Book II - Kaliphlin: Guild sign-up and Discussion

[MKJoshA]

I've got this image of a guy literally covered in pockets- I think there was someone who did that. Although not with Lego.

I'm the kind of guy that would do that if the need arose. Though I would take it a step further and not only be covered in pockets stuffed with Legos but would also have the largest backpack available filled to the brim with them. Thankfully, a Lego store and PAB wall is within 15 minutes walking of where I live.

When is Brickworld this year? I may just have to go to meet all these GoH master-builders...

[Rogue Angel]

It is usually the 2nd weekend in June.

[NiceMarmot]

You guys need to attend Brickworld and fly back dressed in one of these: http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/Expedition-Jacket.shtml I'll bet you could fit three or four cups worth in there!

[gedren_y]

Good one NM, and look at the sample pictures, so Kaliphlin.

[kabel]

I wonder if security would take your bricks away because you could use them as weapon though, never know about these security dudes ... And not to mention custom officers, at least in Frankfurt they are the worst especially on people arriving from the States. They once got really angry at me for bringing an electric guitar and a ton of CDs with me and grounded me for about 1,5 hours. (I got out after paying some extra 150 € or so). That's really the way you want to be welcomed by your fellow Germans back home when having been away for a year. Man how I hate these gyus, such a pain in the neck ...

Edited December 17, 2013 by kabel

[synbiote]

Someone who got me a suitcase full of LEGO told me the easiest customs are in Spain..so when you return..try to make your landing in EU in spain & transfer to wherever u need to go..

got me about 4 big cups of flower stems & bamboo stems. a cup with tires &wheels, white 1x1(with eye print ) & some 1x4 & 1x6 bricks..

In total he got me 8 cups :).. only was 50€ (+ exclusive winter set & PaB carton) .. best Xmass gift ever :)

[Lord Vladivus]

Don't forget a hat with loads of pockets covering it! Got to use all the space you can!

[Gabe]

Maybe all the back injuries just means that we are a more mature lot than the other guilds?

Everytime ppl start talking about pick-a-brick i start sighing with envy.... no Lego brand store anywhere in Australia, possibly the region too. (not sure about Singapore or HK?) Still, at least there is always BL for my loose brick needs.

Anyway, i've got another build up - not Kaliphlin though, this time for challenge 1 (catagory B). Click the pic to check out Stranglehold tower!

C and C welcome as always. I've also claimed for a few UoP credits for this, so if you can spare the time, i'd really appreciate it if you guys could assess this. Thanks!

[NiceMarmot]

I wonder if security would take your bricks away because you could use them as weapon though, never know about these security dudes ... And not to mention custom officers, at least in Frankfurt they are the worst especially on people arriving from the States. They once got really angry at me for bringing an electric guitar and a ton of CDs with me and grounded me for about 1,5 hours. (I got out after paying some extra 150 € or so). That's really the way you want to be welcomed by your fellow Germans back home when having been away for a year. Man how I hate these gyus, such a pain in the neck ...

Glad to know that the US Customs and Immigration aren't the only major pains around. I've never had a problem with the Germans; maybe they treat visitors better than their citizens.

[kabel]

Well maybe it was me who looked supicous then (back in the middle of the 90s when I had lived in Seattle for a year, you know grunge and all)

[Gideon]

Not so much talk in the thread now, everyone busy with Christmas preparations and other real life issues or just busy building for the challenge?

I did some of my probably last brick-related work for this year (expecting to be separated from them for most of the remaining time of 2013), which really did not need my physical bricks anyway...

New "cardifications" of mine and Masa's cards:

[Mike S]

Not so much talk in the thread now, everyone busy with Christmas preparations and other real life issues or just busy building for the challenge?

I did some of my probably last brick-related work for this year (expecting to be separated from them for most of the remaining time of 2013), which really did not need my physical bricks anyway...

New "cardifications" of mine and Masa's cards:

Awesome job Gideon! Thanks! I've been too overwhelmed with other stuff to build and with an active two year old, my collection has become too disorganized for me to realistically complete any build with the limited time I do have. On top of that I will be away from home until the middle of January and will not have access to internet other than the limited access on Amtrak. When I get back, it will be work and studies again so I kind of doubt you guys will see much of anything from me for a while.

[Lord Vladivus]

Those cards are awesome Gideon! Would be cool to actually have a whole set in real life like that.

[Gabe]

Not so much talk in the thread now, everyone busy with Christmas preparations and other real life issues or just busy building for the challenge?

I did some of my probably last brick-related work for this year (expecting to be separated from them for most of the remaining time of 2013), which really did not need my physical bricks anyway...

New "cardifications" of mine and Masa's cards:

Nice cards! I agree with Lord Vladivus, it would be really cool to see a whole set.

Yeah Xmas is taking over here for sure - tomorrow morning me and my partner are heading out for a bush Christmas so i'll be gone for a bit. And when i get back i've got heaps of stuff to prepare for Brickvention 2014, so i'm afraid i won't be able to do much GoH building until the end of Jan. But i'll be popping by the forums now and then to check stuff out and comment etc.

I seem to have fallen behind on the UoP reminders - sorry peeps! There have been a few recent mocs that haven't been added to the UoP rego thread but are still claiming for credits. Specifics are:

Carson Haupt - needs votes for extreme environs (needs 3), studs up rocks (needs 3) and sand dunes (needs 4 or 2 against)

mrcp6d - mrcp6d's is ok for votes but still not added to rego thread.

Kayne - needs votes for SNOT'ed tile work, round walls/towers, 1x tree and Life in Nocturnus - 1 vote for all needed (after i go and vote lol )

Tomsche - needs votes for flowing water and minifig posing - 4 for both.

Oh and my Stranglehold tower still needs 1 vote for both studs up and sideways rocks, if someone could rule on that please?

Also Wedge09 is still waiting on 2 votes for or 1 against for microscale - Kayne, myself, gedren and Gideon have voted, can someone else pls look at it? Thanks!

Anything older that still needs looking at that i might have missed?

Awesome job Gideon! Thanks! I've been too overwhelmed with other stuff to build and with an active two year old, my collection has become too disorganized for me to realistically complete any build with the limited time I do have. On top of that I will be away from home until the middle of January and will not have access to internet other than the limited access on Amtrak. When I get back, it will be work and studies again so I kind of doubt you guys will see much of anything from me for a while.

Ah that's sad - hopefully we'll see you back again when you have some more time Masa - we'll miss you!

Have a great Xmas/holiday season/solstice everyone! I better go... i haven't packed yet!

[gedren_y]

Thanks for taking care of that, Gabe.

Has anyone given any more thought to the proposed Sultan's Gate community build? I ask because some time in the spring I may want to propose a community build surrounding the Nestlands Quest for the Egg of the Armored Eagle Goddess.

This reminds me, I need to get working on some page editing for the Nestlands on the wiki.

[Gideon]

Thanks for taking care of that, Gabe.

Has anyone given any more thought to the proposed Sultan's Gate community build? I ask because some time in the spring I may want to propose a community build surrounding the Nestlands Quest for the Egg of the Armored Eagle Goddess.

This reminds me, I need to get working on some page editing for the Nestlands on the wiki.

Great work Gabe keeping the UoP voting going, I'll check into those threads and see if I've missed to vote on anything (got a lot of unread topics in the GoH subforum at the moment...)

I started some wall and tower building for Sultan's Gate by testing out some dark tan wall techniques which I am quite happy with. Havn't finished that wall yet however, and I figure that we should probably think that through one more time, as I don't want to set the standard of the wall around Sultan's Gate to a standard which requires LUGBULK amounts of dark tan

Maybe we should stick to the more readily available tan color as a standard for the walls?

I don't think the walls should be very high, maybe 10-12 bricks is a good aim and maximum 6 studs wide (maybe only 4-5)?

Anyway, when I'm back at my bricks I can make an example of what I imagine would be a suitable wall standard to have in the modules. Not that every Sultan's Gate build needs to include the wall, but similar to the Valholl builds I like the idea of different buildings in different MOCs sharing the same kind of wall at the back

[gedren_y]

Yes, tan should be the primary color, but I see Sultan's Gate as an old fortification that has been rebuilt repeatedly. The walls wouldn't be as uniform as the Walls of Valholl, and the settlement should reach beyond the old fortified walls. I'm thinking lots of tent structures and irregularly placed buildings outside the old fort. I just have this image in my head from reading the Forgotten Realms classic The Halfling's Gem (book III of the Icewind Dale Trilogy, book VI of the Legend of Drizzt series). When Drizzt reaches Calimshan (I can't remember the name of the town) there's a chase sequence that describes such a hodge-podge settlement in good detail.

[Gideon]

Yes, tan should be the primary color, but I see Sultan's Gate as an old fortification that has been rebuilt repeatedly. The walls wouldn't be as uniform as the Walls of Valholl, and the settlement should reach beyond the old fortified walls. I'm thinking lots of tent structures and irregularly placed buildings outside the old fort. I just have this image in my head from reading the Forgotten Realms classic The Halfling's Gem (book III of the Icewind Dale Trilogy, book VI of the Legend of Drizzt series). When Drizzt reaches Calimshan (I can't remember the name of the town) there's a chase sequence that describes such a hodge-podge settlement in good detail.

Sounds like we have similar thoughts for the town. I imagine some parts of the fortifications to be very old, and that the present walls are partially remaining parts of the old walls, partially built upon ruins of old walls as foundations and partially being new encircling new areas outside the original fortress. And as you describe, parts of the town should be outside the walls...I imagine that a lot of business goes on out there, not least for toll reasons

The buildings of Sultan's Gate would be mostly semi-temporary structures, especially the ones outside the walls, with a lot of not so neat clay brick construction and canvas parts. Wooden parts would be built mostly with smaller parts of wood, like parts of old carts etc, since getting wood there is a lot of work.

There might however be some more permanent structures, especially the gate fort and also maybe some official bazaar building and water supply structures?

Another thing I have in progress now when being away from my bricks is to try to flesh out Barqa and it's surroundings a bit (maybe make a "zoomed-in" map and extend the wiki post). Currently, I'm sifting through what I can find regarding the city from the early days of GoH. It's mostly Masa's stuff I've found at the moment, so if I will be contradicting anything else that has been built/described before please notify me so I can update it. I'm also looking around for inspirational material, right now old maps of Constantinople is my main source of ideas for the layout of Barqa. I won't be making a detailed map on street level, but my thought is to make a map of the general outline of the city and it's districts, landmarks and fortifications. Landmarks can then be added as more MOCs are built there.

Please point out if you have made any MOCs located in Barqa or it's surroundings, and I'd make sure to include them!

@Masa: Would it be OK if I base a new map of Barqa on the one you have in the wiki, and consider your map a "historical" map showing the original old town of Barqa (and its fortifications) which the city since then has outgrown and built new walls and harbors?

My idea of the city when interpreting the description in the wiki of Barqa being "the shipping capital of Historica" is somewhat bigger than what it is on the scale of your map

Nice cards! I agree with Lord Vladivus, it would be really cool to see a whole set.

Thanks!

I can "cardify" more MOCs in a similar way now that I got the template, but I will only do it at the request of the builder as I don't want to be messing around with other builder's pictures without permission.

Merry Christmas everyone (or whatever holiday you are celebrating, if any, at this time )!

Edited December 24, 2013 by Gideon

[Mike S]

@Masa: Would it be OK if I base a new map of Barqa on the one you have in the wiki, and consider your map a "historical" map showing the original old town of Barqa (and its fortifications) which the city since then has outgrown and built new walls and harbors?

My idea of the city when interpreting the description in the wiki of Barqa being "the shipping capital of Historica" is somewhat bigger than what it is on the scale of your map

Quite fine by me...

[Gideon]

Quite fine by me...

Thanks! When it comes to the size of the city and it's ports, I'm looking a lot at maps of ancient Alexandria...also a major shipping hub at the mouth of a major river. The plantations north of the city surrounded by the last bend of the Arkbri looks like its located on very fertile soil, possibly a flood plain.

How is progress on your new city Aden's Gate by the way?

Do the Knights of Aslan still retain a presence in Barqa?

From what I've read, it looks as Lion's Bluff was damaged (or destroyed?) in the elemental attacks...has it been rebuilt?

Edited December 27, 2013 by Gideon

[Mike S]

Thanks! When it comes to the size of the city and it's ports, I'm looking a lot at maps of ancient Alexandria...also a major shipping hub at the mouth of a major river. The plantations north of the city surrounded by the last bend of the Arkbri looks like its located on very fertile soil, possibly a flood plain.

How is progress on your new city Aden's Gate by the way?

Do the Knights of Aslan still retain a presence in Barqa?

From what I've read, it looks as Lion's Bluff was damaged (or destroyed?) in the elemental attacks...has it been rebuilt?

Aden's Gate really hasn't progressed too much in way of completion but it has progressed quite a bit in design. Still waiting to order a big batch of pieces. Need to analyze my financial status first so probably won't do anything until after taxes are filed and home landscaping projects are complete.

The Knights of Aslan maintain a small garrison attached to an Aslanic temple in Barqa but the majority have relocated to the Aden's Gate construction site. Mikel Kalores and the Knights of Aslan have abandoned Lion's Bluff due to the invasive crushing vines brought by the earth elementals but it is quite possible that the ruins are now being used as shelter by some persons or creatures who wish to avoid the crowds within the walls of Barqa..

[Kayne]

Anyone mind if I claim Ras-el-Ahkban as my city? I never really claimed anywhere even in book 1. Since Sal is retired due to madness now, Kha needs a home. As my main protagonist That is a city that no one has claimed, and no Kaliphlin lords reside there yet either.

[Gideon]

Anyone mind if I claim Ras-el-Ahkban as my city? I never really claimed anywhere even in book 1. Since Sal is retired due to madness now, Kha needs a home. As my main protagonist That is a city that no one has claimed, and no Kaliphlin lords reside there yet either.

No objections here, great if that part of Kaliphlin gets more attention! Will we see some more Pharao's Quest parts be used...?

I think the city is usually referred to as Ras-el-Akhen in the most common Kaliphlin tounge, if we are thinking of the same city in the Qar-Akhen delta?

[Kayne]

Yeah, that's the one. I was using my phone to view and post....and my big meaty thumbs have touble typing on it!

[Gideon]

I was using my phone to view and post....and my big meaty thumbs have touble typing on it!

You are not the only one having that problem, and my phone makes things worse with Autocorrect...especially when I forget switching language to English before starting to write a post here