As dusk gathers over the strange and wild country, The Traveler sits at a crossroads waiting for his carriage to arrive. He ponders the mysterious letter he received some weeks before, inviting him to visit the legendary castle. Still wondering what entranced him to accept the unexpected invitation, he hears the steady beat of horse hooves approaching and spies the eerie green glow of lanterns and the dark silhouette of an ornate carriage emerge from the mist. Gliding across the old stone bridge, the carriage creaks to a halt in front of him, and The Driver silently beckons him to board. The door swings open and The Countess appears to greet her guest and eagerly escorts him inside. As the carriage slowly rolls forward once more and black bats swoop in wide circles around it, the countess begins to cackle, and a feeling of terrible foreboding builds in the traveler's chest…

The traveler is not the first to make the Journey to the Dark Castle, and he is unlikely to be the last!

—-

Journey to the Dark Castle sets the stage for a fun and spooky adventure! Featuring an ornate gothic carriage, an elegant stone bridge, and three iconic Minifigures, the build is well suited for both display and play, either as a standalone set or as a complement to your favorite haunted house, eerie castle, or dark tower.

The Carriage

The carriage features a unique play function: as you pull the carriage forward, the rear wheels drive a gear mechanism that propels a pair of bats to fly in a wide circle overhead.
The carriage also features a removable roof and swing-open doors for easy access to place seated Minifigures inside on the red benches.
The four lanterns at the sides and rear of the carriage contain glow-in-the-dark lamps to provide an eerie mood when the lights are off.
The carriage is decorated with a fun assortment of detailed carvings, fashioned from elements including leaves, flowers, whips, horns, claws, skeleton legs, and even lipstick!

The Bridge

The arched bridge features a series of prominent posts topped with carved gargoyles and stone urns.
The cobbled roadway features parallel ruts carefully aligned to ensure a seamlessly smooth slope for the carriage wheels to run along, from your display surface to the height of the bridge and back down again.
The roadway also has three points where the horse's hooves can be securely positioned, travelling in either direction, allowing for a total of six dynamic display configurations.
The right base of the bridge features a crossroads sign with two stickers, one pointing toward the train station and the other toward the castle. Beside the sign is a bench where the traveler can sit and wait for the carriage to arrive.
The left base of the bridge features the large trunk of a fallen tree, with the ax that chopped it down still lodged in it. In the marshy recess of the trunk lies a skeleton, adorned with a strangely familiar scarf, suitcase, and envelope…
The bridge is also dotted with fun and creepy creatures, including a snail, a spider, and a rat.

The Minifigures

The Traveler sports a scarf, suitcase, and envelope containing his invitation. He has two facial expressions appropriate to the endeavor: nervous and terrified!
The Driver has a top hat, moustache, and riding whip – and a rather unnatural skin hue…
The Countess wears an elegant black dress with a ruffled collar, and she has two vampiric facial expressions. Her skirt piece can be replaced with an alternative build for seated placement in the carriage.

—

Dimensions

The Bridge: 40 x 18 studs / 32 x 14.4 cm / 12.6 x 5.7 in
The Carriage: 28 x 8 studs / 22.4 x 6.4 cm / 8.8 x 2.5 in

The build contains 1077 pieces, 2 stickers, and 3 Minifigures.