Return Of The (High) King! Part 2 - Planning The Defense Of Easthold

High King Thorgrim calls a meeting of all the Dwarf commanders.

King Kazador welcomes High King Thorgrim and relinquishes overall command of Easthold to him.  Kazador gives a situation report to the High King, about how much food and beer are in the stores of Easthold.  He also tells of the approaching enemies of Undead, Orcs, and Drow.  The greatest threat of the three seems to be the Undead army raised by Murkillor the Wraith.

Princes Ulther and Helfast state how they have delayed the Undead as best they could, but the skeletal army is an endless horde.  Prince Ulther says that he hopes Gimli, Gloin, and Baron Hawk can get here before the enemy arrives.

Chief Ratnik finishes drinking his tankard of ale then speaks up and says he has bad news.  He has received a message from Baron Hawk, via his favorite bird.   Gimli and company have joined forces with some Dwarves that entered from the Westgate of Moria, its King Gorrin and the 8 Dwarves of Legend, Grombrindal the White Dwarf, and Hodor and his mercenaries.  They have found the Chamber of Mazarbul and know where Balin might be.  Unfortunately they have been cutoff and are unable to break through enemy lines.  So, they are heading deep below Moria to find Balin and then come back with his forces to break the siege. Gimli wishes the defenders of Easthold good luck and hope they can hold out until he can return with Balin's forces.

High King Thorgrim then says, they must hold out as Gimli says.
Runelord Kragg has been working with Balgar Blackwing and his assistants to create a Dwarven Rune Totem.

They present their creation, the Rune Vane of Morr.  It creates a shield of protection around it that undead cannot pass through.  The range of the shielded area reaches just a little over the furthest end of the Bridge of Khazad-Dum.  It will not stop orcs or drow though, who will definitely try to destroy the Totem.

Now, the deployment of the defenders...

King Kazador and his Goldshields will be deployed inside Easthold proper, right inside the Gate.

Nine crossbow Dwarves will line the battlements of Easthold.  Their range reaches along the bridge and slightly past it.

The Catapult will be able to fire at anything on the table.  Oh, it does have a minimum range of 18".

High King Thorgrim and Runelord Kragg are right outside the entrance to the lower Keep and the food stores, where the bulk of the civilian populace, womenfolk and children are.

Prince Ulther deploys right under the walls, to protect Easthold against siege ladders.

Four Slayers will hold the bridge.

Behind them, Prince Helfast is deployed.  Behind them are some citizen militia... Its Mochi, the Ninja Dwarf, Chumley, Cheery, Ratcatcher, Penny and friends.

Here is the furthest end of the table where the tunnel that leads eastward to the actual Eastgate of Moria is.  The Organ Cannon gun covers the entrance to Easthold.  The Ratnik Clan and the Beer Cart Defenders are here too, to cover the back field, in case anything gets through.

Finally we have an overview of the eastern side of the Bridge.

So, the board is set, the pieces are moving, and the opening salvoes are ready to fire.

Next post:  Enemy At The Gates!

Return Of The (High) King! Part 1 - Easthold's New Arrivals

Greetings, dear readers, in this post we return to Easthold in Moria and show off the new Dwarven arrivals / reinforcements.

Left to Right: Banner bearer for Prince Ulther's Imperial Dwarves, High King Thorgrim Grudgebearer, and Runelord Kragg.

Thorgrim is the descendant of the most ancient and noble of all Dwarf lords. The very blood of Grungni flows in his veins and the wisdom of Valaya sits upon his brow. The High Kings have kept the Great Book of Grudges, the oldest and most important of the many Books of Grudges that exist throughout the Dwarf realms . This book, known as Dammaz Kron, recounts all the ancient wrongs and deeds of treachery perpetrated against the Dwarf race.

Runelord Kragg the Grim is the oldest and by far the greatest living Runesmith - a gnarled old Dwarf, strong and enduring as a weather-beaten oak. His staff bears his own personal master rune which he refuses to share with anyone, finding none worthy of it. His armour is the finest and strongest in the kingdom. So strong and thick that none could pierce it, his knowledge of ancient rune smithing and crafting techniques is unsurpassed, and he has witnessed the wonders of Karak Ankor at the height of its power.

5 new Goldshields for King Kazador.

Brand new Dwarf technology in the form of gunpowder weaponry.
Its the Organ Cannon Gun.

 Here is a champion of Prince Ulther's Imperial Dwarves.

And I finally have the Bridge of Khazad Dum!

It is a Hudson & Allen Three-Arch Bridge.  Very light weight, nice details, and takes paint well.

Now for some fluff...

King Kazador and his commanders have been fighting a defensive retreat against a vast horde of Undead, Orcs, and Drow.  But now they have returned to make a last stand in Easthold.  The Dwarven citizens come out to cheer the approaching Dwarven forces.  Bugmans Brewery has their Cart set up to greet the army with nice cold beer!

Chumley:  Whats going on here?  I just got back from chopping wood near the borders of Lorien.
Cheery Dwarf:  Arent you paying attention?  The Captains of Easthold are returning.  Here they come!

Four Dwarven Slayers are the first to cross the Bridge of Khazad-Dum.

Chumley:  Seeing them reminds me of Valdor. 
Cheery Dwarf:  Huzzah!  Welcome back, Slayers!

Behind the Slayers, the Heartbreakers come marching proudly with their leader Prince Helfast and Councillor Thadar.

Chumley:  How many of them are there?
Cheery Dwarf: Twenty mighty warriors from the Heartbreak Hills!

After them, comes Prince Ulther and his Imperial dwarves.

Chumley:  Brave Prince Ulther!  I used to cut wood for his father.
Cheery Dwarf: Sixteen well armored and highly disciplined Dwarves.  They can form a shieldwall like no other.

Then King Kazador himself and his heroic Goldshields.

Chumley:  What fine shields they carry!
Cheery Dwarf:  Ten Goldshields, each one is a hero worthy of a saga.

And bringing up the rear, is Chief Ratnik.

Chumley:  Those are some of the fattest Dwarves Ive ever seen.  Is that all that is coming?
Cheery Dwarf:  Eleven stout Ratnik Clan warriors.  Dont forget about Gimli and his forces!  They are still out there, somewhere...

Next post:  Part 2 - Planning The Defense Of Easthold

July 4th Weekend Part 1 - Dwarven Fortress

Happy July 4th weekend, dear readers.  Big update to the blog today, so big I feel I have to chop it into 3 parts.  I will post all 3 today at some point.  Earlier, I just happened to count how many newly painted minis I have for today's "photoshoot" and noticed something incredible.  Since my last post, I have painted 76 new figures, which alone is pretty good, quantity-wise, but then realized...  wait, its a fortuitous number! 76 as in 1776, the reason we celebrate the 4th.  

The Dwarves that are defending the East Gate region of Moria also have something to celebrate.  A brand new fortress terrain piece!  The Eastern Gate is also known as the Dimril Gate, which looks out on Dimrill Dale a small valley, out of which the Dwarves hope that the caravans of trade and commerce will once again flow.  And here on this Independence Day, the Dwarven cause reaches a milestone in their burgeoning colony's history with the best symbol of Dwarven strength - A stone fortress.

Im calling this fortress Easthold and it is within bowshot of the Eastern Gate itself, on the eastern side of Durin's Bridge.  This part of Moria is a vast cavern where the ceiling is so high it disappears in darkness.  And what looks like stars above, are actually mineral deposits shining in the torchlight.  The Dwarven colony has been hard at work to repair Easthold.  It has a vast hallway underneath it that houses living quarters, food stores, weapon caches, enough to supply a small garrison for a long time.  As it overlooks both the Gate and the Bridge, Easthold is an important and imposing position that controls the area especially if defended by ranged weapons.  So, Im pleased to show off some Dwarven crossbowmen and a catapult as well.  Now that the Dwarves have a stable base of operations in Moria, their commanders feel confident they can launch more numerous expeditions into the depths of Khazad-Dum.   There are many dark powers in Moria that do not like this news...  but the Dwarf Lords are ready to fight and survive!

Perhaps it’s fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom… Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution… but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: “We will not go quietly into the night!” We’re going to live on! We’re going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!”

(Ugghhh, douche-chills! That scene is so terrible.  But still, like the late great Patrice Oneal said, its the greatest first half of a movie.  On a sidenote, if you dont know Patrice, or Opie & Anthony and their discussion of Independence Day... Youtube it! Its hilarious!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEGW2jBzLgI)

Here is Easthold in all its glory!  Its roughly 2 feet in diameter with walls 6 inches high and 10 inches at its highest point.  The base of its walls are littered with the skulls of forgotten warriors from some battle long ago.

The Dwarves have repaired the gates and are ready to defend their new home.

The gate is removeable.

The inner courtyard.

The Great Doors of Easthold lead to a deep underground Keep, where the women and children are housed.  Also, non-combat personnel have their areas here: Blacksmithies, Armorers, Bakers, Pubs and Bars, etc...

A stonethrower.  The catapult is definitely a Dwarfy weapon because rocks are a Dwarfs best friend.

We will we will rock you!
We will we will rock you!

Buddy you're a boy make a big noise
Playin' in the street gonna be a big man some day
You got mud on yo' face
You big disgrace
Kickin' your can all over the place
Singin'

We will we will rock you!
We will we will rock you!

I dont think these are the crew that comes with this catapult, but its what I got.  I am pretty sure they are vintage models though.  Except maybe that guy on the left, he might be a 2000s model, but hey, doesnt make him a bad person.

And the crossbow gents are here!  These dapper gentlemen, (errr, dwarves) are well dressed and ready to perforate any enemies foolish enough to try venturing too close to Easthold.

Boy do these fellas like smoking their pipes.

The dwarf on the right is a Bugmans brewery champion.  Oh, and yes he does have a crossbow slung on his back.  He just likes holding his axe when there are no targets around, makes him feel all comfy.

And heres our little castle with some defenders!  Outside the walls, we have Prince Ulther and his Imperial Dwarves, Prince Helfast and his Heartbreakers, and some Slayers as well.

Inside the walls, we have King Kazador guarding the Great Doors, Grand Axetooth and his Ratniks in the courtyard, Balgar Blackwing the wizard in the upper left tower (along with his scribe and librarian), and the new crossbowmen up on the walls.


Up next: Darkhold, Shadow and Flame!   (be scared little Dwarves, be vewwwy scared)

Oldhammer In Moria - A Party Of Special Magnificence

Thus, did Bugman's Beer Cart make its way past Warg infested forests and Troll haunted hills.  Until the day came, when at last on a warm summer afternoon, the Cart and its defenders entered the legendary gates of Moria to the cheer of thirsty dwarves!  Hello readers!  In this post, we have partying dwarves from Citadel, Bob Olley, Stone Haven. Also, King Kazador and his personal House Guard.  Lastly, we focus on some fluff with the 6 major leaders of the dwarves that currently inhabit my Moria Reclamation Project.

Unloading the Beer Cart for the party.  Or is it "refilling our empty kegs from the Beer Cart?"  There must be some enchantment or Rune of Holding on that Cart Keg.  That must be it!  The Cart Keg has magical properties that allows beer to enter a pocket dimension that is larger than it seems from the outside.  That Bugman is a smart fellow, instead of sending out a hundred barrel wagons, he sends one magical one.  Ok, in the pic above, on the far left we have a fur hat wearing dwarf from Armorcast's Bob Olley Dwarf World, which I must warn anyone buying...  is a large sized line of dwarves.  I actually cut off his feet to make him fit in with the rest of my stunties.  Next to him is a bald dwarf Brewmaster from Stonehaven Minis. Then a drunk dwarf from Citadel and beside him, a keg carrying dwarf who is actually a cannon crew loader (or perhaps an organ gun). At any rate he has now been requisitioned for beer duty instead.

Ah, the Dwarf Barmaid is bringing drinks around.  Someone yells "Mhinz Abeir", and everyone else yells "Zyor Rond".  The barmaid is another large Armorcast dwarf who has had foot surgery to mix in nicely with everyone else. I believe the fellow flagging her down for a drink is another artillery crew member, perhaps the Marauder siege gun?

Word has gotten around that the Beer party is here!  Some civilians are filing in, taking an early day off work to celebrate.  Dwarf (formerly known as Prince) says: "Dwarves can party like its 1999!"

Ahh, look its the woodcutter, the engineer, the young Blacksmith-tress, a happy cheering dwarf, stuntie on stilts (handy for when a dwarf needs that jar on the top cupboard), and the rat-catcher (another very important dwarf to be in Moria, wouldnt want the colony to be knee deep in vermin, would we?)  The lady blacksmith is from Stonehaven, woodcutter from Armorcast, the rest are Citadel.

Late to the party, is the woodcutters assistant, and the dwarven Ninja. Doesnt every self respecting dwarf colony have one?  Ninja stars and smoke bombs, helpful in a tight spot.

Cheery dwarf: "Barmaid, service please!"

The dwarves lead the Cart deeper into the Mines towards the "safe zone" where the bulk of the colony reside.

What a merry gathering of dwarves. A veritable conga line of mirth.  Some dwarves prefer to stay behind at the pond to continue their pool party.

All this time, the party-goers have been protected by the watchful eye of the Gold-Shields...

King Kazador and his House Guard!  I have modified him to carry a shield and done away with his horn.  I think he looks far more business now. Definitely ready to start hammering some greenskins!

His companions are of the most dangerous sort.

Each one a hero in their own right.

While the dwarves have their party below, above them on a ledge, it actually is time for business... a gathering of the clan elders!  From left to right: King Kazador, Gimli, Prince Ulther, Prince Helfast, Chief Ratnik, and Baron Hawk. 

King Kazador outranks the others and is declared the leader of the Moria colony.  The dwarves still only hold the smallest portion (2 levels out of hundreds) in Khazad-Dum, and are still in danger if ever a serious attack is made upon them.  Yet, Gimli asks that he be sent to explore the lower depths of Moria to search for his cousin Balin (the Lord Of Moria).  Kazador agrees, but only a small portion of warriors can be deployed for such a mission, at this time.  Baron Hawk of Clan Reaper stands up and volunteers to accompany Gimli's force into the deeper levels.  So be it, says King Kazador, Gimli and Baron Hawk will take their troops (a sixth of the total dwarves) and lead a recon in force to ascertain if Balin yet lives.  In the meantime, Kazador, Ulther, Helfast and Ratnik will continue to build up and fortify the defenses around the Eastern Gate, while waiting for more dwarves to arrive.

Gimli, Gloin, and Nindalf are off to plan for the adventure ahead.  They have maps and books to help them plot a course of action.

Baron Hawk tells his second in command, Captain Drogo about their mission.  Let their men enjoy one more night of festivities, but on the morrow... onwards to danger and glory!

So there you have it!  A party, some planning, and a hint of dangers looming in the near future.
Until next post... Zyor Round!

Cheers,
Mar