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A few years ago, together with her younger sister, who was a royal falconer, Kunegunde managed to covertly organize an abduction of the king when he was on a hunting trip. Now the king is being secretly held in a remote and inaccessible mountain fortress, while Kunegunde is readying for a winter campaign against the queen."
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What makes this mighty fortress design stand out is its harsh winter scenery, including snow caps and icicles. It consists of a lower and upper castle, connected by a drawbridge, which spans a frozen moat.
The build is quite large in size and uses just shy of the maximum allowed 4000 pieces. The building is foldable and contains removable sections to allow for an easy access to all parts of the interior. Greebling and texturing is used with moderation. The construction process should not be a big challenge but even advanced builders will find some nice and unexpected details and techniques, including the use of Technic pieces in both structural and decorative roles.
9 Minifigures included.
Model Dimensions (Closed):
Width: 45.9 cm / 18.1 in
Length: 39 cm / 15.4 in
Height: 59 cm / 23.2 in
Model Dimensions (Opened):
Width: 49.2 cm / 19.4 in
Length: 63.1 cm / 24.8 in
Height: 59 cm / 23.2 in
The mysterious designer of this set, known only under his artistic pseudonym of Sleepless Night is a passionate AFOL with a lifelong fascination for the iconic plastic bricks. Born in 1981 in then communist Poland, his journey with LEGO brick building began at the age of seven, when his loving auntie bought him his first LEGO set for 24 hard earned and illegally stored US dollars. It looked to him like this event triggered a chain of events that eventually caused the fall of the Iron Curtain, which in turn enabled his parents to buy him many more LEGO sets. But given the uneasy realities of this period, these couldn't be the biggest and greatest sets from LEGO catalogue, so he had no other choice but to be creative. As Sleepless Night grew older, his love for LEGO building only intensified. He spent countless hours building ever more intricate structures, including pirate islands and fantasy castles. But then the darkness fell: education, work, short-lived relationships, trivial entertainment, late 1990's LEGO set design...
A glimmer of hope appeared when he finally met the love of his life and his son was born. He took it for a clear sign of providence that he must pull his bricks out of the basement - and buy some more stuff. For the new generation. And so it began again. With the advent of social media it was no longer possible to hide his passion from the outside world.
The set is obviously a tribute to the great Black Falcons sets of the past but it also draws inspiration from much newer LEGO theme lines, addressed to adult audience, such as Modular Buildings with their advanced and even intricate architectural design. In addition it's fair to mention countless MOC designers whose work I followed on social media, admired and sometimes imitated in recent years. The design also borrows from my unreleased LEGO Ideas entry from a few years back, and especially from its winter version. It won't be a surprise when I say that the set is intended as a complement for the recent Lion Knights' Castle, where a party of Black Falcons was relegated to playing merely a supporting role. In the Mountain Fortress you will find a few very clear references to this fantastic set.
Knowing that Black Falcons' castle is an extremely popular theme among MOC creators, I wanted my design to stand out. Given Black Falcons' black and blue livery is not as eye-catching as Lion Knights' reds and yellows, I thought it could be turned into a strength. These colors bring to mind the dark, rocky and cold landscapes of the North. So I thought harsh winter scenery would perfectly underline the character of this faction.
How do you find inspiration for your designs? What inspired this BDP set in particular?
There are of course two main sources of inspiration for this set, as well as most of my other creations: the legendary sets of old and the epic MOCs of modern day LEGO fans! You see these things and you just can't stop yourself from building your own thing, can you?
What was the first set you ever built? Which one is your favorite? What is one set you would love to see being made?
The first LEGO set I've ever got was 6378 Service Station from 1986 and I totally loved it, even if it had stickers across multiple pieces!
It's really hard to say which set is my favorite, it changes with time. Perhaps my current favorite set is one that I haven built yet, namely the Rivendell. I'm definitely looking forward to building it as well as any future LOTR sets.
How would you describe your building style? Do you usually design sets within a certain theme?
My focus is mostly on buildings. I pay attention to detail but I try to stay within the realm of "legal" techniques. There are some true LEGO fan wizards around who can conjure up absolutely amazing things using very creative techniques but these unfortunately tend to be somewhat fragile. I wish I could follow their footsteps but if I did, I would never finish any large build - I'm just too clumsy.
My favorite themes are of course Castle, or broader medieval/fantasy and Pirates. I also really like the design of most Ninjago and Monkey Kid buildings. I'm trying to keep pace with the Icons modular buildings as well.
How would you describe your role in the LEGO fan community?
I hope I can brighten someone's day once in a while with my photos and instructions, and now with my BDP set! Other folks' works surely put a smile on my face countless times.
Have you been to any LEGO community events or conventions? If so, what were they like?
I've visited some LEGO community exhibitions with my kids but I'm not very active outside of social media.
What do you think makes a BDP set successful?
I think it must speak to the hearts and souls of the LEGO fans!
What advice would you give to the next set of hopeful BDP designers?
Arm yourself with lots of patience! First, read the guidelines carefully. Second, your set won't be redesigned by professionals, so you must take care of build quality yourself. It can't be done in one day. But don't be a perfectionist either - there will always be room for improvement, so remember that "finished is better than perfect". When you're done with the build, take your time to promote it. If you don't win, try again. And if you do win... Just imagine waiting 15 months for it to be released - that's when your patience will really be put to the test!