BSC2021 Bearwoodman's Frostgrave Fountain of the Olfactomancers

[Bearwoodman]

I am nervous about deadlines, so I will try to keep my project modest in scope to increase the chance of it actually being completed. My current plan does, however, involve me having a go at techniques that I have never tried before, so there will still be plenty of opportunity for disaster, failure and humiliation.

I am thinking of a piece of terrain for use in Frostgrave. My friends and I are very slowly working our way through the Thaw of the Lichlord campaign and one of the scenarios we have completed included special rules for movement across a frozen river that meant that a character ran the risk of slipping over on the icy surface if they attempted to make a double move (ran). I remember it distinctly as the only character to suffer this indignity in our game was my mate's Animal Companion - a polar bear! 

I am not going to make a whole river, but instead a smaller area of frozen water that you might find within a frozen city such as a public fountain. I have no design yet, but here are a couple of images from the internet that will inform the process. I want it to be large enough to tempt players to take the risk of crossing it!



Next I need to do some drawings and to try and work out how to make ice and icicles!

[Clach Umha]

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[Bearwoodman]

Thanks for the tip Clach Umha, I will look into that. I must confess my initial review of options did point in the direction of resin and an alternative is welcome!

[Clach Umha]

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[Bearwoodman]

Thanks Clach, I will (time permitting) try a few processes and see how I get on.

I have been thinking of the design of the fountain and doodling a few ideas. In terms of size ideally it will fit into an A4 RUB for storage purposes, so long as it is still big enough to be terrain rather than just cover.

I think I might make the pond pentagonal, to make it more magical but also because straight lines are easier!

I am also thinking about trying to sculpt some gargoyles. With my lack of sculpting ability they will no doubt end up looking deformed and grotesque, but for fantasy gargoyles hopefully that will fine! In my mind I can see icicles hanging from their gaping mouths.... We will see!

[Bearwoodman]

I have been spending a lot of time thinking about the design of the fountain that will form part of my build. The ice on the pool surrounding the fountain, which is the "difficult terrain" part of my build, is fairly straightforward in terms of concept (if not necessarily execution) but I have been struggling to make design decisions about the fountain.

Unlike those pieces being produced by my fellow BSC entrants which are aimed at a specific historical or real life setting, there are no real parameters for the design of a new piece of fantasy/ magical architecture. What shape should it be? Should there be a statue(s) at the centre? If so who? Why was it built?

I have decided that first I need to establish the background story to the construction of the fountain. This background will then inform its design.

I note that the Frostgrave Campaign "The Maze of Malcor" revealed that as well as the 10 great  schools of magic there were many 'lessor schools', (including the 5 lesser schools of magic that make up "the Pentangle"). My fountain will be a monument to a lost lesser school of magic invented by me...

[Bearwoodman]

Olfactomancer

Olfactomancers practice magic that relates to the sense of smell. Believing this sense to be hopelessly underdeveloped in most humans they seek to enhance their own ability to detect and analyse smells and to produce scents that influence behaviour, whether by repelling, attracting, soothing or unnerving weaker minds.  In some ways related to the Sonancer school of magic (which channels the power of sound and vibration) practitioners of Olfactomancey consider their own art to be comparatively less well appreciated, far more subtle but also potentially more effective. Although not strictly necessary for the practice this form of magic, Olfactomancers often sport a long or bulbous nose and large nostrils and all aspire to possession of a "Deus Nasus" or "nose of the divine", their phrase to describe a perfect nose with superhuman powers giving its owner the power to understand and manipulate the world around them through the sense of smell alone.
  Also known as: Smell Sages, Wiffy Wizzies
  Symbols: Three parallel vertical wavy lines, the outline of the Deus Nasus in profile

[Codsticker]

...Wiffy Wizzies...

Mrs. Codsticker is always complaining about my 'wiffy wizzies'. I am going to tell her I am an Olfactomancer and she should accord me the appropriate respect!

OT: As far as the statue goes, I think I would splurge for an appropriate figure from a manufacturer of your preference. You may have a hard time sourcing a statue of a famous Olfactomancer though. Tiny furniture makes a virgin Mary statue ( link) which is fairly generic. They also make a cleric, paladin and a a 4 kings collection of statues (link).

[Bearwoodman]

Many student Olfactomancers find themselves drawn to the gentle and subtle practices of the art, creating scents to unwittingly entice, convince or beguile their subject. But there are some, however (and it sounds as if you, Codsticker, might be one of them) for whom the production of violent and offensive odours comes more naturally.

Thanks for the link to the potential statues, I had not seen them before and they are beautiful figures. Currently, however, I am pursuing an alternative home-made option...

[Bearwoodman]

Fountain of the Olfactomancers

After many doodles, sketches and plans (most of them traced in condensation on the inside of the perspex door of my shower enclosure) I have decided to construct a model of the unusual fountain that stood in front of the original College of Olfactomancey building in Felstad. Constructed during the brief period when Olfactomancey was considered one of the more fashionable lesser schools of magic and was enjoying a short lived surge in popularity, the fountain featured at each corner outlets that released into the air magical scents concocted within the College. This prompted numerous complaints about bad smells from the neighbours (a tannery and a municipal sewage works) which the Wizards inside the College scorned as the backward rantings of closed minded Philistines.

The centrepiece of the fountain was a giant sculpture of the Deus Nasus floating above the pool, water constantly pouring out of each huge nostril into the pool below to symbolise the magical power that flows from this great and most underrated orifice.

I attach scribbles that give some indication of my thinking.


Now I had better think about actually building something...

[Codsticker]

Ah, yes, I see now the look you are after.

[AKULA]

I love it... very Monty-python-esque 

[Wirelizard]

After many doodles, sketches and plans (most of them traced in condensation on the inside of the perspex door of my shower enclosure) <<snip>>

Oh good, it's not just me that uses this highly effective planning technique! Mine is on the tile of the tub enclosure, but same principle!

Looking forward to this, should be an awesome and hilarious build!

I love it... very Monty-python-esque 

This! Needs a companion floating foot fountain from the rival school of Footomancers for full Pythonic effect, maybe? 

[Bearwoodman]

Thanks all!

I have commenced construction. So far it is all cereal packet and superglue on a plasticard base. I have started the odour releasing vents to go on the corners.

[Daeothar]

What a wonderfully ridiculous idea; I love it! 

To me, it doesn't evoke Python, as much as Diskworld instead. There's something very Pratchetty about obscure schools of magic, especially when they're suitably arrogant towards non-initiates.

The build is looking good so far. I take it the difficulty of this terrain piece comes from its oderous nature?