BSC2021 Wirelizard's Dark Pool of Dark Darkness

[Wirelizard]

Need to rummage my brain and The Stash of Doom to see what I'm going to build, but I'm in.

Possibilities... some sort of rough going for Gaslands... a swamp bit to go along with my generic forest-y terrain... a splat of rough brushland/scrubby bit, also to match the generic forest-y terrain.

We shall see.

[Wirelizard]

Right, last night I came up with a Cunning Plan.

Going to do a large-ish base of rough ground, moorland/fen with a couple slabs of rock and a dark pool alongside the rocks. I've got a piece of 1mm plastic sheet about 10x11 that will serve as the base.

Might need to order some more coloured flower tufts for gorse/heather/etc, and I want to do do more Google Image rummaging for inspiration.

Looking for something that can serve on my 28mm ECW tables or the gunpowder fantasy/folk horror not-ECW parallel project, so I might add a modular bit that can hold extra bushes, a normal fairly historical standing stone, or a wildly over the top fantasy standing stone, depending on setting and desired mood...

Lots of great inspiration photos and articles on the web.

I like the look of the rock formations on the gloriously named Cheesewring Tor on Bodmin Moor:


I also found the short Wikipedia article on Ward's Stone, which has some great photos, hidden stagnant pools, and apparently a cave system. Pure pulp history inspiration there!

[Hammers]

Nice. Good material.

[Wirelizard]

Sat down with scrap insulation foam and the offcut of plastic card I'm using as a base to work out some rough massings, with some figures on 25mm bases to help with sizes and access here and there.

Dog soldiers vs some sort of winged demonic thing. Yes, the scribble in the triangular shape reads "Dark Pool of Dark Darkness"...


Side view, with bonus appearance by my talented and furry assistant.


The plan is to cut and sand down the styrofoam to angle it upward from the edges toward the gap in the centre there, with larger rocks on the one side. I'm going to have to close the cat out of my office/work cave to do the sanding of the foam, otherwise she'll track it all over the house...

[Will Bailie]

I love this idea.  I know it's not what you describe, but the images definitely bring to mind the scene in Conan the Barbarian where he finds the Atlantean sword!

[Blackwolf]

Nice ideas Wirelizard
Similar to my own build,may have to rethink.

[syrinx0]

Rather nice inspirations.  Though I have to say the 'Forest of Bowland' does not look very "forest" like in that picture.   

[Wirelizard]

Nice ideas Wirelizard
Similar to my own build,may have to rethink.

I think there's enough room in the BSC and in the general idea of "forbidding rock formations on a bleak tufty moor" for both, and Murphy's Law says that if we both do something on that theme, we'll wind up in the same initial round of voting on the BSC!

Basic landforms done, I think. Subsequent layers will hide many sins (and strengthen the whole thing) so the patchwork scrap foam fill doesn't bother me.


The line of circles pencilled into the gap are 25mm, to remind me to keep a usable area for figures along that stretch; the circle up on the lefthand styrofoam is 40mm and will probably be the modular bit I mentioned previously - normal rock formation, fairly ordinary standing stone, outlandish fantasy standing stone, etc. Somewhere around I have a few bits and pieces already mounted on 40mm circles, and I'm pretty certain the idea originally came from someone else here on LAF - Captain Blood or An Evil Giraffe or someone with a hilltop with a modular socket on the top, I think it was.

Rocks next; I think I'll dig out my rock molds and splat some premixed filler into them. The sides of the gap will be rocky, as will the still open corners of the gap at each end. The larger stones across the top of the piece I'll form from styrofoam and then cover in a layer of thinned plaster so the texture matches the actual plaster rocks.

[Bravo Six]

So you're building Shetland scenery Brian?? 

Like Blackwolf's idea, I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

[Codsticker]

Such a good start Brian- this looks to be a perfect piece for the edge of your 17thC English village.

[AKULA]

Definitely has the potential to be very atmospheric...just need to have some dry ice for a fog across the board 

[Wirelizard]

Decided to do the rock formations in styrofoam; thought about using plaster but as messy as sanding styrofoam can be, plaster is worse!

Lots more to do but it's a start. I also put a layer of plaster down over the lower slopes that won't be getting rocks on them.



The shores of the Dark Pool of Dark Darkness will be Milliput for it's combination of easy shaping and strength. I'll also put a bit of Milliput down a few places where the slope of the hills comes right up to the edge of the base, to avoid chipping and damage in use.

Many more rocks to shape and glue down!

A view from roughly eye height of a 28mm miniature:


The stacked rocks have a toothpick down the centre of them, and looking at that photo I need to do some touchups with sandpaper on some of those surfaces, they're far too flat still!

[Blackwolf]

This is looking excellent 

[AKULA]

Looking good 

[Andym]

Cracking! That looks spot in for your first reference picture!