Season of the Witch - Paper Mini

The small town of Belves is host to a coven of witches which meets there at least four times a year. There are currently eleven members, led by the redheaded enchantress Lucienne.

The coven is divided into four groups of three members, each group corresponding to one of the four seasons. Each of these has a member aligned with one of the forces of law, chaos, or neutrality - though the members frequently argue and scheme against one another, they also see the wisdom of periodically coming together to pool their individual magical powers and support the current season’s three members.

Every year they elect a leader whom they then gift potions and various abilities. In this way, though they’re considered an equal, their leader is also more powerful and better able to resolve any serious disagreements.

Several years ago though, a dispute within the coven led to a leader being exiled. Known as Hecatha, she was eventually overtaken and cast out by the others when she refused to relinquish the power with which they'd entrusted her… To this day, the Great Druid still searches for a cure to her self-inflicted curse, which manifests in both physical deformity and madness.

With the witches’ number and power now diminished by the loss of a member, Lucienne seeks someone to fill Hecatha’s shoes. She fears what might happen if Hecatha was somehow able to regain her mind and former power… and Hecatha’s season approaches.

click the thumbnail image above for a closer look or to download the 4x6" (index card formatted) paper mini PDF

see also: Hecatha and Witch and Watchers minis

Eddnic's 3d and 2.5d Paper Minis

Eddnic's fantasy paper miniatures are amazing! They're free too.

Goolomps - Paper Minis

Here's the paper mini follow up to the goolomps post of last week. 4x6" PDF

Update: the source image:

X-Plorer Paper Minis and Pre-Gen Cards

A little while back (and with Brave Halfling's blessing), I put together a set of paper minis and pre-generated character cards from the artwork and PCs listed in the back of the X-Plorers rules. It seems like the box sets should be arriving any day now so I thought I'd post it up here in case anyone can use them. Formatted for 4x6" index cards - they should scale to Letter size pretty well if you don't want or need minis but can still use the character records.

Click the thumbnail image above for a closer look or to download.

The Maria LX Series Robot: Price Reduced!

Message from Acme Advertising Dept: For Immediate Release

Recent upgrades to our manufacturing facility have allowed us to dramatically reduce the cost of our “Maria LX” retro-design model from our line of general purpose and servant staff robots. They're not just for nobles any more!

Recalling a simpler time of working class idealism and introspection - the Maria LX’s appearance is inspired by the very first “moving pictures” of early 20th century Terra. Retro is back! Maria utilizes polished stainless steel construction throughout, with advanced gyroscopic stabilization, energy efficient servos and a commercial-grade performance battery. Charges last for weeks - not days, and recharge times are nearly instantaneous. Shock absorbent gel surrounds the LX CPU, providing additional protection for your investment, and our award winning voice recognition software makes engaging with Maria a pleasurable experience - whatever your homeworld.

“Our customers are enthralled by our Marias’ grace and charm, and their antique exterior appearance fits wonderfully with our decor!”
Alfred Abel, Owner
Librari of Eldish Libaxions, New London

~

The Maria LX series skirts many local prohibitions against a “too human- like” appearance with its quaint, early android design. Its hackability makes it attractive to both smugglers and sexual deviants, creating a back alley industry of meat clothiers and illegal software programmers. Such hacked units have a reputation for malfunctioning spectacularly and without warning - seemingly at the least opportune times.

Here's a 2d6 table of suggestions for when the GM determines a malfunction occurs:

2: Explodes: minor/serious damage to those nearby.
3: Stuck in a loop: repeats numbers while head continually spins around a la The Exorcist.
4. Replays overheard snippets of private conversations - in multiple languages, loudly.
5. A massive belch/fart of flame: sets nearby object(s) on fire.
6. Error in Translation: Conveys insult or otherwise miscommunicates important information.
7. Electrical discharge: short circuits nearby tech.
8. Vents huge amount of steam or smoke, obscuring everything in 5m radius.
9. Acts lasciviously, speaks with a helium affected voice.
10. Electro-magnetic implosion: Attracts all loose, small metal objects to itself within 5m radius.
11. “Pees” itself* and collapses shortly thereafter (oil=slippery!).
12. Eyes pop out: Minor/serious damage to someone at a distance.
* suggested by Carolyn, age 10

Click the thumbnail image above to enlarge or download the 4x6" PDF of the Maria LX series paper miniatures.

Fritz Lang's "Metropolis"

Ulyulengs - Paper Minis from Monsters of Myth

Here's one I made weeks ago and forgot about... 4x6" PDF, click the thumbnail below to download or for a closer look.

B-B-bears?!? Paper Minis

I've been meaning to put this one together for some time, looks like I just missed JB's Bear Week too. Click the thumbnail image below for a closer look or to download the 4x6" PDF.

Odds and ends...

My wife decided she wanted a greenhouse last year and built one from a kit, but it blew over and was destroyed in a wind storm. So this year I decided we'd build something a little more sturdy by basically tacking onto the existing awning in our backyard. Here's a picture to show what I mean...That's not going anywhere. The treated 2x4's running lengthwise from the door at about stomach height are fitted into hangers so they can be lifted up and out - they'll have heavy clear plastic stapled to their matching 2x4's which will simply lay on the ground. This way we can just remove half the wall to move things in and out of the space if we like. It's not the prettiest thing but it should work nicely.

Meanwhile I thought it was high time I gave my paper minis a home as they were starting to take up too much space on my desk. I thought they'd be happiest in a box like the old Grenadiers came in, and I'd saved two boxes that reminded me of them. I sprayed one black and then found some black foam inside an old computer box which already fit nearly perfectly. So I stuck that in there and then slit little spaces for the penny bases to go into - halfway in and the paper lays nice and flat. Now I just need to find or make some art to go above the box label.
In other news, after the Giants got blown away by Cincinnati yesterday, I'd had enough. Every time I could watch on a Saturday, it seems like they'd get rained out or just lose. What the hell, they're at the top of their division! Posey's steamrolling and Sanchez's dislocated arm have me a bit depressed. So today I broke down, bought an Apple TV and signed up for mlb.tv. Occasionally there are blackout restrictions, but even then they post the game up about 90 minutes after it ends. Hopefully Christian won't mention any results. Dude! I can watch every Dojers game too! Sick.

Sir Froig

Sir Froig - the Moonlit Knight

A marshy inlet near Marqueyssac would be unremarkable save for the fact that a small rain cloud continually hangs low in the sky above it - and for the strange little fellow who lives there. In most respects he appears no different from a simple if uncommonly large frog, but what noticeably sets him apart (aside from his obvious intelligence and ability to speak) is his albinism.

The creature calls himself “Sir Froig.” He moves in a human-like fashion, sitting with legs crossed or standing up on his back legs - and he’s quite fond of halfling pipeweed. He’s very sociable and happy to trade his vast knowledge of herbs for his favorite smoke, and is sometimes sought by those of magical training for advice or ingredients. He’s not hard to find: the small cloud above his home is an unmistakeable “airmark” and made use of as a traveling aid for those new to the region.

Though typically friendly, he can be arrogant, and short of temper and patience if a large group of young frogs are preparing to leave the water for the first time. When this happens, he will hop about frantically, shooing away (or worse) any imagined threats to the frogs’ well being.

Sir Froig - HD 7, HP 38, AC 7[12], Mv 9, CL/XP:8/800, Atk: Special: Spits acid (Dmg d6, range 30’). Thrice per day he can croak a noxious cloud (treat as Stinking Cloud). He speaks with plants and animals (per the spells). He is never without a Flower of Protection from Evil and a basket filled with magical herbs and spell components.

In his underwater den, Sir Froig has a small Umbrella of Weather Controlling which he uses to keep a rain cloud permanently hovering over his marsh. He will defend this with his life.

Sir Froig is an ally of the nearby High Druid as well as the Witches of Belves.

~
4x6" PDF with Paper Mini version:
~

Inspiration comes from the strangest of places. I knew that I wanted to stat Tim’s frog statue the moment I saw it, so I began writing and working up a Sir Froig mini even before seeing JB’s fat frog challenge (also inspired by the proud creature!)... I thought I should just go ahead and post it here.

Fungus Among Us - Paper Minis

This set comes from the OSRIC module "The Pod-Caverns of the Sinister Shroom" by Matt Finch, published by Expeditious Press. I'd been meaning to pick it up for a long time and finally got around to it when I saw the "Damaged Copies" sale (the copy I received looks great and was only $4). Formatted for a 4x6" index card - click the thumbnail image below for a closer look or to download the PDF.

Witch and Watchers - Free Paper Minis

Hats off to Telecanter for bringing the art of Beatrice Elvery to my attention - some of her work reminds me of Trampier and seems well suited to reproducing as paper minis. I had to squash and edit these a bit from the originals but I like how they came out. The Watchers seem to have especially benefited, becoming more buff and dangerous looking. I'll write these guys up in a day or two, meanwhile here's some inspirational reading.

Formatted for a 4x6" index card, click image below to enlarge or download.

Creatures of the Lumberwoods Paper Minis

I've got the Squonk statted, but still have to do these other two. The Tripodero is my second favorite from the book. Telescopic legs! Brilliant. I'll have to get to work on that one in the next couple of days... Click the thumbnail below for a closer look or to download the 4x6" index card sized PDF.
Update: I statted the Tripodero here.

Have some Ghoul Monkeys

I've always liked the ghoul monkey from the Monsters of Myth book, so I made a paper miniature of it. Click the thumbnail below to view in your browser or download. Formatted for a 4x6" index card.

Rogues - Free Paper Miniatures

I haven't made any of these in a long time... Originally, I was going to call this one "Two thieves and an assassin" but then I figured they're pretty much all just rogues, right? The dagger wielding assassin with dagger dripping poison could just as easily be a backstabbing thief with a dagger dripping blood...

Here's the 4x6" PDF for printing on an index card or other heavier weight paper. Thanks to Telecanter for sharing the source images used here (and in many of my other paper minis).

Cuttin' Up Yer Mummies

Here's my latest set of paper miniatures on an index card. I thought about making a proper sarcophagus for the mummy like the vamp on a card, but if I can't make these things within a certain amount of time I just want to move on. The mummy here is a heavily reworked still from the movie featuring Boris Karloff... PDF.

Vampire on a Card

I've been wanting to do a three dimensional paper mini and a coffin seemed like a good place to start. Here' s a vampire (Nosferatu) mini and two coffins, fairly close to 25mm and formatted to fit on an index card.

PDF
You'll need a sharp knife or razor blade for this one, and it will need to be printed on a heavy stock paper if you don't print it on an index card and want to make the coffins. The coffins are a little tricky, all the more reason for two on the card, there's a good chance one of them will be a little rough when finished.

After cutting out the design with scissors or your blade, the best way to make the folds is to use a razor or sharp knife to score the fold lines making sure not to cut all the way through the paper (hence the use of an index card or heavier paper).When you're done, the folds will almost make themselves as seen below. After this, the hard part - fold them in, put some glue on the inside flaps, and press the top "door" down onto them, holding and lightly compressing the entire form to keep its shape for ten seconds or so, so the glue will hold.

When you're done you'll have something like what's in the top picture (I did a quick black spray paint job on one of them), assuming you made your dexterity roll. After making enough for a vampire's harem you'll be an expert.

When Animals Attack! Paper Minis...

Here’s some more paper miniatures. I’m still enjoying making these and becoming a little more proficient at it. This latest set was inspired by a post over at the Society of Torch, Pole and Rope. I sometimes forget in my own games that there are more every day types of monsters too. The DMG encounter tables lists badgers, wild boars, wild cattle/bulls, wild dogs, lions, stags, and wolves, among other things. So in the spirit of the TV shockumentary, I present these cuddly critters.

Some notes: These are all intended to be used with 25mm figures. I compared them to the earlier paper miniatures here and the scale seems pretty close. I wanted to fit them onto my usual 4x6 index cards for the heavier stock, but the larger size of the bear and elk wouldn’t work with the usual 3up format. The larger size bases on the elk and bear fit over a nickel or just under a quarter if you can spare the change. The silhouettes are painted in and reworked public domain images found on the web. You may have noticed a lot of empty white space above the small minis. This is because it’s easier to print them out and fold them when they’re longer (and then trim off the extra if you like) than it is to try to fold a cut out paper that would be 1/3 smaller.

PDF

I’ve realized that one of the advantages with paper minis, especially non-color ones like these, is that you can write notes or stats directly on them. I considered putting basic stats on their bases. Also with this latest batch, I started thinking about a game I’d call Zoopocalypse that I could use the minis in… Basically, it’s the end of our world as the animals wake up really smart one day and decide to make the human race extinct. Especially unfortunate is that this happens on the day you visit the zoo, and the escaped monkeys have let all the other animals out of their cages too! Will you make it out alive or will the lions eat your guts and the penguins poke your eyes out?

Porters on a Card

Here's another set of 25mm paper miniatures on an index card (PDF). This one includes Telecanter's latest silhouette.

..

My Lulu order finally showed up - I'm guessing the free shipping made it take a little longer, and the usual cardboard backing and plastic wrap was missing this time. Hmmm. Anyhow, I picked up Michael Curtis' Stonehell Dungeon, James Pacek's The Wilderness Alphabet, as well as BHP's hard cover and digest sized Swords & Wizardry Whitebox edition. I've yet to really look through them but just have to say - the Whitebox is really sharp. Purchasing the latter was kind of decadent, I already have the box set... I just can't say no to a hard cover I guess.

Stirges, Sir... More Paper Minis.

I was feeling crafty again today so I made another 25mm paper miniature. I thought I'd invert the previous use of black and white to see how it came out. Since things usually don't line up 100% when pasting the sides to one another, and since the background this time is black, it helped to touch them up with a sharpie afterwards - running it along the edges to darken any white showing. PDF here, formatted for a 4x6 index card. As usual, I mounted them on top of pennies making them pretty hard to knock over.

Rats on a Card

Here's another paper miniature. I suppose the rat could have looked a little scarier but it'll do (I gave it fangs but at this size, it's impossible to see.) I formatted this one for printing onto a 4x6 index card since I thought the heavier paper would work better. PDF