The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - fallen waystone, Teclis

Want tips? Have tips? Have pictures even? Well, post them here!

Moderators: The Heralds, The Loremasters

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
Davariel
Chronicler
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:13 am
Location: Tor Nayel

The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - fallen waystone, Teclis

#1 Post by Davariel »

The morning sky was pale above the Eataine peninsula. There were no clouds, only a vista of thin blue far above the rugged grey mountains. Even the sun was invisible, save towards the farthest outskirts where the sky grew a little lighter at the horizon. On the ground below a thin, rough path ran through the expanse of stone, little more than a trail of packed dirt. Despite the biting chill ever present in the air, a thin column of elves was picking their way along the difficult road, tiny specks of bright white and gleaming silver amongst the grey and brown.

They were a strange sort of party; to the front and rear rode Dragon Princes of Caledor, their faces unmoving as they gazed upon the cool mountains. In the middle were a beautiful lady in a fur cloak and a dragon knight with a bored twist to his lips.

And then there were the dragons.

One was red and black, while the larger and greater creature was blue and white. They each carried a rider as well, another dragon knight on the blue, and a mage in long robes on the red. They were an awe inspiring sight, and it was well the region was thinly populated and there were no elves to witness or hamper their approach.

As the elf on the blue dragon came around a twist in the path and saw the city ahead, he turned to the bored looking knight and smiled a little.

"Seems we've arrived."

The knight cast an impassive eye over the walls, taking special note of the rubble and debris where a gate should have stood.

"It does not look like much."

The elf atop the blue dragon nodded a gentle agreement.

"We knew it had been sacked, but this... this is worse than I expected."

They could see inside the breached walls now; in a courtyard dotted with pieces of ruined stone the people were gathering, watching the approaching Caledorians with wonder and apprehension. As the blue dragon reached the walls and walked unperturbed over the rubble, one of the Dragon Princes unfurled a scroll and took up a position facing the crowd.

"Elves of Tor Nayel!" He shouted, his voice quashing the muttered confusion of the crowd. "Listen, and listen well! Davariel, thirdborn son of Prince Oraniar, is hereby appointed to rule as Prince of Tor Nayel by virtue of his marriage to the Lady Aeyla, daughter of Prince Nalarith, who was so grievously slain along with his only son and heir in the sack of the city. Thus speaks the edict of the Phoenix King Finubar the Seafarer, first of his name, chosen of Asuryan and Lord of all the Asur!"

The Caledorian coiled the scroll back up and turned to the lord atop the blue dragon.

"Hail Davariel, Prince of Tor Nayel!"

_____________________________________________

Hello Ulthuan, and welcome to my plog! I've recently started working on the High Elves I started collecting five years ago, and I thought I'd share some of what I've done.

The first models I painted upon my return to the Asur were my Phoenix Guard. There are a few things I'd do differently in hindsight (mainly the gems) but overall I'm pretty happy with them.

Image

Funnily enough I can't help but think these guys look better from the back. Maybe it's just me.

Image

The astute amongst you might have noticed the standard bearer is missing his standard. At least it decided to wait until I had nearly finished painting the banner. :roll:

Image

I'll end this now before this post gets too long. Thanks for viewing, and expect to see more of the elves of Tor Nayel!
Last edited by Davariel on Tue Jan 12, 2016 9:29 am, edited 7 times in total.
User avatar
RE.Lee
Posts: 2618
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2005 9:22 pm
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel

#2 Post by RE.Lee »

Welcome! Not a bad job on those Phoenix Guards, though some more shading would be beneficial, I think. Even a simple wash on the armour would make a real difference. Give it a try!
cheers, Lee

Elven Field Surgeon, Department of Intensive Care, Resuscitation and Necromancy
User avatar
Davariel
Chronicler
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:13 am
Location: Tor Nayel

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel

#3 Post by Davariel »

Those pictures came out waaaaay bigger than I'd intended. :oops: Resized them now; hopefully they'll be a bit more viewable.

@ RE.Lee: Thanks for the advice! I have a tendency to trend towards the too subtle when it comes to highlighting... something to work on, definitely.

I've got some pictures and background of my Archmage, too:

The Archmage Sedryel

Born to a minor noble family in southern Yvresse, Sedryel's talent for sorcery was soon recognised, and as a young elf he was sent to study at the famed White Tower. For a hundred years, he did not walk the world beyond Hoeth. When he emerged, it was as a skilled mage able to call upon any of the eight winds with ease, or even bind them into one. During the centuries that followed, Sedryel wandered the breadth of Ulthuan and perfected his art.

Image

It was not until the Battle of Finuval Plain that Sedryel's fate became entwined with that of his current home. When the battle seemed lost, Nalarith, Prince of Tor Nayel, found himself overreached and surrounded. Were it not for the Archmage's spells gaining him a reprieve, the Prince would have been slain by a host of Corsairs. When at last the day was won, Nalarith sought out Sedryel and asked him to enter his service, so he might have a chance repay his debt to the Archmage. With such an offer before him, Sedryel had no choice but to accept.

Image

The Archmage Sedryel has for many years been the foremost advisor to the Prince of Tor Nayel, and his wisdom has guided the city true in many matters. However, it remains uncertain if this will continue under the new regime. What is certain is that facing he shall have some place in Tor Nayel's future; when the walls fell, it was only thanks to his sorcery that any survived at all. To the elves living there, Sedryel is a hero, and a leader worthy of their trust.

Image

The Archmage himself does not share these feelings. Of late, he has been consumed by guilt, and he regrets that he could not do more when the city was sacked. Like the place he has called home for the past two centuries, he is damaged and broken, but not yet ended. Sedryel's wounds run deep, and how long it shall take him to heal – if ever he shall – remains to be seen...
User avatar
Davariel
Chronicler
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:13 am
Location: Tor Nayel

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel

#4 Post by Davariel »

Happy new year, Ulthuan! I had recently got a chance to take some pictures of my Dragon Mage. After it had sat unpainted for about four years, I finally cracked down and painted it over a period of six months, working on and off. This was more time than I'd ever spent on a model before, and it gave me a chance to figure out how to do lots of stuff (among other things, I actually looked at how gems were painted). But, without further ado, fluff and pictures:

Kairys Blazeheart and the Sun Dragon Maevoth

Kairys was an elf of ordinary beginnings. For years he seemed no more than a common Caledorian noble, standing in attendance at the court of Prince Oraniar, Davariel's father, and learning the ways of Ulthuan's society. His early life was quiet and unremarkable, and for years he went unnoticed and forgotten by the world at large. Unnoticed, that was, until a particularly inflammatory comment by an noble of Lothern left said noble's cloak blazing merrily, and Kairys more bewildered than any other.

Image

With his gifts revealed, Kairys was sent to the Tower of Hoeth without delay, destined to become one of the legendary fire mages of Caledor. At first all was well. While many of the other students held his Caledorian blood against him, Kairys felt more alive than ever, surpassing every one of his peers in his mastery of the flame. Then the dreams began. Dreams of fire and blood, and a mind deep in slumber. Two days after he was declared competent with fire magic, Kairys left the White Tower.

Image

Soon Kairys found himself guided back home to Caledor, to the mountains where he had been born. After speaking with the wisest and oldest elves he could find, he ventured into the Dragon Spine mountains with all available haste, conscious of other promises he had made. Guided by a mind that was not his own, Kairys walked for days through the caves, past wonders beyond imagining, until he came upon the dragon. The name sprang unbidden to his lips: Maevoth. A great amber eye opened before him. Then he felt the dragon's heart touch his own, and he knew he had found his destiny.

Image

Soon Kairys and Maevoth burst from the caves out into the air, the young Dragon Mage riding without saddle or harness. The elf's exhilarated shouts and the dragon's powerful roar heralded their coming, before without warning they turned aside and flew away over the mountains, on their way to Saphery and the White Tower. What business Kairys had returning there is not known, save to himself and the High Loremaster, whom it is rumoured he met with. All the elves of Caledor knew was that when Kairys came home some weeks later, he was a different elf entirely.

Image

For weeks he shunned the company of others, preferring to spend his time with Maevoth. He was silent, and would not speak of whatever had left him so melancholy. Gradually his spirits returned, but he was never again as lively as once he had been, and at times a dark brooding would inspire him to journey with Maevoth, disappearing for weeks on end. This continued until the news that Davariel was to become Prince of Tor Nayel. Seeing an opportunity for a new beginning, Kairys elected to make the journey to Eataine. Thus far he has done little but aggravate the Archmage Sedryel and his apprentice Tarielle simply by being his Caledorian self, but if there is one thing Kairys' history has shown, it is that there is more to him than there appears...

Image

I love the fluff of Dragon Mages, but the idea of painting a plain red dragon didn't really appeal to me. So, to mix it up, I went for a volcanic, cracked lava sort of theme on the body scales, and a "rain of fire" and obsidian look on the wings. The skin came out a little weird in these photos - it's not so shiny, and there's a bit more depth to it, but for the most part the photos are an accurate representation.

Anyway, I'll stop rambling now, feel free to leave comments, critique, etc.
User avatar
Galharen
Master of Brushes
Posts: 1280
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:41 pm
Location: Poznan/Hannover

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel

#5 Post by Galharen »

Very clean but also very plain painting, some shading/highlighting would make that dragon awesome! :)
User avatar
Davariel
Chronicler
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:13 am
Location: Tor Nayel

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel

#6 Post by Davariel »

An update! I've actually had these pictures lying around for a while, just haven't gotten around to posting them up. I finished these guys in mid-December, and they're the most recent models I've actually finished. I tried to make my highlights a bit sharper, especially on the blue and gray, since I tend to err on the side of too subtle. I think now it's my metals that are most in need of improvement. :)

Anyway, here are the crews of two bolt throwers:

Image

Image

And the second (very slightly different!) crew:

Image

Image

I also painted a Noble made from leftover parts alongside the two crews, so I present to you...

Bravelar, the Osprey of Eataine

Image

Bravelar is an oddity amongst the court of Tor Nayel. He hails from the coast of rural Eataine, and his family hold lordship over little more than a fishing village. As such he is considered little better than an upjumped commoner by the greater part of Ulthuan’s nobility. For his part, Bravelar cares little for the opinions of others, treating any who would look down on him with a scornful smile and a quick jest at their expense. Meanwhile his laconic wit and relaxed bearing have made him popular amongst the common elves of Tor Nayel.

Image

Bravelar’s favoured weapon is the bow, and he is widely regarded as one of the finest archers in Eataine. When he bested many who thought their own skill unmatched, he was given the title “Osprey” for his keen eyesight. Upon hearing the appellation, Bravelar laughed and took it in stride, going so far as to fletch his arrows exclusively with osprey feathers ever since.

Image

Bravelar was often taken with wandering throughout Ulthuan, but he has quietly set this habit aside in the wake of recent events. Following the sack of Tor Nayel, Bravelar alone amongst the court can be said to stand without a shadow on his heart, and his smile is one of the few symbols of hope left to the devastated city. The city’s future may be unknown, but one thing at least is certain: the Osprey’s arrows shall be there to defend it.

Image
User avatar
Davariel
Chronicler
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:13 am
Location: Tor Nayel

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - random statue

#7 Post by Davariel »

So, instead of continuing to work on my Shadow Warrior warband, I randomly decided to paint a statue I've had lying around for about a decade. Because that's prioritisation for you.

I don't have much to say about it, it only took a couple of afternoons. Made for a refreshing change from painting very detailed elves, though! :lol:

Image

And with a Shadow-walker, to give an idea of the scale:

Image
User avatar
Davariel
Chronicler
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:13 am
Location: Tor Nayel

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - random statue

#8 Post by Davariel »

I finally got around to finishing the Mordheim Shadow Warrior warband I've been working on for the past few months. I'd initially hoped to have this finished a month ago, but, well, life happened. In any case, it's done now, so... picturespam ahoy!

The Warriors of the Moon

Image

Many are the tales told of the Shadow Warriors known as the Warriors of the Moon. Like ghosts they roam the blasted shores of Nagarythe, their lives a ceaseless vigil against the forces that would ruin what remains of their kingdom. Under the leadership of Prince Valian of Tainre, better known as the Moonborn, they have slain countless Druchii and fouler things besides.

Image

The Shadow-walker Aevas Grimeye acts serves as the Moonborn's strong right hand. A gruff and honest sort, Aevas is well liked amongst the elves of Nagarythe for his charisma and courage.

Image

The friendship between Aevas and his prince has its roots during the Sundering itself. When Tainre fell to Malekith's forces, Aevas' ancestor gave his life to save the first Prince of Tainre. Throughout all that has followed, the destiny of their descendants has been intertwined.

Image

If Aevas Grimeye is the Moonborn's right hand, then Celnar Ravenfletch is his left. Though only recently come to the Warriors of the Moon, Celnar is a natural leader and swiftly distinguished himself in battle, earning himself the title of Shadow-walker.

Image

Celnar hails from the Shattered Isles, where he once lived in a hidden little village. That life was ended when Druchii raiders found and destroyed the small village, leaving Celnar the only survivor. Since then he has burned with a relentless hatred for the elves of Naggaroth, and there is no room in his heart for forgiveness.

Image

The Moonborn himself is a different sort entirely; when elves see him, they see not the Shadowlands, but the glorious days of Nagarythe past. Clad in armour from the time of Aenarion and bearing the enchanted sword Moonsong, Prince Valian is an echo of hope in a broken land. And yet he is Prince of nothing but a sunken ruin, and his ancient artifacts are kept shrouded by a dark cloak.

Image

The final member of the warband is Rorani Shadowseer. A strange maiden orphaned by the endless war, Rorani was taken in by the Moonborn after they happened upon her in their patrols. It soon became apparent that she was more than she seemed, for in the night she is visited by strange dreams, and when awake she can stir the shadows to action. However, such strange gifts have earned her a certain apprehension among the warband, and it remains to be seen whether she will prove an omen of good or ill...
User avatar
Hawkoon
Posts: 85
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 7:48 pm

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - Shadow Warrior Warban

#9 Post by Hawkoon »

Wow... some serious magic occured sometime i february... The look of the minis posted in january and the mordheim warband have huge differences in painting technique. The warband looks really good, while the older models look somewhat "unfinished".

A clear example of non-linear progression =D>
User avatar
Davariel
Chronicler
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:13 am
Location: Tor Nayel

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - Shadow Warrior Warban

#10 Post by Davariel »

@Hawkoon: Thanks for commenting! I actually painted most of the earlier models in this thread throughout last year (but only joined the forum a few months ago), so I had a bit more time to develop than it first appears! I did try to push myself when painting the warband, though!

Looking ahead, I'm planning on working on some Dragon Princes. But, while I was overall very impressed by the kit, there was one glaring problem: the champion. I like all the fancier champ bits individually, but once assembled they just don't stand out as much as a regular lancer, which (IMO) is the opposite of what a champion should do! So, a bit of cutting, repositioning, and greenstuffing later, I came up with this:

Image

Problem solved. :)
User avatar
Davariel
Chronicler
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:13 am
Location: Tor Nayel

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - Shadow Warrior Warban

#11 Post by Davariel »

I found an old Lotr Legolas model lying around and wanted to do something with it, and I thought it would make a decent Elf Ranger Hired Sword for Mordheim. I didn't spend long on it, but I think the model works in its new role...

Image

Image
User avatar
John Rainbow
Posts: 3550
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 2:47 am
Location: PA, USA

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - Elf Ranger

#12 Post by John Rainbow »

Nice. Is the bow string just glued thread?
User avatar
Davariel
Chronicler
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:13 am
Location: Tor Nayel

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - Elf Ranger

#13 Post by Davariel »

As soon as I saw the plastic Harlequin Shadowseer I knew it was too awesome not to do something with. Of course, I already had two foot mages (and with the IOB set I was about to order, that would be three) and I couldn't really justify another.

Then it occured to me that the model would make a great Teclis conversion...

Image

The only problem is that I'm too busy at the moment to paint him! :lol:
User avatar
Davariel
Chronicler
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:13 am
Location: Tor Nayel

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - Teclis Conversion

#14 Post by Davariel »

Hello Ulthuan! It's been ages since I posted anything here - I've had a hectic year (and a lot's happened in the hobby world too... :roll: ). Still, the holidays are here now and I've actually had time to spend on my High Elves!

First I finished two bolt throwers that have been sitting around half-done for months:

Image

I also converted another hero for my Shadow Warrior warband (this happened after I realised that a warband with only strength 3 attacks is... not ideal). So I decided to make a Nagarathi hero with a two handed weapon, which was a problem in itself since the only two handed weapons I had lying around were distinctly Caledorian swords or distinctly Chracian axes. As a result I had to get a bit creative:

Image

Finally, I painted up a unit of IOB Swordmasters. This unit was my first use of a concept known as using washes on metals... :wink:

Image

Image

Thanks for looking!
User avatar
Elithmar
Young Eataini Prince
Posts: 3669
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 7:41 pm

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - holiday update

#15 Post by Elithmar »

That's a great model you've made. Nice silver on the swordmasters too.
"I say the Eatainii were cheating - again." -Aicanor
"Eatainian jerks…" -Headshot
"It was a little ungentlemanly." -Aicanor (on the Eatainii)
"What is it with Eataini being blamed for everything?" -Aicanor
User avatar
Davariel
Chronicler
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:13 am
Location: Tor Nayel

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - holiday update

#16 Post by Davariel »

@ Elithmar: thanks :)

Got this year off to a good start I think, painted a small terrain piece in an afternoon...

Image

and also finished off the Teclis conversion I posted a while back. Pretty pleased with how he turned out!

Image
User avatar
Prince of Spires
Auctor Aeternitatum
Posts: 8249
Joined: Wed Apr 22, 2009 1:07 pm
Location: The city of Spires

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - fallen waystone, Tecl

#17 Post by Prince of Spires »

That is indeed a nice start to the year. A lovely terrain piece to add some character to a battlefield. How did you make it?

As for Teclis, great color scheme. A nice change to just blue and white. They greys ad some lovely character and depth to the model. :)

Rod
For Nagarythe: Come to the dark side.
PS: Bring cookies!

Check out my plog
Painting progress, done/in progress/in box: 167/33/91

Check my writing blog for stories on the Prince of Spires and other pieces of fiction.
User avatar
Galharen
Master of Brushes
Posts: 1280
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:41 pm
Location: Poznan/Hannover

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - fallen waystone, Tecl

#18 Post by Galharen »

I really like your Teclis conversion, nicely done and beautifully painted! =D> :)
Nicene
Posts: 1018
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:11 pm
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - fallen waystone, Tecl

#19 Post by Nicene »

Nice looking coffin! Who's in there?

edit: whoops, just read the thread title
Last edited by Nicene on Wed Jan 13, 2016 9:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.
SpellArcher
Green Istari
Posts: 13841
Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:26 am
Location: Otherworld

Re: The Shimmering Host of Tor Nayel - fallen waystone, Tecl

#20 Post by SpellArcher »

Nice work.

I especially like Bravelar the archer.
Post Reply