D&D: Hill Giant

Started this Giant quite some time ago and it was been languishing in a box, then a shelf, back to a box and finally to my work area where I decided it had to be finished no matter what. So here it is.

I posted here a while back about the initial sculpting, such as it is, but I had to do a load more and not with Das and PVA. To create the hands I used GS as I couldn't get the shape well enough with the Das. I think that I could have created a much smoother look if only I had taken a little more time and care to be honest. I feel that the face in general lets it down, but it was a bit of an experiment as it was all sculpted in Das and PVA, so perhaps I am being a little hard n myself.

So using Das and PVA together has worked, sort of, just need to do more practice and keep developing technique as well as patience.

Whatever happens I'll have no problem using him as a giant for Saga, Frostgrave or in my D&D games, on the other hand its not a model I'm proud of or would try to sell.

D&D: Map Folder of Doom...

I initially made this folder for fun, just to see if it would look OK. After that I had to come up with a use for it.

I decided that the maps of large places, islands, continents and cities should live in it.

The contents are still a work in progress. So some are finished but many are on the go.

I produce details for campaigns based on where my players are and where they are likely to go.

I talk to my players and we decide what their next moves might be. As an example, at the end of the "Hessak" part of the campaign I thought about the next steps and gave the players 5 options, based on rumours heard and what the players had suggested themselves. 

They then thought about it and told me which was best for them. So the capital city of Calandara, Sart had to be constructed and some details added so we could play the game.

I really helps having all this stuff in one place so that I always know exactly where they are. 

The final thing I do is to laminate the larger island maps so I can draw on them where the PCs are or are going, with a dry erase marker and I made B/W copies for the PCs to draw on.

And it all gives me a ton of pleasure to do all this. It really impacts the game.

Flat Designs: More monsters and Villagers

These were still being drawn the last time I posted any flat designs.

Now both sides complete, although I have to say that I wasn't too happy with some of the rear legs in these designs.

The made up villager human flats. Put these on permanent bases as they looked odd on the slotted removable ones. Too tall.

The completed Slaad models. Green and Blue.

Umber hulk, Owlbear and Otyugh.

The whole lot together.

Some close ups. Made the Green Slaad so he can be painted as a Green or Red, so the loin cloth ws added as separate and so was the staff.

Finally the the award goes to the flat most likely to be mistaken for a very small Chris Hemsworth.

After sorting this realised I had forgotten the Tortles, will include them in the next flat post I make.

D&D: Aramantia Utox: Lamia NPC

For the past year or so this NPC has been a thorn in the side of my players in our D&D campaign, to the point where some of them actively hate her and were happy when she died, the first time.

Obviously this is a converted model, the top half is an 80's dark elf from GW and the lion body is a nasty cheap model from a pound shop, which one I can't remember to be honest. If I find myself in one of the "pound" shops I always have a good look round for anything I think might come in useful in the future. There is nearly always something.

I  did a bit of GS work round the skirt/type mane and added some details from a high elf sprue, GW made again.

Here is the card I made for her, basic stats on the front.

On the reverse are the spells she can use and a few pencil notes about tactics.

I also copied the magic cards, from the set that I purchased a while back, I am a bit anal about cards, I rarely give my players the originals, I put paper copies in plastic shields and they have those. To be fair I use them that way too with any characters I play.

Forgot that I had probably added a bit too much GS to create Aramantia's bust, look like a couple of old bald headed gentlemen peeping out the top of her blouse, ah well.

Was fun to make and she has certainly been an interesting NPC to play.

The base is cat food box card with PVAcrete covering it and grass tufts from Luke's APS.