GRAVE STONE: Whispering Windmill

[WesternOutlaw]

In the distance, the creeks of old wood and scraping rusty metal can be heard wining. The wind blows a mysterious howl that encircles you and chills your spine. Halloween is fast approaching and the spirits of Grave Stone haunt the night.

The ghostly winds of the Whispering Windmill speak a frightful tale; a tale of death, a tale of despair. A mysterious green glow can be seen from the distance eminating from the Whispering Windmill. What twisted tale does the windmill blow?

My fourth MOC from the Grave Stone Theme, Whispering Windmill *skull*

[Asuka]

A nice one once again. I love the idea of a windmill. Great stuff! But something seems to be wrong with this

fence at the second floor, and i can

[JoeMI6]

I'm loving all your Grave Stone MOCs, and this is my favourite yet. Seems the perfect place for evil spirits to haunt, another fantastic job done here! I'm especially liking the use of a Joker bomb for the head of that spooky fig inside. Now all we need is for TLC to pick this up as a theme...

[Brick Miner]

ya, i agree... this is the best in the GS series yet. the name really gets me... "whispering windmill", so good B. i mean it.

the construction is equally good... but i wish i had more shots, so that i could feel acquainted with the structure better.

i like that you have introduced a second villain... what is his name/story ???

- BrickMiner

[Mister Phes]

Isn't it a bit dangerous to have a balcony so close to the windmill blades? X-D

[WesternOutlaw]

Thanks for all your feedback. Here's a better shot of the windmill with a change in the Ghost Town imagery. The picture is a much better angle and you can get a better idea of what it looks like. I think I'll be going back to my original Ghost Town backgrounds which is more my style. I think they do the MOCs better justice.

PS. I see by your comments that you seem to like this MOC the best out of the Grave Stone collection, but I prefer the Haunted Mill. Maybe it's the picture.

[Brick Miner]

one thing that stands out is it double barrel water tower... i don't like the barrel on top of barrel.

and wouldn't the window pane get in the way of the windmill blades rotation if they were open ??? (similar to Phes's comment) ;-)

i actually think those are my only two critizisms... other than that, its nearly prefect X-D

- Brick Miner

[WesternOutlaw]

Actually, no, they don't. The windows and shutters can be opened without the blades touching. There's about a 4 brick distance between the house and the nearest part of the blades. The blades extend past the fence pieces. A fig can even stand on the balcony without the blade touching.

In regard to the double barrel water tower: you've heard a double barrel shot-gun, right? Well, this is the same idea. :-P

[Jipay]

who cares btw, they are already dead X-D Nice MOC ! I also like the name a lot. I really enjoy those MOCs as they are unexpected buildings. I would have thought of a graveyard or a saloon and you display nice uncommon places instead ! *sweet*

[Brick Miner]

The blades extend past the fence pieces. A fig can even stand on the balcony without the blade touching.

ah, nice then *y* X-D

great job with this one !!!

- BrickMiner

[WesternOutlaw]

Nice MOC ! I also like the name a lot. I really enjoy those MOCs as they are unexpected buildings. I would have thought of a graveyard or a saloon and you display nice uncommon places instead ! *sweet*

Thanks Jipay. This time around, I wanted to build a much different collection of buildings (not just a hotel, saloon, and the typical WW town buildings). I also have something else in mind if I have enough pieces.

[Mister Phes]

Where'd that picture of the skull wearing the cowboy hat originate from?

[WesternOutlaw]

Where'd that picture of the skull wearing the cowboy hat originate from?

Just an image from the web. I've used in since the beginning of the Ghost Town imagery last year.

I used to only hide the image in the mountains to add mystery, but I needed something for the right hand corner of the picture.

[Mister Phes]

I think it looks good! Do you have anymore images of the Whispering Windmill? I'm curious to know what it looks like from behind.

[WesternOutlaw]

OK, here's some shots of the back with added detail:

The ground pump used for tapping into the underground well:

The inner windmill gear mechanism. The power of the windmill pumps water from the ground to the water tower outside. Also attached is a little still for distilling alcohol.

The whole system of gears, pumps, and still:

And intruducing the new villain that Brick Miner asked about, the Card Creeper:

The Dark Tale of the Whispering Windmill

Grave Stone legend says that the Card Creeper was notorious for card cheat'n in many crooked games of cards. On a dark and stormy Halloween night, after stealing hundreds of dollars from a drunken bunch of outlaws, the angry men took matters into their own hands. They dragged the Card Creeper out to the Whispering Windmill were they stopped it and tied him to one of the windmill blades. Once the blades began to turn, the men shot at the Card Creeper nicking him almost a dozen times before a final shot to the head finished him off.

Before that final shot; however, the Card Creeper cursed the men swearing vengeance upon all of them for what they did to him, laughing hideously with an evil grin on his face. Bang! He was finished *skull*

But that was not the end of the Card Creeper. Someone or something heard his curse and brought back his evil soul to seek vengeance upon his killers. Some even say it was the "putrid water" that runs under the windmill. On every Halloween night, the Card Creeper awakens seeking out each of his killers. And always found on his victim's body, is a black ace of spades.

[Mister Phes]

OK, here's some shots of the back with added detail:

Does this system actually function or is it just there for show?

[WesternOutlaw]

I knew you would ask that Phes. No, it actually does not function. It is just for looks. Although I did consider making some gears in the back move when the windmill turned. I don't think it would be too hard, I just didn't feel like taking the time to rebuild the upper section.

[Brick Miner]

Brickster, you have really created some visually appealing stories with your Grave Stone MOCs... i love the Card Creeper story. the "putrid water" and "black tree" have been the highlights of the series so far... they create a great mood with a dark atmophere.

very fun stuff !!!

- Brick Miner

[WesternOutlaw]

A few more MOCs may reveal more of the story.

[Mister Phes]

I knew you would ask that Phes.

You should have said something earlier then X-D

No, it actually does not function. It is just for looks. Although I did consider making some gears in the back move when the windmill turned. I don't think it would be too hard, I just didn't feel like taking the time to rebuild the upper section.

Are you going to go back and make it function later, or is the MOC finished forever? And ever and ever and ever?

[WesternOutlaw]

Are you going to go back and make it function later, or is the MOC finished forever? And ever and ever and ever?

Ever and ever. I'm done with it.

[Mister Phes]

Now Brickster, in other posts you've claimed you're attempting to achieve the more simpler aesthetic of older sets pre mid 80's, however I noticed you've used log walls opposed to building them from brown bricks. While I think the log walls looks better, doesn't this undermine the "older asthetic"?

[WesternOutlaw]

Now Brickster, in other posts you've claimed you're attempting to achieve the more simpler aesthetic of older sets pre mid 80's, however I noticed you've used log walls opposed to building them from brown bricks. While I think the log walls looks better, doesn't this undermine the "older asthetic"?

Good question. Grave Stone is a continuation of the WW theme as opposed to 80s Legoland and City sets. The log walls are part of the WW theme.

[Mister Phes]

Yes, they are however they weren't present in the mid 80's or earlier but since brown was available either you'd have to make this mill either black or gray and that probably wouldn't have worked as well.

Exactly which LEGO era are you attempting to simulate? It seems a combination of mid 90's with early 70's to me.

[WesternOutlaw]

Yes, they are however they weren't present in the mid 80's or earlier but since brown was available either you'd have to make this mill either black or gray and that probably wouldn't have worked as well.

Exactly which LEGO era are you attempting to simulate? It seems a combination of mid 90's with early 70's to me.

The WW theme era from the mid 90s with a strong influence from Lego's "hayday" in the early 80s.. You're not too far off Phez; you've got a keen critical eye.