Slann Shaman - Citadel C32 Slann: Ribbet Ribbet (1986)

My second Slann miniature is this: Ribbet Ribbet, first seen in the 1986 Citadel May flyer, part of the C32 range.

It's a pretty good piece, designed by Trish Morrison. It represents a Slann, shorter than others, in a seemingly dancing or jumping pose. He holds a staff in his left hand, topped with what could be a wooden image of a bird's head, decorated with feathers. His right fist is raised. His body is covered by a crocodile/alligator skin, with fur on the inside, held together by strips of rope or leather. From the neck hangs a small animal skull.

There is no background for this miniature but I am pretty sure it was meant to represent some kind of shaman or witch doctor, a follower of the animal-shaped new gods of the Slann.

It is a grotesque history, that of the Slann - from all powerful world shapers to a people of savages living in jungles and worshipping gods born from the cataclysm that doomed their own race. A feeling of grotesque, incidentally, is one of the main foundations of Old School Warhammer. Chaos at that time was grotesque and everything it touched was tainted by such feel.

There isn't much background on Slann in the original material, so during my WFRP years our group created a great deal of it for our campaigns. According to our own house fluff, the core cities of the Slann maintain old culture better than peripheric areas. But as one travels to the swamps and hills of the north and east, Slann become more and more primitive. Their skin is often marked by other colours and this shaman displays blue streaks and spots on the back.

Dancing to the rythm of ancient rituals developed thousands of years ago, this Shaman is able to call to the animals of the jungle, speak to them and command them to do his bidding, all thanks to the blessings of the New Gods.

Right, I'll have to build two Slann warbands now: one for the imperial cities, and one for the remote jungles. They will be good factions for Mordheim/Shadespire games set in Lustria. Lots of fun coming!