writes:One of the manufacturers - Crunch-Waffle - is less than a year old, yet they sought out the Paint-N-Take table to donate their minis. Crunch-Waffle produces a range of 28mm fantasy figures. They have taken a unique approach for their inspiration: cultures which are overlooked in "traditional" fantasy role-playing. The head of Crunch-Waffle, Daniel Wall (Brimshack on TMP), had long played characters from non-standard cultures in his D&D campaigns. Several such characters were Native American warriors known as Contraries. A Contrary walks backwards, speaks the exact opposite of what he means, and other similar behavior.
House rules were created to govern such abilities... and those have developed, along with similar rules being created for other cultures. These rules have grown into a D20 supplement (still in the process of development) entitled Tome of Exotic Cultural Lore. It will include Native Americans from North and South America, along with African, Polynesian, Indonesian, and other cultures.
About a year ago, Daniel decided to start production of a line of figures to fit these rules. One the most striking is the Zebra Centaur - which has been really popular (and in short supply over at the Paint-N-Take).
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"Zebra Centaur"
Figures inspired by other cultures include Toshiro, an unarmored samurai inspired by The 7 Samurai; a Nubian Wrestler armed with razors on his wrists; a Hawaiian Warrior armed with a shark-tooth club; and two Plains Indians, one a "suicide warrior" who has tied his leg to a stake in the ground (thus ensuring his bravery in combat).
Pure fantasy figures are also present - including a female water-wizard, an Orc leader armed with a double-headed axe, and a crossbow-wielding Regulator. Future releases include a Maori warrior (with tongue out) and a Dire Star-Nosed Mole - because, as Daniel says, "I read that these are the fastest eaters. From the time it touches food, it is in its stomach in less than a second. Plus, it is soooo ugly - it had to be a miniature."