Song of the Eastern Sands: Page 06
Phew, looks like the distraction worked! Yelling out an obscenely large amount of money is always a good way to draw some attention — let’s just hope Beck can keep talking and keep that Tamian merchant out of the tent. Picking locks is tough work, especially when you’re under pressure. It’s way harder than Elder Scrolls and Fallout would have us believe!
As some folks might have seen on my Twitter, I’m excited to announce that I will be collaborating with Armello developers League of Geeks (specifically LoG Founder and Studio Director Trent Kusters) on a series of novellas that expand the world and characters of Armello in ways we simply couldn’t do in the game.
So yeah! That should be a fun project you can look forward to! I haven’t written prose like this in a while, but Trent’s doing an amazing job on the editing front, so with our powers combined I think we might be onto something here!
This week, two special items for guest art! First, a wonderful piece done by Elson “Darkspeeds” Wong of our favorite Tamian Royal Captain of the Guard!
This is just the first of a handful of pieces Elson did of the Western Deep cast, and I’ll be posting up the others in the weeks to come. As I’ve mentioned here before, and as regular readers will probably be aware of, Elson is currently working on a sweeping comic audio drama based on the initial chapters of Western Deep! He’s sent us an audio sample of the climactic battle scene of Chapter 1. While the final version will feature a motion comic-style presentation that syncs the visuals up to the voices, for now you’ll just have to click through the pages as you listen to this sample! Enjoy!
Stellar page guys! Love the earthy tones and contrasts.
Looking forward to reading the Armello books! Congrats!
I particularly liked the effect used to represent the light entering the tent and the relative darkness at the next panel. I could almost hear that “flap”. Great job!
This is another awesome page! Also, congrats on the Armello books! I hope those get popular enough to be sold in my country. But if there’s an e-book version, that would be cool, too!
Good luck on the Armello books! I havent played it but I absolutely love the artstyle and general mood so much!
Beck is such a rain of sunshine isn’t she though. It makes me wonder what those two are trying to steal…eh prolly some silly o’l jewel that will have no impact on this story’s main plot…nope…none whatsoever…
I gotta say though, I’m digging Elson’s rendition of Quinlan. It may not be within his character (at least for now) but I can imagine Quin finally buckling down, putting on his “serious face” and taking no nonsense from hapless fools that comes in his way.
“when the nice guy loses his patience, the devil shivers…”
i forgot where this came from, but let’s not tempt the innocent-looking Tamian Captain…
Whew! That was too close for comfort. Let’s all take a moment and feel grateful that Beck can keep everyone’s attention so perfectly–not one pair of eyes in the entire crowd on your Ermehn ally! Keep that bluff skill maxxed! We should also be glad that bright sunlight doesn’t make Asha sneeze–that would have given the game away quickly. So could half a dozen other things I can think of. But we’re still good! Though you should still work fast, Asha. At some point the merchant is going to have to come back there to get the rest of his stock.
Why can’t I shake the feeling that Beck’s transaction will end up costing them more than they successfully steal?
Wait, am I cheering on illegal activity? Though it’s fictional illegal activity, so I’ll give myself a pass. NOTE: FOURTH MASTER DOES NOT ENCOURAGE BURGLARY AS EITHER A PROFESSION OR HOBBY IN REAL LIFE. There we go.
And I will also congratulate Alex on the Armello books. Maybe I’ll pick them up, though I never got around to playing that game and I feel like I should do that first.
if you wanna get Armello, wait for the Steam Sales. it’ll be worth the ridiculously huge discount.
ohh, and speaking of sales, here’s what’ll most likely happen to a Steam customer’s wallet (and Beck’s at the cost of the jewelry!): https://youtu.be/5FbCjJ30ggM?t=24s
While you should definitely play Armello, the game itself doesn’t have a set storyline beyond the King’s corruption, forcing everyone to seek the throne for themselves, so I’d be surprised if it were necessary to have played the game to understand the plot.
Hmm… Now when after competition I have some free time I can try game in it – so can I found it online or I must buy it in shop?
You can buy a digital copy online here: http://store.steampowered.com/app/290340/
It is also on the PS4 online store if you have one of those.
Music for Asha:
Mmmm – Asha have cool music taste :D ^^ She know what is the best ^^ :D
Even from far away, Beck’s face strikes fear in my heart
Ah yes, I forgot congratulations for Alex, Rachel and Jerome for this great news :D Ah, now I’m sure thta maybe for many years when i will be have children we can game in “BWD world” as Quinlan and Dakkan – and others :D ^^ My dreams started meet up :D
I am bewildered by two things.
1) Alex is doing an official videogame world-building novella series.
2) Some kind of otter-creature ate Jakub and took his place on the comment pictures.
Beck’s certainly good at thinking on her feet. I’m sure that the entire point of this venture is to make money, not spend it, and here she is offering to blow hundreds (thousands?) of silvers in an attempt to keep the merchant occupied. Now she has to talk her way out of actually spending them.
Hopefully Asha can get that chest open and get out of there. It would be quite a surprise if the item in question (which, for some reason does not strike me as being mere coinage) is not there. I think I mentioned this, but I’m still interested to know who recruited whom in this venture.
The poor merchant seems overwhelmed. Or, I suppose ‘poor’ is the wrong word here if Beck pays up. I love the way the second panel of Asha gets darker- signifying the closing tent flap. Are those firefly lanterns at the top of the last panel? Beck grabbing the merchant’s price list (I assume?) is a lovely touch as well. The contrast between the outside and inside is striking, too.
That dialogue in the last panel cracks me up.
And I’m definitely picking up those novellas! Armello is a fantastic game, and I’ve been dying to know more about the characters, particularly Barnaby, AKA the lone twelve year old in competition for the throne.
Gah, fantastic art of Quin, Elson! I like the way you use the lighting.
Well, for me this all obbery could have been organised in this way (if there were witnesses :p) – here is too big a risk as we can see :/
https://youtu.be/Y2xgzwfuxjs?t=12
And if I good see this robber in tent is… she? :) (Because again I’m lost with new characters ^^; )
And of course I want prse of course – firstly – jerome as always for his great emotion faces, and secondly Elson for this amazing great graphic with Quinlan :D (Here he looks so Royal – as real Royal Cpitan of Sunsgrove :D ^^ )
And unfortuaently I don’t know why but I can dowland battle aduio plik and I don’t know why :/ :p
Technically, we don’t have any proof yet, bet we’re pretty sure that the thief here is Asha.
https://westerndeep.net/comic/song-of-the-eastern-sands-teaser-4/
She fixed to this robber character :)
Confirmed on Jerome’s tumblr, it’s Asha:
http://sinto619.tumblr.com/post/134596118677/its-clear-that-beck-and-asha-are-this-close-to
hey, guys! I’m gonna do a little BWD-themed “christmas special” soon, which involves the Western Deep and the SOTES casts, the Salmon Party (that’s you guys,) and a f*** ton of food! if you have some food
sooo, if you’d like to see yourself in the special, describe yourself as a character from Dunia (if you have an original one, that’ll do, too.) if you’re having a hard time, try factoring in some IRL stuff about you (but not all of it) such as hobbies, attitude, interests, job, etc… and match it with whatever race has the most similarities with those traits.
if you already have a character and have some art or a story of him/her somewhere else, leave a link. this also applies if you want to have a reference for something your character is wearing, or if he/she looks like this guy or that guy…
you can also adapt a character you already have to fit in with the seven races, such as this: if (character A) is a lion or tiger, then he will be a Felis as someone in Dunia. it’s also preferred to use the same colors and patterns of the characters, as long as it goes with the race’s theme. basically, it’s a “re-skin” or a “re-texture” of a character you already have.
I’ll start (and this will also be an example):
“a Felis competitive archer with some knowledge of medicine and science. the outfit would be something with a hood, standard archery gear– an arm guard, chest guard, and an archer’s glove. he also keeps some medicinal herbs and solutions on to treat small wounds on the go.”
I forgot to add! (this was supposed to go to the part after “F*** ton of food) if you have food to suggest, describe it and leave a link to a picture of it
Ok Jerijune – If I take it I have to give a description of the form that reflects me at BWD world :) .:
If I lived in a world of BWD – my character is called Dago (as my character on DA – Otter Dago), I feel, and I identify with Ermehn due to common difficult and bloody history of my country and Ermehn Nation character – Dago is 20 years old. Personally, aside from the fact that I do a lot of draws Anthro and I shoot a lot of photos; I do a lot of crafts such as this: http://cracowpoland2013.deviantart.com/gallery/44444642/My-Krakow-nativity-scene-My-Krakow-Crib, http://cracowpoland2013.deviantart.com/gallery/44444519/My-other-works – so in normal daily life Dago would work as a jeweler (the best I felt as a jeweler, because I like to do small intricate sales and tweezers in any job I take care of the smallest details ;) ); However, in free time Dago like to learn the history and culture of Ermehn – Like Ashtor he know write and read, he is hobbyst “scholar” (He like read books too :) ) :) Anyway I personally am of the passion of History, different cultures and traditions, etc. :) ) – And when it comes to the fight, Dago don’t want and not looking for a fight, but as he would have to stand on the battlefield, it is best to feel as the archer (good eye of jeweler in the accuracy of the shot) and as a last resort, fighting with swords (my character always wears a one-handed short sword at his side), my character, too, every day is a peaceful, friendly and smiling and likes to laugh a lot and doing stupid silly jokes :) – but as someone it would upset him or attaced this person can include punch in the face or sword in chest :p
Well you know how it looks with the external appearance merely Ermehn on its head is always tangled hair/shag hair with a leather bandage (as my character Dago Otter on DA: http://cracowpoland2013.deviantart.com/art/Dago-New-character-concept-573,875,602), (yet I have poor eyesight I need to wear glasses, but it’s up to you whether you give them my character ;) ), Dago like dressed like Yurk, only at the waist has a short sword for self-defense, and a small bag on belt with Jewelry tools such as tweezers tiny chisel, hammer, pliers, etc.
I hope that’s what you meant and need Jerijune ;) :) :D
Ok Jerijune – If I take it I have to give a description of the form that reflects me at BWD world :) .:
If I lived in a world of BWD – my character is called Dago (as my character on DA – Otter Dago), I feel, and I identify with Ermehn due to common difficult and bloody history of my country and Ermehn Nation character – Dago is 20 years old. Personally, aside from the fact that I do a lot of draws Anthro and I shoot a lot of photos; I do a lot of crafts – so in normal daily life Dago would work as a jeweler (the best I felt as a jeweler, because I like to do small intricate sales and tweezers in any job I take care of the smallest details ;) ); However, in free time Dago like to learn the history and culture of Ermehn – Like Ashtor he know write and read, he is hobbyst “scholar” (He like read books too :) ) :) Anyway I personally am of the passion of History, different cultures and traditions, etc. :) ) – And when it comes to the fight, Dago don’t want and not looking for a fight, but as he would have to stand on the battlefield, it is best to feel as the archer (good eye of jeweler in the accuracy of the shot) and as a last resort, fighting with swords (my character always wears a one-handed short sword at his side), my character, too, every day is a peaceful, friendly and smiling and likes to laugh a lot and doing stupid silly jokes :) – but as someone it would upset him or attaced this person can include punch in the face or sword in chest :p
Well you know how it looks with the external appearance merely Ermehn on its head is always tangled hair/shag hair with a leather bandage (as my character Dago Otter on DA) (yet I have poor eyesight I need to wear glasses, but it’s up to you whether you give them my character ;) ), Dago like dressed like Yurk, only at the waist has a short sword for self-defense, and a small bag on belt with Jewelry tools such as tweezers tiny chisel, hammer, pliers, etc.
I hope that’s what you meant and need Jerijune ;) :) :D
Thanks for that, Jakub! I’ll see if I can come up with something when it’s not 1:45AM in my part of the world.
ok :)
Thanks for that, Vau! I’d probably save her a spot near the corner or something, like she’s just eating and ignoring everything else around her
I am insanely jealous that you were able to sketch something that looks that nice in only five minutes.
(Needless to say, I like your work).
Here’s my idea:
“A Vulpin scientist/engineer (someone has to design those scary, tall buildings, eh Cain?). He would have rather dark fur (about the color of the fellow playing a flute here: https://westerndeep.net/comic/prologue-page-10/), and he would wear clothes similar to the Vulpin wearing glasses on that page. Finally, he’d carry some typical tools like a compass, ruler, and small but thick notebook.
As far as food goes, you can’t go wrong with a sushi plate: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=611&q=sushi+plate&oq=sushi+plate&gs_l=img.3..0l10.1171.3430.0.3606.11.10.0.0.0.0.254.1328.0j2j4.6.0….0…1ac.1.64.img..5.6.1325.ZyNa80N-xvA
thanks, Fourth! (my plan is working! *laughs in the distance)
I’ll see what I can do about designing the Vulpin scientist. and as for the sushi plate, the majority’s (probably) gonna be salmon sashimi (courtesy of the Lutren)
Wait, wait – Dago really doesn’t like Sushi :p Blech :p – of course he like fishes, and especially Salmon, but if you say about Christmas BWD – he want Dumplings/Pierogi with Salmon (In Polish cuisine Pierogi are very popular, and it is eat with any each stuffing – the most popular are with meat, or with white cheese + potatoes + Bacon and Greaves, or cabbage and wild mushrooms – but also with fishes :) – so if I can do it please for Dago bowl of dumplings/Pierogi with Salmon :) (Anyway, the dumplings are one of the traditional Polish food for Christmas table – not something Sushi :p XD )
*Yummy ^^
https://www.google.pl/search?q=pierogi&biw=1525&bih=698&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjzmu_z2czJAhUDDiwKHVNWBUgQ_AUIBigB&dpr=0.9
if you have a picture of it, please link it.
oh… anyway, I’ll add it to my list of food I’ll include.
Thanks bro ^^ :D
reply to this comment for the description of your BWD character. if possible, link a reference with it if you have art of him/her.
Hey this sounds really fun!!! I shall now attempt to describe things in the most creative way possible!
Food: Maybe a huge plate of broccoli. Broccoli is awesome!!! No wait…Romanesco!!!
https://41.media.tumblr.com/a33e57ffd6958ec236162f24cd4ad089/tumblr_nabdixgc311t3yxuyo1_1280.jpg
Now for an attempt at a character description:
He’d be a slightly taller and skinnier-than-average male. So, about the height of Kenosh but with the girth an Ermehn. Being a sort of inquisitive naturalist, he goes on hikes near the coast and examines pretty much every little detail of the ecosystem. He doesn’t view this activity as a quest for knowledge like the Felis, but rather just a time to relax and have fun. All this time out in the sun has subsequently lightened the color of his fur to that of a pale gray.
His job would be that of a shipbuilder, because he enjoys the careful and calm precision necessary to shape and join wood. He wears the same type of clothing as a typical Lutren commoner (https://westerndeep.net/comic/chapter-2-page-60/), but with the addition of a cobbled-together but functional sharkskin breastplate he tried to make from scraps.
Thanks! I’ll see what I can do to design him while sticking to your description
Eh, I guess I’ll link a picture of the grumpy baby. Might as well force him to head to a christmas party besides dressing up.
YES. I WILL INCLUDE HIM. AND I WILL MAKE HIM WEAR THE CHRISTMAS SWEATER WHETHER HE LIKES IT OR NOT
That’s the spirit!