MOC: Lu-Tze

 Aaand we're back to the Discworld. This time our destination is the valley of Oi-Dong at the Ramtop mountains where the secret monastery of The Fighting Order of Wen - also known as History Monks - is located. Lu-tze is the most legendary of these monks, though he probably isn't a monk after all. He's a Sweeper, because no-one notices a sweeper, and therefore he can go where he likes. Lu-Tze is several thousands years old and an incredibly skilled martial artist - Always remember the Rule One!

As a small wrinkled old man Lu-Tze is one of my favourite Discworld character. Well, to be fair, I have dozens of favourite Discworld character anyway. As a MOC, he wasn't a particularly hard one: Around two hours, I'd say. I began with the head. I had some strong visuals and it took couple of versions to get it right. There had to be smile, and way to get his rollup inserted into it (see the last picture). Making a bald head of a old bearded man reminded of building Cohen the Barbarian: But Lu-Tze didn't have to look angry so it was rather easier. I'm particularly happy with the beard. The third horn is attached between the clips and stays there surprisingly well.

Lu-Tze is other portrayed having a orange or saffron robe; After all, the monks are referred as Men In Saffron, and remind of Buddhist monks clad in orange. But Lu-Tze is just a sweeper, and Thief of Time clearly states that he has a dirty white robe tied with a string, so I went with it. I even managed to use those basketball player arms without moving hands as the ends of the knot!

Lu-Tze also has some of his accessories: The broom, rollup and couple of Bonsai mountains. The other one had even developed a glacier! The bush as the broom bristles and the snake as a smoke are both old tricks stolen from other builders; But both of them are widely used, and who knows who came up with the first.

And least but not last: Do not act incautiously when confronting little bald wrinkly smiling men!

-Eero