Inquisitor warband update - henchman #2 and new conversions

Work has been hell over the last three weeks. However, I have managed to find a bit of time to do a bit of converting and painting, which has proved to give some serious light relief.

I painted up the Master of the Psyber Menagerie, who also fulfils the role of Master of the Hunt. Pretty happy with how he turned out.  This chap has Inquisitor Daubenton's psyber falcon upon his wrist. The other arm features a psyber lure for the falcon, and on his gauntlet is an inbuilt data slate which receives transmissions from the falcon. I've also given him an auspex and one of those hefty looking rifles from the Tempestus Scions kit.

As for the two new conversions, the first is Floki Vikernes. Floki was an initiate to the Space Wolves chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. However, as the complicated surgical process progressed, his body rejected the implanted progenoid glands. From that point on he served in the Fang in a much more humble capacity. At some presently undisclosed point, Inquisitor Daubenton collaborated with the Wolves, and Floki became a part of his team.  Depressed and self-blaming over not becoming Astartes like his brothers, Floki now finds solace burning the impure of spirit with his flamer, and burning whatever else Daubneton insists should be burned. Realistically speaking, he has an unhealthy fascination with fire.

The second new conversion is most definitely a work in progress and combines two as yet unnamed individuals. The rough idea is that the female is some kind of seer / diviner that has visions, and then collapses. The male is just her bodyguard, and stoically carries her around once she has collapsed. I may not end up using this, as I can't tell if it's a good idea or not. I'll see how the rest of the conversion process goes, I suppose! Apologies for the blurry conversion pics, but you get the idea!

Inquisitor war band update - henchman #1 & new conversions

After finding it a little tricky to get some work table time in over the last couple of weeks, I finally managed to have a good session on Sunday afternoon.

I managed to get a henchman painted, as well as finishing conversion work on my 'blunter', Methuselah (based on a Black Scorpion miniatures pirate child with an Ungor head), and my rogue trader, Lady Dremelza Halifax (based on Isabella von Carstein, with some fancy xenos gadgetry).  I'll also add into this a non-converted model, who will act as a scribe (another Black Scorpion sculpt that I thought fit in quite perfectly).

Story-wise, the henchman will be one of Lady Dremelza's bodyguards, just some gritty dude. I thought the flintlocks added a suitable naval element to him. With the leather jacket and bandana, I wanted to create an impression of a wannabe Han Solo type meets old-skool Suicidal Tendencies fan kind of vibe.

I've given Lady Halifax an unusual mark of Eldar pistol, which I've re-modelled to resemble a futuristic flintlock (see the shape of stock/grip of the weapon and compare it to the henchman's). It was fiddly.  The blade she carries will have a bit of story behind it.

As for Methuselah, I gave a bit of vague story to him as part of the Inquisitor Daubenton ramblings I've been posting up. In case you can't be arsed to backtrack through the blog, he's basically a Pariah, as well as an abhuman, and to cap it all, he also exhibits Dwarfism (which is in no way intended to be offensive to anyone - it's just how I thought the character needed to be built as soon as I saw the model it's based around). He's also strapped with a flintlock.

The scribe, well, is just a typical busy-body bookish know-it-all repository of useless / useful information.

Inquisitor Ziegfried Daubenton, Ordo Malleus – what we know or are able to surmise part 4.

+++Accessing Ordo Abstruse Datacoils+++

+++Sub-designation: Ordo Malleus+++

+++Ident code: 4612 Alpha Epsilon+++

+++Access granted: Welcome Interrogator Ignatius Basildon+++

+++Thought for the day: Contempt is the armour of the righteous.+++

Log entry: 3389ZD

Subject: Inquisitor Ziegfried Daubenton, Ordo Malleus – what we know or are able to surmise part 4.

As mentioned in my previous entry, as time crawls relentlessly on, more data relating to Inquisitor Daubenton is slowly (painfully so) being restored. By virtue of this, I am able to confirm the nature of some of his research at the Ordos citadel during the dozen or so years following the Grand Inquisitorial Synod of Addiscombe Vulgaris. Seemingly, he was putting a great deal of time into seeking out further knowledge of the art of divination, the causes of minor daemonic incursions along the fringes of the warp storm, as well as ways to pierce through.

As to the results of this research, it is unclear at this point what his specific findings were. Toward the end of my previous research note, I briefly referred to the matter of faint astropathic communications originating from core-ward sectors of the galaxy that mentioned both the Path of the Martyr, and the legendary Tomes of Thrixis. It is in respect of these subjects that Daubenton was to dedicate the subsequent 33 years of his career.

A brief overview of the Abstruse sector follows:

The ‘Path of the Martyr’ is a string of shrine worlds and moons linking the rim-ward fringes of the Seriphos Sector to the core-ward fringes of the neighbouring Abstruse Sector.  The ‘Path’ is so named as it marks the route of successful campaign of reconquest undertaken by Imperial forces led in part by Saint Felicitè, during M37.

A series of shrine worlds were erected in ensuing centuries, marking out key sites of victories, designed to act as lasting monuments to the sacrifice of millions of Imperial lives. At the end of the ‘Path’, lies the world of Felicity, which marks the site of the eventual doom and ultimate sacrifice of  Saint Felicitè, where she was stricken down as she concluded rites of banishment which ended a Daemonic incursion, and paved the way for a decisive victory against the more corporeal forces of the Archenemy.

After commandeering a small portion of the Administratum’s astropathic choir, Daubenton and his entourage made ship for the core-ward fringe of the sector (and the warp storm) aboard the Bounty of Croydius under the aegis of the controversial rogue trader, Lady Demelza Halifax. Fruitless attempts were made over a period of several months to pick up clearer astropathic transmissions. It is rumoured that one of the astropaths was driven mad and began to exhibit evidence of warp taint, and had to be executed. Other rumours indicate that the astropath in question was used (against their will, one would presume) to become host to a warp entity of considerable power. Evidence to confirm or disavow either of these rumours is at the current time unavailable.

Following these initial failures at astropathic communion with the wider galaxy, I would hypothesise that Daubenton decided his investigations would then follow a different route.  Over the subsequent 27 years, Daubenton is known to have had extensive interactions with senior Adepts of the Mechanicum on a number of forge worlds, including Krokus, Danelaw, and Whit’s Gifte.  It is noted that on many occasions during this period that Daubenton had been accompanied on extensive voyages along the fringe of the warp storm and the outer rim of the sector. I would speculate that they were seeking something (or things) that would be of benefit to either Daubenton, the Mechanicum or both.  It is clear that bargains of some kind had been stuck. As to who got the better side of these bargains (the nature of which we do not fully understand), it is impossible to say, and of course it is likely that both sides may feel that they did (do the mysterious Adepts of the Mechanicum possess the capacity to feel? They have always struck me as devoid of emotion to the point of soullessness). It seems likely, based on past incidents throughout the galaxy, which the Mechanicum might take particular interest in archaeotech, biotech and xenotech that could potentially be discovered in the course of Inquisitorial investigations.

Speculation asides, there were reports from {name redacted] and {name redacted}, who encountered and worked cooperatively with Daubenton during the {mission name redacted} approximately 6 years ago, of the presence of strange constructs and arcane machines being tinkered with by Mechanicum Adepts that were accompanying Daubenton. At least one of these was biomechanically linked to an astropath, and also seemed to be dispensing ream after ream of nonsense script (if these reports are to be believed as accurate – given the rivalries that often pervade the Ordos, this could be simple slander). I would hypothesise that the device or construct in question must have been put together to assist with Daubenton’s attempts to decipher the astropathic transmissions from beyond the warp storm.

It is in the ensuing 5 years (leading us to the present day), that things become somewhat less clouded, and more pivotal events begin to coincide with Daubenton’s activities.

Inquisitor war band update: Heavy servitor #2 & progress so far.

Despite being a bit busy recently, I have managed to complete work on this second servitor.

Overall I'm pretty happy with how it has turned out, but looking at the pictures, I think there are a couple of places that could be improved... namely the eyes, which seem a bit indistinct and the bandages on the left leg, which need dulling down a bit.

I also thought I'd take the opportunity drop in a couple of pics of the overall progress on the crew so far.

Inquisitor Ziegfried Daubenton, Ordo Malleus – what we know or are able to surmise part 3.

+++Accessing Ordo Abstruse Datacoils+++

+++Sub-designation: Ordo Malleus+++

+++Ident code: 4612 Alpha Epsilon+++

+++Access granted: Welcome Interrogator Ignatius Basildon+++

+++Thought for the day: Doubt is a crutch for the weak of spirit.+++

Log entry: 2379ZD

Subject: Inquisitor Ziegfried Daubenton, Ordo Malleus – what we know or are able to surmise part 3.

Since my last log entry, some progress has been made in rebuilding the purged Ordos records pertaining to Inquisitor Daubenton. I doubt that these records will ever be completely restored, but as progress continues to be made in this regard, I am confident that this will make my research easier.

The Grand Inquisitorial Synod of Addiscombe Vulgaris is a bi-centennial conclave of the Ordos Abstruse, which all Inquisitors, regardless of rank are expected to attend.  The only exception to this would be for those that would be at risk of undermining their ongoing Holy investigations by withdrawing from the field at such a point in time. Even so, this is frowned on by many, who believe absence from such an event smacks of self-importance. I am sure that those who are absent from these events would be of the opinion that those in attendance don’t dedicate enough time and effort to putting the heretic, the alien and the daemon to the sword. Again, I digress.

On this particular occasion, which was (until recently) very well documented by a number of sources including the venerable Archibald Smythe (who at the time was chief scribe to Inquisitor Lord Griswald), the conclave had been under way for approximately three hours (Terran standard) when Daubenton arrived. In the words of Smythe himself:

“Proceedings were interrupted shortly after the cathedral bells tolled to signify the 11^th hour of morning. The north doors to the Grand Enclave Hall were flung open with such force that the left-hand door was literally ripped from its hinges. All heads turned toward the crashing sound in time to observe my master’s old under-study, Inquisitor Daubenton, striding vigorously down the aisle dragging a pitiful, chain bound specimen by the nostrils, before flinging it to the floor at the feet of the Grand Master of the Ordos. Impressively, this poor unfortunate turned out to be none other than Sebastius von Sikder, the self-proclaimed “Bastard of Chowrastra”, a heretic of great ill repute.”

The so-called Bastard of Chowrastra (reportedly a rogue psyker of gamma-level potency), had been at large for almost 20 years, spreading dissent and heresy willy-nilly throughout the Chowrastra region. For those readers that are not familiar with it, it is a remote region of the Abstruse sector, encompassing 61 systems of the Bangaloria sub-sector.  Prior to being brought to Imperial justice, he had been thought to be responsible for seeding dozens of cults throughout the Chowrastra region, and providing certain banned texts and malefic artefacts to enable the ritualistic worship of the Chaos pantheon. Indeed, in the wake of von Sikder’s passing, there had been no less than 1,423 episodes of severe civil unrest, with a staggering 23 of these incidents resulting in the overthrow of local Imperial rule by the unruly citizenry, and a further 19 evolving into civil war. Appallingly, 6 of these incidents culminated in the eradication of all human life from the host planets. By proxy, a conservative estimate puts the body count that can be attributed to von Sikder at somewhere in the region of 21 billion souls (may they find their way to Emperor’s light).

Upon Daubenton’s entry to the Hall, attendees of the conclave within a close vicinity that were psychically gifted began to notice symptoms such as gushing nosebleeds, searing head pains and extreme nausea, and seemed unable to look into his vicinity as he passed. Those that were psychically un-gifted felt an urge to draw back from Daubenton as he passed, and could observe a child-sized abhuman following closely in his wake.  Based upon what we now know, it is likely that this Beastman was Methuselah, an individual born with dwarfism, and also possessing the normally recessive “pariah” gene.  An individual possessing the pariah gene (according to studies conducted by [name redacted]) has a number of key effects:

i. The individual exudes a sphere of psychic blankness which affects their vicinity. Any psyker entering this sphere of influence will experience excruciating pain, nausea and haemorrhaging. Any psychic abilities that reach into this sphere of influence are nullified; any daemonic entities that pass into this sphere are also affected. Minor entities are banished to whence they came; more powerful entities will endure severe “injuries” (can one truly “injure” such a creature in any real sense?) that will cause it’s grasp on the material realm to severely weaken.

ii. The individual is, to all intents and purposes, soulless. They have no detectable presence whatsoever in the Empyrean.

iii. Likely closely linked to point ii. above, the individual will have undefinable, undetectable aura that infuses them. This aura makes the individual seem inexplicably repellent to those they encounter. Others will automatically loathe the individual.  This seems to be an automatic response.  Indeed the only individuals that can bear to be in the presence of a Pariah are other Pariahs. Due to this aura, in all but the rarest of cases, the individual will be abandoned as a mere child, as their families abhor their very presence. This must make for an incredibly lonely existence, it is therefore no surprise that mental illness is often prevalent in these poor unfortunates.

Given these effects, it is no real wonder that von Sikder (by all accounts, typically an arrogant, self-assured individual) seemed so pitiful, being subjected to this creature’s close proximity.

As so often is the case, I appear to have digressed once again. Suffice to say that even Daubenton’s critics were very impressed by the prize he was presenting (even if much of this garnered respect was given somewhat grudgingly). The presentation of von Sikder to Inquisitor Lord Griswald was to herald the next phase in Daubenton’s career, as well as a less than comfortable collaboration between Daubenton and Griswald on the interrogation and excruciation of von Sikder. This ultimately concluded in von Sikder being mechanically reclaimed and processed into the form of an arco-flaggellant.

In the twelve years following the conclave, dozens of colleagues are able to confirm that Daubenton spent much time in the Ordos citadel, involved in much research and study, which ultimately culminated in him making an official transfer from the Ordo Hereticus to the Ordo Malleus. This research is thought to have centred around rumours of minor daemonic incursions along the fringes of the warp storm; and faint astropathic communications seemingly originating from core-ward sectors of the galaxy that seemed to mention the Path of the Martyr, and the legendary Tomes of Thrixis.

200th post! Inquisitor war band update - Heavy servitor #1

Well, somehow, this blog finally made it to 200 posts.  Thanks to everyone that's been a reader and/or follower thus far.

Anyway, a few days back, I finished the first of my 2 heavy servitors. Really pleased with the flesh area in particular.  I also like how cumbersome and clunky he looks - which sits at odds with his lightning claw.