#21348 Dungeons & Dragons - [WIP] Trying to enhance and complete

[Grin]

[current state of advancement]

Hello Folks!

This is my first thread in this forum, and I hope you'll find it inspiring and fun.

Since I'm a long term LEGO and D&D fan I couldn't resist in buying the set at day one. I really enjoyed it... but... as a D&D fan (and a bit as a perfectionist)... meh, something was missing.
But what startled me to this work was actually my wife: (without actually understanding the implication of what she was saying) she told me: "wonderful, U can leave it on that old little table in the lounge!".

[

The problem is that my mind understood: "Everything that fits that table can stay there!"

So I decided to unpack all my child-era bricks (in last years I only built Technic) and put myself at work.

My actual roadmap is something like this:

• fix some minor issues and details (such as the door trap I'll show at the end of this post); [DONE]
• extend the inn to fit stairs to reach the upper floor; [DONE]
• add a proper kitchen (because it can have a role in the "Red Dragon Tale" adventure, if U want to play it); [DONE]
• complete the back of the tower (within the limits of 'that little old table"); [DONE]
• create a proper dungeon (yes, because if the red dragon is a proper D&D Dragon, well the dungeon not so much) that extends one floor under the whole set; [DELAYED]
• (possibly) create a Dragon Hall at floor -2. [WIP]

This is my dream, and any comment or suggestion will be appreciated.

Hope to post updates soon!
Cheers 

Grin

Edited December 22, 2024 by Grin
Updated the current state of advancement pic

[Agent Kallus]

It'll be interesting to see it with a dungeon big enough to fit the dragon!!

[Grin]

Oh yes sir, that will be the REAL challenge 

I already did some "conceptual" testing:
 
 

and then begun working in Stud.io to structure it:
 
(from this you may also guess the base extension for the back of the tower)

But actually I had to delay the work on the "Dragon Hall" for 2 reasons:

• I needed to organize my old bricks to find them faster (until this project I did organize my Technics, not  the "general pieces")
• I needed to focus on upper levels (the main set on top and the dungeon in the middle) to really make the lower level work organically with the rest of the MOC.

As for now, just a preview of the "extended" ground floor of the inn:
 


News asap ;-)
Have a nice day

 

Edited June 14, 2024 by Grin
rearranged image positions and better formatted the text

[Grin]

ohh... I did forgot: in the first post I mentioned my solution for a working door trap, but didn't embed it.
here it is:

 

Edited June 14, 2024 by Grin

[Grin]

The "Extended Inn" is basically done (just missing two purple sloped tiles for the roof):

Immagine 2024-06-16 075935
by Grin Bicks, su Flickr

Immagine 2024-06-16 075907
by Grin Bicks, su Flickr


And a taste of the current general progress:
Immagine 2024-06-16 080210
by Grin Bicks, su Flickr

Immagine 2024-06-16 080245
by Grin Bicks, su Flickr

Immagine 2024-06-16 080326
by Grin Bicks, su Flickr

 

Stay tuned, news asap!

[Grin]

Hi guys!

I'm working on several fronts: 
- the kitchen's outside wall is done and the tower side is opened:

- as for the Tiamat's Orb of Majesty, I'm working on something I feel more appropriate than a corridor:


Please feel free to submit your critiques or suggestions 

 

More to come ASAP, nice weekend

[Grin]

Hi guys!

So much is going on, but nothing is really finished so...
... just a little sneak peek of the trapped portcullis of (what will be) the main entrance of the tower: 

... and yes: I still miss a few dark greys that will be replaced soon.

News asap, cheers!

[Grin]

Hi everyone!

The base level is near to be completed, but not yet...
...as for now I got the last pieces for the portcullis. Due to the fact I've never seen a such made one on the other MOCs (but I can't exclude someone had my same idea), here is a pic of it:


The protruding 1/2 axle on the right and the thin technic 3L liftarm on the left are used for the trap mechanism and aren't structural.
A lot of different adaptation may be used to raise the gate, but after several tries this configuration is the one that got no jammings on my Main Gate.

More to come ASAP, cheers

 

Edited August 8, 2024 by Grin

[Agent Kallus]

Looking great so far, excited to see the finished project. I do think this thread deserves more attention.

[Grin]

On 8/9/2024 at 7:47 PM, Agent Kallus said:

Looking great so far, excited to see the finished project. I do think this thread deserves more attention.

Thank U Agent Kallus for your support :-D

A little more pics for today:

• The inner side of the main gate, with the portcullis rachet:
• and, to be able to operate it also when the building is full assembled, an hidden wheel on the outside rock formation:
  
  (the leaf on the right may be rotated to lock the portcullis)

News ASAP, stay tuned ;-)

Edited August 11, 2024 by Grin

[GeoBrick]

Neat system.

[Grin]

20 hours ago, GeoBrick said:

Neat system.

 thanks

[Grin]

Hi everybody! 
Here I am after a short summer vacation, and I'm glad to present the final version of the tower main gate (that sits on the back of the original set):


While waiting for a bricklink order to arrive, I'm also finalizing the new room for the Tiamat's Orb of Majesty (that sits just on the back of the main gate's blazon):

As U may guess from this photo, I used a rather simple but effective SNOT technique to assembly the two ornament windows on the sides of the altar (I'll post a pic of them in a few days).

The "enhancement part" of this project is so soon to be completed, news ASAP ;-)

Cheers

[miken_mocs]

Awesome project and progress, following!

[Grin]

On 8/27/2024 at 1:10 PM, miken_mocs said:

Awesome project and progress, following!

Many thanks Miken!

[Grin]

Hi everyone!

While the bricklink order I need seems to still be onroute, here are the WIP pics of the decorative window I placed on both sides of the altar:


More to come ASAP! 

PS: no illegal connection there:

The upper 2s connect each other and on top, the lower one connects on bottom by the common stud inverting displayed on the left.
Everything is kept in place by the stained glass on the inner side and by the frame.

Edited September 1, 2024 by Grin

[Grin]

Hello Folks!

The shipping has arrived and I'm finalizing this first level.

The front view may be considered completed (original on the side for comparison):
- 

and here a detail of the debries from the tower collapse: 

I hope to find time to complete a few things on the back side in this week and be able to make a full presentation of this level soon.

 

Will I work on the Dungeon or on the Dragon Hall next? 

Cheers

Edited September 9, 2024 by Grin

[Grin]

Hi everyone!

I'm glad to present the final assembly of my extension for this set:

Today I'm a bit on a rush, more details on each section ASAP!

cheers!

[miken_mocs]

1 hour ago, Grin said:

Hi everyone!

I'm glad to present the final assembly of my extension for this set:

Epic, love it!

[Grin]

On 9/16/2024 at 10:18 AM, miken_mocs said:

Epic, love it!

Thanks Miken!

...and here are the details.
I strongly suggest to those who want to play the "Red Dragon's Tale" not to open up the spoiler tags ;-)

• the extended Inn Plain Sight: only some "duplication" here, with the purpose to add stairs to the upper floor and to match the extended width of the tower
  Spoiler

   

   

• the Meadows: minor changes also here, the prison is moved to the Temple section and the floor will be opened to access the lower floor (when done)
  Spoiler

   

   

• the Tower: some work here, to match the temple on the back and to add some "D&D lore" aspects
  (as, for example, "why are the flags blue and gold if it is a Cult of the Dragon tower?"... Who can guess the answer by watching the video?)
  Spoiler

   

   

• the Temple: a complete MOC here (with a little set-picking). As U maybe recall from the first post, the whole project is bound to the hexagonal footprint of that old table, how to use the space on the back while keeping a general consistency?
  Well, I choose to give a more suitable place for the Orb and a more detailed prison; the rest is a filler.
  Spoiler

   

   

• the Kitchen: also a complete MOC. Added to fill the back side of the inn and because it can have a role in the adventure.
  Spoiler

   

   

This level is now complete and I'm moving to create new underground floor. 
Actually I'm a bit on a struggle: will I create a Dungeon aimed to extend the "Red Dragon Tale" (or in other words, "a playable dungeon") or will I create six scenes to display the D&D CMFs? I'm more oriented to the first idea, but I'm opened to your thoughts.

Have a nice day! 

Edited September 22, 2024 by Grin
Added Kitchen's Video

[Borex]

Superb! 
as for the Dungeon, maybe you’ll need an extra level for the cmfs, some cool rooms and caves and whatnot and beneath that the actual dungeon for your dragon. Also maybe you need to get a slowly rotating disc for your coffeetable to show off your epic build

[Grin]

6 hours ago, Borex said:

Superb! 
as for the Dungeon, maybe you’ll need an extra level for the cmfs, some cool rooms and caves and whatnot and beneath that the actual dungeon for your dragon. Also maybe you need to get a slowly rotating disc for your coffeetable to show off your epic build

Thanks Borex, for your appreciation and for your advices! 

 

[Grin]

Meanwhile, a final touch...

Spoiler

... because it's a long road trying to hatch a Dragon Egg with a few candle 

 

Edited September 22, 2024 by Grin

[Grin]

Hi people!
A lot of vignettes for the CMFs are already appearing on the web, so I decided to stick to the original project and began working on the "Dragon Hall" that was left around there:

On 6/14/2024 at 10:01 AM, Grin said:

I already did some "conceptual" testing:
 
 

and then begun working in Stud.io to structure it:
 
 

Having completed the upper level, the weight to be supported has increased quite a lot and I had to carefully structure the underground levels.
Aiming to have structural columns, and after a LOT of tries, I'm going with this design:

The Technic Panels proved to be rigid while lightweight; moreover with the tiles&plates covering I arranged, the look feels enough dwarvish to me.

Now working on the corbel...
...more to come ASAP

Cheers!

[Grin]

On 6/14/2024 at 10:01 AM, Grin said:

Oh yes sir, that will be the REAL challenge 


 

Hi guys!

Great news (at least from my perspective): the structure for the dragon hall is done and sturdy. It holds well the load and grants the possibility to add the dungeon layer between the castle and the hall.



A huge load of detailing is still missing and I'm also working on a few play features I want to introduce, but the roadmap is set and what I considered the greatest difficulty (my ability to build a rigid enough cave) is now solved.

As always any comment or suggestion is greatly appreciated ;-)

News asap,
Cheers and happy holidays to everyone!

Edited December 22, 2024 by Grin