Age of the Mairen, A Wecomic Updating Daily...ish

[GryffonDurime]

What is this?

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The Greenfire Chronicles is a story...one I've been toying around with in various forms for almost two years now. I've always imagined telling it in webcomic form, but until now my skills have been...let us kindly say that they were lacking and leave it at that. I've only now advanced to a level where I'm comfortable, and where I feel that my capabilities are more of a help than a hindrance to the story. Still, at the moment, this is my first real adventure into the medium, so I can only hope that I will improve quickly.

Age of the Mairen?

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The Age of the Mairen refers specifically to this timeframe in the world: five years ago, a powerful sorcerer known only as the Mairen rose to prominence as a mortal with powers that rivaled the Greater Spirits of the World. It was only through the combined efforts of five of the Greater Spirits' avatar-children that the Mairen was destroyed. None survived that battle, though, to the great sorrow of the Spirits.

Three months ago, the Mairen returned, no longer wholly mortal. He spread his shadow across an entire island, and all attempts--even through the divine magics of the Greater Spirits--to rebuff his incursions have proven not only ineffective, but often lethal.

Chapter I, Page 1:

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Chapter I, Page 2:

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Chapter I, Page 3:

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Chapter I, Page 4:

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Chapter I, Page 5:

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Chapter I, Page 6:

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Chapter I, Page 7: An Experiment in Options

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Chapter I, Page 8: Saira's Tantrum

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Chapter I, Page 9: Gurugu's Optimism

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Chapter I, Page 10: Fools Rush In

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Chapter I, Page 11: Introspection

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[GryffonDurime]

Cast of Characters

Lord Belvino

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Lord Belvino is the Great Spirit of Life, and dispute his rather obscure status--few mortals know he really exists despite the other Great Spirits' lack of subtlety--he is among the oldest and most powerful of their number. Wise, gracious, gentle...Belvino is constantly harassed by his fellow Spirits, especially his wife, Saira.

The Herald

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The Herald is, obviously enough, Belvino's somewhat reluctant divine herald, a position few Great Spirits actually fill nowadays thanks to the attacks of the Mairen. The Herald was discovered in Belvino's garden as a wandering soul; it is exceptionally rare that any soul can wander the mortal realm disembodied, it is even rarer for one to be able to enter the physical sanctuary of a spirit unmolested.

Lady Saira

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Saira is Belvino's wife and the Great Spirit of Water and Discovery, and is quite possibly the strongest of the Great Spirits left in the world. Despite their marriage, Saira doesn't seem too warm to Belvino, or to anyone other than her own tribes. She displays an unhealthy fixation with the Herald, believing him to be the reincarnation of one of her children.

Gurugu

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Gurugu is a mysterious hermit, and the only known mortal petitioner of Lord Belvino. His relationship with Belvino is unclear; the Spirit of Life has never been known to take on supplicants. Those few who even know of Gurugu suppose that he's tilting at windmills, convinced that he serves a deity who really can't stand his presence. Regardless, Gurugu accompanies the Herald on his missions.

Palamae

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Little is known about the witch Palamae...at least, the Herald currently knows little.

[Nameless]

Nooo!!! not a nother webcomic! everybody run!!!

Just joking, no I really love the art style.

[Bayar]

nice art style...I like the Herald...so fluffy

[Wolfman42666]

This looks incredible actually.
I like the style particluraily, This looks like a new idea, maybe you've read or seen something I haven't, but I think that the artwork does help the story, because it defines the world as different like the story is.
...
I should get lessons for communicating more clearly.

[GryffonDurime]

Updated with a fourth page...I'm still finding a good, legible font. I was also tired of having to juxtapose Belvino's and the Herald's...they didn't look right together. Anyone have any suggestions?

[[Insert Neat Username Here]]

I have no problem with another webcomic. This is a good one, too, it seems.

But why did you have to give it a name so similar to mine? Every time I see this thread, I get confused.

[GryffonDurime]

Sorry; I didn't see yours before I posted. Maybe I should just refer to it by the title of this particular section, then? The Age of the Mairen?

...You know, my ineptitude at backgrounds (the reason I'm using edited photos) is really starting to irk me. The characters just look so out-of-place.

[GryffonDurime]

Alright, I think I'm finally starting to hit my stride with all this...expect the art to stay roughly constant at this level and style.

[Ichneumon]

How can it be that I only now notice this comic. It looks so great....

[Szilard]

I look at all of them but rarely comment.

[DracoDei]

I love this art style. I see it rather rarely. Out of curiosity (I can't draw well in any style, although I can sculpt a bit) is it particularly hard to learn or time consuming to use?

[GryffonDurime]

I love this art style. I see it rather rarely. Out of curiosity (I can't draw well in any style, although I can sculpt a bit) is it particularly hard to learn or time consuming to use?

Hehe...I'm not a good person to answer that. I just sat down about a week and a half ago, possessed by some strange urge, and did that style for the first time.

...That's pretty much how I do anything.

As for ease of use? Once you get used to it, it's amazingly flexible.

[GryffonDurime]

Wootai! After a sizable dry spell, Page 10 is finally here.

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[Lyinginbedmon]

I'm not seeing anything

[Ceska]

I am. I like it.

[GryffonDurime]

Are you using Firefox or Internet Explorer, Lyinginbedmon? IE isn't too fond of .pngs.

Oh, and a special piece of Christmas art:

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[Szilard]

I use Internet Explorer and I always use Pngs.

Still a very good comic.

[Altharis]

Now even Gryff has a webcomic? They're everywhere, and they're all of mostly-excellent quality! Run!

*rant over*

I really like Gurugu, as it's been a while since enigmatic, multi-limbed characters were around. I also like the art style, how do you do it? (Without reveling any secrest of the trade of course. )

[GryffonDurime]

I really like Gurugu, as it's been a while since enigmatic, multi-limbed characters were around. I also like the art style, how do you do it? (Without reveling any secrest of the trade of course. )

Gurugu doesn't have any more limbs than I wound consider both normal and appropriate for a vaguely anthropomorphic frog...two legs, two arms.

You may be confusing Gurugu with his boss and deity, Belvino, who has four arms and wild green fire for hair.

As for how it's made...it's made just like any other art in vector graphics. You start with a single shape, and then you expand it out, make different layers and composite to a final draft. The only difference between this and OotS style graphics is that this one uses shapes instead of lines and is marked by it's decided lack of outlines, rather than the dominance of them.

I'm glad there's a generally positive response, I'm also happy with how my consistency has improved by page nine. I hope to have page 11 up by Christmas, and with any luck the schedule will continue fairly regularly from there.

[Altharis]

*slaps self for forgetting name of a webcomic he viewed just 2 FREAKING SECONDS AGO!* Geez, I can be stupid sometimes...

[Ne0]

I love it. I'd actually call this the best webcomic around, thanks to its original style. You've also caught my interest with the story, and it's got some good bits of humor in it as well - not as excessive and constant as with other comics, but an overdosis humor would only ruin this comic, I think.
I've just got one suggestion: I'd stick with the photo backgrounds if I were you. You're still not very good at it yourself, but I think it actually fits in really well with the style.

[GryffonDurime]

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Page 11, after a sizable wait, is finally done. I'm about ready to set up a dedicated update schedule for the comic, most likely twice a week: once on Thursday, and again on Sunday possibly.

[Szilard]

Interesting last comic.

[13_CBS]

This is quite good!

My only critique is that, right now, the Herald's character seems a bit...flat. If you're trying to make him a deadpan snarker, then he's not quite snarky enough, I think.

[GryffonDurime]

This is quite good!

My only critique is that, right now, the Herald's character seems a bit...flat. If you're trying to make him a deadpan snarker, then he's not quite snarky enough, I think.

He's deadpan largely because until now, he's had no idea of who he is. It's like giving a newborn baby adult intelligence and understanding. There's been no formation of personality. Now, of course, that's all changed.