MONDAY SLUMGARDE

 

Glynhroth Fernmire, a puckish half-elf with magic fingers, hatches what will be the greatest theft in Nirvraskan history: Raiding Dirkwall Highfort’s impenetrable nest egg of wealth, the Goldvault, and bring the ghettos of Slumgarde out of squalor. With the help of his ragtag team of misfits his ultimate heist is absolutely foolproof…or so it appears. Something wicked is amidst.

Last night I was writing in the Project Ghetto Elf manuscript titled ‘Slumgarde’ and really found the groove needed to carry on the story. Slumgarde is an action adventure comedy that tells the tale of a half-elf thief and his friends who have their own problems to fix as they plan the ultimate heist. It will not be an easy feat, for there is more to the story than just a gang of misfits looking to redeem themselves off of their Dirkwall city’s precious vault of goodies. This project is worked through the snowflake method, an entirely new method of me to work with since I usually write without pre-plotting ahead. Therefore this story just might come out as complex from its simple summary above and that there is a good thing.

I have four main characters. One of them is Glynroth Fernmire the half-elf thief who is puckish, sharp-wit, and unfiltered in mindset. The other three are:

Dwyte Allnutt: A man who has gambled his life and family away.

Thalgred Graycloak: A drunken dwarf of guts and tall-tales that heavily fabricate an unpleasant truth.

Blip Nimblefoot: A brainy gnome of quirky innovation, and flaw.

Of course the dwarf is a drunk and the gnome is a tinkerer but hey, I like to mess with the cliché and see where it goes… for even the familiar of tunes can hit different tones. This is actually my first time using the drunken dwarf cliché. Slumgarde overall is just as unique and a change of pace for me when not in the Shadow Khan Project, and Project Chosen One (Slicka) is just as wild.

Back to a bit of SG:I edits. Today is a rainy day.

SHADOW KHAN: Character Concept Revised

"I came up with Shadow Khan on a teen angst whim. You know, that angry burst of hormones most of us have that our parents call a 'Phase'? Yeah... Shadow Khan was my dark hero who always faced my demons. Or perhaps Shadow Khan was me, my alter ego, fighting the forces of evil with a band of heroes, friends I trusted, and still trust to this very day. True story though, I am still called Shadow right to this very day, but the 'Dark Hero' changed... dramatically"

For further read on Shadow Khan--to keep from having to re-explain a whole life story's worth--click here. Many know who Shadow Khan is, his conception, and the countless ridicule I have faced throughout my younger years because of what I like and what I do, and still do, like writing and drawing and gaming... and all that good geeky nerd stuff.

The Legendary Shadow Khan

It is funny how things evolve with you in life, and Shadow has evolved so much that I cannot describe the many looks he has taken on, until finally achieving this look... and I am sticking with it.

Shadow's hair has a spiky crown layer up top and down his back like bushy quills along with his long hair that curls at the ends. Its a two-style look combined into one, and it came to me after awhile of pondering and little sketches until taking the time to go 3D with it (took time there for that one). Several other character 'prototypes' were essential for Shadow's recreation.

Soon enough he will have that 'Official Look', but for now, this is the closest to the look I want for him. Done on IMVU with photoshop work (his hair, eyes, face, marks, and a bit of the skin tone), I am pleased to reveal this character concept and will keep as a foundation to work with when the time comes for his saga... and there are many.

Now to redesign that shadowblade of his.

Ozma, Esesael, & Snowflakin'

The Snowflake Method

This method of creating a complex story is one of the many ways to build an effective plot structure. Some say it is the best of the best, others are not too flowers and rainbows about it due to a few downsides the method has, not to say it has not a single good element about it, for it works wonders… sort of works wonders for me.

To better explain, without me having to dish out a bunch of words likely to make one pass out on their keyboards sleep-eye and spit-lipped, checked out these links below:


Snow Flake Method

Pros & Cons of the Snowflake Method



I have two projects I aim to further experiment with this intricate snowflake method. I like diverse styles, for they interest and help grow my skills as a writer, and hopefully, yours too.


Meanwhile, in Shadow Genesis: Inception

I have three chapters left in 2^nd draft, and a few new scenes carefully added into this upcoming novel. Weekend is in session, time for a 2-day break, a few games to mess with, re-watch those Final Fantasy XV trailers (thank goodness for a demo next year… long wait but I can deal), and tinker around with my ‘Encyclopedia’ of work… got to love OneNote.

I also did not forget to share another character reference. Below are Ozma Diredread and Esesael Nelesyr, two characters appearing in both Shadow Genesis and the upcoming reboot. Keep in mind these and previous others are unofficial and will not be the legit character looks (since I am a bit rusty in character art), but there is nothing wrong with a bit of visual referencing for idea-sake. Done these all through IMVU, another one of my pass times when not 'busy'.