From SidneyR: "The Disciples and Acolytes of The Celestial Path" - (Historical Drama): 90 points

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The monk, Makoto, looked at both Lord and Lady Fuchida.  Makotos's company of poor ronin, former retainers and impoverished tradesmen had been travelling for several days.  The information that Makoto had been given was that both Lord and Lady Fuchida were keen acolytes of "The Celestial Path".  Quite the fervent believers, Makoto had been told.  Which was good news - as the long journey from Takasaki had sapped some of the high spirits of Makoto's company as they trudged through rain squalls and difficult terrain.  

All that Makoto needed now was additional funds for food and lodging - enough to cross the palms of ferrymen, innkeepers and friendly farmers along the rest of the journey.  Of course, a few extra coins would be more than helpful to persuade additional disciples to join the pilgrimage.  

Makoto's eyes widened when Lord Fuchida greeted them and passed the heavy coin purse to the monk.  "Thank you, my Lord.  I can see you are a true believer in The Celestial Path", the monk replied gracefully.

Lord Fuchida Ichiro almost blushed, and bowed, introducing his wife.  "This was very much my wife's idea.  There are these fishing rights, downstream, which we have long contested are ours.."  Lord Fuchida waved a hand vaguely in the direction of the dusty, earthen road leading down the valley.  "Maybe", Lord Fuchida added, "..... maybe The Celestial Path can be followed in a direction which guarantees those fishing rights will be returned to the House of  Fuchida?"  

Lady Fuchida took one small step to her husband's side, smiled politely, and counted the swords of the disciples of The Celestial Path.  There were more than enough weapons in the company to secure the fishing rights that had been stolen from the Fuchida.  And maybe 'recover' the woodlands in the valley as well.... 

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For my second post in the Challenge, I’ve chosen “Historical Drama” as the theme. This requires a small jump from 'Under Construction', which I’ve made with the small submission of the wife of a rural samurai Lord.

She joins her husband, and the company of disciples and acolytes of “The Celestial Path”, on a journey.  She might even be the person funding the company's journey through Kōtsuke province on the long road to Edō. 

Hopefully the finest female Samurai of all Challenges, Lady Sarah, will grant the company safe passage to the “Historical Drama" location in her plush, studio limousine.

So... on to the submission, proper...

There were some themes I wanted to experiment with in painting this small company of figures. The miniatures are - with the exception of the female noblewoman - all Dixon Miniatures from Mark Copplestone’s "Legends of Japan” range. These were sculpted in the late 1980s, so I think that qualifies as ‘historical’ enough!  All the figures are going to be used in our Japanese skirmish games of “When the Last Sword is Drawn", set loosely in Tokugawa Japan - which I hope also adds to the ‘historical' requirement.

And as for the drama, that’s fictional - although The Celestial Path as a company is themed around the various groups of religious fanatics wandering Japan both in the Sengoku Jidai (the Age of the Country at War), and afterwards. I wanted to create a company of adventurers for our skirmish games, themed around a religious pilgrimage. So here we have seven adventurers, including a rural samurai nobleman and a monk and the company's portable shrine.

I painted the figures with a limited palate.  I thought this was the right choice for a company of masterless rōnin and impoverished tradesmen. I used Vallejo Sky Grey, Dark Grey, Medium Grey and US Field Drab as the base colours. These themed well together, and complimented each other (I hope!). 

I tried to add a splash of suitably-Buddhist orange - even if just an emblem, sash or set of prayer beads - onto each figure. This hopefully unifies the company together, along with the colour scheme. I painted the two nobles, Lord and Lady Fuchida, in black - no doubt an expensive cloth, but also a sombre colour as befits members of the samurai class following The Celestial Path. I did make sure to add some item of orange clothing or pattern on both of their robes, just to keep the theme going.

But, Sidney, what (idiocy) is The Celestial Path, I hear you ask? 

In game-background terms, I hope that its a good background for an unusual religious group, who can then be the focus in a small campaign. Religious groups such as the Ikko-ikki were my historical inspiration for The Celestial Path.  The Ikko-ikki were the product of various populist movements arising in and around the Oni Rebellion. The principles of self-determination taught by the Oni spread widely among the population of central Japan, with the most extreme members of the group insisting that each individual had the right to their own expression of reality. In that regard, maybe the acolytes and disciples of The Celestial Path are seeking their expression of reality in following the stars in the heavens, from adventure to adventure.

And to do this, I needed a ‘Path’ for the acolytes and disciples to follow. In wargaming terms, I wanted this to be a map, with various destinations for the players to follow in a small mini-campaign. 

Tracing the campaign along a heavily wooded valley - complete with hamlets, a small monastery, several shrines and culminating in a fortified samurai’s house - gave me the ‘Path’ I was looking for. I prepared the map earlier this month and finished it with some watercolours last week.

The circles on the map can serve as encounters for the acolytes and disciples to fight through. For those successfully completing the Path, a suitable reward - whether Celestial or not - can await them.

So, for the points, there is:

= for the 28mm female samurai and passage in Lady Sarah’s limousine, 20 plus 5 points = 25 points;

= for the seven 28mm disciples and acolytes of The Celestial Path, 35 points;

= for the shrine, in 28mm, I felt this was the same sort of painting challenge as each of the 28mm figures - so could I suggest an extra 5 points (same as a 28mm figure)?; and

= and for the “Historical Drama”, 20 points,

totaling 85 points.

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This is an absolutely stunning post. I honestly don't know what to say as I'm too slacked jawed in amazement . It's got female figures and historical drama, it's got movement, colour and looks spot on (although I essentially know bupkis about the subject matter). I am rounding you up a few points because...everything.