Archon of the Obsidian Rose

Here to fill the leadership void. With your soul.

Inspired by the release of Codex: Drukhari (henceforth referred to as the Dark Eldar 8th Ed Codex or something close to that), I have been inspired to do more with my Dark Eldar. I chose this Archon model to get the painting urge out of my system. This guy has been lurking about in my modeling cabinet since around the time when I was working on my Kabalite Warriors Kill Team. I never got around to him back then for two reasons:

1. I could not use him in Kill Team games.
2. He is Finecast. 

Mint in Finecast!

Reason 2 is a strong enough reason to just damn the whole model straight to Hell. It was the first Finecast model I ever purposely purchased and it was only because I wanted to try painting a Finecast model just to see what the hype was about. This was pretty much the month that Finecast was released.  But it was not long before the Finecast  horror stories and harsh reviews flooded the web as well as the many personal testimonials that were given to me. After all that feedback I was simply turned off on the notion of doing anything with the stuff. And so I never did.

Many years later, and I never did manage to find this model in metal, and I am somewhat underwhelmed by the current plastic one. So I figured 'what the heck, let's see what I can do with this chap'.

Finecast model (mostly) assembled.

After prepping the model, which consisted of scrapping and cutting off 'flash', I attached it to the base and glued on the grit and skulls. After priming it I proceeded with basecoating it. This time I tried out Khorne Red which is the current Citadel Paint line's version of the old Scab Red. It is a tad brighter but all-in-all I think it is a fairly good analog for the Scab Red.

Khorne Red base coat.

I followed the steps from The Raiders of Commorragh paint guide for painting the Husk Blade.

Copying my stages for painting the Obsidian Rose red armor from Kabalite Warriors Part 2, I thought it was turning out good but I decided to add another step right before the Sunburst Yellow highlight. I used Wild Rider Red as an additional transition step and I think it works good. It does tend to augment those yellow highlights a bit in these photographs though, but in the end I like it.

The Sunburst Yellow highlights on the armor.

The cloak was painted using Citadel Dark Reaper. I washed over that with Nuln Oil before adding another thinned coat of Dark Reaper followed by a thick coat of Dark Reaper. I mixed in White Scar to the Dark Reaper for the final highlight layer.

The Archon of Obsidian Rose 99% finished.

 The Soulbox was painted using an old Metallic Purple washed with Druchii Violet.  The edges were highlighted with Mitheril Silver, but I found this to be too intense so I washed it again with Druchii Violet. The flames were done with Genestealer Purple, a layer of Lucius Lilac, a wash of Druchii Violet with Lucius Lilac on top of that. Then I added a highlight of White Scar and finally a wash of Druchii Violet to tone down the intensity. I just hope people don't think he is eating cotten-candy on the battlefield!

Dark Reaper cloak and purple Soulbox.

 The horns were painted using three greys, working up from dark to light, and washed with Drakenhof Nightshade. This was a pleasant accident as I thought I had grabbed Nuln Oil. I think the Drakenhof Nightshade turned out very well and my expectations were exceeded with it.

Dig my horns.

 So there you have it, the Kabal of the Obsidian Rose (Neverness Subsect) now has an Archon to lead it. I haven't come up with a name for him yet, so until then he won't be entered into the Rogues Gallery  . I will likely settle on a name for him whenever he hits the battlefield. I just hope he doesn't turn into a melty soup on the way to his first game!

"If I only had a name..."