Friday, December 24, 2010

One Year Later......Everything Has Changed

Hello, image of my former self. Since you're the only one paying attention here, might as well address you directly. You may know that we started this one year ago, when snowfall bestowed upon us an epiphany of major proportions. Since then it hasn't been a good year, in fact, you could say this has officially been the worst year I ever lived down. There is only one person that can come close to knowing the things that went through my mind. But rather than dwell on that, I've decided to simply let history repeat itself and pictures do the talking, as once again, this December is covered in snow on the very same day. And still: One year later......everything has changed:

It started off small, but I value every snowflake given to me.




By the time of our anniversary though, it was clear that the snow was here to stay:

Remember this one?


It was coincidence that once again led me outside, as I ventured towards the hospital



Bus ride:




My hands had frostbite by this time, so out of focus shots. 



Took the exact same route home, so it felt pointless to recreate more of the same, but I did get to snag a picture of the lake before I took off. Yes, that's a lake.

Went home and treated myself to a nice breakfast.



The next couple of days, I spent sitting inside giggling at all the people trying to rush their life past the forces of nature, as the snow became more intense. Nature finds a way to slow us all down; we should all embrace it, instead of fighting everything we face.



This weather spawned a microwave. Yes, most shots are weird, but I liked them regardless. 
  


Even more intense weather. In a way, snow has become the catalyst for my existence. I'll be sad to see it go




And as of today, Christmas Eve, the snow has dominated our landscape to assert its place in the world. All is chaos outside as people scramble to do society's bidding. It's been 20 years since I've seen this much snow. I'm not going to bore you any longer, so here's one last shot. One last shot.

  

 Goodbye. 

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Comic: Leap Of Faith

It's time for morbidity and humor: In an attempt to act like Wednesday's funeral wasn't real, I spent all my time and attention to complete my very first web comic ever Tuesday. The final drawing is a bit more crude than the original sketches, but I had to redraw the entirety, as my scanner is dead also. Drawing things with a mouse isn't easy, so the result is still good for a first ever thing. It was inspired by my recent attempt to replay Super Mario Bros in celebration of his 25th anniversary. Enjoy Mario's Leap Of Faith:
NoobFeed - Web Comic 1 - Mario's Leap Of Faith
*click to enlarge*

Saturday, December 4, 2010

If life had a final purpose, it would have been reached by now.

Sorry, there is no one picture that can do this justice.
You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Sometimes, this overused line affects people more than it should; a lot more. Tragedy always strikes unexpectedly, as we don’t anticipate it striking ever. And it is in such events we are forced to part with loved ones, just as we had to say goodbye to Dieter Bercx. He was a loved friend, brother and son; he was so much to so many people and yet was also secluded and alone. It’s strange how easily we collectively let those things happen and this case is neither solitary, nor will we prevent it from happening again. Look, there’s no way to wrap this up correctly and I can’t seem to manage my emotions, so I can’t keep writing. Maybe I will soon, but now let’s get on to business. Because that’s what people do, right? They suppress deeply scarring shit and let the cogs roll as if the machine never stopped in the first place. ..

And so, here is the promised secret project I was working on with some friends: Swords & Wizardry.

We came together once again, after years of absence, to immerse ourselves into the wonderful world of Roleplaying. Spearheaded by Dieter, the dungeon master in this case, we set off to make roleplaying more spiritual than calculated. So, with little need for dice and such, our adventures would rely more on the strengths of our intellects. That was a wonderful new take on an idea based on our imagination in the first place.

I was going to announce it once the project received more momentum, but as it was requested from his brother (the gentleman rogue in this case), I’m going to try and get the footage up as soon as possible. Therefore, I’m going to compile all the information that we had already and get the backgrounds up and whatnot, so you can get a better feeling of what was going on.

I was also in the midst of picking up art again, to illustrate our adventures, but I had only created one portrait and now see little need to ever roleplay again, period. Still, I’ll release that picture as well; anything we have basically.

Even trying to keep this brief, I spewed out 400 badly written words; I suck. So,  without further ado:



Richmond background

 What’s that? You want to know more about me? Really, there is nothing much to tell.
I am Richmond, chief warlock of the brothers of darkness, lord of the bones, master of the thirteen hells, emperor of the black, lord of the dance, mistress of magma …
Oh, and the mayor of a little village up the coast. Very scenic in springtime. You should visit sometime.
I also had a familiar. Hctib Elttil was bonded to me until the traitorous imp managed to flee.

My story began when I started looking for some magical artifacts. I was bored and felt like doing something. Perhaps you’ve heard of them? The Sword of 77% Probability? The Sword of Maybe, Maybe Not? The Sword of Mostly Falsehoods? The Stick of Lies?
No? Well, can’t hurt asking.

Anyway, I asked a farmer’s two children for directions. I then killed both of them. I mean, it is hard to kill just one! That would be unfair. Spread love in equal measure and all that. I also wanted to lose some baby weight. Mostly from the baby I ate. Good times.

Why did I kill them? Because they didn’t know the directions.
After that I displayed their heads on stakes in a suitably comical manner. As for their expression, I went with mild surprise. Seemed proper given the situation.
Didn’t sit well with their father though. Gave me a good nobbin on the noggin.
And that was the first time I died. By the way, the meaning of life is ‘bucket’.

I also spent some time staying at a recently widowed woman’s house. I comforted her best as I could. ‘Your husband is in a better place’ I said to her. The crazy old woman went on rambling about someone having killed him and he two sons. I still don’t know what she was going on about. The Spork of Condescension didn’t provide any answers either.

This other time I met some overzealous warrior. I tried to punch his liver out via his ass. Didn’t work, even though I once drank the soul of a monk and tried to imbue it in a small animal which I intended to learn how to speak. They taste like chocolate. And that was the third time I died. Or maybe the fourth, I always mix them up. Like the time I got eaten by a Purple Worm. I did return, in one form or another.

What else? During beautiful moment I like to compose and break into musical singing. Wholesale mass slaughter, locate and butcher your daughter. Stuff like that. I should write this down. This is good stuff. Got any chickens with you? Works well with my Fork of Truth, my bear arms and my kidney hat. Made from real kidney, you know. So you can’t have it.

People say I don’t behave myself. They tell me I’m a monstrous abomination. I resent those comments. Warlocks just have a bad reputation. I mean, I try limiting my maiming to undesirables these days. Most of the time, at least. Do I get points for effort? Playing good has its advantages though. No pitchfork and torch lynching for one. Being loved instead of feared does have its appeal. Yes, you might even say I’ve turned over a new leaf.

Are you still listening by the way? You seem kind of quiet, just lying there with your tongue lolling out. You also look a bit pale. And I’m in the mood for conversation.
Oh well, I wonder when dinner is. I did help with the flaming rat-problem.



Background Story – Link “Shorty” Goodale the Fifth
Link Shorty Goodale V Sketch
Born in the shire community of Palervale, Link Goodale is a descendant from a long line of brewery folk. The bustling, small community was known throughout the Kingdoms for their Pale Ale and Link was brought up in all aspects of its trade. From running the ins and outs of tavern, to gathering ingredients and creating the brew to export it; it was all shown to him by his father and older brother.

Staying relatively small, even for Halfling standards, Link was dubbed the nickname Shorty throughout his childhood years. It was a name that would stick with him for all time, as his real name took a back seat more and more. He grew to be a mere 2 ft 11 inch. It was said, tongue-in-cheek, that the shire was haunted, as villagers would sometimes spot giant barrels of booze float by without a hint of an owner. This was the lad carrying the goods arched over his back. His father therefore dedicated a line of Short beers upon Link’s coming of age. It was an inside joke Link did not mind, but rather appreciated for its gesture.

As a man, Link set off into the world of export for his company, so he could meet the outside world and learn its secrets, in benefit of the brewery. Not resisting the power of the tavern call, he would sometimes help out at the local inn he was staying or provide them service if he spotted a tavern serving their brew. This made him known throughout the towns and aided the reputation of the company grow. He would always order the Short Ale, wherever it was available, advancing his nickname’s recognition. But it would also make him a robust drinker; much more resilient than his scrawny apparition would give away. It was something he could use to his advantage.

Hailing from tavern life, he was a more than avid gambler. He would use his knowledge and wit from the shire community to perform parlor tricks and whimsically cheat at betting games. This could also land him in a spot of trouble from time, but most inn keepers knew his intentions to be more whimsical than heinous. Link also tried to make sure his con wasn’t performed on characters that would not oblige.


In time, Goodale Inc. furthered its reputation to such extent; it would become a house of powerful reach within the brewery trade. It got his father the title of Baronet and later, even Baron. Link began wearing a large, black cloak flaunting the company logo on its backend, embroidered in gold thread. This made him an even more recognizable figure amongst taverns throughout the land, but also landed him in his fair share of trouble. Due to its darker appearance, he was sometimes mistaken for a fiend or dark character by townsfolk or guards and suffered his share of wrongful accusations because of it. He took it all in stride however, as he knew well the lower standards of living.

It is on a fall day that Link returned to Palervale to meet his destiny. Upon arrival in the town perimeter it was already noticeable something was largely amiss. Smoke bellowed from all sides of the shire, much more than needed, and the well-groomed lawns lay ransacked before his eyes. He rushed his horse and carriage over the small hills to see what was the matter. There he saw the once flourishing Palervale, set to ashes. Houses were burnt down, Halfling folk struck down and most of all, the brewery lay to waste. The local magistrate had become corrupt with greed during Link’s absence and had set his eyes on the prospering entrepreneurs of the shire community. But those refused to give in to the ridiculous demands of the avaricious aristocrat. He had personally come down with his men-at-arms to oppress the town of Palervale, but their bond was stronger than the greed of the tyrant. In an episode of blinding rage he had ordered to destroy the brewery and its contents. But the worst was still to come.

The villagers could not warn Link in time for what was about to unfold. Upon hearing the dreadful news of the magistrate, Link rushed to the brewery grounds. There, inside the rubble, lay his family, murdered… It was all his eyes could bare and he went mad with grief. His father and his brother together were dead before his eyes and he was dead behind them. He laid there and wept for what seems an eternity, unaware of any other possible danger. He had not seen the smoldering remains of the factory house, nor did he care for it. But before he knew it, a supporting beam gave way and the ceiling collapsed upon him, triggering a new fire due to the current released. Not even his agile frame would save him from the tragedy and he suffered severe wounds and burns. The lacerations and brandings were well to be noted across his face and body alike.

However, he pulled through and together with the help of the town; they buried his family underneath the brewery cellars, with coffins carved from the factory kegs. After that the remaining folk decided it be best to leave Palvervale for good, as it wasn’t safe their anymore. Their decision lead them to join the town of Miltonshire, down by the sea. There they could reset the brewery name in peace, together with their kin, and continue the legacy, lest it be forgotten. Link was of course asked to lead the crusade, but he could not. The once whimsical, quick witted fellow had become a bitter and torn individual. His scars and burns only heightened his dark appearance, but he himself had gone dark before it.



The shire of Palervale was further demolished and the bucolic homes filled with the remains of wooden walls, straw roofs and then they were aligned with dirt. This way, nature could once more flourish as had the town before it. And the Halflings; they would disappear from the territory as from its history. A small shrine was made for the ones lost in the attack, but it would only be noticeable to those who made them and Halflings who would pass it on in coded songs and chants of the land.

Link “Shorty” Goodale did what he knew to do. He set out into the land to search for the towns and taverns. But he was no longer a free spirit in conquest of reputation. He would keep the cloak, now torn, but it looked grim and the embroidery fragmented and faded; such as his concept of morality. No more would lawmen and noble figures meet him in good virtue. He even went on to relinquish his right to access his family title of Baron. No; authority was not to be trusted and mankind was driven by greed and not by justice. As he later found out, the evil magistrate acted upon name of the entire kingdom. Therefore, Link swore vengeance upon the kingdom itself. Stretching far and wide, he would not rest until a burning inferno would lay to waste the ones responsible, as they had lay to waste his life.

He resided in much unfriendly territory and learned to skulk around caves and caverns, most inhabited by dangerous Goblins and Orcs. In hiding, he learnt to understand the lingo of the talkative small goblins. After he had learned some keywords he could venture closer in, as his grim appearance and scrawny figure could fool many a goblinoid in dark spaces to meet his kin and not a Halfling. Unfortunately, this coin flipped both ways and he would also get mistaken by adventurers and lawmen alike as being a foul cave-dwelling cavern; especially if he would anger any of those in the goblinoid tongue. He has ran more than his fair share for his life.
Link picked up an aid on his travels. A young human boy, harassed by highway guardsmen, was about to be violated and humiliated when Link surprised the evil-doers. He crippled them, slashing their ankles, so he could grab the boy and run for the hills, before any could lay hand on either of them. After a period, it the tale began circulating of a goblin abducting a village lad from the highway to lure him into the mountains. This tale gave the 2 the breathing space necessary to set out into the world again.

The now teenaged lad thanks Link for his life and now serves him as his human assistant, whenever he can. His name, Coulter, is pronounced ‘Colder’ by Link, due to a momentarily confusion, spending too much time with Goblins, trying to speak his name in their dialect.



Character attributes/special abilities:
Apparition: his small and dark, cloaked figure may have a chance at having townspeople mistaken him for a creature or ghost, leading to trouble. It may also give adverse effects to talking to people and Link suffers a +1 penalty on any conversations outside his nature and NPC loyalty checks (above any others that may apply)

Gambler’s Fortune: using his cunning and knowledge of the trade, Link is an unstoppable force when it comes to bar games and betting games. He has a chance 1 in 4 chance of winning all games played and a 1 in 3 chance when served Goodale Inc beer in the place he resides. Starting level 8 this becomes 1 in 3 and 1 in 2 respectively.
Drinker’s Fortitude: The man can hold his liquor, such is true. His bluff increases the more people are persuaded of his drunken debauchery, when in reality he stands ‘tall’. His persuasive skills get a +2 bonus if people are fooled by his small appearance while drinking.
Fortune’s.. Fortune: Link is a merchant and knows merchants, especially those who serve in the brewery trade. His knowledge give him a heightened percentage at favorable effects when dealing with any person related to the brewery trade (such as inn keepers, brewers, alcohol merchants, etc)
Goblin Tongue: His cave-dwelling ways have earned Link the comprehension of the Goblin language. His chance of understanding small Goblinoids is relative to his “Hear Sounds” check, as is speaking the language. From level 5 this also applies to Goblinoid script (if deciphered).
Goblin Face: As with Apparition (look above) Link may be mistaken for a Goblin when in towns and such. He takes a +2 penalty on any suspicious checks for his person. +1 is added if he is speaking Goblinoid. +1 is added if near caves or other known Goblinoid dwelling and retirements


Seriously though: There were a million things left to discuss... But thank you for the compliment you once gave on my blog via your friend. I knew you of all people could understand where I was coming from. You know what I'm talking about.

May it bring you the peace you so deserve, my friend. That is the fine line.