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1

Comics and other Gallery / My small armament.

« on: October 21, 2016, 09:34:45 PM »

I hope I can do this correctly.

I used Krita to do a little drawing of several of the weapon forms used by the MC in my book.


Andelic is the Holy Dragon Vadiant, and is able to transform to any of the following forms.

No. 1, Judgement: It is a sword made of compressed Holy magic and, when invocated, grants the user silver wings and swift flight.

Spoiler

No. 2, Vitaberis: It is a wooden staff entwined by a sprig made up of condensed Life magic. It grants the user dark brown wings in the manner of an Owl. With this staff any plant can be manipulated, even if the plant is dead. (as in, chopped up wood)

Spoiler

No. 3, Calamity: It is a claymore blade that is attuned with the Earthen Element. This weapon eschews wings for the ability to 'fly' through the ground. The speed of underground movement depends heavily on what the ground is. Clean soil is the fastest while stone and ores will cause a significant drop in speed.

Spoiler

No. 4, Ragnaroc: It is a sword made of flames from the heart of Infernus, and, when summoned will protect the user from all forms of fire. It also grants Phoenix wings which will accelerate healing for any the wielder considers allies.

Spoiler

No. 5, Ventaero:It is a sword that commands the wind and the air. The sword can be swung facing forward or backward, depending on the situation. Swinging it backward will cause a tear in the wind that can cut through flesh and bone. It grants wings made of the very wind which grant high speed.
 

Spoiler

No. 6, Celerity: It is a simple unadorned dagger which heightens the sense of time for the wielder. It grants three sets of small wings which are used to adjust the flow of magic from any angle at any speed. Flight is generally only done inches from the ground with this blade, the enhanced sense of time allows effortless avoidance of any rocks or unevenness. This blade was formed in order to combat the Vadiant Alacrity.

Spoiler

No. 7, Aquespa: It is a long curved blade that grants the wielder finned limbs the ability to breathe underwater. It was created in the Maelstrom Surge when Lake Riunne became a permanent tether to realm of Ocean. With this weapon it is possible to manipulate water in any way save creation of Elementals.

Spoiler

No. 8, Ascension: It is a pair of katar blades that increase the physical capabilities of the wielder every time they strike an enemy. This weapon grants wings of sharpened steel which provide protection and offensive power, although they are extremely heavy. It takes some time fighting before the physical abilities of the user become sufficient to use them effectively.

Spoiler

No. 9, Crystacia: It is a sword of enchanted ice and will slowly freeze the surrounding area. It can freeze nearly any substance, although certain materials will require a larger amount of magical energy. It grants wings encased in ice.

Spoiler

No. 10, Void Reaper: This is a scythe that cuts through Void magic and passes through all mundane material. It is especially efficient at exterminating Shroudlings and other Void-born creatures. It provides wings infused with its own Void-eating magic, which provide significant magical defense.

Spoiler

http://daeslune.deviantart.com/gallery/ is where they're from. If you want to leave a note or anything... 

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Welcome Center / Re: Greetings from Hammilton

« on: October 21, 2016, 09:10:23 PM »

For nicknames, do you prefer Hammy, or Milton?

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Manga Writer workshop / Re: Creepypasta Halloween Thread

« on: October 21, 2016, 09:04:28 PM »

Back in the day, I wrote some really good creepypastas. You may have heard of them, "Who was phone?" and "Skeleton popped out."

I've never actually written one, but I've thought up one or two before. I'll see if I can remember them and type them up.

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General Manga writer discussions / Re: What Genres Do You Love/Hate Writing Most and Why?

« on: October 21, 2016, 10:34:01 AM »

I very much enjoy writing action. I'd say it's mostly shonen as far as manga classification goes. And fantasy, it has to be fantasy. Although I do have a killer story for sci fi, if I ever wanted to go that route. But I live fantasy out in my everyday life, so that's the main genre for me.

I have managed to write a few emotional stories. I suppose having struggled with depression has let me in on that aspect of storytelling.

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Welcome Center / Re: Greetings, from Laenost!

« on: October 20, 2016, 07:00:52 PM »

Welcome to MR, Daes!

Sounds like you have some lofty goals. Dreaming big is certainly a lot of fun. Don't lose sight of your greatest vision, it will serve as the best motivator.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy your stay here!

When I read that I got a mental image of Griffith and his "vision".

Don't worry, I won't sacrifice any of you to ravenous demons in order to become a god.

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General Manga writer discussions / Re: The role of a writer-

« on: October 20, 2016, 06:58:40 PM »

This is because by the numbers, your average artist is going to take a lot longer illustrating your ideas than it takes you typing them up. You have to be cognizant and respectful of that time.

This is certainly true in one sense. In another, I've devoted... what, a decade? to my world. So it isn't as if I have no skin in the game either. But for a day-to-day basis, it does take considerably longer to draw out a quality page than it does to write a quality page.

I do have immense respect for artists, having tried my own hand at it at various times in the past. Rushing someone really wouldn't jive well with me. You know what? Everyone should try a bit of everything, so they get an idea for what it's like. So far I've done making video games, art, writing, and a TINY bit of music. I'm best at writing so far.

What you should definitely NOT do as a writer is dictate every little detail. The artist needs some creative freedom, unless it's a purely paid job, but even then there are limits to what a human being can handle.

This is one of the things I was wondering about most, if artists would WANT to have those tiny details in or not. I imagine that also changes person to person.

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Manga Artists Wanted / Re: (Collab) Fantasy author looking for Manga artist

« on: October 20, 2016, 04:13:10 PM »

My most recent short story, "Echra and the Forest." it's not my best, I don't think, but I like it. It's kind of cutesy, which I don't usually do.

"So, you live in the forest?"
Echra peeked over the edge of the hill at the cloaked and hooded figure sitting below. At the sound of his voice the small figure jumped up and dashed away into the woods. Echra thought for a moment about following, but his father's warning kept him in place.
He walked back to the town, determined that next time he would talk to whoever it was. Everyone in town was busy with their own problems or caught up in their lives so much that he could scarcely make a friend.
At dinner that night he decided to ask his father again.
"I saw the cloaked person at the edge of the forest," he said. "They ran away when I tried to say hi."
A clink as his mother dropped her fork. She looked with concern at his father, who glared intently at Echra.
"I told you to never go near those who live in the forest." he said angrily. "It's dangerous. You could be killed."
"That person didn't seem like a dangerous sort. I watched him for a while, he seemed... lonely."
His father leaned forward with his hands folded in front of him. "You saw his face?" he asked. "You must never get close enough to see their faces. They know to stay away from the town, those people of the woods. Don't encourage them by getting near to them." He leaned backwards. "Clearly you don't have enough to do around here. If you can't find a friend to play with, I'll be doubling your work duties from now on."
Echra tried to protest, but his father cut him short. He ate the rest of his meal in silent contemplation. After he finished and cleaned up he headed back outside for a walk.
He passed a group of children playing and thought for a moment about asking to join them, but he just couldn't make himself do it. They were a group he didn't belong to. He felt like such an oddity every time he had tried, so he just kept to himself.
The path down to the forest looked inviting to him and for a moment he thought about going down again. With a look back at his house he paused before walking slowly down the path.
A whistle cut through the bustle of the town and he looked back- his father stood at the door of his house shaking his head. With a sigh, Echra turned back. As he did so he thought he glimpsed a brown cloak at the edge of the forest, but when he looked again it was gone. He trudged back to his house, hopped in bed, and went to sleep.
?He woke early, before dawn. This was the last time, he told himself, that he would go to the forest. Last time he had been brave enough to talk to one of the people who lived in the forest, this time maybe he'd get to hear something back from them. It couldn't hurt to try, no matter what his father said.
The front door creaked loudly as he opened it, he paused for an anxious minute to see if it had alerted anyone. Satisfied that he would not be noticed, he tiptoed out. Then he was off and running down the path to the forest. He practically dove to lie at the top of the hill to peek down. Disappointment flooded him as he saw nothing but grass and brush below him. He sighed and waited. Before he knew it, he was nodding off.
A sharp knock on the head woke him up suddenly. He looked down at the bottom of the hill, then around beside him. Seeing nothing nearby he looked back down at the line of the trees. A light thump next to him gave him a start and he looked around again. Then he saw it, a person standing in a tree holding a handful of acorns.
With a grin he waved. "Hey!" he called out. "Do you live in the forest?"
The cloaked figure nodded.
"Want to come up on the hill with me?"
The cloaked figure shook its head.
Echra took a deep breath. "Ok!" he said "I'll come down to you then!" and with that he slid down the hill.
A rock jutting out under a bit of grass caught him and before he knew it he was tumbling head over heels down the hill. He sat and held his head for a moment, blinking away a few tears. Then there was a thump next to him as the figure from the tree landed next to him. He looked up.
"Oh," he said. "You're a girl!"
The girl turned her head to the side, holding her hands in front of her face. She nodded bashfully.
"Can... can you take the hood off so I can see you?"
The girl dashed backwards to hide behind a tree. She poked her head out with her hand on the top of her hood, as if unsure if she should reveal herself. Echra looked around, a bit nervous himself. He tried to stand up, but found out painfully that he had twisted his ankle. He collapsed on the ground with a whimper and more than a handful of tears coming to his eyes.
With a gasp the girl rushed forward. She reached for his leg and held his foot gingerly. "Are you ok?" she asked shakily.
Echra tried his best to stop the flow of tears. "I... It hurts," he whimpered. "I need to go home!"
The girl shook her head. "Don't worry, I can help!" then to Echra's amazement her hands started to glow. A soft, warm light that surrounded his injured ankle.
There was silence for a moment, broken only by Echra hiccuping as his tears dried up. They stared at each other, and Echra was stunned by the deep green in her eyes. Slowly he lifted his hand to pull back the hood of her cloak. She made a motion as if to stop him, then lowered her hands.
"Oh..." he said. "You have horns!"
She buried her face in her hands and turned away. Echra reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. "Hey," he said uncertainly. "What's wrong? Your horns, um, they're very... pretty."
She did not turn around. "Mariel." she said quietly. "My name is Mariel."
Echra was silent for a moment as he thought of what to say. "That's a very pretty name, too." he said at last. "Why do you have horns? My father told me that people lived in the forest, he never said anything about stuff like that."
Mariel turned back to face him, although she kept her gaze on the ground. "We're demi-elves." she said. She pulled her hair back to show her pointed ears. "Lots of people don't like us because we're not humans. They think we send wolves and bears to attack them."
After thinking for a moment Echra spoke up. "Do you?" he asked.
"No! of course not!"
"Well," said Echra as though stating the most obvious fact in the world. "Just tell people you don't do it, then they can like you again."
"We do!" said Mariel. Her slender frame shook as she cried. "We do, but humans don't listen!"
"I... I'm listening."
Mariel impulsively reached out and hugged him, then dashed back to behind a tree. "I'm sorry." she said. "I just wanted to make sure you were real."
Echra stood blinking for a long moment. Then he spoke up nervously. "Um... could I... make sure you're real... too?"
After a moment of silence, Mariel held out her hand. Echra reached out and grabbed it, squeezing a bit. "Yeah," he said. "You feel real."
They both stood there for a moment in silence before they each started giggling. Echra took a step forward when a cry from the town rang up Echraaaaa! Mariel pulled back immediately and disappeared into the forest.
Echra stood facing the forest for what seemed like forever, his heart pounding in his chest. The sound of his father running up to the top of the hill snapped him out of his daze.
"Echra!" his father bellowed. "What are you doing?! Get back up here immediately!"
With a heavy sigh, Echra turned and headed up. He didn't think about what he would tell his father.
?He thought about Mariel

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Manga Artists Wanted / Re: (Collab) Fantasy author looking for Manga artist

« on: October 20, 2016, 03:44:54 PM »

I'm more than happy to post one or two of my short stories, if it's allowed.

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Welcome Center / Re: Click Me?... Please?...No? Ok.

« on: October 20, 2016, 02:06:00 PM »

Confidence, confidence, confidence! Your thread title lacks confidence! You've gotta be assertive, and COMMAND that respect! :)

As a fellow new guy, welcome!

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Welcome Center / Re: Greetings, from Laenost!

« on: October 20, 2016, 02:02:43 PM »

Welcome to mangaraiders!

The only place to build a castle fortress in this day and age is at the top of an active volcano.

Nah, I'll just drill down deep enough to get lava on my own. And blame it on the dwarves delving too greedily and too deep.

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General Manga writer discussions / Re: The role of a writer-

« on: October 20, 2016, 01:28:36 PM »

Hah, given how much patience is touted as a virtue, it really is hard to keep. Especially when you stumble on a new idea or start acting on an idea you've wondered about for a long time. As they say, though, "Good things come to those who wait."

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Manga Artists Wanted / Re: (Collab) Fantasy author looking for Manga artist

« on: October 20, 2016, 01:22:23 PM »

There are numerous side projects that people who are wary of commitment can try, if interested. I'm going to give a little... Preview, I guess, of the main project.

The setting is fantasy. It begins in a city filled with magic, a city built for and by Mages. The main character of this story is an Elf. He is an Apprentice Mage and has been called to the city in order to complete an Apprentice Trial along with several other budding Magelings. This trial involves traveling to other worlds to complete tasks set by Archmages- tasks that could easily cost a Mage his life. This group begins the Apprentice Trial as normal, but it quickly becomes apparent that something has gone wrong as they are thrown into dangerous worlds and scenarios far beyond what they have been told to expect.

The cast, in part:

The Elf, Adrulem. Adrulem is an oddity for two reasons: Firstly, as an Elf he does not have the natural magic flow that a human possesses. Somehow he has found a way around this, and it likely has to do with the left arm that he keeps wrapped up constantly. Secondly, he is a Young Elf- ordinarily, Elves do not leave the realm of Myrchrend until they are several hundred years old. Adrulem is scarcely thirty, a child by the standards of Elves. His naivete and inexperience could cost him dearly.

The Dwarf, Relekin. Relekin is a Paladin in training- A Mage who uses the power of Holy magic. Unlike the Human Paladins, however, Dwarves are not bound by any petty religious code when it comes to their use of the sacred Eldillis, the conduits of Holy Magic.

The Human, Rolksen. Rolksen is an Abberant Mage who has somehow made it to the level of Apprentice without being able to cast a single spell on his own. His only saving grace is the magical sword he is able to summon, with it, he can cast spells at a higher level than even a standard Mage could. He also possesses a strange affinity with Faelin, the small magic sprites that inhabit the majority of the Realms.

The Orcs, Gash and Yrch. Gash and Yrch are brothers from one of the few orc families to pass under the Cessation Ordinance and live in Laenost. They are the prized pupils of the Archmage of the Mage Guild Beastrialis. They were brought up without any reference in their lives to the brutal practices of Dagolahz or the profane magics that their cousins use. Still, it remains to be seen how they shape magic in their own way.

The Feralis, Knoctola. Knoctola is from one of the Beast races, half human and half animal. She became a Mage Apprentice through her own talent and hard work, rather than the tutelage of another Mage. By the time she was scouted as a potential Mage, she already had skill higher than the Mages sent to contact her. Her magic runs constantly through her veins, giving her strength and speed that leaves other close-quarters combat Mages in the dust.

Any of these six would be outcasts in any normal Apprentice Trial, it remains to be seen how they will operate as a group. The Trialmasters that accompany them certainly can't prepare well enough.

Questions? Comments? Even if you're not interested in the project, I'm always happy to get any feedback I can.

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Manga Creations / Short story- Child of the Forest

« on: October 20, 2016, 12:42:45 PM »

I have been moved to tears by writing a few times in my life. Only twice by my own work. This story is one of those times. Perhaps it won't move you as much as it did me, the story is... more personal to me than it would be to most others. I think. I hope this is the right place and way to post a story like this.

Spoiler

Jorndrin kicked a stone as he walked down the path. He hummed to himself, a lonely tune that made his downcast mood go lower by the minute.
He passed by a group of dryads talking amongst themselves. Once they caught site of him they lowered their voices until he passed. It didn't matter, he was used to it.
The Father of the Forest had given him a job for the day, another task that only served to take up time. He was sick of it, he had no true place in the Forest and everyone knew it. The dryads wouldn't even talk to him. The rest of the animals just treated him with either pity or scorn.
Jorndrin was a human living in the world of sprites and faeries. A young boy with no family or friends. Years ago his parents had left him here, he had been told it was to protect him... but he knew better. They just didn't want him. Nobody wanted him.
At first it had been wonderful, being cared for by animals and forest spirits. The Father of the Forest had granted the gift of speech to most of the animals so they could take care of him. But as the days turned into months and years he began to sour to his situation.
He neared his next stop, the den of a mother fox and her pups. She was always kind to him at least. He poked his head down into the den.
"Hi," he said wearily. "I'm checking today to make sure you have everything you need."
"Thank you, dear boy." the mother fox replied. "I'm afraid I don't need anything right now, but I'll get word to you right away if I do. She nuzzled her sleeping pups." these little ones would be happy to play with you once they wake up. Why don't you come back in a little while to chase them around?"
Jorndrin gave a forced smile and nodded. He left quickly and walked back down the path. He always felt like the other animals only played with him because they were told to. He sniffled as he tried to hold back some tears. Squirrels chased each other through the trees above his head, calling to each other, and that was just too much for him. He started crying, sitting at the side of a tree with his knees up and his arms around them. The branches of a nearby shrub extended towards him, patting him on the head. His tears dried up, leaving him sniffling to himself.
A small sound made him poke his head up, a raccoon was standing there looking at him. It reached out a paw sympathetically, but he turned away.
"The Father has called for you," the raccoon said gently.
"Don't wanna." he sniffled.
"You can come by when you're ready, he'll be waiting. I do wish you comfort, if only I could help in some way..."
The raccoon stood there for a long moment, anxious to help but unsure of how. Jorndrin felt a mixture of anxiety and awkwardness as he waited for the other to leave. At last the raccoon went on its way, and he was alone again.
He sat for a while until the sad mood began to pass and he began to feel bored. Rubbing his face roughly he stood up, then began heading to the Father of the Forest.
He walked slow so it took him a few minutes to get there. The Father of the Forest loomed over the trees as he approached, a massive tree that dwarfed all the others nearby. It had a wise and benevolent spirit, and was always willing to talk to him.
He walked up to the tree and placed his hand on its rough bark. The spirit inside it stirred to life.
"My child," it said.
Jorndrin nodded, not much in the mood for talking.
"My child," it repeated. "you know that I can see all that happens in my Forest."
Jorndrin nodded again.
"I have seen something that brings a change for all of us. Your parents, who left you in my care years ago, have returned. They have entered the forest and are heading this way.
Jorndrin stood dumbfounded for a moment. "My... parents?" he said slowly. "My parents are... Here?"
He felt the affirmation in the tree in its voice.
"Your life in the woods has come to an end." it said.
After a few more moments of silence, Jorndrin spoke again.
"But... How will I live with people? I... I don't belong with people!"
"You don't belong in the forest." the tree said gently.
"I don't belong anywhere!" Jorndrin cried, pushing away from the tree and running into the forest. He tripped and scraped his knee, but got right back up and running.
He ran as fast as he could without purpose, not knowing where he was running to. He cried little as he ran, feeling that he had no more tears left in himself to cry.
He then found out that he was wrong.
He knew the forest like the back of his hand and was able to avoid every tree, stump, and branch. But then he ran into something he didn't expect. He looked up at what it was, and began to sob. The face of his father looked down at him.
"Jo... Jorndrin?"
Then he was crying harder than he knew he could. "I... I... I missed you!" he cried. "I missed you so much! I was so... I was so lonely!" he grabbed his father as tight as he could, determined to never let go. Then he felt his parents hold him too, and he knew they would never let go either.


The Father of the Forest watched from afar as the family of humans reunited. He guided them as best he could to the edge of the forest. And then, in his own way, he cried too.

My sister does foster care, so I have seen a lot of children who are taken from their parents for their own safety, and I have seen how much they miss their parents and how happy they are to be reunited. The inspiration for this story was a combination of that and... well, I thought it up after reading one of the early Naruto chapters, where he laments having no parents.

Please leave a comment if you liked it, it means a lot.

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General Manga writer discussions / Re: NaNoWriMo Writers Guild

« on: October 20, 2016, 12:22:54 PM »

The best way to do NaNo is with fellow competitors, because otherwise you lose out in terms of help and motivation. So hop on if you're up to it.

The biggest problem, by far, for me is that I'm trying to write by myself. I've got a lot of supportive friends and family... but they don't really care about the day-to-day writing. They'll just throw out a "oh, that's really good" when I show them something.

So I have to agree wholeheartedly. Having other people to talk to about it is incredibly important. Being part of a community. I'm reading 'the letters of Tolkien' and it's kind of shocking how much he struggled with things in the same way you or I would. You always just think of Tolkien as this god of writing, but it took him a lot of encouragement to put out LOTR.

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General Manga writer discussions / Re: The role of a writer-

« on: October 20, 2016, 12:18:16 PM »

If you insist on sticking to writing though you'll need to come armed and ready - especially if you want to convince someone to work with you for free. Mingle in the community and build up your reputation. Maybe post your stories and people will be able to give better feedback.

I have a plethora of material for shorter stories. For a longer story, I most certainly have something in mind, which I can write up as needed, but that would be only for someone who is really willing to commit. I have a post in the 'looking for artist' section, should I include some in-depth storyline info? Character bios? I can't post links yet, should I copy/paste one of my short stories?

Sorry for the million questions. I'm just trying to find the right way to go about things.

I thought of a good analogy for having a bunch of creativity bundled up inside that you want to get out. It's like going shopping and having a cart overflowing with delicious foods and drinks. But you can't get them yet. You just want to get through that line and get your stuff so you can finally dig in!