The world of Twilight ..... what is it?

It is a concept from the mind of an enthusiastic (and very patient!) young English sculptor called Mike Thorp. When we were first approached with the initial sculpts by Mike at Salute 2008 both Kev and I thought they were fantastic figures and were impressed as to how Mikes sculpting was progressing. We had seen his work before and followed it over the years. We even have some of it in our website shop (check out Stalks and the Travelling court of the Brownie King. Both of these figures were entries in online sculpting competitions.

Neither of us however could predict how much energy and committment Mike would put into creating a world of figures and rules over the following 8 months until we were presented with almost a complete package. 'Sheesh' i thought, how am i going to be able to get all of this on board, all i had banked on when we had agreed to cast and sell some of his figures was precisely that...casting and selling some figures! Lots of franticness in the weeks prior to Salute as we rushed to get everything ready.

When Mike, his wife and a group of their friends presented Twilight on the HF gaming table at Salute it was extremely well received and a lot of positive feedback ensued. Like a true dedicated sculptor Mike has continued to add to the ranges and from our last email (June 09) i know he has a whole new mould (approximately 16 figures) all ready to go and start the casting process.

We have created a section within the Hasslefree section of the Forum of Doom for Mike to showcase ideas and concepts. Go pay a visit, it is an excellent way to see what is happening in Mikes world!

I have copied some of the basic Twilight information and text below for you but you really must go take a look at Mikes own website, The World of Twilight . It shows just how much preparations and thought have gone into creating the whole concept. There are some lovely sketches of the various races as well as a gallery that has been created with some painted figures in. It is a lovely site to browse and unlike some sites, Mike regularly adds to his website so it is well worth bookmarking it for a repeat visit.

Enjoy, and if you like what you see then let Mike know!


These are Mikes words on Twilight.....

'This is the world of Twilight...
...a world steeped in history, where the once mighty have fallen and their slaves are victorious - at least for now. A world which echoes with the countless gentle hoofsteps of the diminutive but resilient Fubarnii, whose Empire spans the continent of Anyaral. A world where herds of strange beasts roam the vast plains, ever watchful of the fast limbs and savage claws of the Devanu, that proud race who now scavenge on the edges of a world they once ruled. A world where others feel that now is the time to stake a claim. This is the world of Twilight
Twilight is the setting for a fantasy miniatures wargame, with a range of unique models that are available direct from Hasslefree Miniatures. It is however more than that. It is the culmination of a vision for a fantasy setting that avoids the normal races derived from the works of Tolkien and the ever-applicable excuse that 'a Wizard did it'. Twilight has a deep and complex history in which creatures and cultures have evolved, each in their own way. The game of Twilight explores this world, beginning in the settlements of the Empire, under constant attack from the vicious Devanu tribes that scrape a living by preying on livestock or unwary travellers. However, this is just the beginning and there is much more to be uncovered, as the world of the Fubarnii themselves is on the brink of change.
If you are looking for a game of elves and goblins clashing it out in a no-holds-barred contest to beat your opponent's models into a bloody pulp, then you are probably looking in the wrong place. I can recommend half a dozen very good games that will keep you amused. However, if you are looking for something different, for a carefully thought out alternative fantasy world that you can get immersed in and possibly even influence, and for a fun, quick little game then it is just possible that you could be looking in the right place'

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Since the time the Devanu were overthrown and the Fubarnii were freed from slavery, the Empire grew in power, stretching from the Gethlon Seas to the Argoran Wastes. The Fubarnii clans lived together in peace under the rule of the Emperor. But the world is changing. The Delgon clan now claim that the Fubarnii Gods, the Enarii, walk among them. They want the whole Empire to bow to these gods, and have extended their influence far beyond ancestral Delgon territory. The Emperor is losing patience with their expansion, and a ferocious storm is brewing.

The once proud and powerful Devanu still haunt the edges of the Empire. In spite of their fall and their current struggle for survival, the Devanu still believe in their superiority, and dream of regaining their former glory.

In the vast forests of Anyaral, another force is stirring. The Delgon work-teams move deeper among the trees, felling them in huge numbers to fuel their campaign. But in doing so they have awoken the forest's denizens; recently many teams have been lost, and those who survived spoke of vast swarms of Frenu and monstrous beasts that tore through their machinery and slaughtered the workers

The current main cultures in the world of Twilight are the Fubarnii Empire and the powerful, predatory Devanu who once enslaved them. Over time more of the cultures and myths on the world will be explored. There is talk of a race of Fubarnii who hide in their mountain kingdom and others that, free-roaming, refuse to be bound by any borders imposed by the Empire.

The Fubarnii Empire sprawls across the expansive continent that its occupants call Anyaral. From the Setir mountains to the Argoran wastes, from the coasts of the Gethlon Sea to the dark forests of Naralon, the Fubarnii, once slaves, now rule the land

The Fubarnii are diminutive creatures, standing about 4ft tall, from their large-toed hooves to the top of their long heads. Their large black eyes are well suited to their mostly nocturnal habits and their strong fingers are used for foraging and farming as well as building and fighting. Those dextrous fingers and inquisitive minds helped them create the tools to grow from a race enslaved by the predatory Devanu into a mighty Empire

The Devanu are terrifying, predatory creatures, standing at least 7 foot tall and towering over even the largest of the Fubarnii. Their strong claws propel them across the plains at huge speeds, with their powerful tails stretched behind them for balance. The Devanu have long been vilified by the Fubarnii as vicious, powerful hunters and pitiless killers. Legends tell that it is the Devanu who first forced the Fubarnii's ancestors to hide in the dark places, to dig tunnels and to fear the daylight. It is certainly true that the Devanu once ruled over most of Anyaral, enslaving the then-primitive Fubarnii.

But that was long ago, and many generations have passed. Dressed in scraps of armour scavenged from dead Fubarnii, or handed down through the generations the Devanu now scrape for survival around the edges of the Fubarnii Empire, driven from one clan's territories to the next. Individually they are still powerful and very dangerous, but even Devanu struggle when faced by the numerous Fubarnii.

The Fubarnii Empire was formed many generations ago. Before then, the Fubarnii were dispersed throughout the continent of Anyaral in numerous family groups. All were under constant threat and attack from the then-dominant species, the predatory Devanu. The Devanu hunted and enslaved the Fubarnii, forcing them to use their nimble hands to create ever more elaborate and powerful weapons and their creative brains to build ever grander towers so that they might show the other Devanu that theirs was the most powerful tribe. The Devanu considered the Fubarnii as nothing more than food and slaves. This relationship continued for generations, until a small number of Fubarnii began to look beyond their enslavement and dream of a day when they would be free from the claws of their vicious masters.

A bright and resourceful engineer by the name of Gehran took matters into his own hands and used his knowledge of chemistry and mechanics to destroy his Devanu master's tower. This feat sparked the Fubarnii into action, and the long-suppressed desire for rebellion and freedom grew. Using Gehran as their figurehead, a group of self-proclaimed freedom fighters led by a Fubarnii named Dimor roused the Fubarnii slaves to battle. The weapons once made for the Devanu were turned upon them, and the newly formed armies of the Fubarnii drove the Devanu into decline, scattering them to the edges of Anyaral. Within the lifetime of Dimor, almost all the lands currently held by the Empire had been claimed, and the last of the towers destroyed. The Devanu were broken, fighting amongst themselves for scraps and hunted down if they approached the newly formed Fubarnii settlements too closely. All the lands from the coasts of the Gethlon Sea to the dark forests of Naralon, from the Argoran Wastes to the borders of the frozen Setir Mountains were divided up into thirty seven clans, with all the clan leaders showing loyalty to the new Emperor, Dimor.

Since then, every clan has paid its dues to the Empire in the form of goods as well as young jenta who serve as apprentices, learning to govern and protect the Empire. Those that are trained as Knights have always been stationed where they are needed to suppress the Devanu. Every time a Devanu family tribe has grown too strong, it has been the Empire's troops that have moved in and led the local militia against the threat, making an example to any other Devanu who believe that the Empire's lands could once again be theirs

The game of Twilight gives players the opportunity to fight small skirmishes between the denizens of Anyaral, testing the hardy Fubarnii against the desperate and often hungry Devanu.

Rules and scenarios can be downloaded from The World of Twilight .

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.