Wicker Man

Those of you 'tuning in' expecting an homage to 1960s/1970s 'journalist who travels' Alan Whicker - you misspelled Whicker... you forgot the 'h'.

This post instead tips its hat to the seminal 1970s horror masterpiece 'The Wicker Man', which was released almost exactly 50 years to the day that this post was published.*

As part of my side-project, dabbling around in C17th supernatural gaming courtesy of Witchfinder General I keep an eye out for suitable figures.

I came across a wicker man resin figure available from eBay seller Dreamholme Scenics. It always seemed to be out of stock, and only ever 'in stock' when the household budget was a bit tight. Well ,the stars have finally aligned, and I have bought one.

This is one of, if not the best resin casting I have bought. Clean, no bubbles and a perfectly smooth, flat base. The arms are separate, and there is a separate door. Also supplied are two tiny, blink and you'll miss them, magnets.

The model is very clearly modelled upon the titular item from the 50 year old movie (ignore the recent Nicholas Cage remake, it is dreadful). Arms are easily afixed with a blob of superglue. The door is meant to be detachable with the aid of the magnets. I took a convoluted route countersinking the door magnet into the door - I'm sure that the same result can be achieved without needing pin vise action.

If you are unfamiliar with the movie, a wicker man is a pagan/occult effigy in which human sacrifices are placed before the whole thing is set on fire. This also involves some flibbertigibbet, in the movie this part is played by Britt Ekland, dancing around in a state of undress completely unsuitable for the inclement climate of the Scottish Islands.

The model has two sacrificial victims inside - a woman and a goat, who can just about be seen through the door.

The only documented British wicker sacrificial vessels are recorded by Caesar (and a few other Roman chroniclers). Deemed to be part of the druidic tradition, there is a significant argument that the wicker men were merely Roman hyperbole helping promote the wars for civilising the barbarians at the edge of the Empire.

C18th France has a tradition of burning wicker effigies, without human sacrifices though.

So no historical evidence, just pure theatre. No dancing in the bufty here at Château KeepYourPowderDry, the wicker man will make a good scenario objective for my Witchfinder, and some Godly crop eared Puritans.

* this would suggest a prescient level of forward planning; do not be fooled dear readers (who, incidentally, now number nearly 20), incompetence, and a sprinkling of chaos still rule at Château KeepYourPowderDry.

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