A source for gaming models and accessories that gamers should be aware of is craft stores in general-and craft stores during post-holiday sales in particular. In the first few months of the new year, such stores are eager to dump seasonal stock to make room on their shelves for incoming product, and gamers can benefit as a result.

We recently bought four ceramic buildings at a Michaels craft store from its own "Bethlehem Village" collection (alternately referred to as "Fig Village" pieces on their packaging). These normally retail for $9.99 apiece, but we managed to pick them for just $2.99 apiece! A mere $12 for four models that can serve, alone or with other models, as the basis of a village, ruined fortress, or any number of other things is a deal we were unable to pass up.

These models are eminently suitable for use as generic village buildings, especially those that might be found in a desert environment or as part of a ruin, for a wide variety of roleplaying or tabletop miniatures gaming. My own preference is for the d20/Dungeons & Dragons system, and an examination of these models evoked all sorts of ideas for Hide, Search, Spot, Knowledge, and other skill checks that can be used in conjunction with them during the course of a gaming session. Indeed, lots of nice little details make them especially suitable for fantasy role-playing games, including baskets of fruit, jugs in a variety of sizes, windows with pulled-back curtains, plants, baskets, rugs, trees, broken-out and intact windows, and bas relief trim on some of the walls. There are even holes and a skylight in the roof of the one of the buildings.

Just as importantly as these models nice features is that they do not have any of the holiday details-such as wreaths, candy-canes, snow, or the like-that would make them unsuitable as general gaming props.

Also, three of buildings appear to have been constructed around the remains of 15-foot-square towers, making them ideal for use as the remains of a small, four-towered keep. One of them even has a gate attached to it that can be assumed to have bee the original entrance to such a fortification.

Naturally, these buildings can also perform double duty as part of Christmas or Easter displays, in accordance with their original intent.

A potential downside of these buildings is their ceramic construction, which makes them a bit more delicate than many gaming props. I discovered the hard way that picking them up by any of their thinner pieces is likely to break them. I also learned, however, that they are easily repaired with a bit of household glue.

We cannot find any of these items on the Michaels website, presumably because of their seasonal nature, so we do not know if there are actually more than four in the series. If there are, however, you can be sure we will pick them up-either once they are re-released for the holiday season or after they go on sale following it.