Song of the Eastern Sands: Page 01
Welcome to Nessa! Here in the market square, vendors hailing from all corners of the Four Kingdoms sell their wares, meaning if there’s something you can’t find, chances are you’re just not looking hard enough! With this, we are proud to kick off our next official chapter in the world of the Western Deep: Song of the Eastern Sands!
Is there any singing? Well, no, not really — this is just one tale of many that was crafted in the desert kingdom of Navran, and like the greatest tales from this land, they are passed down in song. If anyone was to properly tell this story in the Four Kingdoms, you can bet it’d be the Vulpin gypsies, who likely already have all the chords memorized.
The goal for this first page was always to sell the look, feel, and vibe of Nessa; to make it look different from everything we’ve seen before, but try and keep some familiar elements throughout. Where The Adventures of Cain & Yurk showed us Nessa from the tallest buildings, Song of the Eastern Sands is very much a story about being in Nessa — about being in the middle of the hustle and bustle. This first page was meant to capture all that.
Jerome, Rachel, and I have been waiting to share this story with you all for the last 9+ months, and we’re all very excited to be kicking off this new tale that expands the world of Beyond the Western Deep eastward, introducing a bunch of fun new characters while also hinting at grander things to come for our protagonists up north. We all hope you like it!
This week’s page will fall alongside Halloween, which means I would be remiss not to share this super awesome and totally holiday-appropriate picture that was sent to us by reader and regular contributor Fourth Master! In it, we see the main quartet of Song of the Eastern Sands dressing up in themed costumes for the local Nessian Halloween shindig!
While Halloween isn’t actually celebrated in the Four Kingdoms, there are very likely similar kinds of festivals across the land that have the same themes of celebrating/warding off the dead with fun costumes and various culturally-appropriate lanterns or baubles.
However, while the festival itself can be explained to some degree in-canon, I can’t for the life of me figure out how a classic 1980’s horror-comedy starring Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, and Dan Ackroyd that takes place in New York City could fit into the continuity. Also, the Four Kingdoms hasn’t quite discovered the secret of strapping unlicensed nuclear accelerators to things, so it’s a bit problematic either way.
STILL.
FOURTH! Thank you SO MUCH for this awesome picture — the cast of SotES would win any costume party they go to, and they’ve got the dry wit to match the classic Ghostbusters quartet! It’s also nice to see the cast getting guest art the week after they’re all introduced :) I hope everyone continues to like them as the story unfolds!
Oh my god, the colors and detail, I love itttt. Everything is so gorgeous. Bustling marketplaces are always a fun setting. And I see Fourth is getting into the Halloween spirit just in time. :p
I second that!
Yup ^^ – also the same thing I wanted to say, Saraa :) – I’ll add that I do not know why, but Jerome style drawind reminds me style of paintin of Van Gogh, perhaps by these beautiful colors, and the characteristic “hatch” details of graphics … ^^;
Thanks…Thanks a lot Jerome….you have now melted my eyes from seeing such fantastic symphony of colors and character oozing out of this page.
And Fourth’s got the right idea. HEY EVERYONE!! LET’S ALL DRESS UP THE BWD/SOTES GANG INT–*gets shot*
The main cast already murdered us a long time ago after the christmas sweaters.
Yeah, umm…. Remember Dakkan’s sweater with the Christmas lights on it? It caught on fire and burned someone’s house down…
Dammit, Alex and Rachel already warned him… He was a walking fire hazard in that thing. *sigh…*
Lol, About what fire you talk O.o XD … – Yup, I remember Dakkan christams sweater, but whhat fire XD ? (Agan I don’t understand :c XD )
“As I’m sure we all could surmise, it was destined to be Dakkan who donned the most heinous of ugly Christmas sweaters. His is adorned with (most likely completely functional) Christmas lights. I wouldn’t be surprised if the same hidden battery pack that drives the Christmas lights also makes the stars twinkle and the Christmas tree star glow. Basically, Dakkan is a walking fire hazard here.”
https://westerndeep.net/comic/chapter-2-page-68/
Ahaaa… ^^;
Did a smug Ermehn get you in the arm with a crossbow too?
so we are not going to figure out what happens to Quinlan and Dakkan? or what Kenosh and Hardin have been doing Kenosh since he captured back many years ago. oh and i love the colors of this page. note i have not been able to catch up everything that’s been going on recently.
Well, now all action are in Nessa, so now we don’t know what appened next with Dakkan, Quinlan, kenos, ardrin, and other our friends… ^^;
Last week Alex asked:
“. . . our entire main quartet marching off onto some grand new adventure! Or maybe it’s the one you’re about to see? I guess we’ll find out eventually!”
I’m going to (tentatively) say “probably not”. Unless they’re just about to walk into the marketplace, in which case I’m going to look very silly for even bringing this up again.
Eh.
It’s great to get a close-up look at the day-to-day of Nessa. Alex, Rachel and Jerome don’t need to ever give us dialogue for the merchants again (though I’m sure they will), as from this little scene we can already infer the general things that we could be curious about, like the wide array of products available, and the undoubtedly harsh world of haggling (now more or less a dead art in the first world) and competition that surrounds these little market stalls.
(By the way, does anyone else find it funny that the Felis selling scarves says “hundreds of colors” with only two colors out and very little space to be storing any others? And I think that the Austin Powers movies would have something to say to the fruit-hawking Vulpin . . .)
So, in conclusion, this page has everything needed to qualify as “win” except our main cast, and since they’ll no doubt be showing their faces soon, this will be a great intro to SOTES when archive-binged.
Lastly, it would be remiss of me to not provide the required listening music for both the holiday today and that picture of mine. Happy Halloween, all!
Calmly Fourth, we live our quartet of heroes, yet they will be seen all the time ;)
I’ll say this – this view of me, not only by multiculture and colors, but also view how like my Kraków in medevial times ^^ (Then belonged to the Union of the Hanseatic League, and was an important center commercials as Nessa ;) ) – after that, I’ll add that even cherr me here on this picture is a view of the Otter Dad and Otter Son, near “Fresh” fruit-seller; and playing in “ciuciu-babka” children (Ermehn and Vulpine fox as far as me eyes wrong ;) ) – but I am missing only some bad dark guys in gate, from the dark street/a dark dangerous nature, or some little thief of fruits XD ;)
I like following the gradual evolution of the page from a sketch to the final piece, how some parts are fixed right from the beginning and others seeking their form around them. It’s like looking into the mind of the artist drawing, what they considered focal and what they added on a whim (like the Vulpin fooling around with the scarf or the hot Ermehn in the corner losing his shirt).
I have to agree with Fourth that this page doesn’t really need the speech bubbles, the hustle and bustle is implicated anyway by the body language of the characters, and they mar this pretty page. You should definitely include a text free version in the back pages of the next book!
What’s with the stone tools, by the way? I know that obsidian makes for sharp razors, but those look like claw hammers…
I guess not everyone in Nessa sales the best wares
NO, VAU. NO. THE RESULT IS NOT GONNA BE PRETTY.
Abrasions ahoy.
*sighs* have you been sniffing those magic markers again…?
Oops. Thought that was Vau… Sorry, Trees
No worries.
I’m ok with being mistaken for someone with such a nice hat.
Those Felis vendors… They remind me so much of Khajiits… Except they get their merch legally and not get high on moon sugar or whatever its equivalent is in Dunia
Now, now, lets not tar all the cat-people with the double brush of kleptomania and substance abuse.
Firstly it’s a sweeping generalisation reinforcing harmful cultural stereotypes and ignoring the fact that individuals are fully capable of trancending them.
Secondly it’s sticky and they would hate it.
Also, I feel obliged to point out that a certain web comic co-creator and moderator of this very comment section is somewhat fond of the Khajiit. Do with that information what you will.
It was just a thought…
Just messin’ with ya’ boi!
Khajiit racisim is a-ok with me. They are way too fictional to take it personally.
tsk – Khajiit don’t get high on moon sugar. It’s a common spice in Elsweyr! It’s the non-khajiit that have to worry, poor lightweights that they are. ;)
At the beginning I wanted to apologize you all my friends for that I was not too much in the last week on Salmon party, but it could be by next month – even a crazy month, because I am preparing for an important tradition for me/contest; so even draw graphics, Studies… I pretty much used the time – I’m very sorry ;) :p …
Oh – Well, what can I say :D …- in addition to the thrill of joy associated with the new chapter of adventures in the world of BWD, I can tell you that in first moment is hard for me get used to the new style of drawing, of course, in a positive sense – in the style of Jerome really I love those lush, vivid colors that form the image and create fantastic color mosaic of colour, space and stories :D – and I do not know why, but it’s always your style Jerome makes me think of the style of paintings of Van Gogh – perhaps by these fantastic colors , or hatch, which makes the image with it seems to be that in motion :D ;) – really it is a masterpiece :D ^^ Fantastic website Jerome :D
Ahh, and this beautiful Market square (Like in Middle ages in Krakow XD ) – immediately after heavy war should taste and slaughtering on racially and culturally background of Canid and Ermehn, my etnographher heart to grow with joy and delight of the multiculturalism of this market and this city – Everywhere are Feline, Vulpine, Otters from Lutra with shark skins, Ermehn, the children who ave normal childhood, not as warriors …:p
Ahhh, I like it this cultural mix :D :) :D ^^
And here I have a question – Do any of these ethnic groups has its own language/alphabet? In the sense, for example, Whether and in reality, for example, Quinlan and Dakkan day speak in other languages, and like Canid and Ermehn too? ^^; – I was very curious to know it :D :) This is interseting ;)
And at the end I want praise Fourth Master graphic, great is our Quartet of our chharacters as GhostBusters XD Really cool graphics ^^ XD :D
Well, unfortunately, here is cultural difference that I did not I celebrate Halloween, only 1 and 2 November – day of all Saints and the Souls day caled “Zaduszki” – during two days going to cemeteries, and we prays for their dead, we meet in families on lunch and have a nice time and talk about our familes; day and night we can go to cementary, I most like to go even at night in the cemetery – at night because there is a beautiful view of how hundreds of thousands of colored lights sparkle and burning horizon :) – something fantastic view :) :D ^^
Ooooh, look at all the pretty costume design! Look at all the pretty colors! :O
… look at those Ermehn and Vulpin kids in the lower left playing!
That tamien seeps pretty ecstatic about the quality of those cantaloupes.
Ackpth! Didn’t notice him before. He is now my favorite thing on this page.
I love big spreads of a lively crowd, it reminds me of Where’s Waldo books, where the real fun of the books was seeing all the different and vibrant characters.
Ah, but we can play something like that. It’s a little game I like to call “Where’s Cain and Yurk?”
Come to think of it, weren’t they supposed to be on this page? I don’t see them anywhere. And I doubt that Ermehn in the lower right corner is Yurk (he’s missing the “headphone” tattoos).
Definitely not in this page, I can assure you :P
This game called “Ciuciubabka” ;) :)
Man, I’ve always wanted to see a story like this featuring anthro-cartoon characters that is set in the desert kingdom.
What a stunning opening page, loving the warm and vibrant colours of the market square. I’m anxious to see how this story unfolds Alex.
And what a blessing it is to see you getting Jerome to help you illustrate this, I can feel every detail and emotion in this scene. I want to be in there!
Anyways looking forward to the next page! Congrats on getting this all working out after 9 months of preparation!
Perhaps in three years time there will be enough content to do a comic drama of this too! ;)
Great to see you commenting here Elson! Hope you enjoy your time at the Salmon Party!
Thanks Cameron! You were the one who told me about the Salmon Party – I’m intrigued and hope to drop by more often and join the saga of Song of the Eastern Sands. X3
I now declare you, a member of the Bushtailed Lively Discussion Devotees of the Salmon Party! (Fourth master came up with that name a few weeks ago)
Welcome to the club!
Oh my goodness, what a mouthful! X3 The B.L.D.D.S.P.! :D
Fantastic and fitting name for this community! You guys will have to tell me about the origins of the Salmon Party, I can kinda find the link but I’d like to know more. ^^
And thank you kindly Jerijune for the warm welcome!
Oh goodness, what a mouthful! XD The B.LD.D.S.P! ^^
What a fantastic and fitting name to this community. :D This Salmon Party that Fruitso mentioned to me, I can kinda find a link to the name but I’d like to know more. ^^
Also thank you kindly for the warm welcome Jerijune!
It’s in the comments of https://westerndeep.net/comic/the-adventures-of-cain-yurk-page-04/
…but for the origins of the Salmon Party’s name, I don’t know. The link is for how Western Deep subscribers got their ridiculously long title
Aw geez, that one’s from a while ago. Pretty sure Jakub is the one that coined it, and it was based on a running gag about how much Lutren loved salmon. It then became the unofficial fandom name somehow, so take that how you will; Lively Discussion Devotees got tacked on later and the rest of it is fairly recent.
Here’s where the name first really popped up aside from awful, awful fish puns and discussion of all Lutren loving salmon: https://westerndeep.net/comic/chapter-2-page-81/ And ah, yeah, the Lively Discussion Devotee title came from the first professional review BTWD got; they specifically referred to the comment section as “lively discussion posts by devotees,” which caught on sorta due to Alex’s fault.
“Bushtailed” pops up in the newest link so there you go. Bushtailed Lively Discussion Devotees of the Salmon Party.
thanks for the additional info, Saraa! I didn’t have much time to do more research at the time I was typing that comment. that, and you’ve been here longer than me. but still, thanks!
Np. I try to be useful.
Ha, I’m so busy running my mouth I forgot myself. Welcome to the group! I hope you enjoy the ride as much as the rest of us, though judging by your reaction to chapter 2, I’d say you have. ;) Good luck with the audio project! You voice one hell of a Hardin.
Aww sweet! Thank you kindly for answering those questions I had Saraa Luna. :D Good to have closure. ^^
Thank you also for the welcome and especially on your compliment of my voice for Hardin!
Goodness, he was a lot of fun to voice! I love playing those hardy characters with a purpose. But I also like playing the oddball/crazy villain too. X3
I’m curious, out of the 3 takes of “I would have us fighting our TRUE enemy.The ones who stole OUR homes, who live in OUR cities, and grow fat on the crops OUR families planted” and 4 takes of “YOU’RE ALREADY DEAD!” ~ which would you choose? X3 :D
https://soundcloud.com/darkspeeds-1/hardin-voiced-by-darkspeeds
Also I’ll let you know that I had a wonderful time meeting up for Skype consultations with the VA crew – many were new discoveries and a few were ones who worked with me in the past and rightfully so. In fact, I’m ecstatic to have all of the lines to Janik, Dakkan, Kenosh and Quinlan in my fingertips ~ I’m truly spoilt for choice out of the many takes of each dialogue I’ve requested. ^^
That Kenosh voice that David provided, man, how many times have we been bloopering at each session because of his Liam Neeson impression – so much fun.
Anyways looking forward to Page 2 to “Song of the Eastern Sands” – I think I have an idea of the Salmon Party participation for these two weeks. I’m going to wait till Page 3. Do let me know if you have a decent mic for recording!
just so you know, Elson, when you use a slow, yet aggressive tone along with a slightly gritty voice, you kinda start to sound like a psychopath (especially in that last take of “YOU’RE ALREADY DEAD”) in my opinion
but for the rest of the lines– try going with the ones you did in your Hardin’s Say audio sample
Ah yes, B.L.D.D.S.P. Also pronounced Bold Sip. It’s that first brave taste of a mysterious drink that. Once you’ve committed, there’s no putting it down because it’s so delicious. Welcome to the land of deliciousness, Elson.
Very clever PB&J! Bold Sip. Who can forget that? :D
I will be sure to give you all a taste of BtWP if it were to have sound. ;) Time to review some more recordings – in fact, Luke Wholey has just sent me in his lines for Clovis! This will be fun to listen to! X3
“YOU THERE! GREENPAW!!” ~ “SIR, YES SIR!” XD
Good to see a new face! Hope to see you around again, and I’m glad you’ve enjoyed everything so far!
I’m delighted to be here. Thanks for the welcome. ^^
Indeed, I’ve got David Lillie of Dreamkeepers to thank for this discovery about 2 weeks ago. Never knew about the series until he posted a tweeted about it one day for everyone to read.
I’ve already gotten 80% of the lines recorded for all of the characters involved in the project I’m working on based of BtWD, I’m really excited to get it all done in good time.
Also this scene, and the overall light-hearted nature of the adventures previewed so far for SotES reminds me of a particular soundtrack – Lunar II: Eternal Blue. Such wonderful memories I had with that game (even though I haven’t finished it! XD). Just looking at this first page instantly reminds me this track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnVIxJbwDuE&index=38&list=PLAE7357DDBACA6A77
And as soon as we are introduced with the four main protagonists miggling around and having their light-hearted adventure in Neesa, I’m instantly reminded of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7MnW4CHmB0&index=9&list=PLAE7357DDBACA6A77
I think I got a tear in my eye… It’s amazing what music can do when you find the right fit to an illustration to a story you’ll just know that you’ll fall in love with. =’ )
“Lines recorded?”. What are you up to, Elson?
Ah! :D Looks like you haven’t seen this posted about 2 weeks ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WitqyEgYuIs
And this was posted just last night! ;) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FpytvhkOfw
Blame David from Dreamkeepers for getting me hooked on BtWD! XXD http://darkspeeds.deviantart.com/journal/Beyond-the-Western-Deep-A-MUST-READ-566787632
I got so excited that I officially announced that BtWD will be getting ‘The Movie’ treatment (actually a comic drama… XD) Auditions finished in less than 2 weeks. http://darkspeeds.deviantart.com/journal/Beyond-the-Western-Deep-AUDITIONS-CLOSED-567120300
So now I’m about 2% of the way with the project. It is set for released for New Years ~ mid Jan. ;) http://darkspeeds.deviantart.com/journal/Beyond-the-Western-Deep-The-Movie-OPENING-568467176
And if you’re wondering what this ‘The Movie’ treatment is all about, check out the one I did of the Nordguard series 6 months ago. ;) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIwon99Sd2s
Can’t wait to get this out to you guys on release date – we can have a group chat party and watch altogether. XXD
Holy crap.
That is amazing.
Where the hell was I when all of this was going on?
Definitely going to check out the finished product when it comes out.
Perhaps that animated movie we joke about sometimes isn’t that far-fetched, eh?
well, I’ve been practicing and messing around with animating stuff recently, but so far the things I made were total $#!+ and I ended up deleting them. but hey… practice makes perfect, right?
any animation software you guys could recommend? (and something other than Adobe Flash, please)
Fourth Master – Thanks mate, do look forward to more previews in the coming weeks. :D
I saw that comment you made about the animated movie on a past post – made me smile reading that. This project won’t have the animation you’ll get in big budget films, but at least the sound department is something I can match. ;)
Jerijune – Depends on how committed you are. Persistence and a right attitude will get things done. = ) If you feel you can reach something as close as to the animatics that DarkHorse can do (e.g. Usagi Yojimbo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10h0rEBK408) then by all means go for it. :D The programs that they would have been using is a combination of Adobe Photoshop, Premier and Aftereffects and years of experience. I reckon it may have taken them a fortnight to do that 5 minute animatic. ^^
Start out simple and see what you can do mate! And more importantly – have fun!
thanks, Elson! I’ll make sure I’m good (or at least decent) at it before I start making any commitments. that, and if I’d actually have the time to do so…
Thanks for the music, Elson!
My musical picks for BWD:
Battle of Deltrada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2d_Oty3QsM
(Though this was a close second)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YICXltKw-ko
Adventure in Nessa
Nice work all around :D
Hey look! I found the dialogue from the expanded page that had to be trimmed due to sizing constraints:
“Sculpted stonework for every job!”
“Sugar dates! Sugar dates and figs! Sugar dates and pistachios!”
“Would the lady like a necklace? A pretty necklace for a pretty lady.”
“FRESH FISH. WE CATCH ‘EM, YOU BUY ‘EM.”
In the next page, we see Enthusiastic Tamian distracting the melon merchant so his friend can sneak the biggest melon.
well… he could (probably) be the equivalent of the Cabbage Guy ( http://i.imgur.com/BBhU6l8.gif ) from Avatar: the Legend of Aang. but instead of cabbages, it’s melons or whatever fruit he’s got there.
(by he, I meant the Vulpin merchant)
Entirely possible, and an excellent possibility, because Cabbage Guy is great. I was more thinking of this guy: http://www.angelfire.com/wv2/patricia/AbuFoodPic5.jpg
The “image hosted by Angelfire” guy?
That’s the one! Gotta love him, right? Classic.
Um, here, try this one instead: http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g86/redwllwrrior/abu_zpsrk43cigs.jpg
Damn it XD – Why always when I do not here all day, then are the best discussion on Salmon Party? XD WHYYY… ;-; :C
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2K5gzesbf0
*PS.: I’m not angry like this guy :p XD – just I feel bad tat there was so cool discusion :C Damn me … :C
…
Don’t worry we’re all still here, and since the next update won’t be here for another week, we’re going to be here for a while ;)
Thanks Fruitso – i just haven’t time in this month to all the time watch what happened here + another time zone, and you see effects XD :p
Hold on a second.
Is the individual selling stone tools an Ermehn with no tattoos? Or am I losing my mind again?
Haha, that’s a Canid actually X)
Ah, I see. It’s easier to tell in the sketch.
Though now I wonder, are there Ermehn who don’t tattoo their fur?
The tats are a mark of the tribe they belong to, so outcasts perhaps?
Hmm. We know exiled ermehn have their tattoos forcefully removed. Assuming they survived this, if they had a child who wasn’t marked at the time of their parent’s exile, it’s possible the kid might be forbidden from getting marked. Just throwing out ideas though.
We know this how, exactly?
(And what’s so bad about having tattoos removed? They’re going to shed their fur eventually. Keep the exiled folks away from the dye and all will be well.)
Authors notes from early on in Chapter 2, when Hardin was getting all stabby and the ermehn were being introduced, which I’m currently too tired to find.
It’s bad when it comes with an implication that tattoo removal correlates to more than fur deepness. Or not waiting for the tattoos to shed out but removing them right then. Forcibly.
An un-tattooed Ermehn is either tribeless, completely assimilated into another culture, or an exile. If one were to just walk out into the midst of a tribe in the Wastes, they would treat that individual with wariness at best, hostility at worst. Elsewhere though, it may not be as big a deal.
And yeah, the word “tattoo” is mostly used for the quick and easy understanding of the word – what they actually do is use a permanent dye and refresh it as often as needed. I believe Alex mentioned a ceremonial “birthday” equivalent way back when, but realistically they’d probably need to touch it up more often than annually.
Also: would you like to be forcibly shaved in the Northern Wastes? I wouldn’t! ;)
I suppose Hardin could have run an exile-shaving business on the side to curry favor with a few tribes back when he was working on making the Sratha-Din.
No one would dare complain or fidget then.
Here’s what I love about this page:
Every once in a while in the fandom, you’ll come across a slice-of-life panorama such as this which is so complete and awesome in a self-contained way, suggesting a detailed and specific creative world so richly and fully that it works as a stand-alone piece without any need of being tied into an accompanying back-story, side-story or larger mythos; it tells stories of its own, leaving the viewer free to make up and imagine any number of plot and character possibilities surrounding it. Of course, whenever I’ve encountered such modest masterpieces, I’m always left wondering if they *are* part of some larger fantasy world, and disappointed to learn when they’re not. No disappointment here, knowing that not only does this outstanding work of art have a mythos to call its own, but that it is merely the first page of many to come, with all the delights and discoveries to be found in a longer, multipage work.
Can’t wait to see more!
I love the variety and feel of the market place. We have that one Lutren selling the sharkskin with his helpers, the Canid stoneworker and the Felis tradesmen with the scarves. it’s interesting to learn more about the world outside the Four Kingdoms. That is what they call their continent, right? Or does it have another name besides just ‘the four kingdoms’?
When does this take place in relation to Beyond the Western Deep? Or is this one of the many mysteries that will be unlocked as the story goes on?