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PenUser — In the vanguard
#armor #armour #battle #fantasy #golem #mage #magic #medieval #shield #sword #vanguard #penuser
Published: 2018-05-05 09:12:35 +0000 UTC; Views: 66875; Favourites: 1952; Downloads: 276
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"The Menoan noble lords are known to be cheapskates, but really- having to ride into battle yourself as a condition for payment? Me, a skilled mage in hand-to-hand combat? Luckily, I have just the ride to carry me."Here's a little piece from my fantasy world project, which I try to work on every now and then. It's a great way to have fun drawing harnesses and medieval gear, weapons and the like, though I really do go overboard with the detail too often.
Depicted here is a mage controlling her golem, a magical construct mainly composing of local materials like dirt, clay and earth fused with "seeds" used to bring motion into the lifeless body. Location of battle is on the Drimani peninsula, a border skirmish between the cities of Menoa and Cusa, in the peak of summer on a dry riverbed. The two forces are mainly composed of some nobles having a nice day out showing off their fancy armours and playing at war and under their command, mercenary legions employing mixed formations. The men carry mainly long polearms and are fairly well armoured, but some have crossbows or are heavily armoured "formation breakers" who sow chaos in the opposing line with warhammers, swords and shields. Some rich mercenary companies even employ the newest technology: hand-held gunpowder cannon.
The battles fought between the city-states of the drimani are rarely consequential and mostly ceremonial in nature, even if they are very bloody. They are mainly used to bolster the nobles' standing in the intra-city power struggles. However when a city simply has to battle seriosly or face losses, they usually seek to employ a trump card- an extra company of mercenaries, regiment of cannon or better yet, a skilled mage specialized in combat arts. Many of these mages are proficient in constructing golems, since they are relatively simple and precise to control unlike, say- lighting strikes brought on by mage who can control weather phenomenons. Controlling such combat beasts is a great strain on the nerves of even a veteran mage, which limits their size to generally around 2,5 meters tall- this one depicted is one of the largest, reaching nearly 4 meters tall. The combat golems are usually armoured to protect them from cannon, siege engines and fire used to destroy them. Seen on top of the golem the mage is armoured as well, with a fitted, stylish export harness made my a master smith, unlike the banged up and cobbled together gear seen on the troops below.
My gallery has more on this project:
penuser.deviantart.com/art/Nig…
penuser.deviantart.com/art/Lif…
penuser.deviantart.com/art/Mag…
penuser.deviantart.com/art/Map…
penuser.deviantart.com/art/Fan…
penuser.deviantart.com/art/Fan…
Enjoy!
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Comments: 124
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I love the fact that you included a variety of polearms in the background. It gives a sense of authenticity to the work.
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Reminds me of the Onion Night (Catarina set), maybe Bazuzo from Berserk
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Looks amazing ^^
Golemancy is probably my favourite kind of magical "technology" as it is incredibly versatile.
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Nicely detailed! A bit of Kentaro Miura/ Berserk influence, I take it?
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There's always a bit of Berserk there. 
Thanks!
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This picture made me miss Bazuzo , no one actually draw about him on deviantart.
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Yeah, the thirty-man-slayer. He was a bit of a side character but I liked his design.
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Magnificient impression! Your style is deft and lovely detailed.
I take it you have your plate full, but better ask once than never ask and never know: Please pardon me for asking, but would you by any chance be interested in helping out the volunteer project known as the Ninth Age (T9A for short: www.the-ninth-age.com/ )? It is the spiritual successor of Warhammer Fantasy, run by 300+ volunteer contributors all tinkering in their spare time, and it aims to go even further than Warhammer did along the paths of historically based dark fantasy smörgåsbord setting: i.imgur.com/dlmQkB6.jpg
For one thing, T9A is the perfect way for what used to be Warhammer fantasy fanart to instead become official artwork for an emerging setting, and thus gain much more widespread exposure.
Moreover, T9A is always welcoming artists who want to join their art team, and your skill and distinctive designs would be great to have on board, should you ever be interested in joining and help develop this setting by putting your own distinctive mark upon its art pool. If you would by any chance be interested in donating old artworks of yours, then here is a quick guide for T9A gallery upload of art contributions: i.imgur.com/ORLCncV.jpg
I can get you in E-mail contact with the head of their art team, if ever you're interested.
At any rate, splendid artworks! Evocative to boot, and coloured like a dream. Have a nice day.
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I looked around the pages in the links, it's a nice and interesting project. I always liked Warhammer fantasy but I think I'm more intrigued with the XIth age idea really, there's room to grow in many directions with historical inspiration.
All of the images I have in this gallery are free to use in such projects as long as I'm credited for the work. This is the same for any picture with the "free download" option. That said my time is pretty spare these days but you can send me the email contact in a note, it might be a fun thing to make a few sketches for a noble cause.
Thanks!
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seeing that thing with a cannon as a weapon is a scary thought!
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The comic I'm planning on this may or may not have this as a plot element...
Thanks!
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Beautiful! There are so many nice little details.
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Wow!
This is very neat
The coloring and everything is really good.
You did good
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Yes. That said I'm working on another historical fiction comic "Foederati" right now, so progress on my own projects is quite slow for the time being.
Thanks!
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The robot reminds me of Maximilian-style armour.
i.pinimg.com/originals/da/2d/e…
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Yes, that's the inspiration for the "ribs" and the contours of the golem's armour. Late 16th century german armours...
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If I were to give one criticism about its design, it's that the cuirass is too large. It seems to go from the shoulders all the way down to the hips. Historically, they would go from the shoulders down to the waist, and faulds would cover the hips, or indeed, in continuation of the 16th century stylings, it would go down to the middle of the chest, with a plackart overlapping it from atop and going down the rest of the way to the waist, with faulds covering the hips. But of course, he's a golem, so there's no real anatomy to worry about.
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Yes, I'm aware of the waist placement on harnesses since I make them myself (in process of making an early 15th century milanese one). Considering the golem it's a bit of a moot point though, what with it being just vaguely human-shaped mass of clay and dirt. I took the aesthetics first-approach with it, namely it should look imposing and heavy-set with its big gut singalling a low center of gravity. That's just lost with a cut in waistline, looks to sporty and nimble for a big beastly creature. Some other golems I have drawn have an actual waist and a different type of harness, like this one: www.kvaak.fi/keskustelu/index.…
I take it you have watched KnyghtErrant's vids on youtube? They're quite nice!
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I see.
I'm also noticing you drew multiple eras of armour into this, such as the Bascinet to the left, the Barbute to the right, and the 17th century pauldrons the lady is wearing.
And yes, he has great videos.
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Yes, since it was an option given the fantasy setting this is in. It's just so nice not to have to adhere to historical era so tightly in every piece I make since I already have more than enough strictness in the comic project I'm making, set in late roman period/early migration era.
I know right? Excellent stuff, I've also much liked scholagladiatoria's vids with Toby Capwell in the Wallace Collection, such a wealth of detailed information.
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I didn't watch those. I don't often watch series videos, unless I decide randomly to fit it into my day. But I do expect it was very educational, knowing Matt Easton.
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Oh fuck, I would not want to be anywhere near that thing, no matter the side I was.
Top notch quality, both the picture and the story below.
My only gripe is that, being custom-made, that armor should have something for her to hang on.
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Who would? That flail head must weigh around 200 kilos(over 400 pounds or so) and it won't differ between friend or foe- best keep a distance when it gets going.
The point was that the Menoan lords want a guarantee that they'll get their money's worth for paying the mage so she has to "ride into battle" along with the troops- definately not something a mage usually does and so the golem doesn't have any points to hold on to in its armour. I also imagine if it had such points, the enemy would have brave(or foolhardy) men willing to scale such creatures for extra payment ready to take them out.
Thanks!
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I think the chance of the mage falling is higher than the chance of anyone getting close to that beast.
If I understand correctly, the contract was made this way so that the mage is forced to do as much as possible, given that her life will be in peril too.
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Yes, I think so as well. She likely opted to ride the golem over a horse since it's easier and since she's directly controlling the movements of the creature.
That's the gist of it. Just escaping and leaving the nobles to a humiliating and costly defeat is less likely this way, but not socially suitable for the mage's position, being a highly trained, rich professional.
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