I am no longer certain whether it was at last year’s Salute or longer ago, when I purchased these additions to my bestiary from Heresy Miniatures. Initially I wasn’t sure which collection they should belong to, but once I read about the maggot-like form of Yhagni, the imprisoned cousin of Cthulhu and Hastur, a possible interpretation took shape.
The servants of Yhagni writhing in abandoned places
The Terror Grub is a demonic servant of the Great Old One, devouring humans and other sentient beings and excreting them in horrific new forms.
With open maw the demon waits for a sacrificial offeringFrom the Temple of Pillars it has burrowed its way
These Maggotmen are utterly insane yet still capable of communicating using common language and can thereby act as intermediaries with other cultists.
Feasting on offalHunting for victimsStalking its prey
After centuries of perfidious planning, the Cult of the Kraken Lord has finally gathered to conduct a ceremony that will spell the doom of humankind.
The cult is gathered
Wielding the Staff of Many Eyes and reciting from the Cursed Tome of Conjuration, the cultists seek to raise their master from the depth of the sea to enslave our world.
Priests are invoking a sinister spell
Flanked by monstrous guardians, the High Priest observes his diabolical plans being enacted.
The ancient throne was carved by alien hands
This Kickstarter funded new range from Midlam Miniatures was entertaining to paint and will hopefully make for a colourful and challenging threat in a Cthulhu themed adventure at some point.
Since I have backed quite a few campaigns last year that have now mostly been delivered, I am trying to be disciplined with getting them finished also. Next up in the Kickstarter painting queue are some post-apocalyptic types, while for my Lovecraftian horror it is probably time to find a few fearless investigators who might save us from the predations of ancient gods.
I took part in Midlam Miniatures’ Kickstarter for the Cultists of the Kraken Lord since they were the perfect fit for my casual collection of Lovecraftian grotesques. Are they humans wearing masks, mutants, crossbreeds, an ancient race from the deep or travellers from a plane beyond consciousness? Nobody knows for sure, and if they did, such forbidden knowledge would probably have come at the cost of their sanity.
The ritual begins
I completed the first half of the cult, going for a classic combination of dark red robes with contrasting green tentacles. The figures are fun to paint, and quick to achieve effective results with.
The other day I completed the remaining figures from Heresy Miniatures’ Ghoul Tribe, sculpted by Paul Muller. I’d originally bought them just because they are such characterful sculpts, then started painting them as part of a long term project to collect a range of creatures fitting into Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos.
I’ve also since read Brian McNaughton’s The Throne of Bones, following a recommendation by Somet. He wasn’t kidding when he said it makes for ‘often uncomfortable’ reading, but it indeed provides many intriguing layers to the background of ghouls that most fantasy settings would rarely venture into.
Ghouls with packed lunchGhouls preparing dinnerGhouls feeling peckishGhouls out hunting in the derelict part of town
A while back I bought the Ghoul tribe from Heresy Miniatures, originally intended for a Ghoul Kings army in Warhammer Fantasy Battles. The figures were sculpted by Paul Muller, who also created the last edition of metal Ghouls released by Citadel which I am using for my Vampire Counts.
I am just studying S. Petersen’s Field Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors from Chaosium however and been inspired to paint some of them up for my loose collection of creatures from the Cthulhu Mythos – an idea that has probably been festering in my mind since reading Shamutantis’ post on the set.
The graveyard is home to a family of Ghouls
These three make a great family group that will lend itself to story driven games. In their background it is unclear whether Ghouls are a separate species or degenerate from humans.
As I’ll be using them in a different context, I chose a separate colour scheme from my Warhammer Ghouls – necrotic pink over anaemic white.
Searching for human flesh
The characterisation on these miniatures is brilliant, and utterly horrifying. I’ve painted the baby which the hag has snatched in a contrasting warm brown to show that it has just been stolen from an unfortunate family.
Newest member of the tribe – or supper?Eyes are ghoulish candyThe head of the household is bringing food on the table
The Lost and the Damned 