There is a poem within the Skáldskaparmál describes an encounter between a female troll and one Bragi Boddason.
'Trolls call meTranslation by Anthony Faulkes
Stone Troll Poem, Sam Gamgee
This is my first Reaper Dark Heavens Bones miniature. The Dark Heaven Bones line has the following properties and characteristics:
Although Bones miniatures are advertised as being 25mm tall, my specimen stands a full 60mm tall from the bottom of its base to the tips of its fingers on its uplifted arms.
The following is an excerpt is from the Danish Ballad of Eline of Villenskov. The ballad goes on to describe a troll from Scandinavian mythology.
"Out then spake the tinyest Troll,Read the complete song here:
Not much in the name, except that the miniature is small, he measures ¾” long. The carry’s a torch and assume a bomb. Because of the way that the miniature molded I am still trying to figure out what this miniature is all about, however, I believe I have a pretty good idea how to proceed now.
I can’t say whether this miniature will end up in some game or on a display shelf.
This hard plastic miniature is one of 42 plastic heroes and monsters that accompany the D&D Legend of Drizzt board game. The Feral Troll miniature stands approximately 2.5 inches (63.5mm) high and is about the same broad. The miniature has the following inscription on its base: "Wizards, 2011". As you will take note from the accompanied photographs this fellow is full of detail.
The Lord of the Rings Wiki does not make a mention of Feral trolls, so the Feral Troll must be unique to D&D Legend of Drizzt. The Heroscape Wiki offers the following statistics for this character:
He is interesting character and excellent piece to have at your disposal.
Painting D & D Legend of Drizzt miniatures
Last month I made a post on the Draken Games Catalogue # 8 and the two free mini-games that were included in this issue. I have read through the Raid on Spurhaven rules and have found what you might call the back story of the game. Here are some excerpts:
"Many years ago, during the Second Orc War, a renowned local magic user called Abramor poured much of his powers into a magical artefact to help halt the Malthian invasion: a spyglass that allowed him to direct battle magic. Using it from atop his tower on the heights, he helped the Free Peoples defeat the invaders. Abramor was left drained: his School of Magic broke up and his last act was to create six runes that would allow a magic user to recreate his battle magic, so long as they have his spyglass.
Abramor told people of his legacy, but by then his mind was failing and few took him seriously. He died alone in his tower in poverty. Though the heights do at least bear his name, the tower is now in ruin. His spyglass and runes were remembered only as folklore, repeated as a rhyme by local children:
‘If orcish evil comes to pass
Then find again the eye of glass,
That’s hidden in Abramor’s Tower
Along with words of magic power,
Magic user heed this verse
To stop orcs with a deadly curse’
‘Aldus,
The orcs have found proof that the old rhyme about Abramor is true. You must stop them finding what they seek! We shall march south at double speed to try and assist in the defense of Spurhaven against the main war party.’ “
Raid on Spurhaven
There is one doe missing from the picture. It seems she was a bit shy about being shot at. These figures are from Life Like and as you can see, if used in the forefront of one’s layout, will need a little paint to accent their details, otherwise if used further back they will work well without any extra work. Judging from a recent survey on online sources, Life Like figures are getting to be a little hard to find. These figures are made of hard type of plastic.
These highly detailed 1/87 scale miniatures of dogs and cats are from Walter Merten, a German company. I don’t know if they are still producing. The newest online catalog is dated 2010. Although their line is quite extensive this is the only set of Walter Merten figures I currently own. They are manufactured using some type of hard plastic.
The three hard plastic Trolls stand 30mm and are from the Norse collection of figures included in the Age of Mythology board game. Trolls are from Scandinavian and Nordic tradition and mythology. Trolls are very large creatures and stand between 8 to 10 feet tall. Although not very intelligent they are unscrupulous when it comes to something they want and have no problem, taking, stealing, fighting, or shedding blood for what they desire.
"The common black scorpion of Southern India," he said softly. "Its venom is the basis of the priceless formula, F. Katalepsis, upon which the structure of our Sublime Order rests, Dr. Stuart; hence the adoption of a scorpion as our device."
He took up a long slender flask.
"This virus prepared from a glandular secretion of the Chinese swamp-adder is also beyond price. Again-the case upon the pedestal yonder contains five perfect bulbs, three already in flower, as you observe, of an orchid discovered by our chief chemist in certain forests of Burma. It only occurs at extremely rare intervals—eighty years or more—and under highly special conditions. If the other two bulbs flower, I shall be enabled to obtain from the blooms a minimum quantity of an essential oil for which the nations of the earth, if they knew its properties, would gladly empty their treasuries."
The Golden Scorpion, Sax Rohmer
This is my forth set of four random plastic game miniatures.
" The new-comer wore a cowled garment of some dark blue material which enveloped him from head to feet. It possessed oval eye-holes, and through these apertures gleamed two eyes which looked scarcely like the eyes of a human being. They were of that brilliant yellow color sometimes seen in the eyes of tigers, and their most marked and awful peculiarity was their unblinking regard. They seemed always to be open to their fullest extent, and Stuart realized with anger that it was impossible to sustain for long the piercing gaze of Fo-Hi … for he knew that he was in the presence of "The Scorpion"!'
A voice from a bunk had commenced to sing monotonously.
"Peyala peah," it sang, weird above the murmured accompaniment of the other dreaming smokers and the wash-wash of the tide—"To myn-na-peah-Phir Kysee ko kyah …"
"He is speaking from an opium-trance," said Stuart softly. "A native song: 'If a cup of wine is drunk, and I have drunk it, what of that?'"
" Again there was a weird interruption. A Chinaman lying in one of the bunks began to chant in a monotonous far-away voice:
"Chong-liou-chouay"The Buddhist formula," whispered Stuart. "He is a real smoker." '
'A moaning voice from one of the bunks came.
"Cheal kegur-men, mas ka dheer!"
"A native adage," whispered Stuart. "He is dreaming. 'There is always meat in a kite's nest.'"
"Eh bien! very true—and I think the kite is at home!" '
The Golden Scorpion
Through the use of coercion and deception Chunda and Miska were both slaves to their master the The Golden Scorpion. Chunda and Miska, although they feigned allegiance to their master, both had thoughts and plans for better days.
"Those!" said the Hindu contemptuously—"the poor slaves of the black smoke! Ah! they are floating in their dream paradise; they have no ears to hear, no eyes to see!" He grasped her wrist again. "They contest for shadow smiles and dream kisses, but Chunda Lal have eyes to see and ears to hear. He dream, too but of lips more sweet than honey, of a voice like the Song of the Daood! Inshalla!"
The Golden Scorpion
"He wore a plain yellow robe and had a little black cap on his head. His face, his wonderful evil face I can never forget, and his eyes—I fear you will think I exaggerate—but his eyes were green as emeralds!"
The Golden Scorpion
"And what is the weapon which the cowled man (who may be 'The Scorpion') uses to remove Dr. Stuart? It is a frightful weapon, my friends; it is a novel and deadly weapon. It is a weapon of which science knows nothing—a blue ray of the colour produced by a Mercury Vapour Lamp, according to Dr. Stuart who has seen it, and producing an odour like that of a blast furnace according to myself, who smelled it! Or this odour might have been caused by the fusing of the telephone; for the blue ray destroys such fragile things as telephones as easily as it destroys wood and paper! There is even a large round hole burned through the clay at the back of the study grate and through the brick wall behind it! Very well. 'The Scorpion' is a scientist and he is also the greatest menace to the world which the world has ever been called upon to deal with."
The Golden Scorpion
This is my third set of plastic game miniatures. I hope to make at least one other post like this one this month and I do have a few others planned.
“It was then that I, ducking to escape the boom, caught a glimpse of something ahead-something that a sudden wave seemed to toss on the deck and leave there, wet and flapping- a man with round fixed, fishy eyes, and soft, slate colored skin. But the horror of the thing were the two gills that swelled and relaxed spasmodically, emitting a rasping, purring sound-two gasping, blood-red gills, all fluted and scalloped and distended. The “harbor master” had gathered himself into a wet lump, squalling, motionless in the bows under the mast; his lidless eyes were phosphorescent, like the eyes of a living codfish.”
In Search of the Unknown, Robert W. Chambers
"First comes the day
Then comes the night.
After the darkness
Shines through the light.
The difference, they say,
Is only made right
By the resolving of gray
Through refined Jedi sight."
Journal of the Whills, 7:477
Rey’s Speeder is a cross between a speeder and a Swoop and was created by Rey for long range scavenging work. “The speeder was created using scavenged parts from the starship graveyard on Jakku, Niima Outpost, or from parts acquired from Teedo traders.” The speeder can carry heavy loads, is equipped with some defensive weapons, and is fast.
After a long hiatus I am visiting my dungeon workshops once again, and I plan on getting some painting accomplished.
Other
Ristuls Market Halloween Basing Kit (10 resin miniatures)
This my third or fourth order from Hoard O' Bits. I am amazed as to what can be found here. Now that I am featuring the Game Mini’s series of posts I am looking for other sources of game minis, especially those that are economical.
There a few of these miniatures that will stay unpainted while a couple will end up on the work bench this month.
D&D Castle Ravenloft Bits - Undead ZombieBoth references are from the same site and comprise elements from the Wold Newton Universe. At any rate, it is an interesting take on Dr. Fu Manchu and other characters found in the Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu story. This post will complete my Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu series. We will pick it up again the next episode.
In some mysterious manner Dr. Fu-Manchu escapes from the flames and judging from other writings, we will see the good Doctor again.
"As I write, there lies before me a soiled and creased sheet of vellum. It bears some lines traced in a cramped, peculiar, and all but illegible hand. This fragment was found by Inspector Weymouth (to this day a man mentally sound) in a pocket of his ragged garments.
When it was written I leave you to judge. How it came to be where Weymouth found it calls for no explanation:
'To Mr. Commissioner NAYLAND SMITH and Dr. PETRIE—
Greeting! I am recalled home by One who may not be denied. In much that I came to do I have failed. Much that I have done I would undo; some little I have undone. Out of fire I came—the smoldering fire of a thing one day to be a consuming flame; in fire I go. Seek not my ashes. I am the lord of the fires! Farewell.'
"FU-MANCHU."
Chapter 30, The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu, Sax Rohmer
