The King in Yellow.

 

 Scores of Chainrasps floated in the courtyard, moving with a purpose over the overgrown and twisted flagstone as they were drilled to fight together by the Bladeghiests in charge. 

Even warriors in life had to relearn how to fight together as a spirit, as torment often robbed the less strong willed individuals of thought and memory.

Above them, on the balcony of a crumbling manor house, two spectres overlooked the proceedings below.

Crone Agathia turned to her companion, a second Harridan and regarded her with cold, black eye sockets.

"The mistresses spies have told word that the gate to lost Carcosa has been rediscovered" she whispered, her voice a rasp and shriek at the same time.

Her companion merely nodded.

"Dear Hali, you know who lies on the other side, please tell me that Nagash's curse has not robbed you of your memories".

"No sister" Hali replied, her own voice a harsh dry whisper, she seemed to expel a small amount of dust which each word, "I have not, nor ever will forget".

Beneath them, a group of twenty Chainrasps were wheeling around to face their Bladghiest commanders, silence reigned for what would have been several heartbeats.

If any of the dead had hearts to beat....

"That is good Hali, as you will need all your knowledge of that cursed place, The Queen is sending you back to your home" Agathia said not turning to look at the glowering Hali.

"Crone, I think someone else..." She began only to be cut off mid-sentence.

"The Queen chose you personally because of your ties there from when you were living. She chose you to be her envoy to the King in Yellow and to recruit his forces to our cause. Can you do this or not?" Agathia's voice turned harsh as she asked the question.

After a few moments of contemplation, Halo turned back to her superior.

"I will do as she asks, but surely she must know that she toys with powers beyond her own? There was a reason, even in death, that Carcosa, and The King in Yellow, were banishes to a sub-realm. Not even Lord Nagash would keep that cursed place in Shyish!".

"She knows Hali, she knows what she is doing".

Their eyes were drawn towards the courtyard again, as some of the Bladeghiests screeched a new series of commands breaking the silence.

"You leave immediately, you have to get there before our enemies, is that understood?"

Hali merely bobbed her skull head and turned away, whispering the old song of Lost Carcosa.

"Along the shore the cloud waves break,

The twin suns sink behind the lake,

The shadows lengthen

In Carcosa.

Strange is the night where black stars rise,

And strange moons circle through the skies,

But stranger still is

Lost Carcosa.

Songs that the Hyades shall sing,

Where flap the tatters of the King,

Must die unheard in

Dim Carcosa".

*****

After a heavy series of training I've been enjoying just relaxing and unwinding in my hotel room just painting miniatures.

It's always been a great way to unwind, but more so recently as a way to really take the strain of the day off and get ready for the next.

I brought this Wight King model as he'd been part painted on the shelf for a couple of years and would be an easy completion job.

He was already basecoated with flat white primer and had the Leadbelcher armour layer done when I restarted him.

So a quick coat of Ushabti Bone, a bit of gold for the crown and keys, some black detailing for the shield and grey for the fur mantle.

His cloak was the biggest sticking point and I was stumped so asked my friends and Dom suggested yellow.

Things clicked then as I have always been a fan of Lovecraftian references, so The King in Yellow was brought to Shyish.

Averland Sunset was the yellow I used.

The entire model was washed with Earthshade, before things like the cloak and fur were drybrushed up to regain some of that colouring.

Usual basing scheme applied and the King was finished...

The eagle eyed amongst you may have noticed the white area inside his mouth, I'm going to add some of the Nighthaunt Gloom technical paint here when I get home (I didn't bring it with me) to give him an otherworldly, glowing with power type look.

We'll have to wait and see why Carcosa and the King were banished to a sub-realm within Shyish. In the Lovecraftian style, I have no idea as yet!

Until next time...