The Lead Painters' League - Season Four - Bonus Rounds

[barbaric splendor]

As a lifelong Conan fan, and a huge fan of Savage Sword of Conan, my indecision on whether to participate has been turned to eagerness to join in!

Not everyone will like every theme - I for instance have zero interest in the themes for the other bonus rounds but am glad others will enjoy them.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

I've extended the Conan round to other people of Conan's world, the original topic is modified too.

[Heldrak]

I've extended the Conan round to other people of Conan's world, the original topic is modified too.

I was thinking that it might be helpful for someone who is expert in the Conan mythos to post a reference about which historical empires correspond to races/peoples in Conan's world. I don't claim any expertise, but I'm pretty sure that:

Cimmerians = Celts
Stygians = Egyptians
Picts = Native Americans
Xuchotl = Aztecs
Vanaheim/Asgard = Norse
Vendhya = India
Afghulis = Afghan Tribesmen
Kushites = Africans
Shemites = Semites

I'm a little vague on what Aquilonia, Zingara, Brythunia, Zamora, etc. are supposed to represent. Frankly, there seems to be a place for most historic peoples somewhere in Conan's world...

[Westfalia Chris]

I'm a little vague on what Aquilonia, Zingara, Brythunia, Zamora, etc. are supposed to represent. Frankly, there seems to be a place for most historic peoples somewhere in Conan's world...

I think Aquilonia is "Late-Roman-ish", Brythunia inspired by medieval Eastern Europe, Zamora being a "hotchpotch" with all kinds of folks forming the populace, and Zingara always seemed a bit iberic/hispanic. I think there's a list on the Wikipedia page which sums it up more or less.

[barbaric splendor]

I was thinking that it might be helpful for someone who is expert in the Conan mythos to post a reference about which historical empires correspond to races/peoples in Conan's world. I don't claim any expertise, but I'm pretty sure that:

Cimmerians = Celts
Stygians = Egyptians
Picts = Native Americans
Xuchotl = Aztecs
Vanaheim/Asgard = Norse
Vendhya = India
Afghulis = Afghan Tribesmen
Kushites = Africans
Shemites = Semites

I'm a little vague on what Aquilonia, Zingara, Brythunia, Zamora, etc. are supposed to represent. Frankly, there seems to be a place for most historic peoples somewhere in Conan's world...

These are pretty spot on, the Picts are also somewhat primitive, iron-age brutes but there are Native American overtones there too, depending on the story ("Beyond The Black River" especially). Aquilonia is often portrayed as Roman, but really it is Frankish. Zingara is a Spanish; Turan equates to a Turkish kingdom. There are of course different opinions, but these come from some of the REH scholars I trust the most.

[Westfalia Chris]

Aquilonia is often portrayed as Roman, but really it is Frankish.

I always considered Aquilonia (given the name) "proper" to be more of the Late (West) Roman variety, whereas Poitain had that Frankish flair to it. Of course, that overlaps quite a bit, especially if you'd consider a Charlemagne Frankish Empire aspiring to be a "successor of Rome", and I could perfectly imagine Aquilonia in total as such, but I always was under the impression that it was more in the "decadent Late Roman" vein, with existing, but strained orderly structures.

[barbaric splendor]

Yes, Charlemagne's Frankish era is more what I meant. I am so used to seeing it depicted as Roman in the comics and SSOC that I am just as happy with that, but more thorough and scholarly REH fans than I have made some pretty good arguments against it over at the conan.com forums. Whatever you prefer, it works for me - I just am looking forward to seeing Hyborian themed miniatures in this contest!

[barbaric splendor]

Sorry for the long post here, but maybe this will help people with the first bonus round. This is from the Conan RPG and was put together by the incredibly knowledgable Vincent Darlage:

Kingdom, Region, or Ethnic Group Correspondence(s)

Acheron A fallen kingdom corresponding to the Roman Empire. Its territory covered Aquilonia, Nemedia, and Argos. The name comes from Acheron, a river of the underworld in Greek mythology.

Afghulistan Afghanistan. Afghulistan is the common name of the habitat of different tribes in the Himelian mountains

Amazonia Brazil, or South America generally.

Aquilonia The Carolingian Empire, medieval France, with occasional hints of England. The name derived from the town of Aquilonia, Avellino, Campania, Southern Italy, Italy, although it also resembles Aquitaine, a French region ruled by England for a long portion of the Middle Ages.

Argos Various seafaring traders of the Mediterranean. The name comes from the Argo, ship of the Argonauts; or perhaps from the city of Argos, Argolis, Peloponnesos, Greece. Also hints of Italy in regards to the indigenous population's appearance, names, and culture. Argos takes on the shape of a "shoe" in it's border boundaries as compared to Italy appearing as a "boot".

Asgard Sweden (Ásgard is the home of the Æsir in Norse mythology)

Border Kingdoms German Baltic Sea coast

Bossonian Marches Wales, with an overlay of colonial-era North America
Brythunia The continental homelands of the Angles and Saxons who invaded Britain, which is the origin of the name, though the civilization is similar to that of medieval Poland, Lithuania, Latvia.

Cimmeria Celtic Britain/Scotland of ancient times. The name is based on "Cymru", the Welsh word for Wales. Conan, a Cimmerian, has an Irish name, as do his parents. Cimmerians are described in similar detail to "Black Irish" and Basque characteristics, suggesting a genetic link to Celtic peoples.

Corinthia Ancient Greece (Corinth is a Greek city)

Darfar The name may derive from Darfur, Sudan.

Gunderland The Netherlands ? Gunderland, count of Hesbaye (?-778). Perhaps Germany

Hyrkania Mongolia, Ukraine (Hyrkanians = Scythians) ->Hyrcania

Hyperborea Finland, Russia and the Baltic countries (Hyperborea was a land in "outermost north" according to Greek historian Herodotus. Howard's Hyperborea is a northern Evil Empire, ruled by wicked wizards, perhaps akin to the perception of the 1930s Soviet Union)

Iranistan Iran

Kambulja Cambodia

Keshan The name comes from the "Kesh", the Egyptian name for Nubia.

Khauran The Crusader kingdom

Khitai China, Marco Polo's Cathay. The Kira-Khitai were a prominent tribe amongst Mongol steppe tribes.

Khoraja Khazaria?

Koth From the ancient Hittites; The Kothian capital of Khorshemish corresponds to the Hittite capital of Carchemish.

Kush From the kingdom of Kush, Nubia, North Africa.

Meru Tibet (This isn't an original Hyborian Age country, it's created by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter.)

Nemedia The Germanic Holy Roman Empire. Nemedia was the rival of Aquilonia (which corresponds to the Carolingian Empire/France), and depended on Aesir mercenaries for their defence (as the Byzantines hired Vikings as the Varangian guard). The name comes from Nemed, leader of colonists from Scythia to Ireland in Irish mythology; perhaps the name is also meant to allude to Nemea, home to the Nemean lion of Greek myth.

Ophir Ancient Ophir, though clearly Howard saw it as situated somewhere in Italy.

Pictish Wilderness Pictish Scotland, with an overlay of colonial-era North America, possibly even colonial-era New York. Howard bestows Algonquian names on his Picts. Note that the name "Pict" comes from the Latin term for "painted one", which could be applicable to Amerindians.

Poitain Aquitaine (?) (likely, although the name reminds of Poitou, a province Northeast of Aquitaine, but not mediterranean, and not properly part of the South). Its location in the south of Aquilonia could point to Provence, which is in the south of France.

Punt The Land of Punt on the Horn of Africa.

Shem Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, and Arabia (cf. Semites, purportedly the sons of Shem)

Stygia Egypt. The name comes from Styx, a river of the underworld in Greek mythology. In earlier times the territory of Stygia included Shem, Ophir, Corinthia, and part of Koth.

Turan The Ottoman Empire (?) or Persian Empire (?) or Byzantine Empire (?). The name derives from Turan, the areas of Eurasia occupied by speakers of Ural-Altaic languages.

Vanaheim Norway (Vanaheim is the home of the Vanir in Norse mythology)

Vendhya India (The Vindhya Range is a range of hills in central India)

Zamora The Roma people. The name comes from the city of Zamora, Zamora province, Castile-Leon, Spain, alluding to the Gitanos of Spain; or possibly it is based on the word "Roma". The name could also, in part, allude to Sonora, a region of Mexico that is "spider-haunted" like Zamora. Also hints of ancient Israel and Palestine.

Zembabwei The Munhumutapa Empire (Its capital city was the Great Zimbabwe)

Zingara Spain/Portugal. Iberian Peninsula as a whole. Zingara is also Italian for "Gipsy woman".

Other Geographic Features

The River Styx The Nile

Zaporoska River The Don and/or the Volga. The river's name was probably influenced by Zaporizhian Sich, a settlement of the Cossacks in Zaporizhzhia (region). It was situated on the Dnieper river, below the Dnieper rapids (porohy, poroz.a), hence the name, translated as "territory beyond the rapids".

[Raz]

So, if I understand correctly both Celts and Vikings are proper entries for the first bonusround?

[Dewbakuk]

Obviously it's the Prof's call but if I were choosing, I'd say yes, but I'd request people to choose figures from their ranges that had a more 'barbaric flair'

[Prof.Witchheimer]

So, if I understand correctly both Celts and Vikings are proper entries for the first bonusround?

yes but I still would like to see a sort of "fantasy flair".

[Raz]

Celts and Vikings are the most barbaric miniatures within my ranges Thanks for allowing them Prof. I'm not quite sure how to interpret 'fantasy flair' though. Would bright (less realistic) colors be enough? Or miniatures with heroic proportions instead of realistic ones? Maybe I should watch Conan again to get a better understanding

[Malebolgia]

Hmmm, not a fan of any of the bonus rounds. I'll pass this year, but I'll check out all the eye candy each week

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Or miniatures with heroic proportions instead of realistic ones?

good idea!

[Uncle Mike]

I'm going to have my Celts fighting against a couple serpentmen for my 'fantasy flair'. May also use some slightly more 'fantasy' scenery to pull off the look...now, back to painting...