The light gleamed in the early morning sunrise, the clouds hanging around the uppermost peaks of the Himalayzian Mountains.
Here at the roof of Terra, the Emperor had built his Imperial Palace ten thousand years ago, the great Primarch Rogal Dorn turning it into the modern fortress during the dark days of the Horus Heresy.
Custodian Tybalus Castivar stood upon one of the patrol routes of the Palace and took in the vista before him.
Everything here was for the Imperium, and by extension for the Emperor himself.
The Lions Gate Spaceport sprawled over the flattened peak of a mountain, it's orbital dock elevators reaching upwards into the stratosphere.
He could see the flashing marker lights of a transport as it hung there, moored upon the docks, as a warship of Battle fleet Solar fired it's retro's and moved clear.
Turning there was the Palatine Wall and he could see the Eternity Gate which legendary Sanguinis had held single handedly against the traitorous forces which had besieged the palace all those years ago. Legend said that on quiet nights patrols could still hear the aftershocks of that conflict.
"Tybalus Castivar, what is the purpose of this halt?" Tristraen Gallimadean his superior by length of service asked.
"I was just taking in the view Tristraen, we leave Terra for a deep Solar Patrol soon and I just wanted to take it all in, I apologise".
"No need to apologise, Brothers, Sisters, take a look around at the Palace like Tybalus here, remember what we defend, the majesty of the Emperor" he said and gestured towards the Imperial Palace, just as the rising sun met the upper spires of the Astronomicon and glinted off of the gold sheathed dome. The light seeming to intensify it's brightness as if it mixed with the Emperor's Solar beacon.
"A dark omen approaches" Custodian Hasturian Desmodages pointed looking westwards over the crest of Everest, the legendary peak, to where a black storm was rolling in.
Lightning could bee seen flashing against the darkness and an avalanche was sparked, rumbling away in the distance.
"Indeed, should be reconvene with the Shield -Company?" Custodian Pydorus Maxin asked.
"We complete our patrol cycle and then reconvene, we move" Tristraen ordered and the five Custodes set off, stringing out into a long line as they took their appointed positions and marches on.
*****
After a slow month of hobby due to work commitments I haven't managed to make much headway with projects.
The last time I was over at Element Games back in May my friend Fraser had finished building his Solar Watch force for tenth edition 40k.
This was right before the Codex was rewritten and made them a middling army.
After talking about it, and with the post I made about Female Custodes we both said that we really liked the Solar Watch colour scheme with their white/off-white armour and the red details which offset and contrast nicely.
They also make a really nice change to the usual Emperor's Talons GOLD scheme.
"I don't know how to do the off-white" he said, "take them with you and paint them".
"O...k..." I said.
So after a month I managed to sit down and paint this unit up:
The Gold detailing started as Retributor Armour and was lined with Agrax Earthshade before being stippled with Iron breaker for a highlight.
The gems and weapon blade were base coated with Ulthuan Grey and then given a coat of Tallasar Blue, the weapon was then drybrushed with Ironbreaker.
Finally the red details, and the Squad Leader shows this off the best.
The Scarlet areas, for the weapons, shoulder pads and plume started with a coat of Blood Angels Red, a wash with Agrax Earthshade and then a blocking-in/highlight with Evil Sunz Scarlet.
The Squad Leaders robe was a coat of Flesh Tearers Red and then a wash of Agrax Earthshade, with just an edge highlight with Mephiston Red for the upper edges of the folds.
Bases use cork for rocks and basic sand and were painted in my usual desert/rocky sand scheme.
I added Tufts from the collection I've gathered to add interest and chose from a selection of 2mm and 5mm tall tufts, cut in half to add around the edges of the rocks, where plants are normally found to grow in a desert.
The Custodes were a joy to paint with their detailing filigree and the varying colours used across. I also enjoyed using our favourite artwork from the whole "Custodes Controversy " as a guide/inspiration.
This squad of five models means that a sixth of the army is already finished, it being thirty models in total.
There is also a center piece model which will be a full project in itself, but I'm going to leave that until I've gotten the main army completed.
Until next time, have nice day...
