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NikosBoukouvalas — Tales of the White Death 2 (Colored)
#assassin #assassination #byzantine #comic #comics #guard #historical #indoors #manga #palace #room #scene #usurper #romphaia #phokas #tzimiskes
Published: 2017-06-13 14:06:37 +0000 UTC; Views: 2324; Favourites: 35; Downloads: 0
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So, I just remembered that I am on a June sketch challenge with Theophilia and you have to actually POST the things you draw. Silly me!Some more pages from my comic but soon I will have to stop posting whole pages lest I post this whole thing here. Instead you will have to compromise with a few panels
But for now, here is the colored version of this page: nikosboukouvalas.deviantart.co…
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Comments: 18
"now, off with his head!"
Something I've been meaning to ask for quiet a while about that page, Nikephoros was assassinated in a small cell at the church of the Pharos, as he wasn't too kin on living in his more comfortable palace quarters because of his ascetic tendency, so I was just curious as to why you had the scene in an imperial bed chamber?
Although, it's Bardas telling the story and he wasn't there when it happened... And it's a nice opportunity to show some really well drawn and sumptuous interior! (and I like how you had him killed while he was reading some manuscript, just like in the historical texts!)
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Was he? Crap. I didn't know. I was reading how Theophano betrayed him and Tzimiskes had to sneak in and finish him off before the Varangians arrived and I thought the whole scene took place within the palace chambers. Oh well... As you said it is a chance to show some Imperial goodness!
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Actually, Tzimiskes did the same mistake as you then XD
Right after he got inside the palace from the sea wall (in a very odd way to say the least) he rushed to the imperial bed chamber and found it empty, so him and his merry friends started panicking, thinking that Phokas had learned of the conspiracy and was about to retaliate. But then a servant bribed by Theophano came and told them where the emperor really was but I think that at that point everything became a massive rush to who would get to him first, the palace guards (come on! Varangian? before Basil II? ) or John.
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They were reported to be serving before Basil, which kinda surprised me too. I guess they were not properly formed back then? I don't know. But Norwich does seem to believe it was Varangians who guarded Phokas that day.
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Did they really? Mmh, I guess it does make sense, maybe they were taken from the tagmata, since it was mostly made of mercenaries and the varangians had already migrated south, so some of them must have enrolled in the army at that point.
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Damn, Tzimiskes in colour is hot.
Also, what kind of sword is he holding in the last panel?
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Well, he was said to be popular with the ladies. The sword(?) present is "Akoufion", which was described by Leo the Deacon as the weapon that was used to kill Phokas. It is describes as long ( Phokas was run through the back and the blade came out, through the chest), like a crane's beak, but slightly curved (like a falx or a rhomfaia or a faussar). It was probably a specialised weapon, not a simple saber, because they were well know and did not warrant such an exclusive description.
This is the only instance in Byzantine sources where we meet Akoufion, so it is a rather mysterious weapon.
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One of my favourite pages! I love the panel with the view of the room. The way you drew the perspective there is incredible. And all those details. I think the incense burners and the marble floors are my favourite of all the details, but the whole thing is stunning!
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Thank you! Glad this page gets some love.
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I really like all the little details you put into these things, like the hanging lamps and the borders along the wall, and is that floor patterned after a kind of Eastern Phelonion? Liek so? upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia… I believe that's the word, though I could be wrong. I suppose it would be something of the equivalent of the Roman chasuble. Also, love the Varangian's armor! The color looks great!
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Yep! That's where I got it from. Though honestly, I have seen it in marble floors all too often.
You gotta love how the Varangians reacted to this one: They rush into the room, ready to defend their lord to the death and cut down the assassins- wow, wait he's dead? Oh well! Tzimiskes, you are the new emperor now!
"Alive they would have defended him to the last breath: dead there was no point in avenging him. They had a new master now."
John J. Norwich
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See, and over here I was thinking that the Varangian was part of the plot and helped to kill the old man.
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Color adds a lot after all! The patterns in this one are mindblowing!
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Thank you! Fair warning: If you ever try drawing a similar scene always paint the light color of the marble first and then go for the patterns.
I, being a silly sod, got too excited and started the other way around, which made coloring this panel a freaking torture!
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Ahahaha, I understand XD
Silly sod, how Monty Python of you~
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The perspective was handled really well in the panel on the farthest right. I love how you did the details and how you've coloured in the crown, making it clear what material it's made out of and distinguishing it from the ground although the colours are somewhat similar. Interior scenes can be a pane but you're really good at them!
The details and the expression really make this scene full of tension, befitting the fact an assassination has occurred.
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Thank you! Glad you approve of this page!
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