Drazhar master of blades. Dark Eldar Phoenix Lord

Drazhar master of blades - the living blade. Chris Fitzpatrick's work on the Dark Eldar and Dark Elf ranges remain my favourite sculpts, even to this day. I wanted this miniature to be mid-leap, arms outstretched like a preying mantis, about to decapitate his chosen victim. 

This was painted in around 4 hours and was a nice palette cleanser from the Custodes I have been painting recently. 

If you've enjoyed this and would like to learn how to paint this black check out Abadon's painting tutorial. 

Read More

Unreleased Dark Elf Sorcerer on Howdah. Marlieste of Karond Kar.

Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush

Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line

Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes

Raiding the lands of the Tomb Kings, Marilste and an escort of Ch'Ihll guard seized a fabled clutch of Golden Hydra eggs. This being is the first Golden Hydra to walk the earth in millennia. Marlieste will do everything in his power to break the will of the Hydra, retarding its normal growth with black magics to keep it stunted and small so that he may ride it into war for millennia to come. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is a model near and dear to my heart. I saw this model for the first time in the Dark Elf Army book (3rd/4th edition), and he subsequently popped up in the 4th edition Rule Book, White Dwarf entries and various other supporting picture content for Games Workshop products. I only remember seeing him on foot (although I am assured the Hydra makes appearances in the 4th edition books). As an over indulged only child it infuriated the hell out of me that I could not buy this model (of the America Games Day only release executioners). 

This grudge would stay with me throughout my adolescent life and into adulthood. Then eBay happened. 

There are a multitude of things you have to think of when approaching this kind of project. Should it be painted in an old hammer style, or should I use more modern techniques? Should I use the original size base, a modern sized base appropriate for the create, or go with what I think looks best? Colour choice - should I go with a classic scheme or should I go for something uncommon? Should I glue the model in place or magnetised it? 

I love the work of Georg Damm (more commonly known as Georc) and I feel that I'm walking in his shadow when painting this model. Although his own version was done many years ago and does not reflect the magnitude of painter he has turned into, it still remains a seminal piece for this model. 

Georc's Version

Georg took the classic approach, using earthy tones to produce a paint job in line with my conception of a Hydra (Jason and the Argonauts has left an impression). The Black robes of the sorcerer work well with the overall tone of the model. If Georg hadn't have conquered this scheme already I would have done something similar. However why go over ground well covered? 

Why the yellow? It stems from a linked mini campaign (one of the new digital ones - I believe it is called northern wastes) I played with a friend where my Dark Elves were exploring a part of Troll Country and inadvertently stumbled on the outskirts of a Tomb Kings metropolis. Over the course of the campaign the idea surfaced that the Sorcerer Lord was on a quest for the fabled Golden Hydra of Khursh. The final scenario saw us battle beneath the fabled hydra - but instead of the flesh and blood hydra the sorcerer was led to believe it was, instead it was a literal golden statue shaped in the image of a hydra. Disappointed, the Lord ordered the statue cut apart by his corsair bodyguard and smelted down, only to find a hydra egg at its heart. 

The model was painted with an airbrush to block in the colours - base, shading and broad highlights, then I switched t a brush to define the details and wash a bit of interest into the yellows. I used russet browns in the shadow and ink in between the scales. I knew from previous experience that turquoise works well as an accent colour to yellow. I purposefully varied the patterns on the heads - you do not see exact patterns being repeated across species, why should it be the same on this? Although I used what I consider to be more modern techniques I still used old school techniques to help bridge the gap between now and then. 

I didn't go for the small square base, but I went for the more modern rectangle. The model is very front heavy (if you look ad the photographs of the base you can see there is a slight bend on the centre) but I felt this better help frame the model - from streamers to heads. I have not glued the Sorcerer lord to the Hydra but instead I've attached a thick brass rod from his feet that go through the Howdah, into the back of the hydra. Once threaded it holds as seen in the photos, which I imagine will make for some scary moments when balancing on terrain. I don't believe that magnetising is the answer here as the models are lead and very heavy. 

This model will form the core of the Ch'Ihll rearguard. Much like my child hood self, the Sorcerer (named Marilste) is a collector or rarities and monsters. His host will comprise of classic Citadel miniatures and any monsters that I collect. 

http://www.collecting-citadel-miniatures.com/wiki/index.php/File:Unreleased_-_Dark_Elf_War_sorcerer_for_War_Hydra.jpg

http://www.collecting-citadel-miniatures.com/wiki/index.php/File:Unreleased_-_Howdah_for_War_Hydra.jpg

Read More

Unreleased Dark Elf Sorcerer Marilste the Cripple of Karond Kar

Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush

Airbrush: Iwata CR Plus High Line

Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes

Mariliste, the Cripple of Karond Kar

Marilste was one of many children born into an affluent slavers family of Karond Kar. Fourth in line of inheritance of a brood of six, all of whom were vastly more powerful, knowledgeable, politically savvy or downright more vicious than the weakling child nicknamed the Cripple. Marilste was an oddity for Dark Elf society, a collector, an archivist with a love for the creatures of nature. As a child he had raised three dogs that he intended to act as a bodyguard, but were killed for sport by his father and his court in a drunken trist. 

It is perhaps thanks to this infirmity a that Mariliste was left largely unmolested growing up as the siblings fought views blood vendetta’s amongst themselves. It was only when three were left, Draegon the warlord, Scaritath the blade mistress and Marilste, that 'the cripple' suggested a final duel to settle the matter once and for all. Marilste told them that his failing nerves could no longer sustain the constant threat of assassination from his brother and sister and would rathe die in a place of his choosing. 

Thus did the three enter the Temple, a large Amphitheatre built into the ancestral home of the Mariliste blood line where such ritual battle were held. Draegon and Scaritth were instantly upon each other matching blade strike for blade strike. They had both reasoned that Mariliste would be no threat once their counterpart must be dealt with swiftly. Marilste took to the edge of the he Dias as it was engulfed in the flames from three Hydras who were hidden in the shadowed alcoves. 'It was short sighted of you to think I would wager my life on a fist fight between you two. Poorer judgement yet to allow me the choice of venue". 

Marilste's obsession with cryptozoology has seen him travel the world, accrue in such rarities as the Bordeloux preyton, the Fiender- giest of the dark Marshes and several hydras, manticores and Charybdis. However there is one creature above all the self taught sorcerer lusts above all else - the black chimera.

He studied the higher mysteries but fled from Naggaroth in the wake of the Witch King’s decree that male sorcerers should be put to death. Mariliste founded the cabal of the Jade Serpent which drew all manner of dispossessed and vile sorcerers to him. Marilse managed to accrue a great wealth and permanently bought the services of a travelling troupe of Druchii soldiers who took on the name of the Jade Serpent. Gelding these warriors Marilste made them a band of prostitute soldiers, turning a profit from them when not engaged in war. 

Read More

The Gorgoneion - Ch'Ihll Household Elite Cold one Cavalry

La Belle Dame Sans Merci. A Ballad by John Keats

I. O WHAT can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
Alone and palely loitering?
The sedge has wither’d from the lake,
And no birds sing.
II. O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms!	5
So haggard and so woe-begone?
The squirrel’s granary is full,
And the harvest’s done.
III. I see a lily on thy brow
With anguish moist and fever dew,	10
And on thy cheeks a fading rose
Fast withereth too.
IV. I met a lady in the meads,
Full beautiful—a faery’s child,
Her hair was long, her foot was light,	15
And her eyes were wild.
V. I made a garland for her head,
And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;
She look’d at me as she did love,
And made sweet moan.	20
VI. I set her on my pacing steed,
And nothing else saw all day long,
For sidelong would she bend, and sing
A faery’s song.
VII. She found me roots of relish sweet,	25
And honey wild, and manna dew,
And sure in language strange she said—
“I love thee true.”
VIII. She took me to her elfin grot,
And there she wept, and sigh’d fill sore,	30
And there I shut her wild wild eyes
With kisses four.
IX. And there she lulled me asleep,
And there I dream’d—Ah! woe betide!
The latest dream I ever dream’d	35
On the cold hill’s side.
X. I saw pale kings and princes too,
Pale warriors, death-pale were they all;
They cried—“La Belle Dame sans Merci
Hath thee in thrall!”	40
XI. I saw their starved lips in the gloam,
With horrid warning gaped wide,
And I awoke and found me here,
On the cold hill’s side.
XII. And this is why I sojourn here,	45
Alone and palely loitering,
Though the sedge is wither’d from the lake,
And no birds sing.

The Gorgoneion

The Gorgoneion are the elite shock cavalry of Cynath Ch’Ihll, the Gorgon Prince of the Ch’Ihll Dynasty. Being the flower of Naggarothi nobility the Gorgoneion act outside of the formal military ranks of the Ch’Ihll household and are solely bound in service to the young Prince. They form his innermost court of war councilors, bodyguards and socialites. Each noble is lavished with bejeweled lances, gifted with enchanted blades and given bespoke Galvorn wrought armour adorned with a helmet crowned with horns in imitation of the Gorgon; House sigil of the Ch’Ihll’s.

These knights are the very pinnacle of Naggarothi society, many of whom hold comparable holdings to minor Dreadlords from other cities. However to become one of the famed Gorgoneion is to gain access to things that wealth alone cannot purchase. Hidden cults of excess, secret libraries and a millennia long infrastructure of spies, informers and sorcerers ensure that each knight enjoys the fruits of the Ch’Ihll name.

To become one of these feared cavalrymen each knight must undertake the Trial of Eyes. The knight must seek out the lair of a Gorgon and devour its young. To eat a Gorgons egg is death as the fetus inside the egg is concentrated poison. Before the knight’s body is consumed by poison the Gorgon Prince enacts a ceremony, giving a portion of his blood from just underneath his eye to the dying noble. This is a magical binding that steals a portion of the knights soul, binding it forever to the Ch’Ihll Dynasty and their patron Daemon; Arioch Ch’Ihll.

After the Noble’s ascension they rarely take off their helmet outside the company of other Gorgoneion. In time the noble will lose their hair loose their hair and forever be marked by the distinctive carmine eyes of that house. Each knight changes, some gain strength, others grow tiny scales or some lose the ability to speak. However, one trait is rumoured to unite the Gorgoneion; each can kill with naught but a gaze.

Each knight takes to war astride specially bred Cold Ones, an indulgent present gifted by the Black Prince to his closest courtiers. These beasts are bred exclusively for war, their bulk and ferocity out matching even the most aggressive of their kin. These beasts are armoured with the same otherworldly obsidian armour of their masters. It is spoken amongst the mercenary armies that roam the Old World that if you were to fell one of the Gorgon knights and make good an escape with their armour, that you could buy yourself into high society and live comfortably for the rest of your days.

The banner bourne by Zaereth is from Ancient Nagarythe and is the personal banner of the Black Prince. When the young prince was born a new tapestry was commissioned. The pattern was woven by 12 blind maids of Averlorn, drugged and tortured into feverish nightmares to be depicted in the artwork. Upon completion of their masterpiece they were bled to death from their eyes to complete the tapestry.

The Knights currently reside beside their Prince in Troll Country, raiding and reeving the sparse settlements that linger to life. 

*************************

The thought of creating these Cold One knight's came to me in 2012 (click here to see the discussion). I wanted to make a Cold One that was as big and ferocious as the back history suggested. It has taken me two years to create these little bastards, but I feel its been worth the time.

Each knight owns his own livery but each has the symbol of their leader, Valodrious emblazoned on their banner. Each knight has a custom made base that is slightly larger than the regular cavalry base size. The unit's width is approximately the same as if you were running a cauldron of Blood in a unit of regular Cold One Knights. This unit would be completely illegal to take to tournaments and I've tried several 'counts as' suggestions that seem clunky and do not reflect the miniatures. I'm lucky that I have a very good gaming group who don't mind the extra base width and in the end we decided to just use them as regular cold one cavalry with irregular bases. In most cases this isn't a big deal and is advantageous to my opponent (more attacks from rank and file on Cynath).

I imagine that these occupy the space between regular cavalry and monstrous cavalry. I'd love to run them as true monstrous cavalry (but I cannot face rebasing them) or make rules for them that reflect their added bulk. Perhaps impact hits for every rank? Can't be any more broken than Warlocks can they? I really wish we still had the Hydra Banner!

The majority of the armour was painted with gradient highlights of grey washes with turquoise . The green of the Cold One hide was shaded with brown and highlighted with yellow to give a nice earthy complexion. The banner itself really allowed me to stretch my freehand skills. On the one side we have a very tightly controlled, intricate pattern and on the other a loser more emotional rendition of the Gorgon. The blending isn't as smooth nor is the painting quite as detailed but I wanted to get across the dual nature of the Druchii - highly civilized, disciplined, cultured, but conversely savage, cruel and frenzied.

Certain motif's run throughout the unit - the moon, the severed heart and the blood drop are all prevalent. I also wanted to push the image of the Gorgon into the silhouette of the model. To do this I used the Incubi heads in imitation of snakes coming from the head of the Gorgon.

Why the poem at the start of this article? I love the work of Keats and I love this poem. I've tried to echo the theme of damnation in the poem through the story of the Gorgoneion. The seducing, otherworldly figure of La Belle is a nice reflection of what i've tried to build up with the Gorgon imagery running throughout my force.

Enjoy this labour of love.

Myles

Read More