Until then, here's what I've been working on, and planning to enter into the painting competition.
See you next week!
Monday, August 26, 2019
Off to ReaperCon!
ReaperCon report probably coming on Tuesday.
Until then, here's what I've been working on, and planning to enter into the painting competition.
See you next week!
Until then, here's what I've been working on, and planning to enter into the painting competition.
See you next week!
Rangers
Once again, when I should have been focusing on ReaperCon, I found myself wanting to paint something simple and quick. Sadly I didn't get pictures right at the start. But there are Nienna, Female Elf Ranger (x2), Elladan, Elf Ranger, and Callie, Female Rogue.
They were all washed in warm soapy water, and primed with Brown Liner. I used Dragon Red, Dragon Green, Olive Grey, Red Leather, Rich Leather, Nut Brown, Cats-Eye Green, Cloudy Grey, Dirty Bone, and Linen White.
As much as I dislike what R.A. Salvatore did to my game in 2e with Drizzt Do'Urden the emo dark elf, it is an iconic looking figure, so... why fight it?
I still need to do something with her face, and all their bases, but otherwise, they're done.
They were all washed in warm soapy water, and primed with Brown Liner. I used Dragon Red, Dragon Green, Olive Grey, Red Leather, Rich Leather, Nut Brown, Cats-Eye Green, Cloudy Grey, Dirty Bone, and Linen White.
As much as I dislike what R.A. Salvatore did to my game in 2e with Drizzt Do'Urden the emo dark elf, it is an iconic looking figure, so... why fight it?
I still need to do something with her face, and all their bases, but otherwise, they're done.
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Delta Rae: The Light and the Dark
Delta Rae is a band that I love. Their music in part inspired my Weird New World campaign. Specifically this song and video.
The recently left their label, the same one Taylor Swift is fighting with, and are now fully independent. Looking to fund their next album or two, they launched a kickstarter, hoping for $30,000 to fund The Light, and if they hit $60,000 it would fund The Dark. As of the writing of this, they're at over $333,000, and 2,856 backers.
There's a week to go. If they can hit $400,000 or 4,000 backers they'll write and record a southern gothic musical...
If this gets you, click here and join in on the magic of Delta Rae's The Light and The Dark!
The recently left their label, the same one Taylor Swift is fighting with, and are now fully independent. Looking to fund their next album or two, they launched a kickstarter, hoping for $30,000 to fund The Light, and if they hit $60,000 it would fund The Dark. As of the writing of this, they're at over $333,000, and 2,856 backers.
There's a week to go. If they can hit $400,000 or 4,000 backers they'll write and record a southern gothic musical...
If this gets you, click here and join in on the magic of Delta Rae's The Light and The Dark!
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Stonehell: Paying the Toll (or not)
Session 104 was played on 7/28
Eiric, wizard 8 (Kat)
Brie, wizard 5 (Apprentice to Eiric)
A-A-Ron, Thief 7 (Henchman) (stayed in town)
Orpheus, Human Fighter 6 (Henchman)
Linkman (Hilwik)
M@A (Vog, Bolden, Buford)
Karl, Dwarf 8 (Julia)
Lex the Cheeseman, Fighter 5 (Henchman)
Men at Arms (Rawin, Kildrik, Lamgo)
Kili, Dwarf Cleric 5 (Matt)
Borumar, ½ Orc Thief 5 (Josh)
Lucrecia Thief 5 (Henchman)
Returning to the Elementalist’s temple, the party explores the now emptied rooms. Apparently in the days away someone else looted them. Returning to the door the cultist and rock monster went through, they find the rock monster still holding the door shut. Karl uses his pickaxe to break open the door, but when it hits the monster, the monster hit back. HARD. Feeling dazed, Karl gets some healing from Kili.
They follow the tunnel out into the open air, and make a note of the location of the door, then return to the dungeon. Finding nothing that hadn’t already been looted, they continue deeper into the dungeon.
A pair of ogres in badly fitted armor stand guard, and demand a toll. Kili and Karl sass them, and finally the ogres attack. Eiric is okay with it, and the loot makes it seem worth it. Pressing on Kili and Karl get hit by a poisoned dart trap, but their dwarven constitutions allow them to shrug it off.
The next door opens into a cave in which a massive old cave bear grunts at them. Karl runs back up to the elementalist’s temple and grabs food from their store room, then returns and feeds it to the bear. Beyond the bear is a larger cave with a big pond in it, but the party figures getting everyone past the bear isn’t worth it. Back to the hallway, they then come to a door from which loud snoring can be heard. Knocking, they wake whoever is behind it, and their growling hellhound. The door is flung open, and Borumar, who’d been picking the lock, gets a face full of hellhound breath. The hellhound gets a face full of magic missiles, while Lex, Karl, and Borumar stab the ogre, and his 2 fellows to death. After looting the room, they hard back to town, using the cultist’s tunnel.
Back in town, Eiric and Brie research the spell “Polaroid”
Darryl brews a healing potion
Kili does some shopping, getting the last of the discount healing potions
Lex parties, as does Karl (who had to borrow cash from Lucrecia to cover the cost… at 10% interest).
Gains: 4400gp in various coinage
Kills: Ogres, hellhound
Losses:
Eiric, wizard 8 (Kat)
Brie, wizard 5 (Apprentice to Eiric)
A-A-Ron, Thief 7 (Henchman) (stayed in town)
Orpheus, Human Fighter 6 (Henchman)
Linkman (Hilwik)
M@A (Vog, Bolden, Buford)
Karl, Dwarf 8 (Julia)
Lex the Cheeseman, Fighter 5 (Henchman)
Men at Arms (Rawin, Kildrik, Lamgo)
Kili, Dwarf Cleric 5 (Matt)
Borumar, ½ Orc Thief 5 (Josh)
Lucrecia Thief 5 (Henchman)
Returning to the Elementalist’s temple, the party explores the now emptied rooms. Apparently in the days away someone else looted them. Returning to the door the cultist and rock monster went through, they find the rock monster still holding the door shut. Karl uses his pickaxe to break open the door, but when it hits the monster, the monster hit back. HARD. Feeling dazed, Karl gets some healing from Kili.
They follow the tunnel out into the open air, and make a note of the location of the door, then return to the dungeon. Finding nothing that hadn’t already been looted, they continue deeper into the dungeon.
A pair of ogres in badly fitted armor stand guard, and demand a toll. Kili and Karl sass them, and finally the ogres attack. Eiric is okay with it, and the loot makes it seem worth it. Pressing on Kili and Karl get hit by a poisoned dart trap, but their dwarven constitutions allow them to shrug it off.
The next door opens into a cave in which a massive old cave bear grunts at them. Karl runs back up to the elementalist’s temple and grabs food from their store room, then returns and feeds it to the bear. Beyond the bear is a larger cave with a big pond in it, but the party figures getting everyone past the bear isn’t worth it. Back to the hallway, they then come to a door from which loud snoring can be heard. Knocking, they wake whoever is behind it, and their growling hellhound. The door is flung open, and Borumar, who’d been picking the lock, gets a face full of hellhound breath. The hellhound gets a face full of magic missiles, while Lex, Karl, and Borumar stab the ogre, and his 2 fellows to death. After looting the room, they hard back to town, using the cultist’s tunnel.
Back in town, Eiric and Brie research the spell “Polaroid”
Darryl brews a healing potion
Kili does some shopping, getting the last of the discount healing potions
Lex parties, as does Karl (who had to borrow cash from Lucrecia to cover the cost… at 10% interest).
Gains: 4400gp in various coinage
Kills: Ogres, hellhound
Losses:
Monday, August 19, 2019
Nereid/Kelpie Speed Paint
My DM asked me if I had a mermaid/sea elf/water fay type creature.
Not painted, but... From Bones I, I've got these kelpies/nereids...
The flash on the upraised arm was crazy, but I managed to remove it without lopping off her hand.
So it was time for a speedpaint. My DM described it as having sandy colored skin, and silvery hair.
Sand on the base...
Definitely not winning any awards, but it made it to the table.
Colors Used: Runic Purple, Nightsky Indigo, Desert Stone, Pine Green, Dragon Green, Linen White.
Not painted, but... From Bones I, I've got these kelpies/nereids...
The flash on the upraised arm was crazy, but I managed to remove it without lopping off her hand.
So it was time for a speedpaint. My DM described it as having sandy colored skin, and silvery hair.
Sand on the base...
Definitely not winning any awards, but it made it to the table.
Colors Used: Runic Purple, Nightsky Indigo, Desert Stone, Pine Green, Dragon Green, Linen White.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Stonehell: Charmed, I'm sure!
Session 103 was played on 7/20
Eiric, wizard 8 (Kat)
Brie, wizard 5 (Apprentice to Eiric)
A-A-Ron, Thief 7 (Henchman) (stayed in town)
Orpheus, Human Fighter 6 (Henchman)
Linkman (Hilwik)
M@A (Vog, Bolden, Buford)
Karl, Dwarf 8 (Julia)
Lex the Cheeseman, Fighter 5 (Henchman)
Men at Arms (Rawin, Kildrik, Lamgo)
Kili, Dwarf Cleric 5 (Matt)
Borumar, ½ Orc Thief (Josh)
Lucrecia Thief 4 (Henchman)
Darryl, needing to recover from his multi-day orgy, decides that he’s better off in the dungeon, and rejoins the party, while Koltic spends his time recovering from the festivities in bed.
Returning uneventfully to the side delve, the party quickly heads back down to the 6th level. Down a long hallway they spot, and are spotted in return, by several explorers. Lex, Boulden, and Lucrecia slowly and peacefully make their way over to the other group and begin to chat. 2 of the explorers charm Lex and Lucrecia, and talk them into following them down to the next level where treasure awaits, and Boulden is sent back to the rest of the party to tell them everything’s okay.
No one believes Boulden’s message, and the party rushes after the fleeing explorers, only to be halted by more plate armored warriors. There’s a tense standoff that stretches on. Finally, they decide to rush the room after tossing the explorer’s tool bag into the room as a distraction. It works, and several crossbow bolts are shot at the bag. The first warrior is cut down by the party’s missile fire, and they decide to run for it. Hurtling themselves down the stairs, they’re caught by a well placed Icy Sphere of Death in their path, killing them. The party continues down the stairs, hoping to catch up with their missing members, with Borumar in front, keeping an eye out for traps.
The spiral stairs open up into the center of a large tall chamber, and borumar cautiously creeps down so he can get a look into the room, not seeing the plate armored man with the warhammer floating next to the stairs. He also didn’t see, but most certainly felt the impact of the hammer on his leg. Then there was the harpy song. Eiric pushed everyone forward till she could get a look into the room, then yelled “Marshmallow!”
Flame enveloped almost the entire chamber, and once everyone’s eyes had cleared, and their ears had stopped ringing, they viewed the charred corpses of the Elementalists. Thankfully there was no sign of Lex or Lucrecia among the dead. They were being held as hostages by one poor terrified cultist in command of a rock monster that held the party members in its stony grip. The cultist only wanted to escape, and he’d let them go. Leading the party to a door, keeping the rock monster and the hostages between him and Eiric, he slipped through, and the rock monster pushed the hostages toward the party and stepped through the door, closing it behind them. Quickly looting the area of obvious treasure, the party decided to head back to town.
Gains: 10 gems, magic hammer, magic boots
Kills: Cultists, Harpy
Losses:
Eiric, wizard 8 (Kat)
Brie, wizard 5 (Apprentice to Eiric)
A-A-Ron, Thief 7 (Henchman) (stayed in town)
Orpheus, Human Fighter 6 (Henchman)
Linkman (Hilwik)
M@A (Vog, Bolden, Buford)
Karl, Dwarf 8 (Julia)
Lex the Cheeseman, Fighter 5 (Henchman)
Men at Arms (Rawin, Kildrik, Lamgo)
Kili, Dwarf Cleric 5 (Matt)
Borumar, ½ Orc Thief (Josh)
Lucrecia Thief 4 (Henchman)
Darryl, needing to recover from his multi-day orgy, decides that he’s better off in the dungeon, and rejoins the party, while Koltic spends his time recovering from the festivities in bed.
Returning uneventfully to the side delve, the party quickly heads back down to the 6th level. Down a long hallway they spot, and are spotted in return, by several explorers. Lex, Boulden, and Lucrecia slowly and peacefully make their way over to the other group and begin to chat. 2 of the explorers charm Lex and Lucrecia, and talk them into following them down to the next level where treasure awaits, and Boulden is sent back to the rest of the party to tell them everything’s okay.
No one believes Boulden’s message, and the party rushes after the fleeing explorers, only to be halted by more plate armored warriors. There’s a tense standoff that stretches on. Finally, they decide to rush the room after tossing the explorer’s tool bag into the room as a distraction. It works, and several crossbow bolts are shot at the bag. The first warrior is cut down by the party’s missile fire, and they decide to run for it. Hurtling themselves down the stairs, they’re caught by a well placed Icy Sphere of Death in their path, killing them. The party continues down the stairs, hoping to catch up with their missing members, with Borumar in front, keeping an eye out for traps.
The spiral stairs open up into the center of a large tall chamber, and borumar cautiously creeps down so he can get a look into the room, not seeing the plate armored man with the warhammer floating next to the stairs. He also didn’t see, but most certainly felt the impact of the hammer on his leg. Then there was the harpy song. Eiric pushed everyone forward till she could get a look into the room, then yelled “Marshmallow!”
Flame enveloped almost the entire chamber, and once everyone’s eyes had cleared, and their ears had stopped ringing, they viewed the charred corpses of the Elementalists. Thankfully there was no sign of Lex or Lucrecia among the dead. They were being held as hostages by one poor terrified cultist in command of a rock monster that held the party members in its stony grip. The cultist only wanted to escape, and he’d let them go. Leading the party to a door, keeping the rock monster and the hostages between him and Eiric, he slipped through, and the rock monster pushed the hostages toward the party and stepped through the door, closing it behind them. Quickly looting the area of obvious treasure, the party decided to head back to town.
Gains: 10 gems, magic hammer, magic boots
Kills: Cultists, Harpy
Losses:
Monday, August 12, 2019
Agramon part 4
Now it's time to paint some lava!!
But how?
I went to youtube, typed in "lava bases" and found this!
And while I don't have an airbrush, this was very helpful.
I started with a couple of coats of reaper white primer.
Sun yellow...
Skipped taking some pictures, and here we've got some Marigold Yellow, Fire Red, Dragon Red, and Pure Black on the rock.
After a bunch of blending and glazing...
We've got a tabletop quality pit fiend!
But how?
I went to youtube, typed in "lava bases" and found this!
And while I don't have an airbrush, this was very helpful.
I started with a couple of coats of reaper white primer.
Sun yellow...
Skipped taking some pictures, and here we've got some Marigold Yellow, Fire Red, Dragon Red, and Pure Black on the rock.
After a bunch of blending and glazing...
We've got a tabletop quality pit fiend!
Friday, August 9, 2019
Stonehell: Grinning Gargoyles
Session 102 was played on 7/13
Eiric, wizard 8 (Kat)
Brie, wizard 5 (Apprentice to Eiric)
A-A-Ron, Thief 7 (Henchman) (stayed in town)
Orpheus, Human Fighter 6 (Henchman)
Linkman (Hilwik)
M@A (Vog, Bolden, Buford)
Karl, Dwarf 8 (Julia)
Lex the Cheeseman, Fighter 5 (Henchman)
Men at Arms (Rawin, Kildrik, Lamgo)
Kili, Dwarf Cleric 5 (Matt)
Borumar, ½ Orc Thief (Josh)
Lucrecia Thief 4 (Henchman)
Moving on from the statue hall, the party comes to a large chamber lit by a dozen candles hovering in the air, apparently ever burning, as the wax seems to drip down, and then reform at the bottom of each candle. Karl is easily able to grab a candle, spilling some wax onto his hand, but as soon as he releases it it returns to hovering.
Past the candle room is a chamber literally crawling with carvings of gargoyles that reach out from all 4 walls and the ceiling. Hidden among them are 4 hobgoblin-like creatures. They’re vicious, but cut down by the might of the party.
Karl gets his helmet dented by a scything blade that cuts down when the next door is opened. There’s another trap installed on the opposite door, and both are disabled before the party moves on. Beyond the door are 4 plate armored warriors guarding stairs down that Eiric dispatches with a well placed fireball.
Taking the stairs, the party follows the hallway to the next door, the walls covered with more gargoyle coverings, though these are defaced. The door is locked with a thick chain and a large lock. Borumar picks the lock, and the door is opened. As the chamber above, this one is covered in gargoyle carvings… hiding actual gargoyles! Karl gets jumped, and pounded on, and the rest of the party comes to his rescue. There are a pair of coffers with coinage and a pair of matched crowns. Collecting the treasure they head back to town.
In town, Eiric identifies the magic staff.
Darryl (who didn’t participate in the delve) throws an alcohol filled “religious” orgy that lasts days.
Lex joins in, and ends up accused of a crime. He has to have a joke off, and handily beats the prosecutor.
Kili gifts a loan to one of his customers.
Gains: matched crowns, mixed coinage
Kills: Gargoyles, veterans, Thouls
Losses:
Eiric, wizard 8 (Kat)
Brie, wizard 5 (Apprentice to Eiric)
A-A-Ron, Thief 7 (Henchman) (stayed in town)
Orpheus, Human Fighter 6 (Henchman)
Linkman (Hilwik)
M@A (Vog, Bolden, Buford)
Karl, Dwarf 8 (Julia)
Lex the Cheeseman, Fighter 5 (Henchman)
Men at Arms (Rawin, Kildrik, Lamgo)
Kili, Dwarf Cleric 5 (Matt)
Borumar, ½ Orc Thief (Josh)
Lucrecia Thief 4 (Henchman)
Moving on from the statue hall, the party comes to a large chamber lit by a dozen candles hovering in the air, apparently ever burning, as the wax seems to drip down, and then reform at the bottom of each candle. Karl is easily able to grab a candle, spilling some wax onto his hand, but as soon as he releases it it returns to hovering.
Past the candle room is a chamber literally crawling with carvings of gargoyles that reach out from all 4 walls and the ceiling. Hidden among them are 4 hobgoblin-like creatures. They’re vicious, but cut down by the might of the party.
Karl gets his helmet dented by a scything blade that cuts down when the next door is opened. There’s another trap installed on the opposite door, and both are disabled before the party moves on. Beyond the door are 4 plate armored warriors guarding stairs down that Eiric dispatches with a well placed fireball.
Taking the stairs, the party follows the hallway to the next door, the walls covered with more gargoyle coverings, though these are defaced. The door is locked with a thick chain and a large lock. Borumar picks the lock, and the door is opened. As the chamber above, this one is covered in gargoyle carvings… hiding actual gargoyles! Karl gets jumped, and pounded on, and the rest of the party comes to his rescue. There are a pair of coffers with coinage and a pair of matched crowns. Collecting the treasure they head back to town.
In town, Eiric identifies the magic staff.
Darryl (who didn’t participate in the delve) throws an alcohol filled “religious” orgy that lasts days.
Lex joins in, and ends up accused of a crime. He has to have a joke off, and handily beats the prosecutor.
Kili gifts a loan to one of his customers.
Gains: matched crowns, mixed coinage
Kills: Gargoyles, veterans, Thouls
Losses:
Thursday, August 8, 2019
Review: Steel Shadows
Every year for the last 5 years, around early to mid summer, my friend J.L. Gribble gets me a copy of her latest book. It's something I've come to look forward to more and more as we explore more and more of her alternative history fantasy Earth, and spend more and more time with Victory, Mikelos, Toria and Kane.
This year, a secret that the author, my friend, was keeping from me was revealed. Finally.
And damn... I did not see that coming. Well done. I really want to do a more in depth review, discussing more of the plot, and story choices, but honestly even hinting at it more than I have would spoil it, and I'm not gonna do that to you.
What I am going to do is suggest that you order the book now, and read it as soon as possible!
Order it here!
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
From the publisher
This year, a secret that the author, my friend, was keeping from me was revealed. Finally.
And damn... I did not see that coming. Well done. I really want to do a more in depth review, discussing more of the plot, and story choices, but honestly even hinting at it more than I have would spoil it, and I'm not gonna do that to you.
What I am going to do is suggest that you order the book now, and read it as soon as possible!
Order it here!
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
From the publisher
Monday, August 5, 2019
Agramon part 3
I continued to bring up the highlights on Agramon, up to a highest highlight of Sun Yellow and Linen White.
But then it was time to think about the base... Cause that little bit of rocky nothing wasn't gonna cut it. So, out came the cork!
Once I settled on the shape, I drilled through it and pinned Agramon in place with a bit of paperclip.
And then I added the sand.
There were eventually 3 layers of sand.
It all took a while to dry. So more later!
But then it was time to think about the base... Cause that little bit of rocky nothing wasn't gonna cut it. So, out came the cork!
Once I settled on the shape, I drilled through it and pinned Agramon in place with a bit of paperclip.
And then I added the sand.
There were eventually 3 layers of sand.
It all took a while to dry. So more later!
Sunday, August 4, 2019
Sunday Inspirational Image: Black Magic Craft
I'm generally not a fan of youtube channels, but I came across Black Magic Crafts... and it's really solid. He doesn't waste your time, and gets right to the interesting projects. Definitely worth checking out, especially if you've ever thought about making your own terrain.
Saturday, August 3, 2019
July in Review
Another light update. Between the heat and medical stuff with my dogs, I’ve gotten not a lot done this past month. Good news, the dog is better. Bad news is that better is temporary. I don’t know how temporary.
Gaming
Curse of Strahd and Stonehell are rolling along. More updates on both will be posted soon!
Miniatures
I finished off the Gnolls, and Agragon, and some painted up 4 Bones rangers. Post on them are scheduled too.
I started working in several things for ReaperCon, including my diorama and a single mini for the Bombshell Babes competition. With only weeks to go, I’m trying to keep things manageable and not start a zillion different things. I’m not all that successful at it…
Media
Books
Steel Shadows (Steel Empires Book 5)
Movies/TV Watched
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Russian Doll
Stranger Things season 3
Dark Matters (middle of season 1)
Goals
Finish something for ReaperCon!
Gaming
Curse of Strahd and Stonehell are rolling along. More updates on both will be posted soon!
Miniatures
I finished off the Gnolls, and Agragon, and some painted up 4 Bones rangers. Post on them are scheduled too.
I started working in several things for ReaperCon, including my diorama and a single mini for the Bombshell Babes competition. With only weeks to go, I’m trying to keep things manageable and not start a zillion different things. I’m not all that successful at it…
Media
Books
Steel Shadows (Steel Empires Book 5)
Movies/TV Watched
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Russian Doll
Stranger Things season 3
Dark Matters (middle of season 1)
Goals
Finish something for ReaperCon!