Bryn's Vigil

O.k., I ran this image through PhotoShop, and played around with the filters.  I tried for a dreamlike atmosphere, and I suppose that I kind of reached that effect.  Don't ask what filters I used, as I tried this and that until being satisfied with this look.

Bryn's Vigil

There was a sea captain who lived in a small fishing village with his young bride.  From the day of their wedding, they were known as the happiest couple that lived in the village.  Often, they would be seen walking hand in hand along the seashore, and stopping to talk with the people that they would come across on any particular day.

One day, the sea captain was pressed into service to serve in a distant war.  His wife waited for his return; for a long time she waited.  Even after she learned that her husband's ship went down during a battle, she continued to wait.

She waited for her husband, and became known by the people in the small fishing village as the captain's widow.  She never left her property, and rarely left her house, only to stand at the cliff in front of it, and stare at the sea.  As the years passed, the people of the village wondered why the captain's widow never seemed to age.

Doctors would visit, and elderly women who were in their prime when the widow retreated to her house, also visited and wondered, for neither the mourning woman herself could explain her condition.  Small children would dare each other to sneak close to the house and look into the window.  Those that had the courage, would find the poor widow weeping at her window, or find her standing at the cliff.

One very dark and foggy day, when the clouds were low on the horizon, a ship lay anchor near the harbor of the small fishing village.  It was raining heavily as a small boat came to the shore.  From the small wooden boat, stood the sea captain.  He took his lantern by his side, and slowly walked towards the aging house.

The woman came out of the house, and ran down to the shore for the first time in many decades.  She hugged her husband.  As this was happening, two elderly fisherman and their wives watched as the sea captain and his wife boarded the small boat, and returned to the ship.  They watched as the ship sailed away.

That was many years ago, and to this day, the story is still told amongst the people of the small fishing village as they sit in front of their home fireplaces and tavern hearths that lined the shore.  Sometimes, when the storms arrive from the far sea, and the heavy fog rolls in, one could see the sea captain's lantern.  One could see the woman as she runs down from where their house used to stand.  One could see as the captain and his wife walk hand in hand, and watch as they board the captain's ship.

They will then watch as the ship disappears into the storm.

Abandoned House

This image, named Abandoned House, is actually one in a series of images that I put together for a "search" type game for my mobile phone.  The game itself is not called Abandoned House.  Originally, I intended this project only for myself, and it was a project that I would add to and expand over time.  In the end, I decided that I will release it on multiple platforms when I am able to.

Eventually, and since I have written so much to the game's storyline, I am going to take the game's backstory, and build it into a book as well. I am sure that I will release the book first, or perhaps I should wait and release them together.

It would be interesting if I could build the book with these illustrations, and offer the game with it as well.

It took much work to get this far, it will take much more to complete it.

This will be an interesting accomplishment.

The Acorn

A great acorn fell to the ground and nearly missed us.  We took the opportunity to set it up right, and then proceeded to dig into it.  We dug three fine little rooms and a pantry.  We used the acorn's stem as our chimney, and set a fine fence around the whole thing.

We had our own little home.

Soon, we moved in and for the first time in weeks, had a place to rest our weary selves.  Yes, life is good, and when the winter comes, and should we run out of good things to eat, we can go down into the cellar and dine on fresh roots.

That is something that our new neighbors taught us, as they also live in an acorn.

The Cursed Prince

In old days, there was a ruthless the prince that lived in the kingdom of the circled mountains.  In his youth, he was ruthless and unforgiving; as an adult, he was deadly and hungry for gold.  He was disliked by the people and despised by his very family.

As his siblings perished, he was blamed for their misfortune.  But gold and jewels and deceitful associates ensured his safety.

When the king and queen perished, the nobles demanded his life.  But those who served the evil prince, would find their way into the houses of the prince's detractors, and put an end to them.

Time would pass, and the evil prince ruled with an evil sword.

One day, an evil imp came before the prince.

"Your evil ways serve me well, oh, prince of the circled mountains!" the imp said.

"Your greed for gold and ruthlessness over your people, delights me.  This is something that must be, and so, I curse you to continue your ways!" the imp added, "I curse you to remain until the falling of the stars."

The imp stretched out his clawed hands, and out fell piles of gold coin, golden goblets and statues made of gold.  Silver and gems followed, and they covered the floor before the cruel prince.

The prince, glaring at the shine of gold and silver, and the glitter of countless colorful gem, threw himself down atop the pile.  He laughed and ran his hands through the wealth, as his court watched in awe.

With that, the nameless imp laughed and disappeared with a puff of smoke and flame, all went back to how it was.

Immediately, the good people began to leave the kingdom, for it was cursed, and all that chose to remain, were cursed with it.

Time went on, and centuries went on, and the prince remained in his castle.  The cruel and merciless prince who ages before ascended to the throne by treachery and deceit, was cursed by the nameless imp to exist until the falling of the stars.

There he sits, un-living.  There he wanders, from forgotten chamber and corridor.

To this day, none dare to wander into that mist-laiden land, for it is a cursed land ruled by a cursed soul, and the laughter of the imp rings amongst the misty hills of the kingdom of the cursed prince.

Homage to Hopper

Some time ago, I built this homage to Edward Hopper's masterpiece.  It took me a few days to complete, and I built it completely with my own 3D objects.   The figures themselves are basic Poser figures.  When I was finished, I thought of naming it: Homage to Hopper, but in the end, I just named it Edward Hopper's Nighthawks.  If you have an image of Hopper's painting, you can compare the two.

Broken Moon

Scientists have known that it would take billions of years for the moon to eventually slingshot away into the darkness of the universe.  Many believed that after such an event, life on earth would cease, and very few, if any species, would continue to exist. By then, it would seem, that humans would have left for other worlds in the universe.

Well, the catastrophic meteor storm that passed through the solar system caused so much damage, that the moon became one of the casualties.  Historians said that within the very first hours, people were able to see the massive portions of the heavenly body break away.  Reports all over the planet stated the damage that was caused.

When it was over, some said that it was a warning for people to become respectable and leave their evil ways.  Others said that it was something that was eventual.  Either way, it has been over a hundred and thirty seven years since the disaster, and the planet is still here; although, far different than in earlier centuries.

The Steam Flyers

Wooow! That was close! Lucky for us that we didn't drop the professor's incendiary device.

The mad scientist's robotic machine moved closer to the settlement.  We knew what his intentions were, being that he was actually out of his mind.  It didn't take us long to find him and his dangerous construction.  Slowly, the massive walking machine smashed trees and boulders as it moved towards the helpless settlers.

We swooped around in order to catch the mad scientist's attention, and he sneered at us.  He swung the walking machine's arm at us, and we easily dodged it that time.  Luckily, the professor's flying machine was fast enough that we were able to drop the incendiary machine onto the back of the mad scientist's massive construct.

As we flew away, the machine's arm swung around again.  It hit us, making me lose my balance.  I clung onto the rails of the good scientist's flying machine, as the incendiary device exploded.  I fought hard to keep from falling away, as the professor fought to keep his flying machine from crashing.

I regained my balance, and we flew around to see what had happened.

We heard the mad scientist's mad laugh, as he lifted the massive arms of his walking machine.  He grumbled as he initiated huge rockets on his walking machine, and flew away.

"I'll be back, Steam Flyers, and when I do, you'll pay! Ha ha ha!"

We watched as the mad scientist flew away and disappeared into the distance.  We were relieved that we were able to save the settlers that day, but we knew that he would return.

We would be ready for him.

Prairie Storm

This image is set in early Illinois.  It is about a native sister walking around her little house.  She is looking through a prairie storm, and waiting for someone to come home.  I built the wooden house and the lantern myself.  I won't take credit for any other element which were made by other 3D artists.  I did compose them in the image.

I always wanted to know what houses, shacks, or other buildings existed on the land where my house exists now.  I always wanted to know who lived here before I did.  Going back even further, I always wanted to know what natives people lived on this very land.

Well, one day, someone may invent a machine that could capture images from the past just by pointing them at a particular place.  Could you imagine that?  People would be able to watch the past and see what life was like back before they were born.  Someone may even see me building 3D objects and composing these images.

Keep Watch

This one is not ghostly or has anything to do with aliens.

"Keep watch!"

"There are wolves here! There are jaguars here! Watch the tall grass and the brush.  Watch the trees, and everything that stirs there."

"Listen for noises and breaking branches.  Listen for growls and grunts in the distant shadows, for the twins do not understand much."

"We must always keep watch, until the day when the twins will be grown enough to go their own way."

"When that day comes, we may have another doe to raise, feed and keep watch for."

"It is our way."

The Northern Path

"Let us go by that way!" said the first man, "it shall save us many days of travel, and we will arrive before the first frosts."

His fellow travelers chose rather to take the better used horse paths that lay further down in the valleys.

"But it will take us many more days and cold nights if we go by that bandit-ridden way!" the first man replied.

"Well then," began the second man, "if you would choose to risk your soul by traveling the northern path, then do so by yourself!  If we were to be accosted by bandits or other desperate men, then we would be on an even fighting ground.  You do not wish to fight the phantoms that lie in wait amongst the trees and foggy hills of the northern path, for against them, there is no winning."

"Bah! You fools, you cowards!" the first man said, as he went off by himself into the vast northern way.

Months after, when the others arrived at their destination, they went to the tavern and asked for their companion.

An elderly man spoke...

"We do not know of your friend, but we did notice that there was yet another phantom amongst those that haunt the dark roads and terrorize the guards and unwary travelers that tread upon them in the foggy night."

Only peaceful

Here is an image of a weathered cart left on a peaceful hill of narcissi.  Perhaps it has been there for over a hundred years.

O.k., there aren't any slimy zombies or rabid werewolves here, and certainly none of those gosh awful lovey-dovey vampires either.

It's just a relaxing scene that I developed to promote relaxation.

The Vigilant Golems

Ages ago, an old wizard retreated from a civilization that no longer revered him or honored the old ways.  In his day, he was renowned for his deeds against invaders and others who wished to usurp power.  he defended the king and his descendants from those who fought to become masters of the lands.

Over time, the king perished, and his descendants perished, and there came those within the lands that embraced foreign leaders, different ways of thinking, and changing times.  Disheartened by this, the aging wizard decided to retreat from the people and leave them to their own.

He traveled far to the north and built a great tower and remained there.  Many traveled to his tower and demanded that he return and embrace the new ways, but he refused.  The people sent soldiers to subdue him, and they sent war machines to tear down his tower.

The aged wizard defeated their soldiers and destroyed their war machines.

Time went on, and the people returned time and again to destroy his tower and make the wizard embrace their way of thinking.  Time and again, he thwarted their attempts.

Knowing that he was growing weak,  he took iron and copper and fashioned golems to defend his tower.  He set them all about his tower, and within the forest.  The golems defeated the people's soldiers and smashed their war machines with ease.

Eventually, the people left the aged wizard alone and forgot about him.

The aged wizard remained in his tower for many years until he perished.

It has been near an age, and some say that the golems still defend the crumbling tower and the forest lands around it.  They say that the golems will remain vigilant until the wizard's return.

happy Valentine's Day to All

Happy Valentine's Day, everybody.  Besides the red velvet cupcakes with diamonds on them, the gold bands, and all of the other expensive things, how about giving your beloved a nice little evening of dinner and dancing.  Who says that those three little words have to be accompanied by something really expensive?

In fact, why does it have to be only on Valentine's day that you treat your second half to a day of something nice?  Let it be every day of the year when you say those three little words, because, you know that that day will never come again.

By the way, there were several Valentines who were martyred for the faith, but one in particular was a St. Valentinus, who was a priest who lived in Rome during the time of Claudius II.

It is most likely that Valentine's Day was named after St. Valentinus the martyr who was killed by emperor Claudius II.  Valentinus was imprisoned for preaching the word of Christ.  According to some, his jailer, who's name was Austerius, knew of Valentinus, and brought his blind daughter to Valentinus.

Valentinus put his hands on the jailer's daughter, and restored her sight.  Supposedly, just before he was executed, Valentinus asked for paper and something to write with, and wrote a little letter to the jailer's daughter, who whom a deep friendship had developed.

He signed it: From your Valentine.

Shadow

When the old lady at the antiques shop gave our daughter that puppet, we thanked her, and afterwards, didn't think much of it.  It seemed that we forgot about it until recently, when our daughter refused to sleep in her room.  When the dog refused to even go near that room, I figured that something was going on.

Well, as soon as I entered, I felt very strange.  I heard whispers in the corners and shadows dart here and there.  One particular shadow, which seemed larger than the others, seemed to be much more imposing and threatening.  It moved along, under the bed, into the closet, behind the toy box, and under the carpet.  It seemed to want to play.

I decided that it would be better that everyone leave the house and stay with relatives until the issue was solved.

Soon enough, the shadow's intentions became clear.  It became angry and violent.

It was when it confronted me in the den, I understood it's source.  It was clearly the form of that puppet.  I could see it's outline as it stood against the fireplace.  It's form against the wall was definitely that of the puppet, dragging it's strings and wooden sticks that are supposed to control it.

How could someone fight something malevolent?

I remembered the puppet itself.

I turned to run upstairs, and the shadow darted before me.

I ran towards it, and the shadow pushed things in my way.

I ran up the stairs, and into the haunted room.  There, I looked around for the puppet, but could not find it.  I heard silent laughing, as the shadow darted under the bed and around into the dark corners.

I turned and ran out of the room, determined to find it.

As I stood in the hallway, I noticed the shadow dart past a door, and race around a corner.  I followed it quick enough to see it pass through the door that led to the attic.  Of course, I followed it up.

The thing laughed as it dropped pieces of wood and other objects down the stairs.  It was clearly trying to keep me away.  I pushed and pulled at the door to the attic until I broke it open.

Near a corner of the top room, there was an old dresser, surrounded by old objects.  Sitting on top of the dresser was the puppet, with it's arm draped over the wooden sticks that controlled it.

I took the puppet and left the attic.  I ran down the stairs, into the kitchen, and out of the back door, with the dark form running behind me.  I threw the puppet onto the ground and went into the storage shed.  Returning with lighter fluid, I set the thing on fire.

I could see the form begin to disappear as the puppet was reduced to ashes.

The following day, I told everyone what I had done.  My wife thought it interesting.  I asked her why, and she mentioned that it was a coincidence that the old antiques shop had also burned down at about the same time, and that the old lady hadn't been seen since.

The Sneaky Thief

He was able to sneak past the scouts that guarded the outlying desert land.  He managed to slip past the soldiers that walked this way and that around the desert city's walls.  He snuck from shadow to shadow, and in silence he slipped past the royal guards.

He fleetly moved up gilded steps, and in complete silence, skirted across polished corridors.  He eluded the royal bodyguards, and skillfully opened the complex locks that guarded the royal treasure chambers.

The secret rooms were a wonder to behold.  Gold and silver, gems and scented woods, gilded lamps and exquisite rugs from distant lands lay all about.  The thief reached for a gem box, and accidentally brushed against an unusual glittering lamp.

In an instant, a genie appeared before him.

"What is thy wish, oh master?" the genie said.

Foolish Piggies

He keeps blowing down your house, and he keeps blowing down mine too!  He always does that!  Lucky for us, we always manage to get to our brother's house before he gets us.  Well, it looks like we finally outsmarted him, and that old wolf finally lost us!  At last, we found a place deep in the woods where he can't find us!

Planetoid

Have you ever been to the hazy mercury rivers on the planetoid known as Strano 839 in the Horseshoe Nebula?  Well, you'd better be prepared against the highly corrosive atmosphere.  One breath, and you are done for.  The better prepared and protected that you are, the better chance at surviving the trip.

When you go, you really have to set apart some time to visit the ancient tower ruins on the southwestern edge of the third continent.  That is where you will find the fantastic colonies of Cingoli Viola and the long-lived Gryphisaurus live.  It is quite a sight.  For your own sake, don't touch anything.

One last thing… don't even think about wearing anything orange.

Excerpt from Bilret's Decision

Excerpt from Bilret's Decision -

They had great cities.  Their cultures were complex.  They had developed technologies that rivaled other distant civilizations.  Yet they, like most others, had weaknesses.

As they advanced, they grew arrogant and self indulgent.

As what happened with the vast majority of civilizations, they became to believe that their self entitlement was a rule that extended over all of the other civilizations.  They imposed themselves over all others, and in their arrogance, believed that they were masters over all others.

They began to impose rules upon distant civilizations, and began to dictate laws over the way that others lived.  They set themselves upon the backs of every other civilization as they believed that it was supposed to be.

The arrogance.

We did not like how this group developed, for they were destructive and their need to subjugate others was unacceptable.  They were a poorly developed project.  We disposed of them, and now a great tempestuous sea exists where they once lived.

Alcove of the Soldier

The poor boy was made to tend the sheep.

Who wants to tend sheep, when joining in the hunt with the others would be more exciting?  Who wants to be responsible for wandering and grazing animals, when learning how to track and ride are certainly more exciting and useful in later life?

The boy sat under a tree, and he watched the sheep eat, sit, and just stand there.

Not a very exciting life, especially when he could hear the others whooping and yelling as they chased their prey while they passed in the far distance.

After minutes of sitting, the boy stood and strode around.

He noticed one of the smaller lambs standing on a mound of rock and earth.  He also noticed that the poor animal had gotten it's hoof stuck amongst the cervices.

"Not very smart, are they?" he thought to himself.

Off he went to release the little animal.

He climbed up onto the rocky and earthen mound, and pulled at the little lamb's hoof.  Pulling it free, the lamb immediately jumped down and ran to the other sheep.

Just as the boy remarked on how foolish the lamb had been, down he went.

The rocky and earthen mound cracked and broke, sending the poor boy down into a long-forgotten alcove.

Standing and patting the dirt from himself, the young shepherd gazed around at the lost room.  He noticed a great statue before him.

Surely, it was dedicated to a great and renowned warrior of an ancient day.

He noticed stone statuettes placed along the carved walls.  He noticed a copper brazier off in a shadowed corner, and iron weapons carefully placed along walls and corners.

This had been a greatly cared for place.

Wandering around, he discovered several other rooms.  Stone statues, iron monuments, gold trinkets and other treasures waited to be discovered.

The young shepherd took a sword that had been left on the ground for unknown centuries and wondered.

"What stories could these tell?"

The Old Professor

They called the old professor such names as: quack, eccentric, and coo coo. They said that he had lost it when he kept mentioning his "mysterious deep earth adventures".  Some of the other professors, and even the deans believed that "relieving" the old professor of his office was the only thing to do.  Eventually, they did get together, and removed him of his position.

When he came to us, and offered us an adventure, well, we, the students in the research lab, started to believe that he had lost it as well.

It took him a few invitations before we finally decided to take him up on it.

Well, let me tell you, the moment that he revealed his secret laboratory in his mansion, and the strange machine that sat in the center of it, we suddenly began to believe that his stories had something to them.  When we stepped onto the platform of that machine and were suddenly transported somewhere within the deep recesses of the planet, we were completely convinced.

The unbelievable sites that we witnessed, the diamonds as large as our arms, the strange light creatures, the civilization of people that we met, and the spectacular adventures that we experienced, are things that we will never forget.  Of course, we will keep them to ourselves, as we promised the old professor.

It's just too bad that the old professor decided to stay behind with the underground people rather than return with us.

Perhaps, one day we will meet again.

Creepy Places

"Don't go into the graveyard!" people liked to say.  "Don't disturb those who are asleep!" they told us.  Well, if it were up to me, I'd stay away forever.  It's not in my nature to bother the mysterious ghosts and spectres that like to wander about the dark and foggy boneyards.

"Warn the others!" they said to me.  I did just that, but as I already knew, they didn't believe in all of that ghost stuff.  They laughed and they joked about the creepy and unexplained.  They didn't believe that wandering through the graveyard that lies far beyond the woodland actually bothered anyone or anything.

Against my warnings, we went off in that direction.  Of course, they brought along their music, drink and firecrackers.  It didn't take long before they started to blow up mailboxes with their cherry bombs, and scare off squirrels with their blaring noise.

We finally reached the graveyard; the one that was older than any building in the town.  They went in, but I stayed at the creaky gate.  They made fun of me for not wanting to enter, but I knew better.  I watched as they went up and down the rocky hills, and they laughed and sang.  I watched them as they walked amongst the very old gravestones until they disappeared from sight.

I waited for hours, until the sun went down.  As typical, the cold wind blew, and the fog rolled by.  I sat and waited.  Eventually, as I knew would happen, A skeletal hand  tapped me on the shoulder.  I turned to look, only to find a skeleton standing there, with his bony arm sticking out through the rotting iron gate...

"Hey man, get going!" he said to me.

Well, that's all that he had to say, before I was off towards the town.  Needless to say, nobody ever saw my friends again.

So, a word of warning to all of you who get the urge to trample over graves and disturb the peace: For your sakes, don't do it.  That's because you might just be pestering the graveyard when the owners may be visiting their bones.

Callie's Discovery

Callie loved traveling.

In all of her twenty-nine years, she had already visited every continent.  Being the niece of an archaeologist helped.  On a particular adventure, she left her uncle and his team at the dig site, and wandered off on her own.  It was on that particular island, and on that particular exploration, where she discovered the abandoned house.

It was intricately carved in places, and well preserved.  Vines covered the walls and creeped in through the windows in places.  It seemed that the owners had left it, and it had remained forgotten for many years or many decades.  She brushed away dried leaves as she walked through the silent hallways and rooms of the house; she was curious about it.

Who had lived there? Why did they leave? The only living things in it were the roses.

The Mighty Paladin

The mighty paladin.  The great hero of the realm.  The shining symbol of truth and justice.  The pillar of morality and sacrifice.  Destroyer of demons and spectral beasts.  Slayer of fiery dragons and stone trolls.  Deliverer of towns and villages from dark wizards and evil warlocks.  Unbreakable, incorruptible, renowned throughout the land as the most honorable and virtuous.

They mighty paladin faces east.  He faces the east, and the fires that rage in the distant mountains.  Evil resides there.  Dark forces and malevolent beasts fester there.  Skeletal armies fortify their shields and sharpen their swords there.  The snake queen and her king; the demon king reign there.

The mighty paladin begins his long quest.