Kitbash challenge – Vermintide

The name is a corruption of my own middle name Edwin. On Skyrim on the PS4 I named one of my characters Edwinolas.

(Legolas rip off, sorry not sorry)

I googled elven names and all the ladies names beginning with “E” also began with “El”. I think Eldwinia is a pretty name.

Eldwinia is a waywatcher with all the scouting experience and training that that famous name conjures up.

Why is she dressed in a lavishly trimmed cloak and not wearing the camouflage of her people? Love.

Eddard Rattenfäller was riding the dangerous roads from Bretonnia to the Empire alone. His entourage took a slower safer road with his belongings but he wanted some time away from his dreary businessman life. He was strong, stoic and as skilled in combat as any Imperial Captain, but he had a love of song that he was embarrassed by. It was OK for a man of standing to listen to music, but not to take part.

Eddard sang as he rode. He sang songs of unrequited love, of home, of battles long forgotten and long lost treasures. He sang loadly and like a man who knows he is not being watched. But he was wrong.

Eldwinia had been ordered to kill anyone who came down this path on sight. There was something about the man’s tone, emotion and the words of love that saw her unknock her arrow and follow him for a few miles listening to him unseen.

Beyond the next mile Eldwinia knew there would be another waywatcher with the same orders as her. To prevent the inevitable she made her choice.

Eldwinia made herself known with a warning shot and descended to the roadside. Eddard was alarmed, but knew by reputation that he would have been dead already if a waywatcher decided so. As Eldwinia calmed his stressed horse Eddard was struck by her beauty. Even though he knew he was on the right road, her words were as soft as silk and as comforting as a warm hearth and he dutifully turned his horse around and followed her. Her confident martial bearing and stunning beauty were a combination he had never experienced before and he was spellbound.

In this way she saved his life. Beyond that next waywatcher there was a secret. An embarrassment that the wood elves did not want the men of the Empire or Bretonnians to see, hence the strict orders given. As Eldwinia led Eddard safely to the road that would take him to his destination she had a choice to make. She could go back, but nothing goes truly unseen by the forest. She was confident that they would know that she disobeyed orders and used her initiative beyond her bounds. She decided that if she could be punished or even considered a traitor for sparing a life, just because love had filled her heart, then perhaps the waywatcher life was no longer for her.

Unbeknownst to Eddard he and Eldwinia did not strictly part company. When his heart sank as he said goodbye she saw him leave, but even in the broken ground beyond the forest no one sees a waywatcher that does not wish to be seen. Seeing Eddard sullen and forlorn at her absence gave her a pang of guilty pleasure.

Without knowing truly what life held in store for her any longer she returned to type and chose to become a guardian of the city streets as though these were the pathways of her forest home. Her forest camouflage, apart from her trusty bow, were replaced by garments that during the day would pass for local fashion at a glance, but at night would be reminiscent enough of a waywatcher to strike fear into those she chose to reveal herself to.

Now we find Eldwinia busy killing Skaven beasts knowing that this horde will kill every one in the city and knowing full well that that would included Eddard.  If she and Eddard lived through this she would speak with him and encourage him to sing for her. This gave fresh energy to her resolve. As a skaven monk lays dead at her feet and another recoils from an arrow to the snout, she is already reaching for the next arrow. Eldwinia clinically judges as she leaps through the air to a fresh vantage point just how many arrows she will loose before she will have to revert to her beloved swords. She hummed a tune that she had heard Eddard sing that fateful day and hoped beyond hope that he was still alive.

Thank you to everyone who liked and commented on this project.

I have really loved every element of the project. Building, basing, painting and story writing have all been great fun.

Will Thraim ‘The Dragon Slayer’ Oakensword turn up to save his son?

Will Alban Tonmehr live long enough to become a credible Captain of men and how many skaven will he rent in twain along the way?

Will this encounter be the one that convinces Witch Hunter Mordecai Von Malleüs of his own worth, or will he always consider himself a jumped up coach driver?

Will Eldwinia and Eddard Rattenfäller live to find the love and meaning that they both seem destined to find in each other?

Sadly we’ll never know…

These minis might need to be morphed into Rangers of Shadow Deep war party or even get hold of a Mordheim rulebook and see if these guys would point up to a legal troop.

Thanks again.