The Crimson Daggers grand manor

[crackedskull]

So I was talking to Smrr about how Crimson Daggers community would look like, if we were summoners, with out own cult and HQ. The whole thing is fantasy themed.

Heres some passages of our conversation that can give you a general idea.
"...Whatever they draw they summon (they can summon rooms, mini-environments etc). The mansion is massive and also has multiple oratoriums and workshops..."

"...It could even be some kind of Crimson Daggers group comic, where we design everything around story, create rough sketches and so on. Basically a big collaboration. It would be interesting to see one person doing rough concept sketches and another refining them..."

"...Another interesting concept is to make a map system pertaining to the original mansion/castle. Then do rooms from top-down view(kinda like some older rpgs) ..."

"...Artists can pick a "plot" and create their designs within it. Kind of like in minecraft, exept there no limitations, since you can come up with so much different stuff..."

"...Maybe start out with some basic areas like dining, library, bathroom etc..."

"...Anyways, where have you pictured the mansion so far?
For me, I imagined it among the mountains, at night. Its all windy and cold outside and then you see the place glowing and make your way there, when you get in there can either be some grand hall, or a smaller segment that resembles an inn, with a mysterious large door at the back that leads further in to the keep. But it always has a fireplace, because it just feels so damn comfy..."

"...This function was well hidden, also the Crimson Daggers is fairly well hidden..."

"...You have found a secret mechanism in a hidden cult..."

"...The swish flicks of pens scratching on paper 'til in no time, the summonist slams the paper on the ground, steps back and watches as a wispy, ephemeral surveillance hound charges out of thin air - now on the prowl, skulking outside of the mansion's outskirts for any non-believers and purgers of artistry and dreams!.."

"...I actually pictured the mansion surprisingly similar to how you do! I see a moonlit, cloudy night - with the manor planted atop a spire-like rockface, about 20m above the sea with a windy, narrow, rocky pathway that leads to the grand doorways.
Inside the manor, there's a warm touch upon entry (though I didn't think of a fireplace o: neat!), a red blood-red carpet leading atop a staircase, where a grandiose painting of the founding members of the Daggers greets guests as the main entrance doors first open.
Also, I immediately thought of that tent in Harry Potter, or the TARDIS from Doctor Who, where on the outside it looks rather small/average but the inside is huuuuuge..."


So if any of the above passages was of interest to you, let me know and join in on discussion.

I suppose the simplest way to start is to just do a drawing/painting that is a piece of the world, where this cult exists.
Some information on the world:
medieval fantasy themed
Outside the HQ magical sightings and creatures are a rare occurance.
Advanced technology has a steampunkish look.
Feel free to add ideas to flesh out the world and Daggers HQ

Ill post back in the evening with some rough sketches, I think the biggest issue with the idea is that theres so much to do It might seem overwhelming+ with so many things taking up our time in this modern world it can be difficult to also create stuff for another world.
However I think everyone has an hour or two to spare, doesnt have to be every day, but whenever you feel like it.
And ofc whatever you post here, you can refine further and also present it in your portfolio, the thread is merely to give another goal to the group.

One of the bonuses of this idea is its adaptability. If theres a few people "living" in the HQ you can make interior illustrations of abandoned parts, or give a feeling of eeriness or desolation(since the HQ is so damn large).

Hope this wall of text gave you some ideas.

[crackedskull]

Allright, gotta start somewhere.

"Heres Cody, a timid summoner who lost his glasses. His apparel includes his fathers hat, fitting robe, summoning pencil and paper, pair of flippers."
"Fun fact about Cody: It never occurs to him to draw glasses so he could summon them"

[smrr]

Nice one cracked! Let's get the ball rolling eh? :D

So here's a quick sketch of a summoner or "summonist" I thought about while chatting with cracked earlier.




His name is Spirol. The aura around him is a concept of what it's like when he begins to summon one of his drawings.
His clothing is loaded with drawing equipment such as scrolled parchments (holstered in his belt, large scroll carried on his back, etc), his gauntlets have ink cartridges that when retracted, fire ink in a given direction (for quick sketches for summoning). He wields a 4-sided brush pen (cross/sword type weapon), his boots also have retractable pens/brush pens.
His name is "Spirol" for a reason, note the Golden Spiral/Ratio imprinted on his armour (I didn't bother drawing it accurately, seeing as this is just a sketch), he is a technically sound draftsman who can not only use both his hands for drawing (ambidextrous), but many other parts of his body too...  ;) (loljks. get your heads outta the gutter! haha).
They also call him Spirol because he has somehow managed to use his acrobatic ability to his advantage while utilising the human machine as a drawing tool to its fullest potential.

Man I am getting carried away. This is super fun hahaha


Thanks again cracked for bringing our little chat into fruition. Let's get ittttt

[DK]

Need to see some mean lookin crimson summoners ready to stab in here.

[ZombieChinchilla]

Ah man I love this! Reminds me of the College of Winterhold from Skyrim but more secluded. Can't wait to see more work for it, and may contribute some of my own eventually.

[smrr]

Yasssss Zombie, CoW is beautiful! Lookin' forward to when you contribute! 

Hell yeah, Dennis - they'll be incoming for sure!

Quick, dirty, basic animation ideas for when a Summonist summons.




So instead of summoning with an aura type *magic*, I'm thinking there could be a shit load of paint or something along those lines like black ink if the Summonist is using a brushpen/ink pen, etc. 
Will probably do variations based on different mediums, y'know?

Hmm lots to think about <3 
Although I obviously like my characters, maybe in the future I'll delve into interior work/what the Manor looks like from the outside, y'know to really challenge myself.
But for now, just having fun refining some ideas and eventually characters I've thought about.

Woooooo :D

[crackedskull]

Those summoning sketches and the idea in general looks AWESOME. Cant wait to see the animation :)


I made some schematics(power was out, hence the traditional sketches), will also add the painted front and side view of Cody later.
These are free for use to anyone for future.

[crackedskull]

[KurtJeremy]

Ok manage to sneakt this .getting a melisandre feel with this one.  
her backstory in brief she sees some visions on ancient drawings / writings just by looking at them.
so she ables to see what was going on the times the drawing was being done.
she can also bring back creatures back from those ancient times at the cost of a sacrificial ritual from a noble blood.

gonna refine this when i have time. just felt the need to post just to get the ball rolling.

[ZombieChinchilla]

You know what else this remind me of? The university from The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss. It's a huge, presitigious academy where everyone from all over comes to learn and study the system of magic in the book. The series has some of the best world building I've seen and I recommend it if you like it.

One part I'm thinking of is the library. The one in TNotW is huge, with almost every book ever written, some hundreds or thousands of years old. The protagonist describes it like a small city, with the aisles being like streets or neighborhoods. Some of the student work there, and when you need a certain book you have to ask for them to get it, which can sometimes take hours.

I'm thinking of something similar here. The CD manor has a huge library with thousands of books of reference, and there are people there who help you check the books out. They're mysterious people, with their faces covered, and they never speak. The library is always open and the keepers never seem to leave or sleep. You can try to find what you're looking for without them, but it's very hard. Some aren't trustworthy, though, and have purposely set people on the wrong path. It's also very easy to get lost, so it's recommended you go to the library in groups or pairs. There are rumors of some people who have gotten so lost that they've begun living in the library.

I may do some quick sketches of the keepers tomorrow.

[crackedskull]

Kurt- Keep it up, gonna be more interesting with every new character
Zombie- Thats a cool idea, havent read the book, but it sounds interesting

Heres a comic, featuring character interaction. Basically any characters creatures in the world can be used in comics, or group illustrations, animations etc. Brings more life and interest to the world.

So in the comic below Cody visits Spirol on his off hours, when he likes to read and educate himself.

[crackedskull]

This summoner is rarely found withing the halls of the HQ, she often travels trough the world. However theres many folk tales about artists possesing mystical powers, so she hides her apparel below a cloak.