Undead Decorating

Despite moving into my current house nearly three years ago, I have never finished decorating my small office. In truth, I’ve never been much of a decorator, but I thought it was high-time I got a bit of ‘inspirational’ artwork upon the wall. I have started this with my all-time favourite Dragon Magazine cover. (You can see a clearer shot of the artwork here.)

Luckily, I found a copy of the magazine in good condition on ebay for under £5, and ordered up a cheap frame for it as well. I admit, I had some qualms about cutting up a nice copy of a thirty-year-old magazine, but I did it anyway.

I’m actually glad to have the ‘cover’ as opposed to just the artwork, as its connection to Dungeons & Dragons and to the greater hobby gaming genre is part of the appeal to me, and thankfully, most of the text is non-obtrusive.

I don’t know why, specifically, this piece speaks to me, but it always has. The posing on the two figures is just fantastic - the menace as the creature looms over her - the hopelessness of seeing her sword and arrows sticking ineffectually in its armour. And yet… she’s got one arrow left… she’s still got a chance.

Here the cover blurb from inside the magazine:

Daniel Horne said the scene on his cover painting “takes place on a frozen tundra. The sun is setting, the hoar frost is glittering like thousands of pieces of broken glass.” A ranger in the service of the High King has just been attack by the undead remains of one of her old opponents – a frost giant who has waited a long time for this moment of revenge. Having lost her sword and used up her normal arrows, the ranger has a single elven arrow left – from which comes the painting's name: “Saving the Best for Last”.

So, perhaps she has a slightly better chance than I first realized. It all sounds very Rangers of Shadow Deep doesn’t it? Well, all the parts had to come from somewhere.

Anyway, it makes me smile to see it on the wall, which I guess is the point of decorating!