I posted this story on Eric Noah's boards, but rather than make you jump over there to read it, I've included it here.

On the last day of GenCon, I experienced my personal highlight--the best moment of the convention.

In Living Greyhawk, I play a dwarf with no beard. This is not a character for whom it's easy to find an accurate miniature.

So, I toddle off to the Reaper booth. I talk to Joseph, who helps me pick out a dwarven figure with a (relatively) small beard. He suggests I snip off the beard and use putty to fix anything that needs fixing; then let it dry; and voila! Beardless dwarf mini. He also tells me that the artist who sculpted this particular mini, Sandra Garrity, is sitting right over there. Joseph is sure she'll give me some tips on how to modify the mini.

(Can you guess where this is heading?)

I go over to Sandy and explain my problem. Like many others, she is momentarily surprised at the concept of a dwarf without a beard. I am about to ask for tips on how to do the transformation, when she offers, "I'll do it for you."

Picking my jaw off the floor, I eagerly agree. I chat with her, and she chats with other people who walk by, as she takes her tools and gets to work. First, she snips off the beard with pliers. She does a few other things, too, like filing down (or snipping off) beard parts attached to other parts of the mini. Then she takes some green putty, and begins applying it to the dwarf's mangled face and chest.

(I don't really know her or anything, but I'll keep referring to her as "Sandy" just because Ms. Garrity sounds too formal.)

Sandy asks me what facial expression I want on the dwarf! "Smile or frown?" I go for the frown, since my dwarf is pretty bitter about the whole 'no beard' thing.

When she's done with the face, Sandy asks me what kind of armor I want on him. I say 'chain shirt' because that's what my character wears. She applies the putty, and then shows me how to make the putty into chain mail. She makes it look very easy, and I am actually lulled into enough self-confidence to think that maybe someday I'll try this. Fortunately for now, the artist is doing the work and I am just watching. She finishes up the mini and asks me if it looks all right.

I tell her, once again (for I have said it at least once, if not several times) that this is the highlight of my Con! She then takes care to put the mini in a plastic box (the one used to prop up her table tent), taping it quite securely to the box so it won't fall over and rub against the sides, ruining the putty. She tells how to let it dry and then I can paint it.

Unfortunately, I don't have my camera with me, so I ask if it's o.k. if I come back later to take her picture. She says sure. I leave and return about an hour later.

I took a picture of Sandy with the altered mini. The picture isn't so good, and you can't see the mini because of the flash, but you can see Sandy.

I bought the mini for $2.40 - best thing I bought at GenCon! I went back and bought another one to use for a "Before" image....and then plunked down $25 for a Cthulhu set since I played CoC Friday night for the first time.

Wow. What a way to end a con! Even my non-RPG wife was impressed.

Sandra Garrity, holding the mini she altered for me, at GenCon 2001.

Here's my unique mini, Barendd Nobeard. Originally sculpted by Sandra Garrity, and altered by her at GenCon 2001.

Here'a shot of Repear mini #2052 - Fredrick Ironfist (left), standing next to my one-of-a-kind altered version, Barendd Nobeard. The green putty is kind of distracting, so I can't wait to get him painted so he's not a two-toned Franken-mini.

Another shot of Fredrick Ironfist and Barendd Nobeard.

Barendd Nobeard--painted by Tony Merlock. Obviously, I need to touch up the paint job--he's been a busy little adventurer.

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  Page last updated 30 June 2003