Yersinius Gresiloth, Tenebrous Harvester, Grand Marshal of the Nefandous Host
Much like the shadowy legion he has commanded for over seven millennia, Yersinius Gresiloth has been known by many cursed titles and pseudonyms through the centuries, with new monikers being added by the unfortunate remnants of every shattered civilisation he leaves in his wake – those poor souls denied a quick death but condemned to the cruel creep of incurable disease.
Gresiloth is the reigning Grand Marshal of the warped aggressors known to their victims as the Nefandous Host (amongst other names). Upon his dais in the gas-choked chambers of Nurgulunth, his mountain-fortress, Gresiloth may alternatively be addressed as High Castellan, although he is equally content to be hailed by any of the loathsome labels he has accrued in the course of his innumerable campaigns…
Generations on, the defenceless agriculturalists of Kthewy IV still exchange dreadful whispers about the return of the ‘Tenebrous Harvester’ who, they say, tirelessly plots the reaping of more Kthewyan souls; the Annals of the Oa-k’eth System are peppered with curses against the one named only as the ‘Scourge of Despair’; no scribe in the Warpdawn Sector can claim to know his chronicles if he does not shiver at the mention of the ‘Plague Fiend’, thrice-excommunicated Wielder of the Seven Deaths; and Gresiloth’s croaking laughter greeted especially heartily the news that the Imperial fortress-planet Rylune had made any reference to ‘Gresiloth Woe-Bringer’ a capital offence.
For many decades the labyrinthine bowels of Nurgulunth have echoed with rumours of Gresiloth’s imminent ascent to daemonhood, but still the ancient warlord clings to his mortal frame, hideously blighted though it is by thousands upon thousands of bilious blessings. For as long as his tortured figure can still wield the fearsome power-glaive Rotsower (his corroded companion on many a massacre), Yersinius Gresiloth seems determined to uphold his place as supreme commander of the Nefandous Host, and to spread the grim tidings of filth and putrefaction wherever he stalks.
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My project for the last week or so has been to create a centrepiece leader for my fledgling Nurgle army. I knew I wanted him BIG, so an obliterator torso was the obvious choice. I was also keen to add as much individuality as possible – this was also a good chance to use up some miscellaneous bits I’ve had for a few years.
A quick note on the name:
Yersinia Pestis is the plague bacteria - hence 'Yersinius'.
Gressil - demon of pestilence and impurity in Christian demonology - hence 'Gresiloth'.
Gresiloth is now ready to be sprayed and painted, which I will do in sections due to the bulky nature of the model. WIP photos and notes now follow…
BODY
- Gresiloth’s body makes use of a wide range of components and copious amounts of Green Stuff! The obliterator body itself has been relatively unchanged, except for an embellished belly area with guitar strings containing the bulge.
- I wanted his armour to look like it was bristling with spikes and trophies in an irregular fashion (rather than the regimented lines of spikes you often see as trophy racks). I imagined these to have been added ad hoc through the centuries, to accommodate the skulls of various slain champions. The spikes are clipped from various Chaos trophy racks and vehicle accessories.
- A prominent feature of the model is the head vent and tube. This is an upright barrel of an old Hive Tyrant weapon, now OOP (I forget what it’s called). Tubes going into mouths and heads is becoming a bit of a running theme in my models so far, so the sick looking tube on this gun gave me the idea to insert it into my Lord’s head! (better views of this feature are linked below)
- The head itself is from the plastic mutations accessory which came with the pre-2007 Chaos Marines box. I added a bloated chin with Green Stuff, which is probably the best sculpt job I’ve achieved so far!
- Glued to his back is a piece of exhaust gear from a plastic Ork vehicle (don’t know which one).
- Both arm sockets have been pinned in preparation for the limbs.
Alternative angle shots:
Left Side: http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i211/ ... 1223829188
Right Side: http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i211/ ... 1223829244
Back: http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i211/ ... 1223829266
LEFT ARM
- Here you see Gresiloth’s main weapon, his daemon glaive Rot Sower! This brutal armament was constructed by laboriously clipping the obliterator fist off the shoulder-pad, and replacing it with the arm and shaft from the terminator power-mace that comes with the Dark Angels Veterans box.
- The blade itself is a large close combat weapon from the vintage metal Hive Tyrant kit.
- The electrical tubing is cut from a meltagun.
- The lower shaft of the glaive is a Night Goblin spear.
- On the shoulder-pad itself, I have glued two horns clipped from a champion head on the Chaos Marines command sprue, and also a plastic spike. I added fine sand on the arm joint to hide my messy cutting efforts, and represent corroded armour.
RIGHT ARM
- Although Gresiloth has been built with a Daemon Weapon in mind (which are officially two-handed), I wanted the right arm to be just as mean-looking, and also provide options for alternative Wargear.
- As you can see this limb is based around the obliterator right arm, and I have used some blades from the obliterator blister to give him a vicious power claw.
- Two Chaos bolt pistols stuck together give him some ranged weaponry (inspired by Abaddon’s claw).
- On the shoulder-pad, three fantasy skeleton heads have been attached in the shape of the Nurgle symbol, and green stuffed to appear to be oozing out of the armour.
BASE
- My original intention was to acquire some cork tile for Gresiloth to stand on, thus making him even taller and more imposing. I couldn’t find any though, so instead I’ve kept the base quite simple.
- The vanquished Marine at his feet represents a Dark Angel commander recently eviscerated! Gresiloth’s left foot will stand on his plague-infested entrails.
- I also attached some plastic mushrooms from the Night Goblins sprue, to emphasise the fact that filth follows Gresiloth wherever he walks.
And finally a group shot:
Now I need to get painting!
