Of Strange Creatures, Large and Small - Continued
Among the many creatures native to the Realms were the Blemmoths. Massive, stoneskinned and headless, their facial features rested on their bellies. Peaceful and somehow attuned to the magic of the Realms, they were prone to long periods of slumber in the groves growing closer to the Realms' Edges. There, they squatted in peaceful glades, arms wrapping the knees close to their faces, hiding them from view. To most travellers, they looked like boulders, shrubs growing out of their cracked surfaces.
It is unknown why, but their presence attracted tribes of Koboloids, diminuitive creatures with stubby horns and tough beaks. Not malevolent but capricious, they could as easily help or hinder travellers and nobody could quite understand why they did one or the other. They built their nests in the trees around the slumbering Blemmoths, leaving offerings of fruit and fresh water for them.
As Sigmar and his pantheon settled the Realms with their followers, the Blemmoths retreated deeper and deeper into their forests, slumbering for ever longer periods. The Koboloids always followed them, and both the folks of Order and Destruction largely ignored them. When the turmoil of the Age of Chaos engulfed the Realms, they were forgotten, and so they remained for the first century of the Age of Sigmar.
But during the Hour of Ruin mysterious strangers approached the Koboloids' nests. They introduced themselves as Emissaries of a Dark Lord, bringing the means to protect Koboloids and Blemmoths from the skaven hordes. All the Koboloids had to do, was feeding the meat and blood of slain enemies to the Blemmoths, and they would have raised from their slumber to protect the groves.
The Koboloids fell under their sway and hunted down any trespasser with spear and bow, piling bloody offerings around the slumbering Blemmoths. Slowly, the leaves on the shrubs covering them turned fleshy and blood red, and when the Blemmoth finally woke up they hungered for more.
They now stalk those cursed forests that have come to be known as Fellgroves, the Dark Emissaries leading both large and small creatures into ever extreme acts of slaughter and cannibalism.
So, I painted the Blemmoths in a simple slapchop job: GW Contrast paints over a 3-stage zenithal primer (dark brown, grey, pearl white), followed by a drybrush using GW Dry paints, plus a touch of Blood for the Blood God and a Moot Green wash on the runes carved on their skin.
I went green for the runes to tie the Blemmoths to the Dark Emissaries I painted years ago and which I just touched up to act as the leader of a Warcry warband.
Finally, I've replicated the Dark Emissary's black-brown-yellow scheme on the Koboloids (again a slapcho job), and the warband was done.
If I'll get to play some games, I can use them as Beasts of Chaos (Brayshaman, Bullgors, Ungors) or Skaven (Grey Seer, Ratogors, Clanrats, Gutter Runners). At a a push, I might even play them as Seraphon (Skink Starpriest, Kroxigors, Skins). We'll see...
Of Strange Creatures, Large and Small
Over the last few months, I haven't played any game or done much hobby. Let's just say real life interfered with it. Nevertheless, back in January, I rummaged through my pile of shame thinking about realising some strange creatures coming from the remote corners of the Mortal Realms. The sort of thing mentioned in the AoS lore but never seen in illustrations or models.
I spent a few good hours dry fitting bits and working out ideas based on mythological creatures from different traditions.
In the end, I settled for some large creature based on the Greek-Roman myth of the Blemmyes. These were humanoids lacking a head, with their facial features on their chest, that lurked in the wilds at the edge of the known world. The idea for them came from dry fitting old Glutton heads onto the chest cavity of Kurnoth Hunters bodies and imagining how various Ogor weapons would look onto the Kurnoth Hunters.
I started by making one model with two hand weapons. I filed down the Kurnoth Hunter neck joint, clipped away the hands and the Lamentiri from inside the chest, and then glued the Ogors bits in place. To further alter the shape of the Kurnoth Hunter, I didn't glue the shoulder pads on.
Finally, I filled all the gaps and covered the filed area with Green Stuff, followed by a texture paint made of PVA glue and dried coffee grounds.
I was really happy with it and decided to make two more, one with a great weapon, the other with hand weapon and shield.
The shield is made with an Ogor ironfist and Kurnoth Hunter shoulder pads glued all around it. You can also see them primed in a 3-stage zenithal going from dark brown to pearl white through grey.
Another idea that came up as I was dry fitting TOW Night Goblin bodies with Plague Mok heads, was that of some small, mischievious but at times helpful creature, like the Kobold from Germanic traditions.
Of these, I made four: two with bows from the Empire Militia, two with spear (Plague Monk staff with Plague Monk blade glued on top) and shield (TOW Goblin shield on Plague Monk arm).
I also clipped away the skaven snouts and replaced them with carefully shaved off Gnoblar noses, looking like hooked beaks pocking out of the cowl. Finally, to hide the skaven hears, I glued horns from the TOW Khemri Skeletons over them.
I've already painted all of the Kobold-inspired models and the test Blemmyes-inspired model, but let's not make this post too long. As soon as the other two large models are painted, I'll share them.
Underguts Ironblaster
Ironblasters are titanic artillery pieces that dwarf conventional cannons. Ogors have found that loading them with conventional cannonballs – by the dozen, if possible – yields impressive results, with pillars of flame shooting out as heavy metal shot thunders in a devastating column of destruction.
And with the Ironblaster done, I've finally finished assembling and painting the content of Feast of Bones. It only took me nearly 7 years and now I have an AoS army clocking at around 950 points... that is until the new annoying point change!
This was the first time I've painted a large model in years and the very first time I've decided to paint in sub-assemblies. The chariot was assembled straight out of the box, only living out some cosmetic bits which I'm planning to use in other projects.
The gunner, on the other hand, needed converting, as I'd used its body to convert Tulok Marrowbreath. For that, I'd saved a Mournfang Cavalry rider from the good old Manchester commonal bits box and a chest from the Empire Great Cannon. They worked perfectly together to represent a gunner sat astride the loot on the chariot.
As I'd used the gunner heads on the Leadbelcher and Ironguts champions, I grabbed a Leadbelcher head and, as a I was at it, the bag with cannonballs and club to hide the ugly gap that was left between the chest and ogor's legs.
Paintingwise, there isn't much to tell as I've simply replicated the same palette used on all the other Underguts.
Now, will I play them as an army in games of AoS? Honestly, I've no idea. I've finally found a gaming group in Palermo, so there is hope.
But honestly, what mattered most was finishing the model and reducing the size of my pile of shame!
The Swordsmen
As the Sunset Guard fought through the Soul Wars and more and more warriors were Reforged, the Flaw manifested first in a physical affliction. All those that emerged from the Anvil of the Apotheosis did so as albinos, their skin and hair white as many of the gheists they battled. By the time the Era of the Beast was closing, the physical effects of the Flaw had intesified and actinic light leaked from the eyes of every member of the Stormhost. Unable to remove that affliction, the Sunset Guard had embraced it and more and more warriors started to take to the field of battle without wearing their masks, to better strike fear in the hearts of their enemies.
Here comes the second set of Ironsoul's Condemnors, fully converted to make sure they look different from the others.
What I did was repositioning the arms, replacing the heads with Vindictors' ones and the maces with blades from the Vindictor spears and a sword from the Cities of Sigmar Battlemage kit.
Ironsoul's shield ended up on another warrior so I gave her a Vindictor shield.
Finally, I clipped the pegs from underneath the models' feet so that I was able to swap bases around. All these combined completely altered the sense of motion in every model, making them look completely distinct from the uncoverted counterpart.
Since I was at it, I've also used small gryphons from the TOW Emipre Mansion and Empire General to make Dagger, Shield and Hammer deployment markers for Warcry games. The weapons come again from the Vindictors (blade), the TOW Empire General (hammer) and the TOW Empire State Troops (shield).
Teandra Honouris
Teandra not only venerates Sigmar, but the maker Grugni as well, an act of gratitude for all the smith-god has sacrificed for the cause of order.
Namestes Thunderheart
Tales are told and songs are sung throughout Azyrheim of Namestes' exploits.
Sannus Swiftsteel
Sannus dispenses sage advice to his younger companions even in the heat of battle.
I've painted the deployment markers as statuary, matching the grey and green scheme I've used on my Stormvault terrain set and on the bases of the Stormcast.
With them done, Lightiningfist's Last Survivors are worth 990 points in games of Warcry and I'll probably take them to an event I'm attending later in October.
Lightiningfist's Last Survivors
The Sunset Guard was one of the smallest and latest Stormhosts of the First Striking. Comprised of those who had died while wielding the magic of the Realms against Chaos, the majority of its warriors hailed from its Sacrocanct Chamber. Because of their connection with the Realms, during the late years of the Era of the Beast, the Sunset Guard mages felt that something was amiss with the fabric of reality. Determined to correct this imbalance, they led the entire Stormhost deep into the eastern Great Parch. And there they were as Skavenblight erupted into Aqshy. In a single instant, only a handful of warriors remained.
It fell to Knight-Incantor Lestia Lightiningfist to lead the survivors in a gruelling flight from the Gnaw, and by the end of it only a single Sequitor retinue was with her as they reached the relative safety of the Adamantine Chain. There, they discovered the Sacrosanct Chambers had been recalled to Azyr. But with the souls of their comrades lost forever, their presence at the Anvil of the Apotheosis was pointless. So it was they swore to remain in the Realms and avenge their Stormhost.
I finally got to paint Xandria Azurebolt and one of the Ironsoul's Condemnors sets I had since I attended Warhammer Fest back in 2023.
I decided not to convert them as I might use Ironsoul's Condemnors in games of Warhammer: Underworlds, while Xandria Azurebolt is a rather cool model and I didn't feel like converting her, except for giving her a sculpted base from Ironsoul's Condemnors. Still, I've painted them in the same colours as my Silver Tower Knight-Questor, only adding some blue for the more arcane bits.
And of course, I've given them new names and a a different background to use them in games of Warcry.
Lestia Lightiningfist
The Knight-Incantor has proven many times over that she would risk everything to safeguard those under her command.
Sequitor-Prime Kelena Fulmor
Kelena is a a reserved and melancholic soul, not given to zealous oratory.
Kallean Brightmace
Kallean battles the enemies of Azyr with a savage ferocity.
Balian Pharos
The agonies of Reforging have left their mark upon Balian, yet although striken by spiritual torment, he fights on.
I have another sprue of Ironsoul's Condemnors and a few bits to convert them and bring Lightiningfist's Last Survivors to a full 1000 points Warcry warband.
Barrels and blasts
"So uncivilised!" Xal'ar'ap scoffed, its green tongue darting out between every word. "Staging a heavy cavarly charge during an underground siege..."
"Typical of Khornates and Pantheonites", quipped Vyzorak watching as Umbra, Ghargon and Shërbëtor took their places at the head of the column and disappeared down the largest tunnel leading to the Aetheric Bastion.
"And what are we to do in order to show them Tzeentch's superiority?" asked the Changecaster.
"They'll provide the distraction we need. While they get all the attention, we'll use the blastpowder bombs we recovered from the Wolfram Industries at the grot camp you mentioned."
"Did I tell you they fight for the Boltbreakers?"
"Then we'll make sure nobody sees us as we really are, and plant some of the Wolfram corpses on the battlefield."
"Blaming another enemy for your actions, Lorehoarder?"
"You're not the only schemer, Plotgibber", came Vyzorak's reply amidst a growling laughter.
The grots were camped around one of the outer structures of the old Stormfort, a massive rockgut troggoth shambling around, idly kicking up black ash.
Vyzorak had tasked the Tzaangors to act as sappers and assigned a small escort each to Kleok and R'tefcar. They were waiting, at the end of opposite corridors, for the rest of the Coven to provide a diversion.
It was up to Vyzorak, Xal'ar'ap and Inklineilis to provide that, and hidden under layers of glamours that made them look like Wolfram Industries' mercenaries, they launched themselves at the grots.
As the grot camp descended into a bedlam of high pitched screams and multihued fire blasts, the sapper teams advanced carefully, least a sudden movement triggered the volatile charges ahead of time.
Xal'ar'ap and Inklineilis had despatched half of the grot and pinned the rest in combat, though Zirithinion had fallen under their spears.
Vyzorak channeled all the sorcerous power he could into his staff and managed to smash aside the troggoth while Thalamyr took care of a grot and their squig snuffler. The way was open for the sappers.
But as the sappers prepared to close the distance to the Stormfort walls, the rest of the grot showed up, dangerously close.
Iridios and the Blue Horror Vyzorak had bound to his service leapt forward, blocking the mouth of the tunnel the grots were coming from while Kleok reached the first steps of the Stormfort.
But R'tecfar was held back. Though he and Ocladius dispatched a grot fanatic, the Loonboss stopped the Tzaangor from advancing.
Daemons and Acolytes continued to trade blows with the grots, their line holding firm.
Vyzorak and Talamyr rushed forward, pushing the Loonboss away from R'tecfar.
The two Tzaangors reached the battlements almost at the same time, lit the fuses and jumped away squawking for the others to run for cover.
Then the charges detonated, debris and oily smoke mixing with the Howling Abyss' ashes.
As the grots dispersed, the Coven of the Purple Flame moved onto the breach, tossing a couple of the Wolfram militia corpses into still burning fires.
As they entered the Aetheric Bastion, Vyzorak prayed to Tzeentch for the rest of the March forces to have been equally succesful. If not, they'd soon be inside an abandoned Sigmarite stronghold surrounded by enemies.
***
This time, I played The Fall of Snagglewart challenge battle from the Tome of Champions 2020. I have to admit the dice rolling I did for the grots was terrible, turning what should have been a difficult scenario into a rather easy one. I guess Tzeentch was smiling upon the Coven of the Purple Flame.
