Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Prop Dusting - Wizkids D&D Icons of the Realms Daern's Instant Fortress

My wallet weeps green blood. A fourth costly Wizkids Icons of the Realms show piece has joined the attack, stealing more of my precious and very limited funds. Coming in at a suggested $149 this one also bites deep. As with the others I believe the cost of their product is above what it should be by quite a bit, but they are well made, and I suspect they have to make up in price what they are unlikely to make up in volume.

Large and in charge, Daern's Instant Fortress takes up a 7 x 11 x 7 inch foot print. Like its companion pieces it is scaled for use with the miniatures they produce for D&D. I also buy a ton of their miniatures too.

Accompanied by a 1" cube with Daern's mark on it, the fortress and the cube represent the wondrous magic item of the same name. 


For those unfamiliar, a character places the tiny cube on the ground and speaks a command word. The cube then expands to become the fortress. Characters can use it as a safe place to rest. The magic item can also be used in some instances as a weapon. As it expands, anyone in the way of where it will sit takes a lot of damage. This use can be abused so DMs are advised to think carefully before putting Daern's Instant Fortress into the hands of player characters.

My plans for the fortress include using it to represent a tower in the city of Ptolus along a street known to host the abodes of magic users. Along with other towers of various shapes and sizes it will be in good company.

Unlike the larger The Tower by Wizkids, this one does not break down into useable levels. It was mentioned somewhere that it might function as a dice tower, but until it is in hand that won't be verifiable.

Opening my wallet is like an un-boxing gone wrong. It's empty.







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