I was going through some of my more recent work to get my new web comic set up here on the site (more on that later), and I found I had saved a few work-in-progress sketches for Evelos the Ren’Dorei. I decided to also post these, for those folks who are interested in my process for character sketches.
I admit to sitting here for several minutes trying to decide on a good title for this. Behind the Scenes? Special Edition? Sketches? Doodles? Work in Progress? I-Don’t-Even-Know? This-Is-Too-Long-For-The-Title-Window-So-Someone-Help-Me-Please…? Continue reading “Evelos the Ren’Dorei: Special Edition”
A painting of Evelos in his ren’dorei (void elf) form. This was my second attempt at using my new drawing tablet, and my first attempt at adding shading to a character by making use of multiple layers.
You can read more about how I did this in its accompanying Special Edition post. You can read more about Evelos the character in these posts, though at present, no stories about him once his transformation into a void elf have made it onto this website.
“I am not Keelath. Not the one you remember. I never will be again.”
This scene was based on and uses pieces of the song “Memory” by Andrew Lloyd Weber. Perhaps in time when I clean this up as a stand-alone original work, I’ll write in my own poem, but in its fanfiction form, I figured pulling from two well-loved inspirations wouldn’t go too awry. Continue reading “Reunion”
He didn’t much like children, with their sticky fingers and runny noses. That his brother’s toddler showed no inclination to meet him was just fine by him.
Sad news today. I just received word that Neverwinter will be closing down its Foundry for good.
Neverwinter is an MMORPG set in Dungeons & Dragons’ Forgotten Realms setting, using a version of the 4th Edition D&D ruleset. It had an editor named the Foundry that gave players the ability to create their own quests and dungeons, complete with branching dialogue, monsters, simple puzzles, and (pre-generated) quest rewards, for other players to play through and critique.
Though it had its flaws, for me and many others, it was the main draw of the game. I won’t forget adventures like faithful renditions of Drizzt’s battle with the Many Arrows orcs, doing my in-character introduction for my roleplay guild <Order of the Broken Path>, knocking over mountains of crates just for the heck of it, evenings spent in specially created taverns chatting with other roleplayers, and even a quirky quest about saving a village from hallucinatory cheese.
Some of the aforementioned adventures were brought to you by one of these Foundry Authors. I’m the drow on the far right. From left to right: Theolus “Foundry Apprentice” of The Broken Path, Tony Chianti “Foundry Neophyte” of Infernal Paragons, Eixelebrat “Foundry Grandmaster” of NWLC Alpha, Ian Darksword “Foundry Stalwart” of Noble Misfits, Irras Locksheon “Moonstar Agent” of The Court of Bones, Claudia Helder “Foundry Grandmaster” of Jagged Daggers, Rendis Redhair “Foundry Neophyte” of Elite Mercenaria, Thia Duskwalker “Foundry Graduate” of Order of the Raven, CruelBanana “The Blue” of Reborn Immortals, Nedryn Zauth “Foundry Apprentice” of Order of the Silent Shroud (Photo credit to Locksheon.)
I myself created a small campaign following the story of a drow who had fled the Underdark after his daughter had been turned into an evil priestess of Lloth. He surfaced somewhere in the Anarouch Desert, met a sharp-tongued wood elf who reluctantly befriended him, and eventually found faith in Amaunator (Lathander), the god of the sun and truth. The campaign is still available until April 11th on Neverwinter. If you care to give it a look-up, it is called the Fox’s Den; author is @kevaar. Please note, given the current status of the Foundry, some bugs may exist that I can no longer control.
I’m just a little choked up it’ll all be gone soon, really. Over the next few weeks I’ll be salvaging what I can, perhaps to retool for a pen and paper module. Or perhaps greater things lie in store? The community of Foundry authors, while small, has been wonderful, and we’re considering refocusing our creative efforts into making a community based on creating quests and perhaps even our own indie RPG. It’s too early to tell yet.
In the meantime, it was good while it lasted. We’ll miss you, Foundry. Should you resurface in some form, whether in this game or another, don’t be a stranger, hey?
Here’s to our next adventure!
(Photo credit to JayAgeDee.)
