"I've Gotta Get A Message To You" - Rogue Trader Astropath Korm

If you polled a 100 people and asked them which human character type defined Warhammer 40k, I guess most would plump for Space Marines. Some might go for Imperial Guard; others might pick Inquisitors. For me, the key to the Warhammer 40,000 universe is the humble member of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica - more commonly known as Astropaths.

Astropath illustration from the Rogue Trader rulebook

An Astropath will tell you everything you need to know about Age of the Imperium in the 41st Millennium - his or her hooded robe tells epitomises the idea of the Middle Ages in space. You can understand psykers, the risk of daemonic possession, and the Terran-bound Emperor to which they are soul-bound. You get the sense of the vastness and fragility of humankind - a million, million worlds linked by warp-space travel and psychic voices communicating with each other across the void.

Astropaths are a recurrent theme in Citadel's miniatures output; 6 models have been produced (5 by Citadel, one by Forgeworld) at fairly regular intervals - the first in 1987 and the most recent in 2008. I hadn't painted one since about 1990, but seeing as I plan to paint up all 6 models as a mini-collection, I thought I'd start with one of the Rogue Trader originals, Astropath Korm:

I stuck to traditional colours on Korm - a green robe, white cane and pale flesh. I painted his eyes white and washed the eye sockets with a bit of purple (perhaps resulting from the soul-binding).

I love the simplicity of the sculpt - he just has a robe and hooded jacket, shoulder bag and a cane - nothing more is needed. The whole character of the model is portrayed with his gaunt face and his searching, but unseeing eyes.

Inquisitor Dirske commands Astropath Korm to send an urgent message to his superiors.

I look forward to painting the next Astropath - whenever that might be!