D&D Monster Manual 6: Reaper Bones: Not-Intellect Devourer, Not-Grick

I received my Reaper Bones II Kickstarter stuff a few weeks ago, and while I had a little bit of Buyer’s Remorse at not having purchased a few additional bits and pieces from the campaign, that’s mostly due to having started new projects that things would have worked well for in the time since the campaign ended, and then finally delivered however many months late it was. I didn’t even bother keeping track of that this time around. Overall it’s a solid bunch of models for PVC, and I picked out a few that I thought would make nice, quick painting projects. The first was that Bronze Bull/Brass Bull/”Gorgon” which I asked about recently and just need to finish the final touches on (probably later this weekend). The second and third are these two …thingies.

Reaper Bones 77228 "Cython" (aka Grick)

Reaper Bones 77228 “Cython” (aka Grick)

Reaper Bones 77228 "Cython" (aka Grick)

…don’t worry, it’s only a shower

Reaper Bones 77228 "Cython" (aka Grick)

…and now for your clothes, here’s a pretty flower.

Now, my nerd-background is solidly on the Warhammer/LotR side rather than the D&D side, so when I saw the 03603 “Cython” and 03582 “Mind Eater”, I saw silly-weird Rogue-Trader-esque space aliens, rather than D&D critters, and decided to paint them up in that spirit – somewhat inspired by Cheetor’s Alien Flora and Fauna project (and the fact that they looked like they’d be quick and easy enough). So in the spirit of all that, I thought I’d paint these suckers up.

Reaper Bones 77229 "Mind Eater" (aka Intellect Devourer)

Reaper Bones 77229 “Mind Eater” (aka Intellect Devourer)

Reaper Bones 77229 "Mind Eater" (aka Intellect Devourer)

No relation to the Brain Bugs from Starship Troopers…

Knowing that of course, the things must be some kind of D&D or Pathfinder ripoff, I also asked Tarmor if he knew what these things actually not-are. He informed me that the 03603 “Cython” looks a lot like a Grick from 3rd edition D&D and that 03582 “Mind Eater” is a direct “copy” (ripoff) of an Intellect Devourer from all editions! Tarmor also kindly provided me with a couple of pictures that I then used as paint references. Now that I’ve done the photography, I’ll be adding some Gloss Varnish to the Brain Diner, and these two will be done and dusted.

77228: Chthon, Grick, 77229: Mind Eater , Intellect Devourer, The Mouth of Sauron

The Mouth of Sauron provides Scale.

Since I rarely play D&D/Pathfinder (every few months I play the occasional session run by Orez. I think we’re level 3 or so?) I don’t know when or if these will ever see the table in their “proper” form, much like that not-Purple Worm of theirs (Wow! I just googled “Reaper Purple Worm” and my pic is the first thing in the image search above the actual link to Reaper!)

77006: Great Worm, Purple Worm, 77228: Chthon, Grick, 77229: Mind Eater, Intellect Devourer

A little collection of Reaper’s Not-D&D Monsters

77006: Great Worm, Purple Worm, 77228: Chthon, Grick, 77229: Mind Eater, Intellect Devourer

The Mouth of Sauron provides scale reference.

77006: Great Worm, Purple Worm, Mouth of Sauron

The Mouth of Sauron provides scale for the Great Purple Worms.

Anyway, both figures were reasonably quick and easy to paint, and the various blending of tones was fun and turned out pretty decently as well. Now it’s back to those bloody goblins!

77001: Skeletal Spearmen (Reaper Bones)

Recently I showed the Bones Skeletal Swordsmen that I finished for Marouda’s Mythical Greek force. These six are the other half of the group. Originally the twelve of them were to make up a single unit of more generic undead troops, whether spear or blade worked out simply by swapping the front rank as appropriate. Since the Mythical Greeks are now becoming a thing with the addition of a big load of stuff from Wargames Foundry, they got split into the Blade regiment and these guys, who I finished last Friday and will be the back half of the Spear regiment.

Reaper Bones 77001 Skeletal Spearmen

Reaper Bones 77001: Skeletal Spearmen

You may well have noticed that the spears appear to be made of rubber. Well, that’s Bones PVC for you! While I could have replaced the spear shafts with wire by cutting them off, drilling out the hands, and reattaching the spearheads, just look at the sculpts! They’re hardly worth that kind of effort. I did what I think is a nice enough job on the actual bones, but that’s because I enjoy painting bone most of the time. I’ve painted the shields with a kind of pseudo-Verginia Sun to give a Greek-Macedonian vibe to go with the preudo-Dipylon style shields. I left the shield bosses bronze rather than painting them the colours of the rays, or carving them off as I did on the swordsmen.

Reaper Bones 77001 Skeletal Spearmen

The arse end of the Skellymans!

The unit will be completed soon, hopefully. I’ve got the four Foundry skeletons with spear completed, though I still have to do a shield for one of them and I’m unsure about shields for the other three, due to their poses. I’ve used a Wargames Factory Model for a fifth, but I’m still struggling to find an appropriate sixth to complete the unit. Any ideas? I’m looking for an unarmoured skeleton armed with a spear, sturdy one piece casting, nice enough sculpt, and preferring metal or at least sturdy HIPS. (The Wargames Factory ones seem a little fragile).