After a few months training with Asbjorn, Alva Tyrnsdottir felt ready to take on the world. The jarl thought it better if she took on her peers, first. The world could wait. It was customary to hold an axe-throwing tournament at least once a year. The tourney is only open to the young, usually boys who have not yet earned their arm-ring. The rules are simple: each thrower gets three axes and thus three throws. Two throwers at a time, each getting a single throw alternating throw until all axes have flown.

Alva is the only female participant in more than a generation. Though proud of their old traditions, many of Arnarvhall's folk understand that tradition is a sword that cuts two ways. Thus, Asbjorn feels no regret knowing that his tutelage may have given Alva an edge. After all, the looks and whispers she's had to endure would have put her at a disadvantage. Now things feel a bit more even.

Arnarvhall's axe-throwing tourneys are something of an event in Mitgardia. Every so often, famous faces from throughout the Guild will make an appearance and cheer on the Arnarvhall youths, inheritors of one of a skill that is now widely considered a relic of the old ways.

See if you can spot the celebrities! Hint: most but not all are up on the high dias, watching the action alongside Jarl Asbjorn and his wife Frelaug.

These lads are not overly interested in famous folk. All their attention is on a young, eligible woman. It is customary for marriageable daughters to be trotted out during public events like this tourney. Sometimes the attentions of a particularly bonnie daughter can be enough to throw an otherwise canny axe-thrower off his game.

Standing behind the lass, dressed in the traditional white of married Arnarvhall women, is her disapproving mother.

Though he would never admit it, Tyrn cannot help but smile in pride as his daughter throws. It is his responsibility to judge the contest from the ground, sounding his horn to mark the change of throws, and the change of throwers. This doesn't mean he can't have a favorite contestant.

Behind him, one of Arnarvhall's smiths keeps the throwing axes sharpened, putting aside axe blades too warped to be used for the day.

Alva's opponent cannot maintain his composure having missed two of his throws to Alva's one strike. He can't help anticipating the taunts once everyone sees that he is to be beaten by a girl. The daughter of the housecarl Tyrn, a great warrior, but a girl all the same.

Alva refrains from grinning. She maintains the composure that Asbjorn taught her was an essential skill of any warrior. Later, when her father trains her in close-quarters combat, she will forget the lesson. For now, she remembers it very well as her second axe flies for its target.

Thanks for looking! C&C completely welcome as always. Hopefully no one feels left out that I couldn't include their sigfig. Would love to have included more but pieces and space and you know how it is. :P

Here's Phase 1 and Phase 2.

Edited August 21, 201410 yr by mccoyed

Very nice build mccoyed, I love the airborne axe.

nice build! I like the idea of an axe throwing tournimate. also I like the targets!

Very cool mccoyed! Great minifig posting, and nice stands for the observers. Oh, and I spotted I spotted the sig figs of Yooha, Kabel, MKJoshA, Ecclesiastes, and Cara.

Very cool entry mccoyed! Idd the axe in the air is a great touch and coolio minifig posing!

The axe in the air is a great touch!

Edited August 22, 201410 yr by Lord Vladivus

Nice build (I like the minifig posing and the axe suspended in the air), and exemplary storytelling.

Random question: is Alva of Icelandic descent?

Wow this is extremely cool. I was thinking myself about building a tourney but this Mitgardian style tourney is just killer! Great action and great minifig assortment. Thanks for including me!

The only thing you should considering changing is the background. Get white paper, a table cloth or sheet has too many wrinkles that throw nasty shades.

Love that you have used axes instead of arrows! The airborne axe is a great touch! I really like all the angels on this one! Makes it looks less sqaure!

Now with you moccing skills I think you could start editing your photos to take them to the next level!

Great minifig posing for the action shot.

Nice evolution of your last build, nicely done spectator stands and story

Great finish to your archery phases, the air borne axe looks fantastic Superb stands as well, and quite a good number of Mitgardian sigs there, I spot kabel, Ecc, yooha, MKJ, and Venkefedo

Really like this :) the flying axe is cool and the minifig posing is well done :) brilliant phase 3

I wondered if that might've been my sigfig in there! Like most dwarves, Haarits enjoys a good axe-throwing tourney. I love the setup, the posing, and especially that midair axe!

Edited August 22, 201410 yr by Venkefedo

The way the axes are stuck in the targets is really cool!

  On 8/21/2014 at 10:46 PM, Behemoth said:

Very nice build mccoyed, I love the airborne axe.

Thanks. Quite pleased myself.

  On 8/22/2014 at 2:30 AM, LordDan said:

nice build! I like the idea of an axe throwing tournimate. also I like the targets!

Awesome thanks. I wanted to differentiate from previous targets I and others have made. These feel like a good evolution of the practice targets from Phase 2.

  On 8/22/2014 at 3:14 AM, Hammerhand said:

Very cool mccoyed! Great minifig posting, and nice stands for the observers. Oh, and I spotted I spotted the sig figs of Yooha, Kabel, MKJoshA, Ecclesiastes, and Cara.

Thanks. I think you only missed 1 famous Mitgardian but he's kinda new.

  On 8/22/2014 at 5:27 AM, Gunman said:

Very cool entry mccoyed! Idd the axe in the air is a great touch and coolio minifig posing!

Thanks Gun.

  On 8/22/2014 at 9:21 AM, kabel said:

Wow this is extremely cool. I was thinking myself about building a tourney but this Mitgardian style tourney is just killer! Great action and great minifig assortment. Thanks for including me!

The only thing you should considering changing is the background. Get white paper, a table cloth or sheet has too many wrinkles that throw nasty shades.

Thanks Kabel! I do use a white board but I don't have one big enough for something like this. My Phase 3 Stables also had this sheet for the overview shots. I need to iron it or something. I'd still rather have this than a bunch of seamed overlapping white papers or boards.

  On 8/22/2014 at 9:14 AM, SarahJoy said:

Nice build (I like the minifig posing and the axe suspended in the air), and exemplary storytelling.

Random question: is Alva of Icelandic descent?

Thanks, SarahJoy. Especially re: the storytelling compliment.

Alva is a Norse name. Iceland is/was a Norse country. I try to use Norse names and iconography as much as possible for Mitgardia. Like the big runestone in this build!

  On 8/22/2014 at 9:31 AM, de Gothia said:

Love that you have used axes instead of arrows! The airborne axe is a great touch! I really like all the angels on this one! Makes it looks less sqaure!

Now with you moccing skills I think you could start editing your photos to take them to the next level!

Thanks DG. I'm not sure how to edit the photos, really. I resize and crop them in MSpaint but I may as well be trying to speak Chinese as use GIMP or PS. Just don't know what I'm doing at all really and usually quit out of frustration haha.

  On 8/22/2014 at 9:53 AM, frumpy said:

Great minifig posing for the action shot.

Thanks!

  On 8/22/2014 at 11:15 AM, Scaevola said:

Nice evolution of your last build, nicely done spectator stands and story

Thanks!

  On 8/22/2014 at 12:38 PM, soccerkid6 said:

Great finish to your archery phases, the air borne axe looks fantastic Superb stands as well, and quite a good number of Mitgardian sigs there, I spot kabel, Ecc, yooha, MKJ, and Venkefedo

Thanks SK. I would have liked to put your guy in there too but I just don't have the head or the right helmet/visor color! I wanted to complete the triumvirate of your sigfig, Kabel's, and Ecc's. :P

  On 8/22/2014 at 1:30 PM, IenjoyLego89 said:

Really like this :) the flying axe is cool and the minifig posing is well done :) brilliant phase 3

Thanks!

  On 8/22/2014 at 2:16 PM, Venkefedo said:

I wondered if that might've been my sigfig in there! Like most dwarves, Haarits enjoys a good axe-throwing tourney. I love the setup, the posing, and especially that midair axe!

Thanks Venkefedo. Arnarvhall folk like dwarves.

  On 8/22/2014 at 4:21 PM, TheUtilityBelt32 said:

The way the axes are stuck in the targets is really cool!

It's turning into a trademark of mine having axes sticking out of things, haha.

I am very honored to be included You've done a very good job with this build. Great concept and execution!

Wyndor is totally hungry. Everybody else is watching the axes, he's looking down at the plate of meats.

Great build! Can't really add anything that others haven't already commented on...

  On 8/22/2014 at 7:27 PM, mccoyed said:

Wyndor is totally hungry. Everybody else is watching the axes, he's looking down at the plate of meats.

Yes, well Yooha and I know what's really important

Really cool build. The momentum that you managed to capture with the flying axe and the posing of the characters add a lot to the great story!

  On 8/22/2014 at 8:24 PM, Mike S said:

Great build! Can't really add anything that others haven't already commented on...

Haha just a compliment works for me! Thanks Mike.

  On 8/23/2014 at 1:53 AM, MKJoshA said:

Yes, well Yooha and I know what's really important

Word. But does Yooha have to look so sad about it? :P

  On 8/23/2014 at 8:25 AM, Hobbythom said:

Really cool build. The momentum that you managed to capture with the flying axe and the posing of the characters add a lot to the great story!

Thanks!

A great all round build can't wait to see more.

Very cool tournament you made! Like said before, I really love how you did the flying axes!

  On 8/24/2014 at 5:13 PM, the lego dwarf said:

A great all round build can't wait to see more.

Thanks! Alva's story will continue. As will stuff involving Arnarvhall.

  On 8/25/2014 at 1:52 PM, Maxim I said:

Very cool tournament you made! Like said before, I really love how you did the flying axes!

Thanks Maxim!