Tag Archives: write

Weapons- Lots and Lots of Weapons

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Imaginary worlds allow one to create anything.

That’s why I like writing the most. Fuck the whole writing for an audience thing- I might aw well be masturbating at this point. I like makin’ shit up and then having it work in a world that will never be. My own fantasies coming to life, could it get any better? Of course it could, but for me it’s pretty close to a perfect hobby.

Anyway, before I delete that last paragraph, I wanted to touch down on weapons. I like weapons. A lot. And more than liking weapons, I enjoy creating my own. I’ve always had a fascination with things that can kill. I don’t know why. I don’t hunt, fish, or do other activities that put animals directly in harm’s way. But I do like violence, and I do like bad people getting what they deserve, so I guess weapons always have, and always will, hold a special place in my thundering heart.

Here’s some pictures of shit I made up:

WeaponConcepts3_TCoUBlestemul

These sketches are some mixed concepts. I included a Fundament assault rifle (they’re the main baddies in the book) along with some Incub technologies. Incubs have one eye, so I tried to develop a weapon that would cater to that. Larger rifles would have a stock that one would put against the chest, and stare down the sight without being able to blink. The harmonic knife is a weird one…I’m not sure how it works but it disrupts atoms, literally shaking them apart to create horrific wounds when used on soft targets. Here’s another slab ‘o art:

WeaponConcepts4_TCoUBlestemul

These weapons are almost ALL of Incub design. The two worth noting are the plasma hook and the longshot at the bottom. The plasma hook is a lofty idea- you could generate an arc of plasmatic energy that moves like a boomerang (without returning to you) and explodes with tremendous violence upon impact. As for how it would work, I have no idea. The longshot at the bottom is basically the most accurate projectile weapon on Urth. As long as its sight/scope is calibrated properly, the shot will literally go wherever the crosshair/bead is. Only operator error can alter the shot. More shit:

WeaponConcepts5_TCoUBlestemul

These are all Groar weapons. Heavy, artistic, and functional, these weapons personify what being a Groar means. Their version of a pistol weighs forty pounds, and uses a projectile that pierces through tough armor, and then shatters into stages all along the soft and doughy insides of their target.

Well, that about does it for today. I’m tired and bored of boring you. Take a look at my shit, leave a comment, all that good crap. Bye-bye.

 

Stepping Forward in Shit

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Life can be a real sour cunt, you know that?

I’ll warn you now. I’m gonna bitch and moan and have meaningful insight all in this motherfucker, so if you’re bored already, stop reading. Still here? What’s wrong with you? Anyway, the world will shit on you, disappoint you, wear you out and fuck you up. And it’s not just big things. You’d be surprised how often a little bump in the path can totally throw someone off the deep edge. Definitely a “straw that broke the camel’s back” situation. These past few weeks have been very tough for many people. Saying that, these last few decades have been very rough for some people. Many people, so as much as I want to bitch and moan about how annoying my life can be, I don’t. I don’t because there are others out there that would love to have my life.

Am I grateful? Sometimes. Sometimes I just want to smash anyone that looks at me cockeyed. Other times, I want to set myself ablaze and stand unflinching in a shopping mall, never screaming as people watch in horror as I amble towards them. Sometimes I want to be feared. Hated. Respected. Powerful. I feel my fists clench, my jaw tighten, and my patience wear thin, and a familiar burning resentment towards others that I envy boils up from my core, spills over, and all I want to do is shit all over the world and watch it burn down with me.

Looking for a positive turnaround paragraph? Nope. Not here. I guess you could say that this is a more…jaded and cynical part of my life, or more accurately, week. Usually edged with sarcasm to fake my own intelligence, but let’s just say what this shit boils down to. Jealousy. I am jealous. Competitive. I always have been. I don’t mind if my wife talks to other men. Kisses them, hugs them, fuck even flirts with them. Because I trust her. But every drop of testosterone I own in this haggard carcass surges right from my balls and into my brain when I see someone else trying to make a move on her. I am jealous of others that have more than me, have less than me (by choice), are smarter than me, stronger than me, all sorts of stupid mortal-based petty bullshit that now as I write, feels like angsty emo horseshit. Perhaps I need to save me from myself while I cut myself to feel because I’ve been asleep so long that I need someone to save me.

Or perhaps this is just a rough patch, and I need to get over myself and be happy for what I have, and what I can create. Anger and frustration are a part of life, and I certainly don’t help my situation with personality. I hide behind a wall of sarcasm and faux intelligence to hide what I am: Jealous, angry, and resentful. Secretive and obsessive. Hateful. Intense. And at times? Ignorant.

Do I want pity? Fuck no. What do I want? Fuck if I know. Or no. Don’t care. Most of the time. Sometimes?

Twisted Emotions Change Books

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These last few weeks have been…trying. I make no apologizes for the things I’ve neglected. Including myself and this blog, my mind has been elsewhere. Sandy shoved a fist in many people’s holes last week, and fortunately, all she did to me and my wife was some light BDSM. Needless to say, I’ve been elsewhere.

I have been writing though. But I’ve noticed something more and more as I progress in life and work on books and other pieces. My emotions and state of mind drastically alter what happens in my books, and what I’m willing to do to the reader and/or characters. Maybe I’m just having a little dick power trip, maybe I’m an artist, I don’t fuckin’ care/know. All I know is I want to write more when I’m in the shit, and what I write gets affected.

Violence and cruelty show up more in my work. I also notice an inability to write good dialogue, and a nagging itch to get to the next action sequence, or fight. Good moods produce good dialogue and shitty storytelling sometimes. Bad moods cut straight to the chase. I am a man of little patience and low self worth, so maybe it’s my own pathetic way of bullying a situation into something I can dominate and have control over. Hell, as long as what I write is good, who cares?

That’s not for me to judge. Is it?

Often I wonder what “famous” books would have turned out like if the author was a different person, or pissed off when writing a certain chapter. Often I wonder if book would have been better, or worse. Often I wonder…too often. What does your storytelling tell you?

 

Final Concept Art for Spek- Totem Sledge

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Hello again.
Just finished my new character Spek’s main weapon- the totem sledge.  Here’s the pic, and the explanation will be below:

Okay, so a totem sledge is a special ritualistic weapon that is very typical in Groar culture (at roughly 300-500 lbs, only a Groar can wield it anyway.). It can mean many things to many different Groars. Sometimes, a single totem sledge can mean one thing to a group, or many things for all Groars. Think of it as an ambiguous symbol of authority, or an abstract book. Anyway, dominant and powerful Groars typically  have the most grand totem sledges, adorn and well made. As ornate as some can get, make no mistake. It can be torn off the mantle and used to smash the owner’s enemies. Typically, a family can have a totem sledge (like a coat of arms), or a city, or a tribe, or a village, etc.

If there is a task that must be completed, sometimes Groars will use the totem sledge in said task. As a rule, totem sledges can be cleaned, but  not repaired. Scars and marks tell the weapon’s, and the owner’s tales, and the sign of a good totem sledge is one that can last for many many battles. When it breaks, a new totem sledge is often made from remains. But, a totem sledge can be created in any way an individual chooses.

Alright, that’s the end.

Final Concept Art: Spek

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Well, waiting for you shit sniffers to actually say something is like waiting for a slug to crawl out of my bowels, so I went ahead and did whatever the fuck I wanted to do. For those of you that are playing the home game, this is Spek, a new character that I created in the world of Urth. He’s a Groar, and an agent of an organization that strives to mix the cultures of City Groars (modern, socialized, organized) and Tribal Groars (secretive, wild, primitive) so that both “sects” of his people can learn and grow from one another. Here’s his picture:

Yeah, he dosen’t have balls cuz he’s pseudoreptilian. All his shit flops out of a cloaca.

I’m tired. That’s all for today.

Help Create a Character: Spek

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Hello all.

Okay, so I’m in a place in my book where my characters are really starting to take shape and develop personalities other than the ones I’ve given them, and usually as I write, I like to create how they would look in my head. Until now, I’ve only posted sketches and rough ideas for any characters that I’ve created, but I’d like to get some input from someone other than myself (because my ideas may suck for all I know) in order to help make this book a reality. I’m going to post some concept art of a character that I’ve introduced in the book- Spek. He’s a Groar male that is dedicated to the assimilation of Groar culture regardless of societal differences.  He is like a lot of Groars- quick to anger, quick to help, quick to forgive, violent. But he is refined, intelligent, generous, kind, and noble. If you look below, you’ll see some of the concepts that I’ve been throwing around for him. Once you’re done with that, I have another favor to ask.

Okay, so that’s what I have. Not so good. That favor that I was asking you for- tell me how you think he would look based on the feel you get from his role in the story. Here are some excerpts of his lines from TCoU: Blestemul.

1. “One screeched and ran forward. Spek clenched his jaw and stepped to the side, dodging the first swipe with the creature’s machete. A huge strike with Spek’s right claw nearly ripped the creature’s jaw off. It fell, and Spek slammed his foot into its stomach, make his foe fly backwards into the swamp. He heard the monster smash into a tree and fall silent.”

2. ““Looking at your surroundings, reading enemy minds, feeding you intel. You’ll have to do everything else though. Spek tightened his grip on the totem sledge. “That’s fine.” His eyes stopped glowing, the light falling into the dark pools of gleaming tar.”

3. “Me? I educate tribals. It’s a personal endeavor of mine, I want my people to be united or at least understanding of one another. City Groars are accepting of different senitents, but tribals are isolated, and scared. All tribals are good people, they’re just misinformed about the outside world.” Spek clapped a hand on the chief’s shoulder. The Chief held a smile back, his eyes giving way to blue. Other Groars followed suit.”

I know a lot of this is outta context, so if you have questions, lemmie know. If this thing goes well, I’ll do it for all my characters. I think it would be pretty godamn terrific if I I got some help developing characters, and I would love to hear your suggestions and ideas. Please, tell me what you think! Help me make a good character.

Character Concept Art and More

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As I trudge through the swamps of Urth with my mind and mouth open, I decided that I’d like to introduce you to a character of mine. Well, two to be exact. I refer to Alistar and Kone and Jala a lot, but if you’re not reading the book, you’re prolly a lil’ lost. So I’ve decided that I want you to meet a few of my characters before we continue on. The first picture is a quick and rough sketch of Alistar Crowne, the main good guy in the novel. Take a look:

 

This is how I basically wanted him to look. He’s got muscle, but he’s definitely got fat, too. I wanted him to be imperfect. He gets winded. He get’s discouraged. He gets angry. I also changed his appearance a little more too. I didn’t want him to have dark hair any longer, so I changed it to dirty blonde. It’s also a little bit longer in the novel, and his frame is bigger. He’s more of a graceless bruiser than a agile duelist. I added a gut too because I have a gut, and I still get around. Except for the hair color and length, if you’re still doing the math, I modeled his figure after my own because well. It’s easier to understand and write about something that you live. I rarely make characters that are perfect. They always have a problem, or something they don’t like to talk about. Not a secret mind you (some do, some don’t), but something they’ve done that they’re ashamed of, or the like.

Another thing that can be important when developing a character regardless of what genre you find yourself in is giving dimension. There are many ways to give dimension to a character, such as hobbies, speech patterns, how they interact with the living beings around them, how they approach/solve problems, etc. My favorite way? Have a good character do something out of character. Like commit a rape, murder, or theft. Alistar has plenty of things he doesn’t like to talk about, but he does anyway because his personality, and his conscience, won’t let him stay silent. He’s boisterous, intelligent, and jovial. He can also be cruel, savage, and merciless. It’s all about dimension. Also, I like to illustrate what I find strong about the character obtusely. Try having them do something a certain way that forces readers to look inbetween the lines. Do you have any tricks or tips you could share? I’d love to hear em’, trust me. I’m always learning. Anyway, Alistar’s best buddy is a man named Konemies, or Kone for short. He’s an Ironsoul- an individual who is part machine, part organic lifeform. Here’s some concept art for this fine gentleman:

He and Alistar go way back, and because of Alistar’s less than subtle push for free reconstructive surgery after a particularly nasty occurrence, Kone has become more human than man. That also means he has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, such as night vision, GPS map overlay, numerous engineering, maintenance, and weapon attachments to his mechanical arm, and so on. He used to be a terrific engineer- truly gifted with knowing the intricacies of machines, computers, and electronics. Just because, however, he doesn’t do this as a formal job any more, doesn’t mean he doesn’t do it at all. He is truly a gearhead, both physically, and metaphorically. Because of everything Alistar and he have gone through, he will follow his buddy to the ends of the Urth and back. I was thinking of maybe having them maybe be together as a homosexual couple in their past, but I’m not sure if I wanna do that yet.

Last but not least, I thought it might be good to show you where this epic yarn will be taking place. Below is a map that details that starting area, and explains the total area, of where the story takes place. Right now, they are in the volcanic swamps just past the Great Gash Mountain Pass. Take a look:

This map is only a lil’ outdated. I’ve changed a few things around since I drew this thing, but the basic gist of it remains the same. Alright then, I’ve about had it for today. Tell me what you think, give me your comments, all that bullshit. Bye bye.

Swamps of the Damned and the Groar

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I’ve been waiting to write about this place all my life, to be honest. In one way or another, the next scene of my book was always going to be created because it was always a part of me. Our characters are navigating the darkest and most primeval swamps in this sector of Urth. Largely uncharted, it has one main path carved through it to the Groar capitol, and then on to Blunt on the other side (Blunt is a massive city in the book, think twice the size of NYC).

Bizarre creatures lurk within the black waters and foreboding shadows. Because of the dense canopy of vines, mosses, and leaves, it always looks like dusk inside the swamp until nightfall, where it is virtually pitch black. Cruel sentient creatures, called Lazgah, make their home in the swamps, along with a whole host of other deadly flora and fauna that make the entire place a huge deathtrap if you don’t have a guide to show you the way. Carnivorous plants, quicksand, deep fields of black tar-mud, active volcanoes, dangerous animals, bandits, smugglers, gangs, all take refuge in the unknown parts of the swamp. Here’s some art depicting some strange life forms our heroes will run across:

Lazgah weapons are at the top, but if you look at the lower right hand corner of the page, you’ll see a bizarre plant in bloom. Yes, those are teeth on its petals, and teeth line its massive saw palmetto like leaves down to the base of the plant. It grows between 7 to 8 feet from the base, but is not carnivorous. The teeth act as little tiny armor plates that help reenforce the tough outer skin of the thick and succulent petals.  To the left of the massive bloom, you’ll see plants that are a mix between amphibian and flowers. They are plants that utilize frog-like eyes, and are capable of watching things that pass by. They don’t really see too well, as they don’t have a brain, but basic visual data gets fed into the plant that tells it when to retreat its stalk, and when to stay vigilant. Don’t forget the massive snake, either. Huge and venomous. Think…anaconda with poison glands the size of gallon jugs. It not only bites, but constricts, making sure its prey dies quickly.
Our travelers also meet a Groar named Spek who helps them on their journey. Spek is a Groar that is on a mission to educate tribal Groars (individuals who live outside of the civilized world) in order to preserve their way of life, and to help understand life outside of the swamp. He’ll be showing up later in the story with a Totem Sledge, a special Groar weapon that is used in rituals, and it actual combat. It stands 6 feet tall, and weighs over 300 lbs. Take a look:

I also included a common Groar assault rifle, utilize a special cartridge that really tears into organic targets. Groar weapons are massive, powerful, and spectacularly ornate.

I’m fallin’ asleep I’m so tired. I’m gonna end this. As always you tight-lipped fucks, give me some feedback.

Lazgah Concept Art

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Almost a hundred and fifty pages into TCoU:B, and the characters are moving towards the dangerous swamplands of the Groar and Lazagah people.  This book is one of the slowest I’ve ever written. Although not boring, I will admit that it can be a little dry. But this is a large tale to tell, and as anyone who has read a 1000 page plus fantasy novel, it takes a good chunk of time before the fuckin’ wonder begins.

Anyway. Our heroes are leaving the canyon where the Creature was found. After a merciless slaughter of evil men and women by the demonic reach of Blestemul, they continue on into the bizarre volcanic swamps, headed towards a Groar capitol, and then beyond. We’ve already discussed Groars here, but not the Lazgah are sentinents, true, but are too savage to be included in any type of modern society. Intelligent, but mostly in an instinctual and predatory sense, they have a basic language but mostly operate in tightly knit and organized troops. They are semi-amphibious, but don’t breathe through their skin. Heavily muscled, they have a bizarre anatomy the defies nature. Here’s a picture of some rough concepts:

And a closeup of the type of head I chose:

 

 

A few more concepts of the actual anatomy of a Lazgah:

 

They are adept scavengers and can often reverse engineer, or re purpose scavenged materials or technology. They can make surprisingly sophisticated weapons, favoring a super compressed blowgun tailored to exploit the advantages of having massive and powerful lungs. These darts are tipped in lethal poisons collected from creatures dwelling in their natural habitat. They are fond of throwing weapons, using their profound strength to throw such projectiles with incredible speed and force, far more than some human schmuck with a throwing knife. They will often utilize umbracells as volatile grenades, and as devastating traps. Here’s some concept art detailing Lazgah weapons:

 

And finally, some more advanced weapons found in the hands of Lazgah soldiers:

 

 

Okay, I’ll leave you with that. Got any questions? Comments? You know what to do.

The Creature in the Mountain Pass

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I’ve reached a point in my story where I like to answer questions that the reader may have in an indirect way. I prefer to disguise these points in the ignorance of my characters. They ask the questions, and I find a way to answer them for everyone. It is annoying. It is not easy. And sometimes, it doesn’t work. But, when it does, it ties shit together nicely in a lil’ package I can call my own. Anyway, here’s the shit.

The characters of the story, Alistar, Jala, and Kone are all headed towards the next scene. And yes, I’m isolating those who read this by not explaining anything further on these characters, nor why they’re together, or what they’re doing. It’s on purpose. Anyway, they’re all headed towards the next scene, when Alistar gets separated from the group via a powerful and ancient being. The beast is never named, nor his species. He has fantastic powers and incredible stories to tell Alistar, many that validate humanity’s existence on the one in a billion shot we call Earth.

I wanted to create a being that didn’t make any sense. Creatures created out of the imagination are often based on things that we have seen before. Humanoid creatures, where eyes belong, head, tail, symmetry. You know. I thought in a different way. And I am not ashamed that I was inspired to break out of the way I normally create fictional beings because of Philip Pullman and his works.He created a species of creatures that defied symmetry and that’s what I sought out to do.

I tend to warp things. Twist them. The world is too normal, and it needs a dark slant, a sticky, sweaty mutation deep in the corners of the sane mind. So, I came out with this initially:

But that made too much sense. I decided to alter the creature more, and recently I came up with its final form. Take a look at this shit:

Much better. There is some symmetry, yes. But I mixed shit up in ways I had forgotten about. This being, this creature, is the link that provides a foundation for the rest of Alistar’s (the main character) motivations throughout the story. I had to make this fucker unique, and hopefully I didn’t fail.

What about you? Ever create somethingentirely out of your own head? Your own creature? Being? Race? I would love to know how you did it, and what it is. Don’t be shy. We’re all freaks here.

P.S.: This entry is short because I started to feel pompous when I was writing it. I wanted to stop my mind diarrhea before I started sounding like those I despise.