Fantasy: A Green Dragon (Puff The Magic Dragon?)

The origin of this modelling project was a rather dodgy cheap fantasy ornament picked up in a nick-nack shop - but I saw the "potential" (see below, after an undercoat of Airfix Primer, then a Brown Vallejo Wash, then a colour undercoat of Vallejo Game Colour Dark Green to get to here - though it has to be said I did have a lot of trouble with this particular Valljo Game Colour paint as for some reason it starts to separate out in the bottle into a solid and liquid half more so than any other of the colours I use in the range!):

I added further layers of mixes Vallejo Game Colour Sick Green and Scorpion Green (I think, it was certainly a lighter green almost yellow) followed by a little Moon Yellow, with Off White added for final highlights. The "Glossy" look came from my experimentation with a Yellow Vallejo Yellow Ink glaze (see below, the Green Dragon's front with its lighter underneath is done):

The scaly back was layered but kept to a Sick Green with touch of white highlight. Again I experimented with Vallejo Black Ink and Green Ink Glazes with a modicum of success (see below, a young fat Green Dragon about to fly off in search of food):

Nobody would want to mess with my Puff the Magic Dragon, surely? Please note, adventurers in my D&D Campaign have nothing to fear as this is purely a "painting challenge" with little or no relevance to the Lost Mine of Phalindar, despite the large picture of a Green Dragon on the front of the new 5th Edition D&D Starter Pack!

Bugbear Miniature

He caught my eye and is going to be useful for the next instalment of the Lost Mines of Phalinder (see below - I used blue skinned hobgoblins last time - this one is much more imposing): 

It comes from a boxed Dungeons and Dragons set I picked up in "The Works" over a decade ago! Basic old-school three shade painting in Vallejo Game Colour with a wash added here and there!

Dungeons and Dragons the Adventure Continues

The adventure picked up where we left off with the party's leader (a M-U) casting a spell on an Evil Mage (who also had a posse of Zombies in tow). The effects of the spell had yet to be determined. Rather than a yes or no, the affects of the spell had to be ascertained by the actions of the charmed character (aka the Evil Mage). Now a little bit of back history came into play here, as although charmed the PC was not sure if the spell had succeeded. I call this the player psyching himself out. Anyhow he "convinced" the Evil Mage to wander off after him (taking a third of the Zombies along with him) leaving the "two invisible thieves" and Folk Hero Fighter to take a look in his tent. With nine Zombies outside the PCs sneaked in and searched the tent. After what they thought was incredible success they started arguing over the spoils (a magic ring, a scroll, a potion and some coins/gem. Their noise activated the Zombies protection mode and suddenly the PCs had to contend with a Zombie invasion (see below, the Folk Hero Fighter makes a second door in the back of the tent and the Zombies chase after him, the thieves bu contrast are trying to make themselves inconspicuous):   

Meanwhile Radghast the Confused (my nickname for the PC Leader) is off trotting in the woodland [I made a roll for a wandering monster but no such luck] with Evil Mage (making friendly gesticulations that Radaghast thought was a spell) and Zombies following as best they could (see below):

The Folk Hero Fighter was tangling with a Zombie and found out that they could punch really hard .. ow 6 HPs of damage, so sticking around for a long fight was out of the question. The thieves however were trying to line themselves up for a "back-stab/assassination" [or so I thought] (see below, sometimes D&D drops down to minute movements - this was once such episode of long micro-seconds of suspense):

The Folk Hero fighter decided to swig the potion which looked similar to a Potion of Healing he already had (risky perhaps but he was a chancy sort of guy they sing songs about in taverns). Meanwhile the Halfling thief decide to assist with a spectacular Zombie killing action of pushing the large treasure chest into the rear of the Zombies causing a "domino collapsing line of Zombies". Well that is what would have happened on a 20, on an epic roll of 1 he stumbles and falls into the chest (he is a small guy that has overestimated his strength and capabilities) and the chest lid snaps shut on him for comic effect (see below, how much Hit Dice is a Treasure Chest monster again? - the Halfling PC figure has now been replaced by the Treasure Chest [one of my oldest and favourite figurines, it has served my friends and myself well over the years]):

Sensing no danger from the inside of the tent the Zombies amble after the life-form (Folk Hero Fighter) that is attacking them. The Dwarven thief passes up on another back-stab and lets the Zombies walk after the Folk Hero Fighter (who is making up verses to his own ballad at this point). For comic effect the Dwarven thief locks the Halfling in the chest for his own protection - until the last Zombie exits. Then picks the lock again - "I needed the practise" he says to the Halfling with a wink. Meanwhile, feeling slightly better after being restored to full (rude) health, the Folk Hero Fighter backs off and was leading the Zombies away Erol Flyn style from the thieves - having much better speed (see below, "The Folk Hero Fighter was luring seven of the nine Zombies away", verse two first stanza ..):

Once thirty feet away from the tent the Zombies stop pursing the Folk Hero Fighter. The now visible Halfling (he made an attack of sorts on the Zombies, albeit pathetic and still invisible Dwarven thief exit the back of the tent. The party reforms (minus the their wizard leader) and waits for him back with the mules and henchmen in  a slightly "Benny Hill" ending to this session. As the Evil Mage and PC Wizard come back after their 'circular walk' the Evil Mage is distraught and rushes to investigate his ruined camp. The PC leader exits stage right (before the Charm Spell wears off) to meet back up with the party back at their own camp. The return to the Base Town draws further rumours of intrigue at an underground cave complex (see below, the intrepid adventurers head off for further adventure - marching order please):

So end'eth the session in high spirits with sufficient xp's awarded for the Dwarven thief to progress up to Third Level.

The Lost Mines of Phalinder: 5th Edition D&D

The adventure rolls ever on. Rather than having scraps of paper stuffed into the back of books to be lost down the backs of sofas I kinda wrap everything up in a big roll of paper [£1 from the Pound Store or DIY Store]. That ways I can draw a map and move on chronologically, setting up little vignettes and scribbling things down. At the end of the night I just roll it up (see below, the lower portion of the map details the journey from NeverWinter - past the Goblin Ambush [spoiler alert] and arriving in Phandolin):

The adventures approach the camp-site of an Evil Mage and "bump" into his 'zombie bodyguards". Negotiations (assisted with a PC Charm Spell cast on the Evil Mage) are about to begin (see below, the four adventurers are approaching B, E, S, W which means three zombies each + the spell caster, all depends on an important saving throw):

The "New Guard" (my eldest son and one of his friends) of players were introduced to the "Old Guard" - my old school friends who last played D&D under AD&D First Edition, back in the 1980's. Boy that makes me feel old. The Old Guard were more than prepared or willing for the Young Guard to earn their spurs - as in do all the dangerous stuff ;)