"Looking For A Ghastly Idol" Topic

Hi All,

I'm planning a pulpish game based loosely (very loosely) on the old film Gunga Din. For those of you who haven't seen it, it is based (well, loosely) on Kipling's poem of the same name, and centres around some gallant British officers breaking up a band of Kali-worshipping Thugs somewhere in India. The game could really use a suitably sinister looking idol as a focus for the general heroics and I thought I'd ask here for any suggestions. It would be used with 54mm figures, so I'd probably want something a good 4" high at least, just to give it suitable presence.

My first thought was to simply pick up a cheap Kali statue from Amazon or E-bay, but for whatever reason most of them don't quite fill what I was looking for. Perhaps I'm also a little hesitant to use actual religious items for a game.

The next thought was to use a Hollywood take on these things: there is a Harryhausen Kali toy auction but they tend to be a little expensive. There are also the ever handy aquarium items. This, for example auction which has the right feel, but is obviously a temple and not an idol.

Crooked Dice sells a nice fellow link

Finally, there is the Otherworld demon idol--not Indian in feel, but definitely a cracking model: link

I'd greatly appreciate any other ideas. Many thanks in advance!

Daryl

I don't know if you can wait a couple months, but Halloween decorations will be coming out and they are always good for 54mm.

Hi DH

Not sure if these are big enough but it's always useful to look at Thai bronze amulets:-

from here auction

They go from $4 USD to $18 USD dollars depending on size. The one shown is about 1.25" tall. They go up to 2.5-3.0"

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan

dollar tree had some demonic rabbit stauetes a few years back.

These little fellas are fairly easy to find in small sizes:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jin_Chan

Thanks to all of you for the suggestions! I hadn't thought of any of them, so this has been helpful. Ah, the power of many minds…

If anybody else has ideas, please chip in!

As I started reading your post, Otherworld's Demon Idol popped right to my mind. I have it, and it is a superb literary reference of in it's own right!

Impact Miniature's Snake Demoness woud also give you the Kali-esque image: link
It's a resin model and the finer bits are on the fragile side, so handle with care. And only about 2.5" high iirc.

Are you going to use the three Sgt.'s and Gunga Din from Murch? Which British Indian army soldiers will you use, if any? Are you going to build a temple as well?

Hi Shadow,

My collection is in 54mm, so unfortunately I can't use those Murch sculpts, lovely though they are. My figures are nearly all from Dorset, with a few characters filled in by Irregular, and I have to sheepishly admit I am just using the figures I already have, so there are some major changes to the script:

The game(s) will be based around my Sikh Wars collection, so you see why I used the words " based loosely" above. The Brits are all in uniforms of that period, I've got Highlanders and Gurkhas and 17th Lancers (oh my!) and one day might break down and get some Bengal Lancers as well. For the "Thugs", I have a pretty good number of Sikh irregulars and Akalis which don't look too far off, and…(looks both directions and continues sotto voce) I'll even use my uniformed Sikhs. They are a little like souped-up Thugs, or maybe the Mad Guru has got a lot further in his plans of world domination than he every did in the film.

So there you are. Bet you're sorry you asked.

I forgot to mention another source of inspiration (just as much as Gunga Din, in fact) is the very evocative poem "The Green Eye of the Yellow God" by Milton Hayes:

link

So if anybody knows of any good one-eyed idols (yellow optional)…just let me know.

G'day Daryl. I noticed in a local two dollar store the other day a resin skull sitting on two crossed bones (like a jolly roger but the crossed bones lying flat). It was suitably horrific and distressed. I was going to pick it up but it was $16.95 USD (Aust) It was about 4" inches high.

Have you tried Fantasy and Sci Fi ranges? that might work out ok.

Thank you, gentlemen. I'll keep my eyes open for options in those areas!