Maledoric, Victorious!

+Mike Davison is kind enough to host the FLAILSNAILS Jousting Tourneys every few months on G+  Set in his realm of Normandie, the tournament draws knights and ladies and entities-shaped-as-knights to the lists to hurtle toward each other at speed and smack each other with pointy sticks.  They come from long-standing existing campaigns, and characters that know each other and adventure together often - to some knights and ladies who exist solely for the tourney.

An interesting thing has happened with Maledoric - who was made whole cloth via Mike's character generation rules.  I found immediately that he took the rough shape of Elric with a powdered wig, and my vision of him is sort of an anti-chivalric necromancer/holy man.  I conceived of him in a DCC mode, and thought it might be cool to use a cleric for the tourney rather than a fighter.  He got a train, a squire, and decent armor, suggesting to me a knight of some station.  And he came hot on the heels of a post about Atari 2600 Adventure -  and I imagined up the kingdom of Alfgrim, based on some perverted version of Adventure if it had gone afoul and lost its way (a la some Alice re-imaginings).

Tiberthe loses his cool when a mysterious visitor arrives at Palanche's lower gate

 Maledoric is not just a philosopher/cleric of an evil and almost forgotten dark god, he's also a worldly agent of the Yellow King - in DCC I imagined that Maledoric does the dirty work of the dark side of the King of Elfland, who shows up in Alfgrim as a tattered reflection of Oberon or something, obsessed with finding and recovering the Golden Goblet, sending out dragons and kleptobats to do his dirty work.  Or maybe it's the other way around, maybe he's working against them.  I don't know.  It's not clear but in my head cannon, it's okay if its ambiguous (I think it may be better).

Anyway, Maledoric won the tourney!  I chose A1 (AD&D) and B2 (Moldvay) as my prize, and look forward to hunkering down with those again, lost to me all these long, long years.

So, you can read who was in Maledoric's current train in the arrival for the Fall Tourney post, and I got to thinking it might be fun since I am on a little bit of a blocked period to describe the entities that came up in that post, and Gurailtz, and the deep gnome cook, and the Snake Men of Golaire.  Maybe describe Palanche, Maledoric's grim and picturesque cantilevered keep-office that stands guard over a deep and foul place wherein all manner of wretched things skulk; maybe it's Maledoric's hobby to investigate the catacombs below when he's not spying in tourneys or doing missions for the Yellow King.

A fearsome non-horse heavy mount.  Gurailtz?  Close enough?

We'll see.  Powder My Wig, but maybe this is the feeling of creativity coming back to me.  The insomnia makes me want to paint little plastic warriors I can't afford but this enterprise is free and makes me sleepy (obversely).

To bed - to drive on the morrow, and visit with family.  If I am away it's for the same reason most Americans are. Also, as an aside/footnote/postscript - Gutenberg is an easy way to go down the rabbit hole on interesting images.

Digital to Print-on-Demand is working

It's like this.  HHSOLO1 passed the officially, mathematically profitable mark already, while I wasn't even paying attention.  So, uh, WOOT, I guess.  Well, better to say that it's no longer a loss in terms of overhead, unless you factor in work time.  Note: I don't think this is a good measure of success - the way I heard these high school kids took off with my working copy, and some good reports I've gotten from FB and G+ community - that's success.  Funnily, I see now why I probably could never ever ever do publishing for a living, but it's a fun and interesting hobby and once you get some steam going, I mean, hey.  Could be worse.  My wife said something like: "I know you're not in it for the money...  But if you could be in it for the money a little, that would be great."

Where is the POD, the guys all say?  Lulu?  The way I set that thing up, it was easy to make some changes to text and content, and have the InDesign spit out a new digital thing pretty easily when changes were made.  This is in 8.5 x 11, nostalgia-nerd boner for TSR's treatment circa BSOLO (what I was aiming at/for)

It's tedious to suck all that text out and convert it to 6x9 print.  Conversely, it makes it easier to place interior art (except the Russ Nicholson piece), and it happens to break the cover into smithereens.  NOW, it feels like maybe what you get when you picked up a copy of SORCERY!, if you get my drift.

Dreary cut 'n' pasting, but the upshot is, maybe you could get an actual DCC solo gamebook in your actual hand by Christmas-time or whatever your Yule-like equivalent is, but I think it'd be white-knuckle layout for yours truly.  Gotta figure out how to work the Table of Contents, also...

Work so dreary, it could make one Irascible but OOO a tasty gemstone!

Almost done but so much professional stuff to attend to by January's end, I can't even tell you (also, probably a law suit over this borrowed dwarfsney)

How to Host a Dungeon

I think i may have posted this a while back, with my iphone - not exactly clear.

Maybe I scanned it from work, but I found it again and it got my dungeoneering (Space Dungeoning?) thoughts going, again.

Dear Reader, if you give a shit, I been worried about many non-gaming things, and anyways, sorry if I've been away from our mutual little space fantasies.

This is from the free version of HTHAD, which you can get here but if you can generate all these thoughtbombs with a free thing, shucks, you may as well spend the coins.

It was started by Dark Elfs, obviously, and then the monsters ran amuck and the gold ran out, and the Great Cities that Groan to the Skies Below become mostly empty, with bands and gangs of Dark Elf raiders the only occupants, long lived and bored and sulky as the Great Wyrm Foronax dug his way into the Corruption Pits.  They have degenerate duergar and beastmen to dig the mines out, always searching for the blue-green crystals that pepper the Aereth, here.  They hoard them, but don't know why except greed and obstinacy.  Any adventurers they come across are obviously flayed and put to death in the Sacrifice Pits.

Maybe I can include this in the setting for Halthrag Keep's little Kingdom of Thrend

Cheap Hobby Buys

At Michael's:

Wilton fondant thing - maybe you could use it on fimo or air-drying clay or green stuff

I've seen this used on Space Wolf bases a couple of times - fine sand/ground glass?  Plus some clear acrylic = snow!

I don't have any snowy interests but you might.

Insomnia for the Emperor

 The good thing about dicking around with these models all night is that I'm almost done with the Cadian infantry and the Inquisitorial retinue

Except things got a little bit surreal at 4:30 am - not sure if the modeling/painting thing is now a symptom or a cause, although I did sleep about 10 hours the day before

Anyway, I got in some weird nerd-loop where I was counting figs into squads, except my calculations started to not make sense. I think I bagged them into squads correctly. Should have taken a picture; I think I was sorting over and over about 4000 worth of Marines and IG

I feel literally frightened of the slog that painting the Catachans will become - not the least of which because these plastic figures are ugly and the seams are hideous and (although I have no stitch of perfectionism in me) I'm offended how they will look. Weird. At least i felt that way at 1:45

I tore all the arms off the Flagellant/Veterans in disgust. No big deal they need some flamers and plasma anyway

I dunno

I won't be good for much today, I think.  This is a problem.  I can state unequivocally that either I am addicted to hobby painting or some serious state of anxiety is pressing me to escape from reality in an unhealthy fashion.

Gotta get to work.  Pics later I guess.

P.s.  I am no longer able to see clearly enough for the results I'm looking for.

Drybrushing, Lack of Faith, and the Angels of Gloom

It feels like when I paint this IG army - pretty standard Tamiya German Gray base coat, plus metal helms and flak armor - it feels like it never fucking ends.  I am eager to play with the orders and Battle Brother etc. in 7th edition, but Jaysus, if I finish this army to table ready level, ever, I will be amazed (just like 6 more days til a premier of some kind, I guess).  Also, gotta get these Inquisitorial retinue cranked out (crusaders and warriors are nearly ready - the fancy ones may need to wait)

If I went bonkers on it, I could set the veterans up as these IG-kitbashed-with-Imperial-Flagellants as some Veterans, and it'd be cool as fuck, but it means the delicate swapping out of a lot of weapons.

I think at the rate I am going I will have Celestine ready by January or so.

Back to my metaphor (and I think Adam pointed this out on last weeks Beer and Bolters 40K) that like painting swarms of troops is a slog and he'd rather spend the points on models that are easy or fun to paint (I think he said something like this).  These huge squads are terrific time wasters - it's now 1:30 and I need to take the dog out.

Sisters are worse.  I've been putting them off for literally 5 years or so, and they've been primed and waiting forever.  Celestine, too.  The models are all detailed, and it's kind of like an Act of Faith just getting them ready for a game!

One problem is that I learn and forget, learn and forget, learn and forget.  I don't stick with the hobby long enough to get good or learn to paint well.  I mean, I enjoy it, and I'm nuts at the idea of fun conversions (and making terrain out of junk, for some reason perks up my ears)

Anyway, more tomorrow.  Maybe some picture

For my Sisters, here's what I rolled up from the 1d4chan Sisters of Battle Creation Chart:

Minor Order

Descended from the Order of the Bloody Rose

A Standing Force (to guard a way-shrine?  And take confessions?)

Pride in the Colours (won't submit to other authorities)

Suffer Not the Works of Heretics! (A keen and watchful eye on the locals, and monitor all trade and warp traffic closely, and quietly.  If I went with some kind of Librarian sisterhood, it would mesh well with my Dark Angels Succesor Chapter, who I've now named The Stormcrows)

Primary Saint : A Seraphim Commander - kinda goes with the Celestine presence on the list, and maybe I can convert something fun up, on this.  I note with some interest that there is a single Sister head on the Immolator sprue, and I'm sure I could cook something up with the bodies of the grey knights, and I have the BA Assault Squad sort of sitting there in the bag...

Deeds of Legend : The Seraphim Saint attacked an Eldar Craftworld.  Maybe these can be bitter enemies of a Dark Eldar cabal, or something.  That's pretty neat.  I don't know anything about the DA whatsoever.  Guarding a Shrine to the Saint, which sits upon a long-buried DA warp-gate that could be opened if the local populous gets too frisky, and reads too many heathen texts

Homeworld : Medieval, Industrial (Vandross Betelgeuse VII, makers of Lasguns and Shoelaces, not quite a Hive World, but not very well maintained and plagued by pollution and mutations)

No involvement in local politics, except the occasional assassination of too-curious tourists or meddlers in the Black Arts (they are leery of Exterminatus, and work closely with Inquisitor Van Helthrack but none other, since he already knows of the Warp Gate below the planet's surface, and his lineage is charged with searching out the other side of it). They may occasionally work to destroy and torture Dark Eldar raiding parties and keep these battles from the knowledge of the general populace.

Slight Variation in the standard order, in that the Battle Sisters are relatively few in number; the mass of the convent is archivists, researchers, librarians, torturers, and geneticists.

Well versed in close and ranged combat, orbital insertion (for the occasional Hulk that wanders through the nearby space, and to raid DA raiders pre-emptively), and terror of the local populace.

Bestial Companion:  Given the whole thing so far, I'm going to go with Bats.  Bat Servitors, Bat-winged Jump Packs on the Seraphim Superiors, Maybe I will modify the scheme of the sisters I've already painted (I don't know if this will fly, but we'll see).  Mobs of Doombats...  Hmm.  This could be fun.

Method of Worship:  Purity of (Wo)Man - "Protect the Hallowed human form from rusted iron".  No bionics, if possible (should be easy).  The penitent engine could be a big batty death machine.  The Woe Grinder or something

Size: Nominal - taking choice recruits from the potential Vestal candidates in the cities, wastes, and sumps

Friendly with: Imperial Guard, from a nearby world (from the local world, Vandross Betelgeuse VII)

Enemies: I already picked Dark Eldar, so no need to roll here

Name

Ehh

eh

The Most Holy Order of the Angels of Gloom: imagine if you will a thousand Batgirls with plasma and boltcannons, and then maybe I can convert some interesting figures, in addition to the ones I have already (only 2 squads and Celestine, as well as a Seraphim Squad and maybe some on the way)

Stop the Presses! A Shadow Over My Heart!

My close associate and sometime co-conspirator +Wayne Snider turned me on to the wealth of weird models of Inq28

that is all

It's like a cross between Necromunda and Inquisitor and you don't need to make those models like gigantic and gangly and there's a jillion bits in the world to make things aright

Hmmmmm

Also, this thing to make Orders of Sisters

Yarrick Approaches

He's here. The foam in there is experiencing catastrophic failure, so that's cool.  Blister pack says 1997.

  I think that right about then I had given up on my SM and focused on a pretty fun Scavvies band in Necromunda, alternating out in our little group with an Orlock every so often (bolstered by some IG Catachans sergeants as the Gang Leader and Heavy)

Maybe if I hurry I can prime all this IG stuff but I don't know if it'll all be table ready in 8 days. Dammit.

I was outbid on the repentia and the seraphim. Thank God.

See below some WIP for my IG and Inquisotorial retinue.

painting up stuff and acquired Yarrick

I love the story of Yarrick

Always have

Old man - past his prime. Mean as a snake. Arm cut off. Bale eye.  That stuff.  I got the old-style crab claw type instead of the new style power claw type.  He's been nerfed pretty badly but I like him nonetheless.

"All humies is scum and deserves ta be stomped. Except Yarrick - Yarrick knows how ta fight."

I figure soon I can field 50 man blob squad complete with a variety of heavy and special weapons, and if I can find an aegis wall then Skyfire to keep off certain flying MC. I'm actually planning an army to meet one specific threat and so The Apocrypha of Macharius dictates I must lose over and over.

I'm becoming lost and diffuse - ought to get a plan together. Even bidded on some repentia sisters against all good judgement. The whole Battle Brothers thing and the mixing of troops and IC really makes one think.

Probably ought to invest in some armor for that army but it's neither here nor there.  Dammit.

Yarrick arrives Monday - later today I will post my "children's toy to scratch-built shield generator" project

Update: Outbid on some Sisters Seraphim (thank goodness) but still high bidder on some repentia

I need to quit eBay

IG - Forward to Death!

I'm going to invest in the AM Codex, I suppose. And like I said I want some Ogryn to complement my Ratlings

Anyway, up to 12:15 or so mucking around, and I find I'm quite happy with the character side of my IG. I think this Commisar is the best fig I've ever painted. In terms of the rest of the Cadians it's a slapdash affair - I primed some of them pretty badly but if you mix em up you can't tell too much

I'm still too leery to finish my WW2 bomber-to-IG air support conversion. Really it's just a matter of adding some greebles and painting it up - part of the issue is that I'm not clear on the color scheme nor the mounting of the rear-gunner weapon. And I need to jimmy up  a flight stand for it, of course.  More on that later.  My nose art is going to be a sororitas - "Sister Superior" - transfer but it's going to take some fidgeting

This weekend is basing and sorting out the color scheme for the Catachans - probably dark gray and red to keep it in line with my other figs

Lastly I'll do the old Penal Legions I rigged up from the flagellants

First priority is to sort out a way to do wide swaths of flesh since I'm going to count the Catachans as veterans (they're 3rd edition plastics mostly)

On Farbiness

darn it, I'm a farb

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farb_(reenactment)

Or like the 40K equivalent of the Farb.  yeah, I mean like I been doing this at the kitchen table for like 20 years and dropping my allowance when I can and splurging when I get my student loan checks...

It turns out that about 64% of my student loan debt is invested in Dark Angels and IG and the rest is ramen

But I never really got into the rules of any of the editions too much. The 7th edition rules are pretty comprehensive but they also feel fast and loose and they pause a lot to "Forge the Narrative" which I think is cool. I don't really play 40K for the winning or losing (easy to say - I lose a lot unless I have excellent team mates) but for stupid moments like when my tank is eaten by a demon or when e.g. I face down like 100 elder shuriken with my Termies and don't miss a save.  That kind of stuff. It helps if I can drink beer early on Sunday. 

Speaking of which, once I get this thing puttied, primed and painted then I will find me a flying base and propose some special rulings so that I can take this flying demon down.  I feel like I painted a lot just now for like 2 hours but I didn't really get much done.

Farbing.  I guess.  I don't know - I have some nice models in there - some Necromunda stuff, some nice conversions.  Except for not knowing the rules I don't really have anything to be self-conscious about.

Halthrag Keep Bestiary Freebie

Essentially, all the huggermuggers what run around my personal project and hug and mug 0-levels that wander around in there.

Yours for the taking - pretty sure this will be the version that makes it into the hard-copy POD version that ought to be out on RPGNow and Lulu by the end of the month.

GET THE PDF HERE SUBCREATURE

Hmm.  Lulu.  I don't have an electronic version on Lulu, yet.

Hmm.

Anyways, enjoy!