Slegengr Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Out in the woods of Mitgardia, Frode Vitr built a small hut to live in during summer to work at his smithing outside. A bellows forge was built nearby to heat pieces of metal for shaping, along with an anvil and quenching tub of water. Steel pieces of a wide allotment are kept around for various projects, some of which are in various stages of completion. The hut serves Frode and Stian well for simple living quarters when they are working, as it provides protection from the weather and a safe place to store bedding and food. When word came that there were invaders, called the Algus, moving in from the Frozen Beyond, Frode’s skills were requested in making weapons and armor for Falkidalr. Frode heats four swords to finish shaping the blades. Stian works the bellows to blast the coal into blazing embers to speed up the heating process. Their two dogs, Koryn and Jaryn, are constant companions. The dogs also provide a watch to alert of danger… such as when three Algus scouts are seen approaching the hut! The icy invaders appear a threat, but Frode quickly grabs the coal shovel and scoops up some hot coals. Dashing the coals in the face of the frontmost scout, Frode sees the scout disappear in a cloud of steam. The first scout was reduced to a pile of armor in a pool of coal and water. With no time to lose before the second scout would be upon him, Frode grabs two of the heated-blade swords from the forge. He yells Stian’s name to inform him of the plan, but the name is enough information as Stian runs toward the forge. Charging the advancing scout, he swings to parry the scout’s attack. The hot blade slices right through the icy haft of the scout’s pike! Following through on his strike, Frode slashes the other blade, beheading the scout with the searing steel. Stian grabs the other two heated blades to aid his father. As Frode’s blades cool, he steps back to allow Stian, with blazing hot blades, to confront the third scout. Stian’s quick left-hand strike shatters the shield of the heavily armored scout… Followed shortly thereafter with a thrust directed into the eye-slot of the Algus’ helmet, dispatching the invader with a hiss of steam and a clatter of its falling axe. Frozen invaders are no match for heated steel! “They have come this far south!” shouts Frode as they drop the cooled blades. “Likely, there is an approaching army of Algus that will reach Falkidalr soon. We must warn them!” Stian and Frode run for their horses. Not to be left behind, Koryn and Jaryn run with Stian and Frode to sound the alert. The smithing site is left in disarray with the battle rubble as the men and dogs rush to warn Falkidalr. Additional Pictures: Figless Overview: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for looking! C&C is much appreciated. Sorry for so many pictures, but this is my first true story-build. I needed many pictures to show what was going on. -Slegengr Quote
dzidek1983 Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Great trees and landscape. Superb housing. I would add some roof over the smithy tools, seems unlikely they made their workshop under bare sky. Quote
TitusV Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Your House is cool, but that vegetation... Waw. Quote
MiloNelsiano Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Beautiful build all around, and the story that goes with us great as well. Interesting bellows, it seems to work well. However, as dzidek stated smithies (as I understand it) almost always had a roof above, not only to protect the tools from the elements, but also because workig with molten metal required it to be an exact temperature as indicated by the color, which could be better seen in the shade. Quote
Kai NRG Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Really like that roof! Something about the color combination is right on! Very nice trees too and the action is well depicted! Quote
Puvel Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 The landscape and trees are very cool. Love the little house, it looks very cosy and fits in perfectly with the landscape! Quote
Graham Gidman Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 Unique in so many ways! Fantastic job. Quote
Slegengr Posted October 21, 2015 Author Posted October 21, 2015 Great trees and landscape. Superb housing. I would add some roof over the smithy tools, seems unlikely they made their workshop under bare sky. Thanks, dzidek! An outdoor smithy would not have been inconceivable. Most of the tools would stand up to weather rather well (though the forge would struggle during rain ;). Working outdoors during hot times of the year helped avoid the overbearing temperature inside an enclosed smithy. Your House is cool, but that vegetation... Waw. Thanks, TitusV! Beautiful build all around, and the story that goes with us great as well. Interesting bellows, it seems to work well. However, as dzidek stated smithies (as I understand it) almost always had a roof above, not only to protect the tools from the elements, but also because workig with molten metal required it to be an exact temperature as indicated by the color, which could be better seen in the shade. Thanks, Milo! I do not have historical record of an outdoor smithy, but it is possible from my experience. Stone would be a primary component in the stationary equipment, so definitely able to withstand weather. In this case, the smithy is not working molten metal, nor is he heat-treating metal. These would require much more precise temperature control. When shaping metal, there is not a precise temperature to work with. As long as the metal is soft enough to shape, it works. I also am using this build as a summer smithy, or a secondary smithy, which is outdoors to avoid the extreme temperatures of a forge inside during summer. I plan to build a smithy shop in completion for Frode to work in some day. Thanks for the constructive criticism! Really like that roof! Something about the color combination is right on! Very nice trees too and the action is well depicted! Thanks, Kai! The landscape and trees are very cool. Love the little house, it looks very cosy and fits in perfectly with the landscape! Thanks, Puvel! Unique in so many ways! Fantastic job. Thanks, Graham! Quote
Captain Dee Posted October 22, 2015 Posted October 22, 2015 This is a very well-textured creation. The hut looks fantastic and the trees are magnificent. I like the layout and the various iron-working details are nice. With regards to working without shelter, I don't see a big problem. Many of the early bloomery furnaces (used for smelting raw iron into malleable wrought iron) were built as freestanding outdoor structures. But the specifics varied greatly from place to place and time to time. The story (well written and illustrated) uses high heat as the main mode of action, and too many ironworks-builders fail to realize how extreme those working conditions often were. Something like this would have you sweating just standing close, and working the tools all day would be grueling to say the least. But that's enough chatter. This is an excellent composition. Quote
Captain Braunsfeld Posted October 22, 2015 Posted October 22, 2015 The house is lovely and the trees are fantastic. Great work! Quote
mccoyed Posted October 22, 2015 Posted October 22, 2015 Great build. Love the idea of shoveling coals at them mean ol' Algus. Quote
Gunman Posted October 22, 2015 Posted October 22, 2015 Great creation Slegen... I really like the green yellow tips at the roof. Wonderful landscaping too....! Quote
mrcp6d Posted October 22, 2015 Posted October 22, 2015 Fantastic build Slegengr! I really like the hut and of course the trees are great too. Quote
soccerkid6 Posted October 26, 2015 Posted October 26, 2015 Gorgeous build The building nestled among the trees gives a great atmosphere, and looks incredibly Mitgardian. Great wood beam and roof design there, and blacksmith area is very well detailed Superb story and illustrations too. Perhaps we should use Blacksmith posts as offensive positions against the Algus Quote
Slegengr Posted October 26, 2015 Author Posted October 26, 2015 Amazing Hut! Thanks, Windusky! This is a very well-textured creation. The hut looks fantastic and the trees are magnificent. I like the layout and the various iron-working details are nice. With regards to working without shelter, I don't see a big problem. Many of the early bloomery furnaces (used for smelting raw iron into malleable wrought iron) were built as freestanding outdoor structures. But the specifics varied greatly from place to place and time to time. The story (well written and illustrated) uses high heat as the main mode of action, and too many ironworks-builders fail to realize how extreme those working conditions often were. Something like this would have you sweating just standing close, and working the tools all day would be grueling to say the least. But that's enough chatter. This is an excellent composition. Thanks, Captain Dee! Thanks for additional historic input. Most heating I have done for my blacksmith work has been done with an oxy-acetylene torch, and that makes the working conditions sweltering enough! The house is lovely and the trees are fantastic. Great work! Thanks, Captain Braunsfeld! The trees will likely continue to show up when I want to incorporate large pine trees in builds (which happens to be quite often in Mitgardia!). Great build. Love the idea of shoveling coals at them mean ol' Algus. Thanks, Mccoyed! The coals were one of the instigating purposes of this build. Great creation Slegen... I really like the green yellow tips at the roof. Wonderful landscaping too....! Thanks, Gunman! The tips are included to incorporate guild colors and to spice up the simple structure. Fantastic build Slegengr! I really like the hut and of course the trees are great too. Thanks, mrcp6d! Nice build- love the trees! Thanks, Lord Vladivus! This is just awesome... Thanks, Stelario! Gorgeous build The building nestled among the trees gives a great atmosphere, and looks incredibly Mitgardian. Great wood beam and roof design there, and blacksmith area is very well detailed Superb story and illustrations too. Perhaps we should use Blacksmith posts as offensive positions against the Algus Thanks, SK! I rather enjoy building in this Mitgardian style! The Algus would be most wise to avoid all blacksmiths in the future Quote
Blufiji Posted October 28, 2015 Posted October 28, 2015 The atmosphere, the colors, the trees all of these aspects are impressive. Definately sitting in the middle of Mitgardia with this build. Quote
Adair Posted October 28, 2015 Posted October 28, 2015 Love those trees! The building also looks so Mitgardian! So many olive grass pieces... Quote
LittleJohn Posted November 6, 2015 Posted November 6, 2015 Beautiful build, Sleg! The landscaping is fantastic, and I love the dark orange roof Nice entrance to the hut too. Quote
Bregir Posted November 7, 2015 Posted November 7, 2015 Cool build and great story - it is good to see the Algus getting a few casualties in their ranks. It would seem that more coal burning stoves should be build in preparation for their advance! My only (small) critisism is, that something seems off about the pictures - I am not sure which setting is off, but the colours are looking a bit "funny". Lastly, if this is phase 1, you are really raising the expectations for the following phases! Quote
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