From NoelW: The Ice Toad at Millsy's Millpond: (45 points)

So now we’re travelling northwest, exactly opposite to the direction we need. With luck maybe we can flag down a passing balloon. But no balloon appears. Instead, we stumble into a millpong (not a typo) which seems to be inhabited by a single white frog.

Now, we all know that the ways of the frogs are mysterious so it pays to be cautious. This may, after all, be a prince under some unwanted amphibial obligation - not that I’m that keen on kissing the slimy thing, obviously, but if I, as leader, am called upon to make sacrifices for the sake of my loyal followers, what choice do I have?

I purse my lips and reach down to the creature.

“Ribbit,” it says, rather rudely, and I’m so taken aback – rather, so taken a-forward – that I fall head first into the millpong. That name is actually something of an understatement.

I try again to find common ground – common mud – with the creature, in the hope he may be able to direct us to somewhere on this island it’s actually worth going to.

“Loffly plaaz you hav heer,” I say – not as easy as you'd think when your mouth's full of pond-weed, “I vonter iv you gan diregd us to a nearpie hoffel for the night?”

“Ribbit,” the frog smirks. Which seems to me distinctly uncalled for.

Taking the weed from between my incisors, I try once more: “We need somewhere to stay for the night. And perhaps a little something tasty to eat?”

“Rabbit,” says the frog.

“Well, perhaps not that little."

"Hobbit," the frog suggests.

"Well, I always find them rather chewy. Alternatively, if there's not a 4 star eatery nearby, perhaps you could give us some useful advice?”

“Hoppit,” says the frog, and with a wild flurry of magic - or perhaps it’s a splash of pondwater - disappears without trace.

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My collection includes a fair number of ancient models, particularly Citadel fantasy and D&D models from their earliest releases and many GW from the 80s and early 90s, but most are painted, so I’ve settled for this simple frog. I couldn’t establish the exact date of release, but it’s from the pre-slotta days, so perhaps around 1984.

However, I couldn’t resist the temptation to treat Millsy’s challenge as an excuse to include the very first metal miniatures I ever bought, so the oldest painted figs in my collection. They are Miniature Figurines (Minifigs) Napoleonics, bought in 1968 when I made my first ever trip to London, to see Pink Floyd in Hyde Park. 

I thought they were worth showing to demonstrate that, despite all comments to the contrary, my painting skills have actually improved in 52 years. Look at all that yellowing gloss varnish! I thought about repainting them for Millsy's Challenge, in order to grub a few extra points, but, it turns out, I’m apparently not that scheming. 

The uniforms are imagined, mainly because my 15 year old self had no sense of what correct uniforms might look like, and at that time I couldn’t figure out how to access the Internet. (In fact, I read my first book on computing around then: “Teach Yourself Computers” – and didn’t understand a word of it!)

Anyway, back to the point: as with other Challengers, I’m repurposing D&D miniatures for Frostgrave, so this frog has become an Ice Toad. My family possessed a huge D&D and fantasy resource between the late 70s, when we first discovered D&D, and the mid 90s, as the children first appeared and then grew. I remember that I built our first actual model dungeon for my wife to play when she came home from the maternity ward with our first child. I peopled it with cheery “welcome home” encounters, such as the undead and kobolds (she hated kobolds – they always harassed her, and never had any decent treasure when eventually pounded into the dust). That fantasy collection is somewhat diminished now, and rarely played with, though armies of elves, dwarves, skeletons and so on remain, chafing at their box lids and we’ve still a fab collection of dragons.

But this frog never made it to the table so at last it has an opportunity.

I’m quite pleased with the “ice” effect surrounding the frog/toad. It’s made of fragments of a Christmas decoration which suffered an unfortunate accident this year. We generally invent a Christmas miniature game each year, so maybe the frog, now upgraded to toad, will feature in future.

Scoring: 28mm frog: 5 pts; pre-90s: 10 pts; Millsy's Millpond: 30 pts: Total 45 pts

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By Paul:
There are some great D&D minis that need more love, especially were Frostgrave is involved
Loving the ice shards and snow effects too - great stuff

Of course, there could have been extra points involved had you painted said amphibian like the Hypnotoad from Futurama....

The Hypnotoad...

All glory to the Hypnotoad...

(Maybe I watch too much Futurama)