trust my decision. - paused for the moment to collect his thoughts. - This is our only chance, to show the rest of the guilds, we are trustworthy. Thanks to Basil's treachery, who offered his loyalty to Raavage. - I know Sire. But not every family agrees with your decision, to open to the other guilds and queen on the continent. - tried reasoning the advisor with Amancio. - I would advise you, to solve this problem, in a different approach. - Like? - the lack of patience was missing in Amancio's tone. He sat down to his decorated desk and put the plate of cheese away. - Li-li-like... - stutter the advisor, as hi tried to collect his thoughts... - Like send money, or supplies to aid the others. - he had to stop, cause the Rego's face turned even darker. - Or send other troops, like...mercenaries! - Fine! - said Amancio, and reached out to the tools to write. - Which mercenary band should we send? - Maybe not from Varlyrio. We could send a letter to hire mercenaries from the continent. I advise the Avalonian Wolf Brigade. - Great, we thrust our honor in a sellsword hand. There goes Valyrios honor...- Grumbled the Rego, but he already started the letter, he was tired to argue anymore. The room was filled with silence and the smell of moldy cheese. Only the pen's scratching on the paper could be heard, as Amancio wrote his letter to Conrad - Wait... Sire! - interrupted his letter the advisor. - let's send one of your nephews, as the leader. Great... another nuisance. Sending one of his toff nephews in a, mostly suicide mission... The Rego changed the subject and continued the writing, but instead of Conrad, he addressed to his nephew. He only needs to represent the guild in this mission. As he finished, he closed the letter and sealed. What a relief. - Advisor! - his servant stepped closer, ready to obey his next task. - Here is this letter. Make sure, this will reach my nephew in no time. This task is important, so do not waste time. Find him tonight! - the last word made the advisor pale. - P-p-personally? But Sire... I-i...- No excuses! - said Rego as he gives the letter to his advisor, and approached the exit. The guard stood aside, and the Rego left the room. - But I don't know where to start... - stood there the amazed advisor. He tried to find a way to solve his problem. He didn't had time to visit every tavern, pub, and brothel in the city. Or on the island? Think-think-think. Then a solution came. -Sire. - the guard stepped next to the advisor. - I know where will be the Rego's nephew tonight. My shift will end soon, and I can meet him there, and give him the letter. - and pointed on the piece of paper in the advisor's shaky hand. - What a good idea! Here take it. - and he handed the letter to the guard. But before he released it: - Personally! - As you wish! - said the guard, and took the letter from the advisor, and watched as he left the room, hastily as Rego. - As you wish... - repeated the guard, and closed the office's door. He waked to the Rego's desk and took the candle. Then he burned the letter. - Hail de Fioris - whispered, while he dropped the burning letter and watched till the flames burned out, then he swiped the ash under the desk. After his dirty deeds were done, he left the office.

7 June 2021 - Added @The Stad's giant hare and @Grover's Nocturnus plants! Feel free to add your ideas or suggestions. And, of course, feel free to use those plants in your builds! ________________________ Natural History of Historica A collaborative herbal book Volume I - Herbs Marsh-mallow (Althaea Officinalis) Marsh-mallow is native to the humid western coasts of Avalonia. Mostly known for the candies that are made from its root, it also has interesting medicinal properties for the treatment of cough and throat ulcers. Parts : leaves, stem, flower Angelica (Angelica Archangelica) Angelica is a common sight in northern Historica. Since its appearance is quite similar to poisonous species, however, it is rarely foraged in the wild. Cultivated, it is widely used in the traditional Mitgardian cuisine - especially candied as a decoration for cakes. Its medicinal uses include, but are not limited to, the treatment of all kind of digestive troubles. It is also said to be an efficient magical protection against curses. Parts : leaves, stem, umbels NEW Deadly Lavender (Atropa Angustifolia) - by @Grover This rare flower is found naturally only in humid, swampy areas of Nocturnus, and when found is usually co-located with spreading starmist. The plant is noted by its black stem and three leaves. The roots, stem, and leaves are all highly toxic if ingested, causing hallucinations and delirium, and are sometimes dried and crushed to use in various poisons. In the spring, lavender flowers can sometimes be seen on this plant. Curiously, the flower is not toxic and is the key component in several medicines, poultices, and spells, so is harvested by herbalists and spellcasters. Hypericum (Hypericum Perforatum) Hypericum is generally considered as a noxious weed that challenges gardeners from all over Historica with its invasive growth and resilience to weeding. However, its is welcome in most herbal gardens since its oily extract is very useful to heal wounds and burns. Opinions seem to differ as to its magical properties. Many people believe Hypericum to protect from evil spirits, while gardeners seem to find the plant more annoying than any spirit it could protect from. Parts : leaves, stem, flower Mandrake (Mandragora Officinarum) An aura of mystery and magic surrounds the Mandrake. Native to Varlyrio, Kaliphlin and southern Avalonia, it's not easy to cultivate in Mitgardia. The result is worth the effort though, as this plant can be used to prepare one the most efficient sedatives known to the Guilds. It's also hallucinogenic and hypnotic, and is thus highly sought after by charlatans and fake shamans. Parts : leaves, stem, flower White nettle (Lamium Album) White nettle is a very common plant that can be found in grasslands and forests all over Avalonia and Mitgardia. All parts of the plant are edible (and have a surprising mushroom flavour), and the leaves can also help with melancholy. A so-called Aureum variant, which features bright lime leaves, can be found in the southwestern foothills of the Mitgardian Heavenly Mountains. A rumor says its unusual coloring indicates the presence of gold underground. The inhabitants of the little village of Horgaard know it's simply an horticultural experiment, escaped from the garden of a local herbalist… Avalonian Crown Lily (Lilium Avaloniflora) - by @Grover The Avalonian Crown Lily is native to the coastal areas of Avalonia, particularly in the Mystic Isles. Its occurrence is uncommon in most areas, but it is cultivated and traded around Historica, so is a common ornamental potted plant. It gets its name from the large white bowl shaped flowers ending in spikes like a crown and is noted for the pollen covered pistils, usually golden yellow, that protrude from the flowers.  Parts : stem, calyx, corolla, pistil Volume II - Bushes NEW Spreading Starmist (Prosopis Azure) - by @Grover Commonly found across Nocturnus, Spreading Starmist is a low-growing bush with bright blue leaves and a black stem. It grows in almost any soil and is considered a nuisance in many area It also leaves black stems everywhere when it is done growing, causing headaches for cleanup. The plant is non-toxic, and does not contain enough nutrients to feed livestock, so is not cultivated intentionally. The wood is sometimes used for cookfires where it imparts a smoky flavor to meats. Volume III - Trees NEW Purple Locust Tree (aka Red Pea Tree) (Robinia Purpura) - by @Grover This medium sized deciduous hardwood grows across lower elevations of Nocturnus and slightly into the other guilds in the area around Cedrica. It has occasionally been planted in other areas where it can become invasive. It is considered a nuisance tree due to the red pea-pod fruits it bears in the spring, which drop everywhere, requiring cleanup for landscaping. The wood is hard, but is not particularly useful for building due to the small, twisting, and generally spindly nature of the tree trunk, which limits the size of boards produced from it. Volume IV - Animals Common Field Wombat (Wombatus Agerus) - by @kahir88 A medium-sized rodent eats plants and smaller insects. Avalonian farmers have long struggled to drive them away from their lands. Males are particularly aggressive when their territory needs to be protected against other males. Many Avalonians take advantage of this and make to fight each other for amusement. Common Seagull (Larus Historicus) - by @Grover The common seagull is native to all the coasts of Historica and is a common sight there. These gulls flock in large number, particularly around sources of food, and are somewhat of a nuisance in coastal urban areas, making a mess wherever they are found. These birds are noted for their white color with grey and black wing markings. Omurtag Zwergpinscher The Omurtag Zwergpinscher, colloquially known as the Dwarven Devil Dog among Human communities, is a breed of domestic dog developed by the Mitgardian Dwarves of the Heavenly Mountains. Renowned for their vigilance and tenaciousness, Omurtag Zwergpinschers make excellent guard dogs and ratters. NEW Avalonian Giant Hare - by @The Stad Brought to Gammeltårn by refugees from Avalonia during the Elemental Crisis, the Avalonian Giant Hares were kept for their flavorful meat and supple pelts. Several years ago, four of the five breeding pairs on the island had been set loose during a violent storm, and now herds of the docile, dog-sized rodents could be found menacing crops around the island.

This is my entry to the Eurobricks Flower Show! It's also a freebuild for Mitgardia here in the Guilds of Historica. __________________________ As an aspiring herbalist, Sigrid used to find most of her ingredients in the forest that surrounded the village. But while gaining experience, she felt the need to grow her own garden. She needed to keep the most useful plants within easy reach - and also wanted to make experiments with flora that would not grow natively in the Mitgardian mountains. In a few years, she had managed to gather many medicinal plants from Mitgardia, and to acclimate a few ones from Avalonia. And her garden kept growing : there were still so many plants to learn about! __________________________ As with my previous builds, the spoiler section contains details about the featured flora. __________________________ Since many commenters seemed to enjoy the well, there is now a tutorial here in my flickr! Credits : the birch tree uses Katie Walker's leaves weaving technique.

The Tales of Lady Gwenllian 0. Introduction 1. The arrival of Lady Gwenllian aboard the Cedar Serpent 2. Scouting a Site 3. Early Spring in Prenmôr 4a.(Prelude) Restoring the Shrine 4. The Fishery and Shrine at Prenmôr From her high rock outcropping, Lady Gwenllian had a good view of the coast and had watched throughout the spring as the villagers from Flewd had moved to their new home in Prenmôr. Now that it was early summer, Lady Gwenllian wanted to see how the villagers from Flewd were settling into their new life, and wanted to inspect the work that the elves and dwarves had completed on the shrine to Neptune. She and Lady Seren rode their horses the half mile or so to the rocky escarpment that defined the edge of the land, separating it from the beach. She found that the villagers had sailed their boats laden with their meager belongings down the coastline from Flewd, had assembled lean-tos for drying fish and set up a small net repair station on the beach. The dwarves and elves had done an excellent job on the statue to Neptune, which sat overlooking the sea and was already laden with offerings and gifts from the villagers. Lady Gwenllian smiled as she saw the villagers hard at work. Because most of the young men had been lost during the drow raids, the remaining elderly, women, children and the local village idiot all had jobs, from killing and gutting fish to shooing away the seagulls that inundated the fishery. The locals greeted Lady Gwenllian and Lady Seren warmly, happy to have a new home in a safer location. This is the original build that I had envisioned with the shrine that didn’t get completed in time. I think it was a little too ambitious. On the other hand, it’s nice to see the idea finally come to fruition.