'The Weirdstone of Brisingamen' and 'The Moon of Gomrath'
Army Lists for 'Hordes of the Things'
by Richard Crawley
I've just finished reading Alan Garner's books "The Wierdstone of Brisingamen" and "The Moon of Gomrath" to my four-year-olds. Here are a couple of army lists for HOTT.
The Forces of Light
| Magician General (Cadellin Silverbrow) @ 4AP | 1 |
| Cleric or Sneaker (Susan and Colin) @ 3AP | 1 |
| Hero (Albanac and Uthecar) @ 4AP | 1 |
| Lurkers (Lios-alfar hiding in treetops) @ 1AP | 1 |
| Riders (Lios-alfar on ponies) @ 2AP | 2 |
| Shooter (Gowther with shotgun or Lios-alfar archers) @ 2AP | 1 |
| Blades (Fenodyree and Durathror) @ 2AP | 1 |
| Knights (The Einheriar of the Herlathing) @ 2AP | 2 |
Stronghold: A red sandstone crag possibly with a secret door open to reveal iron gates within.
Options: Magician @ 4AP (Angharad Goldenhand), Aerial Hero @ 6AP (Durathror with is magic cloak), Blades @ 2AP (More Dwarfs), God @ 4AP (The Hunter)
Cadellin is the classic robed and silver-haired magician. Colin and Susan are ordinary 20th century kids. The cleric rating reflects the protective value of Susan's bracelet, The Mark of Fohla whilst the sneaker option reflects their ability to infiltrate the Morrigan's base of operations. If Cadellin is in the army then rating the children as a cleric is going to cause Cadellin some difficulty when attempting bespelling attacks. Uthecar, Fenodyree and Durathror are your standard fantasy dwarfs. Albanac is a tall human on a black horse, Gowther a Cheshire farmer of a certain age. The lios-alfar are small (dwarf-tall) elves with short bows and white eagle-feather cloaks. Finally the Herlathing are mystical warriors summoned by the old magic - Celtic or sub-Roman horse would seem appropriate to represent them.
The Forces of the Morthbrood
| Magician General (The Morrigan) @ 4AP | 1 |
| Magician (Grimnir) @ 4AP | 1 |
| Behemoth (The Mara) @ 4AP | 1 |
| Warbands (Bodachs) @ 2AP | 2 |
| Beasts (Palug Cats or Hounds of the Morrigan) @ 2AP | 2 |
| Hordes (Svart-alfar) @ 1AP | 4 |
Stronghold: A stone circle or a large Victorian stockbroker mock-Gothic house surrounded by trees.
Options: Dragon @ 4AP (Nastrond in the form of a gigantic storm cloud shaped like a wolf's head), Fliers @ 2AP (Crows in the Morrigan's service), Lurker @ 1AP or Sneaker @ 3AP (Pellis the False), Sneaker @ 3AP (The Morthbrood), Warband @ 2AP or Hordes @ 1AP (Lyblacs), Sneaker @ 3AP or Lurker @ 1AP or Behemoth @ 4AP (Brollachan), Lurker @ 1AP (Svart Alfar with nets)
The Morrigan appears as a human woman in either 20th century or fantasy ceremonial garb. Grimnir is a very tall human magician in a cowled cloak of weed-encrusted green. The Mara are huge malachite-green stone creatures, seemingly female and not unlike Terry Pratchett's trolls. Bodachs are taller spear-armed and svart-alfar smaller stone-hammer-armed goblins. Palug cats are large wildcats which fight in packs. Pellis the false is a gold-and-black clad dwarf and the Morthbrood are ordinary human witches who follow the Morrigan. They could be represented by any ordinary 20th century figures. The Brollachan is a shapeless creature that appears as a black mist with two glowing red eyes. It varies in size and power through the book, hence its variable classification.
All in all an interesting exercise. I don't think it would be impossible to find the figures - the lios-alfar, Mara and Palug Cats would be toughest I guess.