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Greetings Terrans, and sorry it has been a while since I posted! We’ve had our half term break here in the south of England, so I had a nice week off with the kids, visiting family & having guests in return. My hobby time has been a bit fragmented as a result, but I have been chipping away at a few bits and pieces. My Power Armoured Orks are almost built, and I have some cool terrain on the go as well, but most importantly for today, I have finished my Daughters of Khaine AoS warband quota for February… By extension, this means that I have hit my goal for Fembruary as well:
These three ladies are pretty much the stock Witch Aelves & Slaughter Queen from the Cauldron of Blood set – the only slight modification is using the heads from the Melusai Blood Sisters to give them a more sinister silhouette & tie them in a bit more with Seros herself. I’ll play them all as Witch Aelves in the first instance, though the Slaughter Queen might get a weapon swap & a promotion later in the project. I’ve followed the colour scheme that I established with Seros – the red skin is intended to give them a more demonic look, and I hope also serves to de-sexualise them a bit, (still something that bothers me with the DoK range).
Here’s the accompanying fluff:
Following her exile from Hagg Nar, Seros kept herself to the shadows – a broken thing, she slowly nursed her change-ravaged body back to health, just as she fed her hatred and anger. Little did she realise that others within Khainite society had been inspired by her defiance of Morathi, and that small groups were quietly seeking her out. The auspicious form of her cursed body and her high reputation as a former Priestess led some to believe that Seros was a prophetess, and that she was destined for greatness. The first such followers to find her were three warrior sisters, who tracked her to a deep mine on the borders of the realm of metal. They called to Seros, declaring their loyalty, and begging to be allowed the honour of serving her. Seros allowed them to approach through the darkness, but their torch-revealed beauty caused her such anguish that she lashed out at the sisters, her crown of snakes striking each in turn. Thus poisoned, the sisters lay in agonised paralysis as their flesh darkened to a crimson hue, and their faces contorted into rictus-like masks. Seros retreated deeper into the shadows, intuitively understanding that if the sisters survived their ordeal, then they had been judged worthy to join her by a higher power than Seros herself. Quietly, she watched from the darkness, as one by one, the sisters slid into deep, dreamless coma.
Many days later, the three sisters awoke, and were soon recovered enough to resume calling out for Seros, beseeching her to allow them to serve her. Their venom-induced transformation had left them with skin the colour of blood and hideously transformed faces, but this seemed to have only strengthen their devotion. Finally convinced of their worthiness and no longer taunted by their Aelven beauty, Seros allowed the sisters to join her. Known as the Handmaidens of Seros, they became her first acolytes, and wearing snake-crowned masks in her honour, they continue to fight at her side. Meanwhile, Seros continues to subject new members of her warband to her venomous ‘kiss’ in order to determine their worthiness and loyalty… The survivors of this ritual are left similarly marked by the experience, and follow the Handmaiden’s example by donning hideous masks to honour their prophetess.
So that’s it for now – I hope you like the handmaidens, and that you enjoyed the read! I’ll be doing a Fembruary round-up in the next few days, and will be continuing to work on various projects in the background as well… Jobs for March include continuing to add to this warband (another 25 renown), finish building my Wolf Time Power Armoured Orks and start getting some paint on them! I am also committed to finishing up some of Mark’s Heresyofus Mag Bellum terrain pieces that I have on the go – more news to follow!
Mikko said:
Love the fluff on these, they’re like a nice, creepy vampire cult. Painting is spot on too, the red skin works wonderfully.
Alex said:
Thanks dude, I’m glad you approve – the red does give them a sinister edge, doesn’t it?
Mikko said:
It really does! Sinister is exactly the word.
Marvin said:
I call them a huge success! Great work on these – in awe of your shading which is really effective as usual. The red skin works perfectly for me.
Alex said:
Thank you very much mate – I do love working with red ;-)
theimperfectmodeller said:
Very, very nice mate and I like the backdrop of what looks like an old sewing box to me ;-).
Alex said:
Cheers mate, and yep, that’s an old sewing box for my current project paints ;-)
Warburton said:
Nice work!
Alex said:
Cheers dude :-)
terryshithole said:
lovely work!
Alex said:
Cheers mate :-)
Argentbadger said:
Top painting work, and the addition of the Blood Sister heads is really effective (though I have to admit that I don’t particularly like those heads myself and didn’t even put them on my Blood Sisters).
I get your point about the overly-sexualised nature of the Daughters range. I think that this range is probably quite self-aware of the meme of the chainmail bikini and silliness of it all and it bothers me less here than when it is presented as ‘normal’, notably in a lot of Infinity miniatures. It’s a big topic though and I think that miniature wargaming as a hobby still has a lot of work to do to improve its image in terms of equality and representation.
Alex said:
Thanks dude, and that is my feeling too – hence Fembruary! :-)
Argentbadger said:
And a worthy goal it is too. I’m looking forward to what we as a community share for Fembruary.
Thomas said:
I love ‘em! The colours, especially with the blue, really pop. Brilliant.
Ps. Still got the Cauldron of Blood mostly intact if you want some bits. Ds.
Alex said:
Cheers dude, I’m glad you like ’em! I was in two minds about the blue, but I’m glad I rolled with it – it certainly stands out against the red skin!
The only bits I really need from the CoB are the figures themselves – are they (or bits of them) still available?
Thomas said:
Most of the models are left. I’ve just used some hair from one of the girls. Just pick which one you like and I’ll send it to you.
Alex said:
Can I take the hag queen please? I cut mine up to make the Medusa :-)
Thomas said:
Sure thing! Hag Queen is the one holding the cup/graal, right?
Alex said:
that’s the one :-)
Thomas said:
I sent you a mail, asking for your address.
Pete S/ SP said:
Those are great. I like them a lot.
Cheers,
Pete.
Alex said:
Thanks mate
dreadaxe said:
Love the shading on them especially, and the fluff is harrowing. Awesome work 👍
Alex said:
Cheers dude – describing the fluff as harrowing is a huge complement! Thak you! :-)
Suber said:
Really sweet. They are striking, and their background is ace. So cool!
Alex said:
Thanks dude, glad you like them and their background :-)
imperialrebelork said:
Love the red mate. Really nice work on these and as always the fluff was enjoyable too. Write that book dammit. I’ll buy it. While we are talking fluff can you send/link me the Praetorian Story you did too please.
Alex said:
Thanks mate – on both counts! I will send the links tomorrow from my pc, and sorry – it slipped my mind! :-/
imperialrebelork said:
Thanks man and no need to apologise at all my friend
imperialrebelork said:
Might be easier to send it to my email themadnessofiro@gmail.com
Mark A. Morin said:
Man, I agree with IRO, love the red. really nice stuff Alex.
Alex said:
Cheers dude :-)
Wudugast said:
Those are excellent! Always really liked that model for Hellebron and you’ve made her even better with the mask.
Alex said:
Cheers dude :-)
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