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bersergner-blog · 6 months

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Practice 1_4.3 - Post-Mortem

Stadium

First I dove back into Maya and put together this very rough Stadium. I never ended up connecting the Play area with the Stadium outer as I decided to go into a different direction.

Armour

I then threw together some basic Pauldrons as I thought it would save me time drawing them consistently from different angles, but I also didn't end up using these designs.

Gun

I also had this idea for a Quad Barrelled shotgun but didn't end up having enough time to finish. While I didn't end up using any of these designs it did help me get back into practicing 3D and dusting off my Maya skills.

Characters

Since part of the appeal of the Arena Shooter is the vast and interesting skins to play as I really wanted to get the diversity of the future across.

I set out to getting a lot of ideas blocked out for different looks that could represent different nations. For example the Imperium have designs inspired by classic medieval knights (B & I), the Tribes have bone and fur inspired outfits (A & F), the Bandits have mercenary and biker inspired outfits (C & J), Bio Mechanical armour types such as (K & L) attach and exist in harmony with the host, the Necris are undead cultists and wear all sorts of strange Gear (G & D), There are also Rebels (H & E) as well as robots (M & others not pictured until the final image, as I was running short on time). I wish I would have had more time to develope these characters further as some do feel a little half baked and generic in the final image.

Composition

Initially my plan was to do two separate images for the coloured and the black & white submissions. The coloured one would be a piece of Key Art showing a 'Match in progress'. After getting feedback from my Tutor we agreed that an engaging image for the black and white would be gladiators entering the arena. So I put some basic compositions together, working as I went and cutting planning shorter than usual as I knew I had just about enough time for what I'd planned.

I then worked out how my characters would feature in the composition, adjusted it, added my light source and set to designing the characters as I filled them in.

I wanted to add elements in the four intersections of the rule of thirds but also keep the eye drawn to the center. So I created this whacky sort of triangle/rule of thirds composition. I'd seen vertical, horizontal and diagonal compositions but never a specifically triangular one, so I was excited to see if I could pull it off. I used some gears in the foreground to 'cut off' the bottom sides of the image as there were lines leading the viewer's attention off-image so I wanted to hem them in.

I tried and retried the lighting a few times, adding darker shadows here and there and changing the hue, as well as reworking the colour scheme of the background to a royal blue and gold which worked really well with the purple and orange lighting. I also added cinders in the foreground with varying degrees of gaussian blur to add some visual flair as well as fully designing the background in it's full edgy 90's Arena Shooter glory.

Finally I tweaked some lighting, added extra shadows, lightened the background for more depth and added some fiery haze behind the pyramid in the front to help the main subjects pop. I'm quite proud of the resulting composition although a day or two more of fine-tuning could have helped it really come together.

Final Pieces

As I had run out of time by this point I was unable to finish the second image and simply chose to flatten and convert this image to black and white but it actually makes the value shine even better than the colour image. Which I was not expecting.

All in all, I was very happy with how this project turned out.

#concept art #digital art #digital illustration #digital painting #digital drawing #artists on tumblr #arena shooter #quake #unreal tournament

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doolallymagpie · 2 years

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while looking through various space princess outfits as inspiration for kyberna’s wardrobe, i may have given her a rival

lady lunda (”fred”, to her friends, “the honorable scion of dvora” to kyberna, “the all-devouring hellhound” to her enemies (except the ones she’s in love with, like kyberna)), a member of the second kasterboran diaspora, who (allegedly) bears a striking resemblance to a major political figure in her people’s past

pretty much a rogue trader, functionally, just not for the imperium

#horus heresy #mechanicum #dark mechanicum #kyberna z7 drexeth #lady lunda of house dvora #second kasterboran diaspora #forgeworld argotha #whohammer #dalek imperium #again i long since gave up trying to keep whohammer and my regular 40k stuff separate and since i'm playing with the olde mechanicum...#it's inevitable i'd fold in more whoniverse esoterica. like the 'second diaspora' mentioned in the faction paradox stuff. and hatchlings.#lunda is a hatchling of romana. she specifically takes after the original mary tamm one. more in personality and fashion sense...#...but there's definitely a bit of a physical resemblance.#warhammer 40000 #look. there's a LOT of 40k-ification potential in romana i's wardrobe. look at that stuff. perfect for a rogue trader.

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dani-the-mark · 2 years

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A Slept-On Review: WWE Extreme Rules 2022

TLDR: This event was like a wrestling parabola. Good start, plummets down, and climbs back up to greatness.

Imperium vs The Brawling Brutes (Donnybrook Match)

The walls of men meet in the ring and go straight into a brawl. In the first major moment, Butch is surrounded by Imperium, but Shaemus comes in to rescue him. The rest of the members attack each other / escape the ring. Shaemus and Gunther are left in the ring to go at it alone. A Brogue kick is stopped, and there is a small breakout brawl before everyone else is once again out of the ring. Butch gets some joint manipulation, and Shaemus lays a shillelagh into a restrained Gunther. We get a beautiful Celtic Cross into the announce table, and finally a successful Brogue Kick. Sheamus gets the pin and Brutes get the win.

The focus was on Shaemus and Gunther for at least half the match, but I didn't really mind. They were who I was really there to see fight, but I do hope the other members can start their own proper feuds soon. Overall, a good start to the show.

Backstage Segments

The Miz and Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers mascot, meet backstage. After a collection of annoyances, Miz snaps and beats up Gritty. Dexter appears behind Miz and chokes him out. Gritty even gets a kick in on the fallen Miz. It’s all very silly, but I enjoyed it.

Liv Morgan vs Ronda Rousey

Liv looked gorgeous, in a Joker-inspired outfit, and gets the proper champion entrance. She brings in the bat she had on Smackdown, and it didn't take long to become an element. Rhoda gets control of it and throws it to the side. Liv is slapped under the ring apron and is down there for some time. Ronda uses that time to taunt the crowd and play with the idea of using the bat. When she goes for the apron, Liv pops out with a fire extinguisher, spraying it into Ronda’s face. Ronda barely sells it, and Liv gets thrown around. Back in the ring, Ronda grabs the bat and goes to wing on Liv. She dodges and retaliates with a kick to the torso. Ronda resorts to using her belt as a weapon, and the women trade multiple (very pulled) bat shots.

Liv brings a table into the ring, but gets tied up with Ronda on the ropes. A leg lock through the ropes is transitioned into an arm lock. We get a few weak chair shots, but apparently, it was enough to drag Ronda onto the table. Liv hits a senton, sending Ronda through the table. It only gets a two-count. Ronda really wants a submission, but none of them made sense. They somehow are enough to knock out Liv, granted with a smile on her face. Rousey is the new Smackdown champion, and I am nauseous and underwhelmed.

Karrion Kross vs Drew McIntyre (Strap Match)

Karrion takes his time attacking Drew before the strap can be placed on him, therefore postponing the start of the match. When the match finally starts. Drew needs to stop looking at Scarlett, as she provides two different distractions in which Karrion is able to attack him. Drew, I get she’s hot, but this is getting old. I don’t care how creepy or attractive she is, her gaze is not that hypnotic that just her looking at you should make you freeze like that. Drew is able to gain control, but a Claymore attempt is stopped by Scarlett and…pepper spray.

Kross gets the pin on the disorientated McIntyre. I hated it at the time, but this was pretty creative. Karrion gets his first win, Drew doesn't look weak, Scarlett is moving to more practical distractions, and I certainly have never seen it before. I do feel like the strap wasn’t utilized enough, though. While the staring attack was in character, it made the stipulation less of a factor. It felt like not enough happened.

Bayley vs Bianca Belair (Ladder Match)

Unfortunately, this match was hard to get into after the slog that was watching the last two, but I was going to try. Both go for ladders the moment the bell rings. At one point, a ladder is dropped, propping it up against the ring. Bianca makes an impressive jump over the ladder into the ring and immediately onto the second ladder below the title. That could have been the ending moment right there, and I would have been satisfied. However, we get a while of back and forth until Bianca is knocked down. Bayley hits a gorgeous sunset flip. Although beautifully executed, this felt unnecessary and was clearly stalling. Belair slams a ladder into Bayley’s back on the side of the ring, which leads to Bayley rolling back in and revealing her now broken knee brace. I was hoping she would use the metal piece as a weapon, but her not doing so makes me believe that was an accident. I hope it was because that’s awe-inspiring AND terrifying. We get our first KOD, and Bianca gets close to a win until Iyo and Dakota attack. They are quickly neutralized by a Double KOD. For once, my Boogs-induced fear of multiple people being lifted at once went away, and I was enthralled.

A ladder is accidentally knocked over, making a funny break in the action

Bianca is dragged into the middle of the ring, and pinned under a ladder. Despite the weight of Bayley and the ladder, Bianca is able to knock them over. They begin a fight on top of the ladder, ending with Bianca’s hair getting whipped so hard they are both driven off the ladder. We get a third KOD while Bayley is vainly holding a ladder. Bayley lands face-first into the said ladder, and Bianca gets the pin.

It took a second to get started, but this match was a shining light in the darkness that had fallen over this show. I’m also interested to see how Bayley bounces back from this.

Edge v Finn Balor (I Quit Match)

The fighting begins with Edge on the aggressive and moves into both men trading submissions

The microphone is placed in front of Edge - “Get that out of my face”.

I did not like the microphone use. I get that it’s important to actually hear when someone quits, but I also don’t want to hear these men panting and moaning for thirty minutes. There is a very long back-and-forth leg lock. Edge becomes trapped in the apron and bashed into a table. Edge is able to take back control, running Finn through the barricade a la his Universal title injury. I won’t lie, I flinched. They move into the crowd, and onto the preshow set. We never get to see the preshow set post-preshow, so it was fun for them to actually acknowledge it. Seth is pushed onto the preshow table and Edge forces a hockey stick across his mouth. After this is broken up, they continue into the crowd and up the stairs. Eventually, they punch each other back toward the ring

Edge is shown the microphone again - “I…don't quit”

Cringy, moving on.

We get a not often seen Edgecator, but it’s not enough to get Finn down. Damien and Dominick enter to assist their leader, only for Edge to spear all three off the side of the ring. Rhea handcuffs Edge to the ropes. Despite this, he still attempts to fight them off until a kendo stick is brought out. We are met with Rey, who begins a brawl with Dominick, functionally removing him from the match.

Enter Beth Phoenix. I’m screaming at this point. She spears Rhea, then spears Damian, and unlocks Edge’s handcuffs. He hits three quick spears on Finn. In the background, Rhea takes out Beth with brass knuckles. She could have been dead, and I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. Finn hits three coups de grâce on the downed Edge, and Edge is forced to watch as Rhea holds a chair over his wife’s “unconscious” body. Edge quits to save Beth from a Conchairto, but Rhea does it anyway. Finn triumphantly exits with Judgement Day, leaving Edge in the ring to cradle his wife. The absolute devastation on his face made the whole of this worth it. The start was slow-going, but the end made up for all of it.

Seth Rollins v Matt Riddle (Fight Pit Match)

Seth enters in full RVD cosplay. The men face each other as the cage is lowered around them. The first submission was attempted by Riddle, but it doesn't get him far. Seth hits a Superkick and a Frog Splash. Riddle hits an RKO. Seth gets a Curbstomp. Everything is happening. Seth climbs up to taunt Riddle from the elevated cage, but Riddle meets him to start some serious grappling. And biting. And a Pedigree. And multiple moments I thought Seth was going to throw Riddle right off the cage. And I’m scared.

A second RKO sends Seth back into the ring to begin the 10 count, but for good measure, Riddle hits a Broton off the top of the cage. To my surprise, Rollins taps to a standing triangle choke. It was the tiniest of taps, but taps nonetheless. This probably shouldn’t have been the main event, but was exciting on its own.

The White Rabbit Reveal

The lights go out, and the crowd is already full of flashlights. The fireflies are back, and I was already crying.

“He's got the whole world…”

I'm sobbing.

Life-sized puppets from Firefly Funhouse appear throughout the crowd (one of which is wearing Brodie Lee’s old bone mask), a strange head is shown on the commentators’ table, and a video of the old Funhouse set is shown. The set is decrepit, and many of the puppets appear to be dead. Huskus is sprawled over a TV set, which displays static and a strange, distorted voice. A door is on the entrance ramp. It busts open, revealing a bright blue light.

Weeping.

A lantern appears in the doorway, and out walks Bray Wyatt. He turns the lantern and blows it out, ending the show.

We knew it was him by Friday night, but do I care? No.

Welcome home, Bray.

#wwe #wwe extreme rules #extreme rules #wweuniverse #wwe news #a slept on review

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iniziare · 4 years

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Tag drop: Here we go again (for real this time), Dorian Pavus.

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felassan · 3 years

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Thoughts on Dark Fortress #2

(This post is under a cut due to spoilers.)

So late with this one! some stuff irl was keeping me really busy and hyper-distracting me lately, but it’s finally over now so I’m back on my bioware bullshit. :D

Overall there were a lot of beautiful or awe-inspiring scenes in this issue, and a lot of great, meaningful / poignant character interactions and moments between characters. It’s pretty impressive actually how much was able to be packed in. I posted some of my favorite panels here. also omg! the action sequences! the big reveal! the ending!! woww

cool scene-setting, panned out shot of Neromenian and behind it, the Dark Fortress, to immediately pull you back into the world and ‘where we left off’. the combination of ruined dead trees, red lights, lightning and fire/smoke is very atmospheric and hints at what’s ahead

“From this... city, if we can call it that” is a sick burn and reminds you that the Qunari are technologically more advanced than most of the rest of Thedas, from their cannons to their aqueducts

more individually distinct Qunari soldiers, sth I again appreciate

! last issue there were big ‘You haven’t seen the last of Tractus!’ vibes, naturally, but I didn’t expect him to escape by stabbing and killing the Qunari using a chair-leg..!!

the last panel on the first page of Karasten is really good. the way it’s colored, the way it’s lit, the light and shadow, the fiery backdrop, cinders floating, the details of his expression.. 👌 it also makes me think to the possible future, to DA4 when mainland Thedas may be continuing to face the entirety of the Antaam

in Vaea’s acrobatics scene on the bridge, I know rationally that she’ll be fine but couldn’t help but worry for her. again I like how they don’t shy away from showcasing Vaea’s specific abilities. also the attention to detail - you’d think some rocks are just some rocks, but it highlights the risk she’s undertaking that if she falls it’s into rough seas which could dash her against the jagged rocks :’S. Vaea, gooooo!

Fenris’ “Enterprising girl” line has big “Clever girl” meme energy :D

my heart can’t take Fran and Autumn leaning over the edge after Vaea in worry ;; or Aaron looking back in concern over his shoulder ;; or Fran’s tender reassurance ;; or Autumn’s Worried expression ;; the care and bonds which have grown between this group of characters ;;

notice Aaron starts drinking when Vaea’s away from them and they’re beginning to grow worried about her safety. the poor man’s nerves and stress levels

Fran touching the vegetation while she’s considering if she could use her magic to open the entrance from the outside is a nice touch

did Marius leap in front of Fenris and Fran there when the entrance opened?? damn, he’s quick. and the three of them look all scary and formidable here ready for combat. notice how the curve of the door and the spikes that go into the ground, and the composition of this panel, make it look like they’re standing in front of an opened dragon’s maw? ‘teeth’, a rumbling ‘roar’.. some nice foreshadowing here.

the reunion panels are so cute. Autumn’s lil tum as she jumps and Fran and Fenris’ lil smiles of relief and at Autumn’s reaction to seeing Vaea, then a rare happy beam from Aaron.. feel.. the love ;__;

red lighting in the tunnel sets a dangerous, dramatic build-up mood

👀 more info on Fenris’ past, on the specifics of the process which gave him his markings. in the panel where he says that it took a long time, his shadow on the wall behind him reminds me of the shadow of his past that has dogged him for so long :(

Fenris and Marius height difference

discussion of the process shows the power difference between blue and red lyrium. blue lyrium took a long time, red lyrium is almost instant

Autumn is such an intrepid little explorer and alert scout, tail and ears up, head forward. good girl!

“I just... worry about you, my girl” ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚ I’ll be so sad if these are death flags for Aaron and he doesn’t make it out of here. also note Fran in this panel, who recently had to kill her own father and is still dealing with that, watching the strongly paternal moment between Aaron and Vaea :(

love Vaea’s faith in Aaron and her sense of humor. also I don’t know why, maybe it’s because Vaea met Sebastian, but her “Maker, no!”, although in a completely different and light-hearted context, reminds me of Sebastian’s “Maker nooo!” at the end of DA2 hh

the reference again to Hawke, who Fenris saw haunted by what they tried to do - save their mother - and couldn’t :’(. also with the shadow in this panel, here’s another person struggling with the shadow of his past qq. this is later emphasized again in Aaron when he continues to talk about his past and in the panel is a chain and manacle. smart visual metaphors, a must in the comic medium with limited space

mushroom skull 💀🍄

“It isn’t about what I’ve done. It isn’t about my failures. Or my choices. It’s about their impact” - he’s misty-eyed here as he thinks back to Ostagar.. does this line btw seem almost meta to anyone else btw? :D it feels like a meta reference to the experience of DA players and PCs, who are always having to deal with the impacts of their choices

I wanna point out that I was right on reading issue #1, when I said “I’m positive that in panel 2 here, it’s the exact moment when he sees Cailan die” ;;

So Aaron is also a veteran of the Battle of Denerim

reference to the Hero of Ferelden - “Those were someone else’s battles”. I’m being captain obvious here but I can’t help but [heart pitter-patter] at any and all references to the HoF

I like the.. parallel? is that the word? Aaron’s stories were him trying to inspire people to make a change, or him trying to convince himself of that. and now here’s Vaea, inspiring Aaron with her words in these panels. the little guys can make a difference! in the world of Thedas, you don’t need to be a big bombastic hero or a Player Character to have an impact

lmao Fenris right on cue. the moments of humor/light-heartedness are nice because they break up the tension and are sprinkled throughout without derailing build-up or taking away from dramatic story impact. yknow?

yeah Aaron!! leave it behind. leave it to rot with mr mushroom skull (and hey the mushroom skull was there for a reason). again tho if this is a death flag i

Fenris straight down to business with the tactics

its cute how close Autumn has been sticking to Fran

Tessa checking in on Fran again, as she did in issue 1

Could Vaea’s “Well, shit” be an homage to Varric? :D they have met

I also wanna point out that I was right on reading issue #1, when I said “My guess is that the thing Tractus shows Marquette and Nenealeus is probably a chained up dragon or similar”

the poor dragon :’( big dragon the Qunari had in Trespasser vibes

the sword has a really cool design, kind of reminds me of something a samurai might be depicted wielding

👀 lore-drop! so ancient elven arcane warriors used lyrium-infused swords. this seems to confirm the sarcophagus is an ancient elven artifact, no? makes sense, wasn’t it said that the sarcophagus’ design was based on the architecture/outfit-design type elements of a specific faction, and that this was done intentionally? it looks kinda ancient elfy in make, right? also about the lyrium-infused swords of the arcane warriors, well well well.. remember that the Evanuris and the ancient elves mined the bodies of Titans for lyrium, for power and to use as a resource. here’s an example of that use

as I read through this portion I became increasingly concerned for my boy Shirallas.. we really are in it now aren’t we 😭

the Qunari are launching STRAIGHT-UP ROCKETS ohhhh

pretty ‘lightshow’ over the wall in the “Let’s hope the fortress is as secure as Danarius boasted” panel hh

protective older brother Fenris, impish younger sister Vaea. love that dynamic, we love to see it. sheepish and exasperated Fenris is so cute

the Bone Pit dragon fight with Hawke and co reference!

I wonder how long the dragon has been captive here, and how Danarius/Tractus was able to capture it

lore-wise what are the implications here? when Fenris’ ritual was being undertaken, the sword and the sarcophagus were bombarded with magic, fire spells. in this one they aim to have the dragon bombard it with fire-breathing. is it just fire that makes it work/powers it, or is there magic in dragonfire, in dragons? it reminds me of “Your heart beats with the old blood, as well. Where do you think it comes from? It sings of a time when dragons ruled the skies. A time before the Veil, before the mysteries were forgotten. Can you hear it?”

purple color for the dragon’s growling sounds/typeset is a great idea

lets.. goooo!!!!

Marquette is such a nerd. later on when he activates the sarcophagus he has mad scientist vibes

the dramatic reunion face-offs begin!! as the prophecy foretold!!!!1

true to form, Marius DOES have nothing to say ahahaha, even at this, his personal climax. maybe Marius dies in the next issue, but Tessa lives and gets to go back to Charter

these Venatori look almost Star Wars

Shirallas my boyy.. nooo... don’t do it 😭

ah ah ah! try casting magic with no ARMS

Francesca a beacon of blue light and goodness

the splash combat page is masterful. everyone playing a part, so much going on, everything happening at once. a thing that sticks out to me about it is Aaron’s outstretched hand and alarm as he watches Fran fall

Autumn with her lil hackles raised

“The Venatori have returned” dun dun dunn

goodbye Shirallas 😭😭😭

the composition of the second to last page with triangle/diamond-shaped panels and the framing of dragon wings is awesome

the Dread Wolf rises, “the Tevinter Imperium will rise again”.. on-point on-point cohesion

there he is, the red wraith

Super Saiyan Shirallas

what a note to end an issue on

wow wow wow!!

and separate to the above, some speculation based on the cover of Issue 3: the piece of metal looks like a broken collar coming off Shirallas, like the one there was on the cover of Issue 2 coming off the dragon. also he’s all bulky now with draconic talons/claws (reminds me of in-world legends of Reavers who dug too deep of their own power after drinking dragon blood and whose bodies consequently began to manifest subtle reptilian traits actually). I’ll be interested to see what results of this allusion between Shirallas and the dragon!!

#dragon age #BioWare #dark fortress spoilers #dark fortress spoiler #spoilers #spoiler #dragon age: dark fortress spoilers #dragon age: dark fortress spoiler #video games #gore cw #dragon age 4 #the dread wolf rises #da4 #feels #fenris #the Fenaissance #long post #longpost #alcohol cw

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janehaster · 5 years

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Why is the Herald of Andraste wearing Dragon Armor? That’s Heretical and Here’s Why

In every artwork of DA Inquisition we see the Inquisitor associated with a dragon theme. They wear a dragon helmet in most artwork, all covers from the official game and the DLCs have a prominent dragon theme, the Herald earns the Armor of the Dragon early in Haven, but in only ONE instance of the game do we see any connection between dragons and the Inquisitor: when we drink from the Vir Abelasan (Well of Sorrows) and Flemeth/Mythal must help us earn the trust of a dragon to make it fight Corypheus' false Archdemon. And the quest where that happens is not even mandatory.

Dragons are associated in Thedosian lore with two "pagan" mythologies:

Arlathan and the elven gods of old, who, if Mythal is any indication, discovered the secret of effective immortality by using dragons as vessels for a fragment of their soul and can, in some cases, shapeshift and assume the form of a dragon.

The Tevinter Imperium and their worship of the Old Gods, dragons who have allegedly whispered secrets into the mages' ears and led seven of them to enter the Fade searching for the Golden City. Dragons that later became Archdemons and, along with the darkspawn, a Blight upon the world.

So the dragon theme belongs to TEVINTER and their mythology. And the Inquisitor's enemy IS a Tevinter magister, a personification of old Tevinter and the religion the Chantry declared heretical and used as a cautionary tale against mages, magic and the belief in pagan worship.

The whole Andrastian faith is centered around it and having the Inquisitor be declared the Herald of ANDRASTE while donning dragon armor and claiming to speak for Andraste (in the case of a religious Inquisitor) MAKES NO SENSE. If anyone should have dragon-based theme, it's Corypheus himself. Or Mythal's Sentinels (remember the dragon statues in Mythal's Temple and dragon drawings on its walls).

If anything, dragons are the antithesis of Andraste. Her symbol is the SUN. In every Andrastian flag and drapery you have at your disposal to decorate Skyhold, it's clear the Chantry symbol - and Andraste's per association - is the SUN with wavy rays. Therefore, the Herald of Andraste should have an Andrastian theme, with a prominent Sun symbol and wear a diadem much like Andraste's.

(Of course, later in the game your Inquisitor could change such theme according to their OWN beliefs, in the case of a non-religious Inq., a Dalish elf, a Tal Vashoth or a dwarf)

But then you might ask: why would the Inquisitor wear Andrastian-themed outfit if the Inquisition was funded as an institution contrary to the Chantry's policy? The answer is simple.

The Inquisition IS NOT a negation of the Chantry. It doesn't defy Andrastian faith. It merely defies the Chantry's inertia concerning the Breach and the threat it poses, and proposes to investigate its root cause and solve the problem while the Chantry is too busy restructuring itself and looking for a new Divine. Thus why Thedosians turn their faith to you, the Inquisitor, who has allegedly been delivered from the Fade by Andraste herself to close the Breach and save the world.

However, the Chantry sees the emergence of the Inquisition as a challenge, for it lost its monopoly over the Andrastian faith. Remember, only the Divine may speak for Andraste and the Maker. With the Inquisitor being acknowledged as that voice, what authority is left in the Chantry to steer the minds and hearts of the Thedosian people?

Hence why the Inquisitor should be the personification of Andraste's messenger, her Herald, and not wear armor inspired in creatures elevated to godhood by a heretical religion (old Tevinter mythology).

Maybe Bioware intended to explain why the dragon-based theme became associated with the Inquisition later in the game, but that was never done, especially since Morrigan may drink from the Well of Sorrows and she herself can become the dragon instead, much like her mother.

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #da: inquisition #inquisitor #dragon age lore #tevinter #andraste #the herald of andraste #dragon age theory

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ask-jaghatai-khan · 5 years

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Da Deff-Flash Raidaz

// Homebrew for an Ork Freeboota warband I’ve been thinking up for some time. A distillation of all my favorite things about Orks in Warhammer.

“I’z ridin’ dis high ‘til Ragnarork comes!”

History

In the clustered and chaotic regions of the galactic center, there could be found a hostile dustball world orbiting a red giant. Though in the center of major orkish territory, it was of little interest to most passing overlords, save as an occasional source of boys. Those parts of it not dominated by great desert flatlands were composed of stormy seas, colossal mountains, or the rare and oft-disputed jungle infested with disease and mutated predators. Phalton Prime, or “Kruzbal” to the Orks, had seen many apocalypses, yet its surface was still home to millions of greenskins, most of whom had since devolved into a savage state. These savage orks were often press-ganged for cheap labor by the few but powerful Tek-Tyrants of the wastes, mountains, and seas.

It was on this world of Kruzbal that one unfortunate Freeboota was waylaid, setting of an explosive chain of events. Kaptin Gorn Blast’ead’s space hulk Black Grog, damaged and flying from the Warp after an unknown misfortune, crashed deep in the deserts of the planet’s singular continent. Crawling battered and stranded from the wreckage, and rounding up what few crew he had left, the Kaptin surveyed the forgotten world he’d found himself on. Within hours they were set upon for their trove of scrap and tech by raiders, which Gorn just managed to fight off, earning him the ire of the first of many tyrants on the world.

Requiring more ork-power, Gorn set about conscripting the local tribal greenskins. Though tough and quick to worship the space-bound ork as some manner of demigod, many could not handle the strange wonders of technology he brought with him and quickly went mad. Among this number was a boy by the name of Ur-Kog, though his change was markedly different. Ur-Kog showed a knack for survival, and a level of control over his insanity. Starting off lame, dumb, and runty by ork standards, Ur-Kog nonetheless started climbing the ranks faster than any of Gorn’s new soldiers. His knowledge of the wasteland was of immense help to the Kaptin, and the newly-appointed Nob’s skill with rallying mobs and tinkering with technology completely unknown to him before grew and grew, along with his physical form. Soon, Blast’ead had become a mythical figure to the savage orks of Kruzbal, slaying the Tek-Bosses and gathering a massive WAAAGH! with Ur-Kog as a prominent general. All was almost lost, however, when Gorn was at last laid low by Da Immortul Slagg, greatest of the coastal Raida Tyrants. The WAAAGH! would have been scattered if Ur-Kog hadn’t seized control of the mobs, assaulting Slagg’s fortress and claiming the Warboss’ head, along with final control of the planet.

For all the barren, ransacked wastes that covered Phalton Prime, the world was host to a strange and powerful hidden treasure. Known as “Kwiksilva”, this metal was prized and fiercely fought over by all the greenskins who called the planet home. Found in scrap deposits in many of the deepest and most treacherous ruins of the wastes, kwiksilva was solid and incredibly durable in its base form, to the point it could not be easily “forged” and so was either used for trinkets, or large and unwieldy armor plating. Bluish-silver in color, when exposed to the right alchemical properties, the normally impenetrable metal could be rendered into an unstable semi-liquid state. In this form, the metal had powerful narcotic properties. It could increase healing factors on injection or inhalation, as well as sending the user into a berserker rage, at the cost of severe physical and mental degradation for most all users. Kwiksilva was prized more than gold or iron, and is still one of the few reasons Kaptin Ur-Kog will return to his old homeworld, save for the occasional mob of “tradishunul boys”.

Since refitting the Black Grog, Madkap Ur-Kog Flashmaw (as he is now known) has made a name for himself across orkdom as a figure of insane but jovial chaos. He first came to prominence during his lootings of the Octarius sector and its neighboring regions, earning the respect or anger of many warbosses, as well as the Imperium of Man. Ur-Kog styles himself as a “collector”, and behaves eccentrically even by Freeboota standards, being easily taken by certain obsessions, and commanding a motley band as mad as he is. With the gathering power of WAAAGH! Ghazghkull, Kaptin Flashmaw has decided to throw in his gaudy cap with the Warlord, for a chance at going on the biggest looting spree the galaxy has yet seen.

Behavior

The kultur of the Deff-Flash Raidaz, as Ur-Kog’s Freeboota krew is known, is a bizarre and distinct thing. Many superstitions and curiosities can be traced as holdovers from their tribal roots, influenced by their Kaptin’s own oddities, and the unconventional makeup of the krew, being composed of many different clans of orks, a large proportion of grots, and even a few non-greenskin mercenaries. This mix has inspired an orkoid culture markedly distinct from most others.

Ur-Kog’s madness takes the form of wild mood---swings that can see him go from cruelly ruthless, to jovial even by human standards. The Kaptin’s greatest strength is his ability to inspire loyalty in his krew. He is fond of grand displays of prowess, as well as trying out new “toys” and weapons, and so will reward heavily any boy who distinguishes himself. Ur-Kog claims he has an “eye fer anytin’ orky”, which influences his looting decisions. He has stolen and refitted Imperial walkers, xenos tanks, and even broken deadly creatures like Tyranid bioforms. Many Ogryn mercenaries can be found in his crew, whom Flashmaw seems to like for their brute strength and loyalty. Though happy to get in a good scrap, Ur-Kog’s intense greed influences his decisions more than bloodthirst.

Even before the dawn of technology on Kruzbal, the tribals of the desert wastes were just a step away from becoming full-blown Speed Freekz, with squig-breeding and boar-rearing being major vocations. Nearly all the krew of the Black Grog are members of the Kult of Speed, devoting many hours to tinkering on their kustom bikes and buggies. Many “Old Way” superstitions can still be found amongst the greenskin mechanics, along with nautical traditions from the oceanic tribes, and so Deff-Flash vehicles tend to be outfitted with many trinkets and skulls, designed to make each bike and trakk appear like a living, mechanical beast. This extends to spacecraft and aircraft, as well. Due to the high proportion of grots to be found in the WAAAGH, Meks have an easy time scrounging extra scrap and making repairs, as the tiny greenskins are excellent at crawling into small places – though sometimes a cooked gretchin has to be pulled out of an engine afterwards.

Ur-Kog himself is in possession of two personal bikes, a speed-buggy, a fighta, and a massive command trukk. Though not taken to the field as often, the Black Grog is also home to an arena in which the Kaptin likes to showcase his many other “kollecturz bitz”, including Tyranid beasts, experimental walkers and deff-dreads, Mega-Gladiators, savage muto-wolves, boars, and squiggoths. Even clever orks have trouble determining what Ur-Kog considers “orky”, but the Madkap is very clear that he only collects the orkiest monsters around.

Central to the kultur of the Deff-Flash Raidaz is kwiksilva. Initially a treasure found only on Kruzbal, the clever Meks of Flashmaw’s WAAAGH! have since found ways by greenskin alchemy to refine the substance out of certain high-quality metals, in a process not even fully understood by said Mekboys. Any boy in the mob experienced enough to have bought their first bike likely also has at least one small trinket of kwiksilva on their person. More powerful orkz will have armor, weapons, and even vehicles covered in the alloy, prized for its durability and rust-proof, lucky shine. Nobs may sometimes wear injector-rigs, courtesy of the Painboys, which will fill their veins with liquid metal in the heat of battle. Other boys may inhale the substance as an aerosol spray, dulling their already minute pain-sense and inspiring them to acts of suicidal bravery.

Notable Members

Kaptin Gorn Blast’ead — “Ya fink dere’s nuffin’ left ta take from me? Wrong! Ya just took me patience! And I ain’t got no patience!” — A veteran Freeboota who prowled the inner systems for many a century before a freak post-looting Warp accident waylaid him and his on the dusty world of Kruzbal. A highly ruthless and intelligent ork, Gorn quickly found promise in the savage orks of the planet, using their madness to his advantage as he toppled the raider warbosses one-by-one. Gorn’s preference for encouraging reckless behavior in his warriors would in turn lead to Ur-Kog taking charge, and madness becoming the rule of the day in the Deff-Flash krew.

Madkap Ur-Kog Flashmaw — “I’z so flash ye could melt a humie’s face wif me smile!” — The current Kaptin of the Deff-Flash Raidaz, known as the Madkap Flashmaw. Ur-Kog is renowned across the Five Segmentae as a notorious looter, bloody reaver, and lunatic as far as orks are concerned. Ur-Kog plies the spaceways in his eternal quest to assemble the “orkiest WAAAGH!” around, collecting outcasts and oddballs from across orkdom, hoarding technology, and building a menagerie of the meanest xenos beasts alive. Flashmaw is roundly hated by anyone not a part of his own loyal krew, with many orks finding him weirder than can be tolerated. Still, Ur-Kog has since fallen under the banner of WAAAGH! Ghazghkull, impressed by the power of the Goff Warboss, and happy to take part in a level of carnage the orks haven’t seen in millennia.

Wazzmek — “It’z got flash! It’z got speed! It’z da Morkiest machine you’z eva seen!” — Known only by his title, Wazzmek is the head mekboy of the Raidaz. Touted as one of the best meks in the galaxy, Wazzmek is usually left to his own devices when not working on the Kaptin’s own rides. The Mek is viewed by most with a hefty mix of respect, awe, and fear, as he’s been given free reign by the Madkap to do whatever he pleases in the name of whipping up new and deadly gadgets. Wazzmek is a sight to behold thanks to his many kwiksilva bioniks, which can make him look more like a humie space marine or xenos construct than an average Mek, thanks to the lucky, stainless shine.

Grendus Rendus — "GRENDUUUS!!!” — Ur-Kog’s closest bodyguard, an Ogryn taken from an abandoned prison world in the Segmentum Ultima. Grendus is a scarred old beast, larger than the average ogryn, heavily enhanced with cybernetics, and with a distinct orkiness about him, having sallow skin, big teeth, and a dull fire in his eyes that even Nobs fear. To survive as the personal guard to an ork warboss is no easy task for a mere abhuman, and Grendus is renowned for his foul temper and sheer refusal to die.

Meek da Lukky — “I’z got meself some scrap! Eh? Eh? Happy, Boss?” — Personal gretchin servant to Ur-Kog, and occasionally Wazzmek, though the grot is loath to do anything that puts him in harm’s way more than usual. Meek has served the Kaptin since his pillaging of Greater Octarius, and is noted for the unusual amounts of luck he seems to have, avoiding death and misfortune where many hundreds of grots would have died. Though he hasn’t gotten away completely unscathed, Meek’s done his best to keep the streak going, including bathing himself in lucky blue warpaint.

Organization

The Deff-Flash Raidaz are led by Kaptin Ur-Kog Flashmaw, whose word is final, leading by virtue of his might, cleverness, and massive horde of gubbinz. Immediately beneath him are the veteran oddboys, such as the Chief Mek and his crew, the senior Painboys, Weirdboys, Runtherds, and more. Also included among the Kaptin’s “Best Mates” are his Nobz and bodyguards.

The main mob of the WAAAGH! consist of the many boys and lesser oddboyz of the krew. Generally the first thing on any new boy’s mind is the purchasing of his first bike, which will ensure he has a chance at glory on most any mission. Most of the Black Grog’s krew have an obsession with tinkering, and if not making modifications to their ostentatious and savage vehicles, they’ll be decking themselves and their weapons in fearsome charms meant to help during boarding actions. This culture of eye-catching style seems to make each warrior more reckless, as they feel if they’re going to die, at least they’ll look “flash” doing it.

Distinct amongst ork mobs is the odd makeup of Flashmaw’s krew. Though not the most numerous WAAAGH, the boys are generally quite hearty and wealthy – this is thanks to the disproportionate number of grots the greenskins have found themselves in possession of. Gretchin take care of most minor repairs, menial labor, and food sourcing (sometimes in a direct sense), leaving the Mekz with plenty of assistants and the boys with more free time to spar and tinker. The grot population boom has gotten to the point where it can sometimes be hard to account for all the little buggers, and many areas of the space hulk are even home to pockets of grot “tribes”. Flashmaw nonetheless views this as ideal, as he is also fond of recruiting many oddboys, from Mekz to Madboyz, surrounding himself with greenskins as insane as he is. This has lead to an elite crew that are nonetheless extremely eccentric. In addition to the many beasts and artifacts the Kaptin has collected, Ur-Kog also makes use of Ogryn mercenaries spirited away from lost Imperial prison worlds, who are often rubbed down with green paint, cybernetically enhanced, and used as bodyguards and enforcers more loyal to the Kaptin than even his own Nobs.

Of course, the Deff-Flash Raidaz are diehard devotees of the Kult of Speed, and so any battle plan that can get away with it more often than not includes hordes of bikes, trukks, trakks, tanks, buggies, and jets. Ur-Kog is a flyboy himself, though his need to lead from the front usually sees him taking to a bike or trukk at the head of his mob. Though Ur-Kog prides himself on having at least two of every gubbin, from grot-artillery, to heavy walkers, to Kommando electro-stabbaz, the vast majority of his battle plans prefer a massive armored cavalry charge, with plenty of screaming air-support.

Appearance

Of all the insults and ire laid on Kaptin Flashmaw, his favorites include being called “the most garish being in the galaxy” by an Eldar commander, and making a Blood Axe Warboss’ eyes water. Red features heavily on all Deff-Flash clothes and vehicles, due to the krew’s obsession with speed, and its ability to blend in with the rust so common on “flash-poor” vehicles. In addition to this, black tribal markings, and trinkets made from gold and kwiksilva are used for in abundance. Boys of all stripes will often coat themselves in white and black body paint – a holdover from tribal practices meant to protect against the searing sun of Krusbal, and a signifier of strength. On top of all these colors and baubles, boys will sometimes decorate their vehicles with personal colors and symbols, and all the krew are fond of such decoration, using bones and precious metals to make both themselves and their mounts look as savage and piratical as possible. The resulting mix is an eclectic and indeed eye-watering palette of colors and designs, with bright treasure gleaming against filth and rust, and warriors at once dressed in the tattered remains of the finest clothes they could loot, on top of dusty and oily tribal paint.

Notable Battles

Ransack of Greater Octarius — After refitting what remained of the Black Grog, the newly proclaimed Madkap rallies his first ever spaceborne WAAAGH! to see the galaxy. Not far from the Phalton system lies the Ork Empire of Octarius, where greenskins by the billions waged constant war against numerous threats that had the generosity to assault them on all sides, from within and without. Knowing no allegiance, and itching for adventure, Ur-Kog’s Deff-Flash Raidaz hop from planet to planet at random, fighting anything they encounter, and looting the spoils down to the last rusty nail. It is here that Kaptin Flashmaw’s madness first becomes fully manifest, and his obsession with collecting strange trophies and defining the elite and flamboyant nature of his krew solidifies. By the end of the first WAAAGH! Ur-Kog, the Deff-Flash krew is brimming with oddboys the Madkap took pains to press-gang, in preparation for his next great exploit.

Da Inkredible WAAAGH! — With enough resources to fully realize his wild dreams, Ur-Kog takes to the greater galaxy, moving in an unflagging loop around all five Segmentae. The Madkap’s krew has become much different in makeup that when it started. Where previously there were droves of savage orks lead by insane Nobs, getting by on unpredictability, numbers, and a few unique perks, now there was a full-blown WAAAGH! brimming with vehicles, specialists to maintain the arsenal, mercenaries, and a shocking boom of laborer-grots. The Deff-Flash Raidaz become established as a major force of the Freeboota and Speed Freek ork kulturs, with Ur-Kog’s name being spoken of with bemused respect or bitter irritation by warbosses and other commanders around the galaxy. Ur-Kog makes a habit of indulging in great debauchery, and when not in an active warzone, the krew entertains itself with exotic arena fights, copious amount of grog and chems (including kwiksilva), tinkering on their beloved vehicles, and searching for new opportunities to loot and pillage. Still, Ur-Kog remains restless, in some small way resenting the lack of respect paid by other overlords and bosses, despite his immensely orky WAAAGH! and great trove of loot.

Throwing in Da Kap — Word reaches the Madkap’s ears of a new power rising, with one notable name only being spoken of more and more across the galaxy — Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka. While ever a wildcard at heart, the Kaptin decides that the best new opportunities for loot, recruitment, and carnage lie under the banner of one powerful Goff warboss. Gathering up as many preliminary resources as he can, Ur-Kog seeks out the warlord’s WAAAGH! back in the Octarius system. Ghazghkull accepts the Madkap’s allegiance, though is predictably happy to be rid of the Freeboota once it comes time for the greater WAAAGH! to sally forth. In truth, Ur-Kog cares little for the Goff’s dismissive attitude, as he knows the straightforward nature of such a traditional warboss will make for a disciplined central WAAAGH! — allowing the good Kaptin to continue on with his chaotic pillaging as he wishes, knowing there will always be a great horde to retreat into if ever his victims seek to retaliate. The Deff-Flash Raidaz continue their wild ride, with opportunity fresh in their hungry eyes.

#warhammer #40k #homebrew #orks #freebooters #speed freeks

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