Dreadlady Talviel's Warriors

[Lemonconstruct]

Hi

So I started playing wfb back in october (or sometime around then) and since christmas have been playing with Dark Elves and now can't put them down. To try and get models painted I'm restricting myself to buying a unit then fully painting it before i'm allowed anything else. So my first box is dark riders/warlocks, which a friend was able to magnetise for me. Hoping I'll get round to priming them later today and then to get some paint on them.

Part of why I love the hobby is based around the making of an army and so my dark elf army has a full backstory. So though there's no painting in today's post i thought i'd share it giving you a taste of whats to come.

It is a rare thing for a Druchii woman, other than sorceresses, to rise to a position of power. The Dreadlords who usually spend their time plotting against one another or preparing for campaigns, will stop to spend a few moments dispatching an assassin to silence a woman who appears to be rising through the ranks. And so it is that Dreadlady Talviel's position is even more impressive.
It was Dreadlord Achesson who was first to notice Talviel's success. At the time she was leading a small band of corsairs. If the Dreadlords informants were to be belived, she and her band of a mere 40 elves would return successful from raids that a crew twice that sized would have usually failed at.

Though content with her position, Achesson had a personal dislike of any woman in power. So he dispatched the assassin Urmon to silence her and then thought no more about it being engaged in a campaign against the Sister of Avelorn.
Once the campaign was over, he realised he had not heard from his trusted assassin in recent times. So he contacted his informants but he did not like what he heard.

By the skill at arms of Talviel and her crew, the assassin had failed his mission. The bigger problem lay in that, while trying to escape, Urmon had set light to Talviel's, The Leuke. Something which all the corsairs took personal affront to and so a personal vendetta had been created.

Achasson was informed that she was calling corsairs from all the coast of Naggaroth to get banner. Many joined for the promise of slaves, but many more came based on the stories of her success in battle. And now this host was set to march on Achasson.
With the corsairs already on the move, he recalled followers from as far out as possible, preparing to defend his fortress and himself.
So it was that when Talviel arrived, she found herself outnamed and outgunned. But even in the face of ridiculous odds, the corsairs stayed loyal and prepared themselves to fight.

To their credit the corsairs did better than any elf, man or dwarf would have believed possible, but the overpowering numbers of Achasson's force could not be stopped.

Much to Achassons displeasure, Talviel escaped with what remained of her bodyguard. Though, the Dreadlord reasoned, she would never be able to gain power again.

Consumed with hatred for Achasson, Talviel wandered the lands alone, having left her bodyguard soon after the battle. Her travels took her to the sea and looking out towards where she knew the island of Ulthuan lay, her mind rested upon an idea. It was the greatest risk she could take, but one which could still see Achasson lying dead at her feet.

So Talviel traveled the sea, infiltrated the land of the High Elves and finally fought her way onto The Isle of the Dead.
When news reached Achasson he was content to consider the situation ended, no one could survive such a journey and as the years past Talviel was all but forgotten except by a select few.

The corsair Nohi had ever been the sword at Talviel's side though most her life. She and a a few other corsairs had survived the battle with Achasson's forces. They had all been part of the crew aboard The Leuke and they did not forget, nor did they forgive. Possessed of a confidence that Talviel would one day return , they waited and they watched. For they knew upon her return, Talviel would once again take to battle against Achasson.

They're long wait was not in vain. Though it was many, many years later, Talviel did return.

The first Achasson knew was a sound like thunder billowing against his stronghold. That was when his rangers return bringing him the almost unbelievable news of a great host of elves marching on the fortress and the white dragon that flew overhead.

Upon her return upon her dragon, Menleuke, Talviel meet with Nohi and the remaining corsairs. Between them they secretly rebuilt the army. News of what she had accomplished spread bringing thousands to her banner. Though she was careful in containing the news from Achasson that she had returned. It was this host that then marched on the Dreadlord's fortress.

With little time to spare, Achasson gathered what army he could before locking himself within his study. Images appeared before him, the view of a sorceress using her powers to give him an overview of the battle that had begun. The sorceress vision suddenly looked straight at the dragon that was causing so much destruction to his forces, and suddenly Achasson recognized the figure on its back. With a burning sword and a shield bearing strange runes, Talviel had returned.

Without warning the dragon turned from the battle heading straight towards an area of the fortress. With moments to spare, Achasson realised it was where his study lay and leaped aside at the same moment as the wall collapsed allowing Talviel to enter the room.
The two Elves fought with a brutality that could only be explained by the complete hatred they had for one another. But in the end, Achasson's blade spun from his hand and Talviel's sword pieced his heart.

Now Talviel travels the world, though she now goes under the title of Dreadlady, something few will even consider contesting. The army that accompanies her is instantly recognizable by strange blue runes upon the warrior’s shields, banners and even skin. Her band of warriors also seems to share a close connection to the chaos lord Slaanesh, a risky be rewarding path.

Talviel herself will personally carve each warrior's skin with a mark; it is the warriors who will then paint it upon their armour. This method allows Talviel to always be in control of who is within her force and find spies with ease.

Through her skill at arms, and her journey through the realm of chaos, Dreadlady Talviel has created something rarely seen within Naggaroth, a loyal Druchii army.

Hopefully it's a enjoyable read. How it's going to be replicated into the models is so:
-Using parts from slaanesh kits such as heads and arms to make occasional models seem "touched by slaanesh"
-the paint scheme will be comprised of white, black and purple
-as mentioned there will be symbols on most models

If you have and comments please let me know, I'm an ok painter and always looking to improve so once i start adding photos i would appreciate any advice.

Thanks for reading.

[Calisson]

Good story.
Excellent first post, very promising!
Welcome Lemonconstruct to Dnet - and to the P&M forum.

[Lemonconstruct]

Thanks,

Following posting here yesterday, i felt invigorated to actually start painting. I mean whats the point of a painting focus post with no pictures! So I got the first of my horses done. Comments welcome.

[Malys the younger]

Very nice! Can't wait to see more!

[Thraundil]

Good job on the highlights, they are smooth in transition.
What I would maybe look into (and this is something that took me years to actually even dare try) is to very carefully drybrush a very dark grey on the 'high' parts of the horse skin, ie. ass, front leg knee, jawline and such. It should be an almost-black kind of grey, and will add just a hint of depth in the black colour. Look forward to seeing more!

[Lemonconstruct]

Thanks guys.

Will give it a go, high areas have been layered grey (not sure if it's coming out on the pictures) but will still see if i can improve.

[Amarel]

Thanks guys.

Will give it a go, high areas have been layered grey (not sure if it's coming out on the pictures) but will still see if i can improve.

You can see it when you click on the pic, but it's very subtle in the photo (might well be better in real life). I cheat a bit with my horses - I highlight the high areas quite quickly with a mid-grey and then put a black wash over it.

[cultofkhaine]

Nice horse - what are your plans for the riders?

The tail and main of the horse looks slightly purple to me in the picture (matching the purple legs of the rider) was this intentional? It might be better to distinguish between materials and make them slightly different tones.

Looking forward to seeing more.

[Lemonconstruct]

Thanks for the comments, the tail and mane are purple (match the small cloak). I did it like that to try and bring a non-regular feel to the horses, that they're slightly magical.

Anyway here's and update for you guys. Finished the 5 horses, and over the weekend i plan to do the warlock bodies and start on 20 dreadspears that arrived yesterday.

[Amboadine]

I quite like the purple actually. Something a little different to bring the details out.

[Phierlihy]

Typically if two different things are made of two different materials, you'd paint them differently in some way. I like the color but the two exactly side-by-side like that doesn't look right. Unless the riders are wearing shirts made of horse-tail hair.

[Lemonconstruct]

Thanks for comments guys.

Spent all last Saturday putting together a group of 20 dreadspears, and today got some painting done. Only got 2 done, but now i've decided the colour scheme I'll do some batch painting to speed it up.