Skyeola & Zilon Redesigns

Well, here I am, geeking out about my own imaginary world. Where else to do that but my own blog I suppose. Due to the rewriting of my main series I have been granted the fun opportunity to rework some of the stuff I had designed when I was quite young.

I had to hunt back through my boxes and boxes of old files from over a decade ago to find my original designs and original notes on the Batitics and their homeland of Sin'musk'qu. Over the years I have noticed that I've deviated away from the roots and origins of where I first started - it's very fascinating.

Of course, as a young teenager - adoring being into worldbuilding and just throwing junk at a page and seeing it it would stick together - I had really no idea what I was doing. I was unaware that perhaps I should make sure a magical system made sense, and didn't tip the balance of an entire world ecology.

I was just enjoying myself.

I didn't think that the name Batitic was sort of ridiculous either. ^_^;;

I was there to have fun and write a story with interesting characters and a great big, super amazing world!

Well, yeah, that's great - but - now that I'm older I'm running circles around myself having to fix up holes in my own world-building and don't get me wrong, it's fun, and it's hilarious at times - and a lot of people have told me "Hey, why don't you just write something else, you know, something new..."

Well, yeah, sure, I could - but - I don't want to. I have other worlds, other characters, other stories - tons of them - but this is the one I want to write and if it takes me a lifetime, then okay, it will take me a lifetime.

So for the last few days I have been gathering old information from the past, and mushing it together with newer information, to bring the Batitic's and their society back to life. Therefore, giving me a starting point to write from as I adventure into their land and culture.

The Batitic's are a imperialist society, and industrial in a very dungeonpunk or magipunk feel. If it had not been for the intervention (or invasion, depends on your point of view) of the Zaprexes and Humans, they would have risen to be the dominant species upon Livila.

They are, however, also leashed entirely - as a nation - to Tahkah (the Dragon) - due to an ancient pact. This has put them in a very difficult position - for defeating the Dragon would destroy their race, and yet the Dragon will ultimately destroy the world.

The two Batitic characters I've been working on the past few days are Skyeola Mazaki and his father, Lord Steward Zilon Mazaki - Overlord of the Dragon.

Skyeola is a child born into a family, a society, and a situation that he has to battle constantly against. Is he a monster just like his parents, and all his ancestors before him? Or does he actually have a choice, can he choose a different path? Is there a way to escape his father? Being a Batitic, Skyeola is extremely brilliant scholarly - but he is also suffering from immense self-loathing, which brings about a tendency to get into dangerous situations.

His only bright light in the world is the Prince of Pennadot, whom he considers his only true friend.

I really wanted the attire, hair-styles and overall appearance of the Batitics to reflect their very strict society. They'd have towers and cities with very stark, art deco styles and a heavily industrial feel - just with a mix of alchemy - for their technology is entirely based off their "magical" skills.

They have a class system that is born from their blood-clans, magical skills and overall societal ability to recall ancestral memories.

Despite Human's being an alien force in Livila, Batitics have welcomed them into Sin'musk'qu, and after the Sin'musk'qu Wars set up a Territory for the freed captive Humans who wished to remain in Sin'musk'qu. It has become a thriving pocket of its own.

Zilon is a terrifying figure, which is why I don't really draw him much. Some writers like their villains. I do not. Zilon is a cold, calculating murderer who is plotting to bring ruin and destruction, and he does not care if the world would burn. Writing his scenes can be overwhelming, as I find him such a foreboding presence. I feel Skyeola's fear to be in the presence of his father, he must always put on a mask before his father, and he cannot let it slip.

Zilon can act out emotions of warmth, kindness, love, concern - but they are all an act - he is entirely void of such things - everything he does is to manipulate those around him towards his goal.