Laptop crashed!

Work continues on the latest project but the trusty laptop has finally succumbed to a surfeit of tracking cookies and other unwanted junk collected from internet. I have had difficulty keeping up with the blog and replying to comments due to having poor eyesight which makes using the iPad a bit tricky.

Luckily, the local PC Geek has taken it away to reinstall Windows anew and it should be back on Monday. Lots of photos to show once I can use my large screen monitors again.

Watch this space...

The Watch Tower

The Watch Tower is now complete. The base it stands on and the boat now need painting. Captain Snapcase, Bluebottle and Old Scrotingsack are heading out to sea on another Caribbean adventure. Foul Ole Ron begs on the quayside but owing to his malodorous smell, no one can get near enough to toss him a copper or two. Al Capon, the harbour-master is hoping to blast that shark out of the water with his blunderbuss.

The Cottage of Madame Moulay

This cottage is the home of Madame Moulay. If you remember, she is a Soucouyant, a malignant witch believed to shed her skin by night and suck the blood of her victims. Madame Moulay has named her cottage, Mon Repos.

Angua and Others...

A few more figures painted up for the pirate game in November. The game needs a proper title which I'm working on, but for the moment the working title is 'Snapcase All At Sea'.

On the left is Toussaint Lafermature, a field hand on the Governor's sugar plantation. In secret Toussaint is planning a slave revolt on the island and he and his compatriots have been stealing firearms and ammunition as and when they can. Next is Rosalina. Rosalina is trusted to travel between plantations and has been carrying secret messages for Toussaint to ferment revolt across the island. Wolfgang Ewald Leo Helmuth Creutzfeldt is next. This 7' giant is known to all and sundry as 'Tiny'. Originally from Hamburg, Tiny has an excellent knack of appearing to be completely stupid as and when it suits him. On the right is Albert Tatlock, landlord of the 'Rover's Return' a tavern on one of the outlying islands. Albert is usually described as a grumpy old curmudgeon by his patrons but serves excellent porter. One of his customers, a certain Walter Gabriel refers to Albert as "that awkward old codger" and he should know!

The latest addition to the Town Watch is Captain Delphine Angua von Überwald. The other members of the Watch have been seen in an earlier post. Angua is the daughter of the Baron and Baroness of Überwald. Her surprising strength and tough attitude have made her one of the most feared officers of the Town Watch.

More bit players...

...and now a few more bit players in the madness of Islas de Pasaje de Vuelta.

On the left is Albert Arkwright, a merchant of the islands and a pragmatic, miserly man with old-fashioned values, whose world seems to stop at his shop door. Arkwright is a devious and mildly dishonest character, who has many crafty tricks to try to persuade a customer to leave his shop having bought at least one thing. He will avoid spending his own money at all costs.

Next in is Clarrie Grundy, barmaid at a tavern near the dockside on the main island. Clarrie is Eddie Grundy's long-suffering wife. She became involved with him after her late father Jethro Larkin,  employed him to remove the range in their home. Clarrie spends much of her time sorting out problems created by her husband, sons and father-in-law. (I’m not very happy with how her face came out but fiddling about with it seems to make it worse!)

Third from left is Cardinal Richelieu;

(Fanfare of trumpets. Cardinal Richelieu enters witness box in beautiful robes.)

Cardinal: 'Allo everyone, it's wonderful to be 'ere y'know, I just love your country. London is so beautiful at this time of year.

Counsel: Er, you are Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu, First Minister of Louis XIII?

Cardinal: Oui.

Counsel: Cardinal, would it be fair to say that you not only built up the centralized monarchy in France but also perpetuated the religious schism in Europe?

Cardinal: (modestly) That's what they say.

Counsel: Did you persecute the Huguenots?

Cardinal: Oui.

Counsel: And did you take even sterner measures against the great Catholic nobles who made common cause with foreign foes in defence of their feudal independence?

Cardinal: I sure did that thing.

Counsel: Cardinal. Are you acquainted with the defendant, Harold Larch?

Cardinal: Since I was so high (indicated how high).

Counsel: Speaking as a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, as First Minister of Louis XIII, and as one of the architects of the modern world already - would you say that Harold Larch was a man of good character?

Cardinal: Listen. Harry is a very wonderful human being.

Counsel: M'lud. In view of the impeccable nature of this character witness may I plead for clemency.

...and last but not least, Foul Ole Ron, reduced to beggary on the islands after being marooned by his shipmates for his rather peculiar and offensive body odour!

The Governor's Bodyguards

Reginald and Ronald are the Governor's bodyguards. Twins, born of Violet Annie Cray in the East End of London. The home country has proved too hot for them after overdoing their cunning scheme of enlisting in the army, taking the shilling and then deserting. They were recognised on their fifth enlistment and sentenced to hard labour in prison. Escaping, they stowed away on a ship which was bound for the West Indies. Recognising their propensity for gratuitous violence, Sir Frobisher Fotheringay-Featherstonhaugh took the twins into his employment, feeling the need for personal protection in these unsettled times.

The Brothers of Santo Marcas

On one of the outer islands of the Islas de Pasaje de Vuelta, stands an old church, the church of Santa Marcas. It is guarded by a group of rather fierce and secretive monks known as the Brothers of Santa Marcas. It is rumoured that they guard part of the Templar's missing treasure in the vaults of the church. How that treasure came to be there (if it is indeed there at all), no one knows.

L to R: Brother Chico, Brother Harpo, Brother Groucho, Brother Gummo, Brother Zeppo and Brother Sherlocko