Louis of Nutwood Posted January 7, 2022 Posted January 7, 2022 (edited) Kallstark Stronghold Amidst the frozen silhouette that divided the horizon, a wooden needle pierced the clouds. Once again, I knew I was close. And once again, I felt my heart ache. Iron rings clinked in my ears, and I stroke my wrists, heavy with the memory of captivity. I prayed I would never return to Kallstark... yet our destinies remain in the hands of the spinners. So, there I was, standing on a narrow path by its impregnable gates. Only this time, it was different. All was different. For once, I was armed. Spear in hand and boiled leather over my chest. And those would keep me for... a second? Ten? No. I was armed with a weapon sharper than any sword or spear. I was armed with the knowledge that there was only one thing the Jarl wanted more than my head on a spike. And that... was revenge. I was the only one who could grant him his wish. And I was willing to handle it in a platter, served with ale and music and dancers, so he would bathe in the sweet nectar of his revenge. The gates opened in a crackling sound... A smile crossed my lips. And the pain in my heart was no more. Louis of Valnötsträd ________ Really hope you like it! This is a contribution for the Castle category of the CCC. New pictures coming soon. Skol! Edited January 17, 2022 by Louis of Nutwood Photo adding Quote
Sympatik Brick Posted January 7, 2022 Posted January 7, 2022 Impressive from behind… stunning from inside…. It looks like 2 differents Mocs. One side looks quiet the other is full of life. Quote
NOD Posted January 8, 2022 Posted January 8, 2022 That looks great! I like how you built the castle on the rocky hill. The height differences on which it was built look amazing. I especially like the waterfalls. The interior is also interesting, detailed and varied. Quote
Louis of Nutwood Posted January 9, 2022 Author Posted January 9, 2022 On 1/7/2022 at 7:37 PM, Sympatik Brick said: Impressive from behind… stunning from inside…. It looks like 2 differents Mocs. One side looks quiet the other is full of life. Really glad you liked it, Sympatic. It really felt like two whole different MOCs while building. Happy you caught the contrast between the two. Skol, brother! On 1/8/2022 at 7:42 AM, NOD said: That looks great! I like how you built the castle on the rocky hill. The height differences on which it was built look amazing. I especially like the waterfalls. The interior is also interesting, detailed and varied. I'm thrilled and humbled with your kind words, NOD. Really happy you enjoyed the terrain and texturing. I'm a fan of waterfalls, and had to put those transparent bricks to work. The interior is just a little treat, and I'm very happy you liked it, mate. Thanks for the support. Skol, brother! Quote
Aurore Posted January 10, 2022 Posted January 10, 2022 Such an impressive build! The texture on the outside is absolutely magnificent, and the inside is so full of details I could spend days looking at everything! A wonderful work, Louis - and definitely worthy of its feature on the Brothers Bricks! Quote
Louis of Nutwood Posted January 10, 2022 Author Posted January 10, 2022 6 hours ago, Aurore said: Such an impressive build! The texture on the outside is absolutely magnificent, and the inside is so full of details I could spend days looking at everything! A wonderful work, Louis - and definitely worthy of its feature on the Brothers Bricks! I'm thrilled with your appraisal, lady Aurore! Glad you liked the texturing and the interior work. Thanks for your always welcoming support, fellow Mitgardian. Skol! Quote
Kai NRG Posted January 10, 2022 Posted January 10, 2022 A magnificent castle! It's very well laid out--you have definitely got the knack of building up to a peak at the back and it's very eye catching! The interior is also very cool, especially the library! But the river is my favorite part... it looks so blue and watery and the horn technique is perfect! Quote
Servertijd Posted January 12, 2022 Posted January 12, 2022 Oh man, this is def my personal fav from you, and probably your biggest one too. I was blown away by the outside, I didn't even think of a interior, which makes it even more impressive! Quote
Eyrezer Posted January 13, 2022 Posted January 13, 2022 Wow! This is an impressive scale. Wonderful consistency is style across the front. As others have said the water looks great, especially the foam. And then there is an interior! Is it just me or is the scale of the outside and inside meant to be different? The outside looks like it is intended to be smaller than minifig scale... Everyone looks so angry inside, which matches the story . I like the extensive bookcase, the grounded use of the stair piece (i.e. resting right on the rock) and the brick-built ladders. Not sure I'm ready to try anything this scale yet! Quote
Louis of Nutwood Posted January 17, 2022 Author Posted January 17, 2022 On 1/10/2022 at 8:51 PM, Kai NRG said: A magnificent castle! It's very well laid out--you have definitely got the knack of building up to a peak at the back and it's very eye catching! The interior is also very cool, especially the library! But the river is my favorite part... it looks so blue and watery and the horn technique is perfect! I'm thrilled you liked it, sir Kai. I've learned a lot from studying your builds, so having your appraisal means a bunch. Happy you mentioned the (recurring) layout -- it simply works! Glad you mentioned the interior (which was a fun challenge), and to know you liked the water effect is awesome! Skol, bud! On 1/12/2022 at 12:37 PM, Servertijd said: Oh man, this is def my personal fav from you, and probably your biggest one too. I was blown away by the outside, I didn't even think of a interior, which makes it even more impressive! Wow! It truly means a lot, Server! I really appreciate it. Yeah. Definitely the largest project, and one I'm particularly pleased with. I'm happy you liked the exterior and the interior, sir. A challenge that paid off. Skol! On 1/13/2022 at 4:21 PM, Eyrezer said: Wow! This is an impressive scale. Wonderful consistency is style across the front. As others have said the water looks great, especially the foam. And then there is an interior! Is it just me or is the scale of the outside and inside meant to be different? The outside looks like it is intended to be smaller than minifig scale... Everyone looks so angry inside, which matches the story . I like the extensive bookcase, the grounded use of the stair piece (i.e. resting right on the rock) and the brick-built ladders. Not sure I'm ready to try anything this scale yet! Eyrezer, I'm humbled by your appraisal. Really glad you liked and mentioned all those details. The foam, the texture and technique consistency, the interior... The scale is actually supposed to be minifig, but I try using a classic scale (in which 4 studded path is more than enough space for a minifig to walk by) which is definitely smaller than the Blacksmith, say. I recognize the towers are a bit narrow, but as they fit the 4-stud-scale, I'm fine with it. Plus, I'm always looking for ways to build more in a smaller footprint, without making it too packed. It's just the scale I'm more pleased with. To go bigger is, maybe, to loose the playability and turning the photography step waaay to difficult. And they are all grumpy because the smell of chicken in the library takes forever to dissipate. Haha. Oooh I encourage you to try out, sir. But plan first, sure. It truly is a challenge to tackle. Thanks for the support, bud. Really appreciate it. Skol! Quote
Gideon Posted January 26, 2022 Posted January 26, 2022 Impressive to combine such a non-blocky outside with a full interior I agree with previous comments that it is like two (or more?) different MOCs that you've managed to combine into one, well done! Quote
Louis of Nutwood Posted January 30, 2022 Author Posted January 30, 2022 On 1/26/2022 at 5:04 AM, Gideon said: Impressive to combine such a non-blocky outside with a full interior I agree with previous comments that it is like two (or more?) different MOCs that you've managed to combine into one, well done! Your words humble me, sir Gideon. A true pleasure to receive your appraisal. Thanks for commenting. It only strengthens my will to build for the glory of the Guilds. Skol! Quote
Grover Posted August 9, 2022 Posted August 9, 2022 *Applause* This build is amazing. Not just for sheer size, although that is impressive. At a first glance, there are a few things that people notice: it's big and detailed. There's a lot of texture to the walls, and a ton of details inside. On a deeper look, there are a few things that more experienced builders would really appreciate. I think the most impressive to me is the elevation change in the landscape. You managed to put in a significant slope to the land and yet it seems organic. The rockwork is nice, and the waterfall adds a sense of height, but the juxtaposition of the almost terraced layers of rock that would occur naturally with the much smoother pathway that would have been created artificially and worn down over the years is superb. The castle also looks like it was built on the rocks, and not just thrown down on some rock somewhere. I particularly like the pine tree on the right. If I were to quibble, the only thing that looks a little out of place are the cattails near the top of the falls. In my experience, they are usually only found in boggy, muddy soil near still water. The rushing water on rock seems unlikely to harbor them. Lower, where there is an eddy, they appear less out of place in my mind, but I really had to look in this build at detail before I saw that! The second major accomplishment here is the minifig scale of the build. So many times large builds are just a little too big or small for a mini, and you've nailed it. This could be an official set (were it not unbelievably expensive) based on scale. The eye level perspective shot looks like artwork and is really helped by this. I know this probably took a huge amount of bricks so you probably can't leave it together, but I'd love to see this in person at a show sometime. The interior is a thing of beauty. I love the intricate details, particularly the attention paid to practical ones. You could have thrown a bunch of ornamentation in there, but instead have opted to give precedence to practical things like ladders and stairs. I think this helps sell the idea of the fortress as a military machine rather than some Disney palace. The library is awesome, and I like the little hidden details like the treasure! And that's a lot of golden tipped spears! Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.