From The Lexicanum:
"Aekold Helbrass is a champion of Tzeentch who bears a very unusual gift: the Breath of Life. This gift causes anything around him to spring into life. Even things long dead, such as the wood of a stave, renew. He is followed by a trail of green grass and other plants. It is very easy to tell where he has gone in the otherwise-desolate Chaos Wastes. However, this does not stop Aekold from slaying his opponents mercilessly."
Aekold is a miniature that I have wanted to paint ever since I saw this example on Cool Mini or Not:
Aekold Helbrass (2002) by Qiao Zhong
I was thoroughly inspired by the spectral nature of the tunic in particular, but wanted to emulate the effect rather than duplicate it, thereby making it my own interpretation.
I was always interested in Aekold's fluff; in particular, his curse that is known as the Breath of Life. It is a blessing and a curse, in keeping with Tzeentch, as his targets heal as well as he does. However, Aekold's sword, Windblade, also allows him to float, despite the fact he was cast as a miniature on foot.
As a result, I opted to chop off the earthbound feet and find some suitable replacement, which happened to be goblin feet with lovely bandages (hinting at the Breath of Life) and toenails that could be painted a lovely brass!
Other tchotchkes include the brand-new familiar from the Silver Tower set, Slop, and of course the-always cool mushrooms from the older plastic Night Goblin set, which makes a great hint at advancing the narrative of the Breath of Life. I intend to include more elements and nick away at super-fiddly details that no one else would notice! :-)
