# The Dance Without End - Harlequins



## Xisor (Oct 1, 2011)

Good evening, Heresy-Online!

I've a wee project to share with you. A bit of background first, however. I'm predominantly a Dark Eldar player, they're my 'big army' and the most versatile (and, for me, most enjoyable) force for me to use. I've had Harlequins for absolutely ages, but never got around to building them or, indeed, painting them.

Back in latter-half '11, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Mainly due to my enjoyment of _Atlas Infernal_ much early in the year, but after a few chitchats on the topic across the year, Harlequins had long begun to infiltrate my mind.

So, knowing that I'm an atrocious painter, I thought "I'm going to have to make them conceptually good, even if practically they're horrifically painted".

In that vein, I hit on my 'big idea', the fusion of all the little conspiracy theories and threads I enjoy pouring over in the background. The big one, however, is central: *The War in Heaven*, retold by the Harlequins in the performance known as _The Dance Without End_.

The pantheon I have assembled as it stands is composed as follows:

Slaanesh, She Who Thirsts: ('Solitaire') Lelith Hesperax.
Cegorach, the Laughing God: Troupe Leader with Power Sword.
Morai-Heg, the Crone Goddess: Shadowseer
Asuryan, the Phoenix King: Harlequin with Fusion Pistol
Vaul, the Cripple: Harlequin with Fusion Pistol
Khaine, the Bloody-Handed: Harlequin with Kiss
Kurnous, the Hunter: Harlequin with Kiss
Isha, the Mother of the Eldar: Harlequin
Ynnead, the God of the Dead: (coincidental with the 'Star Child') Harlequin with Kiss (hydra-gauntlet/razorflail)
Lileath, the Maiden: Harlequin with Kiss
Yngir, the Enemy (C'tan/Necrons): Death Jester


So, here's the 'latest work' I'd done on them. There's still a lot of shading, inking and highlighting to be done as well as basing. Nevertheless, they're really beginning to...look the part.

I've a mind to add three more: Hoec, Gea & 'The Mime' (suggested to me to be done in a 'Japanese Opera' style, all in black 'invisible' to the audience). Hoec & Gea have very little detail to them, so it'll be tough to model them. Nevertheless, I think it'll be fun to explore them from my own outlook.


The Dance Without End

*Ynned, Vaul & Yngir: A Study In Sharing*

























I'm particularly happy with the masks aspect here. Ynnead has the 'white face' of the Emperor - all things to all people. Yngir has the archetypal Necron-y face. Vaul, appropriately, has a nice half-mask: half veiled, half skeletal. I'm thinking...Vaul Moon, I'm thinking Mars, I'm thinking Omnissiah.

Also you can clearly make out the motifs across the three of them: Vaul's injury, Ynnead's aspect as a gestating foetus (a warrior still to grow into the 'true god amongst the stars' that he will become) and Yngir's machine-body cloaked in the power of stars. Also cool weapons: shrieker cannon, psychic sword & claw, chainsword & fusion pistol

It should also be noted that Ynnead plays directly into a 'private theory' I have. That is: Ynnead, eldar god of the dead, will coalesce all the dead spirits of the eldar and finally take the fight back against Chaos. The theory of the Star Child and the Illuminati goes something like 'the Emperor is created by the sacrificed souls of early human shaman who used to be able to reincarnate but couldn't, hence became the Emperor. When the Emperor is about to die, the Sensei, unwitting/unknowing children of the Emperor, would be gathered up by the Illuminati to "fight against Chaos at the end of time", the trick with the Illuminati was that the Sensei would actually be sacrificed to ensure the Emperor ascends into becoming the Star Child, a 'good' Warp God benevolent to humanity, a post-Emperor 'god' figure, basically.'

The simple conjecture on my part is this: Ynnead & the Star Child are different race's names for the same entity. Hence my Ynnead is 'styled' similar to the Emperor. Voila! Sword, pose, armour etc.

The trick is the Emperor's face: he's faceless, he's all things to all people. The banner he 'flies', the Star Child, is hope. He's a warrior-god amidst the stars, yet he himself isn't actually _the_ god. Ynnead, God of the Dead. When Chaos folk refer to 'The Corpse God', what're they really talking about? 


*Lileath, Isha & Kurnous: The Circles of Life*

















As you can see, they've got hair now too. Isha's to get some blue/white highlighting, Kurnous has to be shaded a bit more and Lileath needs some stronger yellow & inking, but broadly, it should do the trick and they ought come together nicely.

IMO, except for Isha looking a bit rubbish, I think they're coming together rather neatly.

*Morai-Heg & Asuryan: Deities Beyond Eternity*
Link to Morai-Heg on the off-chance image doesn't show.

















I've some plans for the masks still. I'm keen to highlight a bit more on Morai-Heg's mask itself, it's presently Mordian Blue, but needs more colour to it, more depth. Similarly, her head itself is wholly unmarked, I'm unsure whether I want to leave it like that, make it blacker/varnished, subtly ink it...or even just go outright and paint it a different colour again. Black seems appropriate. The mask, though, more blue probably. A slight parody on the Laughing God's mask might work too. More blues, varied. Keeps the colour theme for the model.

For Asuryan, I'm a lot happier now that I've removed the gold from the sword. It's not finished, but the flaming sword seems a lot more appropriate. I think the gold mask'll stay. Perhaps some eye colour (yellow & white combined, probably) and then something for the under-mask, as it's black just now, but I'm not actually too sure about it. Thoughts?

*Slaanesh, Cegorach, Khaine: Those Who Linger*









































As you can see, Cegorach has a rather distinctive face. It's a pleasing combination in my mind: Tau + Trollface. This ties in neatly to the insinuation that Cegorach has a role in the _creation_ of the Tau, which is pleasing but not too blatant.

Similarly, Slaanesh is a pretty unique colour combination within the Pantheon. The 'jagged crown' seems appropriate for 'the Dark Prince'. 

Khaine, on the otherhand, is pretty blatant. She still needs eyes and shading on her face, but her hands are close to bang on the mark. The paint & colour needs tidied up, of course, but still, it's pretty straight & unambiguous.


*Final note*

Well, thanks for viewing. Hope it's been reasonably interesting.


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## Skari (Dec 20, 2011)

Lookin good. Keep up the good work.


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## Rameses (Aug 21, 2011)

Well you got one thing right... about the painting.





I jest. Sorry. 

I like it both in concept and visual. Keep up the good work!


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## Xisor (Oct 1, 2011)

Cheers, Rameses & Skari! You're both officers & gents.

The Edge of the Pantheon
*Hoec, the Wandering God*


















Hoec is said to be one with the webway. He has walked between worlds since the dawn of the Universe. He is often revered amongst those who walk the Path of the Outcast. 

Compared to the other Harlequins, he is supposed to look much more akin to a ranger. Colour-wise, I think he'll be broadly browns and very earthy. His helm & mask will be silver edging (hinting at the origins of the Webway?) with the faceplate having star motifs (white & yellow) as per the Death Jester's coat.

'Woven' atop the earthy browns will be (ideally) a very light web-weave of silvers, golds and whites. (Symbolising the webway, in case you're not getting that!)

*Gea, the Concubine of Asuryan and of Khaine*


























Gea, the dual concubine of Khaine & Asuryan. That's basically all we know of her. 

She's got the shardnet and a big ol' spear. The shardnet will be coloured with something of a 'flame' motif, a boon gain from Asuryan? (Fiery as per phoenix.) The spear will be painted in silvers & gold, with the gauntlet a nice, bloody red - just like Khaine would approve of. Her body will be a combination of moderate & darker blues. 

*The Stagehand - Bearer of the Lost Blade Anaris*


















The Stagehand is the metaphor for 'the rest of existence'. Subservient to the gods, he embodies Eldanesh & Ulthanesh, his spear/blade could be Anaris and he could stand in for Inriam the Young (the descendent who eventually loses Anaris). The backpack/pole is a 'store' for keeping things. His role in the Pantheon can also accommodate the 'material' Old Ones, the Young Races, lesser enemies (the Hresh-Sleain or the Autochtinii). As these folks all have 'lesser' roles in the Dance Without End, it is sufficient for only one character to embody them. 

The Stagehand will be painted, as per the suggestion of Mr Schafer over on the Bolthole, as largely black (possibly with a few white diamonds as needed). The 'possessions' on his back-pole will be painted, so too will the spear (as if Anaris, so golden/yellow/orange - not flamey), and possibly the pistol will be painted as mottled (black+white diamonds).

Part of me is tempted to paint the pistol in 'Farsight' colours, as if the pistol is the Enclaves and is manipulated by an 'unseen/invisible operator' into protecting/guarding Anaris, the dawnblade. It's something of a big 'buy in' to 40k conspiracy, settling on a particular 'truth', but I like it.

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The Rest of the Dance
*Ynnead, God of the Dead*

















Ynnead's simply been tidied up a bit. Nothing terribly exciting.

*Morai-Heg, the Crone, Goddess of Dreams*

















Morai-Heg's main addition is recolouring of the weapons and, critically, the mask at her thigh. In the same style as the Laughing God (goddess of fate is perhaps 'in on the joke'?), it's blue. Critically, this mask also has the 'forehead thing' seen on both the Ethereals and the Deceiver. Appropriate? Oh my yes.

*Isha, Goddess of the Harvest, Mother of the Eldar*









The main addition here is some diamonding on her leg and the recolouring of her weapons. Her hair's also had a bit of a tidying too.

*Asuryan, the Phoenix King*









Again, he's been tidied up a bit. The weapon detailing is key - his sword's had flame detail rather than gold. He still needs an 'undermask' colour for his head.

*Khaine, The Bloody Handed God*









Main addition here is diamonds to her leg. I still intend to fix her mask too, as I'm not happy with the yellow. Hopefully inking will tidy that up. (And some white/light blue 'edging' on the diamonds on her leg to highlight them.)

*Kurnous, God of the Hunt, Father of the Eldar*

















As seen, the diamonds on Kurnous' coat & cloth is the main addition. Still needs tidying up and highlighting, but looks a lot more Harlequiny, I'd say.

*Yngir, the Star Gods*

















As you can see, he's been tidied up a bit too. There's still work to be done - the 'captive star' needs tidied up, lots of highlighting and edging also needs to be added. Nevertheless, it's close enough to 'how I imagine' it. Once I get some ink on here, I think it'll look a lot better.

*Lileath, the Maiden Goddess*









Again, a bit of tidying and detail on her hair. Her skin needs emphasis and the white/blue needs reinforced, edged & highlighted. But nevertheless, it's getting close to the correct look. 

*Slaanesh, She Who Thirsts, The Great Enemy*









Metal colours added, including the 'crown'. Edging & inking needed, but pretty close to 'correct' for me. I might add some spiral patterns, perhaps even tracing out some Slaaneshi runes. Shall consult _Liber Chaotica_ for more inspiration.

*Cegorach, the Laughing God*

















Behold the diamonds coming together! Horrifically untidy and a total shambles from a painting point of view, you can see just how rubbish I am. On the other hand...it's looking 'about right'. More edging & inking, as per the rest of the group, but steadily improving and properly coming together. 

I am rather pleased with him, shoddy as he is.


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## The_One (May 9, 2008)

I love the direction you're going with this Troupe. Looking forward to seeing all of them together!

Question on Cegorach: Are you going to have a pattern for the diamonds on the cloak or a sporadic color scheme?


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## Disciple_of_Ezekiel (May 23, 2010)

Good job so far, I like the converted shadowseer and the use of the DE as part of your Harlequins, very suiting with the holo masks.

Keep it up!

Regards,
DoE


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## Lethiathan (Nov 11, 2011)

excellent paint job. 

Although I hate harlequins

Hehehehehhehehehehehehe Large Blast Templates =-)


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