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1
Chrono Series Tarot Card Project / XIX. Sun - Lucca w/ Sun Stone
« on: September 16, 2020, 01:05:32 pm »XIX.
SUN:
SUN:
Summary: *Reserved*
Symbolism: "This card is associated with attained knowledge. An infant rides a white horse under the anthropomorphized Sun, with sunflowers in the background. The child of life holds a red flag, representing the blood of renewal while a smiling sun shines down on him, representing accomplishment. The conscious mind prevails over the fears and illusions of the unconscious. Innocence is renewed through discovery, bringing hope for the future. "
(From wikipedia)
Keywords: Brilliant, radiant, vitality, clarity, enlightened, greatness, assurance
Reversed: Poor reasoning, disorder, muddled, unclear, ignorance, cynicism
(From learntarot.com & aeclectic.net)
Description: The Sun is ruled by...the Sun, of course and as the Moon was your inner darkness, the wild, untamed, unconscious part of you, the Sun is your inner light, civilized and rational, yang to yin, Apollo to Diana.
The Sun promises the querent their day in the sun. Glory, triumph, simple pleasures and truths. As the moon symbolized inspiration from dreams, this card symbolizes discoveries made wide awake. This is science and math, beautifully constructed music, carefully reasoned philosophy. It is a card of intellect and youthful energy.
Like the Sun, the querent will likely come across to others as warm and radiant, and they can be told that this is a good time to make decisions and take tests.
Standing for another person, this card can indicate those in the querent's life who are the most level headed and sunny. Also the most youthful. And, yes, the child/children in this card can be taken literally if other cards in the spread seem to suggest it. Your querent can be informed that a wanted and most welcome babe will soon be on the way. Likely a boy, or twins.
(From Aeclectic Tarot)
Fool's Journey: The Fool wakes at dawn from his long, dark night of the soul to find that the river has deposited him in a serene pool. There is a walled garden around this pond dominated by roses, lilies and splendid, nodding sunflowers. Stepping ashore, he watches the sun rise overhead. The day is clear. A child's laughter attracts his attention and he sees a little boy ride a small white pony into the garden.
"Come!" says the little boy, leaping off the horse and running up to him. "Come see!" And the child proceeds to take the Fool's hand and enthusiastically point out all manner of things, the busy insects in the grass, the seeds and petals on the sunflowers, the way the light sparkles on the pond. He asks questions of the Fool, simple but profound ones, like "Why is the sky blue?" He sings songs, and plays games with the Fool.
At one point the Fool stops, blinking up at the Sun so large and golden overhead, and he finds himself smiling, wider and brighter than he has in a very long time. He has been tested and tried, confused and scared, dismayed and amazed. But this is the first time that he has been simply and purely happy. His mind feels illuminated, his soul light and bright as a sunbeam, and it's all thanks to this child with his simple questions, games and songs. This boy has helped the Fool see the world and himself anew.
"Who are you?" the Fool asks the child at last. The child smiles at this and seems to shine. And then he grows brighter and brighter until he turns into pure sunlight.
"I'm You," the boy's voice says throughout the garden, "The new you." And as the words fill the Fool with warmth and energy, he comes to realize that this garden, the sun above, the child, all exist within him. He has just met his own inner light.
(from Aeclectic Tarot)
Feel free to post additional insights into the card, questions, & ideas for the artists to consider!
3
Dream Splash VI - Dream of Zeal [2018] / Children of Clay: War-Cry. [Written Word (Long Form)]
« on: May 14, 2018, 05:27:50 pm »
Since nobody else would even imagine doing this, thought I'd give it a shot. Make sure you grab a drink and relax in order to read this leisurely. I was hoping to hit the 500 words mark, but I overstepped by 94 extra words.
Even though most Chrono fans probably wouldn't think much of the Golems, what with them only serving as comical monsters, I've found myself captivated by them, projecting their significance based on my own fascination with the older source mythology that these golems are based on. And you try to slice them up with Chrono's sword in the game.
But they're not some ordinary monsters. They're alive. They are artificially built sentient creatures, newly born, probably with minds that are very child-like. And yet their purpose was already decided since the day they were born, which is why they were built in the first place.
For what purpose, you say? It's obvious, isn't it? With fears, ambitions and dreams as great as the ones of the citizens of Zeal, there needs to be a soldier to protect it with its life, no questions asked -- whether heroic or cruel, serving under the questionable morality of their master Dalton, they fulfill their duty without hesitation. In their perspective, they're the real heroes of this song.
Imagine this song as a war-cry by Dalton to his little clay warriors. I hope you enjoy it. (Also, this may or may not have something to do with Atash Kedah, but I forget.)
(Note: Though it took me a week to write it, this is just the first draft of the song, so very imperfect, and therefore probably needs some refinements in the future. Critique is still HIGHLY WELCOME, however! I also might wanna get a composer to turn this into an original song, idfk.)
Children of Clay: War-Cry (A Song)
Do you still possess
A resolve that made you whole
When I sculpted you
In the image of my soul?
Chiselled into being,
A monolith of monochrome,
A face in painted hues
Of the place that you call 'home'.
When a kingdom crumbles all afloat
It plucks a calling from the throat,
Engulfed in thousand winters' cold,
A legend, built to remain untold.
Your people's names and their paradigm
Are being lost in the sands of time.
If we hope to reach for paradise
You must make the ultimate sacrifice.
It will take a fall to the sword to make
Someone else's dream come true.
Will you freely give the life
That I've breathed into you?
Will you cast yourself a monster
To do what you must, and to deprive
The lesser men of heaven to keep
The Dream of Zeal alive?
Craters in your flesh, they hate you,
And no calluses will make you
Alabaster.
But no catastrophe can wilt you,
Which is exactly why I built you
As your master.
--------------------
Do you still possess
A resolve that made you whole
When I sculpted you
In the image of my soul?
Chiselled into being,
A monolith of monochrome,
A face in painted hues
Of the place that you call 'home'.
As hell is turning colder,
It is on your rocky shoulder
That you cause the winds to petrify
And lift the kingdom to the sky.
If you fear your failure would mortify
You, then for your kingdom you must deny
The poets of tranquility
To walk along the shores of eternity.
The crimson drums resound for the one
Who stays behind to fight.
The righteous will be tested
Through the turbulence of might.
The Almighty is he
Who braves to kill at will or die.
Make me a little promise
You'll never allow yourself to cry.
The language of crunching bone
Says the spirit in the hollow stone
Is not worth confronting.
You must be more than what you've been,
There are no veins under your skin!
You feel nothing.
Not grief, not pain,
Not guilt, disdain,
You feel nothing.
Not the pain to bleed it out
Not a shadow of the doubt,
Not the conscience of your kin,
Nor the pleading of your sin.
But a furious fist against the flood
That turns a hoard of heads to blood
That stains the gloves.
A fear that failure is unknown
Reveals the heart beneath the stone
And it loves.
It loves.
--------------------
Do you still possess a fragment
Of the heart that made you whole
When I sculpted you
In the image of my soul?
I held you in my arms
When you were yet to grow your teeth.
And now your face is blurred in hues
Of the wounds of defeat.
A killshot arrow trapped in distortion,
You lose sight of your devotion,
Tide of footsteps seize your motion,
There's no grace beneath erosion.
Heaven trembles, but you're unshakeable!
Come the storm, you're a wall, unbreakable!
Blood erupts right through, it's traceable
To what you lose, it's irreplaceable.
Purge yourself of this malady
That erodes your lust for victory
What's the proof of gallantry if not war?
Clashing swords descend,
But death is not the end.
Go tell that to the heavens with a roar.
You're a mortal barrier
With the spirit of a warrior,
So a kingdom stood.
You were born for a purpose
You live only for the service
Of the Greater Good!
Of the Greater Good.
Even though most Chrono fans probably wouldn't think much of the Golems, what with them only serving as comical monsters, I've found myself captivated by them, projecting their significance based on my own fascination with the older source mythology that these golems are based on. And you try to slice them up with Chrono's sword in the game.
But they're not some ordinary monsters. They're alive. They are artificially built sentient creatures, newly born, probably with minds that are very child-like. And yet their purpose was already decided since the day they were born, which is why they were built in the first place.
For what purpose, you say? It's obvious, isn't it? With fears, ambitions and dreams as great as the ones of the citizens of Zeal, there needs to be a soldier to protect it with its life, no questions asked -- whether heroic or cruel, serving under the questionable morality of their master Dalton, they fulfill their duty without hesitation. In their perspective, they're the real heroes of this song.
Imagine this song as a war-cry by Dalton to his little clay warriors. I hope you enjoy it. (Also, this may or may not have something to do with Atash Kedah, but I forget.)
(Note: Though it took me a week to write it, this is just the first draft of the song, so very imperfect, and therefore probably needs some refinements in the future. Critique is still HIGHLY WELCOME, however! I also might wanna get a composer to turn this into an original song, idfk.)
Children of Clay: War-Cry (A Song)
Do you still possess
A resolve that made you whole
When I sculpted you
In the image of my soul?
Chiselled into being,
A monolith of monochrome,
A face in painted hues
Of the place that you call 'home'.
When a kingdom crumbles all afloat
It plucks a calling from the throat,
Engulfed in thousand winters' cold,
A legend, built to remain untold.
Your people's names and their paradigm
Are being lost in the sands of time.
If we hope to reach for paradise
You must make the ultimate sacrifice.
It will take a fall to the sword to make
Someone else's dream come true.
Will you freely give the life
That I've breathed into you?
Will you cast yourself a monster
To do what you must, and to deprive
The lesser men of heaven to keep
The Dream of Zeal alive?
Craters in your flesh, they hate you,
And no calluses will make you
Alabaster.
But no catastrophe can wilt you,
Which is exactly why I built you
As your master.
--------------------
Do you still possess
A resolve that made you whole
When I sculpted you
In the image of my soul?
Chiselled into being,
A monolith of monochrome,
A face in painted hues
Of the place that you call 'home'.
As hell is turning colder,
It is on your rocky shoulder
That you cause the winds to petrify
And lift the kingdom to the sky.
If you fear your failure would mortify
You, then for your kingdom you must deny
The poets of tranquility
To walk along the shores of eternity.
The crimson drums resound for the one
Who stays behind to fight.
The righteous will be tested
Through the turbulence of might.
The Almighty is he
Who braves to kill at will or die.
Make me a little promise
You'll never allow yourself to cry.
The language of crunching bone
Says the spirit in the hollow stone
Is not worth confronting.
You must be more than what you've been,
There are no veins under your skin!
You feel nothing.
Not grief, not pain,
Not guilt, disdain,
You feel nothing.
Not the pain to bleed it out
Not a shadow of the doubt,
Not the conscience of your kin,
Nor the pleading of your sin.
But a furious fist against the flood
That turns a hoard of heads to blood
That stains the gloves.
A fear that failure is unknown
Reveals the heart beneath the stone
And it loves.
It loves.
--------------------
Do you still possess a fragment
Of the heart that made you whole
When I sculpted you
In the image of my soul?
I held you in my arms
When you were yet to grow your teeth.
And now your face is blurred in hues
Of the wounds of defeat.
A killshot arrow trapped in distortion,
You lose sight of your devotion,
Tide of footsteps seize your motion,
There's no grace beneath erosion.
Heaven trembles, but you're unshakeable!
Come the storm, you're a wall, unbreakable!
Blood erupts right through, it's traceable
To what you lose, it's irreplaceable.
Purge yourself of this malady
That erodes your lust for victory
What's the proof of gallantry if not war?
Clashing swords descend,
But death is not the end.
Go tell that to the heavens with a roar.
You're a mortal barrier
With the spirit of a warrior,
So a kingdom stood.
You were born for a purpose
You live only for the service
Of the Greater Good!
Of the Greater Good.
4
Dream Splash VI - Dream of Zeal [2018] / Chrono Punditry [Written Word (Long Form)]
« on: April 30, 2018, 07:43:41 pm »
It's already midnight (more like, 4 in the morning), 1st of May in my timezone. The time has come, and so have I (don't read into it).
What better way to say The Dream of Zeal is alive and revisit the legacy of the franchise than to hear your deeply religious Pundit recount to you the rich tradition of the Chrono history in a way you've never heard before? So sit tight, cross-legged on your Epochs, because you're about to experience some not-so-bumpy jogging-down-the-memory-lane time-travel shenanigans.
------------------------------------
Say, what if Serge, Kid and Magil actually live-streamed their burglary of Viper Manor on Twitch?
We'd probably call them Radical Streamers.
------------------------------------
Did you hear about the time Serge almost drowned? His case very very Termina.
------------------------------------
I try not to have any food or water at Guldove, though.
I'm afraid of getting a bad case of Chief Diarrhea (Direa).
I'll just buy some bottled water instead. Thank you very Macha.
------------------------------------
Do you think Kiki's Dad from Another World ever stresses out over having lost his Mojo?
------------------------------------
The only reason Norris brings a gun to a fist-fight is because his first name isn't Chuck.
------------------------------------
I don't understand why people don't like my new friend.
I find him to be a very Fun-Guy.
Well, some morons keep trying to eat him, but I don't think they'll enjoy him much.
They don't have their seasonings with them. No Solt, no Peppor.
Don't you dare cook cats and Turnips, though. I know what you're up to. I can almost Sneff it.
------------------------------------
Cyrus and Dario have a lot in common, to be honest.
Cyrus is Osiris without Godhood.
Dario is Mario without.... wait a minute. That's not right.
------------------------------------
Refresher for newbies: Janus must not be confused with Janice.
Janus is a ancient wizard boy from a magic kingdom.
Janice is a bunny-girl that clocks you in the head for flirting too much.
------------------------------------
What happened when fans, who were eagerly waiting for a second installment to Chrono Trigger finally got a sequel?
They definitely were Chrono Cross.
....Then again, the two games just stand in a very Starky contrast to each other.
------------------------------------
Radius may be the wise chief of Arni, but when he was a Deva of the Acacia Dragoons, there was a chief who was wiser than him.
His name was Sir Cumference.
------------------------------------
You know, I'd usually blame Lynx, but if Belthasar didn't go so crazy dicking around with an evil fragment of Lavos' shell, everything would be just El Neato.
------------------------------------
How the hell did the ancient Dragonians even acquired the Dragon Tear? Did they forcibly make ancient dragons watch Son of Mask?!
------------------------------------
Riddel me this:
Gaea's Navel
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
------------------------------------
Being fat just makes you round.
Worse still, being Lean.... Square.
------------------------------------
I know the main Guardian city is called Truce, but... Truce between whom?
------------------------------------
Look, I know supervillains and their evil lairs have to have names that are over-the-top, but when I say the Black Omen is over-the-top, I really mean it's over-the-top!
------------------------------------
Is it not ironic to hear that some folks in the bloodline of Zeal find themselves depressed?
That's like saying the IMMORTAL Phoenix died.
------------------------------------
Contrary to popular belief, the Earthbound people aren't cameos from a different Nintendo franchise.
Nor is Queen Zeal a cameo from the same franchise.
Nor is Crono's Mother a cameo from the same franchise.
------------------------------------
Why are Zealians such sanctimonious pricks?
Given where they live, they can't help their high-handedness.
They always have to look down upon the Earthbounds.
Hey, it's either my way or the Skyway.
------------------------------------
Why does Schala give Janus a bath twice-a-day and replaces his deodorant with insect-repellents?
Because Janus has Flea(s).
------------------------------------
Speaking of Flea, do you know why they the Mystic Knights weren't the main characters of the story?
If the were, Chrono Trigger would technically be a Slash fiction.
------------------------------------
Ozzie is full of piss and vinegar.
1) It's easy to piss him off,
2) He's always in a pickle.
------------------------------------
Can the GI Jogger run longer than an old 80s cartoon commercial for American action figures?
------------------------------------
If the Kingdom of Guardia had their own glucose biscuit brand, would it be called Marle-G?
------------------------------------
If Crono was an edgelord Gary Stu, would he even die no matter how much we'd want him to?
Don't know it? Crow-Know it.
------------------------------------
Robo might be the only one among his friends to actually develop sentience, but I wouldn't be surprised if he just decided to Rick Roll with it.
------------------------------------
Yes, Fargo is interested in stealing all of your cargo.
------------------------------------
No, the Harle is probably not a Batman reference.
------------------------------------
No, Magus' vampirism after transcending his humanity is not a JoJo reference.
------------------------------------
Contrary to popular belief, Ayla's Tail Spin tech is not about her watching a 90s cartoon with her friends in the middle of a battle so as to kill her enemy with boredom as if it has nothing else to do.
------------------------------------
Contrary to popular belief, Robo's Mirage Hand weapon does not upgrade him into a street-magician.
Besides, the gimmick is way too obvious.
------------------------------------
Contrary to popular belief, Robo's Cure Beam is not a treatment for Cancer.
------------------------------------
See, the thing about Crono as a protagonist is that he confuses a lot of people...
------------------------------------
Hey, what operating system does Janus run on his home computer?
Alfedora Linux.
------------------------------------
Diplomacy is an essential part of conflict resolution, which -- without diplomacy -- always requires you to show strength. That is why Ayla is a great leader in her own right.
She really knows how to put her best foot forward.
Unfortunately, you can't really say the same for Lucca's mother, though. Heheheh...
Heh heh heh heh heh....
Heh.....
------------------------------------
I want to end on a bit of a sober note here though...
You know the one thing that keeps me awake at night? It's the fact that Glenn lost Cyrus because Magus wanted revenge for his dead family, which makes Glenn want revenge against Magus for his dead best friend. So everybody kills each other because they've lost somebody they loved, and that creates even more people who've lost people they love therefore out for even more vengeance.
All this could have just stopped at any moment, any time, if at least one character made the bold move to stop this cycle of hate. For example...
Why didn't Magus just tell our heroes that he merely summoned, not created, Lavos before the battle?
Well... he had a Frog in his throat.
And Frog is the one who ends up being the bigger man, giving up his hatred and vengeance, and working together with his nemesis to fry a bigger fish.
Feels goooood, maaaaan!
GOOD DAY!
What better way to say The Dream of Zeal is alive and revisit the legacy of the franchise than to hear your deeply religious Pundit recount to you the rich tradition of the Chrono history in a way you've never heard before? So sit tight, cross-legged on your Epochs, because you're about to experience some not-so-bumpy jogging-down-the-memory-lane time-travel shenanigans.
------------------------------------
Say, what if Serge, Kid and Magil actually live-streamed their burglary of Viper Manor on Twitch?
We'd probably call them Radical Streamers.
------------------------------------
Did you hear about the time Serge almost drowned? His case very very Termina.
------------------------------------
I try not to have any food or water at Guldove, though.
I'm afraid of getting a bad case of Chief Diarrhea (Direa).
I'll just buy some bottled water instead. Thank you very Macha.
------------------------------------
Do you think Kiki's Dad from Another World ever stresses out over having lost his Mojo?
------------------------------------
The only reason Norris brings a gun to a fist-fight is because his first name isn't Chuck.
------------------------------------
I don't understand why people don't like my new friend.
I find him to be a very Fun-Guy.
Well, some morons keep trying to eat him, but I don't think they'll enjoy him much.
They don't have their seasonings with them. No Solt, no Peppor.
Don't you dare cook cats and Turnips, though. I know what you're up to. I can almost Sneff it.
------------------------------------
Cyrus and Dario have a lot in common, to be honest.
Cyrus is Osiris without Godhood.
Dario is Mario without.... wait a minute. That's not right.
------------------------------------
Refresher for newbies: Janus must not be confused with Janice.
Janus is a ancient wizard boy from a magic kingdom.
Janice is a bunny-girl that clocks you in the head for flirting too much.
------------------------------------
What happened when fans, who were eagerly waiting for a second installment to Chrono Trigger finally got a sequel?
They definitely were Chrono Cross.
....Then again, the two games just stand in a very Starky contrast to each other.
------------------------------------
Radius may be the wise chief of Arni, but when he was a Deva of the Acacia Dragoons, there was a chief who was wiser than him.
His name was Sir Cumference.
------------------------------------
You know, I'd usually blame Lynx, but if Belthasar didn't go so crazy dicking around with an evil fragment of Lavos' shell, everything would be just El Neato.
------------------------------------
How the hell did the ancient Dragonians even acquired the Dragon Tear? Did they forcibly make ancient dragons watch Son of Mask?!
------------------------------------
Riddel me this:
Gaea's Navel
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
------------------------------------
Being fat just makes you round.
Worse still, being Lean.... Square.
------------------------------------
I know the main Guardian city is called Truce, but... Truce between whom?
------------------------------------
Look, I know supervillains and their evil lairs have to have names that are over-the-top, but when I say the Black Omen is over-the-top, I really mean it's over-the-top!
------------------------------------
Is it not ironic to hear that some folks in the bloodline of Zeal find themselves depressed?
That's like saying the IMMORTAL Phoenix died.
------------------------------------
Contrary to popular belief, the Earthbound people aren't cameos from a different Nintendo franchise.
Nor is Queen Zeal a cameo from the same franchise.
Nor is Crono's Mother a cameo from the same franchise.
------------------------------------
Why are Zealians such sanctimonious pricks?
Given where they live, they can't help their high-handedness.
They always have to look down upon the Earthbounds.
Hey, it's either my way or the Skyway.
------------------------------------
Why does Schala give Janus a bath twice-a-day and replaces his deodorant with insect-repellents?
Because Janus has Flea(s).
------------------------------------
Speaking of Flea, do you know why they the Mystic Knights weren't the main characters of the story?
If the were, Chrono Trigger would technically be a Slash fiction.
------------------------------------
Ozzie is full of piss and vinegar.
1) It's easy to piss him off,
2) He's always in a pickle.
------------------------------------
Can the GI Jogger run longer than an old 80s cartoon commercial for American action figures?
------------------------------------
If the Kingdom of Guardia had their own glucose biscuit brand, would it be called Marle-G?
------------------------------------
If Crono was an edgelord Gary Stu, would he even die no matter how much we'd want him to?
Don't know it? Crow-Know it.
------------------------------------
Robo might be the only one among his friends to actually develop sentience, but I wouldn't be surprised if he just decided to Rick Roll with it.
------------------------------------
Yes, Fargo is interested in stealing all of your cargo.
------------------------------------
No, the Harle is probably not a Batman reference.
------------------------------------
No, Magus' vampirism after transcending his humanity is not a JoJo reference.
------------------------------------
Contrary to popular belief, Ayla's Tail Spin tech is not about her watching a 90s cartoon with her friends in the middle of a battle so as to kill her enemy with boredom as if it has nothing else to do.
------------------------------------
Contrary to popular belief, Robo's Mirage Hand weapon does not upgrade him into a street-magician.
Besides, the gimmick is way too obvious.
------------------------------------
Contrary to popular belief, Robo's Cure Beam is not a treatment for Cancer.
------------------------------------
See, the thing about Crono as a protagonist is that he confuses a lot of people...
------------------------------------
Hey, what operating system does Janus run on his home computer?
Alfedora Linux.
------------------------------------
Diplomacy is an essential part of conflict resolution, which -- without diplomacy -- always requires you to show strength. That is why Ayla is a great leader in her own right.
She really knows how to put her best foot forward.
Unfortunately, you can't really say the same for Lucca's mother, though. Heheheh...
Heh heh heh heh heh....
Heh.....
------------------------------------
I want to end on a bit of a sober note here though...
You know the one thing that keeps me awake at night? It's the fact that Glenn lost Cyrus because Magus wanted revenge for his dead family, which makes Glenn want revenge against Magus for his dead best friend. So everybody kills each other because they've lost somebody they loved, and that creates even more people who've lost people they love therefore out for even more vengeance.
All this could have just stopped at any moment, any time, if at least one character made the bold move to stop this cycle of hate. For example...
Why didn't Magus just tell our heroes that he merely summoned, not created, Lavos before the battle?
Well... he had a Frog in his throat.
And Frog is the one who ends up being the bigger man, giving up his hatred and vengeance, and working together with his nemesis to fry a bigger fish.
Feels goooood, maaaaan!
GOOD DAY!
5
General Discussion / Go ahead and take a look.
« on: April 14, 2018, 01:03:14 pm »
EDIT: Feel free to use this thread to showcase your own work or project that is unrelated to the Chrono series.
It's been a while since I came to the forums, so I wanna toot my own horn for a bit.
If you guys know me well, you'd also know I have a terrible track-record with my head in the clouds, thinking up cool ideas but never actualizing them fully due to realizing too late just what a mammoth of a task I've put myself into -- you know, basic foolish things that kids do.
While I've finished many minor commercial projects before, and did it well, this particular one changed all that for me: It taught me to summon more will-power than I could possibly have to push through the ordeal, and also realize that (sometimes) it's far better to stab your own perfectionism in the eye to make sure the commitment gets FULFILLED, no matter how much you care about quality.
Of course, this resulted in a lot of short-comings that woudln't exist if I had more time and money to not only hire others but also fix things myself. I could definitely do better, given the many flaws I've noticed in this project even before wrapping up.
But this is still most ambitious commercial project I've ever taken AND finished. This is something I've always wanted to do, even if the story isn't my own. This is something I did all on my own, with my own bare hands, with no outside assistance. On top of that, I've satisfied my client. And I'm proud of that.
So with all the cringy theatrical intro out of the way, let me present you with my best work yet: An animation for Rona, The Legend of the Kodiaks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzAadkVShug
Feel free to roast me in the thread. P.S.: Did you spot the JoJo reference?
It's been a while since I came to the forums, so I wanna toot my own horn for a bit.
If you guys know me well, you'd also know I have a terrible track-record with my head in the clouds, thinking up cool ideas but never actualizing them fully due to realizing too late just what a mammoth of a task I've put myself into -- you know, basic foolish things that kids do.
While I've finished many minor commercial projects before, and did it well, this particular one changed all that for me: It taught me to summon more will-power than I could possibly have to push through the ordeal, and also realize that (sometimes) it's far better to stab your own perfectionism in the eye to make sure the commitment gets FULFILLED, no matter how much you care about quality.
Of course, this resulted in a lot of short-comings that woudln't exist if I had more time and money to not only hire others but also fix things myself. I could definitely do better, given the many flaws I've noticed in this project even before wrapping up.
But this is still most ambitious commercial project I've ever taken AND finished. This is something I've always wanted to do, even if the story isn't my own. This is something I did all on my own, with my own bare hands, with no outside assistance. On top of that, I've satisfied my client. And I'm proud of that.
So with all the cringy theatrical intro out of the way, let me present you with my best work yet: An animation for Rona, The Legend of the Kodiaks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzAadkVShug
Feel free to roast me in the thread. P.S.: Did you spot the JoJo reference?
6
Dream Splash V - Middle Ages [2012] / Windmaedchen's Art
« on: February 12, 2013, 03:18:58 am »
You remember her, right? She made that German Magus art.
Here are her Dream Splash entries, considering she doesn't have an account here:
Here are her Dream Splash entries, considering she doesn't have an account here:
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Dream Splash V - Middle Ages [2012] / Contract of Shadows -- A Diary Long Forgotten
« on: January 20, 2013, 09:24:43 pm »
(NOTE: The following is inspired by the events of Crimson Echoes at the founding of Guardia. This is a couple of years old, as I intended it to be part of a great project, although I made 20% more changes on this to allow you to view it in all its glory. But kudos to those who can trace references to my last year's Dream Splash entry.
Each "line" separates pages and topics written each day or week. This is because, in Medina, Sermis loses track of time due as "Time" hardly exists for the Mystics. Meaning, beyond that line, every "page" is written in a new day or week, but the chronology is uncertain.)
Medina, 10 AG (After Guardia).
Having suffered the great losses in war against the Guardian Empire, we hoped that another tragedy was not for us to bare. Unfortunately, fate can be cruel for those without power, and Sermis grew to seek at as he gained more knowledge. He may have been an incredibly curious and passionate minds out there, but he was no genius; for in his pursuit, he accidentally set off a horrid curse that decimated the entirety of Medinan population by 20%. His decade-worth of research also perished in the fires he caused.
The name "Sermis" may not ring a bell to you, unfortunately, as he has indeed been long forgotten by the streams of time itself. He was one who worked under the tutelage of Anteus of Porre, when the leader opposed the conquest of the great Cedric of Guardia, and fled to Medina when Porre fell, never to be seen again.
This book diary is the only last remaining essence of his work past; though burned and mostly unreadable, it is crucial that it remains, for the Moon Goddess of Medina holds a prophecy that a time will come when the Knight of Vanity, he who arms himself in beauty, will change our very fates, holding this very book as the key. And until then, I hope you can guard this with your life!
-- Grieving the Curse of Fleabane,
Yours Truly, Homer.
The Contract of Shadows
~By Sermis of Porre
I whole heartedly confess that I keep several diaries of my research, visions and life, but this one would be my prized possession.
As we know, our tribes have been striving greatly for survival over the ages of frost, but somehow I have a feeling these ages are coming to an end. For good or for worst, I do not know. But cultivation of crops below land could expand, provided the soil above being fertile for agriculture and thus putting an end to pastoral wanderings. Some creatures other than us have managed to adapt to their frozen environs and live peacefully without a threat other than famines, though their fears may come to an end eventually. Regrettably, due to famine alone we were ones to feed upon their meat.
We humans placed our arms together to protect the younger from cold so they may survive to see a better future, and a future has come. At the cost of my ancestors our hardships are rewarded and we shall pass the trial of the gods and prove that our existence is worth everything. Together we rose and together we shall create a utopia.
Apparently our leaders had different views of the so called "utopia".
When two men Cambyses and Cedric stumbled upon ancient ruins of a forgotten kingdom their ideals changed. For Cambyses, I am unsure what has changed much of him as people talk, but I can say he changed for the better. However, Cedric began to crave power and wealth above all else. Truly, he wished his wife to see an ocean of gold at her feet and all law at her will, but her highness Anne Guardia considered less of Cedric’s ambitions; all she wanted was to have her followers living peacefully in a kingdom of righteousness.
But Cedric forced the other tribes and Kingdoms to submit to him, going so far as to wage war against them. Our leader Annteus was fearless and stood a lion in battle for the sake of all mankind and fiendkind. Of course, for he could not hold Cedric on his own, I was appointed to gather help from the folks of Medina who were also threatened by Guardia, and they sent their troops for backup generously.
I have a grave news to confess that the outcome was inevitable: Porre was defeated and conquered.
Apparently Cedric was backed by Divine Retribution, or so they say, and whoever refused to follow him perished. Not even a bone or tooth was spared for a proper funeral of his enemies. They say it took form of a strange fire, frozen in time, and it burned Anteus away in a blink of an eye. However, I believe that such a power cannot be holy, especially at the hands of such a ruthless dictator. I refused to submit to his power, nor did I want to perish like many of my Porrean, and thus fled with some of my comrades to the safe haven of Medina, despite knowing that it shall not be haven for long.
How we survived in the strange, brittle rafts across the sea is anyone's guess... But we fared better than our leader, who perished against the Flame.
Medina was rich with culture and traditions, but certainly not of the humans. The population was high, yet it was not as prosperous as it should have been. Some traditions were horrifying in the eyes of any human being, yet in its own way it was so beautiful that words were not enough to describe it. There were several diverse tribes with differing views, religion and customs, and many feared and despised humans such as us. But the Raubian Elder and his followers weren’t so hostile and welcomed us with open arms.
The tribe of the Raubi were not entirely generous, but were not so cruel to their guests either. They were pale yellow in skin and grew wrinkles at an early age (which was considered as a sign of beauty to them). Their arms and legs were short, but their bodies being round and heavy compared to any human, as heavy as spheres of iron weighing tons. They certainly were selfish and greedy, always thinking of themselves, but their hospitality is remarkable, and they treat everyone, every specie, as a family. Alas, their numbers were declining compared to the rest, which was a shame as they held untold wisdom of the past.
After hearing the sad news of their brethren in war, it was obvious to know what their response was. At times I was filled with guilt and thought I should never have requested Medina's alliance. But could I have given up hope and left our leader to die on his own? Yet my overwhelming anger blamed one person entirely, that one man who was responsible for all this while the others lay helpless.
While our stay, me, Ronald, Owen and Homer repaid them for their hospitality by helping them in almost every way we could, though this was made difficult due to the language barriers between us and the Raubian (although I tend to think it was an "accent barrier", which correlates with their biological inability, in turn explaining why our "Earlobe" and "Adurab", along with grammar, are so similar; the Raubian were familiar with nearly every language existing). Perhaps that was why the Rabian folks were dedicated to animal farming and agriculture than dark tribal magic, for the fear of mispronunciation and lack of control when it came to dealing with contracts with the shadows. Eventually, I took interest in the way of life of the other tribes in Medina and stumbled upon the Shamans.
At first we did not believe in magic, for there have been mild fairytales of it which was never real in the first place. But I was not the one to judge that, because I have seen Cedric’s Divine Retribution with my own eyes. However, Owen took this too lightly and often brought the Shamans’ anger upon our necks. Somehow we managed to come to peaceful relations and I swore to Owen if he does it again I would personally see to it that he’d never be alive to eat the Medinan Special Frog and Stinkworm stew (which, admittedly, we weren't too fond of, yet had no choice if we wished to survive).
As it followed, Owen was not the only one who had problems with the Mystic customs.
Apparently the Naga had captured a woman, whom they called a Guardian Royalty, even though she looked more like a village commoner to me. It was clear that the Mystics could never see the differences between human beings much other than some. The poor woman was to be used as a sacrifice in order to summon a Demon from the other side, and her screams of mercy were ignored. My dear friend Ronald could not watch this go any further and stole her away. The Naga had assumed we were siding with Cedric. Then I tried to convince them that it wasn’t so and that I’d take responsibility of my friend and his chosen wife. Of course, Ronald was against this, but if he were to escape unharmed by the Naga he had to follow my lead.
Romilda was the name of the woman, and eventually she and Ronald fell in love. But alas that is another story.
Honestly speaking, I too was against the “body sacrificial” ceremony for certain traditions, but some Mystics were happy to volunteer as if it was a divine duty, even though their end was just as bad as a human’s. We were hardly in any position to judge, no matter how rational and civilized we thought our views were, and now matter how much we grieved over dying lifeforms. Sometimes it was difficult to understand how their minds operated, but not all Mystics were as fearsome. In fact, I began studying into the Mystic folklores and Magic to understand more and find a better solution to things.
I began my uncountable days in Medina by making use of my presence. This, I accomplished by studying under the Shamans to learn more of their culture.
Despite much evidence of existence to such lores, the Fiendkind believe in them with all their hearts. However, none of us has ever managed to find out if the stories were true or the origins were accurately described or manipulated. But among several Gods and Demons, an interesting figure that stands is Gladus, the Goddess of the Moon. There, it seems, all of fiend-kind's powers are drawn from.
They say that the first Mystic Kabal was born at Gladus’ feet who gave them life, the ability to witness and speak of her beauty. She was as fair as the moon herself, and her garments were elegant, suitable for the gods. She wore a bright tiara that blinded many with its dazzling color, and her divine feet made the lands holy with each step. Those with faith towards the Goddess of the Moon would have everything they desired and all the happiness in the world at their disposal. She cared for all Mystics and would save them.
Though sometimes somethings happen that cannot be undone, and there are certain cruel things that must be done. It is hard to understand the complexity of this Goddess’s morals, neither has anyone been able to speak to her directly recently, other than Kabal which was known to exist thousands of years ago. But the faith towards this Goddess stands strong, and the Mystics worship her at every Full Moon, when most of their hidden powers and savagery within awaken. And only a fortunate Shaman is known to communicate with such a great spirit.
Another story depicts her uniting with the God of Destruction known as Lavos in order to smite the angels and the Garden of Heaven for endangering the Mystic kind where one of the betraying angels known as Mar threw them off the Paradise they were born in. Regrettably, there are many versions of this story, all differing between the several tribes of Medinan culture. Which one is true is hard to tell. But regardless, they have similar faith towards the Goddess altogether.
Learning about Lavos the past couple of days eventually made me want to pursue the deity next.
Lavos is either often praised or feared for one meaning alone – Destruction. Not much is known about this deity other than the fact that he is the destroyer of all civilization. Many different references are made of Lavos, such as in the Ogre tribe, where he punished a race of angels with annihilation for craving the power of the Gods. In another version of the story, he actually helped Gladus destroy the Kingdom of Heaven because the angels had wronged the Mystics. Rumors claim that one day he shall rise again and take away with him yet another race with destruction in his wake.
The appearance of Lavos seems odd in the Mystic culture. Paintings and stories depict him being a bald Cyclops with a large purple eye, and jaws so strong it could crunch its way through mountains. He wore odd jewelries that do not seem to exist in the world, and limbs that are perfect in almost every way. Some even claim that one wave of his hand alone can destroy time and kingdoms. Indeed, despite the enigma, there is no question why he should not be feared.
And yet plenty of doubt if he even exists.
Some Shamans believe that when we dream our soul, or conscience, fades into an eternal and timeless sea of dreams called Zurvan where our origins unite temporarily with the stream of life we were born from. It is said that when we die before we unite into the stream once more the animals inhabiting the planet purify our souls. To which, the Raubi Farmers enthusiastically had this to say:
“Adu dibu bajina bom Buu dand emb bom Buu!”
A kind Imp by the name Hez translated it as, “All life begins from Nu and ends from Nu.” I was curious to know who or what this Nu was and guessed it was another name for Zurvan in the Mystic, but ironically as I set my eyes upon the paintings and descriptions in the older texts, it was a creature the size of a human, and yet was not human, with hands falling as if boneless where its ears should be, eyes the size of a human face and mouth horrifyingly huge within which all souls of the universe are inhaled with one breath, and exhaled with another. Its neck or torso was nowhere to be found; yet it had small pair of legs, making me wonder how it carried such weight.
Till this day there hasn’t been any story about Nu that I am aware of, but despite that the folks of Medina believe in the myth wholeheartedly.
Majin/Asura – The God/Sea of Sins/Shadows
Similar to the Zurvan there is another sea of conscience known as the Shadow Realm, the Sea of Arcmyst where evil (or as some tribes put it, "conscious energy") spirits of death unite, moving freely and chaotically. Apparently, it is unknown what or how those spirits have come into being, but it is assumed that when a person dies with sin and hatred, or stronger love and vices, in its heart striving to live, that soul does not achieve purification in Purgatory and thus begins to haunt the living or joins the Sea of Arcmyst.
Unlike the Zurvan, all the spirits that enter this Realm retain their identity with the power of True Name, and at the same time, like the Zurvan, they unite into one powerful and sentient conscience called Majin, or Arcmysyt. The leader of the Mystic tribes collectively is called "Maoh", or Magus, meaning "Lord of the Fiends"; they Mystics believe that he always represents the conscious energies of Arcmyst, and hence possesses a divine right.
Arcmyst is regarded as a God of Demons and a darker side, an obvious counterpart, of Nu. Everything regarding it are either just as vague as Nu or more. He seems not to have an appearance. Yet it is said that Majin is responsible for everything evil and that he is the bringer of war, suffering, sins or plague if things go wrong, and supreme rebellious energy if things need to be right. Some say he has a throne within the Caverns of Skulls, and some others say that he possesses 666 Satanic Generals under his will, each controlling a legion of Demons.
Which is why the Shamans encourage the folks of Medina to have the doors and windows of their houses made with Rosewood, having Silver and Iron at many places, using Bellflower incense at dusk, paint their houses Blue and Green, and various other caution to ward off evil spirits. They cover their children’s belly button with cloth lest the Raigen, the Djinn of Thunder, harbor their essences, and keep stakes of Rosewood in case of an encounter with a Shadow Beast.
Ironically, substances such as Silver and Garlic that they use to ward off evil spirits are also substances that are injurious to some Mystics, the reasons to which are unknown. And yet the practices continue.
Days passed, and famine made us weak. Eventually, we took to hunting with the fellow Mystics. There, we learned of something interesting.
Afiorius, the Demon of Pride, is considered satanic, and yet a symbol of Pride for all fiend-kind. In the Great Bible of Gladus (a holy book written by Saint Kabal at the end of his life), it was said that a Tribe of the Tropics, once blessed by the great flames of the Sun and granted the means to live, were given one wish, to which they decided to live for the forests they grow beyond the glaciers and separating themselves from the world alone. Despite their love for their land they became weaker, but they remained loyal to the Sun.
But the divine Sun was forgiving, and was born among the tribe a noble prophet with the head of a fox. He preached and prayed, and taught his brethren the ways to survive. But unfortunately, as he prayed, Alfiorius sidetracked his prayers and tricked the Fox-headed priest. The demon, which boasted his might above all living things, taught his people to hunt, brought them meat, made them strong, but in return he wished to devour the divine forest.
But then came the Lord, the father or Gladus, with his angels of retribution, and sealed the evil within an enchanted ring, and blessed the Tribe once again. They may not have been granted their forests back, but the tribe was granted to keep the gift of the hunt. And ever since then, hunting became a divine act for the Mystics.
A quick addendum. Many seem to refer to a strange "Fury of Akasha", or "Cataclysm".
I have yet not figured out who or what this Akasha may be, but the origins of the word refer to sky. And as such, whenever the term Fury of Akasha is used in the Great Bible of Gladus, it always suggests divine retribution from the sky. Such as, the burning of the sky that set the Tropical Forest ablaze, or God Lavos’s retribution which rained destruction from the heavens upon the fallen angels.
As famines raged, the fiendkind grew to cower even more. Some say they have seen the shadow of a strange hunter. The shadow... of Dullahan – The Harbinger of Death.
Dullahan is a legendary demon of death, as recorded by the Ruabi Wisdom. He appears to travel in a headless dark horse and carries his own head in his arm, while holding a massive sword in another arm. Not all are able to see him, but when someone does his death is inevitably nigh. Apparently a winged deity with the face of a rabbit defeated him. But despite that, Dullahan was never killed.
He possesses a legion of demonic hounds that hunt for souls at midnight, and is known to bring rocks, gargoyles and statues to life, but that may merely be a myth.
Digging deeper into the roots of the Winged Deity who conquered death, he apparently was associated with one more vital character: Fleabane – The Angel of Wisdom
Fleabane, or Phadibun as they say in the Raubi dialect, had a kind heart who served to Gladus loyally. When she heard of the traitor Adamus, the demon of lies, she immediately sailed to find Lily, but to no avail. Upon that time, she met the Three Sages of Wisdom, Wind and Wish, who guided her to pray to the stars and call out Lilith. And pray she did for several nights till the Goddess, who blessed her by creating Death with which Fleabane could bring down the demons of Adamus as she danced, answered her prayers.
But she was despaired with such a power, for she was never meant to kill; her purpose was to protect her beloved and nothing else. But the lord claimed that without death there is no meaning or love to life, to whose words she obeyed loyally.
However, the blessing often came with a curse, the curse of Death upon blessed them. But Fleabane was special, and she was protected from death due to her kind, compassionate, heroic and caring heart. And for her courage and love towards her kingdom, she was rewarded with riches and happiness, which she shared with everyone she met, for everyone deserved a piece of happiness.
The more I know, the darker everything seems to get around me. And, for the first time, I sense a strange light of hope in our direction, no matter how fearsome it may seem.
An important figure emerges in the Mystic folklore: Lilith, the Goddess of Death. As much as Gladus was a beloved one that created Life, then Lilith was the darker counterpart who created Death, one that was most feared by the Mystics. When enquired about the ancient legend from the Raubi tribe, their pronunciation confused me with the words such as Didai (Lilly) and Didit (Lilith), but I managed to catch on with the help of the other tribes, and am most grateful towards Diablo Tribe for further information since much of the accuracy were lost in the past. Another word that was not familiar to the Diablo Tribe but appeared in the Rabi was Phadibun (pronounced Fa-di-ba-nn in the Rabi dialect). I had no choice but to assume it was actually called Fleabane.
Apparently, there were many Gods (about 14, I can imagine) in different kingdoms of Heaven deciding who would rule the world with the Fire of the Star. Some Gods generously elected on another, but some were selfish and wanted the Fire for their own gain, and this brought out war.
They say that this fire of the star bestows untold upon the wielder. Some say it assumes the form of a flame, frozen in time. Could that be.... what Emperor Cedric possessed?
From the Garden of Adamus, the wife of the God Notre-daam, the great foreseer, the God of Future, named Lilly bore a son and wished he’d him to unite the Gods to glory one day. But Adamus, the Prince of Lies, asked Lilly to speak one lie which would make them rule the world below. Lilly chose not to speak of such lie that would make others suffer. And because of her denial, she was sent beyond the farthest reaches of the sky, away from her beloved child. But even then, she swore for vengeance, and Notre-daam prophesied that so long is there hatred and sin, and the hunger for power, the Goddess of Death shall rise.
But that is not to say that Lilly was weak, but rather she believed in the future of her son. Nevertheless, hatred took over her and she wanted nothing but suffering to her traitors.
Eventually, an angel by the name Fleabane (or Phadibun) approached the Goddess Lilly and felt her sorrow. She wished to avenge her and bring havoc upon her enemies. The Goddess had transformed into Lilith and granted Fleabane the power of Curse of Death, the creation of the end. Fleabane was a woman of elegant style, and she danced to her victory throughout. Each swoop of her leg or swinging of her arms brought death to the Gods of Adamus. Soon, Fleabane was granted victory and Gladus ascended the throne to spread light to the world.
Could it be... that the Flame Cedric carries has a weakness? That light could be extinguished by a greater shadow?
Years passed as I learned of the strange sigils and macrocosms, and the many words of enchantments. I've studied under the Shamans to learn of the various methods of Shadow Summoning, and the divine prayer of the Moon. So far, my efforts have yielded nothing but minute smokes (although many Naga seemed to insist that these are hidden Dream Creatures that simple eyes like mine cannot see).
I was told to read further, and only practice on summoning and binding shadows of lesser levels. But I cannot live so long already... If this Lilith is the answer, then I must seek her by all means necessary. If I fail, I could at least prove that she does not exist.
So I spend time creating elemental barriers, lighting incenses. The conjuncts and syntax of spells are ready for the ------------- perfect replica of -------------- the darker summoning. I only fear that ----------------------------- still may remain lethal. If I were to survive, I hope someone does find this. This is all I -----------------------------------
*The rest of the text is blackened and burned*
Quick note to Homer:
Writing this as fast as I can. If you find this, be sure to send it back to the Raubi clan, and insist on not having it touched by anyone else. At all. Human beings are not worthy of such knowledge, at least for now. And I'm not sure what doohickey Sermis has been on to, but he's... dead.
The details are vague and the cause unknown, but the Ogre Chief says that some "Great Curse of Fleabane" was unleashed, a plague so catastrophic, a storm so endangering, that it destroyed the lives of nearly every Fiend in the vicinity, as well as destroying houses as if a hurricane hit. Sermis was one of the casualties, though the details of his death are strange -- instead of sickness, his body has decayed, flesh bitten and slashed by a scythe, and head lying several feet away from its body.
In any case, I always thought this ordeal was idiotic. It's about time we return to Porre and surrender to Guardia. But heed me carefully: not a word must be spoken about Sermis. Remember, he never existed, and you never knew him.
Also, talk to the Chief about more details. Apparently their fictional Goddess has a prophecy (yeah, right).
-- Yours sincerely, Owen.
Tushant's Notes
1) The "Garden of Heaven" is actually the "Kingdom of Zeal".
2) The Zealian "Mar" is actually "Marius Bendar". It's been so long since I've written this that I actually forgot who "Marius" is, although I vaguely remember it being from FaustWolf's "Fata Morgana" series.
3) Regarding the "Tribe of the Tropics": They are actually the Shikari Clan from ZeaLitY's "Alphard and Demeria", and FaustWolf's "Fata Morgana", and played moderate role in Pre-Zeal Wars (Atash Kedah).
Fox was an artist who convinced the clan leaders that defense was essential nevertheless, lest they watch their own annihilation helplessly. Together with six hunters, Fox was able to summon an Ifrit named Alfiorius and charged him for the protection of their clan. The Ifrit, who was born of Pride, was a perfect being, perfect spiritually, physically and mentally, and thus became a symbol of Perfection and Pride to the Shikari. However, King Zeal sealed the vicious demon within his ring, used it for the Atash Kedah and burned the forests of the Shikari, later beheading Fox. Eventually, the Shikari reformed their culture of being at the top of the food chain by becoming the perfect hunters of Earth and Shadows alike.
4) As familiar as Dullahan is to the Western world, in Medina apparently it was referenced to something else, as I began to plot Atash Kedah further.
Dal-Hun was the Grandfather of Dalton who was one of the most feared soldiers of Zeal in the Pre-Zeal wars. He created the ability to craft and bring Golems to life and to be used in battle. He carried a massive sword known as the Executioner, and controlled an army of demonic beasts, upon which he rode (he chose new ones on each battle). Whenever he was appeared in the battlefield, the deaths of all his enemies were considered inevitable, and thus he became a cursed sight. However, he was later slain by a hero named Grahm from the El-Grande family, the rider of a Pegasus, but unfortunately had teeth that resembled a rabbit’s. Grahm slashed apart the heads of both Dal-Hun and his horse Nightmare, but despite that, Dal-Hun did not die, and simply carried his head in his arm and fought Grahm. Though, with the help of re-enforcements, Dal-Hun was defeated.
5) Other than her loyalty towards the King of Zeal, all the theories about Phoebe (Fleabane) in Mystic Wisdom are entirely untrue. She was indeed one of the more knowledgeable magicians (Atash Kedah, which you can read in last year's Dream Splash), earning her the title “Angel of Wisdom”, but she was ruthless and power hungry at heart, only seeking the rich pleasures of High Class. She abhorred the commoners and Earthbounds, taking every opportunity to skip away from anything dealing with them. Of course, with her abilities the King favored her, and with her rise to Seneschal she forced the Zeal historians to rewrite the history of the wars, making her an avatar of justice and heroism. Ironically, CT's Queen Zeal didn’t exist in Phoebe’s time.
6) The Three Sages of Wisdom, Wind and Wish are actually the Three Gurus: Reason, Time and Life. Norstein Bekkler's own great grandfather was the Guru of Life who researched into the improvement of magical ability among the Royal Families who possess the capabilities, and also the ways to interact with four of the ten Lights of the universe (including the "Shadow Realms", from which the Shadow Beasts and Dream Creatures could be invoked, and hence the creation of Masa and Mune).
7) Fleabane's Prayer is actually the Zealian art of Shadow Summoning, which the Mystics go on to use in the Mystic Wars of 600 AG, where Ozzie resurrects Zombor.
Each "line" separates pages and topics written each day or week. This is because, in Medina, Sermis loses track of time due as "Time" hardly exists for the Mystics. Meaning, beyond that line, every "page" is written in a new day or week, but the chronology is uncertain.)
Medina, 10 AG (After Guardia).
Having suffered the great losses in war against the Guardian Empire, we hoped that another tragedy was not for us to bare. Unfortunately, fate can be cruel for those without power, and Sermis grew to seek at as he gained more knowledge. He may have been an incredibly curious and passionate minds out there, but he was no genius; for in his pursuit, he accidentally set off a horrid curse that decimated the entirety of Medinan population by 20%. His decade-worth of research also perished in the fires he caused.
The name "Sermis" may not ring a bell to you, unfortunately, as he has indeed been long forgotten by the streams of time itself. He was one who worked under the tutelage of Anteus of Porre, when the leader opposed the conquest of the great Cedric of Guardia, and fled to Medina when Porre fell, never to be seen again.
This book diary is the only last remaining essence of his work past; though burned and mostly unreadable, it is crucial that it remains, for the Moon Goddess of Medina holds a prophecy that a time will come when the Knight of Vanity, he who arms himself in beauty, will change our very fates, holding this very book as the key. And until then, I hope you can guard this with your life!
-- Grieving the Curse of Fleabane,
Yours Truly, Homer.
The Contract of Shadows
~By Sermis of Porre
I whole heartedly confess that I keep several diaries of my research, visions and life, but this one would be my prized possession.
As we know, our tribes have been striving greatly for survival over the ages of frost, but somehow I have a feeling these ages are coming to an end. For good or for worst, I do not know. But cultivation of crops below land could expand, provided the soil above being fertile for agriculture and thus putting an end to pastoral wanderings. Some creatures other than us have managed to adapt to their frozen environs and live peacefully without a threat other than famines, though their fears may come to an end eventually. Regrettably, due to famine alone we were ones to feed upon their meat.
We humans placed our arms together to protect the younger from cold so they may survive to see a better future, and a future has come. At the cost of my ancestors our hardships are rewarded and we shall pass the trial of the gods and prove that our existence is worth everything. Together we rose and together we shall create a utopia.
Apparently our leaders had different views of the so called "utopia".
When two men Cambyses and Cedric stumbled upon ancient ruins of a forgotten kingdom their ideals changed. For Cambyses, I am unsure what has changed much of him as people talk, but I can say he changed for the better. However, Cedric began to crave power and wealth above all else. Truly, he wished his wife to see an ocean of gold at her feet and all law at her will, but her highness Anne Guardia considered less of Cedric’s ambitions; all she wanted was to have her followers living peacefully in a kingdom of righteousness.
But Cedric forced the other tribes and Kingdoms to submit to him, going so far as to wage war against them. Our leader Annteus was fearless and stood a lion in battle for the sake of all mankind and fiendkind. Of course, for he could not hold Cedric on his own, I was appointed to gather help from the folks of Medina who were also threatened by Guardia, and they sent their troops for backup generously.
I have a grave news to confess that the outcome was inevitable: Porre was defeated and conquered.
Apparently Cedric was backed by Divine Retribution, or so they say, and whoever refused to follow him perished. Not even a bone or tooth was spared for a proper funeral of his enemies. They say it took form of a strange fire, frozen in time, and it burned Anteus away in a blink of an eye. However, I believe that such a power cannot be holy, especially at the hands of such a ruthless dictator. I refused to submit to his power, nor did I want to perish like many of my Porrean, and thus fled with some of my comrades to the safe haven of Medina, despite knowing that it shall not be haven for long.
How we survived in the strange, brittle rafts across the sea is anyone's guess... But we fared better than our leader, who perished against the Flame.
Medina was rich with culture and traditions, but certainly not of the humans. The population was high, yet it was not as prosperous as it should have been. Some traditions were horrifying in the eyes of any human being, yet in its own way it was so beautiful that words were not enough to describe it. There were several diverse tribes with differing views, religion and customs, and many feared and despised humans such as us. But the Raubian Elder and his followers weren’t so hostile and welcomed us with open arms.
The tribe of the Raubi were not entirely generous, but were not so cruel to their guests either. They were pale yellow in skin and grew wrinkles at an early age (which was considered as a sign of beauty to them). Their arms and legs were short, but their bodies being round and heavy compared to any human, as heavy as spheres of iron weighing tons. They certainly were selfish and greedy, always thinking of themselves, but their hospitality is remarkable, and they treat everyone, every specie, as a family. Alas, their numbers were declining compared to the rest, which was a shame as they held untold wisdom of the past.
After hearing the sad news of their brethren in war, it was obvious to know what their response was. At times I was filled with guilt and thought I should never have requested Medina's alliance. But could I have given up hope and left our leader to die on his own? Yet my overwhelming anger blamed one person entirely, that one man who was responsible for all this while the others lay helpless.
While our stay, me, Ronald, Owen and Homer repaid them for their hospitality by helping them in almost every way we could, though this was made difficult due to the language barriers between us and the Raubian (although I tend to think it was an "accent barrier", which correlates with their biological inability, in turn explaining why our "Earlobe" and "Adurab", along with grammar, are so similar; the Raubian were familiar with nearly every language existing). Perhaps that was why the Rabian folks were dedicated to animal farming and agriculture than dark tribal magic, for the fear of mispronunciation and lack of control when it came to dealing with contracts with the shadows. Eventually, I took interest in the way of life of the other tribes in Medina and stumbled upon the Shamans.
At first we did not believe in magic, for there have been mild fairytales of it which was never real in the first place. But I was not the one to judge that, because I have seen Cedric’s Divine Retribution with my own eyes. However, Owen took this too lightly and often brought the Shamans’ anger upon our necks. Somehow we managed to come to peaceful relations and I swore to Owen if he does it again I would personally see to it that he’d never be alive to eat the Medinan Special Frog and Stinkworm stew (which, admittedly, we weren't too fond of, yet had no choice if we wished to survive).
As it followed, Owen was not the only one who had problems with the Mystic customs.
Apparently the Naga had captured a woman, whom they called a Guardian Royalty, even though she looked more like a village commoner to me. It was clear that the Mystics could never see the differences between human beings much other than some. The poor woman was to be used as a sacrifice in order to summon a Demon from the other side, and her screams of mercy were ignored. My dear friend Ronald could not watch this go any further and stole her away. The Naga had assumed we were siding with Cedric. Then I tried to convince them that it wasn’t so and that I’d take responsibility of my friend and his chosen wife. Of course, Ronald was against this, but if he were to escape unharmed by the Naga he had to follow my lead.
Romilda was the name of the woman, and eventually she and Ronald fell in love. But alas that is another story.
Honestly speaking, I too was against the “body sacrificial” ceremony for certain traditions, but some Mystics were happy to volunteer as if it was a divine duty, even though their end was just as bad as a human’s. We were hardly in any position to judge, no matter how rational and civilized we thought our views were, and now matter how much we grieved over dying lifeforms. Sometimes it was difficult to understand how their minds operated, but not all Mystics were as fearsome. In fact, I began studying into the Mystic folklores and Magic to understand more and find a better solution to things.
I began my uncountable days in Medina by making use of my presence. This, I accomplished by studying under the Shamans to learn more of their culture.
Despite much evidence of existence to such lores, the Fiendkind believe in them with all their hearts. However, none of us has ever managed to find out if the stories were true or the origins were accurately described or manipulated. But among several Gods and Demons, an interesting figure that stands is Gladus, the Goddess of the Moon. There, it seems, all of fiend-kind's powers are drawn from.
They say that the first Mystic Kabal was born at Gladus’ feet who gave them life, the ability to witness and speak of her beauty. She was as fair as the moon herself, and her garments were elegant, suitable for the gods. She wore a bright tiara that blinded many with its dazzling color, and her divine feet made the lands holy with each step. Those with faith towards the Goddess of the Moon would have everything they desired and all the happiness in the world at their disposal. She cared for all Mystics and would save them.
Though sometimes somethings happen that cannot be undone, and there are certain cruel things that must be done. It is hard to understand the complexity of this Goddess’s morals, neither has anyone been able to speak to her directly recently, other than Kabal which was known to exist thousands of years ago. But the faith towards this Goddess stands strong, and the Mystics worship her at every Full Moon, when most of their hidden powers and savagery within awaken. And only a fortunate Shaman is known to communicate with such a great spirit.
Another story depicts her uniting with the God of Destruction known as Lavos in order to smite the angels and the Garden of Heaven for endangering the Mystic kind where one of the betraying angels known as Mar threw them off the Paradise they were born in. Regrettably, there are many versions of this story, all differing between the several tribes of Medinan culture. Which one is true is hard to tell. But regardless, they have similar faith towards the Goddess altogether.
Learning about Lavos the past couple of days eventually made me want to pursue the deity next.
Lavos is either often praised or feared for one meaning alone – Destruction. Not much is known about this deity other than the fact that he is the destroyer of all civilization. Many different references are made of Lavos, such as in the Ogre tribe, where he punished a race of angels with annihilation for craving the power of the Gods. In another version of the story, he actually helped Gladus destroy the Kingdom of Heaven because the angels had wronged the Mystics. Rumors claim that one day he shall rise again and take away with him yet another race with destruction in his wake.
The appearance of Lavos seems odd in the Mystic culture. Paintings and stories depict him being a bald Cyclops with a large purple eye, and jaws so strong it could crunch its way through mountains. He wore odd jewelries that do not seem to exist in the world, and limbs that are perfect in almost every way. Some even claim that one wave of his hand alone can destroy time and kingdoms. Indeed, despite the enigma, there is no question why he should not be feared.
And yet plenty of doubt if he even exists.
Some Shamans believe that when we dream our soul, or conscience, fades into an eternal and timeless sea of dreams called Zurvan where our origins unite temporarily with the stream of life we were born from. It is said that when we die before we unite into the stream once more the animals inhabiting the planet purify our souls. To which, the Raubi Farmers enthusiastically had this to say:
“Adu dibu bajina bom Buu dand emb bom Buu!”
A kind Imp by the name Hez translated it as, “All life begins from Nu and ends from Nu.” I was curious to know who or what this Nu was and guessed it was another name for Zurvan in the Mystic, but ironically as I set my eyes upon the paintings and descriptions in the older texts, it was a creature the size of a human, and yet was not human, with hands falling as if boneless where its ears should be, eyes the size of a human face and mouth horrifyingly huge within which all souls of the universe are inhaled with one breath, and exhaled with another. Its neck or torso was nowhere to be found; yet it had small pair of legs, making me wonder how it carried such weight.
Till this day there hasn’t been any story about Nu that I am aware of, but despite that the folks of Medina believe in the myth wholeheartedly.
Majin/Asura – The God/Sea of Sins/Shadows
Similar to the Zurvan there is another sea of conscience known as the Shadow Realm, the Sea of Arcmyst where evil (or as some tribes put it, "conscious energy") spirits of death unite, moving freely and chaotically. Apparently, it is unknown what or how those spirits have come into being, but it is assumed that when a person dies with sin and hatred, or stronger love and vices, in its heart striving to live, that soul does not achieve purification in Purgatory and thus begins to haunt the living or joins the Sea of Arcmyst.
Unlike the Zurvan, all the spirits that enter this Realm retain their identity with the power of True Name, and at the same time, like the Zurvan, they unite into one powerful and sentient conscience called Majin, or Arcmysyt. The leader of the Mystic tribes collectively is called "Maoh", or Magus, meaning "Lord of the Fiends"; they Mystics believe that he always represents the conscious energies of Arcmyst, and hence possesses a divine right.
Arcmyst is regarded as a God of Demons and a darker side, an obvious counterpart, of Nu. Everything regarding it are either just as vague as Nu or more. He seems not to have an appearance. Yet it is said that Majin is responsible for everything evil and that he is the bringer of war, suffering, sins or plague if things go wrong, and supreme rebellious energy if things need to be right. Some say he has a throne within the Caverns of Skulls, and some others say that he possesses 666 Satanic Generals under his will, each controlling a legion of Demons.
Which is why the Shamans encourage the folks of Medina to have the doors and windows of their houses made with Rosewood, having Silver and Iron at many places, using Bellflower incense at dusk, paint their houses Blue and Green, and various other caution to ward off evil spirits. They cover their children’s belly button with cloth lest the Raigen, the Djinn of Thunder, harbor their essences, and keep stakes of Rosewood in case of an encounter with a Shadow Beast.
Ironically, substances such as Silver and Garlic that they use to ward off evil spirits are also substances that are injurious to some Mystics, the reasons to which are unknown. And yet the practices continue.
Days passed, and famine made us weak. Eventually, we took to hunting with the fellow Mystics. There, we learned of something interesting.
Afiorius, the Demon of Pride, is considered satanic, and yet a symbol of Pride for all fiend-kind. In the Great Bible of Gladus (a holy book written by Saint Kabal at the end of his life), it was said that a Tribe of the Tropics, once blessed by the great flames of the Sun and granted the means to live, were given one wish, to which they decided to live for the forests they grow beyond the glaciers and separating themselves from the world alone. Despite their love for their land they became weaker, but they remained loyal to the Sun.
But the divine Sun was forgiving, and was born among the tribe a noble prophet with the head of a fox. He preached and prayed, and taught his brethren the ways to survive. But unfortunately, as he prayed, Alfiorius sidetracked his prayers and tricked the Fox-headed priest. The demon, which boasted his might above all living things, taught his people to hunt, brought them meat, made them strong, but in return he wished to devour the divine forest.
But then came the Lord, the father or Gladus, with his angels of retribution, and sealed the evil within an enchanted ring, and blessed the Tribe once again. They may not have been granted their forests back, but the tribe was granted to keep the gift of the hunt. And ever since then, hunting became a divine act for the Mystics.
A quick addendum. Many seem to refer to a strange "Fury of Akasha", or "Cataclysm".
I have yet not figured out who or what this Akasha may be, but the origins of the word refer to sky. And as such, whenever the term Fury of Akasha is used in the Great Bible of Gladus, it always suggests divine retribution from the sky. Such as, the burning of the sky that set the Tropical Forest ablaze, or God Lavos’s retribution which rained destruction from the heavens upon the fallen angels.
As famines raged, the fiendkind grew to cower even more. Some say they have seen the shadow of a strange hunter. The shadow... of Dullahan – The Harbinger of Death.
Dullahan is a legendary demon of death, as recorded by the Ruabi Wisdom. He appears to travel in a headless dark horse and carries his own head in his arm, while holding a massive sword in another arm. Not all are able to see him, but when someone does his death is inevitably nigh. Apparently a winged deity with the face of a rabbit defeated him. But despite that, Dullahan was never killed.
He possesses a legion of demonic hounds that hunt for souls at midnight, and is known to bring rocks, gargoyles and statues to life, but that may merely be a myth.
Digging deeper into the roots of the Winged Deity who conquered death, he apparently was associated with one more vital character: Fleabane – The Angel of Wisdom
Fleabane, or Phadibun as they say in the Raubi dialect, had a kind heart who served to Gladus loyally. When she heard of the traitor Adamus, the demon of lies, she immediately sailed to find Lily, but to no avail. Upon that time, she met the Three Sages of Wisdom, Wind and Wish, who guided her to pray to the stars and call out Lilith. And pray she did for several nights till the Goddess, who blessed her by creating Death with which Fleabane could bring down the demons of Adamus as she danced, answered her prayers.
But she was despaired with such a power, for she was never meant to kill; her purpose was to protect her beloved and nothing else. But the lord claimed that without death there is no meaning or love to life, to whose words she obeyed loyally.
However, the blessing often came with a curse, the curse of Death upon blessed them. But Fleabane was special, and she was protected from death due to her kind, compassionate, heroic and caring heart. And for her courage and love towards her kingdom, she was rewarded with riches and happiness, which she shared with everyone she met, for everyone deserved a piece of happiness.
The more I know, the darker everything seems to get around me. And, for the first time, I sense a strange light of hope in our direction, no matter how fearsome it may seem.
An important figure emerges in the Mystic folklore: Lilith, the Goddess of Death. As much as Gladus was a beloved one that created Life, then Lilith was the darker counterpart who created Death, one that was most feared by the Mystics. When enquired about the ancient legend from the Raubi tribe, their pronunciation confused me with the words such as Didai (Lilly) and Didit (Lilith), but I managed to catch on with the help of the other tribes, and am most grateful towards Diablo Tribe for further information since much of the accuracy were lost in the past. Another word that was not familiar to the Diablo Tribe but appeared in the Rabi was Phadibun (pronounced Fa-di-ba-nn in the Rabi dialect). I had no choice but to assume it was actually called Fleabane.
Apparently, there were many Gods (about 14, I can imagine) in different kingdoms of Heaven deciding who would rule the world with the Fire of the Star. Some Gods generously elected on another, but some were selfish and wanted the Fire for their own gain, and this brought out war.
They say that this fire of the star bestows untold upon the wielder. Some say it assumes the form of a flame, frozen in time. Could that be.... what Emperor Cedric possessed?
From the Garden of Adamus, the wife of the God Notre-daam, the great foreseer, the God of Future, named Lilly bore a son and wished he’d him to unite the Gods to glory one day. But Adamus, the Prince of Lies, asked Lilly to speak one lie which would make them rule the world below. Lilly chose not to speak of such lie that would make others suffer. And because of her denial, she was sent beyond the farthest reaches of the sky, away from her beloved child. But even then, she swore for vengeance, and Notre-daam prophesied that so long is there hatred and sin, and the hunger for power, the Goddess of Death shall rise.
But that is not to say that Lilly was weak, but rather she believed in the future of her son. Nevertheless, hatred took over her and she wanted nothing but suffering to her traitors.
Eventually, an angel by the name Fleabane (or Phadibun) approached the Goddess Lilly and felt her sorrow. She wished to avenge her and bring havoc upon her enemies. The Goddess had transformed into Lilith and granted Fleabane the power of Curse of Death, the creation of the end. Fleabane was a woman of elegant style, and she danced to her victory throughout. Each swoop of her leg or swinging of her arms brought death to the Gods of Adamus. Soon, Fleabane was granted victory and Gladus ascended the throne to spread light to the world.
Could it be... that the Flame Cedric carries has a weakness? That light could be extinguished by a greater shadow?
Years passed as I learned of the strange sigils and macrocosms, and the many words of enchantments. I've studied under the Shamans to learn of the various methods of Shadow Summoning, and the divine prayer of the Moon. So far, my efforts have yielded nothing but minute smokes (although many Naga seemed to insist that these are hidden Dream Creatures that simple eyes like mine cannot see).
I was told to read further, and only practice on summoning and binding shadows of lesser levels. But I cannot live so long already... If this Lilith is the answer, then I must seek her by all means necessary. If I fail, I could at least prove that she does not exist.
So I spend time creating elemental barriers, lighting incenses. The conjuncts and syntax of spells are ready for the ------------- perfect replica of -------------- the darker summoning. I only fear that ----------------------------- still may remain lethal. If I were to survive, I hope someone does find this. This is all I -----------------------------------
*The rest of the text is blackened and burned*
Quick note to Homer:
Writing this as fast as I can. If you find this, be sure to send it back to the Raubi clan, and insist on not having it touched by anyone else. At all. Human beings are not worthy of such knowledge, at least for now. And I'm not sure what doohickey Sermis has been on to, but he's... dead.
The details are vague and the cause unknown, but the Ogre Chief says that some "Great Curse of Fleabane" was unleashed, a plague so catastrophic, a storm so endangering, that it destroyed the lives of nearly every Fiend in the vicinity, as well as destroying houses as if a hurricane hit. Sermis was one of the casualties, though the details of his death are strange -- instead of sickness, his body has decayed, flesh bitten and slashed by a scythe, and head lying several feet away from its body.
In any case, I always thought this ordeal was idiotic. It's about time we return to Porre and surrender to Guardia. But heed me carefully: not a word must be spoken about Sermis. Remember, he never existed, and you never knew him.
Also, talk to the Chief about more details. Apparently their fictional Goddess has a prophecy (yeah, right).
-- Yours sincerely, Owen.
Tushant's Notes
1) The "Garden of Heaven" is actually the "Kingdom of Zeal".
2) The Zealian "Mar" is actually "Marius Bendar". It's been so long since I've written this that I actually forgot who "Marius" is, although I vaguely remember it being from FaustWolf's "Fata Morgana" series.
3) Regarding the "Tribe of the Tropics": They are actually the Shikari Clan from ZeaLitY's "Alphard and Demeria", and FaustWolf's "Fata Morgana", and played moderate role in Pre-Zeal Wars (Atash Kedah).
Fox was an artist who convinced the clan leaders that defense was essential nevertheless, lest they watch their own annihilation helplessly. Together with six hunters, Fox was able to summon an Ifrit named Alfiorius and charged him for the protection of their clan. The Ifrit, who was born of Pride, was a perfect being, perfect spiritually, physically and mentally, and thus became a symbol of Perfection and Pride to the Shikari. However, King Zeal sealed the vicious demon within his ring, used it for the Atash Kedah and burned the forests of the Shikari, later beheading Fox. Eventually, the Shikari reformed their culture of being at the top of the food chain by becoming the perfect hunters of Earth and Shadows alike.
4) As familiar as Dullahan is to the Western world, in Medina apparently it was referenced to something else, as I began to plot Atash Kedah further.
Dal-Hun was the Grandfather of Dalton who was one of the most feared soldiers of Zeal in the Pre-Zeal wars. He created the ability to craft and bring Golems to life and to be used in battle. He carried a massive sword known as the Executioner, and controlled an army of demonic beasts, upon which he rode (he chose new ones on each battle). Whenever he was appeared in the battlefield, the deaths of all his enemies were considered inevitable, and thus he became a cursed sight. However, he was later slain by a hero named Grahm from the El-Grande family, the rider of a Pegasus, but unfortunately had teeth that resembled a rabbit’s. Grahm slashed apart the heads of both Dal-Hun and his horse Nightmare, but despite that, Dal-Hun did not die, and simply carried his head in his arm and fought Grahm. Though, with the help of re-enforcements, Dal-Hun was defeated.
5) Other than her loyalty towards the King of Zeal, all the theories about Phoebe (Fleabane) in Mystic Wisdom are entirely untrue. She was indeed one of the more knowledgeable magicians (Atash Kedah, which you can read in last year's Dream Splash), earning her the title “Angel of Wisdom”, but she was ruthless and power hungry at heart, only seeking the rich pleasures of High Class. She abhorred the commoners and Earthbounds, taking every opportunity to skip away from anything dealing with them. Of course, with her abilities the King favored her, and with her rise to Seneschal she forced the Zeal historians to rewrite the history of the wars, making her an avatar of justice and heroism. Ironically, CT's Queen Zeal didn’t exist in Phoebe’s time.
6) The Three Sages of Wisdom, Wind and Wish are actually the Three Gurus: Reason, Time and Life. Norstein Bekkler's own great grandfather was the Guru of Life who researched into the improvement of magical ability among the Royal Families who possess the capabilities, and also the ways to interact with four of the ten Lights of the universe (including the "Shadow Realms", from which the Shadow Beasts and Dream Creatures could be invoked, and hence the creation of Masa and Mune).
7) Fleabane's Prayer is actually the Zealian art of Shadow Summoning, which the Mystics go on to use in the Mystic Wars of 600 AG, where Ozzie resurrects Zombor.
8
Fan Art / German Magus -- Western-style Concept Art
« on: January 19, 2013, 12:37:36 pm »
We've had plenty of "anime-styled" CT art (since it was officially created by an anime artist), but how many Western-inspired CT illustrations are there?
Windmaedchen is an artist from dA who is currently pursuing her Masters degree in animation, and is the creator of the hit Detective-genre mobile game called Stride Files, which is bound to have a sequel or too eventually. Her art is praised in the industry due to its elegant, analytic and detailed style, and she's primarily good at concept illustrations of characters. With the skills she possesses and the meticulous studies she has conducted, there is hardly a thing she can't do (hell, she even taught me sculpting)! Check out her gallery here.
So, recently for over months I've asked her to play Chrono Trigger for sheer amusement, and she found herself hooked once she reached Zeal. She was drawn to Magus' ordeals, and loved the character so much it dominated her mind. So, reaching Black Omen (but before finishing it), she desired to create a better, more realistic and detailed concept art of Magus, which could easily be used for Animations, Games and even Cosplays. And now that she's done, I thought I'd share it here, because she's a bit shy about registering.
Behold, here comes the German Fiend Lord!
Windmaedchen is an artist from dA who is currently pursuing her Masters degree in animation, and is the creator of the hit Detective-genre mobile game called Stride Files, which is bound to have a sequel or too eventually. Her art is praised in the industry due to its elegant, analytic and detailed style, and she's primarily good at concept illustrations of characters. With the skills she possesses and the meticulous studies she has conducted, there is hardly a thing she can't do (hell, she even taught me sculpting)! Check out her gallery here.
So, recently for over months I've asked her to play Chrono Trigger for sheer amusement, and she found herself hooked once she reached Zeal. She was drawn to Magus' ordeals, and loved the character so much it dominated her mind. So, reaching Black Omen (but before finishing it), she desired to create a better, more realistic and detailed concept art of Magus, which could easily be used for Animations, Games and even Cosplays. And now that she's done, I thought I'd share it here, because she's a bit shy about registering.
Behold, here comes the German Fiend Lord!
9
General Discussion / Building a Heaven in Hell's Despair
« on: December 29, 2012, 11:22:37 am »
Posted this in my LJ, but thought I'd post here too, and also on my Wordpress poetry blog (probably as a poetry).
As utunnels referenced earlier, plenty of misdeeds result from humanity's rigid beliefs in superstition. Superstition even forces many to hinder each other's cognitive development. However, I'm one of the few who also believes that superstition, at least a healthy amount of it, can also be a boon.
While everyone's out partying for the coming of the new year, knowing well the "end of the world" of 2012 was merely a hoax, I must mention -- without intending to endorse any more ill-will from the superstition -- that the hoax indeed gives us an opportunity to think about the brighter side of the last remaining days we have, if the rumours were true.
Think about it: You may have made plenty of plans of your life and world for the coming year. But what if that year never did come? What if the world were to end by the end of the last night? What if this was your last day to live? In many cases, many people would frantically go on to satisfy themselves as much as possible, but I ask you: will that self-satisfaction matter by the time end arrives? Consumption has a purpose beyond uplifting the sensory data to your mind, and that is fulfilling your body's needs, and when your body is already stable there simply is no need to consume more than necessary, whether the end is nigh or not.
But what is necessary is to reflect on the self-promises you may have made either recently or long time ago. An example would be the claim of altruism only when you have the "time and resources" to do so. Did you really mean that? Or was it because, deep in your heart, you never intended to embrace another warmly? Your claims that you cannot help another when your own woes keep you busy, but what makes your woes any different from those who suffer all the same, whether less or more? On the other hand, this last day would give you the opportunity to do something you never thought you ever could:
It is to do something good, the one last chance you have, before everything is gone.
This 30th of December, the universe is with you, so make that day count. Walk out that door and soak in the world as if you're seeing it for the first and last time. Look at every tree and building, listen to every cat, dog and pigeon, smell the freshly baked goods from the nearby bakery, feel the winds against your hair as you run down the sidewalk, brace your body to the lengths you've never allowed it to go through. Appreciate the existence of everything, and how and why they began existing in the first place.
And more importantly, smile! Smile, and hug someone random, tell them how much they matter. Make them a coffee! Bring them flowers! Run alongside the butterflies, and play soccer with the homeless. Buy a treat for the hungry, and teach alphabets to the poor kids who can't afford education. Explain the purpose of empathy and compassion to nearly everyone. Write a poetry! Sculpt a universe. Paint a painting brush! Eradicate hatred and prejudices resulting from differences. Dance with races and sexes not your own. Think about the books you'd like to read, but read something entirely opposite (that is, if you love to read fantasy novels, go read ancient historic texts or thesis of alchemy instead). Watch something outrageously horrible and claim you can make something better; then MAKE SOMETHING BETTER AND SHOW IT TO THE WORLD!
You can also open up a booth with as a "free service" to hear everyone's problems for the new year, whether they appreciate an advice or not. Build a gadget (probably a super-sentient robot?). Learn the art of Graffiti (without actually damaging properties you don't own). Attempting to take on Michael Jordon in Basketball (okay, maybe not). Play a violin horribly, and learn from it as random people kick you out again! Settle neighbourhood feuds by offering your body for them to punch endlessly. Form your own Detective agency, and employ the Baker Street Irregulars!
But more importantly, make this day the BEST you can, not only for yourself but also for all those around you. You'll know it's been great when not one soul you pass would not have a smile. If they're still blank or frowning, go make their day!
Once you're done by midnight, the moment you glance out the window by then you'll notice that the world DID end after all. At least the dreary and mundane world you knew before. Because, the new world that begins at 2013 would be the kind of world you helped create.
As utunnels referenced earlier, plenty of misdeeds result from humanity's rigid beliefs in superstition. Superstition even forces many to hinder each other's cognitive development. However, I'm one of the few who also believes that superstition, at least a healthy amount of it, can also be a boon.
While everyone's out partying for the coming of the new year, knowing well the "end of the world" of 2012 was merely a hoax, I must mention -- without intending to endorse any more ill-will from the superstition -- that the hoax indeed gives us an opportunity to think about the brighter side of the last remaining days we have, if the rumours were true.
Think about it: You may have made plenty of plans of your life and world for the coming year. But what if that year never did come? What if the world were to end by the end of the last night? What if this was your last day to live? In many cases, many people would frantically go on to satisfy themselves as much as possible, but I ask you: will that self-satisfaction matter by the time end arrives? Consumption has a purpose beyond uplifting the sensory data to your mind, and that is fulfilling your body's needs, and when your body is already stable there simply is no need to consume more than necessary, whether the end is nigh or not.
But what is necessary is to reflect on the self-promises you may have made either recently or long time ago. An example would be the claim of altruism only when you have the "time and resources" to do so. Did you really mean that? Or was it because, deep in your heart, you never intended to embrace another warmly? Your claims that you cannot help another when your own woes keep you busy, but what makes your woes any different from those who suffer all the same, whether less or more? On the other hand, this last day would give you the opportunity to do something you never thought you ever could:
It is to do something good, the one last chance you have, before everything is gone.
This 30th of December, the universe is with you, so make that day count. Walk out that door and soak in the world as if you're seeing it for the first and last time. Look at every tree and building, listen to every cat, dog and pigeon, smell the freshly baked goods from the nearby bakery, feel the winds against your hair as you run down the sidewalk, brace your body to the lengths you've never allowed it to go through. Appreciate the existence of everything, and how and why they began existing in the first place.
And more importantly, smile! Smile, and hug someone random, tell them how much they matter. Make them a coffee! Bring them flowers! Run alongside the butterflies, and play soccer with the homeless. Buy a treat for the hungry, and teach alphabets to the poor kids who can't afford education. Explain the purpose of empathy and compassion to nearly everyone. Write a poetry! Sculpt a universe. Paint a painting brush! Eradicate hatred and prejudices resulting from differences. Dance with races and sexes not your own. Think about the books you'd like to read, but read something entirely opposite (that is, if you love to read fantasy novels, go read ancient historic texts or thesis of alchemy instead). Watch something outrageously horrible and claim you can make something better; then MAKE SOMETHING BETTER AND SHOW IT TO THE WORLD!
You can also open up a booth with as a "free service" to hear everyone's problems for the new year, whether they appreciate an advice or not. Build a gadget (probably a super-sentient robot?). Learn the art of Graffiti (without actually damaging properties you don't own). Attempting to take on Michael Jordon in Basketball (okay, maybe not). Play a violin horribly, and learn from it as random people kick you out again! Settle neighbourhood feuds by offering your body for them to punch endlessly. Form your own Detective agency, and employ the Baker Street Irregulars!
But more importantly, make this day the BEST you can, not only for yourself but also for all those around you. You'll know it's been great when not one soul you pass would not have a smile. If they're still blank or frowning, go make their day!
Once you're done by midnight, the moment you glance out the window by then you'll notice that the world DID end after all. At least the dreary and mundane world you knew before. Because, the new world that begins at 2013 would be the kind of world you helped create.
10
Fan Art / Speedpaint: Radical Dreamers -- Pollon
« on: November 22, 2012, 09:40:15 pm »
Esmeld isn't the ONLY Goblin Commander in Viper Manor. Meet Pollon, the Green Terror (terrier?), the guy in-charge of the Manor's security, he who devised the Sunflower incident, (supposedly) helped Lynx destroy the Viper Manor inhabitants, has weird weapon-naming tendencies, flirts with (and kills) minors, tragedy lover, and most importantly he's a Harle prototype. (Yes, Radical Dreamers also had a harlequin with a French accent)
I try to see behind the goblins, searching for that strangely familiar voice, the one that sounded just like the sunflower's. However, all I can make out is some sort of strange psychedelic light, emanating from behind the troupe. The light seems to be coming from a figure, whoever (or whatever) it is. As he makes his way through the crowd, I finally get a good look at him. His hairstyle reminds me of a tall green chimney, and his red and green pinstriped costume is like that of a harlequin. An over-the-top, long purple cape drags behind him as he approaches me.
"Ah, monsieur... you are mademoiselle Kid's friend, non? I do not believe we have met. Bonsoir, Je m'appelle Pollon. T'roughout ze world, I am known as `Ze Green Terreur'. Perhapz you have heard of moi, non?"
This is my gift to utunnels. A speed-paint on Krita. I know, Pollon has red stripes on his costume, but I was lazy. But you know what this means, right? I'm the FIRST FAN EVER to draw / paint BOTH the Goblin Commanders from RD!
(Fun fact: when utunnels and I were working on RDFZ beat em up game, Pollon was intended to be one of the three primary antagonists, showing up in every stage, being the second last boss of the final Viper Manor stage.)
*Looks at the art; could have been better. Needs more practice. Bleh...*
I try to see behind the goblins, searching for that strangely familiar voice, the one that sounded just like the sunflower's. However, all I can make out is some sort of strange psychedelic light, emanating from behind the troupe. The light seems to be coming from a figure, whoever (or whatever) it is. As he makes his way through the crowd, I finally get a good look at him. His hairstyle reminds me of a tall green chimney, and his red and green pinstriped costume is like that of a harlequin. An over-the-top, long purple cape drags behind him as he approaches me.
"Ah, monsieur... you are mademoiselle Kid's friend, non? I do not believe we have met. Bonsoir, Je m'appelle Pollon. T'roughout ze world, I am known as `Ze Green Terreur'. Perhapz you have heard of moi, non?"
This is my gift to utunnels. A speed-paint on Krita. I know, Pollon has red stripes on his costume, but I was lazy.
But you know what this means, right? I'm the FIRST FAN EVER to draw / paint BOTH the Goblin Commanders from RD! (Fun fact: when utunnels and I were working on RDFZ beat em up game, Pollon was intended to be one of the three primary antagonists, showing up in every stage, being the second last boss of the final Viper Manor stage.)
*Looks at the art; could have been better. Needs more practice. Bleh...*
11
Dream Splash V - Middle Ages [2012] / Fleabane -- Origin of Flea, the Sky Djinni
« on: November 18, 2012, 12:45:46 pm »
~~~ Index ~~~
Prologue
Chapter 1 -- The Foundation of Guardia
Chapter 2 -- Ulfus the Steadfast
Chapter 3 -- Falco De Faye
Chapter 4 -- The Morning Star
Chapter 5 -- The Greatest Adversary
Chapter 6 -- The Lion's Dream
Chapter 7 -- Worth Fighting For (Part 1)
Chapter 8 -- Worth Fighting For (Part 2)
Chapter 9 -- A Sealed Fate
~~~ Introduction ~~~
Considering there’s just no way for me to even finish the damned NaNoWriMo this year (I’ve lost before I even started, I think) I’m going to take Thought and TheMage’s advise and prepare myself to break my writer’s block and focus on developing skills to write on command. Hence, the Dream Splash instead (apparently, I can procrastinate on writing by... writing). And I’m doing this amidst constant distractions, so it doesn’t seem to help sufficiently -- loss of focus is one of the most devastating side-effects to boundless benign curiosity.
I refuse to think that the Fleabane project has been abandoned -- the remains will be scavenged and forged into an even more epic story of its own -- but for the amount of work we’ve already put into, I believe it’s time to actually benefit the Chrono fandom with it. The saga of Flea itself was massive enough to make two movies, or an entire game, on it and it’d be a waste to allow it to float towards oblivion just yet. If you remember, my last year’s Dream Splash entry was a back-story of not only Zeal’s origins but also that of Flea’s (supposed) archenemy, the infamous Lilith from Radical Dreamers. And even before that, the Chrono Break Dream Splash project entailed the saga of Flea’s initial incarnation duking it out against Guardia’s founder himself (well, at least just the first part of it anyway). This time, I will once and for all, though briefly, narrate to you the very concept and foundation of the story -- it's time you know the whole story. And, very much like my previous entry last year, this too will be a total stream-poetic and / or mythical narrative without much editing (and my girlfriend says it's pretty, like a picture with lots of details and flowers).
The following story is a medieval saga beginning from the midst of Crimson Echoes -- where Cedric Guardia found the Frozen Flame and dreamed of unifying all of humanity under one kingdom, where his reign is supreme -- and ends with the coming of Janus, who is eventually destined to become the great Magus, ruler of the Fiendkind. But despite the interesting roster of new and old characters, the entire story focuses around the one character who is scarcely explored in fan-fiction: Flea. For a decade now people have been contemplating on who or what Flea is. We are greeted to a woman who turns out to be a man; we are shown a Fiend who might be even above all other Fiends. Once utunnels even pointed that Flea seemed to be associated with a "Magic Lamp" (like an Arabic fairy tale Djinni) and that he can shape-shift and perform beyond any other Fiend (like a Familiar, which is similar to a Djinn). It then became obvious that there is more to the character than meets the eye, and our constant research and contemplation (with my mind greatly experienced in world folk-lore, sorcery and mythology), we eventually reached the conclusion that, like Lilith, Flea is hardly an ordinary born Fiend-turned-transvestite; rather, if Demons, Ghouls and Spirits exist in Chronoverse (and they very well do) then, based on older Arabic reference, Flea would be categorized as a Fire Djinni and Lilith would be a Wind Shaitan (or something else entirely). Flea was born of Hubris, whereas Lilith was born of Grief. In that case, it's only logical that Dalton is one of the most powerful characters in Zeal, considering his Golems were historical symbols of opposition against spirits of nearly every kind (except Marids and higher levels).
So now we know that Flea is far from an ordinary character, and may simply be a super-sentient master of Magic. How did such an interesting character come into being? Well, let's read and find out!
If not appreciative feedback, then thorough criticism is appreciated.
---------------------
Prologue
Chapter 1 -- The Foundation of Guardia
Chapter 2 -- Ulfus the Steadfast
Chapter 3 -- Falco De Faye
Chapter 4 -- The Morning Star
Chapter 5 -- The Greatest Adversary
Chapter 6 -- The Lion's Dream
Chapter 7 -- Worth Fighting For (Part 1)
Chapter 8 -- Worth Fighting For (Part 2)
Chapter 9 -- A Sealed Fate
~~~ Introduction ~~~
Considering there’s just no way for me to even finish the damned NaNoWriMo this year (I’ve lost before I even started, I think) I’m going to take Thought and TheMage’s advise and prepare myself to break my writer’s block and focus on developing skills to write on command. Hence, the Dream Splash instead (apparently, I can procrastinate on writing by... writing). And I’m doing this amidst constant distractions, so it doesn’t seem to help sufficiently -- loss of focus is one of the most devastating side-effects to boundless benign curiosity.
I refuse to think that the Fleabane project has been abandoned -- the remains will be scavenged and forged into an even more epic story of its own -- but for the amount of work we’ve already put into, I believe it’s time to actually benefit the Chrono fandom with it. The saga of Flea itself was massive enough to make two movies, or an entire game, on it and it’d be a waste to allow it to float towards oblivion just yet. If you remember, my last year’s Dream Splash entry was a back-story of not only Zeal’s origins but also that of Flea’s (supposed) archenemy, the infamous Lilith from Radical Dreamers. And even before that, the Chrono Break Dream Splash project entailed the saga of Flea’s initial incarnation duking it out against Guardia’s founder himself (well, at least just the first part of it anyway). This time, I will once and for all, though briefly, narrate to you the very concept and foundation of the story -- it's time you know the whole story. And, very much like my previous entry last year, this too will be a total stream-poetic and / or mythical narrative without much editing (and my girlfriend says it's pretty, like a picture with lots of details and flowers).
The following story is a medieval saga beginning from the midst of Crimson Echoes -- where Cedric Guardia found the Frozen Flame and dreamed of unifying all of humanity under one kingdom, where his reign is supreme -- and ends with the coming of Janus, who is eventually destined to become the great Magus, ruler of the Fiendkind. But despite the interesting roster of new and old characters, the entire story focuses around the one character who is scarcely explored in fan-fiction: Flea. For a decade now people have been contemplating on who or what Flea is. We are greeted to a woman who turns out to be a man; we are shown a Fiend who might be even above all other Fiends. Once utunnels even pointed that Flea seemed to be associated with a "Magic Lamp" (like an Arabic fairy tale Djinni) and that he can shape-shift and perform beyond any other Fiend (like a Familiar, which is similar to a Djinn). It then became obvious that there is more to the character than meets the eye, and our constant research and contemplation (with my mind greatly experienced in world folk-lore, sorcery and mythology), we eventually reached the conclusion that, like Lilith, Flea is hardly an ordinary born Fiend-turned-transvestite; rather, if Demons, Ghouls and Spirits exist in Chronoverse (and they very well do) then, based on older Arabic reference, Flea would be categorized as a Fire Djinni and Lilith would be a Wind Shaitan (or something else entirely). Flea was born of Hubris, whereas Lilith was born of Grief. In that case, it's only logical that Dalton is one of the most powerful characters in Zeal, considering his Golems were historical symbols of opposition against spirits of nearly every kind (except Marids and higher levels).
So now we know that Flea is far from an ordinary character, and may simply be a super-sentient master of Magic. How did such an interesting character come into being? Well, let's read and find out!
If not appreciative feedback, then thorough criticism is appreciated.
---------------------
12
Kajar Laboratories / Chrono Papercraft
« on: May 01, 2012, 10:56:20 am »
Thought it'd make sense to post it here rather than anywhere else. But I think we can make one better. 
http://papercraftparadise.blogspot.in/search/label/Chrono%20Cross
http://papercraftparadise.blogspot.in/search/label/Dissidia
http://lantis02.deviantart.com/art/Box-papercraft-Chrono-Trigger-181514258
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/07/11/chrono-trigger-fanfest-brings-papercraft-amp-collectibles.aspx
http://papercraftparadise.blogspot.in/search/label/Chrono%20Cross
http://papercraftparadise.blogspot.in/search/label/Dissidia
http://lantis02.deviantart.com/art/Box-papercraft-Chrono-Trigger-181514258
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/07/11/chrono-trigger-fanfest-brings-papercraft-amp-collectibles.aspx
13
Fan Art / Schala - Paladin of Zeal
« on: January 17, 2012, 05:59:53 am »
GIVE IT UP FOR OUR BUDDY FAUSTWOLF! This art is dedicated to him, 'coz where he goes there's all sunshine! 
The guy likes swords, the guy likes charcoal art, the guy likes Schala. I did my best to mix em up together.
The Music: http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/342495
The Story: "Why did the princess bow to fate? Why did she give in her will?
Why did the young prince not speak up? What bound him silent still?
If only he lamented the uncertain, inevitable... if only he stole the light...
The princess would have her will regained to set the wrong to right." -- Yours Truly
The guy likes swords, the guy likes charcoal art, the guy likes Schala. I did my best to mix em up together.
The Music: http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/342495
The Story: "Why did the princess bow to fate? Why did she give in her will?
Why did the young prince not speak up? What bound him silent still?
If only he lamented the uncertain, inevitable... if only he stole the light...
The princess would have her will regained to set the wrong to right." -- Yours Truly
14
Fan Art / The Grinches Who Stole Christmas
« on: December 25, 2011, 05:30:06 pm »
If Dr. Seuss wrote Chrono Cross...
"Every who down in El Nido Liked Christmas a lot…
But Lynx, who lived in Viper Manor, Did NOT!
Lynx hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be his head was warped by FATE.
It could be, perhaps, there was no fish on his plate.
But I think that the most likely reason of all,
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small."
Then he got an idea! An awful idea!
THE LYNX GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!
“I know just what to do!” Lynx laughed in his throat.
And made Harle bring a Santy Claus hat and a coat.
Harle chuckled, and clucked, “What za great Lynxy trick!”
“With zis coat and zis hat, you look just like Saint Nick!”
And Lynx said,"Just like Saint Nick... Yeah, right!"
"Every who down in El Nido Liked Christmas a lot…
But Lynx, who lived in Viper Manor, Did NOT!
Lynx hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be his head was warped by FATE.
It could be, perhaps, there was no fish on his plate.
But I think that the most likely reason of all,
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small."
Then he got an idea! An awful idea!
THE LYNX GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!
“I know just what to do!” Lynx laughed in his throat.
And made Harle bring a Santy Claus hat and a coat.
Harle chuckled, and clucked, “What za great Lynxy trick!”
“With zis coat and zis hat, you look just like Saint Nick!”
And Lynx said,"Just like Saint Nick... Yeah, right!"
15
Chrono Series Tarot Card Project / XVI. Tower - Mammon Machine (Fall of Zeal)
« on: December 14, 2011, 01:54:23 pm »XVI.
TOWER:
TOWER:
Summary: *Reserved*
Symbolism: "A tower on a rocky outcrop, a powerful bolt of lightning, one or two figures falling from the tower, sometimes waves crashing below. "
(From Aeclectic)
Keywords: A sudden change, abandonment of past, ending a friendship, unexpected events, disruption, bankruptcy, downfall, loss of money or security
Reversed: Following old ways, a rut, entrapment, caught in a bad situation, imprisonment
(From themysticeye.com)
Description: "With Mars as its ruling planet, the Tower is a card about war, a war between the structures of lies and the lightning flash of truth. This is a card about anything we believe to be true, but later learn is false. This realization usually comes as a shock, hence, the violent image. It is, quite simply, that moment in any story where someone finds out a shocking truth, one that shatters their perceptions and makes them reassess their beliefs.
When the Querent gets this card, they can expect to be shaken up, blinded by a revelation. It sometimes takes a very bright flash of light to reveal a truth that was so well hidden. And it sometimes takes an earthquake to bring down beliefs that were so cleverly constructed. What's most important to remember is that the tearing down of this structure, however painful, allows us to find out what is true and reliable. What will stand rather than fall apart."
(From Aeclectic Tarot)
Fool's Journey: "As the Fool leaves the throne of the Goat God, he comes upon a Tower, fantastic, magnificent, and familiar. In fact, The Fool, himself, helped build this Tower back when the most important thing to him was making his mark on the world and proving himself better than other men. Inside the Tower, at the top, arrogant men still live, convinced of their rightness.
Seeing the Tower again, the Fool feels as if lightning has just flashed across his mind; he thought he'd left that old self behind when he started on this spiritual journey. But he realizes now that he hasn't. He's been seeing himself, like the Tower, like the men inside, as alone and singular and superior, when in fact, he is no such thing.
So captured is he by the shock of this insight, that he opens his mouth and releases a SHOUT! And to his astonishment and terror, a bolt of actual lightning slashes down from the heavens striking the Tower and sending its residents leaping out into the waters below.
In a moment, it is over. The Tower is rubble, only rocks remaining. Stunned and shaken to the core, the Fool experiences profound fear and disbelief. But also, a strange clarity of vision, as if his inner eye has finally opened. He tore down his resistance to change and sacrifice (Hanged man), then came to terms with Death (Death); he learned about moderation and synthesis (Temperance) and about power (The Devil). But here and now, he has done what was hardest: he destroyed the lies of his life. What's left are the foundations of truth. On this he can rebuild himself. '"
(from Aeclectic Tarot)
Feel free to post additional insights into the card, questions, & ideas for the artists to consider!