The ][NQUISITOR and his RETINUE – Completed Project.

The Heretic ran through the desolate, burning and ruined city streets. His body covered in welts and scars, some fresh. His wide eyes searched the shadows frantically as he ran. Spittle sprayed from his mouth constantly like a rabid dog and murmurs and whimpers came from his burnt and shredded lips. Suddenly, he tripped over his own feet and crashed to the dank cobblestone road, grazing his already grazed hands and crushing his chin. He yelped like a wounded animal but hastily scrambled to his feet to continue his run. His head spun over his shoulder to see if any shadows loomed after him but there was nothing but emptiness and the glow of fire. His crazed mind was a blur with chaotic icons, orders being growled at him, blood and vague memories of his former self. He ran through a cluster of shadowy figures and didn’t even see them but sensed they were just as desperate and scared as he. He pushed past one cloaked being and heard him collapse to the ground crying out in agony. The Heretic did not stop. He ran on even though his bare feet bled profusely, even though he was so exhausted he was ready to drop. His fear of a fate worse then death spurred him on but he didn’t even know where he was running to? All he knew was what he was running from. Then a single loud shot cracked open the ominous night air and the Heretic fell, once more, onto the cobbled road, his back torn open by the blast. He was in so much pain he could not even scream at first… but then came a long, loud, blood curdling and guttural scream that could have woken the dead. His eyes darted around as he tried to get to his feet as he continued scream. He could not get up, his spine had been shattered by the shot. Then, he heard a repetitive steady click sound coming towards him. It sounded like a a stick being rhythmically tapped against the cobbles and it was edging closer and closer. The Heretics bloodshot eyes strained to see in the darkness and what he saw made his bowels open up and let go. Striding towards him, on his renowned wooden leg, was none other than Lord Julius Fendrake the infamous Inquisitor. The Heretic screamed so loud his own blood gushed from his mouth and onto the road. He cried, moaned, wailed and begged as Inquisitor Fendrake unsheathed his sword and without hesitation brought the savagely sharp blade down on the crown of the Heretics head… “You are forgiven”. Fendrake whispered to the burning night air and then with a swoop of his long dark officer coat he disappeared into the shadows, just as quickly as he had appeared from them.

So here we are at long last. My Completed Inquisitor and his Retinue.

It has been so much fun putting all this together from start to finish. I enjoyed the research for each character and adding a whole bunch of fluff and imagination to each of them. In regards to the fluff I might do individual posts on each of the Characters and include all their fluff for those of you that dig that kind of thing.  The modelling and the painting have been equally as fun as the research and planning. I really tried my best to be more patient than ever before with the painting. I was tempted to watch a pile of youtube tutorials but then I thought it’d be more fun trialing things instead. There was a bit of repainting here and there but generally everything went pretty smoothly. I was most surprised with how much I enjoyed painting the metal models and with how well they turned out, to my eye anyway. After each model was completed I showed my wife who gave me feedback. She never says a bad word so really I just wanted to hear “wow good job babes” over and over haha. She was mostly impressed that I remember all their names haha.

Please remember, if you’ve read the other posts on this project, that this retinue is just for fun and not for gaming purposes. I have included other models from other manufacturers.

Lord Julius Fendrake. Inquisitor.

(Picture of a young Fendrake in his first year of Inquisitor duties just before the battle of Garl). 

I wanted the Inquisitor to look worldly, wise, gentlemanly, courageous and dashing. I think I achieved this. A simple conversion. The Scion torso works well, I think,  as chest armour. Note the scratches from battle. For the overall colour scheme I wanted to steer away from what I’ve have seen on the internet. Not to say I haven’t been impressed by all that I have seen I just wanted something unique and a little more militant.

NOTE: Peg/Wooden Leg in above pic. 

Magnus De Leon. Trusted Acolyte. Fendrakes first apprentice. 

(Picture of Magnus De Leon when he was just 25 years old. Already, he was a veteran of many battles and already his heart was filled with hatred for all Heretics).

I wanted Fendrakes first apprentice to be a bit of a chip off the old block. Fendrake took the young De Leon under his wing and nurtured him like a son but ruled over him like the most fearsome of Generals. Needless to say De Leons style is similar to Lord Fendrakes. Long officer coat with all the trimmings. I wanted De Leon to be a darker character. I wanted him to look troubled. A simple head change for this model and a few skulls added for good measure. I also scraped off the heretic scars and symbols from his bare chest and then painted with lead belcher to make his upper torso look as though it has battle damaged armour plating across it. I like the streak of white in his hair. I have one of those too haha. He’s one of my favourites.

Gottfried Bloodstone. Proven Acolyte. Fendrakes second apprentice.

(Picture of Bloodstone just before he accepted his apprenticeship with Fendrake. He had sustained the scar across his eye only a few months before while fighting an Ork in hand to hand combat.)

I wanted Bloodstone to be quite different from his fellow apprentice and his Inquisitor Master. He is a lot younger but almost as skilled. Where as De Leons heart is filled with hate, Bloodstone is pure of heart. He believes in what he does and does not let anything he sees or does effect his steadfast devotion to Fendrake and the Emperor. I wanted him to look like a monk-ish style warrior, hence why I went with the robes. I really like his Steam Punk looking backpack. Not entirely sure what it’s use is? Maybe he suffered a devastating injury that caused both lungs to collapse and needs the ancient but reliable machine to help him breathe. Hehe that works for me. The scar looks a bit too fresh and too wide but you get the idea.

Ivon Lazimir. Mystic/Chiurgeon.

(Picture of Lazimir a few years after his death and “awakening”).

Lazimir was once killed and was dead for half a day before returning to life. When he came back he was different. He could not see the future but he could sense bad and good things more than anyone else. Likewise he could sense the good and bad in people too. I wanted this character to look menacing but wily, cunning and manipulative. Not an easy thing to achieve. It took me a very long time to find the right model. I could picture him in my mind, even before I found the picture and long before I found the actual model. This model is metal, the first I’ve painted in quite some time. To be honest, I was not looking forward to painting him but once I did the skin colour I could see him coming together quite nicely. I am really happy with how Lazimir turned out. He is another favourite of mine.

Ezekiel Stolotov. Scribe.

It’s fair to say that most Inquisitors think they are pretty awesome, mostly because they are! Fendrake is no different. His ego is so big he has employed a scribe to jot down all his deeds, good and not so good. As well as documenting the adventures and missions Ezekiel must write poems and stories about the Great Inquisitor and his Retinue. He has been quietly instructed that bending the truth is not always a crime against the Emperor. Like Lazimir, Ezekiel is a metal figure. I was not looking forward to painting him at all. Not only because he was metal but also because I felt he looked quite boring. No real weapons apart from a thin bladed dagger although some might argue that the pen, or in this case the quill, is mightier than the sword. Ezekiel is a mute and communicates with hand and eye gestures and through his writing. He is never without his book and quill. I’ve got to say that painting this guy was a whole lot of fun. I have never painted a book before and even though I am not entirely happy with the scripture I think overall the model looks quite good. I like the rolls of parchment in his rucksack. I like the purple feathered quill and the little bottle of ink strapped to his belt. I also like the copper corners of the book. I even tried to paint eyes for Ezekiel but they didn’t turn out that great. I’ve got a soft spot for old Ezekiel now.

William Von Dannenfeld. Bounty Hunter/Warrior.

Not the nicest of chaps but deftly loyal to Fendrake and the rest of the retinue. He is reliable but untrustworthy. This model is from “My Brother Vini – Miniatures”. He is 1:48 scale so a little smaller than the typical hero scale but he still works. He is just smaller in build I guess. He was my least favourite model to paint. I didn’t really know what to do with him or how to paint him but I like his character so I persevered. He turned out ok. Simple paint job with a wash. I do like his manic looking eyes and his stance is cool but I just haven’t warmed to him.

Doctor Errol “Killingsworth” Hollingsworth. Chiurgeon.

A cruel and twisted individual who is not a full can of coke if you catch my meaning. I wont say too much about him, I’ll save it for the individual character posts and fluff but I will say this, not only is he a medic but he’s also an amateur mad scientist and basically built two of the Retinue members we will meet later on. He is also in charge of repairing and maintaining the Servitors. A very simple conversion. As you can see I mostly used Catachan bits and pieces. I like the surgical mask and just the unmistakable menacing aura this guy exudes.

Herman Krank. Interrogator/Torturer. 

Yes it was intention to make this gentleman’s name rhyme with Sherman Tank. Both are deadly adversaries on the battlefield and both are as tough as nails. Krank was employed by Fendrake to extract information from individuals by any means necessary. Krank is extremely good at what he does because he loves what he does. He has seen more blood than a blood bank so therefore he is a little unhinged but if you don’t cross him or have to sit in his interrogation chair you’ll find him to be a really nice fellow. If you look carefully (Sorry a bit blurred) there is blood around his mouth. This gives you an indication of two things.  1. He uses “any means necessary” to extract information. 2. He is clearly as Bonkers as Bonkers can be. I very much enjoyed building and painting Krank. As soon as I saw that little plastic head with the wide opened mouth and the dead eyes I knew I had found my Interrogator. I like the old school mixed with the new school. Eg. Old school pistol on the back of his belt and the new school mechanical arm. Hell Yeah!

Agatha Black. Assassin/Pilot.

My first female miniature. I’m not sexist in the slightest, I just never really thought to look for female models until this project came along. It did make me laugh, when I was searching for miniature female models, and found that many models, clearly designed and sculpted by over sexed or virginal youths, were half naked with their bosoms busting out of their flak jackets haha. When typing “Miniature female models” into the Google machine I half expected to find some taboo dwarf porn haha. Anyway, here we have Agatha Black. A cold hearted and deadly assassin. She has wiped our more souls than the plague, she is highly professional and very expensive. However she owes a great debt to Fendrake for saving her life and for that she has vowed to work for him for no less than a decade. At this present stage she is in her seventh year. Her outfit is fashioned in the same militant style as her new boss which is a sign that she has much respect for him. I like her eye patch and mechanical army.

Absalom. (Servitor).

My first servitor. Absalom is pretty much a brain dead servant made from old Catachan body parts and battlefield debris. I did some conversion work, noticeably the right arm being replaced with a Chaos double chainsword. I think it looks really cool. He’s quite a colourful chap in appearance but not in personality. He is extremely useful for mending all sorts of things and carrying large heavy things but in battle he is slow. For my first attempt at a Servitor I am quite pleased with the result.

Excors. Servitor. His name means “Heartless”.

My second ever servitor. The only thing I added was the chain with hooks and skulls. Found this to be a little fiddly and wasn’t sure if it would look a little silly but it works for me. Excors is even more brain dead than his colleague Absalom. He doesn’t even know why he is dragging a couple of skulls and no one else does either. he is prone to malfunctioning and going a little nuts. This can sometimes be a good thing as long as he is facing the enemy. I took as much care as possible when I was painting his wiring and even though I am happy with it I think I still could have tried even harder.

Murkbody II. Brute/Warrior.

Murkbody II is awesome. A great model with some really cool little details. A great stance and what a weapon. His brief back story is that he is the second attempt for Dr Killingsworth at making a person/warrior/killing machine. The first one, Murkbody I, ended up shooting himself in the face as soon as he was handed a weapon. Murkbody II isn’t quite complete and far from perfect but Dr Killingsworth loves him all the same and takes great pleasure in mending and re-patching the monster up. Note the missing scalp and exposed brain. Dr Killingsworth didn’t quite have enough skull fragments left over to finish this monster but he assures everyone that the metal strap around the head will keep everything in place just as well. Murkbody II communicates only vie telepathy with Killingsworth but can grunt and growl at times. I enjoyed painting this guy. Hes from West Wind Miniatures. Check them out. They have some amazing models but they are larger scale. The scale worked well for what I needed though. I like the exposed brain, especially because it’s mean to be just a short cropped haircut but when I drizzled blood on it I thought wow “Exposed Brain Yay!” I also like the hole opening up on the right of his torso. This is came about from me not clicking the body together properly when building him. A gap appeared and i just thought well it could look like he’s falling apart at the seams, literally haha. He’s mean, he’s a brute and he is extremely loyal to his daddy (Killingsworth).

Cut n Gut. Brute/Warrior. 

Another home made warrior from our good friend Dr Killingsworth. This one however got a little out of control. Not only did the Doctor add all sorts of body parts and bits and pieces from Guradsmen and Space marines but he also dabbled with adding Ork blood, Tyranid body fats and tissue and even injected the beast with bone marrow from a Chaos Daemon. Heresy? No, not at all, well not according to the Doctor anyway. He sees it as making and then training an ultimate warrior to be better than any other fighting organism in the universe. The only trouble is Cut n Gut went a little wild, then self harmed and then kind of imploded a little. Killingsworth, as always, made some adjustments and Cut n Gut seems to be ok, for now at least. This is one of my favourite models ever. So much detail and it was an absolute joy to paint. He came from West Wind too. I even left a review for this model on their website I was so impressed. As you may or may not be aware, I like a little blood, hehe, so as you can see he is sporting a fair bit of the crimson. I love everything about this model from the two heads to the huge stomping boots but my favourite parts have to be the drill and the circular saw. What a lovely array of weapons to go into battle with.

Note the severed arms.

Argyle Cavendish. (Warrior/Smuggler/part time pilot).

This guy is only a part timer but still deserves a mention as he has saved Fendrakes life twice and also rescued Ezekiel from a fate worse than death. He was a simple conversion and paint job. I like his eye make up. Either it’s from some tribal throw back or he is a huge fan of the band KISS. He is a pirate, a smuggler, drinker, a fighter and a joker. He is also the most untrustworthy member of the crew.

The Reckoning.

The Reckoning is what the Millennium Falcon is to Han Solo and friends.

The Reckoning is nearly as old as Fendrake and just as hard working and tough.

The Reckoning was requisitioned from Traitor guards a long time ago who had stolen it from a Space Wolf Battalion.

The Reckoning, despite her age and appearance, is well maintained and respected by all of the crew.

Agatha Black is The Reckonings current pilot and sometimes Argyle Cavendish takes the reigns.

The Reckoning holds all 14 members of the Retinue, at a squeeze because of the size of Murkbody II and Cut n Gut.

I wanted a very simple and kind of old school sci-fi look to the ship. A little battle damage to show it’s age and the fact that it’s seen a few dog fights in it’s time. It’s not just a transporter, it’s a fighter and it’s a home for the retinue. A safe place for them all.

So there you have it, The Inquisitor and his Retinue. I had a lot of fun putting all this together, I think it shows haha. The whole project had a certain feel about it, one I can’t even really explain. Unlike a lot of my projects I was not only determined to finish it but I felt compelled to as well. 

Please comment, critique, advise etc. 

As a spin off to this project I’m thinking of doing some weird Adeptus Bounty hunter gang. However, my next project is an Imperial Guard Bastion/Fire-base terrain piece.

Thanks for reading.