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.

Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition Core Box and Wave One Lieutenants

Descent is a gaming masterpiece. The campaigns are well balanced with branching story arcs. The heroes feel unique and there is a definite sense of progression as they unlock new and more powerful abilities. There are a bevy of enemy groups for the Overlord player to choose, allowing each quest to be played in a number of ways. And the art style is perfectly balanced between realism and whimsy, fostering a lighthearted yet challenging atmosphere. Oh… and there’s mounds and mounds of plastic miniatures! (If one were barbaric enough to pile their miniatures into mounds, that is.)

Content for Descent was released in several different formats which allowed for entry level players to enjoy the game as easily as hard-core completionists. The primary method of expansion was in the form of boxed campaigns containing new quests, new monster classes that were featured in those quests, new Overlord cards, Hero characters, and Hero classes. These campaigns would also feature several Lieutenant characters which served the roles of mini-bosses and main bosses for the stories. The boxed releases would utilize cardboard tokens to represent the Lieutenants, while their miniatures could be purchased in separately released blister-packs.

Although these optional additions would keep gameplay fresh and varied for years, they all depended on the components that were initially released as part of the Second Edition Core Box, which contained the following cast of characters:

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(Click on the links to see individual posts with more pictures and details)

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Heroes:

Widow Tarha (Mage)

Leoric of the Book (Mage)

Syndrael (Warrior)

Grisban the Thirsty (Warrior)

Jain Fairwood (Scout)

Tomble Burrowell (Scout)

Ashrian (Healer)

Avric Albright (Healer)

The Heroes of the Core Box

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Lieutenants:

Baron Zachareth

Splig, King of all Goblins

Belthir

Sir Alric Farrow

Lord Merick Farrow

Lady Eliza Farrow

The Lieutenants of The Shadow Rune (and Heirs of Blood)

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Monsters:

Goblin Archers

Zombies

Cave Spiders

Flesh Moulders

Barghests

Merriods

Ettins

Elementals

Shadow Dragons

The entire batch of Core Box and Wave One miniatures. (Some slight trickery required to get them all in focus. The same picture was taken several times with different areas in focus, then composited back together. Just too many miniatures for my camera’s focal lenght!!!)

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

The first Hero and Monster pack released for Descent 2nd Edition was Oath of the Outcast, which contained four heroes, each representing one of the primary archetypes. The Mage from this set was Shiver, a character initially released in the Tomb of Ice expansion for First Edition.

“I care not the cost or pain, nor if my judgment was just; I will work out my redemption.“

Like most Descent heroes, Shiver is a tragic character, although his backstory is rather undeveloped. You see, he is amnestic, so although he committed terrible atrocities and needs to atone for his sins, the game designers really lucked out in not having to detail any of those past events because he cannot remember them! It would have been nice to have had a nemesis for him to resent, a specific act to reverse, or some definitive tragedy to relive. But, alas, we are left with a vaguely broken and nonspecifically tortured elf. Ah, well.

From a gameplay standpoint, Shiver is a bit of a conundrum. His attributes are all average, lacking the generally developed wisdom of other Mages. His Move, Stamina, and Defense stats are all average as well, while his Health is very respectable for a Mage. This might suggest that he would need to be soaking up damage, but his Hero Ability makes it less likely for monsters to be able to get into melee range in order to attack him. In addition, his Heroic Feat targets friend and foe alike, making him something of a prickly ally. He is meant to be a lost soul, so I suppose the fact that his intended party role being lost is rather fitting…

Shiver forgot his true name centuries ago. He knows he did terrible things in service to his mistress. He knows that somewhere along the line he must have learned to regret the pain he caused. Now regret is all he knows. Can he possibly be redeemed for things he can no longer remember? If so, he only has one chance, and he must make good on it now or walk in sorrow across the frozen wastes for all eternity.
It is widely believed that Shiver’s origins are connected to the Shadow Tear and the fall of the Daewyl elves. However, even he cannot confirm this. His earliest memories are punishment and penance, with nothing prior. A desperate and sorrowful soul, Shiver exemplifies humble service among friends and reckless abandon in a fight, giving his all to earn the forgiveness and peace he desires more than anything else.

Just like his underdeveloped character, Shiver’s miniature is similarly lacking in detail. His face was poorly cast, requiring some minor trimming and reshaping.
Although his ears are a minor focal point of the reference art, they are nearly nonexistent on the figure, requiring a little ApoxieSculpt to accentuate. (This was also a problem with Splig, and appears to be a running theme in the game’s early sculpts). The designs on his lantern were very poorly engraved, requiring me to smooth out the faces and just free hand the details. But worst of all, those chains! Giant, sausage-y links with no consistent size or shape, and missing the entire segment that should stretch from his collar to his left bracer. This was far too much for me to sculpt and correct, so he will forever be incompletely bound.

With that being said, I think he came out very well in the end. His skin looks almost luminescent and the little bit of object source lighting around the lantern reads pretty well. My favorite aspect is the addition of the reddish tones to the edges of his robe. This was suggested in the reference art, and was not something I would normally have thought to do. But the additional contrast is very eye-catching and really gives the impression of a spectral quality to an otherwise unimpressive miniature.

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Robe:
The entire area of cloth was blocked in with VMC Black (70.950). The individual folds were picked out with a base coat of VMC Panzer Aces Periscopes (70.309). This was blended down a bit with a 1:1 mix of Periscopes and Black. Regular highlights were accomplished sparingly with a 2:1 mix of Periscopes and VMC Andrea Blue (70.841). Brighter highlights acting as some object source lighting were added to the right leg area with a 1:1 mix of Periscopes and VMC Pale Grey Blue (70.907). The shadows were deepened with a 1:1 mix of Black and VMC Hull Red (70.985), with pure Hull Red used to outline the very edges of the tattered robes. This was then blended back into the main color with a 1:1 mix of Hull Red and Periscopes.

Sash:
The purple cloth was blocked in with a 1:1 mix of VMC Black (70.950) and VMC Royal Purple (70.810). (Of note, the Royal Purple I had was coagulated on the bottom, so the paint that was used for this mix ended up being a thin layer that floating above the rubbery mass of dried paint.) A base coat of VMC Blue Violet (70.811) was applied to the raised areas, leaving the Royal Purple mix to rest in the recessed pattern. Highlights were applied with a 1:1 mix of Blue Violet and VMC Pale Grey Blue (70.907).

Skin:
The flesh was basecoated with a 1:1:1 mix of Vallejo Nocturna Fantasy Pro Deep Forest Skin (74.009), VMC Hull Red (70.985), and VMC Pale Grey Blue (70.907). A 1:1 mix of VMC Black (70.950) and Hull Red was used for darklining in some of the deepest recesses. The individual muscle masses were picked out with additional Pale Grey Blue added to the base tone, followed by highlights with even more, and then pure Pale Grey Blue. Final point highlights were applied selectively with VMC Ivory (70.918).

Metal:
The chain was blocked in with VMC Black (70.950). The individual links were picked out with a 1:2 mix of Black and VMC Pale Grey Blue (70.907). Shade was added with a 1:1:1 mix of Black, Pale Grey Blue, and VMC Hull Red (70.985). Highlights were applied with mixes of Black and Pale Grey Blue with incrementally more Pale Grey Blue, ending with pure Pale Grey Blue.

Blue Light:
The areas of blue glow were blocked in with Schmincke Titanium White. A base coat of VMC Andrea Blue (70.841) was applied to the entire area. Leaving this base coat along the edges and shadows, the central highlights were built up with a 1:1 mix of Andrea Blue and Titanium White, followed by pure Titanium White.

Tomble Burrowell from Descent 2E

My wife and I began playing Descent 2nd Edition about six years ago, with each of us fielding two heroes apiece. The Warrior from that party was Syndrael, the first painted hero featured on this blog. Fittingly, having come to the end of the Core Box miniatures, the last hero to review is the Scout of that original party, the gnomish thief, Tomble Burrowell!

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A tinker, a tailor, a minstrel, a thief, Tomble Burrowell has wandered the roads and valleys and forests of Terrinoth for more years than most would guess, gnomes being a deceptively long-lived people. Recently, the death of his clan at the hands (or, more accurately, the talons) of a beastman war party has hardened Tomble, and beneath the quick wit and easy jokes now lies a bitter resentment and anger that pushes him to take bigger and bigger risks

Short of stature and low in health, Tomble’s survival depends on a combination of stealth and sheer determination. With a Hero Ability that augments his natural gray defense dice with the defense dice of an another adjacent hero and a Heroic Feat that allows Tomble to be entirely removed from the map for an entire Overlord turn, those eight health points can stretch surprisingly far. As might be expected, several of the Thief Class Skills augment the Search action, allowing it to be performed from three spaces away, granting a second chance if the first drawn card is undesirable, or even being performed as a “free” action with the benefit of additional defense. The remaining skills provide “tricky” options that either negate rules (such as allowing movement through enemy spaces), inflict hazardous conditions (such as Stun and Immobilize), or reward manipulating line of sight with additional damage or attacks. No matter what the situation may call for, Tomble seems to have a skill that will swing the balance of fate in his direction.

Reference art for Tomble Burrowell, the gnomish thief.

There were very few obstacles encountered in painting this miniature. Mold lines were sparse and details were relatively well molded, with the only real exception being his forearm bracers and shoulder pads. The overlapping edges and buckles of these parts had a bit of mold separation, making them not quite continuous from front to back. A little bit of trimming and scraping made them as good as they were going to get. Painting was rather straightforward as well, but I am particularly pleased with the color palette of the trench coat. Definitely a combination that will be reused for some future subjects.

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Like all of the Core Box miniatures for Descent 2E, Tomble’s character piece is small. And I mean SMALL. In fact, this is definitely the smallest miniature I have ever painted, and hopefully the smallest I ever will. However, despite the diminutive nature of the model, the details were there to find, and I think he turned out rather nicely.

And that’s it! The entire Core Box is complete, including the Lieutenant packs. While it took me far too long to accomplish this chore, it feels wonderful to finally reach such a milestone. Of course, there are still seven more expansions and all of the Heroes and Monster packs left, so there is no shortage of Second Edition material for me to tackle. Stay tuned folks!

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Boots:

The boots were base coated with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), which was left in the deepest recesses. Layers were added, first with a 1:1 mix of VGC Charred Brown (72.045) and VGC Beasty Brown (72.043), then with pure Beasty Brown, and finally with a 1:1 mix of Beasty Brown and VMC Dark Sand (70.847). Point highlights were added with additional Dark Sand.

Pants:

The entire area was blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), which was left around the borders as darklining. A base coat of VMC Hull Red (70.985) was applied, followed by layers of Hull Red mixed with progressive amounts of VMC Amarantha Red (70.910) and a bit of VMC Red (70.926). Point highlights were applied to the most prominent folds with the previous mix and the addition of VMC Deck Tan (70.986).

Overcoat:

The coat and similarly colored pouches were undercoated with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), which was left in the deepest shadows as darklining. A shadow tone of VMC Chocolate Brown (70.872) was laid down. Next, a 2:1:2 mix of Chocolate Brown, VMC Mahoganey Brown (70.846), and VMC Orange Brown (70.981) served as a base coat to define the major folds and upturned surfaces. This was lightened with increasing quantities of VMC Ochre Brown (70.856), followed by final point highlights of pure Ochre Brown.

Shirt:

The shirt was base coated with a 1:1 mix of VGC Beasty Brown (72.043) and VMC Medium Grey (70.987). This was left in the deepest recesses, while the folds were picked out with a 1:1 mix of Medium Grey and VMC Ivory (70.918). Highlights were applied with pure Ivory, and very limited point highlights with Schmincke Titanium White.

Bracers and Shoulder Pads:

These areas were under coated with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). The leather was then based in a 1:1 mix of VGC Charred Brown (72.045) and VMC Green Brown (70.879). This was lightened with the addition of an equal measure of VMC Dark Sand (70.847), followed by highlights with pure Dark Sand around the trim.

Reddish Bag:

Once again, blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). A base coat of pure VMC Mahogany Brown (70.846) was applied, followed by some layers with the addition of VMC Dark Sand (70.847). Shadow was applied to the down-turned surfaces with VMC Chocolate Brown (70.872).

Greenish Bag and Straps:

Blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). A 1:1 mix of VMC Chocolate Brown (70.872) and VMC Green Brown (70.879) was applied as a base coat, followed a layer of pure Green Brown. Highlights were a 1:1 mix of Green Brown and VMC Dark Sand (70.847), and limited point highlights of pure Dark Sand.

Leoric of the Book from Descent 2E

There are many different types of magic in Descent, such as the necromantic sorcery of Widow Tarha. Unlike his Orcish comrade, Leoric of the Book practices the more typical brand of magic cultivated through long hours of scholarly research. While this type of magic is powerful in itself (as demonstrated by Leoric’s Ability and Feat), it reaches new heights when directed through specific magic weapons called Runes, granting those who wield its power the title of “Runemaster.” There are a number of Rune weapons available in the weapon deck, each with its own attack pool and surge abilities. Attacks made with these weapons can all be modified with the use of the Runemaster class cards to grant benefits such as extra surges, additional attack actions, and even allowing attacks to affect multiple enemies. Used wisely, the Runemaster is among the most effective ranged classes in the game.

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After one too many heated arguments with the Provost, Professor Leoric of the University of Greyhaven was invited to go on an “extended sabbatical.” As an adventurer, Leoric’s constant references to his scholarly texts quickly earned him the sobriquet “of the Book.” Leoric’s sabbatical continues as the former professor applies his magical knowledge in the field and seeks out long-forgotten knowledge and wisdom.

As should be plainly evident from his character art, Leoric is not the most humble of men. His brilliance and abundant confidence in his own abilities causes him to appear haughty and aloof. His current status as a wandering adventurer is entirely the result of his inability to tolerate the views of his peers as well as those who would presume to be his “superiors.” Personality aside, sometimes it can be to everyone’s benefit to have a pretentious know-it-all in the group, so long as they are competent. Although his Heroic Feat appears rather self serving, it is an effective crowd control attack that leaves fewer monsters to attack the other heroes. Even better, his Hero Ability affects all attacks within the given radius, not just attacks targeting Leoric. There is no arguing that he is a good companion to have close by.

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“If my years of study have taught me anything, it is that I am worthy of the knowledge I possess.”

Like all Descent core heroes, Leoric is rather diminutive, packing a lot of details into a very small miniature. This is most apparent in the ill-defined texture around the shoulders and hips, some mangling of his right hand, and ambiguous facial features. But overall, things aren’t so bad. His robes are rather crisp, there’s a nice sense of motion, and his face does look rather snooty!

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Leoric of the Book, with his book.

There’s not a whole lot more to say about this miniature. Rather straight-forward and pleasing. Lots of time spent smoothing the highlights on his flowing robes, some satisfaction in the cool shade tones for the whites, and some decent gem effects. One more hero down, only two more to go. But we are due for a lieutenant to drop in next, so stay tuned.

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Robes:

There were three different mixes used for the different layers of green cloth, a dark, a medium and a light mix.

The darkest cloth was base coated with a 1:1 mix of VMC Dark Sea Blue (70.898) and VGC Scurvy Green (72.027). This was lightened for several layers with the incremental addition of VGC Foul Green (72.025), reaching a 1:2 mix of the base tone and Foul Green. Highlights were applied with the addition of Ivory to that brighter mix.

A similar process was used for the medium mix, only substituting VMC Blue Green (70.808) for the Foul Green.

Finally, the light green mix started with a 1:1:1 mix of Dark Sea Blue, Blue Green, and VGC Escorpena Green (72.032). A shade was created with the addition of more Dark Sea Blue. Highlighting was performed with the addition of more Escorpena Green, followed by the addition of some Ivory.

Gold Trim:

Blocked out with German Camo Black Brown (70.822). Base coated with VGC Scrofulous Brown (72.038). Some shade was applied with a 1:1 mix of German Camo Black Brown and Scrofulous Brown. Highlights were applied with an initial 1:1 mix of Scrofulous Brown and VMC Ivory (70.918) followed by pure Ivory.

White Cloth:

The areas of white cloth were painted with mixes of the following colors: VMC Dark Sea Blue (72.898), VMC Light Green Blue (70.972), and VMC Ivory (70.928). The darkest shade was a 1:1 mix of Dark Sea Blue and Light Green Blue, and the brightest highlights were pure Ivory.

Belts and Pouches:

Blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). Base coat of VMC Flat Earth (70.983). Lightened with VGC Plague Brown (72.039), and highlighted with pure Plague Brown. Point highlights (very limited) with Plague Brown and Ivory.

Red Stones and Book:

The areas of red were base coated with VMC Burnt Red (70.814). Some areas were darkened with the addition of VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). The base tone was lightened with layers of VMC Scarlet (70.817), building up to areas of pure Scarlet. Highlights were applied with a 1:1 mix of Scarlet and VMC Ivory (70.918), with points of pure Ivory for the reflections on the stones.

Book Pages:

Blocked with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). Based with 1:1 mix of Heavy Brown (72.153) and Ivory, then washed with VGC Sepia Ink (72.091) to shade the indented writing. The pages were cleaned up a bit with the base tone, and then highlighted with the addition of some Ivory to the previous mix.

Skin:

Base coated with VMC Beige Red (70.804). Shade in sockets and under nose with 1:1 mix Beige Red and VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). Layers were added with mixes of Beige Red and VGC Cadmium Skin (72.099). Highlights were applied with a 1:1 mix of Cadmium Skin and  Ivory.

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Ashrian from Descent 2E

In the land of Terrinoth, not all healers are alike. Although there are only four hero archetypes in Descent, each archetype has an assortment of classes which offer a good deal of gameplay variety. The Disciple class (as discussed in my Avric Albright post) is what many would consider to be a very straightforward healer. The Spiritspeaker, in contrast, acts more as a general support character, boasting skills that add defense dice, spread attack damage to other monsters, obscure heroes from ranged attacks, and even the ability to remove stamina from all heroes at the (low, low) cost of a single surge from each attack.

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One day just over a year ago, Ashrian walked out of the Whispering Forest knowing not a word of either the Common Speech or the Latari tongue. She did, however, know the uses of every herb that grows in Terrinoth, the secret ways of traveling unseen through the forest, and the language of the spirits, which can speak directly to a person’s mind if they are willing to hear. Never staying in one place for more than a few days, Ashrian has traveled the length and breadth of Terrinoth, and her command of the Common Speech, Latari, and a dozen other tongues besides is now quite strong. Ashrian refuses to speak of her home, her people, or her past, declaring that instead she wishes to think of the future, and how to make it better.

As is common in Descent, the Spiritspeaker class appears to have been crafted to reflect a specific hero (or vice versa), in this case Ashrian. Although she may bear Elvish features, Ashrian seems to be a child of nature itself rather than any civilized society. Although she only has average defense and attack stats, she can still throw a wrench in the Overlord’s plans using her impressive Speed and special focus on inflicting the Stun condition on monsters. 

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“I no more understand why I can hear the spirits speak than I understand why you cannot.“

Ashrian’s miniature is definitely the worst of the core box heroes, in my opinion. Although she is not the smallest hero in terms of total size, her features are much more petite and ill-defined than the others. There were several mold defects as well, including both ears, several cords and strings, and especially the bracer on her left arm (which boasted a pronounced crevice straight up the middle). I used Aves Apoxie Sculpt to fill in and resculpt these imperfections before painting. The tassets also proved problematic, as they were definitely sculpted with a texture that was too pronounced to ignore but too shallow to precisely articulate. Lastly, her face is completely asymmetric. The left half (from her perspective) is perfectly shaped, but the right is flattened and has a crazy hairline along the temple that looks like Eddy Munster.
On a positive note, I do love the overall pose of the figure. The way her stance is twisted, the balanced position of her feet, the defiant posture to her head and shoulders, and the dynamic swirl of her mantle all create a sense of power and motion. If only this miniature had been in a slightly higher scale with better production value!

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Ashrian, embodiment of the Spiritspeaker class.

Despite its many shortcomings, I am rather pleased with the end result. Ashrian is one of my favorite Descent characters, and now I have even more of an excuse to use her in another campaign. Check another hero off the list, and stay tuned for the next Lieutenant.

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Pants:

The pants were base coated with VMC Dark Sea Blue (70.898). This was originally going to be the shade color, but was ultimately replaced with a mix of 1:1 Dark Sea Blue and VMC Intermediate Green (70.891). The mid-tones were built up with a 1:2 mix of the same colors, followed by the addition of some VMC Flat Yellow (70.953) to this mix. Final highlights were applied with the same mix brightened with a bit of VMC Ivory (70.918).

Tabard:

A base-tone mix for the lighter green cloth was created with a 1:1 ratio of VMC English Uniform (70.921) and VMC Intermediate Green (70.891). A shade tone was made by adding a small amount of VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822) to the base mix. Lighter layers were applied with the addition of more Intermediate Green, followed by VMC Flat Yellow (70.953), and finally some VMC Deck Tan (70.986).

Jerkin:

The darker green jerkin and cuirass were base coated with VMC Camo Olive Green (70.894). A base tone was created with a 1:1 mix of VMC Uniform Green (70.922) and VMC English Uniform (70.921). This was lightened in several steps with the addition of some VMC Deck Tan (70.986), ending with highlights tone which was a 1:3 mix.

Boots:
The boots were base coated with VMC English Uniform (70.921). A shade tone of 1:1 English Uniform and VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822) was applied to the recesses. Highlights consisted of English Uniform mixed 1:1 with VMC Japanese Uniform WWII (70.923), followed by the addition of some VMC Deck Tan (70.986).

Belts and Bracers:

These areas were under coated with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), which was left around the borders to create sharp separation lines. A base coat of VMC Flat Earth (70.983) was then applied to the full surface. Some shade was applied with a 1:1 mix of Flat Earth and German Camo Black Brown. Highlights came next, with a 1:1 mix of Flat Earth and VMC Yellow Ochre (70.913). Finally, point highlights of the previous mix with a small amount of VMC Deck Tan (70.986) were applied to select areas.

Skin:

The face and arms were base coated with VMC Beige Red (70.804). A shade tone was created with the addition of VMC German Camp Black Brown (70.822). A layer of Beige Red mixed 1:1 with VGC Elf Skintone (72.004) was applied, followed by highlights of the previous mix brightened with a bit of VMC Ivory (70.918) .

Hair:

A base coat of VMC Red Leather (70.818) was applied to the entire mass of hair. Individual tresses were picked out with a 1:1 mix of Red Leather and VMC Ochre Brown (70.856), followed by pure Ochre Brown. Highlights were applied with a 1:1 mix of Ochre Brown and VMC Ivory (70.918). Shade was applied to under-turned areas with a glaze of VMC Smoke (70.939), with a final reapplication of the previous tones in areas that the glaze darkened too deeply.

Wood:

Ashrian’s wooden staff was base coated with a 1:1 mix of VMC Flat Earth (70.983) and VMC Old Wood (70.310). VMC Smoke (70.939) was used to shade the underside and cracks. Highlights were applied to the upper surface and around the cracks with VMC Light Mud (70.315), and then refined/diminished with a reapplication of the base mix.

Fur:

The fur mantle was initially blocked out with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). A base tone was mixed from a 3:1 mix of VMC Sky Grey (70.989) and VGC Sepia Ink (72.091) was applied over the entire area, leaving the German Camp Black Brown around the edges as dark lining. Two additional mixes were created, a light shade with a 2:1 mix of Sky Grey and Sepia ink, and a dark shade with the addition of a small amount of black. The dark shade was applied along the bottom of the mantle and down-turned side behind her back. The light shade was applied above the dark shade and along the tufts of fur the extended down into the dark area. The base tone was then applied similarly, so that each lighter tone extended into the raised areas of the next darker tone, creating the impression of layers of hair. This process was repeated above the base tone with VMC Deck Tan (70.986), with final highlights with a 1:1 mix of Deck Tan and VMC Ivory (70.918). The smaller fur ruffs on the boots and gloves were painted with the dark shade and Deck Tan.

Odds and Ends:

The belt buckle was painted with a mix of VMC Japanese Uniform WWII (70.923), VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), and VMC Ivory (70.918).

The yellow trim on the cuirass was painted with VMC Yellow Ochre (70.913), German Camo Black Brown and Ivory.

The cords and ties were painted with VGC Dead Flesh (72.035), shaded with the addition of German Camp Black Brown, and highlighted with the addition of Ivory.

The feathers were base coated with a 1:1 mix of VGC Falcon Turqouise (72.024) desaturated with a bit of VMC English Uniform (70.921), which was then subsequently lightened with VMC Deck Tan (70.986) for highlights.

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Jain Fairwood from Descent 2E

There is something classically romantic about Scouts. Wood-wise folk living off of the land, gathering information while remaining hidden from the eyes of enemies. Striking from afar with deadly precision, leaving cunning traps to slow and confuse their foes. Like the other archetypes in Descent, there are several different Scout classes, each focusing on one or two aspects inherent to the rangers of Fantasy. One of those classes, the Wildlander, focuses on speed bonuses (such as gaining additional movement points when spending fatigue) and buffing attacks made with Bow weapons (additional range, removing restrictions to line of sight, or granting movement before or after the shot). The hero who best personifies the traits of the Wildlander is Jain Fairwood!

Although Terrinoth has enjoyed comparative peace and prosperity since the Dragon Wars, there are still a dozen small conflicts or wars every year against foes both within and without her borders. Jain Fairwood was a soldier serving under Sir Garrick Whitmore when one of those small wars claimed the lives of Sir Garrick and every man under his command… except Jain. Trapped deep within the Crimson Forest and hunted by the Uthuk, it took Jain nearly six months to escape and return to civilization. Upon her return Jain was branded a deserter, and so she turned about and vanished into the forest again. She dwells there still, emerging from the wild lands only to discharge the duty she still feels to the common folk of Terrinoth.

Every aspect of Jain’s character meshes perfectly with her preferred class. She boasts impressive attributes for Speed, Stamina, and Awareness. Although her Health is a bit low, her Hero ability allows her to use Stamina to absorb wounds. And her Heroic Feat is among the best in the game, granting her an attack in addition to ten move points! Even her backstory screams Wildlander, having evaded the demonic Uthuk warriors for six months following the disastrous defeat of her entire company in the Crimson Forest (although, one must question what the desert-faring Uthuk were doing in a forest, and how a purple cloak would provide effective camouflage in “crimson” foliage).

Character reference art for Jain Fairwood.

In regards to her miniature, Jain is relatively well cast and straightforward. In fact, there were only three areas of grievance I had with her sculpting. The group of arrows she holds point downwards is poorly defined, the crest on her cloak is not cleanly imprinted, and the string of her bow is rather thick (a necessary evil of the molding process). Otherwise, there were very few troublesome mold lines and her billowing cloak creates a pose which is at once dynamic yet regally stationary. I did have a bit of difficulty choosing the colors for her cloak. My initial attempts ended up too much in the purple range (which is how the art appeared on my cell phone), but her character card is clearly much bluer in real life. I think I settled on a decent compromise between the two.

And that’s another hero complete! Fairly satisfied with the end results here, although I still cannot help focusing on that wonky crest. Moving on to the final Farrow, so stay tuned…

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Boots/Jerkin:

Separation between sections was accomplished with dark lining using VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). The areas were then base coated with VMC German Camo Medium Brown (70.826). Some layers were then applied with a 1:1 mix of Camo Medium Brown and VMC Gold Brown (70.877). This mix was then mixed 1:1 with VMC Buff (70.976) for highlights.

Orange Leather, Arrows, and Ribbons:

A base coat was created using a 1:2 mix of VMC German Camo Medium Brown (70.826) and VGC Parasite Brown (72.042). Shadows were created with pure German Camo Medium Brown, and deepened in some creases with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). Highlights were applied with pure Parasite Brown, followed by point highlights with a 1:1 mix of Parasite Brown and VMC Buff (70.976).

Dark Leather:

The base color for the belts and quiver was a 1:1 mix of VMC Leather Brown (70.871) and VMC Red Leather (70.818). Highlights were applied with the addition of some VMC Buff (70.976) to the base mix.

Cloak:

(Failed First Attempt – Too purple) Vallejo Fantasy Pro Nocturna (VFPN) Purple Hex (74.026) was applied to the entire cloak. Layers were applied to the upturned surfaces and folds with mixes of Purple Hex and VMC Violet (70.960), with pure Violet serving as the base tone. This was blended in progressive mixes with VMC Blue Violet (70.811), with pure Blue Violet serving as the highlight tone. Point highlights were added with the inclusion of some Schmincke Titanium White.

(Successful Second Attempt) The cloak was re-base coated with VMC Oxford Blue (70.807). Shadows were added with a 1:1 mix of VMC Black (70.950) amd the Oxford Blue. Layers were added with 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2 mixes of Oxford Blue and VMC Blue Violet (70.811). Schmincke Titanium White was added to the final mix to create highlights and point highlights.

The sleeve trim was based with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822) to create separation. The strip was then coated with VMC Ivory (70.918). Individual triangles were picked out with VMC Golden Brown (70.877).

Skin:

The skin was base coated with Vallejo Fantasy Pro (VFP) Base Flesh (74.004). A shade tone was created with the addition of VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822) for the lips and eye sockets. I then painted the eyes with a 1:2 mix of VFP Fairy Flesh (74.007) and VMC Ivory (70.918), followed by German Camo Black Brown for the pupils and eyelashes. I then cleaned up the eye area with Base Flesh, before beginning to apply layers of Base Flesh mixed with Fairy Flesh in progressive quantities. Final highlights on the skin were applied with a 1:1 mix of Fairy Flesh and VFP Highlight Skin (74.008). The lips were colored with VFP Reddish Flesh (74.003), followed by a point highlight of Reddish Flesh mixed 1:1 with Fairy Flesh.

Red Hair:

All of the hair was based with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). All but the deepest recesses was then covered with a 1:1 mix of German Camo Black Brown and VMC Mahogany Brown (70.846). Individual hairs were picked out with Mahogany Brown, then highlighted with VMC Orange Brown (70.981). Point highlights were applied with VMC Sunny Skintone (70.845), and then blended back into the Orange Brown highlights.

Bow:

The bow itself was base coated with VMC Khaki (70.988). Layers were applied with a 1:1 mix of Khaki and VGC Bone White (72.034), followed by highlights of pure Bone White.

The bow string was painted with a simple gradient of VMC Black Grey (70.862) mixed with a bit of Schmincke Titanium White.

 

Widow Tarha from Descent 2E

One of the most integral features of any fantasy setting is the existence of magic. Terrinoth (the universe comprising Descent, Runewars and Runebound) is no different. Having already dealt with members of the Warrior and Healer archetypes, the next hero in our lineup represents the Mages, specifically the Necromancer class which is personified in Widow Tarha. While some Mage classes wield powers that directly damage or apply conditions to enemies, the Necromancer achieves offensive and defensive abilities indirectly through the use of a familiar: the Reanimate. This skeletal warrior gets its own activation each round, and provides a variety of options for Widow Tarha during her activation. She can sacrifice the Reanimate to perform an attack in its space (regardless of distance or line of sight), buff its attack and defense pools, allow it to perform a second activation, and even temporarily recruit a defeated enemy. With all of these possibilities, the Necromancer is one of the most interesting classes, and my personal favorite amongst the Mages.

Young, beautiful, and full of joy, Tarha once seemed destined for a long, happy life in the traditional vein: a strong husband, many strong children, and a respected place in her tribe. What more could an orc maiden wish for? But after her husband was murdered by soldiers who couldn’t be bothered to distinguish a law-abiding orc from a savage invader, Tarha’s life turned sour. Her earlier studies in the mystic arts turned toward darkness and forbidden lores, until she might have strength enough to protect not just the orcs, but all downtrodden and oppressed peoples everywhere. Ultimately, Tarha was exiled by her tribe for her obsession, but she is now past caring. Sometimes called Tarha the Twice-Widowed, she will do anything and pay any price to achieve her goals.

Widow Tarha (like most Descent heroes) is a tragic character, having been exiled from the Orc peoples due to her obsession with dark magic. The fact that this obsession began after her husband’s untimely and unjust death makes it pretty obvious that those dark powers involved raising the undead. Her nickname “Tarha the Twice-Widowed” would suggest that she succeeded in resurrecting her lost spouse in the same manner as she does the Reanimate, only to lose him again. Or is the reanimate her husband? Oooooo… even more tragic!

At first glance, I thought Widow Tarha’s miniature was going to be problematic. There were some hideous moldlines, lots of difficult to reach areas, and some very ambiguous details involving her belts and charms. After a little cleanup and prep, things started to make a lot more sense. With a bit of patience and persistence, I ended up having very few issues with the model by the end. Although her face is tucked up underneath her headdress, it’s actually rather well molded. Her flowing scarves are dynamic, her muscles are well defined, and best of all, there was no non-metallic metal to slow me down. My only two complaints are the poorly shaped skull on her tabard (freehand would have had a much better result than trying to correct the asymmetry carved into the plastic) and the fur of the headdress. Some of these early Fantasy Flight miniatures have terrible hair/fur that is little more than a mass of lumpy blobs.

The paragon of the Necromancer class, the orc-lady Widow Tarha.

The paragon of the Necromancer class, the orc-lady Widow Tarha.

The paragon of the Necromancer class, the orc-lady Widow Tarha.

The paragon of the Necromancer class, the orc-lady Widow Tarha.

The paragon of the Necromancer class, the orc-lady Widow Tarha.

The paragon of the Necromancer class, the orc-lady Widow Tarha.

As before, I continue to have issues with my Testor’s Dullcote failing to achieve a matte finish. This is most noticeable on the tabard, and there is nothing more frustrating than being pleased with a completed paint job only to have the clear-coat be shiny. Any advice or fixes you can suggest would be greatly appreciated.

Widow Tarha’s hidden face.

“I have nothing left to lose. Yet, there is so much more power for me to gain.”

But there we have it, hero number three complete. I’m very happy with the results on this one, and look forward to sharing the next Lieutenant with you before too long. Please leave a comment or critique if you have time, and stay tuned for more.

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Purple Cloth:

For the purple cloth, I used colors from the Vallejo Fantasy Pro (VFP) Imperial Purple Set, which I highly recommend. The base coat was Violet Vamp (74.032), followed by a layer of Blueberry (74.031), and highlights with Orchid Light (74.032). These colors were all blended with intermediate mixes, and some shade was added to the deepest recesses/shadows with Imperial Purple (74.025).

Skin:

The flesh was base coated with VMC Gunship Green (70.895). Layers were added with mixes of Gunship Green and VMC Green Sky (70.974) followed by pure Green Sky. Final highlights were applied with a 1:1 mix of Green Sky and VGC Wolf Grey (72.047).

Leather Skirt and Boots:

This was base coated with VGC Heavy Goldbrown (72.151). The edges were then dark lined with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822) to separate them from the surrounding areas. Shade was applied with a mix of Heavy Goldbrown and VMC Chocolate Brown (70.872). Highlights were applied with the Heavy Goldbrown lightened with VMC Deck Tan (70.986).

Red Cloth:

The red tabard was based with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). A layer of VMC Red (70.926) mixed 1:1 with German Camo Black Brown, followed by a layer of pure Red. Highlights were applied with VMC Flat Red (70.957).

Grey Trim:

The trim on the purple flaps and the skull on the red tabard were painted with mixes of VMC Black (70.950), Schmincke Titanium White, and VGC Wolf Grey (72.047).

Fur:
The fur areas on the boots and cowl were base coated with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). The individual groups of hair were picked out with VMC German Camo Beige WWII (70.821). Highlights were applied with VMC Deck Tan (70.986). Some glazes of VGC Sepia Ink (72.091) were applied to some areas, then dialed back with the original covers, then reapplied until I got some variation and shading that I liked.

Leather Belts:

Base coated with a 1:1 mix of VMC Green Brown (70.879) and VMC Red Leather (70.818). Shaded with the addition of VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822) and highlighted with the addition of some VMC Deck Tan (70.986) to the base color.

Syndrael from Descent 2E

Every dungeon crawler has monsters, and most of those monsters fit into standard fantasy tropes. Giants, zombies, goblins, dragons… Descent has some rather unique monsters, like the Merriods and Flesh Moulders, which help to set it apart from other games. As the Overlord player, the number and variety of  monsters that can be brought into missions keeps the game from getting stale and repetitive.

Replayability is even better for the heroes! Each hero has two unique skills which set them apart from other heroes. In addition, heroes fall into one of four archetypes: warrior, scout, healer, and mage. Each archetype has a set of nine different class decks which grant specific abilities which can be purchased with experience throughout a campaign. Three of those classes are “hybrid” classes, which effectively mix attributes from two different archetypes. All told, this system allows each hero to be played in twenty-four different ways, and with 60 different heroes, that’s 1,440 variations to choose from. This allows roughly 3,600 different party combinations of four heroes from different archetypes! Painting-wise, I had to start somewhere, so I chose to begin with the Warrior I controlled during my first campaign: Syndrael (who was using the Knight class).

 

Having sworn her blade to the service of Lady Tyviel, Syndrael found herself a scant century later in the awkward position of having her patron named and exiled as a traitor to the Latari elves. Lady Tyviel had the decency to formally release her subjects from their oaths, but Syndrael still found herself with no welcome throughout the Aymhelin. Having concluded that her lady could not be a traitor, Syndrael has followed her into exile. She now travels throughout Terrinoth, upholding the ideals of the Latari as she seeks her lady and an explanation for her fate.

An exiled knight of the Latari Elves, Syndrael is all armor and honor. She has a high Health value, a respectable Might attribute, and average stats in all other regards. Her Hero Ability encourages the player to dig in and stand their ground, which synergizes well with the defense/protection theme of the Knight class. Her Heroic Feat (which is a once per encounter skill) can be a game changer when used with high-mobility heroes, especially if the encounter calls for moving an item off the map. Overall, I really enjoyed playing Syndrael, and felt that she performed well in nearly every situation.

Syndrael has a very limited color palette. Green cloth, gold armor, and that’s about it. One might think this makes for an easy paint job, but my predilection for non-metallic metal made things a bit more complicated. The miniatures from earlier Descent releases (such as the core box) really suffer from small size, an overabundance of details (which are too poorly defined due to  the size of the miniature), and poor quality casting. For this model specifically, there were three major issues I encountered. First, the figure appeared to be cast in 4-5 parts, with a major division at the waist. The torso did not sit squarely on the hips, whether due to misalignment or poor sculpting I can’t say. I had to cut through the area, sand a bit, and reattach the upper body to solve this problem.  The second problem was that several prominent details were softened or lost altogether in the mould, including her left ear, the recessed detail on her breastplate, and (worst of all) the raised filigree on her left greave (which I had to reshape with some Aves Apoxie Sculpt). The final problem with this miniature was texture. Painting metal, whether using non-metallic or true metallic techniques, is incredibly unconvincing when done over any surface which is not entirely smooth. Unfortunately, nearly every part of this figure had pock-marks, bumps, or just a pebbly texture. I believe this is a shortcoming of the type of plastic used, but I also feel that the designers simply tried to pack too much fine detail into too small of an area. All excuses aside, I’m still rather happy with the final outcome.

 

 

I have seen a lot of complaints from other painters about lack of detail in her face, specifically in regards to her eyes. Many choose to paint them closed or just shade the area, but I felt there was plenty to work with. Aside from some assymetry to the sculpt of her nose, I think she looks fairly natural for such a small figure. In fact, I think the pose of the miniature looks much less awkward than that of the reference art.

 

“You swear undying loyalty, yet you are mortal. What can you know of commitment?”

compared to the finished miniature. Not a bad resemblance!

For some reason, the heroes all have dinky little bases which are much tinier than those of even the smallest monsters. I decided to come up with a single, standardized base design for all the heroes which was distinctly different from the cobblestone design I use for the monsters. I thought marble would be simple enough and lend an air of reverence to these brave combatants. I had never done marble before, so it was a bit of a process to find a technique I liked, but I think this works well enough for the small scale.

That’s all for now, but, if all goes well, I should have another hero up and ready in a couple weeks. Stay tuned for more, and leave some feedback if you have the time.

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Gold Armor:

A base coat was created from a 2:2:1 mix of VMC Yellow Ochre (70.913), VGC Scrofulous Brown (72.038), and VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). Shade was added with VGC Heavy Brown (72.153), which was darkened further for dark lining with some VMA Armor Brown (71.041). Pure Yellow Ochre was used for highlighting, with point highlights mixed with a bit of VMC Ivory (70.918).

Dark Green Cloth:

The pants/tabard were base coated with a 1:1 mix of VGC Scurvy Green (72.027) and VGC Foul Green (72.025). Selective shading in the deepest shadows with the addition of a small amount of VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). The base layer was then brightened to a coat of pure Foul Green, followed by highlights with a 1:1 mix of Foul Green and VGC Verdigris (72.096). Very small point highlights were added with the inclusion of more Verdigris.

Light Green Cloth:

There really wasn’t much of a difference between the two on the character art, but they are definitely different. In order to make the colors similar but contrasting, the mix got… a little complex. The shade tone was a 3:3:2:1 mix of VGC Foul Green (72.025), VMC Green Sky (70.974), Vallejo Fantasy Pro (VFP) Nocturna Shadow (74.001), and VGC Night Blue (72.019). The base color then switched things up pretty drastically with a 1:1 mix of Foul Green and VMC Intermediate Green (70.891). This was lightened with Green Sky for several layers, ending with what was about a 1:1:2 mix of Foul Green, Intermediate Green, and Green Sky. Final highlights were added with an equal measure of VMC Ivory (70.918).

Leather:
Base coated with VFP Burned Flesh (74.002). Highlighted with the addition of some VFP Base Flesh (74.004). The leather padding under the chest plate (at least I assume that’s what that was supposed to be) was base coated with a 1:1 mix of Burned Flesh and VGC Scrofulous Brown. This was highlighted with the addition of some VMC Ivory (70.918).

Skin:

A base coat of VFP Fairy Flesh (74.007) was applied to the entire face and neck. Shadows were placed under the chin, lower lip, and in the eye sockets with a 3:1 mix of VFP Medium Flesh (74.005) and VMC Dark Sea Blue (70.898). Pure Medium Flesh was used for the insides of the ears. Highlights were placed with a 1:1 mix of Fairy Flesh and VMC Ivory (70.918). The eyes were blocked in with a 1:1 mix of Fairy Flesh and VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), which was also used to shade between the lips.. This was left as an outline while the sclera were placed with pure Ivory. The iris was then dotted in with pure German Camo Black Brown. The lower lip was added with a 1:1 mix of VFP Reddish Flesh (74.003) and Medium Flesh.

Hair:

Base coated with VMC Green Brown (70.879). This was followed by a layer of 1:1 mix of Green Brown and VGCPale Yellow (72.097), then pure Pale Yellow, before final highlights with a 1:1 mix of Pale Yellow and VMC Ivory (70.918).

Base:

The base was given an initial coat of VMC Neutral Grey (70.992). Several layers of thin VMC Deck Tan (70.986) were applied in slightly curving lines to create a flowing design of mottled color. Thin lines were then applied with a darker tone (Neutral Grey either lightened with Deck Tan or darkened with VMC Black Grey (70.862) depending on the surroundings). Lighter areas and lines were also added with either pure Deck Tan or a mix of Deck Tan and VMC Ivory (70.918).