Yote Arms Dealer - The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia

Yote Arms Dealer

11 x 14 - Pencil on paper 

© 2017 Christopher Burdett

2901.5

File 876943G - Personnel Records: Yote 4734-XCY-542M (henceforth referred to as Yote 542M)

       • Yote 542M abandoned their biological identification marker after their first enhancement preferring their chassis number. This devotion to the Guild is noted and cataloged.

       • Yote 542M specializes in the design and manufacture of mechanical and bio-superior limbs. With a natural ability for bio-superior replacements, Yote 542M's work has become sought after and is bringing positive results to the Guild. Return vs. expenditure is +483.73 over the last five cycles. Guild Sovereigns have been informed.

       • Prior to enhancement, Yote 542M worked with Designer Sovereign Greol in the design of digital assemblies in hands and manipulators (2547.4 - 2577.7). Sovereign Greol cataloged above satisfactory and excellent results in 99.9% of performance evaluations. Error rate over time recorded at -.059. Accommodations were presented thirty-seven times for above excellent performance.

       • Yote 542M underwent first enhancement in 2578.1 making them an eleventh generation member of the Guild. Received standard design and configuration at first enhancement. Adjustment time for enhancement was .6 with a 2.3 period of full immersion. No discernible memory or ability loss documented over seventy-nine functionality reviews. 

       • Chassis upgrades in 2598.5, 2604.6, 2798.2, and 2834.9. Current build-out ideal for interaction and sales with biologicals and Guild members. Secondary functionality module used for design, manipulation, and heavy construction. Operational breakdown: 57% interaction and sales, 23% design, 6% manipulation, 14% moderate to heavy construction.

       • Due to changing markets, Yote 542M currently working with the various gladiator unions and freelance exploring and adventuring firms. Offensive and defensive weapon systems are currently in highest demand.

       • No action determined at this time regarding Yote 542M.

Eustis Pettcok - Construct Guild Scribe, Cog level 7

(Internal personnel file update)

For more samples of my work head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Smokestack - The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia

Smokestack

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper

© 2014 Christopher Burdett

Shaper's Parts and Preparation for Personal Assistants

    Organics:

    1 Thrice stomach

    1 Choller pup heart

    3 Mud rats

    19 Fwern hen feet

    9 Hanger's bird beaks

    1 Thrakese bladder

    2 Thumbs (each at least a half standard cubit in length)

    1 Large eye

    2 Speckled death frog eyes

    3 Fwern hen eyes

    1 Polecat eye

    1 Muck turtle eye

    100 Teeth

    5 Jyezz frog skins

    3 Palm's worth of dried insects

    2 Large bowls of Thrice blood

    1 Large bowl of Thrice bile

    1 Large bowl of Grynk aqueous humor

    1 Fwern hen lung

    5 Palm's worth of veins, arteries, similar fleshy tubes

    4 Small bowl of Thrice phlegm

    40 Moonflower peddles

    

    Non-Organics:

    3 Ingots of copper 

    25 Carpenter's nails

    1 Pinch of gold

    3 Pinches of crushed quartz

    10 Palm's worth of salt

    6 Pinches of sulfur

    4 Pinches of wood ash

    14 Stone marbles

    

    Special:

    3 Drops of the tears of the dying

    8 Palm's worth of glass 

    1 Ruckle deer hide

    1 Bushel of mint leaves

Mix all non-organic components in a churning bowl. Let mixture sit overnight in the night air for three consecutive nights. Each night at midnight add one drop of the tears of the dying into the bowl. Pour blood and bile into the bowl at first sunrise following the third night. Let sit and wait for five days. If at any time the mixture moves dose with boiling water.

On the second day of waiting, place eyes, aqueous humor, phlegm, and glass into the bladder and sew shut. Put this in a cool dark place for three days.

On the fourth day of waiting take remaining organic components and make a small pile in the center of the inside of the ruckle deer hide. Place a damp cloth over the pile and set it near a fireplace or similar heat source for one day.

Once the five days of waiting has elapsed scrap the contents of the churning bowl onto the pile of organic components in the middle of the ruckle deer hide. The non-organic ingredients should now be a gelatinous mass that is easy to shape and mold. Work the mass over all of the organic components making sure everything receives a thorough covering. Dump the mint leaves over the mass ensuring an even coating of leaves. Take the bladder and place it on top of the mass. Sew up the ruckle deer hide as tightly as possible leaving little to no space around the mass. Ensure there are no leaks. If any leaking occurs in the ruckle deer hide use tar to seal the breach.

Place the ruckle deer hide into a lower incubation chamber of an egg for three days or until the ruckle deer hide has lost all of its fur and has turned completely black. Once removed from the egg carefully cut the ruckle deer hide open. The new personal assistant will begin to move and emit smoke within a few moments of coming into contact with the air. If it fails to move, press firmly on its body until smoke is visible.

For more samples of my work head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Corrupted Knight - The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia

Corrupted Knight

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper

© 2014 Christopher Burdett

2451.2

            Many of our brave and honorable knights have ventured deep into the dungeons and caverns beneath the Bazaar to seek out the darkness that dwells there to purge it from our blessed realm. Many of our knights have gone forth, and many of our knights have never returned. What does return is a mockery of life, a mockery of our Gods. When the clothes and armor of our sacred knights return, they are not worn by beings of faith, but by horrid abominations born from whatever evil lurks deep beneath our feet. Our beautiful holy armor is warped and misshaped to suit these grotesque beasts. To the reason why these ghastly piles of oozing flesh need to adorn themselves with the armor of our knights has yet to be determined. Perhaps the armor is part of some demonic ritual. Maybe they mean to undermine our resolve and faith by reminding us of those who have sacrificed all for the temple. Whatever the reason, such blasphemy cannot be tolerated. I have asked the High Scholars to put forth a doctrine proposal to immediately kill and burn any beast found wearing the armor of the Knights of Ascension. While the proposal is still working its way through the consideration committees, I am optimistic that it will be accepted and implemented. We cannot allow for the good deeds and noble sacrifices of our knight to be corrupted by such monsters. For too long the Order has tried to glean knowledge of these monster's origins and reasoning. Some of the High Scholars even hope to communicate with these monsters to learn from them. This is of course pure folly. We give time to this threat the longer we allow them to walk the streets at night stalking the weak. We must act now to cleanse them from our world lest they endanger the purity of our temple. All those that were volunteered to seek out the darkness would want this. They would never want to have their deeds tarnished in this way, to have their sacrifice spit upon by such foul creatures.

Silas Illywacker - Student of Enlightenment

(Personal journal)

For more samples of my work head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Lammergeier Transport - The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia

Lammergeier Transport

11 x 14 - Pencil on paper 

© 2017 Christopher Burdett

2568.6

            The Lammergeier have been one of the principal means by which large amounts of goods are transported to and from the air shops above the Bazaar. Used for centuries, the Lammergeier are renown for their high weight capacity and docile demeanor. Approximately one hundred and thirty-eight years ago the Lammergeier went extinct in the wild. At the time of their extinction, there were roughly one hundred Lammergeier still living and working in the Bazaar. Their numbers have since declined, and currently, there are only twenty-three remaining Lammergeier.

Lammergeier adults are generally twenty standard Bazaar cubits at the shoulder and have close to a one hundred cubit wingspan. Lammergeier coloration spans the rainbow, with their bodies ranging from blues, reds, yellows, and oranges with their wings completing the body coloration. It is not uncommon for vivid patterns and spots to doctorate the wings. Due to their extinction in the wild and limited breeding pool remaining at the Bazaar, the surviving Lammergeier have an off white body with patternless dark red wings. Their heads are bright red that transitions to the body coloration along the neck. All Lammergeier posses vibrant yellow beaks, pale blue tongues, and pale blue eyes.

Quirmiere’s Compendium of Beasts states that at one time the Lammergeier could be found across the entire northern hemisphere of Kiervis. There are numerous stories that during the mating session the skies would be filled with so many Lammergeier that they would blot out the sun. Mating for life, a female produces one egg every two years that the male tends until it hatches. The raising of young and hunting duties fall to the female, as the male tends the next new egg, which takes nearly a year and a half to hatch. Lammergeier mature quickly leaving the aerie in three years but will not reach sexual maturity for another fifteen years.

Having no natural predators in the wild, the Lammergeier are mild tempered and thus easy to domesticate and train. Their meat is described as being oily and lacking anything close to a pleasant flavor, but their eggs are considered delicacies and prized for their taste and texture. It is now a high crime with the punishment of death to own, transport, or consume a Lammergeier egg. Even so, eggs still go missing from nests.

Records obtained from the Lammergeier Handlers Union document the many attempts to increase mating and in turn increase the population. For the last thirty years, these attempts have failed. The remaining population has been taken off duty to prevent any accidental deaths. There is hope now that if the Lammergeier are no longer burdened with transporting goods that they may produce more young. The union has reached out to Ethra for assistance. As of yet, the union has not received a response.

Reginald Blatherskite - Anointed Seer of the Impure Husk

(Tangent during a lecture on price fluctuations in the Bazaar’s economy)

For more samples of my work head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Full Illuxcon Portfolio Video

I recently shared all of the preparations for the debut of The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia at Illuxcon. This included a teaser video of the portfolio I put together containing all of my original drawings. Now that Illuxcon has come and gone I have a full video that shows off every page of the portfolio! Each drawing had a corresponding name plate page that reflects the monster. It was well received at Illuxcon and I am pressing forward with new monsters!

Full portfolio of all original drawings from Illuxcon.
(This video is best viewed over on YouTube!) 

 

For more samples of my work head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia at Illuxcon

This coming weekend, October 20-21, the inhabitants of The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia will be invading the Illuxcon 2017 Showcase! For the first time all of the original illustrations will be in one place and available for viewing. To mark this occasion my table in the showcase will be decked out with brand a new table runner and related signage. This will be the first time Ethra VanDalia will be stepping out into the world and it needs to be done right. Here is a look at the table runner...

Table runner emblazoned with the symbol of Ethra VanDalia.

Those in attendance will have the chance to sign up for the mailing list at the table and will get their hands on the new announcement postcard. Featuring the symbol of Ethra VanDalia it has all the relevant links to stay up to date on what is happening at the Grand Bazaar. If you are reading this, then you already know where you need to be to get the latest news on the Grand Bazaar. If you can't make it here is a look at the postcard...

Announcement postcard with all the relevant websites and links.

As mentioned above all of the original illustrations from The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia (minus the 3 that have already sold) will all be together for public viewing. The portfolio has been customized to feature the monster's name and there might be a clue or two about the monster for those that look close enough. I have also built a custom display stand to elevate (both figuratively and literally) the portfolio so that it will be easier to be viewed and I think it looks a lot more classy. Here is a look at one of the spreads of the portfolio on the stand, and it just so happens to be Ethra VanDalia...

Portfolio featuring all of the current original drawings on a custom built stand.

Last, but certainly not least, here is an exclusive preview of the portfolio! Have a little look as I flip through some of the pages. After Illuxcon I will share a look at every page! If you are attending Illuxcon the monster are eager to meet you, if can't attend, I will leave you with the preview...

Teaser flip through of the portfolio that will be debuted at Illuxcon.
(This video is acting a little weird over on Blogger, head on over to YouTube to watch it clearly!)

For more samples of my work head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Gray Wanderer - The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia

 

Gray Wanderer

9 x 12 - Pencil on paper 

© 2014 Christopher Burdett

2563.4

            The Gray Wanderer remains one of the biggest mysteries of the Bazaar. There are many theories as to what the Gray Wander is and to why it only appears at night in the oldest parts of the Bazaar. There has yet to be any substantial evidence to prove these theories, let alone give any definitive insight into its origins. Confirmed sightings of the Gray Wanderer date back at least fifteen hundred years. There is anecdotal evidence contained in the Books of Jungli that would suggest that the Gray Wanderer might be as old as the Bazaar itself.

The Vault of Credulity and Vault of Advertence state that the Gray Wanderer is a ghost or similar malevolent spirit, but this does not explain many of the eyewitness accounts regarding its actions and behaviors. There are a great many records in Grgur’s Tome of Peculiar Events and Grgur’s Tome of Fugacious Events of the Gray Wanderer simply wandering along streets seeming to browse the storefronts. The Gray Wanderer is said to inspect the various goods for sale, almost as if it is trying to understand the items or ascertain their purposes. This is not the general behavior of the ghost population of the Bazaar. The physical appearance described in the witness statements also does not align with any ghost or specter on record.

Comparing the descriptions from Quirmiere’s Compendium of Beasts, the Ouroboros Chronicles, and numerous eyewitness accounts from the past several hundred years, the Gray Wanderer is described as being in the range of eight to ten standard Bazaar cubits in height. It has pale tentacles upon its in face, hands, and feet which lead some to believe that its entire body is covered in tentacles. Its eyes have been described as being a brilliant white, a dull red-orange of a dying fire, and even a swallowing black that is darker than the deepest cave. The Gray Wanderer is cloaked and shrouded in many layers of well-worn gray fabric and leather, which is generally believed where the Wanderer obtained its name. It carries a lamp of magickal or animal in nature and consorts with a bird, or similar creature, that never leaves the Gray Wanderer’s shoulder. All about its body are many talismans, bobbles, and chains made of pewter or similar metal, and when combined with its awkward gait gives it a singular sound as it walks.

The Malison Achieves described the approach of the Gray Wanderer as being heralded with the chimes of your own coffin nails. I find this description overly dramatic and plays into the fears of the Gray Wanderer. While it is true the Gray Wanderer has killed, I have found in all but one or two instances that those killed were the first to strike. Stranger still, in most situations when the Gray Wanderer has slain an attacker it has returned life to the dead attacker. If restoring life to the deceased was not enough, the Gray Wander often cures any disease and illness that the individual had in life. These actions and abilities go well beyond that of any ghost or specter cataloged. There are reports in the Ouroboros Chronicles of the Gray Wanderer appearing and vanishing into thin air, but this alone should not be used to conclude that the Gray Wander is merely a ghost.

My findings rule out the Gray Wanderer being a ghost and suggest that we are dealing with something that is unique, extremely powerful, and vastly older than previously imagined.

Agatha Luculent Habile, Acolyte of the Impure Husk

(Research submission)

For more samples of my work head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia!

Welcome to The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia! If you are familiar with my work or if you follow my main blog, then you might be familiar with The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia. If not, let me introduce you to the world I am creating.

The Grand Bazaar is just that, a massive city sized marketplace created by the being known as Ethra VanDalia. The Grand Bazaar has existed for thousands of years and is inhabited by monsters and creatures who sell their wares, do business, and otherwise live their lives in the ever expanding warren of shops, towers, and dungeons. Every monster has a story and I plan to use The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia to tell them all.

This is an ongoing project and is very much in production. When I have created all of the art, written all of the stories, and have it all completed I will be bringing it to Kickstarter to help fund the project as a book. I have a lot planned and I hope that you will join me in this endeavor to see it a reality.

While I will be able to find updates of my progress on my main blog, this blog will be used exclusively to share the monsters already created, the monsters I am currently working on, and updates on the entire project as things advance. I plan to also share exclusives and sneak peeks of things in production that you will not be able to find anywhere else. In addition, the content on this blog will be presented in a similar fashion to what you will eventually see the final book, so you will be introduced to characters, places, and aspects of the Grand Bazaar. You won't learn all the secrets, but you definitely get a glimpse of what awaits for you at the Grand Bazaar.

Simply put, this will be the place to get all the details and information on The Grand Bazaar of Ethra VanDalia!

For more samples of my work head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com