I've devoted much of May to writing the latest playtest draft of Secrets of sha-Arthan. The project is coming along quite well, though – as usual – still slower than I would like. Nevertheless, serious progress has been made and I expect to start putting the latest version of the game through its paces sometime this summer.
As if to buoy my spirits, I was delighted to receive the illustration above from the ever-impressive Zhu Bajiee, who's already produced so much wonderful artwork for SosA. Depicted are a quintet of Vault explorers preparing to face off against some eldritch threat. They are:
- Vandar Axtargo (center front), a warrior and veteran of the army of the king of Eshkom, now turned mercenary.
- Wentak (right), a sorcerer whose origins are mysterious but who turned up in the First City about six months ago and soon attached himself to the Supernal Academy of Alatash.
- Maltisis (center back), a scion of the Arta Char dynasty that has prospered in recent years due to its alliance with the ruling Chomachto.
- Sharaya (left), an adept of the Jorazi people of the Ridala district of Inba Iro and another recent arrival to da-Imer.
- Limber-but-Unbending (center left), a Chenot master of the bow who, like so many of his kind, seeks the blessings of the Makers in the Vaults beneath the First City.
I'm having a lot of fun fleshing out the setting of the game, which takes a lot of its inspiration from Antiquity, particularly the Hellenistic Age, a period of real world history I find quite fascinating and one that tends to get overlooked, sandwiched as it is between Classical Greece and the rise of Rome. I'll have lots more to say about Secrets of sha-Arthan in the coming months, but, for now, I simply wanted to share this great illustration that I hope provides a little insight into the look and feel of its setting.
Excellent news and beautiful art
ReplyDeleteGreat art but where's the fifth guy you mention in your text...?
ReplyDeleteHe's the little guy with the bow at the front left.
DeleteThe Hellenistic Age is a great choice. Lots of change and cultural collision. And lots of sophisticated cultures like the Nabateans, who we really don't pay enough attention to in our history classes.
ReplyDeleteI'm only seeing 4 characters, but my eyes aren't that great.
ReplyDeleteThe fifth one is short and is using the bow. He's located to the left of the warrior.
DeleteIt sounds from your character descriptions that play has already begun. I am interested in all of the rich source material that has gone into their development.
ReplyDeleteInteresting! Maybe I didn't read closely before, but I didn't realize sha-Arthan was particularly Hellenistic--but hearing that, my interest is piqued. What a great era of history from which to take inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI also didn't notice the fellow in the bottom left corner at first, but I do remember the post describing his race now that he's been pointed out--and it's stuck with me, and I've thought it would be interesting to play a plant-character. They reminded me of the Skroderiders from Vernor Vinge's "A Fire Upon the Deep" which I always found enchanting--or maybe it's just the idea of plant-people that I find especially intriguing.
I'm watching this progress with great interest! This looks very cool and I am hoping to eventually be able to purchase a book (or more).
ReplyDelete