Description:

This is the Krakenbay Keep, a strategically important island keep located near the mouth of Krakenbay. Some people may consider it a wet and moss-covered pile of bricks and wood, but it is a home for these Kraken warriors.

They spread rumors about their ability to bend krakens to their will, but there is one that makes their lives miserable. The Black Dread, as they call him, has been ravaging the bay for decades, sinking countless ships and spreading their treasure at the bottom of the ocean. As a result of the havoc wrought upon the bay, no crew has dared sail through there in the last months.

However, Lord Commander of the keep acquired service of a renown dark alchemist from a foreign land. With his help, brewing potions and concoctions in his laboratory, they hope to tame the manacing beast and make everyone know they are worth their name.

Alchemist’s services is not the cheapest though. Lord Commander decided to capture a duchess of their rival kingdom in hopes of claiming a ransom. While fearing for her safety in the depths of the dungeon, an enthusiastic and chivalrous knight comes to the rescue on a secret mission. He is not alone though – every Kraken warrior has a weakness called gold and a young Kraken warrior knowing this island leads him to the hidden entrance for a not so modest bribe.

Will they be able to escape? Will anyone notice the hidden treasure right unter their noses? And will the alchemist be able to finaly make his price worth in the eyes of the Lord Commander? This and many other stories await you in Krakenbay Keep.

Inspiration:

I wanted to create a build that looks semi-realistic despite having a kraken in it. My inspiration were medieval island keeps/strongholds in combination with nordic-like roofs. I intentionally made the walls relatively simple to keep it more grounded, but tried to bring them to life with wooden elements, banners, windows, foliage and interesting angles. Many builds have open back, but I wanted to do something else and went for a removable floors instead with an option to open and split the whole build for different display options and better accessibility. I made sure every part of the build is accessible, filled with details and suitable for play. All banners on the towers split together with corresponding floor. There are many hidden treasures and play features.

Model features:

Kraken with highly posable tentacles

Interesting layout with many angled segments

Can be split into 2 separate parts

Can be displayed in closed, open and split configuration

Each room is filled with details and accessible by removing segments above it

All banners are brickbuilt using shields as emblems and they separate flawlessly when disconnecting floors

Posable balista able to rotate 360°

Dungeon with a secret entrance

Hidden treasure room behind a bookshelf in alchemist’s lab

Hidden treasure on the middle floor of the other tower

Gold coins leading from the shipwreck to the hidden treasure

14 minifigures

Multiple animals including a rat, cats, snake, mail pigeon, birds, crab and shark

Rooms and areas of the build:

Removable wharf

Dungeon

Blacksmith workshop

Small tower with balista

Main tower with alchemist’s lab, armory, command room and signaling fire

Courtyard with rat-infested sewers and a chicken farm

Living quarters with well-provisioned dining hall, upper floor with a pipe organ, yet another floor with Lord Commander’s private quarters and top floor with his bedroom