Aya pic 2

 

A different pic of Princess Aya by Henry in a different art style, mostly relevant due to showing more of the outfit as well as her blades.  Shows a nice amount of detail even if it isn't our preferred style.  I'll eventually right something about the swords specifically and post some weapon specific views.

Takuya Bio

By Henry

High Priestess Niang was always thought to be keeping things from the rest of the government, but no one was prepared to see just how many. The raid on her temple revealed hundreds of scrolls and evidence of secret experiments, many of which while not officially illegal would have been made so if it was known. But the one that sparked the whole investigation was the experiment that managed to escape: a young boy named Takuya.  Takuya selective breeding and experiments done on him from a fetus up until he escaped as a preteen, creating someone with so much magic floating through his body that he was partially a mana construct himself.  He managed to escape from the temple he was housed in during a chaotic battle between the priestesses and an enemy faction, and eventually ended up near the palace as the Empress was passing. 

Takuya's only knowledge of the Empress had come from Niang and the other priestesses at the temple, so when he came across her he  expected a fight. Instead the Empress saw what he was, and that he was hurt and went to help him up. Her guards were on edge but she stayed perfectly calm as she reached for his hand with a smile. Takuya looked up into the eyes of the most beautiful person he had ever seen, feeling a sense of caring and safety he didn't think possible. When he took her hand that day, his life changed forever. When his handler came demanding him back, the Empress defended him both out of wanting to know more and out of disgust from such things being kept from her. She fought and killed the handler before taking Takuya in for questioning. He explained what he was, and what he knew about their other experiments as well as what was planned for him in the future. He was given an offer he couldn't refuse, to stay in the palace and work for her against Niang. It was at that moment that he began to know what he now calls his real family, and he is forever grateful to Li Ling for giving him purpose and a home with her. Years later he still works for her with undying loyalty. Always ready to not only research for her to but to put his magical power to offensive use and kill those who would threaten his true mother, The Empress.

Takuya Concept

original sketch

redesign sketch, both by Henry

While I have a few mages now when i was first starting off I didn't really have much idea of what I wanted from a mage character, and also noticed I didn't have any real male characters. As I worked more on magic, Takuya slowly came to life. He was actually first a character in a random one off scene that was fixing some magic device, just to give some more flavor before randomly deciding he would be the first male I really brought to life.  The concept itself changed a few times from an older man from a different nation, until eventually being a local mage but without much detail. It wasn't until way later I decided to use him to explore some secret aspects of magical factions in the Empire and directly tie him with the Empress and her family.  That idea mostly stayed the same but it's been tweaked more for the game to make him closer to Aya's age and a full on adopted family member that had been with them for years.  Though he has changed into more of a pretty boy the tattoos have been consistent, sort of my take on a rune type deal with symbols of divine power carved into flesh to enhance certain forms of magic.  So now he's both a family member that allows me to look at males more, as well as explore things relating to magic as he is head mage of the Palace.

Old Empress and adviser pic

Art by Henry

An old pic of Empress Li Ling and her Adviser, one of the first pics  http://mahenbu.deviantart.com/ did for me, back before the project was really a thing.  The adviser in the pic named Kreia will likely get a minor redesign or at least a touch up for the game.

Fight Scene preview

I've already posted the cutscene test but this is a text less fight scene in the actual comic form.  Just to show people how they will all be drawn up. Of course these used the mainstay Henry along side my writing out the panels and stuff.