The Belan

[Ben Brownlie]

Me too 

I wasn't aware I had even given you one... Have you been talking to Ian, or should I not get my hopes up?

Oops, sorry. Was just wishful thinking on my part (I had meant to delete the words "this weekend" from the quote but forgot)

As for the mayor in howdah idea, please consider this as a third vote for the Belan

Now you have to do ti

Three votes

'Tis the rules

[Jubal]

Well, looks like I'm ordering a Belan then... though you'll have to wait for someone else's version to see what it should look like ideally, on account of my dexterity being equivalent to, well... a Belan. 

[Klute]

Im up for doing either or both type of howdah. A few slingers in one would have a good hight advantage giving better range and line of sight.
A fancy one with gilded finery and a very well to do and portly clan leader would also be fun to do.

[clam]

I've covered one in baggage, but that one won't be castable. Hoping to slap some paint on him this weekend...

Even though, I'd like to see, and really hope you will make a castable laden Belan - would love a such in my caravan.

[Lost Egg]

What about a traveling engineer with random mechanical doo-hickeys and some sort of tent.

HN

[Carcharoth]

It's still very much WIP, and this version will not be cast, but I thought you might like to see how my belan is progressing for the big game. He's photographed next to a trader painted by my friend Tony.

[Lost Egg]

He's looking really good, I like the subtle colouring you have going on.

Are you planning on making a bagged version for sale? and are these kept by the Fubarnii just for carrying or are they kept for food too?

HN

[Carcharoth]

There will be a fully laden belan at some point, and he'll be in a similar style to this one (but more carefully sculpted). I'm not sure how long he'll take to arrive though!

The belan is considered a bit like we would consider an elephant - I suppose they might be eaten occasionally, but generally they are more valuable as beasts of burden. Fubarnii aren't great meat eaters either, although they will eat it on special occasions.

There will certainly be more creatures with unusual loads - some will be based on the belan, but some will be completely new.

[Brandlin]

That belan looks like a plodder, and the demo board is very long! It's going to take a while to get to safety!

[Carcharoth]

That be an looks like a plodded, and the demo board is very long! It's going to take a while to get to safety!

Don't worry, I won't make it plod the whole length of the board! I'm also going to let him move 6" per turn, so that should mean things move a bit more quickly...

[Scalifano]

Looks fantastic. 

I was thinking that the trader is no way going to be able to handle/take care of one of these things on his own.  It is so massive that when a trader travels with a Belan, he is going to need to bring a pair of Fubarnii herders with him to help control/help feed this massive thing.

[Lost Egg]

I could imagine him being led by a mounted trader, possibly with the assistance of a couple of mounted herders.

HN

[Jubal]

The apprentice with the proddy spear-stick might give a hand perhaps?

[Carcharoth]

The plan for the trade caravan currently consists of:

Elderly head trader
Trader on hoof
Mounted trader
2 assistants (the jenta)
2 Skerrats (useful for rounding up beasts that wander off)
1 Belan
3 or 4 Baruk
3 Laden Enuk

They'll be protected by something like 6 herders, a couple of units of militia and 6 herder light cavalry.

I'm sure that's more than enough to put off all but the most determined of Devanu attackers.

[Brandlin]

sounds like a sizeable force

are you planning on having anything sally forth from the fort? you know the big custom made specially deisgned to be sallied-forth-from fort at the other end of the board?