Jack Vance RIP

Best selling author, Nebula and Hugo Award winner Jack Vance, passed away peacefully in his sleep (May 26, 2013) at the age of 96. Obviously for many D&D fans he is connected to Gary Gygax's spell system, often called "Vancian Magic". Probably one of the most house ruled elements of the game.  The only book on my shelf is Fantasms & Magics, a slender tome which I love dearly.

On the desolate world of Pangorn, the violent descendants of marooned starship captains battle constantly for supremacy - in a mediaeval future where magic is as important a weapon as the axe and the broadsword. No warlord will fight without his jinxter, the martial magician whose powers must sway the battle where brain and muscle fail.

I didn't know until today that he was a fellow musician! To a master of science fantasy and the art of Jinxmanship, I fare thee well.

Mexican Cowboys

Here they are, fresh from the paint brush. Mexican cowboys or vaquero. Some mean looking hombres! Based with new flock, winter grass and some Matarangi beach sand. The dogs (Farmer Maggots Hounds) are from my hobbit collection. Oh, and yes they were fun to paint.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cowboys and more...

I recently won this auction for some paints, which I desperately needed as most of my paint pots are 20+ years in age. This requires drops of water and plenty of scraping/stirring to get some colour on the brush. Well, the paints came with cowboys and more...

Looks like I’ll have to run a Boot Hill campaign!

"More than 150 cowboy and cowboy-era civilian miniatures + 90 paints + Brushes + loads of other painting equipment.  

The miniatures run from traditional cowboys (including the Earps and Clantons) to American Indians, to Chinese, to trappers, mountain men and civilians. There are also a few horses and cows in the same scale.　

The Miniatures are around 30mm to 32mm tall (around 27 to 29mm to the eyes) or of a similar scale. Most were purchased through the following retailers: Black Scorpion, Artizan Designs, Crusader Miniatures, Reaper Miniatures, Copplestone Castings, Bluemoon, and Redoubt Enterprises.　

Most of the miniatures have been based on round 25mm bases and have been undercoated using Games Workshop's Skull White spray-on basecoat. A few of the civilians (maybe 10 of them) have a little more painting done on them, but aren't finished.　

Also included are a lot of spare bases and various scenery pieces, such as bleached cow's skulls, wagon wheels, a gattling gun, and assorted pistols and rifles.　

The paints are mostly Vallejo colours, with a selection of Vallejo inks, and a few Citadel foundation paints.　

Other equipment includes various colours of flock, moss, and scale trees. There is also a selection of heavier base-paints for making scenery and even a gloss that I used for doing water. There are also various small files and clippers.　

I'm selling these because I no longer have time for the hobby, being busy with other things. Feel free to ask questions."

I hit the buy now button and couldn't be happier.  In fact, I've already started painting! Here is the first miniature of half a dozen Mexicans I finished over the weekend. 


One down, 150 to go!

There is a heap of stuff, eh? It’s funny because normally I would have let this go to auction, missed out for some reason and kicked myself later. However, I kept coming back to the paints. It really sucks having to add water and try to revive a dried up paint pot. A fresh batch of paints has made life so much easier. Thanks Phil!

Winter is coming…
Painting to do!

Darcy ‘Tombstone’ Perry 

Dwarven Forgery

Lewis came to me with this Kickstarter: Dwarven Forge's Game Tiles: Revolutionary Miniature Terrain

I said it looked great but since we live in New Zealand, it would cost a ton to get it here... hey, let's just make our own! The result?

DWARVEN FORGERY™

 

The one page plan, hand drawn by Lewis.

 

The 'Dwarven Workshop' (thanks Dennis)!

 

Block stacking.

 

Strips of card applied with PVA glue.

 

Modular design allows varied dungeon layout. 

 

Sections are spray painted black...

 

...and dry brushed grey!

 

Dungeon delvers encounter an Ogre!

 

Each piece can be arranged quickly to suit requirements.



DWARVEN FORGERY™ terrain is superb for laying out dungeons like the ones I used to map in the 80's, playing computer games like Wizardry and A Bard's Tale. This will certainly get a lot of use in our current old school Dungeons and Dragons infinite game.

Now, I just want to add that the original Dwarven Forge has been making quality gaming terrain for 17 years and I love what they do. Their Kickstarter (with a $50,000 goal) had 5,398 backers and they by far exceeded expectations by raising $1,908,155. Good on them!

Trench Raiders

I found these photos on the hard drive from a few games of Trench Raiders a year or so ago. Lewis made the terrain with a huge board. I recall winning this particular mission, perhaps by the skin of my teeth. Exciting elements of the rules are the playing card based initiative (with each character represented by a card, a drawn joker means turn ends) and grenades that go off on a random (six-sided) die roll... with a turn based countdown!

Finished Art 4 Petty Gods

As I posted earlier, I have been drawing for Petty Gods, a project now being edited by Greg Gorgonmilk as an homage to Judges Guild's Unknown Gods, which presented 83 minor gods -- complete with stats -- for use in D&D adventures and campaigns. In the words of James Maliszewski, "a 'Monster Manual' for swords-and-sorcery in the manner of Elric."

Here is the first piece:

I feel sorry for her hairdresser!

Name: Görgönmjölk [created by Jonas Mustonen, art by Darcy Perry]
Symbol: Soot covered smiling head of medusa
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: -3
Hit Points (Hit Dice): 50hp (12HD)
Attacks: 1 by flaming sword
Damage: 1d8 +4d6 of fire damage and decapitates on a natural roll 19-20
Save: F12
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: None
XP: 3500

I will post more finished art on this blog when I am done.