Category Archives: Story

Third Scroll: Deathtrap

This scroll was a challenge for Bardic Madness 2016 to design and illustrate a deathtrap. The concept for the deathtrap came from the backstory of a game character I created back in college named Melora the Scrumptious.

Melora was a sweet (and very naive) Gnomish wizard who accepted an invitation to a feast being thrown by neighboring Dark Elves. Although she had the ability to teleport, she rather liked walking and, as her neighbors weren’t really all that far away, used her feet to transport herself there with a jaunty little stride.

Arriving at the party some time before the meal was to begin, she gratefully climbed into one of the heated tubs where some of the other guests were also relaxing so that she might be refreshed after her journey. Imagine her delight when the hosts started bringing snacks right to the tubs! She especially appreciated the artistic way they had cut the vegetables, thinly enough that they floated so prettily on the surface of the water like little flowers. Melora could simply pluck the ones that interested her as they passed within range without having to manage a plate. How thoughtful!

After a time, it seemed to Melora that something must have gone awry in the kitchens because the wait for the feast was becoming unusually long. No matter, she thought. We have lots of tasty snacks and good conversation while we wait!

In the end, however, Melora ended up missing the feast entirely. The last thing she remembered before coming to her senses in her home was noticing that her fingers had started to get a bit pruny and that she was feeling rather woozy and overheated. Realizing what must have occurred, Melora was mortified by her lack of courtesy and immediately sent an apology letter for having lost her wits entirely and teleporting away without even thanking them for such a lovely evening, even if she did miss the main course. She hoped they weren’t too upset and that they could do it again sometime.

This scroll gave me an opportunity to try drawing a person and diapering the illuminated ‘n’. I was pleased with the latter efforts. People are hard. After putting the words down in Chancery Italic, I added filler vegetables as might have been done in period to fill the page. I think it could have used a bit more illumination overall, but was pretty happy with the effort.

Over time, the brown, red, orange, and gold have faded or even changed color entirely. Not good. Don’t hang in a place that gets direct sun.

Materials: 11″x14″ Bristol, ruler, pencil, eraser, Ames lettering guide, micron pen, cartridge ink fountain pen, Winsor and Newton gouache, gold paint