Runequest - Dragonewts.

Dragonewts claim to be the eldest creatures, descendants of neotenic dragons from before the Dawn of Time. Even elven Green Age tales mention dragonewts. Dragonewts are peculiar creatures who continually reincarnate and metamorphose, ever-striving to achieve dragonhood. They are an enigmatic race, misunderstood and mistrusted.
Individual dragonewts trace descent from whatever dragon or dragons laid the initial clutch of eggs which resulted in their existence. Dragonewts of the same clutch call each other "egg-brother". They organize themselves into variously-sized settlement-nests.
Normal dragonewts are intended to be a race of mystery, alien and irrational to human understanding. Their language (Auld Wyrmish) includes visual, auditory, olfactory, and empathic components. But they are unconscious of their own language and cannot teach it, and because humans are not naturally empathic they can never gain more than a basic understanding of the language. Dragonewts have no written language, and have little need of one, as they are immortal, ever-reincarnating, and learn needed facts directly from other dragonewts.
Regular contact of normal dragonewts with outsiders is usually assigned to one individual in a group, who tries to act according to human expectations. It learns human languages, and learns to write or otherwise communicate ideas to humans. Sometimes it will own or be an interpreter dragonewt who has been surgically altered so that it can stumblingly speak human words. Altered interpreters may have guards, servants, and so on. Such dragonewts not infrequently become outlaws. When an outlaw dragonewt -- one who has ceased to believe in the dragon way -- dies, it is not reincarnated and never reappears. No one knows where its soul goes.
Some places in Glorantha have large colonies of deviant dragonewts, and they differ from the norm given here. But all of those variants have the same heritage.

Dragonewts go through the following stages in their life cycle.
Scout Dragonewt: The scout (or crested) dragonewt is small, short-tailed, and has an arched crest upon the head. A vegetarian, it prefers leaves and fruit. Its betters will train it as a slinger to bring down birds and rabbits, and teach it the art of scouting and skirmishing, and to serve as a slave.
Warrior Dragonewt: The warrior (or beaked) dragonewt is larger than the scout stage, and is carnivorous. The tail now reaches to the ground, and at first the skin is covered both with scales and with small protrusions. They are most often found as hunters or guards of dragonewt nests.
Most warrior dragonewts ride upon creatures called demi-birds. Demi-birds are feathered, beaked, and lay eggs, but their bones are solid and they have vestigial arms, not wings. The demi-bird is fearless and carnivorous, adding to the fierceness of the dragonewt warrior.
Noble Dragonewt: Second-stage armor and natural weapons are, in the third stage, nearly replaced by frills, spines, wattles, pouches, and other decorative and communicative devices. Skin colors become more vivid, and the number and variety of scent glands increase. This stage is omnivorous.
A noble dragonewt will lead and represent; the stage is expert at living peacefully with the outside world. In some regions this stage is known s the 'tailed priest'.
Ruler Dragonewt: These rare dragonewts are almost never found outside their own nests. One is usually found in each small nest, and several in a town cluster. Their community functions, diet, and powers are unknown. The appearance of a ruler dragonewt (sometimes known as a 'full priest') resembles that of a noble, but they have wings.
Presumably, a ruler dragonewt meditates upon the secrets of dragonhood in preparation for the final metamorphosis. Such a dragonewt will, one day, awake to find itself a full dragon. It will then depart from its nest, to go to wherever dragons go.
Dragonet (Inhuman King, Fifth Stage): When a Ruler Dragonewt progresses fully, it will be reborn as a True Dragon and will be taken out of the Dragonewt Cycle. Sometimes, a Ruler will be reborn as a Dragonet, or neo-Dragon. This form is intermediate between Dragonewt and True Dragon.
There is only one Dragonet in a traditional Dragonewt society. While the Dragonet is alive, Dragonewts will be reborn as normal. However, if the Dragonet dies then there will be no rebirth until a new one is created. In this case, a Ruler which has progressed far enough to become a Dragon but has not chosen to will ceremonially kill itself and be reborn as a Dragonet, thus allowing the cycle to be restored. Although there is only one Dragonet in any society, there may be more than one alive throughout Glorantha. The Dragonewts of Dragon Pass have a Dragonet at Dragons Eye, but the Dragonewts of Kralorela have their own Dragonet. The Dragonewts of Ralios do not have a Dragonet, but if one were to be manifested, they could rejoin the Cycle.
Nobody knows the powers or abilities of a Dragonet. It is rumoured that one has all the powers of a True Dragon, able to think others to death and to shape the land with but a thought.

These are from the Citadel Runequest Boxed Set 5. A fairly quick paintjob but was pleased with the way the demi-birds turned out. The pic above shows (on the back row) a Full Priest Dragonewt (Ruler), a Beaked (Warrior) on a demi-bird, a Crested (Scout) riding a demi-bird, (front row) a Beaked (Warrior) with 'Klanth', a Newtling with sling, a Crested (Scout) with a javelin and finally a Tailed Priest (Noble). I have a few more of these yet to be painted.

Citadel Dragonewt Boxed Set.

Armorcast/Lance & Laser also do a small Runequest/Heroquest range that includes a few Dragonewt miniatures such as Fighters, Scouts and demi-bird riders.

Dragonewt Champion from Lance & Laser.

Dragonewt Demi-Bird Rider from Lance & Laser.

I would imagine you could use the various available 'Lizardmen' as Dragonewts, such as the wonderful Otherworld Miniatures Lizardmen Warriors.

Lizardmen from Otherwold Miniatures.

For more info on Dragonewts have a look at:

The Dragon Pantheon.

The History of Dragonewts by Simon Phipp.

Lankhmar - The Boat & Crew.

The Boat.

Name: Sulaco.

The vessel is around 22'  long and 10' at its widest. It is flat bottomed and wide bellied to accommodate cargo.  The hull is skin over a wickerwork structure with a boarded base for walking on.  It is designed for sailing put can be punted or paddled in low waters. It is sea going but is more suited to coastal waters rather than deep ocean.  The boat is fairly fast unladen and can run close to the wind needing only two crew to sail.  Although square in shape the sails are sprit-rigged on two masts which can be lowered for travelling through tunnels.  A skin tarpaulin is spread over the stern for cargo protection. 

Used as a smuggling vessel, she makes short sea voyages on the Inland Sea to the Flotilla and back traversing the great salt marshes that skirt Lankhmar.  There is a wooded firebox that holds a char fire fuelled from Sparker fungi (this is a great big mushroom found near the coast.)  This is just enough for cooking and provides a low light in the caverns beneath the city. There are also two small coracles on board.

The crew includes the owner’s third son (trying to prove himself) and his uncle ,an old hand.  8 crew optimal (at sea this allows for rest periods while in the sometimes tight channels of the marsh 6 paddle, 1 steers and 1 guides) but can be managed by two in reasonable conditions.

The Crew.
 

Gideon (Andrew) - ex-captain

Captain Zambiq - Captain - Gideon's nephew

Princess (aka Stinker, Stishker) - dog

Jaktar (Mark) - henchman - ex 1st mate

Defoe (Paul) - Indentured servant - priest

Blab (Robert) - crew - storyteller

Jerimiah - crew - seadog

Hettion 'Muddy' Také - crew - mudhopper

Tobias Lord - crew - foundling

Required skills groups:

• Trading and marketing
• Contacts
• Knowledge of the marshes
• Knowledge of the Lankhmar and Inner sea mainland coast
• Some sea navigation
• River / inland waterway navigation
• Sailing (the theory and practice of using sails to catch the wind) can specialise in sail types
• Ship's crew (how a ship runs, the equipment and its work and maintenance usually for larger ships where there is a sharp distinction between officer and crew)

Useful skills:

• Self protection (combat skills of an appropriate nature)
• Swimming (not required)
• Marsh / fenland natural science (animals and plants legends and lore)
• Sea /ocean natural science (seas inhabitants legend and lore)
• Guild associations (smugglers, traders, transporters etc)
• Wound treatment and simple medical knowledge
• Sail or other tools maintenance
• Carpentry and device crafting (changes, repairs to vessel)
• Leather worker

Runequest - Baboons.

The Baboons are a species of intelligent monkeys that thrive in Prax. They consider the Monkey Ruins to be the capital of their mythical empire. They worship Grandfather Baboon, the Great Spirit of the Baboons.

The Baboon family, a fully sentient race, use primitive tools and worship gods and spirits of the wilderness. They can be encountered anywhere ordinary baboons are found, but favour wastelands and chaparral. They frequently travel in troops of 15-20 and are lead by an Alpha Male, who mates with the fertile females, although group size can be up to several hundred. They are sexually dimorphic, with males being much larger and having brightly colored rears, genitals, and faces.

Baboon horde ready to attack!

They worship their ancestors and make powerful shamans. They have a great fondness for horse flesh. They have large canines, and a powerful bite. Because they are unable to move well on less than three limbs, they tend only use one-handed weapons but some are able to utilise short spears with some practice. Their shoulders are not as flexible as a humans, and they can only use thrusting weapons, slings, and thrown weapons effectively. Typically, they carry slings and javelins or short spears. They are also quite capable of throwing rocks and other found items, and they frequently attack with spells.

Baboon war party in the move.

Figures above are a mix of the original Citadel Runequest range (Boxed Set 2: Adventurers and Boxed Set 4: Beast Men) and the splendid Baboon Horde from Black Cat Bases. So far only two of the original Citadel ones painted.

Armorcast also do a small range of Baboons in the Lance & Laser 'HeroQuest' range, including a Baboon Shaman and a group of warrior types. You can get these (and the rest of the 'HeroQuest' range) in the UK at from Wayland Games.  At one point Ral Partha made a Baboon miniature but I would imagine you would have a hard time hunting one down now.

Lance & Laser Baboon Shaman.

Ral Partha Baboon.

For some great pictures of painted Baboons check out Simon's blog at The Big Red Bat Cave, Rudi at Runequest Fun or Roderick's Light of Action.

Rh'zzak contemplates the irony of life...

Lankhmar - Campaign Background.

Background
 

The Crew are smugglers and are members of the Flotilla (a polite way of saying the Guild of Smugglers).  There are other smuggling guilds, the Travel Agents deal in people including slaves, the Import Guild deals with smuggling through the sea ports and the Gate-Keepers with traverse of the walls.  The guilds are more like legalised gangs than real guilds and are in constant competition with each other.  There are lines of demarcation though the whole object of smuggling is to get past such obstructions.  The Marshmen as their name implies operate through the Marshes east of the city and hold sway (much to the Gate-keepers annoyance) over the Marsh Gate.  They have other ways into the city and our crew uses one of these.

 
The Eel Holes are well known in the North Harbour what is less well known is that it is the end of what remains of the Fin Creek, one of the original river courses around which the town of Lankhmar was built. Unlike most of the under-city waterways which have become drains it has remained pure.  The creek is in fact one of several streams that run down to the Eel Holes all of which are freshwater.  Many of the best wells drop directly into one or other of these streams.  Also unlike the other streams Fin Creek runs not from the south dry-lands but directly along the course of Temple Street and links with the Silver Water (under Noble Street) which comes down the Street of Gods. Fin Creek emerges under the city wall in a small delta of passages.  Amongst those in the know this is called the Marsh Dock and is linked to the surface world through various hidden stairwells and cellars each with their little jetty. The famed Silver Well on Clear water Court off the east of Noble Street takes its water straight from the Silver Water though no-one in the city including its owner know this.

 
The items smuggled are often not illegal though some are.  They tend to be expensive items avoiding tax or rare items at cut price (often forgeries or cut product but not always). The crews regular customers include Demitrin Xenobe a provider of rare spices who cuts his legitimate product with cheaper tax free product.  Some of his lines due to their popularity are very highly taxed so he legally imports enough to keep the guilds happy and has the rest smuggled.  Tabatha Tyke buys for a select guild of magic-users and has a shop on temple street supplying various incenses and hard to find sacrificial items to the local priesthoods.  They do a great trade in rare and exotic birds and animal both as extracts and living, through her hands. Jape Rinburh works the various bazaars supplying product to brothels and other incense and perfume users.

(This is the first post for Rob A's new fantasy RPG campaign - I hope to bring summaries of our sessions and adventures over time) 

Traveller - Vespulid Swarm.

Vespulid Swarm.

These predatory sentients live in teeming hives dominated by a hierarchy of queens, from the lowest commanders, the sub-queens, to the greatest Vespulid of the swarm, the Queen of Queens.

They are a space faring race and infest planets by means of their nest-ships. Often their most terrific battles are between rival hives. Vespulids are the only known natural predators of Space Demons.

The small arm of the Soldiers, the ion shotgun, is a deadly weapon and its ionized particle blast can even disable heavy armoured vehicles, but has an extremely short effective range.

In order to close the range quickly the Soldiers hurtle toward the enemy wearing rocketpacks, dodging defensive fire then swarming the foe.

If it comes to close combat, the Vespulids are prepared, having vicious mandibles and a highly toxic poison stinger with enough venom to kill a human in moments.

Text from Dropship Horizon. Miniatures are from Khurasan Miniatures and are painted by Rob Affection. Check out the Khurasan Miniatures blog here.

Runequest - Scorpion Men.

Been digging out a few Runequest and generic fantasy type miniatures in the last few weeks (in between trying to finish a stack of Vikings and Saxons, see Gjallarhorn and various WW2 folk, see A Project Too Far) so I thought I would post an update on some of the figures I have been looking at.

Scorpion men are a chaos breed native to Glorantha and left over from the Great Darkness. They are often found in desert areas and sometimes small mountain villages. Their rigid society is based on servitude to Queens, who breed for the race. Scorpion men are known to make their living by trading or hiring out their services as mercenaries to employers willing to look past their chaotic nature.

Kudurru 'Boundary' Stone.

In mythology, Scorpion men are featured in several Akkadian language myths, including the Enûma Elish and the Babylonian version of the Epic of Gilgamesh. They were also known as aqrabuamelu or girtablilu. They were first created by the Tiamat in order to wage war against the younger gods for the betrayal of her mate Apsu. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, they stand guard outside the gates of the sun god Shamash at the mountains of Mashu. These give entrance to Kurnugi, the land of darkness. The scorpion men open the doors for Shamash as he travels out each day, and close the doors after him when he returns to the underworld at night. They also warn travellers of the danger that lies beyond their post. Their heads touch the sky, their "terror is awesome" and their "glance is death". This meeting of Gilgameš, on his way to Ūta-napišti, with the Scorpion-folk guarding the entrance to the tunnel is described in Iškār Gilgāmeš, tablet IX, lines 47-81.

Citadel Runequest Scorpion Men.

These are two of my favourite figures, a couple of nasty looking scorpion men. These are from the old Citadel Runequest range and have an unsettling look to them. I have raised ones legs, as if scuttling along or rearing up to attack, whilst the other is close to the ground. Unfortunately both had broken tails but it was nothing a little green stuff and superglue couldn't sort out. I have shaded them in slightly different colours to individualise them a little and a friend has suggested I remove one of their clubs and replace it with a spear to further enhance their characters. Once I have become brave enough to modify one of them I will finish the paintwork. I have not decided on a base yet but will probably opt for the larger of the two in the picture. I have searched around for more to join these two but they are rare. Other miniatures companies that look to produce versions of scorpion men include slightly more humanoid ones from Fenryll Miniatures, a really striking one from Reaper Miniatures, more monstrous ones from Iron Wind Metals and Rapier Miniatures also do a small range with a nice Scorpion Queen. There also appeared to be a scopion man mini from Ral Partha but I am sure these are lost in the annals of time. ShadowForge also do a nice selection of fantasy 'Egyptian' style scorpion-women warriors in their 'Light Temple' range.

Fenryll.

Reaper Miniatures.

Iron Wind Metals.

Rapier Miniatures Scorpion Queen.

Rapier Miniatures Warrior.

Ral Partha.

ShadowForge.

For some interesting notes on the Gloranthan cult of Bagog and the scorpion-folk have a look at the Lhankor Mhy Research Library.

Scorpion men also feature as powerful myth units for the Egyptians in the game Age of Mythology. Dungeons & Dragons features centauric scorpion-men called Stingers, normally found in desert locales and devoted to gods of the waste, often those reflecting the Pharaonic or Babylonian pantheons. In Warlords Battlecry III, scorpion-people are the primary servants of Melkor, the Lord of Famine. In The Mummy Returns, the Scorpion King is shown as a scorpion-man, perhaps the less said about that the better though...

Ars Magica - The Black Monks of Glastonbury.

Not a lot done lately but finally made a start on the Redoubt monks. Whilst browsing various figure manufacturers to add to the lead mountain I found yet more monks to add to the growing congregation!

Brother Thomas (on the right) and the newly arrived Brother Cuthbert lead the monks in prayer.

The new recruits joining the Redoubt monks are the 'Brothers of Shrewsbury Abbey' from the Black Tree Design Feudal Characters range. They are Brother Cuthbert and the three from the front row in the middle. They are really nice sculpts and could pass in pretty much any period.

Cardinal Bertrand and the monks.

So far I have only managed to base them and get the basic flesh done but they looked so characterful I couldn't help take a couple of pictures! With the black undercoat they currently look a little like a group of particularly serious Benedictine monks. Brother Thomas looks much like a Franciscan friar in his brown robes. This of course made me think of the classic book/film 'The Name of the Rose.'

Brother Thomas investigates the murder of Brother Adelmo whilst the horrified monks look on...

The story takes place in Northern Italy, during the early 14th Century A.D. Franciscan monk William of Baskerville and his novice Adso of Melk (narrating as an old man) arrive at a Benedictine abbey where a mysterious death has occurred ahead of an important theological Church conference. William, known for his deductive and analytic mind, confronts the worried Abbot and gains permission to investigate the death – a young illuminator appears to have committed suicide. Over the next few days, several other bizarre deaths occur, and the two gradually discover that everything is not what it seems in the abbey.

Diabolic? Murder at the Abbey!

The title of this blog entry comes from an old Ars Magica supplement about the famous Glastonbury Abbey, a house of the black robed Benedictines since Saint Dunstan instituted it in the tenth century. The monks have fallen to diabolic corruption that threatens to overwhelm them all.