About the Series:
Characters, for me, are never truly people until I can see them on the page: what they do, how they act, how they move in a space, these are--to my peculiar inclinations--defined by charcoal, graphite and crude eraser.
Perhaps it's the child who drew (in crayon) a parade of medieval knights and celebrants in the building of a fortified citadel, only to title and end it (because all things must) with the line: "...and then the castle died."
The individuals that you'll encounter in this collection originate from two different projects: the first, Asymmetry, centers on two friends who betray each other in search of paradise (and just rewards); the second, loosely titled In Darkness, Thunder, tells of three adolescents on a journey to discover the being that created their world.
Unless otherwise noted, the pieces are all a work-in-progress, so be sure to keep an eye out for additional updates and new material.
Characters, for me, are never truly people until I can see them on the page: what they do, how they act, how they move in a space, these are--to my peculiar inclinations--defined by charcoal, graphite and crude eraser.
Perhaps it's the child who drew (in crayon) a parade of medieval knights and celebrants in the building of a fortified citadel, only to title and end it (because all things must) with the line: "...and then the castle died."
The individuals that you'll encounter in this collection originate from two different projects: the first, Asymmetry, centers on two friends who betray each other in search of paradise (and just rewards); the second, loosely titled In Darkness, Thunder, tells of three adolescents on a journey to discover the being that created their world.
Unless otherwise noted, the pieces are all a work-in-progress, so be sure to keep an eye out for additional updates and new material.
Characters from Asymmetry:
Ananda
"Malus Goodfellow"
"Malus Goodfellow"
Here our intrepid puck is readying himself for night of filching apples from the McNevin family's orchard. Although you can't see it quite yet, he'll be perched from a ledge (or the widow's peak, Papa Nevin was a sailor) in anticipation of the legendary haul (folks believe the apples a gift from the days of old King Briar).
Ananda, for those curious, is Sanskrit for happiness or bliss.
Ananda, for those curious, is Sanskrit for happiness or bliss.
Adam Solomon
"Bedevilment"
Prior to his life with the Mitsuyamata clan in their small seafaring village, Adam had never learned to fish like a "proper man"; this proved troublesome to Genji, the clan elder, who insisted that Adam catch at least his own weight and half again in anguilliformes, crustacea, and other local bounty.
To their mutual dismay, however, Adam proved far too adept at luring in his least favorite of the life aquatic--the "devilfish" or giant octopus--visible here in faint (and larval) form on the pole and Adam's left arm.
To their mutual dismay, however, Adam proved far too adept at luring in his least favorite of the life aquatic--the "devilfish" or giant octopus--visible here in faint (and larval) form on the pole and Adam's left arm.
Connor McNevin
"Briar King's Crest"
As the last of the McNevin siblings to don the "thorn and claidheamh" of their alleged ancestor, the Briar King--a Pageant role that, until his brother's loss of an eye belonged to the eldest, Daniel--Connor was scarce asleep upon his bed when the second and middle brothers, Padraic and Gawain, disturbed the sheets and hauled him to an earthen barrow.
Through boughs of cider blossom and clay in pack they carried him, and would have left; had not a few persuasive oaths from the eldest Daniel and their father, Liam incited the lads to pick and shovel at the tomb where once the clan had deigned to rest. For the better half of night they worked and then to day as well, until their wall-eyed King emerged, his crest to mud once more.
The apple cradled in Connor's arms is a symbol of Ynys Afallon, the isle invoked at Pageant's end, where the sovereign King and his bride, the Ulwen (Gaelic for "path the moon takes on water") first conceived of the flowering tree.
Through boughs of cider blossom and clay in pack they carried him, and would have left; had not a few persuasive oaths from the eldest Daniel and their father, Liam incited the lads to pick and shovel at the tomb where once the clan had deigned to rest. For the better half of night they worked and then to day as well, until their wall-eyed King emerged, his crest to mud once more.
The apple cradled in Connor's arms is a symbol of Ynys Afallon, the isle invoked at Pageant's end, where the sovereign King and his bride, the Ulwen (Gaelic for "path the moon takes on water") first conceived of the flowering tree.
Illustrations from
In Darkness, Thunder:
In Darkness, Thunder:
Isaac Balthazar
"Tzadik"
First son of Abraham and Tsuriyah Balthazar, bearing the ancient standard of Brennandberg, a city fabled for its "northern lights." Smaller luminaries, or will o' the wisps, often frequent a certain street or family cloister, with the occasional tuft appearing in a neglected cabinet or quiet and forgotten corner.
The face on Isaac's armor is a stylized representation of a dybbuk, a creature said to inhabit the bodies of those who've perished in the boreal forest known as the Toska.
The face on Isaac's armor is a stylized representation of a dybbuk, a creature said to inhabit the bodies of those who've perished in the boreal forest known as the Toska.
Chernobog and Zecharyah
"Judge and Arbiter"
To the left, Chernobog, an ancient dybbuk, believed to be as old as the glorified lights of Brennandberg and said to dwell in the crookedest tree there ever was. On rare occasion will he approach a lonesome traveler, though what he offers few are left to tell.
To the right, Zecharyah, who turns the sun from his tellurian (a type of geocentric clock) on the peak of Kavod Mount. Seldom does he acknowledges the people of Brennandberg, despite the few strained words they utter to him during the city's cool and brief summers.
Judge here refers to the pious men and women who would govern Brennandberg, while Arbiter denotes the elder--and nominal leader--of the family Balthazar (the sage-in-exile who founded the city and first discovered the northern lights).
To the right, Zecharyah, who turns the sun from his tellurian (a type of geocentric clock) on the peak of Kavod Mount. Seldom does he acknowledges the people of Brennandberg, despite the few strained words they utter to him during the city's cool and brief summers.
Judge here refers to the pious men and women who would govern Brennandberg, while Arbiter denotes the elder--and nominal leader--of the family Balthazar (the sage-in-exile who founded the city and first discovered the northern lights).
