Beyond the Western Deep

It’s often in these pages with the least amount of dialogue that the most storytelling can occur–especially when the mood has been set properly beforehand. I love the sense of unease Rachel can generate from a handful of panels, poses, and expressions.

The funny thing is, this page and the pacing suggested by it doesn’t actually exist in the current script for the chapter! This is one of the great things about the collaborative and flexible creative atmosphere behind every page of Western Deep that allows both Rachel and me to call audibles if we feel something needs a little extra pizzazz to work.

In this case, the original script the quartet had already retrieved the ostriches from the stables during the conversation about Mitra’s past with the Great Houses. I had planned for it to help keep the scene apace and provide a continued sense of movement to the proceedings, but Rachel wisely realized that Mitra and Janik’s confrontation needed to happen in relative privacy and needed room to breathe, complete with dramatic, still pauses.

Adding this beat where the group has to go to the well to get water and then retrieve their ostriches then added an even richer layer of unease and tension that wasn’t initially planned, but quite welcome indeed.

Speaking of things that are quite welcome, our guest art this week is once again sent to us by Cpat, on behalf of artist Arven! Following in the style of the first piece shared, this one also focuses on a minor background character who appeared in the first chapter and was subsequently not seen again.

This character, a one-armed ermehn warrior, appears several times throughout Hardin’s introductory scene in the latter half of Chapter One, most notably as an apparent friend of the otherwise nameless Feyn (who, though unnamed in the main story, went on to confront Quinlan and ultimately be killed at the conclusion of Chapter Two).

You can see him throughout the scene, with Feyn throwing looks in his direction throughout Hardin’s little speech:

In Cpat’s words: “This little scene may take place during the Deltrada’s attack. Or perhaps this guy was one of Ashtor and Eira’s “bodyguards” (as mentioned in chapter 2 page 49), and he fought to the death to protect them, or once his task was done–and knowing the fall of his tribe–he went into a last fight against the nearest canid patrol, for honor.”

Thank you SO much Cpat and Arven. We love the artwork, and the incredible amount of detail you put into even these smallest of characters in our stories. It just goes to show that depending on the perspective you choose to follow, any character can become the hero of their own tale.