Instead of gravel, dirt, or stone pavers in the main plaza, I wanted to use soft round cobbles. My construction team made several “models” which they then molded to form several large molds. The clever part is pouring a concrete mix into small sections of the floor, and whilst it’s still soft, the team would press the molds into it, like a stamp. The entire set was made this way and looked incredible.
In the lore, Neverwinter was famed for its warm climate but, most of all, known for its talented gardeners. So I set about with my Greens team, making sure that every plant, every tree, even the large living wall conveyed that story. A further deep dive into the lore revealed Neverwinter artisans were highly skilled at making water clocks. My Set Decorating and Prop team made a fully functioning water clock that would feature in the town square opposite the living wall.
This is another scene in the movie where we see armies coming under attack from a Black dragon. We found a location called Clandiboye estate where we were allowed to excavate and dig into the landscape, basically creating a large scar. This was then dressed with the darkest soil and peat mix. Vegetable-based dyes were used on the green grass to simulate a burnt and decimated appearance. Once we dressed large chunks of coal and charcoal, the entire trench would become the “after-effect” of the Black dragon acid attack.
In this scene, Xenk meets his rival in Dralas and both duel amongst the silent army of gnomes. This was one of the first sets I designed, and I had this idea that deep within the bowels of the Underdark, an entire silent army of gnomes would either stand or kneel, all bearing gifts to Themberchaud.
Each gnome was built in four sections like a Greek column and stood at almost nine feet tall. I imagined that each gnome would carry a lotus leaf bowl, and within the bowl would be offerings of precious gems, food, and wine. However, Xenk had also hidden a magic relic in one of the bowls, and he was the only person that would know exactly which gnome, which bowl. For me, this idea played into the game and fun element; the relic was always there, hidden in plain sight, except it was only Xenk who knew.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves opens in theaters on March 31.
