Avalon Web of Magic was my second favorite book series as a teen and I wanted to draw something for it for the first time in like, 10 years lmao. This is my interpretation of Adriane and Stormbringer!

I wanted to be Adriane SO BAD back then, and I had a Webkinz husky named after Storm! Lmk if any of y’all read this series too, I haven’t met many people who did

Elric (Vicky Wyman, Heroes magazine V1 N2, 1984, art originally from the rulebook for Avalon Hill’s 1984 edition of the Elric board game)

Mistwolf time! Planning a redraw of one of my favorite book covers from my Youth so I’m working out some of the animal companion designs (Avalon: Web of Magic enjoyers rise UP!!) (Dreamer and Stormbringer are my fictional emotional support dogs)

Presenting my sons! In corsets!! They are very beautiful <3

Look at them!!! I loved drawing this, and especially drawing their eyes <3 I'm not good at rendering but this was fun to do when I could.

From left to right:

Snow Avalon

Xenor Avalon

Storm Avalon

Alternatively:

Babygirl trio <3 I love them all so much ehe uwu Stormbringer's anniversary is coming soon but I can't draw a proper illustration for it because of assignments... Misery... But I will!! Attempt to do one after all my assignments and debts are done!! I want to draw them so bad ugh </3

An official image of Stormbringer from the Avalon: Web of Magic animated series. Image from the official voyager.world Instagram account.

Games Workshop got its start in RPGs as the UK importer for D&D. Later, after TSR set up its own UK office, GW issued UK versions of several Chaosium games like Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest and Stormbringer. They’re high quality (well, except for the spines) – the GW version of the third edition of the Call of Cthulhu rules was actually my favorite until 7E came around. The third edition of RuneQuest, though, not so much.

This is, admittedly, a star-crossed RQ, the one licensed to Avalon Hill (and then re-licensed by AH to GW). The AH RQ is...not the greatest? It is overly complicated and split across two versions (a standard and deluxe), with a confusing, revamped magic system. It also removes Glorantha as the default setting and was generally too expensive. They were nice looking books and boxes though. Most of this remains true of the GW versions, except the GW versions are also...kind of ugly.

I’m being a little unfair. What I mean to say is that, aesthetically, these books mostly adhere to Games Workshop’s established style. While I enjoy that style, I find that it rarely works for RuneQuest. Your mileage may vary. The bigger problem is that most of these books seem like dumping grounds for random art that didn’t make it into Warhammer Fantasy books, or are reprinted from White Dwarf magazine. That gives them the overall feeling of those 80s books that collected genre paperback art and tried to make them into a vaguely cohesive narrative, like the Tourist’s Guide to Transylvania I covered a couple years ago, or the Terran Trade Authority books. Those books are awesome, and jam packed with amazing art, but they feel like  what they are: collections of art from different stuff, duct taped together. The same is true of most of the GW RQ books. I find Ian Miller’s presence particularly confusing, for instance, so strongly do I associate his work with WFRP and Tolkien. And that Broo totally looks like a repurposed WFRP chaos beastman (which was no doubt originally inspired by RQ, which kind of adds to the, um, chaos). 

Here have a sketch dump of stuff I like and stuff I'm working on! There's Avalon Web of Magic, Eddsworld, Eddsworld reverse au(myships;u;Ijustwantthemtobepolyandhappy), and my own comic starring my best friends and I. Well characters loosely based of of my friends and I *shrug* I have no idea what to name it, but I must go finish chapter 11 of To Be Alive *rolls away*

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Avalon: Web of Magic - Rachel Roberts Rating: Not Rated Warnings: none Relationships: Adriane Charday/Kara Davies Characters: Adriane Charday, Kara Davies, Emily Fletcher, Original Mage Character(s), phelonius, phel, ariel the owl, lyra the cat, Stormbringer Additional Tags: Avalon - Freeform, aldenmor, avalon au, Older AU Summary:

Three years have passed since the events of Full Circle, the mages have more or less drifted apart a little, but a new mage and a new problem have come home to Ravenswood, forcing the mages to drop everything and find out what exactly the magical world has in store for them

a world where magic is real and friendship is everything

Emily Fletcher has just moved to a new town following her parent’s divorce, when she discovers the mysterious Ravenswood Animal Preserve on the other edge of town.  Things quickly get out of control as she meets Adriane Charday, the loner who lives on the preserve with her grandmother, Kara Davies, the most popular girl in school—and Ozzie, the talking ferret who claims that he’s really an elf, and he was sent from another magical world to find three mages. As it becomes clear that Emily, Adriane, and Kara are the three mages he needs to find, they and their newfound magical animal friends become wrapped up in an interdimensional adventure as they search for the missing home of magic, Avalon—to save the entire magical web from the forces that threaten it.

It’s fortunate that the Popsugar challenge decided to add the prompt “one you loved as a child,” because that was honestly my THEME for picking books this year!  I stumbled across the 7th and 8th volumes in the Avalon: Web of Magic series at a thrift store earlier this year, and I was immediately hit with a wash of nostalgia.  I had to dig out my earlier volumes, and in just a few weeks, I had consumed the entire twelve-book series.

This book was, and still is, my ultimate fantasy aesthetic. The magic is enchanting, based around the characters’ bonds with the animals that they befriend, and the animals themselves are absolutely stunning.  From the beautiful wolf that can turn into mist, Stormbringer, and the sassy leopard with wings, Lyra, to the hauntingly beautiful unicorn Lorelei and the fun-loving elf-turned-ferret Ozzie, this cast is full of the most beautiful crafted creatures and characters.  Not only defaulting to traditional dragons and unicorns, this cast is filled out with more eccentric magical creatures made for this series itself, including the long eared deer called jeeran and funny ducks with giant silver feet called quiffles.

Although definitely written for a younger audience, it was still ridiculously enjoyable, and each book simply got better and better.  The world building from book one was incredible, and it simply kept building on top of the foundation with more and more finesse as the story continued.  The friendships between the three girls were built and maintained in an extremely realistic way for the ages depicted.  And as an extra bonus, the second print versions of the book come with absolutely gorgeous artwork on the covers and inside the books, too, with each book coming with a mini bestiary in the end notes.

I remember as a child having to wait anxiously for the last one or two books, since the author had to switch publishers and make us wait even longer, and man, it was worth it then, and it’s still worth it now.  I own the first eight books, and I hope to add the last four to my collection, and replace  my first three with the new second printings soon!

If you love magic, music, friendship, and animals, this is the only series I can ever recommend.  Full of gorgeous imagery both in prose and art, and heart-breaking friendships, this series is certainly worth it for all ages!

so in Avalon: Web of Magic, there are several levels to magic.  In the first level, you bond with an magical animal, and you gain magic power from the bond you share with them.  That animal is basically with you all the time, a physical being that is your best friend.

Example: Adriane is bonded to the mistwolf Stormbringer (and then Dreamer after Stormbringer dies.....), Kara is bonded to the winged cat Lyra.

But when you get to level two, you bond with an elemental animal, a more ephemeral creature that can’t stay on the same plane as you and only arrives when you really really need them to channel bigger magics.  These are called “paladins” in the story lore.

Example: Adriane bonds to Stormbringer when Stormbringer becomes a spirit, Kara bonds to a horse made of fire called Starfire.  Those creatures are not always there physically, but the connection remains.

Anyway the point of this post is basically, why would you use an appropriative term like “spirit animal” towards an animal or thing that you feel like you have a strong connection to when you could be using a word like “paladin”

Elric -- board game of war in the Young Kingdoms, Kenn Nishiuye cover for Avalon Hill’s 1984 edition, game design by Greg Stafford and Charlie Krank, originally released by Chaosium in 1977 as Elric - Battle at the End of Time

Avalon Production Update

From @avalonarchive, a round-up of updates on the Avalon: Web of Magic animated series! News from Instagram Comments: Re: production and release date: “we are finishing the sales reel now for presentation to the broadcasters. Plan is to start production in fall for summer/ fall 2018 launch” Re: the mages’ clothing: “there will be different outfits designed for the girls depending on where the stories take them” Re: network and website: “we don’t know yet which network will play the episodes. We start meetings in Sept and will keep you posted. We are working on a new website as well.” Re: Be*Tween and series music: “we have B*Tween in a few episode story outlines but we’re not sure what songs will be used yet. We’ll figure it out when we start scripts. For our sales demo, Amy Lee is letting us use one of her songs from Evanescence. How cool is that!" Re: website and contacting Rachel Roberts: “ya that site needs a complete overhaul. We’re focused on getting the series up and running first. We’ll set up some social for Rachel, twitter or the site or something- which would you prefer?” Tangentially Related: Frequent followers of the voyager.world Instagram account may have noticed their occasional updates on a series called Battle Dragons. I’ve looked into them and discovered that it’s a repackaging of the Bazil Broketail book series, with each book split into two volumes. Also, if you look through the official voyager.world site, you’ll find that they used a promo image from Rachel Roberts’ Sky Rider series in the character guide section. Notes from the Archivist: Speaking of production art … yay we got our first look at the mages! I’m really digging the designs for Emily, Adriane, and Lyra. Ozzie, Stormbringer, and Kara … not so much. Read the complete blog at The Avalon Archive and be sure to stay tuned for more ✨Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders✨ updates! https://avalonarchive.wordpress.com/2017/08/14/avalon-production-update-14-august-2017/

AVALON: WEB OF MAGIC: Differences between French and English Editions, Part 3

This covers Cry of the Wolf.

NAME CHANGES:

Imp == Farfadet (a French fairy creature that’s equivalent to imps, brownies, or leprechauns)

Mist Trail == Misty Trail (Sentier Brumeux)

Moonshadow == Eclipse (Éclipse)

Packmate == pack brother / pack sister (frère / soeur de meute)

Rocky == Pierre (from pierre == rock)

Silver Eyes == Lightning (Éclair)

Wilderbeast == Youk (maybe a play on gnou == wildebeest)

Wind Dancer == Aquilon (from Latin Aquilo == north wind)

Wolf Run Pass == Wolf Crossing (Croisement du Loup)

More fun notes after the cut!

THE PROPHECY:

One will follow her heart

One will open her eyes in the darkness

One will change completely

SO HOW DID THE FRENCH EDITION BUTCHER THE BIRTHDAY SONG?

Happy birthday, happy -- to you -- birthday, bappy hirthday to you!

OTHER NOTES:

Moonshadow sometimes refers to himself as “chief of the mistwolves.” I guess they’re going for a mistwolves = Native Americans theme here.

Kara’s flailing around during the mock tour is replaced with her carefully enunciating her cues for the animals.

Marcus doesn’t ask about Adriane’s well-being when she runs into Kara’s tour group.

Ronif’s name is now spelled with two F’s (Roniff).

Almost everyone curses in French! Interestingly, Ozzie uses old-fashioned French swears. (Think a modern-day American saying “cor blimey!”)

Kara uses a French version of Eeny Meeny Miny Moe to summon the dragonflies instead of “ollie ollie oxen free.”

Kara sings Trois petits chats (Three Little Cats) when jumping over strands of the Protection from Evil dreamcatcher instead of Miss Mary Mack.

There are significantly fewer rock puns in the French edition. Instead, you’re constantly reminded that Drake’s egg is literally named “Rocky the Rock” (Pierre la pierre).

The Wolf Stone shines purple, not red, when sensing danger.

Zach doesn’t mention that he’s never flown through the Serpent’s Teeth in the fog.

Zach’s line about liking the name of the Ravenswood Preserve is omitted.

A large chunk of Adriane’s first encounter with the Fairimentals is removed in the French edition. This section includes the Fairimentals talking about Kara’s adventures with the unicorn, Adriane’s bout of homesickness, Adriane asking the Fairimentals if they can send her home, and her hopeful reaction to their response. This is all replaced with a single line: Adriane’s heart sank. (Because she just learned that the Dark Sorceress wants animals for their magic.)

Zach’s dad’s name is spelled in the French style (Alexandre).

Adriane tells Zach that birthday parties involve eating cake instead of wearing silly hats.

All references to Adriane bonding with Drake before he hatches have been removed. This includes her feeling a connection to Drake when she sees his eyes through his shell, and Zach remarking that Drake can’t stand being without her.

Adriane’s first conversation with Silver Eyes in the Dark Sorceress’s dungeon is shortened in the French edition. The section where Adriane admits that she misses Stormbringer, and Silver Eyes comforts her, is removed.

The French version of the bestiary specifically states that both Adriane and Zach are bonded to Drake.

AVALON: WEB OF MAGIC: Differences between English and French Editions, Part 1

This covers Circles in the Stream.

NAME CHANGES:

Black Fire == Black Poison (Poison Noir)

Blazing Star == Shooting Star (étoile filantes)

Dark Sorceress == Dark Mage (Magicienne des Ténèbres)

Fairimental == Magimental (magique + élémentaire = magimentaire)

Fairy Glen == Valley of Fairies (Vallée des Fées)

Farthingdale == Greenfall (Vertgadin; may also be a play on Vertugadin, which is French for Farthingale)

Mage == Magician (magicien / magicienne)

Magic Web == Magic Network (réseau magique; like the English term, this contains an Internet pun: réseau == Internet network)

Ozymandias == Ozymandius

Pet Palace == Animal Kingdom (Royaume des Animaux)

portal == passage

Quiffle == Quaffle (coinfle, a pun on coin, which is French for quack)

Ravenswood Preservation Society == Ravenswood Protection Society (Société de Protection de Ravenswood)

Ravenswood Wildlife Preserve == Ravenswood Nature Reserve (réserve naturelle de Ravenswood)

Rocking Stone == Wobbly Stone (Pierre Branlante)

Stormbringer == Thunder (Tonnerre)

Warlock == Witch (sorcière)

Wigjig == Twistette (entortillette)

Fun translation notes are after the cut! Content warning for a racial slur.

OTHER NOTES:

Adriane and Gran are explicitly mentioned having dark skin in the French edition. (The exact word used is mat, which means matte or dusky.)

The messages in Emily’s yearbook have lost all their flavor -- the text message speak hasn’t been replaced with French equivalents. (French SMS slang does exist, though! Examples will pop up in the next book.)

Many American cultural references (and I mean a lot) are omitted in the translation. This includes the Buckaroo Banzai reference in Emily’s yearbook, some Wizard of Oz references, and a riff on the Lucky Charms jingle. Most references are not replaced with French localizations (but see below for exceptions). Full notes on deleted cultural references will be added to recaps on the main site in the coming months.

There are also a lot of deleted sentences in the French edition! Most of it is Ozzie’s wailing, but there’s a couple significant lines that are removed during important scenes. Again, I’ll be putting more details in the recaps.

The girls grades are adapted to the French school system: they are in the fifth class (cinquième) in middle school (collège). That’s analogous to 7th grade in the US. Emily’s old school was a middle school; she only worries that everyone in Stonehill knew each other since the sixth class (6th grade).

The rather cheesy visual pun with the overgrown Ravenswood sign is adapted to something a little more macabre for the French edition: overte de 11h à la tombe / tombée de la nuit (open from 11:00 AM to the grave / dusk).

When Ozzie first reveals that he’s an elf, Emily jokes that she’s the queen of England instead of Dr. Doolittle.

Adriane compares life at Stonehill Junior High to being on a reality TV show.

Adriane’s NO FEAR hat is translated into French for some reason. (It’s a brand, I don’t think it’s supposed to be translated?)

Emily describes Phel as a cross between a bear and a culbuto (a French roly-poly toy).

Adriane’s comment about following the “old Injun trail” becomes even more racist in French. Let’s just say they replaced “Injun” with the name of a certain football team.

The French edition fixes some continuity errors, like Kara sunbathing on a cloudy day, and her chips suddenly turning into trail mix.

The girls and Ozzie curse in French! Only mild swears, though.

Wow, the Dark Sorceress’s French name is kinda a Late Arrival Spoiler for all you French readers out there. Sorry.

Your weekly round-up of updates on the Avalon: Web of Magic animated series!

News from Instagram Comments:

Re: production and release date: “we are finishing the sales reel now for presentation to the broadcasters. Plan is to start production in fall for summer/ fall 2018 launch” [source]

Re: the mages’ clothing: “there will be different outfits designed for the girls depending on where the stories take them” [source]

Re: network and website: “we don’t know yet which network will play the episodes. We start meetings in Sept and will keep you posted. We are working on a new website as well.” [source]

Re: Be*Tween and series music: “we have B*Tween in a few episode story outlines but we’re not sure what songs will be used yet. We’ll figure it out when we start scripts. For our sales demo, Amy Lee is letting us use one of her songs from Evanescence. How cool is that 🎶!” [source]

Re: website and contacting Rachel Roberts: “ya that site needs a complete overhaul. We’re focused on getting the series up and running first. We’ll set up some social for Rachel, twitter or the site or something- which would you prefer?” [source]

Production Art:

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Tangentially Related:

Frequent followers of the voyager.world Instagram account may have noticed their occasional updates on a series called Battle Dragons. I’ve looked into them and discovered that it’s a repackaging of the Bazil Broketail book series, with each book split into two volumes. Also, if you look through the official voyager.world site, you’ll find that they used a promo image from Rachel Roberts’ Sky Rider series in the character guide section.

Notes from the Archivist:

They better post the sales reel online when it’s complete! Most fans (myself included) have been anticipating a TV or film adaptation of the series for over a decade. I’d love to see if the animation lives up to the production art. I’m a little worried about the choice of music, though. Evanescence will give me flashbacks to high school….

Speaking of production art … yay we got our first look at the mages! I’m really digging the designs for Emily, Adriane, and Lyra. Ozzie, Stormbringer, and Kara … not so much.

Avalon Production Update, 14 August 2017 Your weekly round-up of updates on the Avalon: Web of Magic animated series! News from Instagram Comments: