"No reason to get excited," the thief he kindly spoke... "There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke..."
About this creation
The watchtower at Dandelion Rock is staffed by the laziest, most worthless, most corrupt guards imaginable. Suppressing bandit activity just felt too much like work, so they found a better alternative.
The trio currently stationed here turn a blind eye to the outlaw Wolfpack gang's preying on local travelers, so long as they get their cut. Today the unfortunate victim is a traveling exotic animal peddler.
"Unless you want to end up gutted like your guard dog, old man, you'll just sit back and let us take what we want."
"Curse the fate that brought me to this foul land! I knew I should have taken a left turn at Albuquerque."
"Well, you didn't. So shut up."
"Hey, I dare you to pee over the side onto that guy sitting by the tree."
"Dude, the point of a dare is to get the person to do something he wouldn't ordinarily do."
Misconstruing the peddler's pleas not to open the barrel as a sure sign that it was full of treasure, the hapless outlaw now finds that a barrel full of monkeys isn't as fun as he'd always heard.
A pair of local roustabouts, who have taken to loitering on the steps to the tower and making catcalls at the unfortunate peasant girls forced to come to the well, gleefully join in the monkey chase. "Get 'em, Will! I bet them critters is good eatin'!"
The village drunkard turns a bleary eye to the goings on in the road before reaching for the jug again. "Stupid monkeys," he mutters. "Interrupt my nap..."
"Hey, we drinkin' or what? Don't think I won't finish this keg by myself!"
Prying open the crate reveals no valuable loot here either, just a mass of hissing snakes. The bandit can't jump back fast enough. "Don't any of these containers have gold in them?"
"Last one out of the barrel is snake bait!" they'd said. He'd never thought the expression should be taken literally.
After seeing the dog stabbed to death before his eyes, Whiskers is forced to wonder what life he's on. He has a sinking feeling it's his ninth.
"So I grabbed him by the throat and lifted him right off the ground with one hand, and I said, I'll crush your windpipe like a dead leaf if you even think of looking at me crosseyed, punk!"
"Sure you did..."
These guys were lucky. Rather than having to chase escaped monkeys or dodge poisonous snakes, they got three parrots tied to a perch. While it's far from the best score they've ever made, it could be worse. And since no one else in the gang has done any better, at least they've got dinner tonight.
The giant rabbit wonders if he dares make a break for it, or if he should just lay low and hope the bandits overlook him. When they see how much meat is on him, he'll wish he'd run when he had the chance.
First monkey - "What part of 'split up' don't you understand?"
Second monkey - "This is the way I wanted to go! You go another way!"
Little do these cretins realize that word of their terrible job performance has gotten back to Lord Black Falcon, and within a matter of days their severed heads will be displayed on pikes at the crossroads below.
The farmer hauling his vegetable cart to market hopes against hope that the Wolfpack will be so distracted by what they're doing that he can make it this week without having to pay the "toll" they always require.
"Just a bit of luck, for once in my miserable life, all right God? Is that too much to ask?"
Holding his breath, he trudges forward. If he can just get to the intersection and make a right turn unmolested, he might be all right. Or will the monkey chasers give that up and turn on him as much easier sport?
How many times do you need to see the same losers in the same positions in the same tower in slightly different camera angles? Six.
The base measures 48x48 studs, and counting up to the tip of the flagpole, the tower tops out at seventy bricks high above the baseplate. Basically I just kept building wall in a regular pattern until my gray bricks in the right sizes started to run out. I might have been able to do a few more courses, but I knew I was going to have trouble photographing this as it was. So excuse my clumsy Photoshoppery when you notice an edge looking really rough, I'm learning on the job here.
Ye olde detail shot of the front doors -- which do not open. When I was 99% done with this MOC my three year old niece came over and she wanted to play with it. The first thing she tried to do was open the doors and look inside. I explained that they didn't open, that I'd built the tower just to look at, not to play with. The look she gave me was like, "What's the point of that?" I felt like a total failure as an uncle.
But I was redeemed by the fact that all my meticulously arranged minifigs and animals could be played with. In her world the guy in purple was a bad guy, and the Wolfpack dudes were good guys. I tried convincing her otherwise, but she was having none of it. Before it was over, most everyone had had their headgear switched, the marauding snakes (under her control) had chased the helpless monkeys (under my control) right off the table, almost all the other Lego animals in my collection had invaded the diorama at some point, and a big Lego T-Rex rampaged through and ate everybody.
The horse ate the apples, the rabbit ate the carrots, and the cat ate the cherries. I didn't know cats liked cherries, and said so, but she seemed pretty sure about it so I didn't argue.
The one aspect of the tower I'm unhappy with. It needs a reverse corner slope right here, but I don't have any in light gray, and I am currently laboring under a self-imposed Cracklink ban.
Hmm, how do they get the water up? Oh well.
I still have yet to build a real castle, but this will have to do for now.
Comments
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justin dale April 1, 2011 |
bob dylan !!!!! |
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May 9, 2010 |
Hilarious storyboard. Love the model!!!! |
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April 22, 2010 |
awesome tower! and the story is hilarious! barrel of monkeys, poor farmer, wolfpack (who doesn't like the wolfpack?) and don't forget the t-rex (that's usually how funny stories end, with everyone dead because something from another time period somehow appeared and destroyed everything!) great moc! |
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March 31, 2010 |
How the heck did I miss this? I like the mini market stand, but the tower is the whole thing about this MOC. ~Ryan |
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January 2, 2010 |
verry good details ! |
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November 14, 2009 |
Whoa.... I have never had a good hand at Castle, so this is just amazing to me. Really good detail, and the captions too. |
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March 18, 2009 |
Alright... ultimate appologies of a million grill pieces....
but i've tagged Alex Eylar now, he's up for it |
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March 12, 2009 |
This is an amazing build - very well done, but you already know that. This just became my favourite build of yours. Lee. |
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March 11, 2009 |
I LOVE the Black Falcons! There's nothing in bricks that comes closer to saying "Prussia." Dude, a black and white eagle? What could be more Prussian? |
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March 9, 2009 |
The Wolfpack and Falcons were always my favorite factions, so I was sold on the moc from the start. The lazy guards, thievery, and animals running everywhere were just icing on the cake. |
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March 4, 2009 |
I've already seen this wonder but the review hadn't worked... (due to MOCpage is so slooooow) - What not to like here ? The baseplate is cover with great details, and the tower is one of the best I've seen. Very Monthy Python in the spirit, and I love that you used very old school castlemen. Totally cool !
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March 2, 2009 |
awesome job! really big tower. anyway great job. and can you check out my newest moc. |
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I like it. The grooves on the side are cool. Great job all around. |
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February 28, 2009 |
LOL! |
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February 27, 2009 |
what more can I say but exellent build. sorry got a bit of brain fog at the moment. |
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February 26, 2009 |
Just incrediable 5 out of 5 |
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February 26, 2009 |
What a week for my computer to get a virus...I get MOC of the day AND Shannon Young posted a castle creation! I guess I learned two things: I was not meant to ever see one of my MOCs on the front page, and that I am now for sure a wannabe castle builder. Either that or you're just a master. =) Well done Shannon! I feel your pain on those inverted slopes though, every one of my towers need those. (Which is why I just bought some off Bricklink) |
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February 26, 2009 |
really really beautiful and very realistic. As realistic as Lego can be! Bravo! |
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February 26, 2009 |
Incredibly tall! Funny scenes as well! Have fun! |
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Tristan Amaya February 25, 2009 |
This is Great fun humor and great detail |
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February 25, 2009 |
It's so...tall! |
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February 25, 2009 |
I'm not sure where you got the tapes of me at work from, but I swear that's not how it always is... Oh and for the record, cats do eat cherries... well, mine does anyway. But you have to take the pit out first, that was NOT fun watching the poor guy try to... never mind. GREAT build Shannon. If this is you warming up for castle, I can't wait to see what happens when you get in the full swing of it! ~ Chris. |
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February 25, 2009 |
Sorry if I seemed a bit awkward in my last comment, I've spent the entire day wasting time playing Solitare.
Good day |
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February 25, 2009 |
I see someone got the new castle town set. Oh well... I bet you don't own the Taj Mahal, so hah! Yes! I win six times over!
Good day |
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February 25, 2009 |
Oh and I didn't see any reviews on the Bugs bunny line before I wrote this. |
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February 25, 2009 |
Love the use of the Bugs Bunny Line. That was a total win as is the build :D |
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Not just old guys reminisce about Looney Tunes, Kelso. And by the way, you're despicable. ^_^ Watchtower? More like Overlooktower! Only one of the guards has noticed the ruckus, and is not really helping them anyways. That is, unless they're desperately thirsty… |
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February 25, 2009 |
Great model, your comments about your neice remind me of the daily play of my son with my lego! I look forward to seeing your castle |
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February 25, 2009 |
I think you just won. |
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February 25, 2009 |
Great build, that tower is just too cool. And as usual your backstory is great. |
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February 25, 2009 |
Whooa ... Awesome Tower ! ... i LUV that brickwork, and the scenery looks Amazing ... Lol, a barrel of monkeys (heh'). |
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February 25, 2009 |
You've danced around the castle theme before, but this is getting darn close to a full out castle MOC. And nicely done! Always a good read from you, and a bonus point for the Bugs Bunny "turn at Albuquerque" quote. That's for us old guys, right? Great MOC - thanks for making my day. |
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February 25, 2009 |
What a great build! this is a fine piece of art, you did a really great work at this; on both the tower and the little scene around it... just another quality work from you, keep it up man >>> peace.. Fofo |
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February 25, 2009 |
that's a high tower, great scene on the ground |
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February 25, 2009 |
Good lord, he goes into Castle and blows me away. This is insanely good, I want to make that clear. I'M NOT WORTHY!!! |
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February 25, 2009 |
Ra! Loved every bit of it, and thanks for the bob dylan reffrence at the beginning, it made me look up watchtower and play it before i continued on reading everything. Great work |
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February 25, 2009 |
I love all the movement at the bottom! |
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February 25, 2009 |
What a wretched hive of scum and villiany. Nice tower though. I'd like to see those guys heads on pikes. Really tall pikes so I could stand in below and wave up to them. Just a little wave while I smile. That and I'd sure like to see that t-rex trampin' through their lives. I just crackedlinked one of those this afternoon and I can't wait for it to come. There'll be killin's next. Hummm, that's three film and tv references. Can you guess them all? see ya. garth |
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February 25, 2009 |
A really great MOC Shannon, but AGAIN, I gotta say…the best commentary of any builder ever. It’s not that it’s just funny and well written, but it has flow. Lots of people try, some come close, but you da’ man Shanny. OK, now before I make myself sick from praising you, get rid of the spiky flower stems all over those rocks…it looks silly. ;-) |
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February 25, 2009 |
Haha very funny; I didn't want to finish reading. Very enjoyable! Unfortunately I'm going to have to deduct a point cuz you didn't build two testicular-shaped domes at the base of the tower, covered in wiry black thorns... |
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February 25, 2009 |
Wow, nice! There's plenty of detail on the ground, but I'm thinking the big walls could use maybe a window or something. Excellent building from just your collection (I know I would probably have to place a big order or two to build something like this). |
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George Kemper February 24, 2009 |
He this is great the tower is so tall. By the way could you check out my new creation. |
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| erik smit February 24, 2009 |
This is fantastic! I already loved the building , and the whole story made it even better. Very funny!
And the story of your niece made it better still. (recognize some things from my 2 year old kids - even though they , esp. my son, mostly take things apart rather than playing with them...) so, great work! Very good photograpy too.
Only minus would be the white rim at the cutout around the tower. |
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February 24, 2009 |
Well that was unexpected. Thanks for the entertainment! |
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February 24, 2009 |
To tell you the truth Shann once I heard that the doors don't open I stopped reading. It's one thing not to have any interrior detail (I mean it IS very tall how many floors would that be?) but no opening doors, it's just a waste of good gray bricks. |
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February 24, 2009 |
Really fun :) |
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February 24, 2009 |
Lovely. Great looking tower and story. If only those monkeys had dynamite . . . |
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February 24, 2009 |
Oh, and yes, cats do eat cherries, T-Rex did walk around when people had castles, and you do fail as an uncle. Not having opening doors. pshh And to think you would know better... :P |
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February 24, 2009 |
Very nice, ShannY! This tower is great, and that corner looks fine to me. The positioning of the figs is excellent, and the photography is very clean and well done. And, as usual, your captions are just as good as the build. Great MOC, Shan! |
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February 24, 2009 |
Barrel full of monkeys, eh? Well, this thing is just full of fascinating little details, far too many for me to name in my usual verbose manner, so I will merely settle for a 'nice work, Shannon #2!' |
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February 24, 2009 |
Lets see. i have three points (not including the one that your build resembles a male body part!)
1) nice to see the castle builders have finally corrupted you into the category
2) I once put a self imposed beer ban on myself that resulted in 1 week of pain and 3 weeks of heavy drinking afterward. I suggest you cut the crack-link ban immediately.
3) my wife wont leave me alone so i forget #3 |
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February 24, 2009 |
What you need to do is start soccer, it may be un-American, but that's what we Americans do right? Con ourselves into thinking were fancy. Classic vs Crown, I like it. ;-) ~Roberta |
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February 24, 2009 |
I really like the abundance of minifigs and thoughtful posing of each. Even though the building itself and layout are great, the minifigs really bring it to life. Great work! |
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February 24, 2009 |
WOW, what a great build! Nice work, this is certainly a good castle creation! |
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February 24, 2009 |
Very nice job! I liked the the arches on the tower, andd the write-up was very funny. However, I do recomend on having the rocks at a slight angle, to make it more realistic, though. |
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February 24, 2009 |
Another great MOC! I think my next big MOC will be a castle too. I hope I can pull it off! |
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February 24, 2009 |
This is just to ensure that I got the first comment.
~S.K. |
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More from Shannon More across MOCpages
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