Terrain Challenge: Summoning Portal

Setting up the background for ‘finished; portal shots…

So wasn’t really happy with the way that the portal effect had turned out. Decided to order some more perspex sheeting, make some new parts for the portal frame and re-commence. Would still be able to proceed with the minis however…

So for the demon stepping through the portal I was going to have to remove some of his excess, ah… components… This delicate procedure was conducted using a saw and then sanding down. Once this was done I dropped the now detached right leg in a mug of boiling water for 60 seconds, retrieved with tweezers, bent the now malleable bonesium into the required shape (ie a bend at the knee) and then ran it under cold water to get ot to set. Once this was done I primed all the parts and base coated in Vallejo Mahogany, then gave a light drybrush of white to get them up to the same stage as the complete demon.

From here both the complete demon and the ‘spare parts; were given an overbrush of Vallejo cavalry Brown (because I love the colour…), Army Painter Skeleton Bone was added to the claws, teeth and bony protrusions and Vallejo English Uniform was used on the wings. the whole model then got a wash with a 4:1 mix of flow improver and Army Painter strong tone ink.

From there I painted up the fireball in the demon’s hand and then felt morally obliged to try some object sourced lighting. Once this was done I tidied up the base with some neutral grey then gave the parts a coat of matt varnish.

Given I have been distracted by other hobby projects I didn’t have too much time to spend finishing off the cultists. the black robes were given a highlight of Vallejo Dark Grey, purple robe sections were painted in Vallejo Violet and then highlighted with Vallejo Violet Blue. I used Army painter Desert Yellow on the hair and painted the metal areas with Vallejo Gold and Oily Steel respectively (no time to muck about with NMM’s…).

Following this I gave the non-cloth areas a targeted wash with a homemade wash recipe I have been using. (Link follows for anyone interested)

And once that had dried I got a shot of them skulking about on their cultist errands….

Final stage was to redo the portal. this was essentially actioned in the same manner as my first attempt, only once assembled I used a hot glue gun to affix the component demon in place on the front of the portal.  This would allow me to target the ink in specific locations.

Once this had been completed I used ink starting with red over the back of the parts where the demon was stepping through and shaded down with orange and then yellow outwards until the perspex was covered sufficiently. I then touched up the outside with a mix of yellow ink and yellow paint to add some extra brightness.

Portal without the demon was easier – i just started with a random blob shape in the centre of the perspex in red and built out form there. Once both had dried I touched up any gaps that had opened in the ink covering with a second layering of ink.

Just a few shots of the portal as I envisage it to be used on the tabletop.

To begin with, the cultists are activating the portal, possibly as a macguffin to get the adventurers to hurry up and take action…

Once they eventually work out where the ‘on’ switch is, the demon begins to tear it’s way through the portal, stepping into the reality inhabited by the cultists and adventurers…

Finally with the process complete, the demon is free to run amok…

One final shot to try and show that the demon only occupies one ‘side’ of the portal.

Three home brewed Frostgrave scenarios which could be used with this sort of terrain:

The Portal Discovered

The rival warbands stumble on a long-forgotten arcane portal. Latent magical energies are drawing demonic forces near.

Set-Up

Set up the table as per the rules as per a standard game, but place an inactive portal in the centre of the table.

Special Rules

Roll a D20 at the end of each player’s turn. On a result of a 17-20 an imp has been drawn near due to the magical energies emanating form the portal. The imp will appear on a randomly determined side table edge at a distance of d20 inches (roll randomly for each imp that is summoned during the game) towards the tale edge of the player who lost initiative in that round. The imp will begin to activate in the following round and will follow the normal rules for creature actions thereafter.

Treasure & Experience

Treasure and experience are awarded as per normal

The Dark Cult

While questing for treasure hoards the rival warbands discover a group of dark cultists seeking to activate an ancient portal.

Set-Up

Set up the table as per the rules as per a standard game, but place an inactive portal in the centre of the table. Place a number of Dark Cultists equal to one plus double the number of players (so 5 cultists for a two player game, seven for a three player game etc) randomly at a distance of no greater than 6 inches from the portal. Deploy one additional treasure token adjacent to the portal.

Special Rules

The Dark Cultists will generally ignore the warbands and continue to study the summoning portal. However, if a warband member moves within 10 inches of any Dark Cultist, then the Dark Cultist (or cultists if more than one is in range) will move to attack the warband member and drive them off. If the warband member subsequently moves further than 10 inches from the portal, the Dark Cultist will break off pursuit and return to the portal on a d20 result of 1-12, but on a D20 result of a 13-20 will continue to pursue the warband member. If a warband member targets a cultist with a missile unit or spell then all cultists will immediately move towards the model that initiated the first attack on the next round, and will begin to act in accordance with the normal creature rules thereafter.

Dark Cultist

M            F              S              A             W            H             Notes

6              +1           +0           10           +6           10           –

Treasure & Experience

Treasure is awarded as per normal. Experience is awarded as per the standard rules with an additional 25xp for each Dark Cultist killed.

The Demon Revealed

The rival warbands learn of a group of dark Cultists carrying a great treasure. While investigating, they locate the Dark Cultists engaged in a summoning ritual.

Set-Up

Set up the table as per the rules as per a standard game, but place an inactive portal in the centre of the table. Place a number of Dark Cultists equal to one plus double the number of players (so 5 cultists for a two player game, seven for a three player game etc) randomly at a distance of no greater than 6 inches from the portal. Deploy one additional treasure token adjacent to the portal.

Special Rules

The summoning portal is surrounded by a magical vortex that deflects missile weapons and dampens spells. Any shooting attack against a target within 6 inches of the portal is resolved with a -6 penalty. Any spell effect rather targeting or effecting a target model within 6 inches of the portal will have it’s minimum casting value increased by +4.

The Dark Cultists will ignore the warbands and continue to attempt to activate the summoning portal. However, if a warband moves into combat with a cultist then the cultist will defend themselves. If the warband member subsequently retreats the dark Cultist will not pursue.

Dark Cultist

M            F              S              A             W            H             Notes

6              +1           +0           10           +6           10           –

Roll a d20 at the conclusion of each game round and add the following modifies:

+1 for each cultist currently alive on the tabletop

+2 for each completed game round.

If the result of the modified die roll is equal to or greater than 24, then a demon will begin to force it’s way through the portal. At the conclusion of the next complete game round place a demon model on the tabletop. The demon will pursue targets and engage them in combat using the below list to determine its target priority.

1.The nearest spellcaster (Wizard or apprentice) within 12 inches.

2. The nearest character carrying a treasure within 12 inches.
3. The nearest other warband member within 12 inches.

4.The nearest spellcaster (Wizard or apprentice) within 24 inches.

5. The nearest character carrying a treasure within 24 inches.
6. The nearest other warband member within 24 inches.
7. The nearest Dark Cultists.

Use the stats for a Major Demon as outlined on page 118 of the main rulebook. If you have access to the Forgotten Pacts supplement you may wish instead to use the rules for Major Demons in that supplement (either roll randomly for an attribute or agree one with your opponent before the game commences that best reflects the properties of the representative miniature which you are using).

Treasure & Experience

Treasure is awarded as per normal, with the treasure chest closest to the summoning portal being worth double treasure. Experience is awarded as per the standard rules with an additional 25xp for each Dark Cultist killed, with a further 100xp if the major demon is killed.