~*~
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Tehanay
The dress is actually one mom was going to get me. We saw it in a shop, but it was too long, and it would have been too difficult to hem it due to the ruffly nature of the hem of the dress. I usually don't wear dresses, but it was a possibility for the senior prom (which was way overrated. I hate dances. The music sucks, and it's too crowded, hot, and noisy). But the dress was nice anyway, so I gave it to Lenara.
Yeah. I got a little lazy on the background. It took forever to get Lenara and Tehanay right, and I got tired, so I made them standing in a vast green wasteland. Oh well.
Hey Ellen, the picture doesn't show up on my computer. Does it work on your computer, or did something just go wrong with the downloading?
Monday, April 21, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Animals
So, I don't know about you, but I like to include animals in my stories. And it's helpful to have a list of a variety of animals so you can pick out the perfect species to fit in with what you have planned. So, for the reader's benefit, I'll create a list of animals that you may want to add to stories, or games, or anything else you do. Some of the animals you may have never heard of. I'm kind of an expert on animals, so I know what these are. If you don't know, look them up. Some of them are really interesting. And some of them are very vague. For example, there are several species of ducks, so I'm not going to list all of them. I'll try to arrange them in some sort of order. And if you have any to add, tell me and I'll add them. Now, if I have a crow on the list, for example, don't suggest a raven. They're just too similar. Only if the animal is significantly diferent than the ones on the list, please. Or just really cool and unique!
Mammals
Ungulates
Bison
Musk ox
Golden takin
Big horn sheep
Argali sheep
Stone sheep
Armenian sheep
Chamois
Chiru
Saola
Wildebeest
Water buffalo
Dama gazelle
Eland
Addax
Gerenuk
Black lechwe
Waterbuck
Tahr
Serow
Black buck antelope
Nyala
Bontebok
Dikdik
Blue duiker
Nilgai
Bongo
Banteng
Jackson's Hartebeest
Scemitar Oryx
Mule Deer
Sitka Deer
Spotted deer
Sambar deer
Red deer
Caribou
Moose
Okapi
Camel
Llama
Elephant
Hippo
Pig
Bushpig
Red river hog
Warthog
Peccary
Marsupials
Kangaroo
Yellow-footed rock wallaby
Wallaroo
Quokka
Koala
Wombat
Tree kangaroo
Tasmanian devil
Sugar glider
Tasmanian tiger
Opossum
Numbat
Spotted cuscus
Greater glider
Colugo
Bilby
Quoll
Carnivores
Cat
Lion
Tiger
Jaguar
Leopard
Snow leopard
Clouded leopard
Cheetah
Mountain lion
Black panther
Bobcat
Lynx
Serval
Caracal cat
Ocelot
Margay
Oncilla
Iriomote cat
Marbled cat
Black-footed cat
Asian Golden Cat
Borneo bay cat
Andean cat
Fishing cat
Pampas cat
Pallas cat
European Wildcat
Jaguarundi
Dog
Fennec fox
Coyote
Wolf
Mexican Gray Wolf
Japanese wolf
Arab wolf
Indian wolf
Maned wolf
African wild dog
Dingo
Jackal
Bush Dog
Tanuki
Hyena
Panda
Polar Bear
Black bear
Sun bear
Moon bear
Grizzly bear
Sloth bear
Spectacled bear
Primates
Loris
Orangutan
Gorilla
Chimpanzee
Bonobo
Siamang
White-handed gibbon
Silky anteater
Three-toed Sloth
Two-toed sloth
Armadillo
Pink hairy armadillo
Aardvark
Pangolin
Rabbit
Golden mole
Shrew
Giant otter shrew
Tenrek
Desman
Hedgehog
Moonrat
Little brown bat
Pallid bat
Flying fox
Bamboo bat
Yellow-winged bat
Painted bat
Smoky bat
Vaquita
Humpback whale
Echidna
Platypus
Birds
Barn swallow
Fairy bluebird
Blue-bellied roller
Kagu
Gould's violetear
White stork
Griffon vulture
Belted kingfisher
Laughing kookaburra
Penguin
Hoopoe
Tawny Frogmouth
Flamingo
Ostrich
Emu
Rhea
Cassowary
Kiwi
Reptiles
Crocodile
Alligator
Gharial
Tuatara
Amphibians
Iranian harlequin newt
Giant Salamander
Axolotl
"Fish"
Tropical rock lobster
Hermit crab
Decorator crab
Pistol shrimp
Octopus
Clam
Starfish
Feather star
"Bugs"
Centipede
Peripatus
Mexican red knee tarantula
Fire Snail
Dinosaurs/Extinct
Parasaurolophus
Ankylosaurus
Corythosaurus
Elasmasaurus
Pteranadon
Triceratops
Styracosaurus
Pachycephalosaurus
Mosasaurus
Ambulocetus
Giant ground sloth
Woolly rhinoceros
Woolly mammoth
Saber-toothed cat
Sea Scorpion
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Sorrel
So, Sorrel. As I mentioned earlier, she's Ginger's familiar. She's an ice/frost dragon. She breathes ice, and lives in the snow. I'm not sure whether to call it an ice or frost dragon. The original ice dragon was named Narsay. He was one of my dragons from the original dragon story I had started. I'll probably use him again eventually since that first story turned out to be a dud. He was mostly white with a horse-like opal-hued mane. He seemed more ice like, but he had the same shape as Sorrel. I was doodling him during class, but I didn't feel like drawing in the fancy mane, so I made it curly instead. And Sorrel sort of evolved from that little doodle, because for some reason that dragon felt like it should be brown. So Sorrel is a brown frost dragon with a curly, springy mane. She's sort of a wolf with a REALLY long body, and a horseish mane and tail. There you go.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Dragons
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Criticism and Current Works
Don't worry. I pretend to be offended, but I know I need criticism. I was just being dramatic. I guess I didn't do a good enough job... But either way, where would "artists" be if they didn't get criticism? That's what helps you to improve. And I admit that I do need to work on character development and variety. But just because I know I need criticism doesn't mean I can't complain about it! Wheee!
By the way, I added another element to the side of the page. It's a list of the stories I"m currently working on. so, let me write the code.
"Typing" means I've finished the story, but have to type it into the computer.
If there's a name next to the story, it's one I'm writing with someone else.
"Fanfic" means it's something I'm working on for fan fiction.
"Hold" means I haven't worked on it in a really long time.
By the way, I don't think I wrote about Banana Notebook yet. Let me explain. I found a rack of notebooks at a store, but they were made out of banana pulp instead of paper. I bought one, and started writing in it. I haven't really gotten very far, but each section is a very vivid description of some impact humans are having on the environment.
I think I've written about most of the other stories already, even if I have yet to elaborate on some of them. I'll get to it eventually.
By the way, this list is dedicated to Stephanie. I saw something similar to this on her blog, and decided that this would be a good place to list the stories I'm working on. Thanks Stephanie!
Monday, April 14, 2008
Personalities
So, you said you were going to explain something, but you didn't really. You said that you won't tell us where you got Nex's name, and you told us that "Zuben" is a good name for Zuben because of womething you're planning. Are you trying to be mysterious? And Arith and Shalia had spoken before she hatched, so it's not just like "love at first sight." They chose each other, from the beginning, so they were bound to get along decently. So there. I'm rebutting everything you say. Haha. Take that!
Now I get to add my own element of mystery! I'm going to add a couple characters in an upcoming chapter, whenever it seems to fit. The girl's name is Ginger, and she has an ice dragon named Sorrel. And Ginger has some interesting connections, but I won't tell you what they are! Oh, but I do have a couple ideas for the story.
So, we have the dragons' sky city, right? But the only way to get there is to fly. And they can't do that until Zuben and Shalia grow up. So, once we make that happen somehow, I know how we can get them to visit the sky city. Tell me what you think of my idea. Here we go:
So, Arith, Saleera, and co. are flying somewhere when they're attacked by people from Tarule. They barely manage to escape by flying.....up... and they accidentally run into the sky city.
So, some time after that, they run into "bad people" from Tarule again. And they get captured somehow. This part is where Ginger and Sorrel prove their worth. I have a picture of Sorrel that I'll give to you eventually to put on the blog.
Oh, and one more thing, for the wyvern prequal "Flight of Wyverns," I had an idea. I want Lenara to visit Draykia just a little while after our story ends so some of our characters will still be around. I might end up changing this depending on how things work out. But I was working on "Flight" last night, and I just thought of that.
And even if you sedn me another black wyvern, I can't put it on the blog on my computer. I guess we can fix it next time I come to your house.
Zuben and Nexsidus
Tara makes most of the names up, gives me a list of potential names, and I pick one. Well it just so happens that I picked Zuben (go figure right?) but then I found out what the name meant! And it fit perfectly with what I was going to do for a bit of the story! (For all you destiny-lovers one point) So right now I'm about to explain what's going on with that.
Now Tara has a bit of a habit, I'm not saying it's a bad habit, but for writing stories you need characters with...odd personalities. (No offense Tara! ^^) A lot of her characters have enough sadness in their past, (who doesnt right?) but some of them are just too...normal...they're too "oh ok then" happy...yeah...hard to explain. So to balance out the angst meter my character had to have had a really really really really REALLLLLLLLLLLY bad past. And going with my strangeness and after Shalia and Arith's "instant friendly connection" I just couldnt stick with the norm!
So in the end, I introduce a new character Nexsidus. Now Nexsidus' name (which I made up! Yay me!) is Latin...for what I wont tell you ^^. Anyway he's blind, and he's got bandages over his eyes and stuff, but for some strange reason...he can see! Yes it's a bit cliche, but it'll get better, I promise! I cant tell you now, but maybe when I write it I'll post it. No there is no gap in the bandages over his eyes or anything. Anyway Nexsidus is a blind blacksmith who lives in Yiddin, a small village not far from Shalen (where Arith lived). But he's a little...odd too...I guess...I'll post the information trade between Nexsidus and Saleera when I get home. Yeah, that's pretty much it for these two.
Wyverns
Sunday, April 13, 2008
100!!!!!!
Damn. It doesn't work. Stupid pictures.
wyvern pictures
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Shalia, Arith, and Saleera
I can't wait to see your maps, Ellen! Saturday, maybe? You don't have to worry too much about Wiverna's shape, since it is landlocked. But I bet it'll look great anyway. And I wanna see what you made the new continents look like!
I'm trying to remember if I put up a summary of the story Ellen and I are writing together... I don't think I did, so I'll do that. It doesn't have a title yet. We'll have to think of one eventually.
So, my character is a boy named Arith (you may have gathered that from earlier posts) and Ellen's is a girl called Saleera (again, mentioned in earlier posts). They live on the planet Soreina. On this planet, most people are able to read the thoughts of animals using the language of thoughts. So they can communicate with any animal without using words. I like making people understand animals. It's sort of a recurring theme in some of my stories. I've used it before, and I know I'll use it again. Either way, Arith and Saleera's country is Draykia. Hopefully Ellen will put up her beautiful map of Draykia. She does maps, I make up names (I made up most of them in this book. But Ellen made up Milon and Nexsidus. Any more?) In this country, the right of passage into adulthood is for a boy or girl, usually about 16 years old, to bond with an animal, which is known as their familiar. People of the lower classes generally only get normal creatures like cats or ferrets. People of the middle class get magical creatures like hippogriffs or phoenixes. And those in the highest rank of society get dragons. There are a few exceptions. For example, if a low-class boy or girl goes out into the wild and gets a dragon egg, they can have a dragon as their familiar.
Arith and Saleera come from different villages. Arith, who lives in Shalen, is overshadowed by his older brother, Bram, who seems to be better at everything than Arith. Arith loves his brother, but wants to show his father that he's just as good as Bram, so he decides to get ahold of a dragon egg (I stole the name Bram from a book called Modoc. It's the most fantastic true story I've ever read, and I highly recommend it. I'll have to start book reviews eventually...). Saleera, who comes from the desert town Garayt, is considered the village freak. And she too wants to prove herself by getting a dragon. But they don't want just any dragon. They want an imperial dragon-the dragons with the strongest psychic talent apart from sun dragons. But there's so few of them left on Soreina that their entire population is in the palace of Tarule. And even the eggs are locked safely away in a chamber. They set out to get their eggs, and bump into each other. Realizing they have the same goal, they team up. Arith has his mother's hippogriff, Syrinx, and she carries them on their way. A syrinx is actually an ancient kind of flute, (pronounced Seer-inx) and it's the name of a song that is quite popular among flutists, but I haven't played it yet. I'll have to ask for a copy of the music from my flute teacher... But that's where Syrinx got her name. And Saleera has a pet (not a familiar, just a pet) ferret named Kailo. He's pretty funny.
So, they break into the palace and manage to steal two imperial dragon eggs. They barely escape, but when they head back to their homes, they find that King and Queen Raeton, of Tarule, have sent their armies out to get rid of the towns that oppose them-which includes both Arith and Saleera's homes. So they both find themselves homeless with their dragon eggs, a hippogriff, and a ferret who's always hungry. No one they know is alive anymore.
Then Arith's egg hatches. Inside is a little sky blue dragon with patches of white. She looks quite like the sky. Her name is Shalia. It took me forever to find a good name for her. I really liked Kaila, but that was way to close to Kailo, the ferret. But now we have a lot of characters beginning with the letter "s"-Saleera, Syrinx, and Shalia.
Arith, Saleera, Syrinx, Kailo, and Shalia meet up with a caravan of survivors from the king and queen's attacks on towns. They join up with the caravan of refugees, and start to travel around to look for other survivors. That same day, Saleera's egg hatches into a little dragon. His name is Zuben. He has a bit of an attitude, unlike the exuberant Shalia. Zuben actually means "claw." I was looking for good names for him, and since he's black with white speckles (like the night sky) I started looking for astranomy terms. I found Zuben. In the constellation scorpio, Zuben was used in the phrase "the upper claw of the scorpion," or something like that. Now you know.
So right now, that's about as far as we are. THe caravan is currently stopped at a surviving town. We still don't know exactly where we're headed with this, but once we get a little more done, I'll update again.
Shalia and Maps
This is Shalia, Arith's dragon. Tara drew and colored it, I'm just the uploader.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Kriayshun and Haminal
Haminal is the name of the continent with all the human/animal hybride. Notice the title is a hybrid of the words "human" and "animal."
And Kriayshun is the continent with creatures we make up ourselves. It's pronounced like the word "creation" for obvious reasons.
Soreina response
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Soreina, Magic-Earth, and Earth
Next there is Magic-Earth. Which, if you have read "Lullaby of Awakening," you will know about. It's an alternate Earth. Here's the deal. When humans first began evolving on Earth, Earth split into two. One Earth chose to give humans the power of technology which became our home. The other Earth gave humans magic. And that is the world where Brenor and Briena come from. They have the same geography as us. But small changes in evolutiono gave Magic-Earth slightly different species of plants, animals, and humans. They are still recognizable as relatives of animals from Technology-Earth, but there are subtle differences. And of course, Magic-Earth has magic instead of electricity and other sorts of technology like cars. People have magic, as do most plants and animals. And there's one country where time is distorted, so there exists many of the creatures that used to live on Earth before humans. That means dinosaurs and other prehistoric mammals. I like dinosaurs!
So, Soreina is another planet. That is, it has different geography from Earth and Magic-Earth. But it has humans and all of Earth's animals. It also has many other creatures that do not exist on Earth. Namely, dragons. But also wyverns ("On Wings of Wyverns" takes place on Soreina, as does the story Ellen and I are writing together), griffins, hippogriffs, phoenixes, winged horses, kirins, unicorns, and all those sorts of creatures. So, Ellen still has to tell me what she thinks of this because we're kinda sharing this world now, but I have a bunch of ideas for this world. I literally have a whole list of stories that I'm planning to set on Soreina. But I think one continent could hold all the sorts of creatures mentioned above. One smaller continent could host all human-animal hybrids such as centaurs, harpies, sphinxes, fauns, ex. And a third continent could be home to creatures that we make up all on out own. I have abunch of animals I made up, and I want to give them homes. I should put up pictures of them eventually.
And what I want to do is to have people from Magic-Earth find a way to breach the gap between themselves and Soreina. Some of them have already found ways to visit Technology-Earth, as dicussed in "Lullaby of Awakening." It would be really cool to link all my three favorite worlds somehow. And that way on Magic-Earth there could be the occasional dragon or centaur or something.
So, Ellen, if you're reading this, what do you think? Just post it on the blog, or something.