Nyarlathotep… the crawling chaos… I am the last… I will tell the audient void…

For my second submission for Monster May(hem) 2025: I present a classic Grenadier miniature from 1985: Nyarlathotep (also known as the “Spawning Horror” once Grenadier stopped making Call of Cthulhu miniatures). I’ve had this miniature since it was released, so it’s great to free it from my pile of shame!

As you can see, the miniature is sculpted on a long, narrow base. I found a circular base wide enough to mount the miniature with no overhang, but that left a lot of extra space, so I added a few rocky bits with some green stuff before priming. I intended to make this a lava base, as Nyarlathotep, being the Messenger of the Great Old Ones, probably hangs out in inhospitable locales and wouldn’t be bothered all that much by lava.

Then I changed my mind and decided to make it a foul, swampy base, complete with Vallejo Water Effects you somehow can’t see in these pictures, but trust me, they’re there.

There’s a weird part of his back that I didn’t know how to paint, so I decided to make it the “three-lobed burning eye” referenced in Lovecraft’s story The Haunter in the Dark. Trouble was, there is an obvious slit in the middle which makes a “three-lobed eye” look dumb, so I just made it a big eye. Not totally happy with it, but whatever.

Nyarlathotep is the Lovecraftian Outer God that has the most interaction with humans, as he derives pleasure from corrupting and tormenting humanity. He offers forbidden knowledge and eldritch power in exchange for worship and depravity. Nyarlathotep is rumored to have over 1000 forms, including this one, known as the God of the Bloody Tongue, but he’s also happy to take human form as needed.

This miniature is actually pretty small, probably because it’s 25mm scale. If it were made today I’m sure it would be much larger, considering this form of Nyarlathotep is usually about the size of a house.

And finally, here’s a better look at the base. I’m glad I went with swamp over lava, but I’m annoyed my water effects aren’t visible in the pictures.

Monster May(hem) is at the halfway point, and we have some great stuff so far! Check out all our participants and their contributions so far!

• Simon, from Fantorical, has painted some 10mm Xenomorphs;
• Jeremy, from Carrion Crow’s Buffet, is working on a Gingerbread Dragon for his Santa Wars project;
• Dave, from Wargames Terrain Workshop, painted a Dewback, and two Great Gnarlocs he sculpted himself (40K players take heed, you GOTTA see these!);
• Snapfit, from Da Green Horde, has painted a cool Ork Warboss and begun work on…something (you tease, you),
• Matt, from PM Painting
• Jon, from Jon’s Hobby Desk
• Malcolm, @mdcampbell_dunwichcreatives, who has done a Toxic Spirit, from the old Ral Partha Shadowrun line, and a Myconid (Fungus-Man);
• Mike, @sasquatchminis
• James, @spoontasticminis, has begun work on a Tyranid Exocrine, and assures me it will be completed by month’s end (it already looks awesome)
• and Sabrina, @Uthwulfsminis.

Monster May(hem) continues until the end of May. I’m hoping to do at least one more, hopefully two. I’m keeping up with submissions and will post them here as they drop! Thanks to all!