Khurasan previews space monster, the Magellanic Nomad

[Khurasan Miniatures]

These colossal creatures wander the void of space, mostly, and are usually observed coming from the Large Magellanic Cloud, hence the name Magellanic Nomad.



They consume matter from space, especially gases from the outer rim of stars, and are capable of generating ion power internally.  They can use this to propel themselves through space, and can also vent ion blasts at threats, from the front intake ('mouth") or a number of vents on the body used for propulsion.  They use their rear flipper-legs for steering, putting them in the path of their own rear ion vents in order to change vector.

The maw never closes, but it scoops up gases and the occasional solid matter and can crush anything taken in with incredible force, contracting the maw so that thousands of huge grinding plates can crush the intake to dust.  Around the lip of the maw are thousands of holes containing eyes.  These are shed like a shark sheds teeth, and quickly regrown, so that the loss of eyes when struck by space debris (or fire from a starship) is not an issue for the creature.  There are also batches of larger eyes on the sides of the "head" for viewing to the flanks of the creature.

Nomads can travel for tens of thousands of years without making planetfall, but when they do find a life bearing planet they will land and travel the planet, consuming life forms using thousands of slender tentacles with teeth on the ends.  In this way, creatures as small as insects or large as whales are taken in and consumed.  The tentacles are located in banks of vents on either flank of the creature -- when in space the front flipper-legs cover these vents.  In the image above two humans fleeing the Nomad may be seen to its front, at ground level.

The Nomad's flipper-legs have claws on the ends which give the creature traction as it moves across the surface of the land, partly supported as well by ion venting.  When it is feeding in a liquid body the flippers propel it across the surfrace and a keel fin keeps it steady as the tentacles cascade through the liquid, harvesting.

When the Nomad has denuded the planet of life, which can take thousands of years, it will propel itself into space using "fuel" stored in its ion bladder.

Magellanic Nomads are a Class A1 Threat on the TPS (Federal Navy Threat Prioritisation Scale).  Their extreme size and heavy armour make them exceptionally difficult to kill, and their ability to direct ion blasts from the vents located across their bodies makes them a match for the largest Federal vessels.

Des Hanley did the sketches above from an encounter with a Nomad when he was serving aboard the Federal Battleship King Edward III.  It was the basis of the model we had produced of this planetkilling monstrosity, which has been sculpted and will soon be cast.  (The only real difference is that the keel fin much is smaller than in the sketch.)  

It has been made as part of our upcoming spaceship range, as an enormous biological adversary.  Stay tuned, and watch the skies ….

[Comsquare]

OOOOOH 

That's pretty nice, hope it will be released soon

[Khurasan Miniatures]

Thanks, so do I! 

Here's a photo of the body.  The first set of flippers were made for spaceship combat -- it has the front flippers covering the fedding vents, and the rear set are out to the sides as the creature lines up a blast on an unfortunate ship.

The kit comes with a cool flying base that has an asteroid surface on it.  If there's enough demand it could make an itty-bitty Nomad in 15mm scale, I guess, with different flippers to depict it walking. 

[Comsquare]

Nice 

Would really like to get a walking one as well, because I intend to use it for my 28mm minis

[Vermis]

Fantasticar.

Not to ignore Mr. Hanley's excellent work, but who's the sculptor?

[Conquistador]

<snip>



<snip>In the image above two humans fleeing the Nomad may be seen to its front, at ground level.

Um, are those two grey "blips" on the far right close together supposed to represent human figures?

Gracias,

Glenn

[Eisenfaust]

Yes, very nice. (said in my best Boris Johnson voice.) That would make a cool 28mm monster for my table!

[Khurasan Miniatures]

Um, are those two grey "blips" on the far right close together supposed to represent human figures?

Yes.

[Conquistador]

Yes.

          

Gracias,

Glenn

[MrHarold]

Awesome stuff... I don't know how you find the time!

[zorg]

Cool. I want one. No idea what to do with it (as if that mattered).

[Legion1963]

Thanks, so do I! 

Here's a photo of the body.  The first set of flippers were made for spaceship combat -- it has the front flippers covering the fedding vents, and the rear set are out to the sides as the creature lines up a blast on an unfortunate ship.

The kit comes with a cool flying base that has an asteroid surface on it.  If there's enough demand it could make an itty-bitty Nomad in 15mm scale, I guess, with different flippers to depict it walking. 

This could even be interesting as an 28mm miniature.

[Elbows]

Yep...especially in an aquatic game or something similar.  I like it a lot actually. 

[Skullboy]

Very cool, reminds me of the star whale from the Doctor Who episode "The Beast Below".