Of Witches, Wizards, and Saints

Here is a post covering the latest arrivals from Dark Alliance.

The first set is of Witches, consisting of 44 figures in 11 poses.

About half of the figures wear the stereotypical witches hat that later became part of pop culture through the design of Adrian for the MGM film The Wizard of Oz.

Some media outlets entertain the dubious theory that these hats were derived from headgear worn by alewives, but this is sensationalist tripe propagated by the likes of the "History" Channel, VICE, and BBC, where lazy writers who don't do proper research, churn out authoritative sounding slop that would make AI cringe in embarrassment.

Christina Wade does not mention it in her braciatrix post, but the alewife theory was postulated by Alan Eames, self-styled anthropologist and historian who might be better described as bar owner, beer retailer/importer, marketing consultant, and all-around beer evangelist.

Anyway, back to the miniatures. These six figures are all doing stereotypical witch things, like carrying a familiar, examining a potion, stirring a cauldron, or holding/riding a broomstick.

In the second image, the first three figures follow the traditional archetype of witch as old crone popularized by Shakespeare in Macbeth. I'm not sure if the poses are based on existing artwork. The next two figures however, are obvious Disney characters — Queen Grimhilde in crone form, and Maleficent in her escoffion à cornes.

Crone Grimhilde was cast with a huge block of plastic obscuring the right side of her face, and will probably require a bit of reconstructive surgery skill to correct the issue.

I wonder if Dark Alliance will put out a set of modern witches like they have done for Krampus and Amazon figures. In any event, witches in an older post can be found here.

The second set is of Wizards, consisting of 48 figures 12 in poses.

The first image is of wizards with staves. I can't say that I really recognize these sculpts as representing anything other than generic wizards.

The second image is of more wizards with staves. The first figure is an obvious Saruman. The second figure holding a book is reminescent of John Dee, but that's just my impression.

The final image is of a wizard girded with sword, a wizard searching for reagents in his bag, a wizard holding a potion, and a gesticulating wizard.

This set is probably the most useful of the lot as candidates for player characters. More wizards from an older post can be found here.

The last box is Modern Krampus Set 1, consisting of 44 figures 11 in poses. I go over the background of the Krampus in a previous post.

In the first image, the first figure is St. Nicholas, based on the 4th century saint, Nicholas the Wonderworker. The next two figures are of Krampusse with bags of coal, followed by a Krampus with a basket on its back, and ending with two Krampusse with ruten.

The second image consists of three Krampusse being menacing, and two Krampusse carrying some sort of Krampus Staff.

I can't find much information on these staves other than they seem to be set ablaze in Austria. For the more tame North American Krampuslauf, they seem to use the Krampus Light Up Staff (illuminated with LEDs).

The final image is the reverse of some of the Krampus figures showing bag and basket. All of them have what I assume are two round bells on their belts. The kneeling Krampus distributing coal has a cowbell on his belt as well.

I prefer Set 1 over Set 2 because the figures are more in line with traditional Krampusse.

Krampus

The Krampus is a dark companion figure who accompanies Saint Nicholas during his midwinter rounds in Alpine regions and countries that were part of the former Habsburg Empire.

Krampus, 2015

There are a number of alternative names for Krampus, including Klaubauf, Bartl, Pelzebock, Gumphinckel, Schmutzli, Tuifl, and Ganggerl among numerous local variations. The feminine form of Krampus is said to be Krampa.

On Krampusnacht (December 5), Krampus visits each household to punish bad children by lashing them with a whip or rute, while for the Feast of St. Nicholas (December 6), Saint Nicholas rewards good children with treats.

Krampus also carries a sack or basket to carry off disobedient children to administer more serious consequences.

Greetings from Krampus!

Various theories on the roots of the Krampus myth propose a pagan origin. Some stories claim he is the son of Hel (a modern confabulation?), while others hypothesize he is derived from Cernunnos, Vidadus, or Silvanus.

Stephen Winick in a post at the Library of Congress Blog, dismisses these claims of pagan origin, and suggests Krampus legends come from medieval morality or miracle plays.

British Library Add MS 47682

Rituals involving the Krampus are said to have developed from pagan winter rites like Klaubaufgehen or Rauhnächten which centered around masked figures dressed in furs boisterously making a clammor with bells and chains to disperse evil spirits or usher out winter and the previous year.

These evolved into celebrations where figures costumed as St. Nicholas and one or more Krampusse parade through town to visit homes and businesses. A good article on this tradition can be found at earthstoriez.

In modern days, people engage in Krampuslauf and Krampus Balls. The former involves a procession of Krampusse running through the streets in Krampus costumes while the later appears to be some sort of modern Krampusnacht celebration.

From what I understand,these celebrations can get quite rowdy in Europe, with onlookers being swatted with whips and ruten. I imagine that the Krampuslauf in the U.S. is commercialized and much more tame, but I couldn't say for sure.

Regardless, Dark Alliance has released Modern Krampus sets in 1/72 scale, and I was able to order Set 2.

The set consists of four sprues of figures in ten poses. They appear as the type of Krampus one might find at a Krampuslauf, but are armed with ill-kept medieval-style weapons.

Unlike the traditional Krampus that serves as a deterrent to bad behavior, these Krampusse appear to be on a crusade to eliminate anyone who commits apostasy against the spirit of Christmas.

The figures are actually rather reminescent of the old Heritage Lord of the Rings orcs, or maybe could be used as bugbears for those who don't have a use for an army of Krampusse.

A Modern Krampus Set 1 that includes a figure of Saint Nicholas is also supposed to exist, but I have yet to see it being sold anywhere.

It would have been nice if there was a figure that looked like the Krampus from the 2015 film.

The Wicker Man

The nation of all the Gauls is extremely devoted to superstitious rites; and on that account they who are troubled with unusually severe diseases and they who are engaged in battles and dangers, either sacrifice men as victims, or vow that they will sacrifice them, and employ the Druids as the performers of those sacrifices; because they think that unless the life of a man be offered for the life of a man, the mind of the immortal gods cannot be rendered propitious, and they have sacrifices of that kind ordained for national purposes. Others have figures of vast size, the limbs of which formed of osiers they fill with living men, which being set on fire, the men perish enveloped in the flames. They consider that the oblation of such as have been taken in theft, or in robbery, or any other offence, is more acceptable to the immortal gods; but when a supply of that class is wanting, they have recourse to the oblation of even the innocent.

– Commentaries on the Gallic War

Aylett Wicker Man, 1676

The Wicker Man was a large wicker effigy mentioned by Julius Caesar, in which human sacrifices were offered by the Gauls to the Celtic gods.

Pennant Wicker Man, 1781

Many scholars say that Caesar (and presumably Strabo) was an unreliable source who merely repeated earlier accounts made by Posidonius. Many writers also caution that the Wicker Man was likely a fabrication used to impugn the reputation of the Celts, but I get the feeling that this assertion similarly comes from a single source, since every article making this declaration also repeats the phrase "bizarre and negative information" in regard to Caesar's remarks.

Wicker giants are also associated with later traditions related to Gog Magog, while the bearded mask depicted in some engravings of the effigy is sometimes seen as being the face of a Green Man.

Unknown origin, 1832

Neo-pagans are less skeptical about the Wicker Man, and many groups burn wicker effigies (minus the live humans) during some of their fire festivals. The most important festivals are held at the Spring Equinox, Midsummer, the Autumn Equinox, and the Winter Solstice. Sir James Frazer states that the fire festivals are rites of purification and renewal, while neo-pagans view the purpose of the ritual as a way to create a spirit messenger to commune with supernatural powers (though they do not discount Frazer's definition either).

The Wicker Man entered popular culture due to the 1973 cult film The Wicker Man directed by Robin Hardy. A companion film called The Wicker Tree was released decades later in 2011.

People have drawn parallels between The Wicker Man and the Burning Man event, but Larry Harvey stated that he was was unaware of the film prior to the founding of Burning Man.

There is also a roller coaster at Alton Towers Resort in Staffordshire, England which is said to have been drawn from local legend by the design team, but I have been unable to find any legends related to the Wicker Man originating from the region.

Wicker Men have appeared in a number of fantasy media franchises as sacrificial effigies.

In the Assassin's Creed video game, the human sacrifices are portrayed as [somewhat] voluntary.

A Wicker (or rather, Straw) Man appears during a Halloween event in the World of Warcraft game.

Crashing the Wickerman Festival

They also make appearances in the Sláine comic book.

A number of Wicker Men are also portrayed as magically animated constructs as in the Berserk manga.

In the Fate/Grand Order mobile game, the Wicker Man appears as the Noble Phantasm invoked by Cú Chulainn in his Caster incarnation.

The Grand Order Wicker Man is also known as the Cage of Scorching, Consuming Flames, and it scoops up its own human sacrifices to imprison and immolate within its torso.

As far as miniatures of the Wicker Man go, there are a couple of 3D printed versions available which I won't go into, but the field is relatively sparse.

Alan the Wicker Man is made by Ainsty Castings as part of their Trader Town line.

The 10" tall figure comes with two head variants (plain and Iron Maiden versions), and a Green Man mask which fits on the resin head. It also has a compartment in the torso with a separate door that can be used to imprison a 28mm figure.

Artwork for The Wicker Man 12" picture disk

Another 10" Wicker Man that I particularly like is made by Wailing Dip, but it is actually a candle made of pure beeswax (No, not the bees!).

Wailing Dip candle also available on Etsy

I think the candle really captures the look of the effigy from the film, and I like the idea that you can set it on fire, though I guess that would be the end of your miniature at that point.

The downside of these large figures however, is that they are too big for 1/72 scale.

For various reasons, there is confusion regarding the actual height of the Wicker Man effigies from the movie, with estimates ranging from 22 to 60 feet tall.

I get the impression that the height is under 30 feet tall, which would call for a figure that might be anywhere from 4" to 5" tall.

Wailing Dip makes a Wee Wicker Man candle that falls exactly into this size range, and I am extremely tempted to get it. However, it's not as detailed as the large candle, so I'm really on the fence about it.

Wailing Dip Wee Wicker Man

The figure I did end up getting is Nicolas The Strawman, from Crooked Dice Game Design Studio. It is part of the Children of the Fields faction for the 2nd edition of their 7TV game.

The figure comes in three pieces made of a hard resin, and stands 80mm tall. It is not a proper Wicker Man, but I thought it was a well executed sculpt.

Nuada, mighty god of the sun, accept our sacrifice and be appeased.
Avellenau, bountiful goddess of our orchards, accept our sacrifice and make our blossoms fruit.

Joulupukki

Last year, Finland inducted Joulupukki (aka Santa Claus) to their National Inventory of Living Heritage. The modern Joulupukki looks pretty much like the version of Santa Claus popularized by the advertising paintings produced for Coca Cola by Haddon Sundblom.

Joulupukki and his tontut.

However, there was a time when Joulupukki bore the literal appearance of his name—Yule Goat, and was said to have been an actual goat, or some kind of weregoat.

The concept of [were]goats bearing gifts is said to have come from the merging of Joulupukki with Nuuttipukki. Nuuttipukkit were Krampus-like figures who would make the rounds at the end of the Yuletide festivities. Some say they represent spirits to be appeased, while others say they drive off spirits who would otherwise overstay their welcome during the Yule.

Anyway, the Yule Goat is an appropriate subject for this time of year, but the post is really about weregoats (of which the Yule Goat is the closest thing in mythology that I could find).

There is only one weregoat figure that I am aware of. It comes from the Judges Guild City State Miniatures line. I'm not sure if there are any stats for this creature in any of the Judges Guild publications, but current homebrew D&D stats found on the internet seem to treat weregoats no differently from satyrs.

The Judges Guild weregoat happens to be one of my grail miniatures, but unfortunately Eisenwerk miniatures are near impossible to find. Thus I decided to make do with a proxy from the Ganesha Games Miniatures line produced by Alternative Armies.

This particular miniature is the mount from the Skeleton Undead Ram Rider (Hammer and Forge UDD007).

The creature is supposed to be a ram and not a goat, but the face is rather bovine, so it doesn't really look like either. I'll probably modify the horns to point backwards so that it is more goat-like, but I'm not sure there is too much else I can do about the head.