Modeling the Terrorgheist's Base: Part 1

Finishing this Terrorgheist is going to be one of my side projects in between freelance and commission work. I'll be focusing on it over the the next few posts, and hopefully I'll have some significant progress to show off each week.

The Crypt

I wanted to make the Terrorgheist a centerpiece, even more elaborate than the Varghulf. I decided on a crypt with skeletons bursting out, surrounded by more tombstones and skeletal detritus.

The lid of the crypt is made from a cavalry base with some strip styrene embellishments. The plastic skulls are from various Tomb King and Vampire Counts kits. The metal sword is the "Mounted Wight's Sword" from the classic range. The side walls of the crypt are built from thick basswood, filed and polished smooth, with its seams covered with epoxy modeling putty.

The Barrow Mound

The mound was built up with some pink insulation foam, and a slot cut for the crypt to fit into. There's also a spot, cut into a scrap of foam core, to accommodate Marduk the Ghoul King's base if I ever decide to mount him on the Terrorgheist. He'll not be riding it so much as fighting side-by-side with his "pet." It's all secured in place with Liquid Nails construction adhesive.

I had the Terrorgheist's rocks lightly glued to the plastic base for positioning of the wings (see the magnetizing tutorial). They were popped off and superglued to a piece of thick cardstock that I could position as necessary on the foam incline. (I knew I would be building up the base, so in hindsight I should have done that from the beginning.)

The Risen King

I tried to come up with a story for the skeletons in the crypt, and why there would be three bodies in what is essentially one large coffin. So: It's the crypt of a fallen king and his personal bodyguard who were laid to rest with him (I guess they weren't very good at their jobs). Once resurrected by the Legion's necromantic power, he'll become a Wight King and the bodyguard will be added to his skeleton retinue.

The models took a little time to position correctly, and I still need to fill a few gaps around their necks and repair some missing thumbs (theirs, not mine).

They're glued right to the lid, and that will all be painted as a separate part before I glue it into place on the finished base.

Here's Marduk in his slot. Magnets will be added so I'll avoid sending him flying across the table (in horrible, horrible slow motion, of course) when I inevitably pick up the Terrorgheist, forgetting Marduk was standing on the base.

The plug was made from an inverted 20mm base with a piece of styrene glued to the bottom. It will be textured to match the rest of the surface for when Marduk isn't there.

There is still a lot of smoothing to be done, using modeling putty, to get the barrow mound rounded off. But that has to wait until the Liquid Nails has dried.

'Til next time!