Other projects

Sorry for the lack of updates recently. For one, I can't actually view the blog now for some reason, which, you know, doesn't help (and yes, I know that it's odd I can still write stuff but not actually view it). For two, I've been working on other project for some friends which you can check out here if you're interested. You'll need to register to see "the good stuff".

Hopefully I'll get both issues resolved this week and put up more pictures shortly.

Long week short

Well, you'd have thought I'd been absent from work for a month, not a week, the amount of  "stuff" that went on. So my time (and attention) on the book was signficantly less than hoped. Anyway, I did get another "Strange geometry" picture finished.



Thing Three

I've called it thing three. I'm nothing if not consistent. Hopefully I'll get more done this week as I'm really beginning to run out of time), although we're on another week of hols from Friday. That said, I've got more done in a tent than at home.

Strange Geometry

Well I'm back from a week of camping in what I like to think of as the UK equivalent of Lovecraft Country: Norfolk. I've four pictures from the back of the book either done or in progress - I've only taken pictures of three of them, so the fourth I'll post tomorrow.

This last section of the book needs to contain untranslated runes for Cale to decipher and, as with the rest of the book, it needs to be (vaguely) interesting to look at. So a page of the Runic font simply reproduced over and over is no good. I've therefore gone with the strange geometry shapes both from the many and various Lovecraft sources, but most specifically, some of Zorano's Cthulu scrolls.
 

Thing One

Thing Two

(And no, I don't know why you can't zoom in on "Thing Two". Sorry)

These first two are pretty much done. I plan to add some annotation from Cale once I'm happy that I've got the style of writing nailed to "Thing One"'s bottom left hand corner. Top right of "Thing Two" has one last circle to go in.

In the end I decided to include random shapes that aren't in the runic font in order to pad and add points of interest. I guess they came out OK - there are already a couple of points that I dont like but I have a deadline to meet, so I can't hold out for perfection.

The last picture is different to the others in that it doesn't has a more "organic" (less straight) feel:

Herald's Cartoon

I wanted something to break up the uniformity of the other two and something directly relevant to the plot of the game. It's the least finished of the four and I'll keep chipping away at it over the course of this week. Although I've not decided if I'm going to keep it or not, yet.






I'm on hols again in a fortnights time, so I want to crack on this week with getting more images in. I really ought to start on the writing, but I'm still unhappy with how the practice stuff is coming out.

AWOL

I'm away for a week. There's an outside chance I'll find time to do some stuff while we're gone - I'll post when I'm back

Rune Escape

The first of the "translation" pages is done. These pages will ultimately litter the book, giving Cale a chance at translating any runes he finds in game that he doesnt know already. Here are some pics:

That's the hard bit done...

Maybe not...

It came out ok, although the enlarged characters at the top look a bit odd. With the amount I need to do by September though, I'm not really in the position to re-do it. When the book's done, I'll probably burn some of the edges off.

The insect design in the middle is inspired by the works of Zarano. You should check out his stuff on ebay if you're remotely into Cthulhu

Yet more runes

Two more down, although I have to apologise for the quality of the pictures - I'll post better ones later.

Shais' Rune - Darkness

The Heralds' Rune: Shroud

The rune of darkness came out way better than I expected, given that I'd pretty much nailed it first time. I'm less keen on the Herald's rune, but it does the job I guess.

The backstory for these two runes isn't written yet, but I'm not expecting much too trouble with it. Both the Herald and Shai are significant plot people in the Spearhead campaign so I plan to lean on that.

I've also started work on the first (of many) "Rosetta Stone" devices for translating runes. Pictures later.

First impressions

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Well, so they say. Anyway, I've been giving a lot of thought to the first page of the Calenomicon. It's got to be the right words, the right design, the right layout in order to set the right tone for readers other than Cale. In other words, pretty much perfect.

Because the first section of the book is a journal and contains a wall of text, I dont want the front page to be too wordy. Book one contained a verse from the Dwale of Avaggadhu:

And that's pretty cool (the words, not my implementation), even if I do say so myself


 


I also had the Cthulhu Aquiddigay (or whatever its called, most Lovecraft contains too many consonents) elsewhere in the book, which I thought with a bit of adaptation might make a good front page:

"Rise, o namless runes!
That in thine own season,
Through thy spells and enchantry
May know of thy coming
And rush to thy pleasure
For the love of our master
Deep slumberer in green"

The only part I don't think quite fits is the last line. I'll have to give it some thought.