'Peer Gynt'
Army Lists for 'Hordes of the Things'
by Ruarigh Dale

With the recent discussion on Trolls, Orcs and mythical beings, I was inspired to return to Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen and try working up something based on that. After all, it is probably more responsible for popularising the Troll than any other literary work in recent years (or so says Borges, and I am not going to argue with him). This play is not your typical HOTT fodder, so I have had to take some dramatic licence with the element types but I hope you find the following lists entertaining and / or inspiring. If I can find any suitable figures or do the appropriate conversions, I would really like to do the Peer Gynt list because I like the idea of fielding an army where every element is intended to represent the same character (and it should be cheap). Because it is a play, it might be a fun idea to base the stands up as though they were on the stage. This could include making all the scenery as two dimensional stage props.

Any suggestions regarding changes, improvements and sources for suitable figures would be gratefully received.

The Trolls of Dovrefjell

These are Norwegian trolls as depicted in souvenir shops, which might also be the best source for the figures. They are grotesque caricatures of human beings with 1, 2 or 3 heads. I believe Ibsen intended them to represent the worst aspects of Norwegian nationalism in the mid-19th century. They should be depicted wearing 19th century Norwegian clothes, with big noses, tails and twisted features.

1 Hero general (Dovregubben (King Brose). According to his daughter, he is the greatest hero ever. He should be depicted as a large and impressive multi-headed Troll)
1 Knight (The king's daughter (I don't think her name is mentioned, but I could be wrong) dressed in green, riding a giant pig.)
4 Warband (Large Trolls with varying numbers of heads. Two large trolls are described as having pigs heads and white night caps.)
6 Horde (Little Trolls, Nisser and Tomtegubber.)
1 Magician (Troll witch)

Options:
Water Lurker (Nøkken; water sprite in the form of a man or horse.)
Sneaker (Draugen; spectre or ghost)

Stronghold: A tatty cave with a Norwegian flag on a pole outside

Peer Gynt

Peer is a man of many parts, as he will happily tell you himself, probably at great length is you are not careful. Accordingly, this list is constructed almost entirely around Peer. He is a large, well-built man in 19th century Norwegian dress.

1 Aerial Hero (Because Peer claims to be able to fly at one point.)
2 Riders (Peer riding a wild goat across the mountains, and Peer carrying his mother around in a pretend gallop.)
1 Knight (Peer kneeling on the bed pretending to be driving himself and his mother to the wedding. This is an image that stuck in my mind from a TV production of the play, so I have included it, even though it is not in the directions of the play.)
2 Blades (Peer with a sword, and Peer with an axe.)
1 Shooter (Peer with a rifle going hunting.)
1 Sneaker (Peer with a hat of invisibility and Ingrid in her wedding dress, thrown over his shoulder.)
1 Cleric (A church with its bells tolling. This scared the Trolls away when they were chasing Peer.)

Stronghold: Either the façade of a log cabin with reindeer horns over the door and Solveig waiting for him or a mill-house with Åse on the roof.

Option
Hero (Åse, Peer's mother, is described as a great hero by Peer in a conversation with the Troll King's daughter.)

Supporting Cast

These are a variety of characters that were arrayed against Peer in the play. They could be included in his list or in the Troll list as desired.

Behemoth (Bøygen, an invisible giant serpent)
Horde (Wedding guests with clubs chasing Peer after he kidnapped Ingrid from her wedding.)
Shooter (Wedding guests with rifles)
Blade (Aslak the Smith with a large hammer)
God (The Button Moulder)
Beasts or Shooter (Monkeys in a tree throwing stuff)

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