CDC1 Tower: The Last Eye

[Louis of Nutwood]

Ütoverögat
Entry for GOH's Anniversary Challenge: Tower.

(As always, a cup of warm beverage should go well with the following read. Enjoy!)


High up in the cold mountain peaks of the white north, where the winds hissed and the storms blew, there was one rule that reigned above all: the rule of the stronger. Younglings were thought to embrace the snow, to cherish the blowing wind and to endure with a hollow belly. The ones who took those teachings by heart were most likely to survive the bleak environment of the vast and unexplored Frozen Beyond. Yet even those who grew a thick skin and sustained through nights of famine were subject to perish on the hands of wild beasts, raging diseases or lingering savage tribes. To survive meant to gather and form a family. For as a group, people were stronger, and for the group they fought not only for their own lives, but for the ones they have learned to share their lives with.

There was one village, though, that contrasted from the rising communities. Instead of relying on fishing and agriculture, and establishing trade relations with neighboring families, they trusted on a different source of strength that was unknown to most. This village, called Völsung, was establish up in the North, somewhere past the last remaining road. In the center of a gorge, it was surrounded by two ebony cliffs of frozen black stone, where rivers have dried, trees did not grow, and no animal found reason to walk by. It was a dead land, buried under a thick mist and doomed to remain untouched, hidden from gods and men. But fat wooden towers, heavy timbered walls, and massive speared palisades appeared over time, indicating the entrance to an uninviting nest.

It raised suspicion amongst the northern clans. After all, how could these people survive in the middle of nowhere, under an unstopping storm, without provisions from any of the known villages and apparently, without ever opening their gates? Everyone had questions, but no one dared speaking aloud.

That same year, as all years past, just when the winds turned colder and the frost covered the crops, people were called to prepare for the time of shortage and ensure their comfort during days of blizzard. But that year, winter came in a flash. Faster and stronger. Even those accustomed to a life of clenching teeth felt tricked by the gods, for the blowing winds came without a warning and brought the thickest clouds and a lingering shadow that enforced an unending night over their homes. A darkness that took away their harvests, their sleep, their children. Everything. People cloistered. They hid themselves from the unnatural force they could only assume was cast by the gods and prayed their villages would not be chosen.

Still, a small group of men set foot on the road with only their loved ones in mind, and blades in their scabbards to calm their disquiet. But this winter was different. They fought against time and nature to stock for a time of uncertainty. Yet they strove to understand a force that slipped from the grasp of reason. Fiobvr followed, as it was his duty, and prayed in silence in an unsettling farewell.

“I’ll always protect you”, whispered the farmer to his family, facing the spreading clouds over the mountaintops.

...

Fiobvr walked the lonely streets of the camp he knew so well, under a black mantel that covered the world. Starless skies swallowed his puzzling dreams and filled his chest with frozen air. The distant glow of a dancing fire revealed at least one man amongst all farmers and fishermen was awake. There was no doubt. He knew who it was, and therefore forced himself to think of scenarios in being summoned at this hour, while all others slept, meant a good thing. But no blessing came to mind.

The lingering air inside the tent was thick and warm, and Fiobvr thanked the Gods for feeling the tips of his callused fingers once again. Leaning over a hardwood table, the figure of a man made of nothing but muscle, dwelled over a wrinkled map as his hair, clamped in silver rings hung over the world as a pendulum. His eyes turned to the woken farmer, briefly turned into a warrior, and a puff of air fled from his clenched teeth.

“Gather your belongings and empty your tent. You will leave at first light,” said the chieftain from behind a thick beard. “You may form a group of men to accompany you, to make sure your travels are safe.”

“All of my belongings, Lord?”, Fiobvr said puzzled. “Where should I leave to?”

The Chieftain emptied his lungs and his head sunk between his broad shoulders, as his eyes wafted across the map. “A messenger was sent west to report on our families”. He paused, looking for words. “Many villages remain tall and strong. These have opened their gates to the neighboring families in need. Some other villages, though... had to be evacuated”.

His finger drifted across the map and landed over a vast forest Fiobvr recognized in a heartbeat. There was a handful of friendly villages, and amongst them, Høydefür, the one village he knew more than any other. Home. His mind was filled by warm thoughts of Nyeda and his sisters, Phili and Teri. Yet, he shivered, conceding the arrival of the sudden winter, and realizing his task up in the cold mountains of the North was far from complete.

“For all we know, Høydefür fell.”

Are they safe? Fiobvr wanted to ask, but a sudden freeze grabbed his throat, and he could not find his voice.

“Roligsfrakk is well provisioned, and I trust your family will find comfort by their heaths. But I reckon your sisters will feel safer in your presence,” said the warlord, his breath frosting in the dim light. His braided hair swung like a bell, from one side of the map to the other. Fiobvr followed.  

“The last group... they did not go west,” Fiobvr observed. But in truth, he did not need the reply. He was summoned in the middle of the night, not to bring distress. He was asked to leave before dawn, not to raise more speculation, he figured. That meant all he needed to know, and a sudden shudder raised to his collar.

The chieftain’s eyes moved across the map up to the north, and stood over a neck, where two ridges met. The gorge. “Everything leads to the same place. The Frozen Beyond.” He grunted. “We can send men to protect the whole land. But until we understand what happens inside those walls... we and our families will live in fear, waiting for a shadow to swallow the sun and bury ourselves in the snow”. His eyes left the map and stared into the night beyond the cloth of his tent, as the candlelight danced in the silence.

Rumors. Fiobvr heard all of them. People spoke of sorcery and Seidr magic. Of a blood-thirsty creature brought from the underworld that meandered with the winds. Of a whisper chanting in the storm. Of the return of the undead... Rumors. Nothing but rumors. That was what he kept telling himself. But truth be told, they haunted his sleepless nights. Because beyond the rumors, Fiobvr saw the villages with his own eyes. Dortvaenir, Khardun, Sjenervandt, once prosperous and full of life, were taken by the storm in a sudden, and were now sunken in the snow. Deserted. Taken by the dark shadows of an unknown strength, blowing from the North, and their people were nowhere to be seen. It all happened so fast!

He knew the rumors, aye. But those were not the works of rumors. Those were something else.

Fiobvr swallowed and struggled to find his voice. The image of empty cobblestone streets filled his mind and twisted his guts. The chieftain’s words echoed in his mind. “Until we understand... our families will live in fear.”

“Aye. I’ll leave before dawn.”

A distant glow burned the sky behind the cracked contour of the mountains, taking the night as the falling snow covered the footsteps of the Norseman marching into the frozen mist.

...

Amidst the white fog and the cutting storm, the shadow of a structure, tall as a mountain, defied the cruel weather. From atop the wooden pillars flapped the green and golden banner of the northern folk, marking the final stretch of the world known to men. Ütoverögat. The last eye.

Fiobvr stopped. His feet hiding in the snow, cloak flapping in the wind. Before reaching the arch of stone that divided the two worlds, he looked over his shoulder, beyond the path that brought him thus far. He glared beyond the mountaintops and the grey sky. Gazing deep into the past, he embraced the warmest of his memories, and begged for the spirits to guide his path.

From this point on, what remained was the unknown of the Frozen Beyond.

“I’ll always protect you,” he whispered once more, hoping to meet his family once again.
...

...

Following chapter: 
Chapter II: Daemon's Throne
________
Louis of Nutwood
For Mitgardia!

Hope you all like it, and if you had time to read (thank you!), please let me know your thoughts.
Skol!

Edited May 31, 2021 by Louis of Nutwood
Typos, commas, periods...

[caiman0637]

Great build!

[Grover]

Very beautiful work.  I like the dark tan and light tan separated by the snow, and the natural archway is fantastic.  Your attention to the snow piled up is great and looks very natural, particularly in the drifts against the tower.  I like the tower, too, with its narrow profile (less volume to heat!) and steep roofs to keep snow off.  Is there a chimney on this building or what do they use for heat?  I like the high tower walls to keep wind off the soldiers, too.  This is well planned.

The story is compelling, and you have a great command of English.  I always enjoy reading your stories!  I have read the story three times and I still have some questions, though.  If I understand the story correctly:

* There is a village in the north in a desolate canyon called Völsung that is suspicious because it always has supplies even when no one from the village has access to food or supplies, and unusual activity at other villages in the region have been attributed to rumors associated with Völsung.
* The winter came early and fast this year and a small group of individuals, Fiobvr among them, was sent by the chieftain to go to Völsung to 'understand' them.
* Fiobvr's home village, Høydefür, is in distress and Fiobvr is sent away to see about his family.  This is done before sunup so that his absence does not distress the other members of the militia/volunteers
* The other militia members are traveling to Völsung in the morning

Assuming this is correct, my questions are:

1. Why is there concern with Völsung?  Are the villagers desperate for food and supplies, so they are reaching out to a place that seems to be self-sustaining?  Do they think that Völsung is causing the early winter and want to fight them to end it?  It seems to me that logic would dictate that time and energy would be best spent rounding up everyone that they can and getting them to well supplied villages like Roligsfrakk.  If there is more of a connection of these bad happenings in villages to Völsung, then it might make more sense, but it seems like they are spending a lot of resources to trek to a place they know nothing about for an unknown reason.

2. Is Fiobvr headed north or west?  I thought he was headed west to his home village, but the last sentence makes it seem like he's headed north into the Frozen Beyond, so I am confused.

I have found that in writing for others, particularly in a fantasy genre in which little is common knowledge (i.e., in writing about Paris, most people have some preconceived notions what is is like), it's better to be more obvious than more subtle, since subtleties are sometimes lost on people when reading.  Overall, good job!

[Kai NRG]

This is some good snow-scape and like I said on Flickr, the tans look really good next to the white!  The stone texture on the tower walls is also super interesting, not something I would have tried but it totally works between the brown poles!

[Niku]

Great atmosphere the snow is very good that i might need my coat.
I really like the stone work and the wood frame complements it very well as to meet the boundaries.
Thanks for sharing. :)

[Exetrius]

The story is grand! You have me on the edge of my seat to find out more about that gorge. Beautiful build! The snowscaping is great, but looks even better broken up by the rock face and arch, and the path (nice texture!). I really like the layered build-up of the tower, very pleasing profile, and the snow on the roof is excellent! I do think the stone between the round pillars is a bit too rough and deep, although it helps to evoke the tough and harsh environment vibe that you describe. Fantastic entry! 

[adde51]

Great entry! The story is captivating and well written, and the build is just stunning. The tower fits great with the surrounding and the base is interesting without taking away from the tower itself. And that is some really sweet looking snow you got there. Great work man! 

[Kai NRG]

Just found a bit of time to read the story, really interesting start!  One note, in English it's usual to put the punctuation inside the quotation mark.  For example: He said, "That was a close call."  (instead of: call".)

[Louis of Nutwood]

On 5/29/2021 at 10:05 PM, caiman0637 said:

Great build!

Thank you so much, Caiman! I'm glad you liked it. 

On 5/30/2021 at 12:14 AM, Kai NRG said:

This is some good snow-scape and like I said on Flickr, the tans look really good next to the white!  The stone texture on the tower walls is also super interesting, not something I would have tried but it totally works between the brown poles!

I'm very happy you liked it, Kai. I'm particularly proud of the snow-work here in this build. It's probably my most snow-centered build to date. And I was too a bit uncertain about the result of the stone between wooden poles, but hey! It kind of works! Glad you liked it, mate.

17 minutes ago, Kai NRG said:

Just found a bit of time to read the story, really interesting start!  One note, in English it's usual to put the punctuation inside the quotation mark.  For example: He said, "That was a close call."  (instead of: call".)

Goddamn! Quotes are awful. Let me edit this... (and thanks again for the much welcomed writing tips, Kai! They're really appreciated.)

15 hours ago, Niku said:

Great atmosphere the snow is very good that i might need my coat.
I really like the stone work and the wood frame complements it very well as to meet the boundaries.
Thanks for sharing. :)

Hahah, glad you liked it, Niku! I confess I needed an extra sweater while building the landscape. Thanks for the support! 

3 hours ago, Exetrius said:

The story is grand! You have me on the edge of my seat to find out more about that gorge. Beautiful build! The snowscaping is great, but looks even better broken up by the rock face and arch, and the path (nice texture!). I really like the layered build-up of the tower, very pleasing profile, and the snow on the roof is excellent! I do think the stone between the round pillars is a bit too rough and deep, although it helps to evoke the tough and harsh environment vibe that you describe. Fantastic entry! 

Mitgardians are rough, Exetrius! So should be our rockwork. Rustic and raw, just like Thor's hammer. Hah.
I'm thrilled you liked it, man. I'm particularly proud of the landscape, and so glad you mentioned it. It can be very tricky to work with snow (I believe you gave me a couple tips years ago, when I first started posting my MOCs), and I'm ecstatic that little by little it starts improving. I'm super happy you liked the story too. Just like snow-building, story-writing is a long-term commitment to mistaking and trying again. So it means a lot you liked reading through it. Thanks, man!

1 hour ago, adde51 said:

Great entry! The story is captivating and well written, and the build is just stunning. The tower fits great with the surrounding and the base is interesting without taking away from the tower itself. And that is some really sweet looking snow you got there. Great work man! 

Such an appraisal from the fantastic Kaliphlian building legend, Adde51! What a rush! Thanks a bunch, man. It really means a lot you liked the build and the story, to mention a few aspects that stand out to me as well. I really appreciate it, Andreas. Skol!

On 5/30/2021 at 12:09 AM, Grover said:

Very beautiful work.  I like the dark tan and light tan separated by the snow, and the natural archway is fantastic.  Your attention to the snow piled up is great and looks very natural, particularly in the drifts against the tower.  I like the tower, too, with its narrow profile (less volume to heat!) and steep roofs to keep snow off.  Is there a chimney on this building or what do they use for heat?  I like the high tower walls to keep wind off the soldiers, too.  This is well planned.

The story is compelling, and you have a great command of English.  I always enjoy reading your stories!  I have read the story three times and I still have some questions, though.  If I understand the story correctly:

* There is a village in the north in a desolate canyon called Völsung that is suspicious because it always has supplies even when no one from the village has access to food or supplies, and unusual activity at other villages in the region have been attributed to rumors associated with Völsung.
* The winter came early and fast this year and a small group of individuals, Fiobvr among them, was sent by the chieftain to go to Völsung to 'understand' them.
* Fiobvr's home village, Høydefür, is in distress and Fiobvr is sent away to see about his family.  This is done before sunup so that his absence does not distress the other members of the militia/volunteers
* The other militia members are traveling to Völsung in the morning

Assuming this is correct, my questions are:

1. Why is there concern with Völsung?  Are the villagers desperate for food and supplies, so they are reaching out to a place that seems to be self-sustaining?  Do they think that Völsung is causing the early winter and want to fight them to end it?  It seems to me that logic would dictate that time and energy would be best spent rounding up everyone that they can and getting them to well supplied villages like Roligsfrakk.  If there is more of a connection of these bad happenings in villages to Völsung, then it might make more sense, but it seems like they are spending a lot of resources to trek to a place they know nothing about for an unknown reason.

2. Is Fiobvr headed north or west?  I thought he was headed west to his home village, but the last sentence makes it seem like he's headed north into the Frozen Beyond, so I am confused.

I have found that in writing for others, particularly in a fantasy genre in which little is common knowledge (i.e., in writing about Paris, most people have some preconceived notions what is is like), it's better to be more obvious than more subtle, since subtleties are sometimes lost on people when reading.  Overall, good job!

Sire Grover, your comment is one I always expect with a lot of anticipation and appreciation. Your eye for detail, understanding, purpose and meaning is a singular contribution to this group of writers-builders called Guilds of Historica. They truly make us grow in the craft. Thanks for taking the time to read, ponder and evaluate this build-and-story. 

To your questions!
1. Correct! Völsung is suspicious because they've grown over night, they don't relate to any other villages, they live in a frozen pit surrounded by nothing but ice, and remains hidden under a non-stopping blizzard. People fear the use of Seidr Magic, related to shamanism and darkness.
2. Yes! Winter came early and strong, blowing from the north. Every year they form a group to harvest food and protect for winter season, but this year things are different. The winds are stronger, and a black shadow seems to swipe everything in its front, leaving behind nothing but snow and a trail of missing people. But hey! All this shenanigan must be coming from Volsung!
3. Aye! Hoydefur, Fiobvr's home town was taken by the storm, so the chieftain calls him at night to send him back, even though they still have to uncover what's going on. 
4. Fiobvr, now faces a dilemma: West? to go back to his family and wait for the black shadow-storm to come. Or North? To take this matter in his own hands and find out what's happening in Volsung?

The Last Eye, Utoverogat, is the last tower before the Frozen Beyond. Fiobvr stops and stares into his past, praying his family will understand his need to follow through and protect not only them, but the whole north. So yes! He is marching North. 

Now that you mentioned, it makes sense to explore the interest in Volsung a bit more. Specially because of lack of supplies, and the idea that Volsung survives with basically nothing. Interesting! I did not really thing of that, sire Grover. But mainly, yeah - they all think Volsung is causing the early-harsh-winter with their Seidr Magic practice. Roligsfrakk is safe... for now. And until they deal with the huge storm (and understand what's causing it), looking for food might not really help.

Once again, Grover, this is a very clarifying advice. I did went for something more obscure and subtle, but I must agree that fantasy writing might come clearer with more of a straight-forward approach. Something to think about. 

And I hope some of your questions are answered here above. Some might be answered here below too: Chapter II: Daemon's Throne.

Skol! Thanks you all. 

[mrcp6d]

I really like that tower!  Using all those 45 degree slopes in the SNOT stonework to create really deep texture works really well here for my eye and framing everything with brown certainly adds that timber touch that reminds of the northern Guild's building style.  As always, your rockwork is on point here as well.  Great MOC!   

[Louis of Nutwood]

2 hours ago, mrcp6d said:

I really like that tower!  Using all those 45 degree slopes in the SNOT stonework to create really deep texture works really well here for my eye and framing everything with brown certainly adds that timber touch that reminds of the northern Guild's building style.  As always, your rockwork is on point here as well.  Great MOC!

Timber and stonework have made their appearance one time or another in Mitgardian builds, if I remember correctly... Glad to know they work here too! Thanks for the words and support, MRCP! I'm thrilled you liked the rock-snow-work, too. Skol!

[jtooker]

I agree with @adde51, your store is captivating.  I enjoyed the additional information you provided to @Grover's questions.  Taking a break mid-comment to read the second part...

Regarding the build itself, I like the worn rock/stone of the tower but wished the wooden parts matched the worn look.  The placement of the tower itself on this rocky ridge is terrific - I can imagine the cold, mountainous land that surrounds it!  The hands/arms as flags works well here for what I'd expect to be tattered flags.

[Louis of Nutwood]

On 6/4/2021 at 2:53 PM, jtooker said:

I agree with @adde51, your store is captivating.  I enjoyed the additional information you provided to @Grover's questions.  Taking a break mid-comment to read the second part...

Regarding the build itself, I like the worn rock/stone of the tower but wished the wooden parts matched the worn look.  The placement of the tower itself on this rocky ridge is terrific - I can imagine the cold, mountainous land that surrounds it!  The hands/arms as flags works well here for what I'd expect to be tattered flags.

I'm thrilled you liked the story, sire Tooker. I've been trying to improve my writing craft and I'm honored to have you reading it through. 
I'm glad you mentioned the imaginative mountainous ambiance surrounding this frigid looking land, as it's exactly as I see it. Thanks for mentioning the rockwork and the tattered flag, two aspects I really enjoy about this build. And now that you mentioned, a couple sections of destroyed timber would have worked like a charm in here. There will always be another tower to build, though, and I'll make sure to add this great idea when the time comes.
As always, thanks for the support, lad.
Skol!

[mccoyed]

People have already mentioned this but for me, the standout here is the stone texture on the tower. I'd love to see that technique on a larger scale. Probably pretty intense part requirement though, yeah?

 

[Louis of Nutwood]

18 hours ago, mccoyed said:

People have already mentioned this but for me, the standout here is the stone texture on the tower. I'd love to see that technique on a larger scale. Probably pretty intense part requirement though, yeah?

Hey, MCCoyeed! I'm thrilled you liked it. Thanks for mentioning and supporting.
The stone sections on the tower honestly don't take as much pieces as expected. Using the regular snot technique with a bunch of headlight bricks and a plethora of height variations with plates and tiles takes much longer and many more pieces than the technique used here. This one was quite simple. It's a plate filled with slopes positioned in different angles. I didn't really bother with height variations as I would in terrain, for example. So there's little use of tiles and plates, focusing mainly on slopes. The result turned to be quite pleasing, and the process, quite simple. Very effective, imo!
My thoughts are the same! I'm planning on using this further in future MOCs. Would love to see it scaled up. 
Skol, brother! And thanks for the support. 

[Garmadon]

Gorgeous combination of snow and those tans, mate - beautiful layout and awesome techniques on the tower!  Like some of the others said, the studs-out sections was definitely a bold move, but it turned out really well, and the roofs and flags are excellent as well, all covered in snow.  Awesome story too, as always! - that's one bold crazy Norseman!   Very well done! 

[Louis of Nutwood]

On 6/19/2021 at 2:50 PM, Garmadon said:

Gorgeous combination of snow and those tans, mate - beautiful layout and awesome techniques on the tower!  Like some of the others said, the studs-out sections was definitely a bold move, but it turned out really well, and the roofs and flags are excellent as well, all covered in snow.  Awesome story too, as always! - that's one bold crazy Norseman!   Very well done! 

I'm really glad you liked it, Garmadon! I'm very proud of this one too. Glad you mentioned the studs-out section on the tower and the snow-work, two of the aspects that stand out for me as well. 
Cheers, brother! Thanks for the always welcoming support. 

Edited June 21, 2021 by Louis of Nutwood

[Spader]

Lovely snowwork here

[Louis of Nutwood]

15 hours ago, Judge of the Wastelands said:

Lovely snowwork here

Thank you, fellow wanderer of the north.
Skool!