Palanquin Test...

I did a quick and dirty test build of the palanquin. I might have to add a warning: "Some modeling skill required." ;-) The holes for the platform drilled out real easy with a pin vise. A lot easier than I expected looking at them. The bearers hardly had to be drilled out at all. It is a little bit fiddly getting all eight bearers into position. There will have to be some filing of bases or additions of thin pieces of plasticard - you can see in the pic I've put dimes under a couple of the figures to bring them up to height.

Not sure what the best practice should be. Perhaps get the fit right and sort out the mounting and then paint them after that is settled?

The Qól have arrived!

Qól Palanquin Set

So, the Qól arrived yesterday - a 50lb box of lovely metal! Woo Hoo! My last post showed off most of the figures. Here are the ones we haven't seen yet:

At the top is a Qól banner bearer, with choice of standard, lantern or censor. All three are supplied with the figure. Next is a Qól sentry on guard duty armed with a halberd. Last is the Qól with a fancy book. The book has a faux Sró-hide cover (just kidding.) 

The palanquin itself consists of two bits: the platform and the chair. The chair has a bracket at the back for a standard to be added it the owner wishes. The side brackets need to be drilled out to accommodation a wire pole. Contrary to my earlier thoughts, we will be supplying wire suitable for this purpose, in the form of 100mm wire pikes. I didn't think I had a ready source, but I have since stumbled onto one quite by accident. Funny how things work out. :-)

Qól on their way...

Had news today that Old Glory had shipped out our Qól order - Yay! :-)

The order comprises 50 sets from our entire Qól range, including the Palanquin set with choice of Priest or Priestess of Ksárul, shown here...

The Palanquin is borne by eight Qól - 2 each of 4 poses, right and left handed bearers. The palanquin itself is in a couple of pieces and requires wire shafts. We decided wire would be stronger than trying to cast the shafts. Note that the wire is not included.

Also included are sets of these character figures, plus two that are not shown. The figure center middle will have a choice of censor, lantern or Ksárul standard. The figure to his right is carrying an ornate box for some nefarious purpose. One of the two new figures is carrying an ornate book, while the other is a guard with a halberd. The two figures at the bottom are meant to be slavers or guards. The intent is to get a set of prisoners and/or slaves to accompany them.

I have also ordered a re-supply of our original figures:

All these figures were sculpted by Roderick Campbell of Highlander Studios. Rod is currently working on dismounted versions of the Ksárul Priest and Priestess, plus two more in alternative costumes and then a pair of Warrior Priest and Priestess from the same temple. 

Future plans include an expansion of Ksárul themed figures plus re-purposing the palanquin for other temples starting with the temple of Sárku, Lord of Worms, with zombie bearers. I would also like to do some civilian palanquins as well with regular old human bearers.

In from the "Cold"...

"Cold Wars" that is - we arrived back from the HMGS-East "Cold Wars" convention in Lancaster PA this afternoon after a nice seven hour drive. (Unlike the trip down which was taken in rain and, in some places, very thick fog.)

I had a great time: played a few games, caught up with some friends and bought a bunch of stuff. Made some good buys, including some sort of [Battletech] Drop Pod (?) from Iron Wind Metals which I think will make the nice basis for one of the spherical tube car designs. They had a few "seconds" that they were selling for half-price ($15) as there were slight irregularities in the molding. The thing isn't really a sphere, but is shaped more like a 3" round resin teardrop with the "tail" cut off flat just where it starts, forming - for my purposes - a handy base for the car. I think that once the car is placed in the appropriate circular tubeway entrance this will not be visible and it will appear like a perfect sphere. The slots for the leg struts from the original pod just need to be covered with card and a door crafted and it is done. I think the door could be one of those card pieces that will cover the slots or, perhaps better, one of the conveniently placed rectangular panels in the side.

Update: It is a "Union" drop pod per this painted example on CoolMiniorNot. In this example, one of the slots for the legs is front and center in the pic. There are four of theses spaced about the body. The flames are where the truncated part of the "teardrop" is. Front-left is one of the rectangular panels that I am considering converting into a door.

Update 2: Here is the link to the thing on the Iron Wind Metals site.

I also took a gander at the new Qól figures that Rod has done for us - they are Sweet! :-) I have asked him to do a couple of more figures:

(1) a figure standing "at attention" such as a guard - this could then have one of the halberds, standard or lanterns that are borne by the other figures, and

(2) a figure with a large open book. I previously showed a picture of a Qól carrying an ornate box which some took to be a book so I thought I should add a book.

Two by Two, Tentacles of Blue...

Qól Slavers

Blue??? Err- make that White! As everybody knows, the Qól are white in colour. They are a product of the Temple of Ksarul's gene-vats, after all.

Here are the last two figures from the latest bunch of Qól Rod has sculpted for us. These are meant to be leading a coffle of slaves or prisoners whose Skien of Destiny is about to be cut off rather abruptly.

Slaves/Prisoners not included, though maybe we will do some at a later date.

Three Wise Men, They Ain't!

More Qól Characters

Rod was kind enough to send pics of some of the other Qól characters. There are actually seven figures in the complete set, not the five or six I was remembering, so by my math there's two more to go...

...not counting the Qól palanquin bearers (another four poses.) I think we will have pretty much cover the Qól by then! :-)

(But if anyone has any suggestions for additional poses I am always willing to listen...)

It Doesn't Rain But It Pours!

Qól Characters

Rod Campbell of Highlander Studios has sent me some of the Qól character figures he has been working on. IIRC, there are 5 or 6 that will comprise the second Qól release. After that comes a palanquin with 8 Qól bearers - the riders being a choice of priest or priestess of Ksarul. :-)