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Thanks, guys. As I mentioned in another thread, I am lousy at perspective and 3D effects!
Final entry inspired by Antiquity. I am overall satisfied with her pose, her expression, and the temple background. I added some shading to the columns with the light source off to her left (viewers’ right). It’s subtle but really adds to the scene.
Virgo
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Last sign of the Zodiac. Symbol of balance and justice.
Before a soul crosses to the next world, Anubis casts judgment. The god weighs the sins of the deceased’s heart against the Feather of Ma’at on The Scales of Justice. Should the heart be lighter than the molt of the Goddess of Justice, Anubis blesses the journey. Should he find the heart wicked, Anubis feeds the soul to the chimera Ammit.
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Peridot is the August birthstone. Peridot is also a teen-age supervillain who can teleport. She commits crimes for thrills – but the extra cash is nice.
Background is by logosgal.
Peridot – Gymnast, diving champion, teleporter, annoying princess.
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True Story
I noticed her out of the corner of my eye. She stumbled from the restroom toward her table. At first, I thought that she was fall-over drunk. She lurched forward. Her friend caught her and helped her onto the barstool. There was a cane hanging from the table’s edge. I looked closer then smiled.Balance
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Opal is October’s birthstone. She is also a major character in my meta-verse.
Opal
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Origin (PG-13, vulgar language)
~ 1 ~NéNé woke to a loud knock on her tenement door. Better not be no damn police, she thought to herself. She put on her robe then reached for the baseball bat in the umbrella stand. “Who the FUCK is poundin’ my door at three A.M.?!?”
A sobbing voice replied, “Auntie, it’s me… Opal! Please, open the door!”
Now, NéNé was furious. “Bitch, I don’t know what game you playin’. Get outta here or get a stick up yo’ ass!”
“Auntie! Please, momma’s key don’t work! There was an accident or somethin’. Been out all night. Can I crash on the couch?”
“Oh, you gonna get it! I don’t believe in no ghosts!” NéNé threw open the door and went to swing at the unwelcome caller. When she saw the young woman, she dropped the bat.
“Sweet Jesus, have mercy,” NéNé whispered before fainting.
~ 2 ~NéNé was lying in the doorway when she regained consciousness. The girl claiming to be Opal held an ice pack to NéNé’s forehead. She was still in shock. NéNé struggled but only managed to pull herself onto the couch. “Stay away from me, you!”
The girl was in tears. “Auntie, what’s wrong? You high or sumpin’?”
NéNé reached to touch the stranger’s face. She was real. Not some waking nightmare. NéNé used the sleeves of her robe to dry the tears. “Who are you, girl?”
“Auntie, I’m Opal. Your niece. Your sister’s daughter. Ginny’s cousin. They just released me from the hospital. I think. I got amnesia or somethin’. All I remember was a car crash and tryin’ to go home but the door was locked.”
NéNé covered her mouth as she sobbed. “Opal, I’m not Auntie. She passed away eight years ago. It’s me, NéNé… Ginny. Your momma died about five years ago. Sammy moved away. And… there was no car accident. You been dead for twenty years!”
~ 3 ~Opal grabbed NéNé’s hand. “What you sayin’?”
Her cousin tried to remain calm. “Opal, that outfit that you got on. It’s the same outfit you wore to the premiere party… in 1990. You remember?”
Opal scowled in disbelief. She was at that CD release party earlier that night. It was LeSean’s debut with Rotten Apple Productions. NéNé had to be high. She was there, too. The cousins hung out with LeSean and his crew after the show.
“I was there, Opal. I had to work the next morning, so I took the subway home. You stayed to party with the boys. You always was a groupie. You got into LeSean’s red ragtop. That’s the last time I saw you alive.”
Opal began to shake. “What happened?!? Tell me the truth, Ginny. I need to know.”
“We filed a missing person’s report. The cops weren’t really interested. Just another missin’ hood rat. One of LeSean’s gang had a younger brother, Tony. He told us where we could find you. And we did… in the sewer. Oh, dear God!”
~ 4 ~Opal tightened her grip on NéNé’s hands. Her body trembling so hard, she made NéNé shake. Opal began to remember. She was with LeSean and four of his crew. They drove to a reservoir with weed and alcohol. Events flashed quickly. She could not remember exactly what happened. There was violence, pain, and a skull-shattering blow that felt like… a car crash. “Tell me the rest!”
“I can’t!”
Opal insisted. NéNé shook her head then continued. “The police found Tony a few days later. They said that he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Probably suicide over the guilt of your murder. They closed the case before the coroner turned in the autopsy. He said that you had been raped multiple times. And not by Tony neither.”
A golden tear streamed down Opal’s cheek. NéNé looked at her. Opal re-opened her eyes. NéNé gasped. Her cousin’s eyes were black through and through save for a burning light.
“What happened to LeSean?” Opal’s voice had changed. It was cold, dark. As if it were not even her speaking. Rather she was possessed.
NéNé shuddered. “I… I don’t know!”
Opal rose from the couch. She stopped in the doorway to pick up the baseball bat. It began to glow the same light that shone behind her coal-black eyes. Opal started down the hallway.
“Opal, where you goin’?” cried NéNé.
“To find LeSean.”
Character Contest 75: Random-palooza
“Random Name” challenges can be fun and frustrating. Jeff would pick a category then point entrants to Seventh Sanctum to generate a list of ten or so names. I go with my first “spin” regardless of the outcome.
This list had some real potential. Unfortunately, I was really pressed for time that week. So I threw together a quickie.
Lucky Tree
My Spin
Form Dolphin
Lucky Tree
Magic Detonator
Neurowhale
Royal Mouth
Snake Storm
Storm Thrower
Venomous Blaster
Virus Paw
Weather BurnCharacter Design Contest 76: Animalia II
The challenge was to design a character based on the animal kingdom. Hands up if you’re old enough to remember the brief television run of “Manimal.”
Jumpin’ Joey Foster
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Character Design Contest 76: Animalia II
I wanted to try a sort of 3D wrap-around effect. Failed miserably.
Devilfish: A pirate’s sword with a fancy hilt
Character Design Contest 76: Animalia II
An original design for this HeroMachine contest. Now he is one of the “Golden Age” heroes in my meta-verse.
The Mouser
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Origin
Hitmen had left New York City journalist Herschel Lanksy to die in the alley. They could not have simply shot him. His broken, bloody corpse would be a warning to anyone who stuck his nose where it did not belong. Herschel survived.He decided to lay low while he was on the mend. Who had set him up? Was it the mob? The police? The mayor’s office? Possibly even the Nazis or the Commies.
Herschel emerged two years later. He could not let anyone know he was still alive. Instead, Herschel adopted the identity of “The Mouser.” Using his Army training and investigative skills, Herschel chases down the rats who swim in the Big Apple’s rotten core.
Character Design Contest 76: Animalia II
“Wulff Industries” is the working name of an engineering company that runs throughout my meta-verse and mecha-verse. In the meta-verse, think something along the lines of cutting-edge research and technology. Comparable to STAR labs, Stark Industries, Lex Luthor’s megaconglomeration, etc. In the mecha-verse, think Halliburton, Boeing, Siemens, General Electric, etc. This undated Wulff project could be from either.
Spiderwolf: Wulff Industries Design Concept
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Character Design Contest 76: Animalia II
Final entry and a personal favorite. I posted the coliseum background in… Backgrounds.
Atrox: The Cruel
Going to have two four-day weekends in a row thanks to the holidays. Aside from the obvious binges, I might take a break from posting my retrospective. I have been threatening to… I mean, wanting to write for a long time. More like “world-building” as I like to create rich histories and cultures before developing stories and characters. That’s the old Game Master in me coming out.
Normally, I don’t solicit feedback. I just let traffic flow naturally. People pop in to take a look, sometimes comment. And I appreciate the visits. Before I switch gears, I would like to know if there would be any interest.
Here’s my plot (wow, sounding like I am trying to sell a book or a screenplay). Humanity is spread throughout the universe via various interstellar modes of transportation (hyperdrives, wormhole technology, etc.). Earth is a natural well or sinkhole for anomalies (Bermuda Triangle, Stonehenge, the Philadelphia Experiment, etc.). At various points, earth receives visitors who influence our history. Likewise, some famous (and infamous) people from earth travel to other worlds and influence them.
My initial setting is the Hestia system with its three inhabitable worlds. The historical figure who transforms it is Elizabeth Bathory – the Blood Countess. With very special thanks to Harlequin, here is a sample of what to expect:
Erzsé and Rebecka
Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
Character Design Contest 77: Sporty!
This is around the time that my ISP dropped webhosting. It was a major setback because I would always post my entries with accompanying stories and related links. One thing that I enjoy when designing characters is research. Challenges are an opportunity to learn something new and re-visit old ideas and memories.
Volleyball
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Character Design Contest 77: Sporty!
Inspired by The Blood of Heroes, here is a jugger who plays “the game.” His skill position is enforcer. The original Australian title is Salute of the Jugger.
I highly recommend this movie. Two words: “Rutger Hauer.” If you don’t know who Rutger Hauer is, please turn in your geek card as you leave.
Enforcer
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