The Eyes of The Needle

Long ago, in the lands of Vonder, whispers told of fairy folk who wove wonders from the silks of insects, the threads of worms, and the webs of creatures that crept and crawled across the earth. These artisans were known in hushed reverence as The Needle, and to be gifted one of their creations was to receive a blessing beyond mortal measure.

But calamity befell their realm. Fire and shadow swept across their hidden halls, leaving only a few to flee. Homeless and grief-stricken, the survivors sought refuge among mortal-folk. In a quiet settlement there lived a poor tailor, a man of meager means who eked out his living by mending the garments of others. By fate — or perhaps mischief — The Needle came upon his door. In exchange for shelter, they offered their craft. Though he had little, the tailor welcomed them.

Under his roof, their artistry transformed. The simple repairs brought to the tailor emerged as dazzling works of living art. Word spread quickly: nobles and royals alike flocked to commission garments of impossible beauty. Fortune and fame swelled around the tailor, and with them, his heart grew hard. Where once he had been grateful, he grew demanding. He pressed The Needle to labor endlessly, blind to their exhaustion, deaf to their quiet dissent.

At last, rebellion stirred. To crush it, the tailor turned to forbidden knowledge, acquiring a tome of spells and enchantments. With cruel magicks he bound The Needle, driving them beyond their limits, forcing them toward collapse. One by one, the fairy folk withered, until none remained.

Only then did regret pierce him. Without their gifts, he could not meet the hunger of his wealthy patrons. Desperate, he returned to his tome, seeking to call The Needle back from death. But magic that tampers with what is lost does not restore — it corrupts. From his folly was born an abomination: a single creature, forged from the broken remnants of The Needle, its many eyes congealed upon a monstrous visage.

Filled with wrath, the being turned upon the tailor. With the very tools of his once-humble trade, it ended him.

So faded the name of the tailor, and so too the beauty he had stolen. Few now remember the fairy folk of The Needle, save in warnings whispered still:

Those who seek to exploit the gifts of others should take heed —

 for the Eyes of The Needle are watching.

The seed for The Eyes of the Needle was planted during a conversation with Brian Burke of Von Burke Studios at LegionsCon 2023. We were talking about the incredible talent of soft-goods artist CJesim — whose craftsmanship in tailoring for action figures is unlike anything either of us had ever seen. Half-joking, we wondered aloud if CJ had an army of fairies secretly doing the work for him. CJ laughed and quipped that he actually ran a “fairy sweatshop.” From there, Brian and I spun out an entire tongue-in-cheek story about enslaved fairies, their rebellion, and even their protest chants.

Fast forward to February 2025, when Von Burke Studios released a limited sales drop of Demon 14teen, a demonic head covered in countless eyes. When mine arrived, the phrase “Eyes of the Needle” popped into my head — instantly pulling me back to that whimsical tale of the poor fairies. In that moment, everything clicked. The character’s concept emerged fully formed, stitched together from equal parts admiration for CJ’s artistry, Brian's amazing head sculpt, and the absurd story born from that breakfast conversation at LegionsCon!

• Head: Von Burke Studios Demon 14teen

• Torso: 4H Figura Obscura Father Christmas

• Arms & Legs: 4H Mythic Legions Wal-Torr, The Mad

• Hands, wings, & wing joints: 4H Cosmic Legions Sphexxian Prison Guard

• Feet: 4H Cosmic Legions Mbyra Jmgyra

• Skirt: 4H Cosmic Legions Kanoxx Vull

• Weapons: Plastic sewing needles

• Paints: Apple Barrel acrylics, Vallejo surface primer, Army Painter Speed Paints & War Paint Fanatics Skin tones

• Completion Date: July 2025

Notes:

All Sphexxian figures' wings have a double-wing construction comprised of a large wing connected to a small one. Using a rotary tool these parts were separated so that only the small wings were used in this figure. Female joints from the Sphexxian small arms were modified and attached to the back of the torso so the wings could be connected. Modifications and repairs were finalized using Army Painter Green Stuff.