Halloween 2010 Terrain

For the Vancouver Island local boards, chaoticorder (now defunct), i gave a challenge to make scenery that has something nice and something nasty. Here's what i came up with...

Here's the process..

I bought 1/4 inch MDF and blue foam at the hardware store. That combined with my old stairs and Mayan disks.

 In order to attach the rear part I'm using toothpicks and craft glue.

 I then carved a hole for the disks. Then i used a lead pencil to make the styrofoam look like stone. Just a little bit of pressure went a long way. Here the ruins are after that, a hotwire and some water-based spray paint. DO NOT use regular spraypaint. It will eat the styrofoam and give off horrible fumes. Even get water-based spray to cover the piece and then spray on the color you want will work too. I just used grey water-based spray paint.

And after some gold paint on the upper disk and an overall wash with cheap kids paint.
                                     

 

Then i sprayed the base with elmers spray glue. Next time i'll do that and flock before i attach the model to the base. It got very sticky for a long time. Then i added flock, lichen, wood and jungle plants. Then comes the trick behind the portal door, and a little story...if you dare...

'I discovered the ruins at night with the exploration group I was with. It was far too dark to see but i could feel that this was the place I was seeking since finding old tales of its existence at the Warcaster library in Cygnar. Tomorrow i would come back and cast the rites I have practiced for so long. No longer would I be relegated to simple utility steamjacks after the ritual. I would be a magus in my own right!'
Last diary entry of Warcaster Apprentice third grade Aldous Dern

In the daylight, Aldous entered the clearing that seemed to grow away from the stone construction, avoiding its touch. Remnants of living plants clung to its sides and top but they seemed to be a variety of species he had not yet seen in the jungle. The purple tendrils themselves were a sign that he was in the right place, as well as the presence of the symbols on the wall and floor. The whole structure seemed to shimmer if looked upon for too long. The familiar feeling of last night was growing inside him...threatening to make himself shake in anticipation. With a practiced hand he scryed in the air, whispered long silent words, and focused energy twords the center of the circle on the floor.

 A translucent being appeared before him a race he had never seen. He knew there would be a guardian and his heart beat faster seeing this mouthless creature before him. Mumbling and murmuring sounded in his head until he began to discern languages of the Iron Kingdoms. Finally he heard words in his own tongue ask him if he sought ultimate power and ultimate knowledge. Without replying, as the forgotten tomes mentioned, he brought his sword across his palm and clenched his fist. Slowly, drops of blood fell to the circle of green beneath him. With each drop, the circle behind the guardian shimmered like that when a stone is dropped in a pond. When the shimmering started to change from green to blue he swung his fist back and placed focus in his fist. As he thrust forward he shot his blood at the circle before him, passing through the guardian and hitting the shimmering disk.

The disk stopped shimmering and remained blue. It still resonated and moved like a pool placed on its side. The reflections and waves increased in frequency and agitation. The guardian spoke in his mind again that he would now find what he sought. With that...the guardian dissipated.

The pool became more and more agitated. Rumbling and churning in angles and combinations that were baffling to behold. Impossible to comprehend...then the churning stopped.

The first appendage left the portal slowly. It moved across the stone like a lover's caress across a neck. It was joined by another that went in a different direction.

Then another appeared. And another. Then Aldous saw innumerable tentacles come out of the mouth of the portal like maggots from rotten meat. What came out next could only be loosely described as a face.

Aldous could not comprehend what he was seeing before him. It was impossible. It was horrible. It was beautiful. He also could not feel the tentacles move around and wrap around him as they gently pulled him to its mouth.
The mouth of a being of ultimate power. Of ultimate knowledge. Of ultimate hunger.