Friday 6 March 2015

SDE Scenery Items 02

Before I show you the bad guys from the SDE expansion set, Von Drakk Manor, I want to review the three Spawning Points that come with this set - 2 Shallow Graves and a Pumpkin Patch.
Baron Von Drakk makes great claims to being the lord of both life and death. Within the confines of his realm it is a claim that is all too true. the Glauerdoom Moor is a grim and foreboding place by any measure. Its fetid fens and marshes remain perpetually shrouded beneath a  grey fog. Its great cities have long since faded, their glory reduced to crumbling ruins and sinking towers. The landscape is dotted by vast mausoleums and endless crypts built to house the ever dwindling population's dead.
Tragically, the dead do not rest long. The dark power of necromancy infuses the land and the dead sleep uneasily. Their slumber is but a brief respite. Soon their master bids  them to rise and take their place in his macabre host.
The Shallow Grave Spawning Points must be fielded as a pair. Each one can spawn a combination of the following - 1 Dust Coven Necromancer, 2 Dust Mages, 2 Dread Knights or 6 Boneheads. Be aware that there are two mistakes on the Shallow Grave stat cards. It says that 6 Rattle-Bones can also be spawned. This is wrong on two points - first up, the set only comes with 4 Rattle-Bone figures, not 6, and secondly, Rattle-Bones cannot be spawned - they must be raised by a Dust Coven Necromancer or Dust Mage from a pile of bones.
Long ago the inhabitants of the Glauerdoom used pumpkins to carve jack-o-lanterns to trick the restless spirits of the moor to pass by their homes at night. In time the spirits grew wise to this deception and decided to play a trick of their own. Now pumpkin patches are grim, haunted places where the creatures that go bump in the night lurk, waiting for their prey.
Beneath the dark boughs of the Witches' Weald pumpkins grow wild and the orange globes pulse with strange energies as the witch covens practice their own special brand of dark magic - poisons, necromancy, enchantment, curses, no subject is taboo. The covens find great favour with both the Dark Consul and Von Drakk Manor. Both often have need of the witches' unique abilities when dealing with self righteous Heroes who seek to thwart them.
The Pumpkin Patch can spawn a combination of the following - 1 Crypt Spider, 2 Curse Coven Witches or 4 Skullbats. Once again, there is an error on the stat card. It states that 6 Skullbats can be spawned but the set only comes with 4 of them, not 6.
Getting the stat cards wrong is, to say the least, unfortunate. However, that does not detract from the fact that these are excellent sculpts. They are far and away, the best sculpted Spawning Points in the game. The Pumpkin Patch inspired me to buy a set of Giant Pumpkins and Pumpkinheads from Impact Miniatures. As for the Shallow Grave, I love the giant skeleton that is wrapped around the tombstone. These are very cool minis.

12 comments:

  1. Lovely paintjob Bryan! These are pretty cool looking spawn points, I especially like the gems releasing eldritch energy into the gravestones.

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    1. Thanks, Bob. Well spotted on the gems. They are a source of great energy and magic in the world of Crystalia.

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  2. They are seriously creepy Bryan... I can see why you like them so much. I happen to like the Pumpkin Patch myself and your wonderful bright orange paint job. Your identification of a mistake on the Shallow Grave stat cards is also much appreciated. Very useful to know. Truly you are fast becoming the Yoda of the SDE world in my books :-)

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    1. Many thanks, Simon. Those mistakes could so easily be overlooked but I thought it wise to point them out. As for being Yoda, I try my best, my friend.

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  3. great painting and some very interesting playing pieces. Am enjoying this look into the world of SDE

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    1. Thanks, Chris. I'm glad you're enjoying it because there's more to come.

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  4. I like the pumpkin on its twisted tree! Not so sure about the others though - what kind of creature has a skeleton like that?

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    1. The pumpkin on the tree is a great figure. As for the skeleton on the other two, I have no idea what it is, which makes it all the more intriguing and scary for me.

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  5. Interesting pieces painted well, nice work mate.

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  6. The Spawning Points are `dead` cool (excuse the pun) ^^

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