The Passage of Time

Sounds like a a dangerous corridor to walk down, doesn't it?

I'm still around. I have been busy. Aduialtham is hold while I work on some other projects, but it is so close to complete that I don't expect it to take long once I actually get to it. I have been working on a nearby area because players have decided to explore it. The overland portion of the campaign is really hot with them right now. And I have a new NPC to post that will prove to be lots of fun.

When I next post models, you can expect Aduialtham, Kortyr, Tyrmond and Bainsloa -- all locations in my campaign and demonstrating, I think, advances in my 3D abilities.

"Just because I'm short and you can shoot arrows over me is no reason to make me go first,"
-Guerrin, Dwarf of Mogoth Noryz.

Best, Levallon

Update

Ah, another deadline has come and gone! How like to the seasons of life!

Enough poetry.

So here is the status of the pieces of Aduialtham:

     The Wing: Complete. This was a major undertaking, though it started out as a diversion.
     Summer Hall: 90% complete. That is assuming, I don't have another creative burst... Edit: Always a dangerous assumption!
     Winter Hall: Only the bare bones, but given that it is a variation of the Summer Hall, I do
      not anticipate too many problems. Famous last words. Edit: New inspiration that will make it fantastic -- though hopefully not take too long.
     The Promenade:  complete.
      The Watchtower: complete. I've learned some new techniques that made me rethink the whole thing. But it's done.
     Terrace and Terrain: Neither of these has really even been started, primarily because they are easy. I've played with some scratch models.

I hope your summer is going well!

"Grindor, poking the dragon with a stick to see if it is dead is an exceptionally bad idea..."

-levallon

Aduialtham and Tyrmond

Greetings all,

An update on my progress. I had hoped that my progress n Aduialtham would give the momentum to complete it. I really should know me better by now.

So here is the status of the pieces of Aduialtham:
 
     The Wing: Complete. This was a major undertaking, though it started out as a diversion.
     Summer Hall: 85-90% complete. That is assuming, I don't have another creative burst...
     Winter Hall: Only the bare bones, but given that it is a variation of the Summer Hall, I do
      not anticipate too many problems. Famous last words.
     The Promenade: 90% complete. I have only to correct some structures that didn't
     quite meet up. I'm not sure how to proceed as yet.
     The Watchtower: about 50% complete. I'm finding that my vision of this was incomplete, and I'm  having to try different things.
     Terrace and Terrain: Neither of these has really even been started, primarily because they are easy. I've played with some scratch models.

So it all may take longer than projected.

Also, as diversions there remains the unnamed project, and something new. The new project is an exteriors only model of Upper Tyrmond, which should be lots of fun. It started as part of a development of an underused area of the campaign, a sort of frontier dominated by competing, but not (as yet) hostile irenoni (clans). The oldsters cleared and settled (well, enough for crops) the land, but now the next generation is coming to power, split by allegiance to rival religious cults. The youngest generation has come of age ("grown full"), and is choosing sides...I just now realized how timely this may be. Think Boomers, GenXers and Millenials fighting over territory in a fantasy setting instead of school prayer and transgender bathrooms! Throw the PC's in the middle, in which they must fight to stop a clan war. There is a nearby encounter area that could provide info that could turn the tide...Considering the discussion of it nearly half this post, perhaps you can understand how diverting it is!

I am determined to post new work as soon as I am able. Until then!
levallon

IX NINANNYR

I have decided to be finished, for now, with Ninannyr. I may come back to it at a later date, and add some detail. I never added the outer curtain wall, so you'll have to imagine it. Unlike the model presented here, it is not symmetrical and the gate is to the left of the front of the main castle. It is here where you would find the stables, blacksmith, workshops and storehouses. I might also add in the topography. It is on a slight elevation.

The model is not perfect, but I suspect only I will notice.

Some In-Character Facts

Ix Ninannyr is the property of the Duke of Ninannyr, and lends it's name to the town nearby as well as the province. It is not his primary residence, but he insists that it remain fully staffed and operational, as it is the center of military power in the region. This is pretty unnecessary as we'll see, but none have the power to question him.

Ninannyr is a very old fortification that has been rebuilt several times, as will be noted in the difference in masonry. The current form is about 100 years old. The main building is the hall and keep. The hall was built onto the former keep, which was renovated and expanded. The buildings in front of it are a bakery and a brewery of sorts. Each includes a room for consumption of the products, and accommodations on the floor above. The top floors are largely open spaces for storage and servants.

 Front view

Ninannyr, aside from being distastefully symmetrical (to my tastes), is an example of older human design. Newer designs are larger and less symmetrical. The castle is well kept, but considered small and cramped by those who visit it. It is something of a cross between a fortification and a palace.
                                                                                                                  Ground View

The fountain is fed from a cistern behind it, which in turn is fed from channels on the walls. (A castle in Poland did much the same thing, but I don't remember the name of it.) The walls and towers supply the accommodations for the guards and watch.

The Ditinni clan (“irenon,” in the tongue of the land) has grown quite rich, by exploiting both the arable lands of the region and the trade routes which pass through it. Astute observers will note that the bakery and brewery buildings obscure the courtyard from the walls. When engineers pointed this out, the duchess at the time, a feisty and demanding woman, is rumored to have said, “What force of men or orcs could fight its way so far inland and enter into the inner courtyard only to be defeated by an arrow shot from the walls? Build as you are ordered.”

The lady was referring to the fact the duchy of Ninannyr is landlocked, nearer to the middle of the kingdom. An invading army of such force as to fight its way to Ix Ninannyr would be unlikely to be stopped by its defenses, and there would be little hope of survival.


Tower

This is the hall that was built onto the original keep. The stairs to the left leads to the kitchens, pantry and well. There is another very small and very rudimentary kitchen in the keep itself. The curtain leads to the stairs and keep. The arms are the actual arms of the Ditinni irenon.


The rest of the hall. More modern castles and fortifications have larger halls. The banners are, again, actual arms used in my campaign.





This corridor runs from the solar to the central stairs. There are rooms for the castellan and chamberlain, as well as a very small shrine.




Here is the solar -- I didn't fill it. There would normally be a chair for knitting and embroidery and some small toys for the Duke's children.





A really unimpressive view of the kitchens. The pantry is the first opening on the left, the cellar and storage is the second. The firepit and baking hearth are to the right. Most meals are prepared here, though baked goods are generally done in the bakery itself.

Here we have the "small hall." It is very tiny and meant to be used during times of siege when the main hall has been taken and the keep sealed. It has never had occasion to be used that way.




One of the stairwells within the keep itself. This one actually gave me shivers when I was modelling it because it reminded me of geomorphs and old dungeons.



The Duke's bedchamber, with several wardrobes. Then as now, most of them are for his wife's clothes.





Another view of the bedchamber, from beside the bed. That's a nice mirror. I wonder what might be behind it?





The Bakery. Other simple meals can be prepared here as well, and often are for guests.





The Bakery dining hall. Simple meals are served here for guests, and sometimes the middle common staff when there are no lords about. The stairs up to the rooms can just be seen on the right.



The brewery. Sacks of grains, barrels for storing, and great copper pots for the mash.






OOC:
The pictures are clickable jpgs. If you click one it should set up a slideshow of all of them. If there is something that you would like to see that isn't pictured here, ask. I can easily post a jpeg of it.

This entire model was created in Sketchup, a free 3D modelling program (or app, if you choose). You can download and run Sketchup and make your own models, or download mine and twist them up to suit your fancy, or go to the Sketchup 3D Warehouse and download the models there. The Tomb of Horrors Walkthrough is pretty cool ( https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/search.html?q=tomb+of+horrors&backendClass=both ) but there are over 290 models there as well. That includes ever evolving version of The Keep on the Borderlands.

Sketchup is easy to learn, very intuitive, unlike other programs. I think it can be tricky to master (I'll let you know for sure when I get there). I started this project in July of 2015, according to the file data. Most of it was finished within about six months before I needed to step away and work on something else. I often overlap projects, and let's face it, I'm obnoxious about detail. You could probably knock out a less detailed version in a day or less, depending on your desired level of detail.

Ninannyr ("Nih-NAHN-nyur") is small, symmetrical and linear. It is an example of both early fortifications in Slyr Dorom, and of Mannish architecture. Next up is Aduialtham ("Ahd-WHEEL-tham"), the stronghold of an elf lord. The difference between the two should be striking.

So. Now that I've teased it, I should set about finishing it.

Listen at doors,
levallon

Delays

Greetings!

I post today to report that I will be unable to meet my projection of posting new work by the end of the year. Certain structures have given me difficulty, so it will be a little longer than I had hoped.

As a way of foreshadowing, here are the projects "in the hopper" that I hope to post soon:

1. Ix Ninannyr: A human-built castle, in 3D. This is a stronghold that has been rebuilt several times, and is currently a cross between a working fortress and a ducal showpiece. January, likely.
2. Aduialtham: The Aduialtham complex is the stronghold of a powerful elf-lord. The difference between Ninannyr  and Aduialtham will be striking, I believe, as it should be. The file is enormous, but visually pleasing. Eye candy, actually. February-March is my current projection.
3. Unnamed: It is unnamed because I wish to keep it secret until it is completed. This one may take quite a bit longer to complete, as less work has been completed upon it. June?

Were I able to to work non-stop and without interruption...but the bills must be paid. I think that once these projects are ready, there will be no question that I have gained a level of experience in 3D work.

Until then, May You Always Roll a 20,
levallon

Elven Exotica

While I complete some projects of 3D witchery, here is a brief text to bridge the hiatus somewhat. I hope to post my current work by the end of the year.

Elves are a difficult but fascinating topic of which many of us cannot get enough. Much has been written about elves by many different authors, and not all of it agrees. So here are some ideas to help clarify the characteristics of the elves of Kemen, that may also be fodder for your own campaign. This is not intended to be exhaustive.

To call elves (or any other race) “demi-human” is to practice extreme bias, almost discrimination. The term references humans and makes them the standard. While D&D references the game’s bias towards humans, this would seem to go too far. Elves are not skinny humans. They are an entirely different race. Their bodies look different because they are built differently.

First of all, in appearance elves tend to the slender proportions, typically similar to people of Asian descent. This has the effect of suggesting elegance to other races, especially humans. One might then incorrectly conclude that elven women tend to be flat chested. This is not the case. In fact, though some possess modest bosoms, many are quite buxom. It is the frame upon which their breasts rest that maintains a general slender proportion. Similarly, elf men are not “bird chested.” They can be quite well defined and very strong, if not as massive as their human counterparts, because they are not little humans but a separate race altogether. Their bodies are built differently, their muscle tissue more dense. A similarly sized human would usually be less strong, while a human sized elf (six feet or more) would possess super-human strength -- if the current use of humans as the point of reference may be excused.

Elves in Kemen are a mixing of Tolkien's LOTR and Gygax's Dungeons and Dragons. They are not immortal (generally) but very long-lived. They do sleep and dream, though lightly and for less time. They are not all fair skinned blondes, as seem to be the case in LOTR. Neither are they all the dark haired, green eyed creatures of Gygax. Hair, eye and skin combinations tend to depend upon the tribe and type. The Muinar (wood elves, to the rest of the multi-verse) do tend toward darker features, with brownish hair, green eyes and fair to medium complexion. The High Elves, are more varied and, in fact are the most varied of the three types. At least one tribe has dark, curly hair and light eyes, making them look almost human but for their pointed ears.

 

The Aire-Nolari, the Gray Elves, are the most unique and rare of all. Their eyes are most often violet, and their hair is generally silver. They most embody the idea of fairies.

Beyond appearances, there are other differences. Being a race that lives longer than pretty much any other, elves often appear to others to be the most egregious procrastinators. This is because they’d rather sing a song or explore an idea than become accomplished at the mundane, for which there is plenty of time. If there is a band of orcs nearby, sure, let’s go hunting! But as for getting married and having children, well, what’s the rush? This is why elves (in Kemen) tend to be less common. They don’t breed as quickly or as copiously as other races. In fact, it is generally true as a whole in Kemen that the shorter the lifespan the earlier breeding occurs and more offspring that come from a particular union. For elves, this apparent “commitment issue” is related to their long lives.

In the long view of the Elves, things like jealousy and possessiveness are foolish. There are those who commit to stay together for long periods of time, but generally this is for the purpose of raising young. Most spend a period of time of their choosing with another, and then move off to share time with and enjoy someone else. As a result, most elves have consorts rather than spouses, and most have more than one. The lives of the elves are too long and beauty too varied to restrict oneself to loving only one person, yet those lives are long enough to recognize that love of one does not diminish the capacity of love for another.

Boom Chicka Wow Wow! Yes, the elves get around, but while they are with a particular consort they are monogamous. This might seem exotic to us, but remember elves don’t even reach middle age until they are about 500 years old. Do you remember the first time you were able to say that you had known someone for 10, 15, 20 years or more? Remember how that felt? How long have you been at your job? Most likely, you haven’t even been breathing for a hundred years (and many a’ blessin’ to you if you have, though it seems you’ve had your share o’ blessin’s already). Can you imagine knowing someone that long? Can you imagine having a friend for 500 years? How long have you been married? ‘Til death do us part, right? Can you imagine being with the same person for 500 years? How about 800? “If she’s the right one...” Blah, blah, blah. Do you think she’d agree?

Regardless of the way humans manage things, elves (in Kemen) do as described above, and do not see it as exotic. Neither do they find it strange that the short lived races manage things as they do.

Most of recorded human history on Kemen has occurred with the period of a few thousand years. Hardly time enough to call it history, from an elven perspective!

This example about love and marriage is only one. I encourage you to think about other ways that long life might change your point of view of various topics, and to extrapolate that for elves, dwarves, gnomes or whatever race you choose. Doing so creates the backdrop for you and your players to explore new ideas. It creates a more robust and fantastic world that is far more interesting than the stereotypical hack and slash dungeon or the usual Tolkien ripoff. Be unique, and you will inspire in your players the same fascination that I, and perhaps you had, when I first saw the Fabled City of Brass on the Elemental Plane of Fire on the back of the Dungeon Master's Guide.

Listen at doors, 

levallon

PS: I found the cure for cancer: Live in Kemen. I have ruled that cancer doesn't exist in Kemen. I mean really, what with dragons and demons and such and all the other ways to die, what need is there of cancer? Other diseases exist, but I don't need this one. So shall it be written, so shall it be done.

The Passing of the Ages?

Greetings all!

Time flies -- through hyperspace, it sometimes seems. Hard to believe that it has been so long since I've posted anything substantive here. And today will be no different.

I hope to post soon. I have three 3D projects in the pipeline and several scheduled. My workflow is such that all three are worked on concurrently. Two are nearly compete and the third is at maybe 30% completion. If I didn't have to work for a living....

As for the finished products, while my skill has definitely evolved, I still struggle to age and deform the models. They often look to me to be too pretty. In some cases that is okay, even desirable, but who expects a dungeon to have perfect masonry and no dust or cobwebs? I am also making an effort to reduce the symmetry of my work. Not every castle is concentric, or rectangular, and I'd like to avoid any intimation of perfect 1950s subdivisions in my work.

I've decided that this "Architect" label is pompous, pretentious and other things beginning with the letter 'P.' So until later, friends, always try to roll a 20!

-levallon