Elder Mok from Descent 2E (Oath of the Outcast)

It is often said that behind every great man stands a great woman. It should be just as often stated that behind every great warrior stands a great support character. While accolades seem to be preferentially heaped upon those with the strongest arms or the thickest armor, many campaigns would have failed in their infancy if not for the gifted strategist or the skilled healer who directed the party and mended their wounds. So it is with the final Hero from the Oath of the Outcast pack, Elder Mok.

“My message is not my own. Follow my instruction or fall where you stand… You’ve been warned.”

While he is a member of the Healer archetype, Elder Mok practices his craft in some unorthodox ways. With a moderately high health value and grey dice, this Orc is able to stand toe-to-toe with most enemies as well as many Warriors. His durability is greatly enhanced by his Hero Skill, which allows him to heal or recover fatigue when nearby Heroes do the same. This power has obvious synergistic effects with the abilities of the Healer classes, but is especially powerful with the basic skill of the Prophet Class. This comes as no surprise, as Elder Mok’s backstory centers around his being exiled due to the unpopular content of his signs and portents. His powers of prognostication are also demonstrated by his Heroic Feat, which allows him to select an Overlord card to be discarded. There have been many times when a single “Dash” or “Pit-Trap” card has spelled defeat for the Heroes, so one cannot ignore the strategic value of eliminating these unknown threats.

Gifted from birth by an unknown power, Mok has always been set apart. His impressive size and intellect gave him a distinct advantage on the battlefield and in the council tent, and he became an influential leader in his tribe early. He lost much of his favor, however, when he began to spread a message of peace and reconciliation. His message was despised and rejected, and Mok was cast out, but he still brings his words to any who will listen.

The miniature for this Hero is a somewhat mixed bag. While it is definitely among the largest of the early Hero sculpts, the preponderance of ropes, wraps, and hair guaranteed that there would be many mold lines and defects to complicate cleanup. Aves Apoxie Sculpt was used in several places to fill in gaps and smooth the winding bands on his staff. Unlike the previous characters I had painted, the reference art for Elder Mok was a bit difficult to emulate. The artwork is dominated by the magical emanations of his staff, which are completely absent on the miniature. Not only does this remove a lot of the atmosphere and impact of the piece, but it also eliminates the source of the backcast purple glow which is present in most of the reference’s palette. For instance, although the skin on his face is clearly green (like the other Orcs in Descent), the heavy object source lighting creates an orangish tone which just would not make sense with the miniature. My only choice was to reduce the OSL to what would be naturally possible given the pose of the miniature.

Despite these problems, I’m still pleased with the figure overall. The texture of his robes and the lighting effects on the staff help to make a simple sculpt stand out a bit, and the character himself is rather different from the other Heroes. And thus, the first Hero and Monster pack is now complete. Next on the horizon is the small box expansion Lair of the Wyrm!

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Cloak:
The entire cloak was base coated with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). The major volumes were then blocked in with VMC USA Olive Drab (70.889), lightened with VMC US Olive Drab (70.887) (Yes, there is a huge difference), and highlighted with Vallejo Panzer Aces Highlight Russian Tank Crew II (70.330). These same mixes were used for the straps attaching the skull to the shaft of his weapon.

Skin:
The flesh was base coated with VMC Gunship Green (70.895). This was initially lightened with the inclusion of an equal measure of VGC Elf Skintone (72.004), and then highlighted with VGC Wolf Grey (72.047).

Hair:
The hair was base coated with VMC Black (70.950). Individual strands were picked out with a 1:1 mix of Black and VGC Wolf Grey (72.047), blended down with slightly more Black, and highlighted with slightly more Wolf Grey.

Ropes:
The ropes around his waist were blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). The individual strands were then picked out with BMC German Camo Orange Ochre (70.824) and highlighted with VMC Buff (70.976).

Canteen:
His gourd canteen was base coated with VMC English Uniform (70.921), shaded with the inclusion of VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), and then highlighted with VMC Japan Uniform WWII (70.923). The leather bands were base coated with German Camo Black Brown, then picked out with a 1:1:1 mix of German Camo Black Brown, VMC Orange Brown (70.981), and VMC Wood Grain (70.828). This mix was lightened with additional Orange Brown followed by highlights with pure Orange Brown.

Drum:
The wooden areas of the drum were base coated with VMC Flat Earth (70.983), with the grain being lightened with mixes of Flat Earth and VMC Dark Sand (70.847), and highlighted with pure Dark Sand. A wash of VMC Smoke was then applied, followed by selective reapplication of the previous tones.
The skins of the drum were base coated with VMC Khaki (70.988), lightened with mixes of Khaki and VGC Bonewhite (72.034), then highlighted with pure Bonewhite. The purple designs were blocked in with a 1:1 mix of Bonewhite and Vallejo Fantasy Pro Violet Vamp (74.030). The darker spots were blocked in with pure Violet Vamp, dotted with the base mix, then toned down with a glaze of Bonewhite. Some scratches and edging were done with a 2:1 mix of Bonewhite and Violet Vamp.

Bones:
The staff and skull were base coated with VMC Khaki (70.988), lightened with mixes of Khaki and VGC Bonewhite (72.034), followed by pure Bonewhite. This was further lightened with the inclusion of VMC Ivory (70.918), and highlighted with pure Ivory.

Magical Glow:
The glowing orb within the skull’s mouth was blocked in with Schmincke Titanium White, which was left pure in the brightest spot. VMC Pink (70.958) was then glazed from that bright center outwards, being the most opaque around the edges where the ball meets the bones. These areas were then “darkened” further with the inclusion of Vallejo Fantasy Pro Witch Purple (74.028) followed by VFP Purple Hex (74.026). A slight object source lighting was applied to surrounding areas by mixing the Pink and Witch Purple into the basic tones of each area: VGC Bonewhite (72.034) for the bones and VMC US Olive Drab (70.887) for the wraps.
The same technique was used to paint his eyes, with VMC Gunship Green (70.895) being mixed with the Pink to create the OSL.

Trenloe the Strong from Descent 2E (Oath of the Outcast)

There are several ways to make your name as a Warrior. Some are known for their mobility and finesse with a blade. Some are known for their brilliant strategies and tactics. And then there are the blunt instruments, like Trenloe the Strong.

“I will stand when none others do. Though my body may fail, my courage will never break!“

Trenloe is not a very complex Hero. Although he possesses neither Knowledge nor Speed, he boasts impressively high Health, Might, and Willpower stats. This makes him rather difficult to defeat or move against his will, meaning that this Hero will become an imposing barrier in whichever location he is placed. Compound this with his Hero Ability, which grants extra damage on every attack and blocks on every defense, and Trenloe becomes the simplest and most successful “tank” in the game.

Many mistakenly attribute Trenloe’s title to his abilities: to march for days without rest or to cleave through iron plate with one blow. But it is Trenloe’s determination and undying loyalty to his friends, that has earned him his name. His comrades may joke that his greatest skill is stubbornness, but if asked to pick a man to guard their backs, it is always Trenloe the Strong.

In regards to his miniature, however, Trenloe is anything but simplistic. Being mostly armor, there were a lot of mold lines running through joints and creases that required careful removal. The scale portions of his armor are bulky and ill-formed, and he has very chunky and asymmetric rondels. Additionally, the lion-head detail on his left pauldron is hideously deformed and nearly unrecognizable. But worst of all is his head. In what seems to be a common problem plaguing Descent miniatures, Trenloe has no ears. As though that weren’t bad enough, they also forgot to sculpt his bushy muttonchops, which are a distinguishing features of his reference art. Nothing to do but attempt to sculpt some suitable replacements with Aves ApoxieSculpt. I did the same for a small bit of detail on his right pauldron, which looked oddly bare compared to his left. There appears to be a plate like detail on the reference art, so I added a simple raised portion that could be enhanced with painted markings later.

In regards to painting, Trenloe was pretty straightforward. Lots of non-metallic metal armor to paint, which was time consuming, but nothing new. It was a little troublesome finding appropriate hues for the yellows and reds, ensuring that they were appropriately desaturated and faded. The most rewarding part was working with the new (to me) Scale Color NMM set to create the brass details on his armor and shield. With some touches of oxidation, I think I achieved an interesting look that breaks up the monotony of all that steel.

And that’s it for Trenloe! Overall, I am extremely pleased with how he turned out, especially given all of the limitations I cited earlier. It’s amazing how much a little extra detail can do to bring these sculpts to life, and I find it incredibly satisfying taking a mediocre sculpt and transforming it to better reflect the amazing character designs for these characters. When I first begin a Hero, I think they are the worst I have encountered and will be irredeemable, only to find myself loving them by the end. I imagine this trend will be horribly ended when I get around to Orkell and Tinashi, but I can dream otherwise for a little longer…

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Steel Armor:
A standard non-metallic metal approach was applied with the following colors: VMC Black (70.950), VMC German Camo Beige WWII (70.821), and VMC Ivory (70.918).

Yellow Cloth:
The area was base coated with a 1:1 mix of VMC English Uniform (70.921), which was left in the recesses for shade. The folds were built up with mixes of English Uniform and VGC Pale Yellow (72.097), followed by pure Pale Yellow, and finally Pale Yellow with a dash of VMC Ivory (70.918) for highlights.

Red Trim and Shield:
The red areas were blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), then covered with a base tone of a 1:1 mix of VGC Scarlett Blood (72.106) and VMC English Uniform (70.921). This was lightened with a bit VGC Pale Yellow (72.097) to create highlights, and darkened with German Camo Black Brown for shade tones.

Flesh:
His skin was blocked in with a base coat of VGC Heavy Skintone (72.140). This was lightened with the progressive inclusion of VGC Dwarf Skin (72.041), followed by highlights using VGC Pale Flesh (72.003). The stubble on his shaved head was stippled with a 2:1 mix of Heavy Skintone and VMC Dark Sea Blue (70.898). This was built up in several stages, first stippling the darker tone, then glazing with the skin tone, then back to stippling.

Leather:
The belt and pouches were base coated with VMC Chocolate Brown (70.872). A 1:1 mix of Chocolate Brown and VMC Flat Earth (70.983) was added, followed by a layer of pure Flat Earth. Highlights and scratches were added with a 1:1 mix of Flat Earth and VMC Dark Sand (70.847). Washes of thin Chocolate Brown were used to tone down the contrast, followed by repeated application of the highlight mix where needed.

Brass:
The metal on his belt buckle, shoulder pads, and shield were painted with colors from the Scale Color NMM Paint Set. The base coat was a 1:1 mix of SC Gobi Brown (SC-12) and SC Sahara Yellow (SC-11). To this was added an equal measure of SC Tenere Yellow (SC-10), followed by SC White Sands (SC-09) for initial highlights, and pure White Sands for point highlights. Some shade was added with a 1:1 mix of Gobi Brown and VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), which was also mixed with SC Adriatic Blue (SC-15) for some oxidation in the areas of deepest shadow.

Wood:
The wood on the shield was base coated with VPA Canvas (70.314). The grain was painted with lines of VPA Light Mud (70.315), followed by a thinner line of a 1:1 mix of the two colors, with the Light Mud acting as a highlight.

Beastmen from Descent 2E (Oath of the Outcast H&M)

The Heroes of Descent come from a variety of cultures. Many are human, some are Elves, some are Dwarves, a few are Orcs, there are even Minotaurs and Dragon Hybrids! But whichever civilization they may represent, they all share at least one common bond… they ARE civilized. This simple characteristic separates these proud adventurers from their monstrous foes, but this distinction is especially true when compared to the deadly Beastmen.

Although they may be humanoid in appearance, these creatures attack with the singleminded determination of ravenous beasts. Although their attack pool isn’t the strongest in the game, Beastmen can easily overwhelm single heroes. The Ravage ability allows them to circumvent the normal rule limiting monsters to a single attack action per activation, while the Command action gained by the Master in Act II grants free rerolls to any Minions within range (applying to Minions of other Monster groups as well). With a speed of four and damage boosting surge abilities, these fiends can quickly surround and defeat any hero foolish enough to stray from his allies.

The older miniatures in Descent usually suffer a bit in terms of size and detail… or rather the sculptors try to pack in too much detail for the small size of the model. This usually leads to objects being poorly defined, blending together, or being deformed by moldlines and flash. The Beastmen do not have this issue, as they are both larger than most characters and lacking their complicated wardrobes. Unfortunately, they are not without their own set of problems. The large tufts of fur on the forearms and shins are rather blobby and poorly sculpted, as is the large “mane” around the head and neck. The loincloths are similarly convoluted and rough, with some pretty horrible mold offsets in areas (where one half of a mold doesn’t line up properly with the other side, resulting in details being split and then shifted across the moldlines). But worst of all… the faces. Asymmetric, softly detailed, and a nice moldline right through the nose. Such a disappointment.

Given the simplicity of the sculpts, painting was very straightforward. There were no metallic bits, so everything was simply built up from the shade tone to the highlight tone. The master was given a red loincloth to differentiate him from the green-loined minions, and conveniently, his fur turned out slightly whiter as well, making him look older.

Oh… and WHY do they have dolls??? They somewhat resemble the Curse Doll seen on the corresponding Search card, only they are wearing dresses. Are they specifically using them against females? These creatures are not “Cursed” (a Monster Trait used in selecting groups during Quest setup), do not cause “Curse” (a harmful condition), nor do they have any flavor text to justify this puzzling accessory. Seriously… I need this explained!

Overall, this is NOT my best work, but it looks alright considering the limitations of the sculpt. Unfortunately, these problems are much more common in some of the upcoming miniatures, so I have to learn to lower my expectations a bit. Nothing to do but keep muddling through these older releases until I can treat myself with the crisper models.

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Flesh:
The skin was base coated with Vallejo Panzer Aces Canvas (70.314). Several layers were applied to the major muscle forms mixing progressive amounts of VGC Elf Skintone (72.004) with the Canvas, followed by the inclusion of VMC Buff (70.976). Final highlights were performed with pure Buff.

Red Loincloth:
The edges of the loincloth and deepest shadows were blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). The majority of the area was then blocked in with a 1:1 mix of German Camo Black Brown and VMC Cavalry Brown (70.982) with a touch of VMC Deck Tan (70.986) to desaturate the tone. This was brightened with the incremental addition of more Cavalry Brown. Highlights were applied with a 1:1 mix of Deck Tan and Cavalry Brown, followed by point highlights and wear to the edges with the addition of some VMC Buff (70.976).

Green Loincloth:
The edges of the loincloth and deepest shadows were blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). The majority of the area was then blocked in with a 1:1 mix of German Camo Black Brown and VMC Flat Green (70.968). The individual folds were then brightened with a 1:1 mix of Flat Green and VMC Khaki (70.988), and blended back into the shadows with a touch of German Camo Black Brown. Highlights were then applied with VMC Green Sky (70.974) mixed 1:1 with the Flat Green/Khaki mix, followed by point highlights with pure Green Sky.

Hair:
The patches of fur and hair were base coated with a 2:2:1 mix of VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), VMC Deck Tan (70.986), and VMC Black (70.950). Some deeper recesses and edges were darkened with some additional German Camo Black Brown, while the individual tufts of fur were picked out with some additional Deck Tan. Highlights of pure Deck Tan were added, followed by point highlights with a 1:1 mix of Deck Tan and VMC Ivory (70.918).

Doll:
The entire doll was blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). The folds of the dress were base coated with a 1:1 mix of German Camo Black Brown and VGC Golden Yellow (72.007), followed by pure Golden Yellow to the upturned surfaces. A 1:1 mix of Golden Yellow and VGC Pale Yellow (72.097) was then applied as a highlight to brighten and desaturate the overall tone.
The body of the dolls were base coated with a 1:1 mix of German Camo Black Brown and VGC Heavy Warmgrey (72.148), followed by a second mix with more Heavy Warmgrey. This mix was then brightened with some VMC Ivory (70.918) in two stages for highlights.

Oath of the Outcast – A Hero and Monster Pack for Descent 2E

As one might guess from the name Descent: Journeys in the Dark SECOND EDITION, there was once a first edition of this dungeon crawling board game. This original version of the game had its own set of campaigns and expansions which added dozens of playable heroes and monsters to the game. With the release of Second Edition, Fantasy Flight Games chose to create additional content designed to update and redesign this preexisting content to be usable in the new game system. One of the ways in which this was accomplished was with Hero and Monster packs which were not tied to any campaign related boxes, each containing four heroes and three open monster groups (as well as two side quests which could be added to ongoing campaigns).

It is said that the Tomb of the Twelve was created to hold the royal guard of an ancient lich-king. Their remains were bound in sacred linens and sealed in urns of pure silver. A lone guardian ensures that these elite warriors do not rise again. Unjustly banished, the Guardian swore to keep this burial ground in exchange for eternal life and the right to reclaim the honor that was lost.

The first of these Hero and Monster packs was Oath of the Outcast, which contained the following characters:

Heroes:

Shiver (Mage)

Trenloe the Strong (Warrior)

Laurel of Bloodwood (Scout)

Elder Mok (Healer)

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Monsters:

Beastman (3 Minions, 1 Master)

Razorwing (3 Minions, 1 Master)

Bane Spider (2 Minions, 1 Master)

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The entire ensemble of the Oath of the Outcast Hero and Monster Collection.