The Blind Leading the Blind

Did I mention before that I'm quite fond of Astropaths? I think I may have! It's been some months since I made Mother Cantor Mechthild, and I facing adding to my choir. Fully enthused, I painted up a pair of new Astropaths - Precentor Peyter and Astropath Fraites.

Precentor Peytor accompanied by Astropath Fraites.

 

Precentor Peytor holds one of the highest ranks available to an Astropath - first amongst the choir. He has engineered and manipulated his elevation and is considered dry and inflexible by many who encounter him. Rules, order and discipline are his tools. He has a long-standing rivalry with Mother Cantor Mechthild, whose less structured and more nurturing approach he considers ill-disciplined and dangerous. Scheming and struggled for power still exist, even amongst the blind.

 

Precentor Peyter needed to exude signs of richness and power, as befitting his station. He therefore received a luxurious padded collar / psychic hood, and significantly more gold than any of the other astropaths I've painted to date.

 

The embroidered runes on his lower robe have been shamelessly stolen from designs on an astropath painted by Apologist over at Death of a Rubricist.

I spent quite a bit of time adding washes to the gold collar rear and life-support backpack to really enhance the age and depth of the colour.

Like all my astropaths, Peyer got a simple white cane along with the traditional green clothing.

The final element was to paint up his odd little familiar (from Reaper I think). I was originally planning to paint it neutral browns, but then I realised it's some kind of griffon creature composed from a pigeon and a rat. It only seemed natural to paint it up accordingly!

What should this creature be called? Rageon or Prat are the current suggestions.

Peyter has been put together from the lovely blind beggar from Midlam Miniatures' townsfolk range. The figure puts me in mind of Duncan from Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves. I very nearly painted up the model 'as is' for an astropath, but once I started messing, I couldn't stop!

'Blind beggar' from Midlam Miniatures.

Peyter received his exotic new collar, built out of a Chaos Marauder shoulder pad and lined with greenstuff.

The hanging token from his waist is made from the topknot of an Eldar Black Guardian of Ulthwe and some of that stuff that represents barbed wire.

The backpack is a chest piece from a Maelstrom's Edge figure which was a freebie he picked up at Salute.

Finally I blended the whole thing together with greenstuff, added a few minor cable port details, and the little familiar to the base.

 

 

As I was waiting for Peyter to dry, I picked up another astropath - this time the excellent early 2000s Inquisitorial retinue figure. He got a quick and easy paint up, with the same green I've used on all my astropaths for his cloak. I had a play around with his under-robe, giving his a pale blue-green I'd not tried before.

 





I'm particularly happy with his flesh tone - I started by adding a touch of blue to an off-white, and I think it worked out very nicely.

 

Finally, I had a little play around to create a nice scene - I must make an astropathic temple I think!