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TTWF Page 4 color WIP
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I'm uploading a WIP page for two reasons! 1) Proof that the comic is still underway! It's just taking ages, man, I'm sorry. XD And 2) I am currently drained of new ideas. I have just finished Act III of TFS, which was a massive undertaking, and a week before that I finished a very important picture for a birthday. I have realized both of these achievements temporarily left me with creative tanks running on basically empty in both writing and drawing.
I'm not too worried, I tend to have these downtimes after a big project, I'm sure I'll get back up soon enough. :) For now, I'm just gonna work on stuff that require little imagination, one of them being the already sketched out pages of Then There Were Five. Shouldn't be too difficult!
Anyway, I hope everyone's having a great February and March! Take care and keep being awesome!
2024.03.09.
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What's in store for Act IV?
Welcome cupcakes! I hope everyone is having a wonderful 2024 so far. If you have gotten this far in reading, I reckon you’d like to know what is going on with the fanfic, right? This is a status update on that very topic. No, That First Spark is not dead, don’t worry! This hiatus is entirely planned, although I wish I could tell you how long it will last. Months more than likely, maybe a year? This is all very new territory for me, forgive me, cupcakes.
TL;DR version: the final act needs massive amounts of pre-planning compared to the previous parts, and I also need to weed out potential storylines I really want in there, but don’t actually have a place in there (but may end up in a spin-off). Unfortunately, I am also not that good at pre-planning stories because I am a Discovery/Gardener type of writer, and boy oh boy, going into details before setting out on the road is not our forte.
So that is why I am asking for your patience, cupcakes! TFS is not dead until I say it is dead. In the meantime I have ideas to fill in the pause: illustrations of previous chapters; concept art; idea blurb posts; general personal tactics and philosophies on writing. Ideas, may I emphasize. These would be uploaded to my DeviantArt gallery and here (and later Blogger when I build that out) – links at the end!
If this is where you stop reading (understandable), then have a lovely rest of your day and keep being awesome!
For those who are interesting in the detailed explanation, here’s the long version:
A good question to ask is: it’s just fanfiction, why don’t I just go for it, screw the planning phase? Who cares if the act is filled to the brim with stuff, we are here to have fun!
Absolutely fair point to make. We are here to have fun, and I hope my fanfic has provided that so far, if you are here reading this! Unfortunately, it is not that simple situation on my end.
For one, I actually want to be a professional writer one day (I actually have the basis of three entirely original series figured out too!) and because of that, fanfiction is not just a place for me to have fun (although I am certainly often having the time of my life here), but it is first and foremost a training ground. I want to get better at writing and so I do my best to employ professional practices in all of my works. One of those practices is the infamous “Kill your Darlings” tactic, which involves getting rid of characters, storylines, scenes, entire worldbuilding elements which you really really love and/or worked hard on… but they just don’t have a place in the story proper.
Thus, Act IV is going to go through a whole bunch of darling-culling, from the looks of it. I want too much right now and it genuinely looks like one of those terrible Hollywood blockbusters: half-a-day long runtime yet still not enough to address everything that happens in the film. They tend to piss me off and I want to avoid making the same mistake if I can help it. Just to illustrate why Act IV needs pre-planning: Act III originally had a whole arch where Tyrael, Quiet and Zayl would have traveled across the war-torn desert around Caldeum, dealing with shitty mages and the necromancers Rathma would send against them, can you believe that? Yeah, that is the kind of wild swings in plans I need to avoid in Act IV as much as possible. I probably can’t avoid them entirely, given the Discovery writing style, but they can certainly be cut back.
Will all those darlings disappear forever? Not necessarily, actually. Some will, absolutely, because they prove to be just terrible ideas on the long run. But there are some ideas, unfortunately quite vague so far, that could actually turn into a spin-off series next to TFS. It depends on a lot of factors, so I’m afraid I can’t say or promise anything concrete, cupcakes. But the dream is alive!
For two, writing TFS takes insane amounts of time and effort, and I want to give myself a chance to finish this story in the near future. Now please don’t get me wrong, cupcakes, I do not regret in the slightest that I have embarked on this journey. I wouldn’t trade the time spent writing about Lyndon, Quiet, Tyrael, Malthael, Abd and everyone else, for anything in this world. I have learnt so damn much about myself and my style, writing in general, the lore of Diablo and historical facts of the real world. I have met truly horrible and truly amazing people through this story and for almost an entire year I could maintain a regular upload schedule, these are all very valuable experiences.
But on the other hand, there is no denying the time TFS consumes. I want to eventually write other, original stories (and hopefully make a good living out of them), I want to tackle other larger projects and Anu knows what else life will throw at me on the long run outside of creative ventures. I may one day learn to juggle multiple projects at once and progress in all of them effectively, that would be great. But for now, that is unfortunately not part of my skillset.
Yeah, I know I just talked about a possible spin-off story because Anu help me, I’m always so hopeful about my creative projects and I love Diablo’s world so much. Time constraints and my own abilities are two of the many factors that would decide the fate of that idea.
And let us not forget your time is valuable as well, cupcakes! You are absolute troopers for making it this far, and I am grateful beyond words to all of you for spending your time with my work, and even more so if you even leave comments along the way! But I know you have other stories to get to, other worlds to explore and people to meet. And yes, sure, reading one chapter every month or few months isn’t that demanding. But I have always believed, even before I thought about becoming a professional, that a writer should know when to end a story. Stretching that out, endlessly adding more and more plot points, characters and stakes which exponentially increase in ridiculousness, is a certified death sentence in my eyes. (Hells, I’m already on thin ice regarding the stakes, considering the main character is basically a creator god…)
Yes, I know this is a personal opinion, some people genuinely love decade-spamming tales, and hey, more power to those people! Sail those seas for as long as you are able!
TFS is not going to be one of those stories, and I hope it will be all the better for it.
So, to summarize my goals during this hiatus:
- Nail down the basic storyline of Act IV with as few future wild swings in the plan as possible. I will be mostly employing the lessons of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody, if anyone would like to learn as well. That book is my personal Bible, no questions.
- Kill a city state’s worth of Darlings. See if any of them can be saved into a spin-off story. No promises, only dreams.
- Build up a buffer of chapters before I start uploading. I am most afraid of this challenge if I can be honest with you, cupcakes.
- In the meantime, possible ideas to fill out the hiatus: illustrated scenes from previous chapters; concept art of characters; idea blurb posts; general personal tactics and philosophies on writing. Again, just ideas.
I have no idea how long the hiatus will last. I have a feeling I should take a bit of a break from Diablo as a whole, but I still have a 19-page fancomic to finish about the Angiris Council, good lord. It will be posted to my DeviantArt gallery for sure by the way! :D
And to here as well IF I don’t nuke that bastard and move to Blogger by the time it is finished. (There will be a post here when that happens, it will be up for a year at least, don’t worry about missing it)
Back on track…
I can’t even give you cupcakes an estimate, I have never done anything like this before. I’m flying blind but bloody Hells, bring it on! >:D If you wait out the hiatus, I love you for it. If you give up on the fic, I totally understand it and I thank you for your time up to this point!
So, thank you for reading, thank you for your patience, and hopefully we will see each other soon with the first proper chapter of Act IV! Lilith needs some proper ass-whooping, and I shall deliver, cupcakes! Take care and keep being awesome!
2024.03.07.
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Ch77 is live and Act III is over!
So... we are finally here. Act III is over. Holy crap. I still need time to process it. o.o Please bear with me, cupcakes.
Thank you all who stuck with this fanfic to this point! You are absolute troopers! For now, the story has to go into an intentional hiatus while I figure that bastard Act IV out. I ask for your patience until then!
Featuring:
Hey, so whatever happened to that anarch from the beginning of the Act?
Acts of common sense, because we love common sense!
The Big Talk! Finally!
Climbing lessons and end credits
Keep an eye out for a more in-depth post about Act IV in the coming days! I will detail my intentions there.
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Act III Summary
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2024.03.02.
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Chapter 77, Act III's finale is coming this Saturday!
Greetings, cupcakes! :D Been a while since December, I hope everyone is having a great start of the year!
Chapter 77 is well and truly on the way, and it is, in fact, the final chapter of Act III! I can hardly believe it! :D
See you there!
2024.02.29.
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Act III sketchdump 24-02-01
I can't believe I let the first month of 2024 pass without some kind of That First Spark-related work! Bah, sacrilege!
Featuring:
Lyndon and Quiet posing like the absolute BOSSES they are! (And they know it ;) )
Quiet having some balancing issues.
Dahlgur Tuon is reunited with Amaniel.
Tyrael and Sophie share a terribly needed hug after the mortal angel's frankly catastrophic journey across Sanctuary.
I am working on Ch77, which is shaping up to be the final one in Act III (and I will do my best to keep it that way), and after that, I'm going the plan the cccrap out of Act IV, and hopefully deliver you cupcakes an ending worthy of the Diablo franchise.
There are currently some important projects in the way, however. I hope I can share them here soon.
2024.02.03.
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TFS Ch76 is live! We are goddamn doing it!!!
I know I haven't posted a heads-up of the chapter being close to done, but that is because I cut it REALLY GODDAMN CLOSE to the deadline I set for myself, and I rerouted all available power to finishing this bastard! I sure damn hope it isn't filled to the brim with typos, but let me know! XD
Featuring:
Malthael actually speaking more than three words at once.
Two friends desperately trying to help out their dipshit third friend
A fearsome predator of Sanctuary!!
A fancy quill
And with that, we say goodbye to 2023. I wish you all a Happy New Year, filled with success, luck and good health! :)
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2023.12.30.
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
I hope everyone is having a peaceful, happy end of the year!
Due to dipshit winter sickness, I couldn't prepare any holiday drawings yet, although the current one in production isn't Diablo- related either.
Currently I am planning to finish Chapter 76 by the 30th of December so we can properly say goodbye to the year! But given how uncooperative this final stretch of the year has been for me so far, I am really worried for that plan.
But Anu damnit, I will do my best! Thank you for your patience, cupcakes!
2023.12.24.
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Carala
Carala is one of the weaker demons in the Burning Hells, as such she had every reason in life to somehow get away from that and from the Eternal Conflict. Originally, she never would have guessed she would do so by the side of a male angel she has fallen in love with, but fate apparently has quite the sense of humor. She and Uthomael make quite the good team, although thankfully ever since the invasion of the High Heavens and the appearance of these horrid creatures called the Reapers, they weren't required to use said teamwork in dangerous situations. She much prefers to run the Burosa Shelter in peace and quiet, truly.
Despite having basically no fighting experience, Carala still manages to be rather feisty and confrontational when needed. The townfolk had learned to listen to her raised voice when she is making some order in the crowd, and she is more than willing to ask some rather unpleasant questions when necessary. She has a somewhat skeptical outlook in life, but she is still willing  to help all those along their way who cross their paths with her - even if those someones are the wingless Archangel of Justice himself and a weird child angel who just rustled the entire city with their actions. Knowing their luck, it might not be the only time Carala and Uthomael meet them, or indeed, get involved into matters far bigger than the two of them.
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Her husband, Uthomael
2023.12.19.
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I'm Tryyyyyinnggg…
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You learn such fascinating things about yourself when you hold yourself to a regular upload schedule, honestly!
So I have always known that during winter I'm not exactly at my peak. The lack of warmth and sunshine takes a toll on me even though I am not really an outdoors person. I just need those two around me to operate at a 100% (or even higher). But hey, I figured as I am working on the fancomic, it can't be that bad!
Oh, it's that bad.
Ignoring that already not-insignificant detail that I get sick at least a couple of times during winter which absolutely nuke my daily routines and energy levels, I'm definitely slower, I have a harder time starting, and overall, it is more of a miserable slog than the days of insane productivity I showed during summer. I know there is this thing called Seasonal Affective Disorder, but I'm definitely not down that bad. I am not even on the same planet as depression, so don't worry about me!
So will TTWF be actually ready by the  New Year? I am doing my best, but at this point I have no idea, honestly. XD It would be cool, tho!
Do you guys get affected by the seasons like this?
2023.12.12.
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TTWF Page 2 color WIP
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Angels looking gooooooood! The blood not so much, but I will make it better, I promise. XD
2023.12.09
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Uthomael
A trained, successful and dangerous assassin choosing a life of peace among mortals, and taking a succubus of all creatures as his wife. Uthomael is certainly not the average angel in Creation's great tapestry, which was evident from the moment he had chosen the Archangel of Justice as his mentor instead of Valor as the usual choice. Ending up falling in love with the succubus Carala during a mission where they worked together to take down a demon general, was just the crowning achievement of his abnormal decision making. Eventually he and Carala would settle down in the town of Lut Bahada in Aranoch, once they grew tired of the Eternal Conflict and having to keep their relationship a secret. Assuming human disguises, today they run a small inn called the Burosa Shelter, while actively taking part in the city council. Although classified as "Renegades", both Uthomael and Carala rushed to partake in the defense of the High Heavens when Diablo invaded, as much as they were able to. A year later, they have managed to weave a spell of both angelic and demonic magic that ended up completely hiding Lut Bahada from the sight of the Reapers rampaging all over Sanctuary, although neither of them could tell where those monsters came from.
Fate eventually led Uthomael's former mentor, Tyrael and the child angel Quiet into their inn where Utho and Carala did their best to help them along their journey to the East. Whatever else is in store for them in the future, Uthomael and Carala are ready to take it on and protect their beloved hometown.
2023.12.05.
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TTWF Page 1 color WIP
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So first look at Round Goddamn Two!
It is actually kind of surreal for me to see the pages in color, not gonna lie. But in a good way! Of course there are still the effects, lighting-shading and junk, but the base is getting done! Now to hopefully finish it by the new year! That's gonna be interesting with a deadline at my job in the way…
2023.11.29
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Ch75 is finally Live!
Going through multi-layered writer's block, and chipping away at it without pause, Ch75 is finally done and ready to roll! Thank you so much for your patience!
Featuring:
Another batch of old friends!
A superhero's girlfriend!
Large projects are terrifying...
Just plant some grass, jeeeez!
My aim is to finish Ch76 in December, to properly say goodbye to 2023. Let's see how that goes!
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Act III Summary
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2023.11.25.
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Ch75 is on the way!
Heck, it's been on the way since October, good lord... But it's finally going up next Saturday if all goes well!
I ended up fighting a multi-layered writing problem, one layer may have been writer's block, I have no idea. I'm still NOT out of the forest yet, but I have identified and trying to identify the obstacles, so I am chipping away at the bastards!
In the meantime Ch75 was growing far too long, so once again I had to split it up. At least this way I have some headway in Ch76 and HOPEFULLY I can upload that in December, as a proper goodbye to 2023. Give me your energy, cupcakes, please!
Until then, thank you for your patience!
2023.11.17.
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Heavy Voice - Diablo 4
I want it out there and on the record that I have known since the first days of the Open Beta that the weird half-dead wolf character was Mephisto. That's a legitimately proud moment I have as a lore enthusiast. The rune carved into his skull was a dead giveaway, appearing in the Book of Adria as a symbol connected to Mephisto. And boy... was it.
I just wanted to make this comic to say that I think Mephisto's voice just doesn't fit in D4. Do not get me wrong, it is an awesome voice, it is powerful, malevolent as all hell, and there is just a soft gurgling undertone to it that brings it all together. Steve Blum is the man! But my guy, I picture a body behind that voice that has actual weight to it. Have you seen Mephisto? He's a literal bone collection, he probably weighs less than a skinny adult human! I am convinced the VA was cast for the wolf, not Mephisto's real appearance. The strangest part is that Mephisto had the perfect voice in the past!
No, not Diablo 2.
Diablo 3! Listen! I have always loved this voice, every time I find this lore entry during a playthrough, I am so happy to listen to him! It's not a weighty voice, it sounds old, which fits because Mephisto is the eldest among all the demons, the Firstborn of Tathamet, basically. And to me it sounds like a cunning evil, especially with his last sentence being "Some battles can only be won with words". Now can a voice like this carry an entire main-entry game with him as the second big bad? A good question, I honestly have no idea. Maybe it really would not work on the long run, but certainly they could have found something closer to this than the Bass King in D4.
Okay but then why do I like Malthael's voice? That's incredibly deep too, and the guy looks like two french fries duck-taped together.
Well, first of all, Malthael is not that skinny actually. He appears so because of his design (which is genius, btw), but if you've tried to learn to draw him well, you realize he has some meat under that armor. I am certain he is what one might call a "sleeper build". Second, it's kind of hard for me to put it into words, but Malthael's voice has an empty echo-y subtone and feel to it that makes it far less weighty in my ears (and also shows just how far he has fallen). I don't know, does that make sense?
Either way, that was my deep dive into the Diablo franchise VA scene, thank you for coming to my TED talk! I still am very much looking forward to Vessel of Hatred, and to finally murder Mephisto once again as well. I don't hate him as much as Lilith, but I am sure he will earn it by the end of the story, whenever that will be.
If you have any voices that you love or hate, share them with me! It's fun!
Other Diablo 4 adventures!
Suck it, Butcher!
A Team to Fight For!
2023.11.11.
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Fanfiction-net is back online!
At least as far as I can tell!
I wasn't able to receive a confirmation email because for some reason Gmail decided to completely block that single letter (when it has zero problems with the usual notifications, but whateeeveerrr), and they didn't resend it as of fixing my Gmail's filters.
But whatever browser and private window I am trying, the Diablo category is once again available, heck yes! :) It probably won't help Ch74 at this point, but with a bit of luck, Ch75 will bring some of the attention again!
Oh yeah, Ch75 is coming, do not worry. There is a big narrative conundrum I need to tackle in it, but I'm working on it!
See you cupcakes there!
2023.10.24.
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So the "Diablo" category is unavailable on Fanfic-net...
... Which is hella fun.
So you know, I am not that popular of a fanfic writer, but in a month's time I usually get around a dozen or so reads on the newest chapter on Fanfiction.net. Well, this time around, I am still at zero clicks on Ch74, after all this time.
So ey-yo, what the FFFF!!!
My first thought is that my fanfic is somehow shadowbanned, reported by a few people who hate my guts for daring to think differently than them. They are out there and I could name them, but I'm not gonna - it is highly likely they just stay clear of me, but you can never tell with insane people like them on the internet.
Either way, I open a private browsing window to check. LOL guess what - the entire Diablo category is unavailable on the site! Awesome! Just great! Hey, at least it's not false reporting!!
I have already sent an email to the site support regarding the issue. Usually they are pretty quick to respond when I request new characters to be added to a category, so I hope this will be the same case. Will let you guys know!
I don't know how many of you actually read TFS on FF.net, but if you encounter a bug on any of the sites I always link in the upload posts, please report them both to the site support and to me as well, so I can also let them know! More people get more attention, you know.
By Anu, never would have thought this would be a thing one day.
2023.10.22.
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