Lost Dispatches of Feraso #83 - Return to the Castle in the Moors

15th of Hexdec, 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
I expected some response from the goblins chiefs in G'ba to the north, so it took me by surprise that a small band of lizardmen raided the village last night.  Krull & Company (even that annoying elf Markuus, you'd think his screechy voice would give himself a headache), dashed out with the younger militia.  They came back tonight with only the few slain in town.  Time to possibly escaate the situation.

18th of Hexdec, 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
I've been trying to make contact with the party to sell one of the old maps of the swamps to help them find the lizardmen tribes, but oh how my luck has finally changed!   Not only did Theron, who doesn't know me any more than a random hobgolblin didn't negotiate my map down from 25gp, but the group has recruited a new sixth member to replace Zoog, who took a short caravan run to Omsjik.

I could not believe my eyes that they have Ned Overland in their party.

I had no chance to confront Overland over his past transgressions with the hated elf Talanth Blackash.  I can only hope he comes back from the swamp to indulge me in my questions.

....

22nd of Hexdec, 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
No sign of Krull's Company (that's what the villagers call them.  Krull has the big sword and nice armor.  Theron is the voice of experience, but he's still outnumbered.

Did get to see my first shadow elf today, Other's call him a drow, but I don't get the connotation, nor do I appreciate the multiple pronunciations of that word. The onyx-skinned pointer's (can they be half-breeds?) name was Keleron.  His small caravan of supplies and guards was heading past the halfling villages into Ras-Prythax and the Duchy of Rhoona.  Keleron is a fine specimen, especially for an elf.  He's the anti-thesis of Markuus.  Dark, quiet, reserve, with a fiery acumen behind his midnight eyes.  I don't know what he's up to, but so long as it doesn't affect my village, I shall let him be.  .

23rd of Hexdec, 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
Keleron and Company have left Eding....   Still no word from Krull

....

26th of Hexdec, 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
...  Zoog has returned from his quick errand.  He too is worried that our new heroes are still out there, almost to be presumed dead....

27th of Hexdec, 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
Krull and Company have returned ever-victorious!   Perhaps the map I provided was too informative, for they went on a bloody campaign to clear out numerous lizardmen enclaves.  It took them a bit (although it's the focal point of the map they purchased), but they finally reached the old castle Cesmir and Iris cleared out (and half-sank).  It had been re-populated by more lizardmen, and a few man-at-arms.  They couldn't figure out what the humans were doing working with the lizardmen, but they were all dead, including some spectacular plate mail armor that Krull refused to take off.

,,,,

29th of Hexdec, 1060 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
I tend to keep to myself and observe, but today was an unplanned occasion that needed to be resolved.  Sellman, a younger brigand leader, was uncouth enough to bellow my name in the Blue Wizard enough for staff to fetch me from the cottage, but tactful enough to not explain why.

I'm surprised I could calm him down at all, especially since it was his men in the Castle of the Moors that Krull's Company slaughtered.

"Thank Akana, I was travelling with my family to Omsjik for supplies, less my wife and daughter could have been killed by those blood suckers!"

I countered with the claims that we haven not had a lizardmen raid of any size in a decade and it was his job to control them. 

I could have easily ensured his wife was a widow and his daughter an orphan, but I acquiesced.  Instead, I pulled out the map I sold Theron (and promptly recovered during their celebrations.) and used a piece of charcoal in my pocket to circle a new location for his base.

"It's an old temple/monastery to Akana in the old village of Alasku.  Keep the main entrance stocked with undead and use the numerous secret entrances and you'll do well.  It's even safe enough to raise a daughter in.   Just keep you plotting away from Eding."

Sellman agreed and left, even paying for another round of drinks.    He seems beneath his station doing this thing, but to secure our southern borders and get constant reconnaissance of the River Road is invaluable, even if he fancies himself "The Dread Sellman, Lord of the Highwaymen."

DM Notes:  This is the second foray in the Castle in the Moors.  Each time the heroes win and things abhor the vacuum of an adventuring party and repopulate under a different guise.

There were numerous forays into the swamps to hunt lizardmen.  We'll see the result of that shortly, but we have three new gentlemen to discuss.  

"The Dread" Sellman is a brigand fancying himself a commoner in his duties, and we can see him again, a decade later, still in this new lair at Alasku in the Ballad of the Pigeon God.  

Keleron is a just a cool NPC I saw on Hall of the Mountain King, and he seemed perfect filler and, even more remotely, a name for the previously unnamed village who destroyed the Elven Lands of Agenmoor in another 80 years.  Mountain King just a trove of random pictures, characters, Greyhawk encyclopedic knowledge, etc.... 

And Ned Freakin' Overland just joined Krull's Company.  That's an interview Elsderth wants, especially after 35+ years.

Next: #84 - Ned Overland

HMGS Announces CYBËR WÅRS

With all the disappointment from HGMS doing the responsible thing and canceling both this year's Historicon and Fall-In!, those good folks are trying to placate the masses with a quarantine-friendly online wargaming experience, CYBËR WÅRS

From the announcement I received in my e-mail:

The majority of this online convention will be hosted on Facebook, with a link being provided shortly. The convention will be held July 23-26, 2020.

We are planning several events which we hope you will enjoy. The following is a brief preview of the events, and also ways you, the members, can help make them even better:

1. Virtual Vendor Hall. We will be posting links to all the great vendors who have come to our conventions in the past. We are also hoping to include some event special promotions.
2. Virtual Wally’s Basement. This will be an open page where you can post your eBay or other third-party auction links.
3. Virtual Hobby Night. Our volunteers will be posting painting and hobby videos for you to watch. There may be a few live streams as well. If you are interested in making a video or two, please let us know.
4. Club Page. We would like to include a page dedicated to the clubs that have attended the HMGS conventions over the years. Each club will have the opportunity to showcase their club, and some projects they have worked on over the years. If your club has not already received an e-mail, please reach out to us at the email contact address below. We would love to highlight as many clubs as possible.
5. Virtual Merchandise Store. What better way to say “I wasn’t there” than to get some CYBËR WÅRS merchandise?
6. Virtual War College. We will be posting links to some of our past War College lectures, as well as our favorite historical YouTube videos.
7. Virtual Painting Competition. Participants would submit photos of their entries. We will have five categories. Best Historical Unit, Best Historical Figure, Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Unit, Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Single Figure, and Best Open Category. Additionally, there will be a Best in Show and a Fan Favorite. The first six categories will be judged by Mr. Dave Taylor, and the Fan Favorite category will be selected by convention participants based on the pictures that receive the most “likes”. We are working on prize support at this time.
8. Virtual Gaming. We have a number of game masters who have volunteered to run their games on a number of different platforms. If you are also interested in running a virtual game, please reach out to us!

With the modest success of a local convention like Mepacon turning online, to the full-blown implosion of everything related to Origins, I have faith that HMGS will pull off a good first attempt and learn a lot about the process for other functions.  

Pulp Figures Releases a Terrifying Pterodactyl

Pulp Figures has a new, surprising release, the Terrifying Pterodactyl 

Resin model with a metal base in 28mm.  Price is $17.50

Just More Proof that Bert is Evil

(Kickstarter) The Wars of Ozz

In what might be the most intriguing Kickstarter for me this year, a collaboration with Sally 4th, Old Glory, and "Buck" Surdu brings forth the massive Wars of Ozz miniature game.

Ponies of a different color!

Wars of Ozz is a fantasy miniatures game set in the marvelous world of Ozz first chronicled by L. Frank Baum's in 1900, later turned into movies by MGM and Disney and now the inspiration for a totally unique mass battle tabletop experience. Russ has taken Baum's world as an inspirational starting point for creating our own 'Ozz', a post-apocalyptic Earth where after the last 'Madness Bomb' fell in the 'Last Great War', survivors mutated and chaos reigned until several hundred years later the Wizard arrived.

The 'Wars of Ozz' rules have been developed by John 'Buck' Surdu, an established and prolific rules author whose previous works include Gaslight, Combat Patrol, ACP164 and many more great rules. The rules have been designed from the start to provide an enjoyable two player, multi-player or solo gaming experience. A typical unit consists of 20 miniatures, mounted on five bases. A typical 'Brigade' (a single player command) contains around five units and an Army would contain two or three 'Brigades' with an overall commander to facilitate team play. A game can be played to it's conclusion in 2-3 hours, once units are committed to battle, melees are resolved decisively by the rules mechanisms.

So this is not some great a la carte Kickstarter like a Reaper Bones.  Getting into the Kickstarter without ordering by mail or picking them up whenever conventions return requires a decent investment. 

$25 nets you the rulebook, while the first package deal (Commander) in $198 for 70+ figures.  It's $371 for two full armies to against.

Winkie Infantry with long-dead ancestors supporting them.

Individual add-ons are available. (I'm definitely getting the rules, and for $40 I'm tempted to command Colonel Tik-Tok's Infantry Regiment.  Thank God both girls read the first six books before the infernal video app came to light, or else I'd be force to devise some insipid dance abilities in the rules.

(International Gnome Week) - Napping with the Kids

(Gnome Wars) The Armies and Navies of Canadian Bermuda

In celebration of International Gnome Week, let's take a look at one of the more peculiar colonial holdings, the much celebrated Canadian Bermuda.

Yes, that Canadian Bermuda.

In the early days of gnome colonization of Northern America, the British Mercantile Republic held control over  a large sway of territory, but with a small contingent of colonizers, merchants, and military.  British interests continue to move inland, their small bases and encampments were easily overwhelmed by the second wave of colonizers from the French (Les Quebecois), the Scots (Nova Scotia), and even a canine-friendly race of natives reassuring control (The Labrador).  With a hotly contested Holy Larry's River preventing support and resupply, the British Canadian colony (with some Irish colonists) declared their independence as the State of O' Canada much earlier the Confederation of Sovereign States (CSS) did during Amer-Bear Revolution.

Uneducated gnomes giggle at the thought of a Canadian Navy, but those geographically-challenged fail to remember that most of their military history involves territorial disputes of the Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, and the escape back to the "civilized" gnomes of Europe, Holy Larry.  Numerous raids and amphibious assaults have been conducted/defended against the likes of Les Quebecois, Furmount, those crazy Nova Scotians, and especially against the CSS and the very greedy Mercantile Union of America.

During the American Uncivil War, the few British Naval vessels protecting Bermuda were pulled to protect more significant interests.

In the final year of the war, a monstrous hurricane devastated Disneya and reached Bermuda that the storm was heading to the island.  The Governor at the time, Cornwick P Crockpot, ordered the evacuation of all British citizens, including all government workers and military.  Crockpot's Folly has been well-documented elsewhere, but the overburden ships were barely seaworthy, and in an age of primitive communication and weather forecasting, it's little surprise to most that the evacuating armada ran right into the "off-course" hurricane in the middle of the night, leading no survivors.

To complicate matters further, the pirate fleet of the Esmund Vile, the "Sea Bass" was heading right for Bermuda.  The only defense for the island against an all-out bout of pillaging was a small contingent of Canadian sailors, who regularly guarded the Canadian Foreign Service office.

The sailors dashed to Pennypincher Fort on the Merchant's Wharf and with a quick barrage of cannon-fire, chased off two of Vile's ships.

The Canadians were desperate for support, but outside of elderly and infirm, the only other reinforcements they could gather was a large group of British Highlanders who were on vacation, and refused the evacuate.

After apologizing to the Highlanders for ruining their vacation, the Canadians conscripted them into the service of the Great Maple Leaf, and plans were made to ambush the pirates, who were obviously heading to Hamilton, the capital.  

The ambush was so successful that the Sea Bass was captured within minutes, most of the pirates arrested, and only the leaders executed by a military tribunal.

With the threat gone, the realization that no one was coming back, Lt Robert Orr wrote a letter to the Canadian government and gave Petty Officer Maury Richards command of the pirate sloop Bawdy Toad with orders to deliver the letter and beg for reinforcements.  Until relief arrive, the Head of the Foreign Office, Theodore Lindsay, would assume the title of Governor of Canadian Bermuda.

By the time the British had any idea of the tragedy that befell their citizens of Bermuda, Captain Orr  returned with three sea-worthy naval vessels, the Gordy, the Gretzky, and a recently captured Quebecois cruiser, the Lemieux. 

Bermuda remains in Canadian hands till this day.  It is used as a strategic port for Canada and her allies, as well privateers who don't interfere with Canadian shipping, as well as a popular tourist and banking destination.  The image of businessmen dressed in the classic Bermuda shorts and took are instantly recognizable across the gnome world.

How to make a Canadian Bermuda Garrison

• Traditional Canadian Army - Use Swiss Figures, traditional colors red jacket, white hat with a maple leaf.  The nurse works well, but find a replacement for the stinky cheese gnomes, perhaps large coins that work like a boomerang in the rules.  You can call the the coin throwers, the Nickelbacks?  If that's too much, a bunch of Highlander scotch throwers (using bottles of sun tan lotion) might work. The St.Bernard should be replaced with a beaver.  
• Canadian Bermuda Highlanders - Use British Highlanders.  Tartans should be in the colors of  various Canadian maple syrup or beer companies. Formal sun hats are tan/khaki, but for festivals and parades they can be patterned after popular took styles. 
• Canadian Bermuda Sailors -  Use British Marine -Navy Blue Jacket and Hat, white trim.
• The Bermudian Guard - The elite unit in charge of protecting the Governor and the Foreign Office.  -  Use Swiss Guard/NCO.  Remove halberd for a hockey stick. Bermudian guard may be used as an NCO for any of the above units.   
• New versions of the Gordy, Gretsky, and Lemieux are still in service today.  Each ships has six guns apiece, although military fans argue which one is the better ship.  

(International Gnome Week) - Reading to the Family

(Kickstarter) Shieldkin by Whitehorn-Krakon Games

Whitehorn-Krakon Games has launched another Kickstarter, this time Shieldkin-The First Nesting.

(International Gnome Week) - Gnome Mushroom

(Kickstarter) 28mm Pig Faced Orcs by RBJ Games Company

The RBJ Games Company has launched another Kickstarter campaign, this time for 28mm Pig Faced Orcs.

(International Gnome Week) Underground Gnome Home

Lost Dispatches of Feraso #82 - Another Rescue in Nightwood Forest

1st of Hexdec 1160 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
I never kidnapped a child before...  the Gadling family have been the the biggest group of ignoramuses I have ever seen and each new addition is dumber than the previous. It almost felt too easy to lure young Gad (Gad Gadling? Seriously!?!) away from the family, but by the time I met my kobold rendezvous in the Nightwood, he hadn't noticed anything amiss, I gave up any hope for that child.

2nd of Hexdec 1160 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
It literally took an entire day for that family to discover that their child was missing. These people are the reason that barbarians destroy our civilizations every couple hundred years or so.

But, once they pulled their heads out of their collective backsides, they brewed up the proper brouhaha right in the middle of the town green, drawing everyone to their plight.

I paid little attention to their wailing, paid no heed to the words of W. when they appeared and chastised the village, rather I positioned myself near our marks. I took advantage of the indifference of Krull, Torm immediately advising them that their group had been randomly volunteered to search the Nightwood for the boy. Markuus' and Theron's strong penchant for acceptance took that hook, line, and sinker, and the half-orc boys' sense of community spirit sold it.

I took my normal patrol and headed up the River Road to search along the manors. Apparently taking the patrol to the halfling villages for some rest and relaxation last time we had a missing child was a bit much, so after a morning of searching, we found some shady spots and fished until we returned back, late for dinner.

3rd of Hexdec 1160 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
Day two of fishing. Still no bites, although others were successful. No sign of the marks, although it's still early. I can pull off one more fishing day before I need to think about leading a search party into the Nightwood to rescue all their sorry lot.

4th of Hexdec 1160 - Village of Eding, Kingdom of Crosedes
Good news for my non-existent fishing prowess: Word came early in the morning of the "Hero's arrival" with young Gad. Celebrations had already started, including W. providing them with a respectable reward and disappearing back into the shack.

By the time we arrived back in town, the celebration was getting its second wind, and Markuus looked to be on his last legs, his head covered in bandages.

Apparently less than a quarter mile into the Nightwood, the party was fell upon by an ingenious trap. While investigating some miscellaneous clothing along the trail, a group of goblins set off a swinging rock trap. Good sized rocks, tied to ropes and hung from the highest canopy in the forests flew down on the unwitting adventurers. Most dodged out of the way, one or two got some nasty bruises, but Markuss the elf? Two of them square in the noggin. After that catastrophe, there was little he could do, so the others avenged his fall by charging up the hillside and dispatching the goblins.

Markuus was little use for the rest of their quest (and the butt of jokes at the Blue Wizard), but our "Heroes" killed two trollkin, rescued Gad from the kobold encampment (raising enough of an alarm so the kobolds would contact their goblin overlords of the incursion), and were gently chased out of the Nightwood by a lackadaisical kobold pursuit, which only stopped when a rodent of usual size appeared unexpectedly.

Unlike his older brother, young Gad was subject to residing in the special cheek pouch the Nightwood Rodents possess.

Gad was rescued, the Gadling family relieved (until they misplace another child tomorrow), the heroes celebrated, and hopefully the Lords of G'ba made aware of a minor trespass into their lands by some ignorant adventurers, but I'm sure the panicked kobolds and goblins played it up far worse than what happened.

GM Notes:  The first adventure of the the Army campaign, and the strong, handsome, and incredibly overconfident Markuus has met his match with a rock trap.  

I found this on rpg.net a few years back on a random topic, in Markuus' player, Mike's own words:

"I remember playing a sylvan elf cleric of illmater the god of pain and suffering with a very high str in the late 90's and when i first started playing we ran into goblins that had boulders on a hill and i thought i was tough so i charged them but as i underestimated eric at the time for being a wicked gm they had vines wrapped around them and when i got hit i had only 1 hp left."
Markuus is suffering post-concussion syndrome, but his recollection might be correct.

Next: #83 Return to the Castle in the Moors

(International Gnome Week) Gnome Under Flowers

(SAVAGE MICE) #2 The Olde Farm

After ridding a local Mousling town of a meddlesome giant, the three most eager warbands in the realm were looking for most adventure and more look.

There chance came with rumors of a handsome bounty on a dashing rogue gnome wizard, all three were ready to head to an oddly abandoned hobbit farmstead.

The conquering heroes, Robin Mouse and his Merry Mice were still excited from their last successful mission, and with the additional of the heroic Friar Buck to their band, success was assured.

 The mice bandits, The Snakes, had found some selfish treasures last time, but between Pinky and Wakana Forever, their relationship with a magic frog wasn't a guarantee success.

Plus the goblins were sure to be there!  G'ba had recovered from this wounds in the last raid, and this time they had a new friends, Wipes the Troll!  He was a hulking brute, but he was only a minion, so a a single would could take him out permanently from the band.

 There were four minor objectives:
A) Gnomar the Relentless - Gnomish Wizard (Hostile Objective)

B) A Random hunk of stone in the field

 C)  A lost pig (at least on the wrong side of the stream)

 D) An abandoned raft

E)  Two "lost" hobbit archers.

TURN ONE:  Everyone rushed towards an objective, but only Wipes had the right strides to rech the big hog.  One quick roll and we don't talk about what happened to the future pet/future bacon.

TURN TWO:  Robin Mouse checked out giant rock in the field with success, by no special modifiers.

Wakanda of the Snakes also dodged a few warning arrows and befriended the two female hobbits.  They had expected the hobbit farmers to be here to help with some great commotion at a halfling village upriver.

Uncovering the minor encounters allowed for the Gnome Patrol arrived.  Gnomar was a wanted gnome and the Patrol was going to bring him hoe no matter what.

TURN THREE: It took a great deal of searching but two of the Merry Mice found the Gnome Wizard and convince him to follow them with surprisingly little effort.

You or the Gnome Patrol?  I'll take you guys for now....

 G'ba finally reached the abandoned raft.  He might have been pre-occupied by the Gnome Patrol moving up the alternate side of the river, as a small individual got behind him and *KER-KLANGED* him in the back of the head. 

No Guacamole Dip for you! 

 G'ba rolled a double botch on his challenge roll (1 on the attribute die and 1 on the wild die).  An ignominious end for the second game in a row!

TURN FOUR:  The Friar snuck downriver to look into the raft, or perhaps the Gnome Patrol.  The goblins had forded the river to chase something mouse-shaped, but a number of them were aghast to learn that their arrows had been dumped downriver in their crossing. 

One goblin without that problem was the second-in-common, Patches.  He charged the mandolin playing mousling and wildly missed, crashing into boxed (yet another botched die roll.)  He was stunned but not out. 

The dottering Gnome Patrol took its time across a field, and taking pot shots against one of the Merry Mice sitting on the farmhouse roof.  

TURN FIVE:  Considering the hobbits' plight a bigger challenge than the Gnome Wizard, the Snakes high-tailed it off (or nearly off the battlefield). 

Robin Mouse struck one of the goblin minions and then realized the rest of his gang were already near the edge of the battlefield, gnome wizard in their arms. 

Patches the Goblin recovered from his embarrassing performance, cold-cocked the mandolin player to he wouldn't be the recipient of the mouse's bardic tales, and ordered the retreat.  

The Gnome Patrol split up, two futilely pursuing the wizard, one continuing shooting at the housesitting mousling, and two swinging over to confront Friar Buck!

The sounds of their guns only confused the Friar as they engaged the futile melee.

The mouse on the house had a different plan, leaping off the building and drop-kicking the Gnome Patrolman.!

TURN SIX:  With most of the warbands off the table, and no one interested in the last minor objective, it was some minor mop-up activities. The free-falling mousling jumped back on the stunned gnome and took him out of action, before skittering away.  Despite the two-on-one battle,  the Friar held his own, but was still engaged as the turn finished.

Using the Pulp Alley Rules, the Merry Mice won with 4, followed by the Snakes and Goblins with one apiece.  Definitely need the objectives to be closer to the center of the board, and the girls are not cutthroat with the mice, preferring to seize an easier objective and calling it quits.  Might need to get back to Pulp Egypt and see if that translates into a far-bloodier game.  

I had much grander and expansive plans for Father's Day, but sleepovers, swimming, and a neighborhood reggae party threw everything off.  But we still got out annual game in, and the 8th(?) year of our Tea Party.  

Another session inspired by The REALM of JiNNai: Battle Report: The Farm

Next Up:  The Deserted Hobbit Village, some Planet 28, and perhaps a final return to Pulp Egypt.

(International Gnome Week) Gnome House

Summer is Finally Here.... Go Nutty!

International Gnome Week - June 21-June 28, 2020

I'm getting conflicting info on International Gnome Week (IGW).  Some of the various gnome groups seem to celebrate IGW, other just celebrate International Gnome Day (June 21st).

To complicate things further, Wikipedia is promoting IGW by focusing on the WikiGnomes, the unpaid volunteers who review, edit, and moderate the 6,000,000+ pages on the site.

For Gaming with the Gnomies, we'll continue to do what we always do (paint figs and play games, but never as much as we want), post a few extra pictures of gnomes that we've stockpiled, and finally finish the editing on a few Gnome Wars articles that have been slowly percolating on the back burner.

Mepacon Virtual Game Day - July 11, 2020

After a postponement and ultimate cancelation of their face-to-face con, the folks at Mepacon pulled off a pretty decent online assortment of games on short notice.

In a follow-up to their online panel discussion, Mepacon will be hosting another online gathering, a one day con on July 11, 2020.

They are looking for GMs and registration will be open until July 9th.

More details coming soon!

(Painting) The Ring of Fire

First off, I completely goofed on when Father's Day was.  I did not realize that it's next Sunday, so with some of my activities set up already, I decided to give some painting with the kids a go during some weekday downtime. 

Presenting The Ring of Fire, a collaboration between ViscountEric, Maja (now age 11) and Millie (age 9).

 Most of our little phoenix and hellhound friends came from the Magic: The Gathering boardgame, Arena of the Planeswalkers.  The creatures in the box are molded in clear plastic of their appropriate game color, so these were pretty cool to begin with. 

Maja, Millie, and Dad....

 The best part, of course was the price of these.  I believe there were 30-some-odd actual minis in the box, and with my wife's keen eye, it was snagged at Five Below for a measly five bucks.

I guess they're not hellhouds, according to WotC, they're Blazing Firecats, ho!

A bit of a disaster while I was taking them outside to be photographed.  A combination of pets and a clumsy ViscountEric resulted in the box they were in going airborne the pieces scattering across the floor.   The Hellhounds above took the worst damage, as the double base coat of yellow just popped right off.  I'll fix that up before they get used this weekend.

The two below are variations on our theme.  The one on the left is an actual Hell Hound from the Reaper Bones line, painted by Millie.  She picked this up from the FLGS years ago, and I'm happy she finally painted it.  With a slightly smaller size and brighter yellow, we'll make this one the pup/kitten of the group.

To counter that I fooled around with shading on one of the boardgame pieces and it came out so dull and bland, I turned it into the aging leader of the group.  A little black drybrushing and he goes from blazing firecat to a seething magma feline.

I also continue the personal hell of assembling tiny box after tiny box from Things from the Basement.  Don't get me wrong, they're part of some great sets, but my Hulk-like fingers, tiny parts, and glue do not go well together.  Another reason my Frostgrave and Warlord plastics are still on the sprues.

Next: I'd like to finish my Nauvoo Legion Gnomes before International Gnome Week  (June 21-27), plus some more single figures.  "Real" Father's Day is this weekend and I'm shooting for the Annual tea party plus THREE games.