Fantasy fragments again ... just a glimpse of a huge story that' hiding behind these pictures...
He has a power which was born in him, and from the time he was still a child his parents knew he was going to be trouble, because in their world sorcerers, magicians, are feared and persecuted as demonspawn. So when the traders from Arkeesh came through, selling spices and potions, they indentured the seven-year-old to a silversmith, knowing the child would be far safer with the caravan.
Before long, the silversmith was aware of his young apprentice's powers, but for himself, he was just a craftsman who could do nothing to nurture and teach. But he taught the growing boy a trade as the caravan wended its way into the east, into the forbidden lands of Sung, where he knew the great teachers could be found.
At last the traders reached the gates of a great and wicked old city, and there they stopped, because the people of Sung do not allow foreign devils access -- but they do come out to barter and haggle. The silversmith talked to many people, fr many days, asking who had a use for a talented young boy who was, by now, twelve years old ... and the next day one of the acolytes of the mage Adjestine came out to see him.
The caravan was ready to move on. The silversmith bade a sad farewell to a boy he had come to think of as his own son. He glimpsed his last of the lad as the acolytes walked back through the city gates, with a swinging of censers and clouds of incense. There, the boy would be tested many times as he grew to manhood. If he was worthy, if his powers were great enough, he would become one of the legendary mages of Sung --
But the silversmith could never have imagined how powerful his old apprentice would become, or that he would play a major role in a terrible war...
********
The rest of the tale is out there -- this is just the backstory! Indulge your imagination.
Thanks so much to the folks who've asked if we're okay, and not being caught up in the devastation of Cyclone Yasi, which has hit Queensland like an A-bomb. No, no, we're fine -- we're a couple of thousand miles away, and watching it on TV like yourselves.
Here's the situation:
As you can see, Yasi is making inroads on Northern Territory now, but the red blob marks where we hang out -- Adelaide, SA. We're far from the danger zone. However, the cyclone is having an effect on our weather ... we'd expected it to be hot and humid, and instead it's rewriting the weather forecast. Cooler and humid! We're looking forward to a whole string of consecutive days under 80 degrees, which for February is unnaturally low. Like it says in the movie, "Hasn't the weather been strange?" This is the latest satellite image of Yasi at the time of this writing, which is 6:30 or so, on the evening of Thursday, Feb 3. At this point, that storm has been blitzing Queensland for a full day, and the people there must be at their wits' end. My heart goes out to them.
Anyway -- today's renders are staged in a new set, Fantasy Musings, from one of my favorite designers, DanieNMaforno, or DM, which is on special at Renderosity right now. I like this set a lot ... it's all bars and gates, and lanterns, very evocative, filled with texture. These renders use the original textures as supplied. It's a challenge to light, but as soon as you get the lights juuuust right, the whole thing comes to life and looks amazing.
Jade, 3 February (Groundhog Day on t'other side of the dateline!)
