Okay I'm just gonna liveblog this cake making experience.
We're already off to a bad start bc there was no baking paper to line the tin, I'm not walking all the way back to Sainsbury's to get some, and the convenience store only had foil so I'm using foil.
Don't tell me how bad this is gonna fuck up the cake, I am fully aware that my decisions are questionable. I'm the one baking here, you're just here to witness how badly I can mess up a lemon drizzle cake.
[Hello. Been a bit since I've posted anything art-related on here.
Please welcome half of the main cast of my Black Crusade game: The Word Bearers of the 17th Host! (The other half are the players themselves)
Some of you may recognize the names from a prior blog of mine that has kind of fell to the wayside. (Shill here @fides-regnat-aeterna because I plan to revive it soon) Yes. These are the same characters. Now with faces!
For those unacquainted, allow me to introduce them for you under the cut for the convenience of others:
Let's begin with the head of the Host:
Ans'ar has been the Apostle of the Host for millennia, being one of the few Word Bearers who even crossed the deserts with Lorgar prior to his ascension as an Astartes. He is known to be benevolent and lax with his warriors, and he is known to have stirring and persuasive sermons. Usually he will use them in order to bring more Imperials to the Truth, but sometimes he will use them on fellow Legionnaires. He has even been able to recruit warriors from other Legions as of late, and he personally turned his Coryphaus to the light of the Truth. With the death of his First Acolyte, he has since been under the watch of the 34th as they embark on their latest crusade.
Super happy with how he turned out, especially the shading of the skin. I'm trying to get better with it, and this whole piece has been great practice. Though I do wish I could make his expression a bit softer. Something to work on in future!
Gibil once belonged to the Salamanders, but was able to be converted by Ans'ar after a very shaky engagement with the XVIIth centuries ago. Gibil personally was able to kill one of his predecessors, and when he was taken prisoner, Ans'ar made sure he was treated well despite circumstances. After a few conversations, he was in, and thanks to his prowess in battle and inside knowledge of more modern Imperial tactics, he was later promoted to the rank of Coryphaus. This did make his new brothers wary and some did voice concerns about one not of the Legion attaining a rank so coveted, but Ans'ar quelled such voices after letting Gibil prove himself.
An NPC that's yet to really shine, but hopefully will be able to in coming sessions. Gibil was fun to try to draw, and I think I did decently well. I was originally going to make the little mohawk green, but decided against it since he has other ways of proclaiming his first heritage. Such as the drakescale draped over his armor.
A young, wary warrior of the 17th, Lacertes has recently begun undertaking tutelage by Merrick and Captain An-Ishkur. Through them, he is learning all he needs to become a true son of Lorgar, and a Bearer of the Word. Most recently, he has tried his hand at sermonizing with... limited success. But there is the chance for improvement. In time, anyway.
Young lad! Tiny boy that Merrick, the party Word Bearer, has since kind of adopted. He was fun to draw. Yes I am aware of the eyes, I was finishing this around like 3am and I was tired. Shusheth.
An-Ishkur is the Captain of one of the many coteries of the 17th Host, though most of the time he will be given charge of the younger warriors as he has been deemed a bit too temperamental to be with the veterans. This has changed recently, as he has been granted a chance to change that. However, he does have to look over a gaggle of misfit warriors from the other Legions to do so. Fortunately Merrick is there, so all he has to do is keep Hersyaf in line. The two had been together since their recruitment to the Legion shortly after Monarchia, for the Pilgrimage. Although they do bicker and fight, An-Ishkur still stands by him, remembering the warrior that was, and to keep him away from trouble.
These two should've been put in the picture together honestly. But An-Ishkur is fun! He was the first NPC besides Hersyaf that the party met. His hair was really fun to draw, same with his expression. Really proud of how this turned out.
Hersyaf is an oddity. Not only did something go wrong during the binding ritual that led to his ascension into the Vakrah Jal, but he has a crabby captain always yelling at him for doing what he does best. Blind and fueled by the daemon within, Hersyaf no longer can revert to his mortal form and very little remains of the soul of the warrior the daemon inhabited. He has also sometimes trailed the Master of Possession, as he seems to be treated as an object of study from time to time.
The wolf man himself. Not much has been uncovered about him yet. I will keep most a secret, for now. Also super cool to create. I loved making his teeth. I tried to make his fur all grimy with blood, but it kinda acts more as a lighting effect. Oh, well. Still looks cool.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST...
The Master of Possession of the 17th Host is another one of its many myriad oddities. Firstly, he is originally a sorcerer of the Thousand Sons. Secondly, he simply joined because of his interest in daemonology, and he seemed to be fairly amicable with Ans'ar from a shared history. Thirdly, he seems to be partially or fully responsible for what has happened to Hersyaf as of late. His practices are suspect, but he can create many different creations quite quickly and cleanly, so he's able to get the true higher-ups of the Legion off his back. Though his time may have run out in terms of the 34th, however...
A BASTARD through and through, and disliked by many. He is Magnus' arrogance made manifest. So I tried to show it in the face. for the eyes it was a tossup between blue, green, or potentially purple. Went with blue to mix things up. God this smug bastard has a punchable face. He will get punched next session by the resident Thousand Son in the party for what he did to Hersyaf. It will be quite amusing.
SO THAT IS THEM! Yes, there was a First Acolyte, and yes, he died. He was plotting against the Dark Apostle and the Legion, and was summarily executed. Said execution prompted questioning by the Dark Council, and now the 34th have been sent to keep an eye on the Host. The party is helping to throw them off and to help stave them off entirely.
But first they have to go through Marduk. Hurray.
This piece was the first true passion piece I have made in a while. Hope y'all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed making it.]
