[Ch. IV, Cat A] The Library of Budd-apest

[MKJoshA]

Over thirty years ago a Leander woman had fallen in love with an Avalonian Elf. They were married and had a son. The other elves disapproved of the marriage and looked on the baby with scorn. When the baby was still a child, the father met an untimely end in the Mystic Isles. A few months later the mother died of grief, having been cast out of society after her husband died. She was buried in a pauper’s grave with nothing but a small bouquet of scarlet magnolias to mark her resting.

The child was taken in by a peasant family and raised as one of their own. They were kind, but the child still felt the cruelty of the Avalonians around him who did not approve of his parent’s union. This child was Charlemagne.

When he was old enough to travel on his own, Charlemagne left Avalonia and headed for Kaliphlin. He ended up in Budd-apest without a penny in his pocket.

The monks of the Red Guard took him in and gave him a home in their compound. He grew up learning chivalry and how to fight from the knights of the Red Guard and he learned to love the God of The Way from the monks.

During all these years he learned to forgive the elves of Avalonia who had treated he and his family so poorly.

He had moved on and had built a new life for himself and in so doing he removed himself from both Elvish and Leander cultures. He wanted nothing to do with either of them. When reports started coming in of the coming war, Charlemagne assumed he would remain uninvolved. He heard about the unrest within the High Council, of the rise of the Desert King, and of the strange Ulandians.

When reports came through Budd-apest about how the First Centurion kept Leanders as slaves, servants, and warriors, Charlemagne tried to ignore them. “What does that have to do with me?” He would ask himself. But each night as war drew ever closer Charlemagne could not get the thought of his people being subjugated by the cruel Ulandians. He talked about his concerns with one of the monks who had been his friend for many years.

“Methuselah, I have had nothing to do with the Leanders since my mother died, why would I trouble myself about the fate of one group of them now?” Charlemagne asked.

“Perhaps you were born for a greater purpose than you think” Methuselah replied. “Maybe you are supposed to free those of your people who are in bondage.”

“I know how to fight, and I know how to behave at dinner parties, but how does that help me do anything to help the Leanders of Ulandus?” Charlemagne continued, “I would have to take on the entire empire!”

“There is an ancient proverb that says, ‘The most impressive stain glass window can still be broken by a single stone.’” Methuselah stated. “Be that stone.”

Charlemagne still wasn’t convinced, but he didn’t stop thinking about his brothers and sisters in Ulandus. He had started to change and hadn’t even realized it and his actions started to show the change. He went to the Masketeers and asked them for a rapier because he needed a less conspicuous weapon. He began to gather information about Ulandus and the First Centurion. He followed the unrest in the High Council at the death of Flagg. He listened as the Sultan of Budd-apest asked the Masketeers and then the Red Guard to fight on behalf of the city if the Desert King called on them. He then asked to see the Sultan himself.

“I’d like to be involved in the war” began Charlemagne.

“That’s a little preemptive since the Desert King hasn’t officially declared war, but I appreciate your desire to serve” answered the Sultan. “The Red Guard has had only good things to say about you. I know you will bring honor to the city.”

The next day the emissaries from the Desert King showed up and Charlemagne took his place alongside the Red Guard outside the city gates.

After the skirmish against the attacking army, the Sultan asked Charlemagne to go on a mission to the Dune Sea.

After he returned from the Dune Sea, Charlemagne found himself back in the library reflecting on how far he had come since his mother’s death in Avalonia.

He thought about his mother’s unassuming grave, his new life in Kaliphlin, the words of Methuselah, and the suffering Leanders in Ulandus. He had fought on behalf of the Desert King, but he knew now that he needed to do more. He made up his mind at that point that he would go to Ulandus and would do everything he could to be that stone that broke the window. Charlemagne knew he couldn’t just walk into Ulandus so he devised a plan to go as a supposed emissary from Budd-apest, seeking to change the city’s alliance with the Desert King to Ulandus. Once he got into the country he would then stage his attacks and claim they were the work of a terrorist known as the Scarlett Magnolia. In this way he would protect his identity and with some irony, honor his mother.

There was no denying it, war had changed Charlemagne.

OoC: This will make much more sense if you read my minichallenge entry as well as my Cat. B entry. Lots more pictures on my flickr!

[Captain Dee]

This is excellent inside and out. I especially like the roof technique, but the enclosed arched walkway and exposed dark tan masonry bricks in the walls look great as well. I like some landscaping and the raised bed looks perfect. The wraparound book shelves make a nice interior and the various accessories look good. The ladder and furniture are nice and the birdcage is brilliant. Good job on the story, too. Very good overall.

[Halhi 141]

Very interesting roof design! I'm not entirely sure whether I like it, to be honest, but it's certainly very unique and gives the MOC a distinct look. I really love the parrot cage, great use of those exo-force arms!

[Blufiji]

I was really surprised at how much detail was contained inside of the plain looking building. You really went all out on this one. Nice work

[Kai NRG]

I really like the shape of your library, and for some reason that roof works really well! The interior is also very nice!

[Graham Gidman]

Terrific job!

[soccerkid6]

The interior is lovely! The ladder for the bookshelves is a great touch, and I like the chairs

Nice work on the exterior too, though I think a window or two in the side tan wall would look nice

[LordDan]

Great buid! I like the roof technique, and the interior is just fantastic!

[TitusV]

Nice build, i especially like the interior

[MiloNelsiano]

Very we'll designed inside and out. This gives me some ideas to try myself sometime!

[Captain Braunsfeld]

Buildings are fine. Actually I am even more impressed by the fine story which is really fitting well to your cat c entries!

[mrcp6d]

Fantastic scenes, both interior and exterior! I love all the details in the library.

[Spader]

Nice build! I think that some detailing would help immensely, but otherwise, great moc!

[MKJoshA]

I'm really glad you all like this! I've wanted to build a library scene like this for a long time and this was the perfect chance to! I've had it built forever, but wanted to wait until I could finish my Cat. B. since the two went so closely together.

[LittleJohn]

Excellent build, I especially like the interior The parrot cage is great and I like the various things on top of the bookshelf

[Balbo]

Stunning work! I love the techniques you used for the interior - the furniture looks amazing

[Full Plate]

Very nice job! That roof is certainly unique and I like it quite a bit I also like that you kept the interior hidden until the later images, gave a new wow moment as you scrolled down. Well done!