Corsairs, Exodites, Craftworlders and hopefully Kabalites soon

Well, it feels like it's been ages since I've updated anything but I've finally finished my Terradons

Spent too much time half-painting other things, not finishing them and moving onto something else :S ah well, it all counts





Must get some better lighting. The paint looks a little flat to my eyes and I swear it doesn't look that way in real life. Honest

Hey they look great, I really like the poses also.

Thanks man especially for the compliment on the poses. I've always found that the modelling/posing side of things is the bit I'm happiest with glad to hear it's not completely hubris

Those heat lance lances came out really well!

+1 SP!

Thanks dude! I'm on the leaderboard!

Oh, forgot to post the re-worked fluff for these guys:


Exodite Terradons
While all exodites are culturally regressed compared to other eldar, some bloodlines have devolved yet further. Using technomancy retained through the generations, they significantly alter their bodies and live more animalistic lives than even their fellow exodites. On leathery wings they soar through the jungle canopies and clifftop crags of the maiden worlds. The increased effort of true powered flight necessitates a carnivorous diet, and kindreds of these winged hunters prey on the animals of their home territories.

However, their hunting grounds are not restricted to just their worlds. Often they strike out through the webway, seeking the challenge of hunting the primitive Mon-Keigh or the brutish Orkead. With haywire lances they cripple the vehicles of their quarry, and with heat lances and poisoned weaponry they cut down their foes, carrying trophies from the hunt back to their lairs.

I'm late to the punch but I really love your Teradons. The poses are fantastic and I'm sorry I didn't mention it sooner xD the paint scheme really works for them as well. The earthy tones work surprisingly well for the Exodites (Dark Eldar). Although I am a big fan of fancy metals and dark armor myself.

I'd hoped to have this finished earlier today for some nice light, but washed-out photos will have to do...

..big beastie's done!





Tried a white background, but no different really. Need better light.





Had my first go at blood spatter effects as well. Works nicely, although I'd think it'd need a bit more...



Oh, and took the opportunity for a full army shot (apologies for the potato-cam!). 1402pts!

Latest addition, my 'Boneshaper' counts-as Haemonculus. The fluff is that these are the equivalent of Craftworld Bonesingers, but take a rather more 'active' approach to their art...




Tried to make him look like a miniature version of the Sylphs (counts-as Grotesques) for a convincing Grotesquerie



Only issue now is that in comparison my Wyrdlord doesn't look quite so 'wyrd'...might have to revisit him (and maybe the War Wyrd too).

Nice Haemmy. I like the little skull hanging from the branch, good choice!

I assume the Wyrdlord is the Abberation? If you think he needs more... Perhaps some chains and skulls from the raider kit glued on him? I mean exodites do go kidnapping so having those hanging around would be cool. (Bonus points if you can hang a human or tau on the chains as a captive!)

Thanks dude! I'm pleased with how he came out

The Wyrdlord is my counts-as Farseer, but I definitely think he needs a little updating to match the Boneshaper in weirdness...



I've still got the head, torso and scythe thing from the Branchwych kit I bought for the Boneshaper so I'll see what I can come up with with those bits

Love the idea of modelling some captives I'll see what I can come up with for that. I've been thinking of some ideas for objective markers, and an Eldar-ified gibbet/cross with a tau/human captive as a warning sign would be excellent!

While modeling normal captives is a cool idea I'm also fond of having them hang off of the branches of the grotesques.

Oh definitely! size-wise I'm thinking Kurnoth Hunters as they're a bit bigger than the Tree Revenants, but I've been meaning to get some of those anyway

Didn't take me long to have another stab at a Wyrdlord though and I'm much happier definitely weirder



Love the new Sylvaneth range loads of great twisted bits to use

Oh, and a couple of little fluff background pieces on these guys:

Cult of Lileath and Morai-Heg
The cult of the maiden and the cult of the crone are two halves of the same equation. Like Farseers their acolytes scry the future, attempting to twist the skeins of fate to avert potential catastrophes befalling their worlds. Each acolyte is part of a matched pair: one a maiden, the other a crone. The younger is the dreamer, who in drug-addled dreams receives visions of potential futures. The older is the hag, who uses their wisdom to interpret these visions.

In times of war, their War Wyrd guardians join the warhosts of the exodites, throwing the formidable psychic might of the eldar at their foes.

War Wyrds
The War Wyrds of the Cult of Morai-Heg double as both the Warlocks and Bonesingers of the exodites. Being masters of melding living tissue with wraithbone, they directly fuse their ghosthelms to their head, providing permanent protection from the winds of the warp.

The eldest of these warrior-psykers are the Wyrdlords, formidable psykers and fearsome warriors whose transformation into wraithbone-skinned ???* is near-complete.

*Help! I need a word here but I can't think of it :S something like 'daemon' or 'fiend' but without the chaos connection, or like 'savage' or 'monster' but without the connotation of being mindless.

Well, these two were an absolute joy to paint. Not often I say that, given my usual attitude towards painting, but I'm really chuffed with how these turned out




I even had a go at blending again on the Wyrdlord's warpflames. I have utmost respect for people who put the effort in to do that on more of their models. I'm happy with the result, but it took me ages!



Also, I love the idea of the Wyrdlord having this gnarled and twisted body, and a terrifying inhuman head...but humanoid hands. Something really creepy about that if you picture it in your head

Well, I started out painting my Archon but soon discovered that my age old pot of Scorched Brown was rock solid! New pot of Rhinox Hide on the way (I think that's a dark brown? All these newfangled colours...), but I needed something to paint.

So, my Craftworlders got a bit of attention. I did a bit of touch-up to my first Autarch (one of my oldest conversions, and still one of my favourite), giving him gold shoulder pads. Not sure I prefer it TBH, but it'll work better with my planned Dire Avengers in craftworld colours.

Oh, and I also did a bit more experimenting with different lighting setups and backgrounds. Not certain what works best...




I also painted up my Axe/Banshee Mask/Fusion Gun Autarch. Need to do some more work around the Banshee Mask really so this pic neatly avoids showing that also swapped the head on my Uldanorethi Longrifle Farseer (another old favourite) for the one from the Farseer Jetbike kit and it looks much better I love plastic HQs!




This would probably be a good place to shoe-horn in the fluff for my Craftworld

Craftworld Angvellaith (contraction of Angau Vehk Agaith, meaning 'Doom of the Split-Faced Ones', referring the mythical victory over one of the ancient enemies of the eldar).

The early days of craftworld Angvellaith were unremarkable. Leaving sometime during the middle of great exodus from the eldar homeworlds, it set off into the void alongside dozens and dozens of other craftworlds. For centuries, while others fell, the keen foresight of its seers and the might of its warhosts protected its citizens from the very worst the galaxy could offer. However, all skiens of fate appeared to converge in tragedy for the Angvai. Despite all their efforts, the rotting plague-ships of the Death Guard descended upon their home. Through valient effort and harrowing sacrifice, they repelled the foetid tide. However, like Iyanden their population was decimated. Listless and broken, they drifted through the void awaiting their death. However, all was not lost. Through the webway, a cry for help echoed out from the exodites of Selestini, who likewise were under assault from the followers of the Plaguefather. Throwing what was left of their warhosts into the fray, they managed to turn the tide against the children of Nurgle. This marked a turning point in the attitude of the Angvai. No longer were they content to fade away into obscurity.

In a great council, their eldest and wisest seers developed a radical plan. Through the susserus of their innumerable dead within the infinity matrix, the unborn god Ynnead had made his presence known, and the eldar of Angvellaith welcomed him. They struck a dark pact with their Commorite cousins, exchanging safe harbour in realspace and the industrial resources of their craftworld for access to the cloning vats of the Haemonculi. Through arcane and eldritch technomancy, they rebuilt their shattered warhosts.

Their Guardian forces are comprised entirely of cloned conscripts, who follow the unique Path of the Warborn. These forces are thrown against their enemies with no heed to their survival. If a Warborn survives their tour of duty, they are gifted a name and inducted into Craftworld society as a true citizen. If they fall in battle, add one more soul to the chorus.

I also tried the new lighting setup with the Khaine's Ravens which worked well I thought!



New and improved face on Baroness (now called Yzirienn), changing the method for painting eyes. Rather than putting a black dot on a white background, I started with a black background and put two white dots either side of the pupil. Looks much nicer!



Also tried to add a little pizazz to the black armour on my Corsairs. It was painted flat black (before I read that it's best to lighten your blacks slightly so you can shade them properly), so I ran a little Administratum Grey on the upward facing edges and hit it with a coat of gloss and I like it much better!



Here's where the mucking about with lighting comes in. I tried two different places to take photos and I'm torn between which is better. The one above, or this one:



I think I like the lighting of the former, but the background colour and woodwormy floor of the latter.





Back-to-back comparisons:







Which do you think is best?

Had a package arrive today which had the little gribblies in that let me finish this!


Thaegr, Huntfather, Flutterkin, Son of Kurnous. Prince of the Selestini of the Godwoods

He's my new counts-as Autarch, with a Power Axe, Fusion Gun (the lance on his back) and a Banshee Mask (the little gribblies swarming around his feet). The fluff for them is similar to my Hounds of Kurnous, where they surround themselves with swarms of psycho-active wraithbone-shelled insects that attack/distract their foes before the Son of Kurnous enters the fray as soon as I saw the Flutterfury swarms from the Drycha kit I knew I had to use them for that

Speaking of Drycha...



I've now got a counts-as Cronos! Once that's painted I'll have a Dark Artisan!

The most monstrous creations of the Boneshapers, great twisted wraithbone colossi, the Sylphlords are often mistaken for knight-suits by their ill-fated foes. They are, in fact, enormous constructs grown with great skill around the tattered body of a mortally wounded exodite.

Their new bodies play host to swarms of psychoactive wraithbone insects, which billow forth on chitinous wings to devour enemy soldiers and form a protective screen around exodite warriors.

Thought the little swarm of bugs would do quite well explaining the Cronos' Spirit Syphon flamer attack and FnP bubble

Two newbies together for scale...



...and the beginnings of the Dark Artisan

Breath taking as always Ynneadwraith. When will you put up the Slave Point Leaderboard so that you can start counting all the SP you are earning by finishing these?

Thanks dude!

I keep sitting down to count them up at work just before someone gives me a big piece of work to do!

I'll do that now watch it happen again! :S

Well, you can tell when I really like a model. They get painted pronto!



The Catachan platoon hacked its way through the undergrowth, monomolecular machetes carving effortlessly through bough and branch, silently progressing forwards in environs they found most familiar. Death world they called it. Hah! Had they never been to Catachan? Transport a Catachan Devil here and it would clean up the local wildlife in a week!

Even still, the platoon was on guard. One of the Cadian patrols had come this way and were never heard from again. The weapons expert hovered his finger over the hair-trigger on his heavy bolter, and troopers scanned the trees down the barrels of their lasguns. Suddenly, the sarge froze, raising his hand to halt the platoon, his finely honed death-world instincts telling him that something wasn't right.

Suddenly, swarms of chittering insects burst from the trees, engulfing them in a thick fog of tiny wings and bodies. Lasgun shots rang out, but the sarge bellowed that it was no point wasting charges on insects when a flamer would do a much better job. It was at that point that an intense burst of heat exploded the tanks on the back of the flamer. The lasgun fire began in earnest, troopers diligently double-tapping their triggers to eke out every shot possible. However, individually cut off and enveloped by the swarm there was no way to tell which direction they were firing. Muffled grunts rang out as errant shots found the wrong mark.

The methodical thudding of the heavy bolter cleared great swathes of the bugs, its rounds set to detonate after a set distance of travel. It was only when the wretched insects clogged the feed mechanism that the weapons expert saw what their true assailant was. The swarm parted just enough for him to see a great, horned eldar warrior bury its crackling power axe into his sarge's shoulder before the cloud of insects closed in again.

Thaegr sat on a bough, washing the blood from his axe in a babbling stream. Around him, a multitude of buzzing invertebrates were picking the last morsels of flesh from the skeletons of the Mon-Keigh interlopers. 'Death world' they call it. They don't know the meaning of the word.




Just realised there's a mold-line I forgot to clip off there!)


Also took the opportunity to take some more pics of the other exodite HQs I like the best

Syaeldren, Threadcutter, Strifeweaver, Daughter of Morai-Heg. Wyrdlord of the Selestini of the Godwoods



Thraoren, Bonebender, Forgebound, Son of Vaul. Boneshaper of the Selestini of the Godwoods




And all 3 together



Must admit, I'm having excellent fun with these HQ units might have another crack at my winged Autarch and try stripping/re-painting my Daughter of Khaine while I'm on a roll

Ynneadwraith wrote:

Hmmm, for the Cult of Ynnead. Does anyone know of any Eldar/Elven legs that look like they are 'walking implacably forwards'?

I'm thinking Wrack legs might be a better fit (especially as I'm using Glade Guard legs for the Wardens/Guardians).

Maybe lameans? although the have a dress and are finecrap/failcast

Yeah I did consider Lhamaeans, but the monopose and failcast put the Wrack legs ahead. Shame as they're really nice sculpts

Oh, I've finally got an update befitting The Dark City

Behold! Khaharkyth and his technicolour skin-cloak!




Must try and get a pic of him against the black background to try and do the armour justice. Warplock Bronze is such an utterly stunning colour, but these pics don't quite do it justice...

I am pleased with how Wilson turned out though

Also came up with a little fluff for my Kabal

The Kabal of the Whipcrown are a relatively young kabal, formed by the former Wych gladiator Khaharkyth. Although their strength is growing rapidly, they are still small fry in relation to the more established kabals of Commorragh. In order to expand their powerbase, and defend themselves from their more predatory rivals they have entered into a pact with the seers of craftworld Angvellaith. In exchange for safe harbour in realspace, support in military endeavours and the foresight of the craftworld's seers, they have provided access to the cloning and resurrection technologies of the Haemonculi. Although each party is wary and distrustful of the other, they have both profited enormously from the deal.

So I finally got myself onto a stable (non work) internet connection and Jeepers this was a wild ride, totally worth waiting for.
There is so much here to both take in and to take inspiration from, the heat lances as actual lances for instance is definitely going into the planning for my 750 point DE detachment.
I epically loved reading the fluff. It almost makes me want to pull the finger out and get my own written fully.

A+

Thanks dude! I'm glad you like them especially the fluff. Alongside the modelling that's the bit that I enjoy the most, and probably the biggest draw 40k has for me. I can't think of another IP that encourages you so much to create your own parts of the story

Definitely get cracking on yours, looking forward to reading it

Well, I've decided that I want to write a small fluff piece for each of my HQs I've got ones above for Thaegr the Huntfather, and Khaharkyth the Carrion Lord.

Just thought of one for Syaeldren the Wyrdlord



The brutish Mon-Keigh gene-warrior bellowed a challenge over the din of the battle. The servos of its primitive armour whirred into action as it strode towards the slender eldar witch, activating its crackling power sword. Syaeldren stood motionless, spear in hand, eyes fixed on the astartes. With a single psychic whisper she planted a seed in its mind. A seed that spoke 'wither'.

She watched as it put down its roots in his medulla oblongata, and its tendrils reached up towards his primary motor cortex, trailing inert matter behind it. Strong though the indoctrination of this brute was, she could see it begin to fail. Its sword-arm, held aloft, began to sag. Its mighty stride grew shorter with each footfall. A few feet from Syaeldren the iron warrior stumbled, its legs giving way beneath it. The wraithbone-skinned crone circled the fallen warrior as the psychic root-ball strangled the last few impulses that governed its heartbeat.

This mind war was won, but the battle around raged on. Hefting her spear, she stalked off to seek her next quarry.

First squad of Kabalites done!



Tried my hand at a bit more blood spatter using Blood for the Blood God (really realistic blood effect that!). Went for a light effect as I reckon it's something that you could quite easily go overboard with :S

They should go quite nicely with my bone coloured Craftworlders and Exodites, being a similar colour palette but darkened considerably with more metallic thrown in there



Little is known of Khaharkyth's early history, only that he started life as a vat-born slave destined for the arenas. He rose out of obscurity leading a coup within the Wych Cult of the Sicklekin, butchering his captors and leaving a trail of blood all the way out of the arenas. Attracting waifs and strays from all over Commorragh, and leveraging his ties with the new rulers of his former Wych Cult, he founded the Kabal of the Whipcrown.

Used up my last stash of Harlequin legs to finally add some Harlies to the army

While I love the Death Jester and Shadowseer sculpts, they're both in finecast most of the time which has no place in my army at all. So, I thought I'd try and make some from plastic




I've also always hated how the legs for the Troupe Master are posed. It doesn't look like a natural part of a stride or leap to me, even with anti-grav belts. So, did a bit of chopping around and re-posing and came up withe this which is a little better



And finally the Troupe not much conversion work here, aside from a re-angling of one of the arms to make 'Mr Come At Me Bro' in the middle, and a head from the Skyweavers kit which worked beautifully on the dudette on the right



And the obligatory fluff piece

Masque of the Tone Serpent
The enigmatic harlequins of the Masque of the Tone Serpent travel the twisted webway skeins between the craftworlds, the exodites and the dark city. It was they who guided craftworld Angvellaith towards the exodite world of Selesti, first employed the listening posts of the Khaine's Ravens, and brokered the first meeting between Khaharkyth of the Whipcrown and the seer council of the Angvai. The ultimate purpose for this tripartite Eldar union is unknown to anyone but the servants of the Trickster God.


Oh and almost forgot, I threw together a little test kitbash for some Storm Guardians. Unfortunately I've only got the one Guardian torso left so he's on his own at the moment, but I'll pick up some more as soon as I've got moula again probably just in time for them to release a new Guardian double-box with Defenders and Stormies...