Thommy H:
Amélie de la Gens Communs
The genetic trait for the ability to manipulate the Winds of Magic, intrinsic to all inhabitants of the Warhammer World (even Dwarfs), occurs at random. While there is a hereditary aspect and it is possible to detect a vague correlation towards “wizard families”, the truth is that “The Talent” can arise almost anywhere, without concern for wealth or station. Amongst the hierarchy-obsessed Bretonnians, this can be the source of great conflict. Fortunately, the Fay Enchantress spirits away Bretonnian children who display the hallmarks of magical ability and returns them years later, changed beyond recognition - at least if they are female. No matter who they were before, when they return they are invariably beautiful women of fair complexion and steely gaze. They are no longer part of Bretonnian society, but stand aside from it, always advising, but never participating. In the Empire, it is a common joke that the reason Bretonnian Damsels are transformed into such beauties is so they can more easily manipulate the simple-minded Knights who rule over the land, who think of little more than fighting and rutting. There may be some truth in this…
However, even though Damsels and Prophetesses are theoretically reborn anew when they return to their homes, it is impossible to ignore the fact that they were once the sisters and daughters of those they now necessarily look down upon. This is especially jarring when a Damsel was once a simple peasant girl - a ruddy cheeked, comely village maiden, now emerged as a butterfly from a chrysalis, possessing as she surely will a kind of otherworldly, fey beauty. Amélie is just such a girl. As a child, she was a yeoman’s daughter, an ordinary inhabitant of Béniterre town, with few prospects except marriage to a farmer with his own smallholding or, if very fortunate, a Knight’s page. But she began to display strange powers and, upon her fifteenth year, she was taken by the Fay Enchantress to the Otherland. It was six years before she came back, changed, and now clearly a servant of the Lady of the Lake. She took up position as an advisor to the nobility, but she had always been beautiful and in appearance she was no different than the young girl who had hauled water back to her father’s house from the pump in the town square. Well did the Knights of Béniterre remember the pretty maiden who had blushed at their bawdy jests and hurried on her way as they rode through the town. To take advice from a slip of a girl whose father wouldn’t be fit to brush down their horses is not easy for the proud Knights of Baron David’s court…
Still more resistance to Amélie’s new status comes from Yvette, whose strong will and considerable magical ability has led to her becoming the informal leader of Béniterre’s Grail Damsels. From noble birth herself, she especially resents the down to earth and commoner-born Amélie who she suspects may have the potential to outstrip her magical skill in the years to come. The arrogant Yvette would never suffer a peasant girl - joined to her in the Lady’s sisterhood though she may be - to be her equal, let alone superior. On the other hand, Isabelle has become a firm companion to Amélie, helping her to navigate the politics of the ruling classes and hold her own when dealing with the proud Knights. Amélie has been growing in confidence, and has started to use her influence to help the peasants of Béniterre, earning the Old Bretonnian epithet “de la Gens Communs”: or “Amélie of the Common Folk”.
I’m in the process of moving right now, and all my figures are packed away in boxes in the new house. But I had my bitz box here still, and there are a good few complete figures hiding in there, including this one, which came with the mounted Damsel (Yvette) figure. I never had any cause to use her before, but as I come to the end of my time in this flat, I liked the idea of symmetry: I’ve painted the better part of three armies since I first moved here two years ago, but the very first model I painted was Claude, the minstrel from Hasslefree who serves as the musician for my bowmen. So, for the last thing I’ll paint here, I wanted it to be Bretonnian and I wanted it to be a character model. She’s the only painted figure I’ve got here now, and she’s living on the table right in front of my computer screen until we finally reach the point where we can move into the new place (probably Friday). She’s going to be one of the last things to come, I think. So forgive this little flight of whimsy, but Amélie is a significant figure and I think she turned out pretty well. Her colouring is based on Emma, my fiancée (can you make out her freckles?) and green is her favourite colour, hence the dress.
So, you know, careful with the criticism, all right?