Grapeshot

Like most Trollkin warlocks, Grim was a bit leery around Dire Trolls.  When he first heard that wiley old Shaman Hoarluk Doomshaper had brought them forth he could only chuckle with apprehension.  That all changed for him the day he found Cannonball.  Grim was helping Doomshaper track a pair of Maulers that had run off into the woods after rampaging through a camp of Farrow Brigands they had hired on the day before.  It wasn't hard, the two Maulers were young and not particularly bright even by Dire Troll standards.  After a few hours Hoarluk motioned to Grim that he could feel Dire Trolls up ahead.  Grim belly crawled up a ridge to get a good view, as he focused in with his goggles he saw the two Maulers fighting over what looked to be one of the missing Farrow from the camp.  Hoarluk, almost arrogantly, walked up towards the Maulers with no fear whatsoever.  Grim had to give it to the crotchety old Troll, he had stones.   As Grim scanned some rocky outcroppings through his scope the unsettling feeling came across him that he was being watched.   Looking hard at the outcropping he understood what he was feeling at the same time his eyes adjusted on the Earthborn hidden cleverly between two boulders.  The Earthborn appeared to be staring right at him.  As unnerving as it is to be inspected by a Dire Troll it was uncommon to stare a Dire Troll in the eyes and see intelligence staring back at you... at least intelligence by Dire Troll standards.   Grim rubbed his eyes and replaced the goggles to make sure he was seeing what he though he was seeing but the Earthborn had moved out of sight. 

Practical as always Grim decided now was a good a time as any to attempt a connection with a Dire Troll.  The first few attempts he had made were with the same two Maulers that Doomshaper seemed to be having trouble with.  Lets just say the Farrow learned the hard way when Grim sent them into a rage.  He reached out as far as he could feeling for the Earthborn's mind while Doomshaper was preoccupied with the Maulers.  He found what he was looking for almost with ease and was surprised with how quickly the Earthborn accepted the intrusion.  Unlike the Mauler's, Grim could easily impress upon the mind of this Earthborn his intent and the Earthborn sent his own intent back in return.  The Earthborn was indeed quite intelligent by Dire Troll standards, it accepted Grim with confidence and even imparted to him some lay of the land sourrounding him.

Grim later named the Earthborn Cannonball.  Mostly for the Dire Trolls ability to shoot off at its enemies with uncanny speed for a creature of his size.  Usually smashing into the with the same enthusiasm that a Cannonball does as its crushes through a fort wall.  Through all the injury suffered by Cannonball, no matter how close to death the Dire Troll came, it seemed always to be able to regenerate itself back into the fight.  Unlike most Dire's, Cannonball seemed to understand terrain and even to a small degree the best place to tactically insert himself into the fight.  Showing restraint where other Dire Trolls would just charge in certainly set Cannonball apart from the others.  What really showed the difference was the fact that Grim could in times of need actually give Cannonball moderately complex instructions or short messages and send him off to other Warlocks without and extra direction or effort to get him there without wandering off or getting to hungry to think straight.  Like Grim, Cannonball was deliberate and patient and had the ability to take care of itself and hunt out its prey with cold efficiency. 


My Earthborn was the third Dire Troll I purchased and the first model in my army that I painted myself.   Yeah its not a great paint job but he has seen much action on the table for me and has been solid to say the least.

As you can see, its not that great of a paintjob.  But it was a good place to start and I haven't even attempted to fix or better it because it is a reminder of where I started with this game.  Now I'm not saying I've improved that much since then, but there are a few things I have learned about painting figurines in the last three years.


The reason for this contrasting view is that last night my second Earthborn, who also happens to have been painted myself is almost complete.   I know, I know, far from perfect, and in fact his isn't quite done yet as I still want to some highlighting and detail work including some bleeding (like the red in his mouth).  He isn't quite done yet, but presented anyway is Grim's second Earthborn Dire Troll whom he has named Grapeshot.   He's alot like Cannonball but for one major difference, Grapeshot is young and has a tendency to behave like it.  Grim and Cannonball both like him and Grapeshot always goes out of his way to get not only Grim's but also Cannonballs approval.

Yeah you don't need to say it, my photography skill is worse than my painting skill.