Hi,
My name is Joe, and I'm searching for an artist with whom to partner and work in tandem on a Fantasy/Action-Adventure graphic novel. The goal is to develop enough of the story and artwork in order to gain attention online, then, once we've achieved that feat, employ crowd-funding efforts, such as Kickstarter, to raise a budget that would allow us to print the novel.
The story includes a combination of tropes and elements derived from anime/comics/RPG games. Currently, the main characters, storyline, and several major plot points are mapped out; however, there is still much room for development of the world, characters and more intermediate story elements.
I have an ideal artistic style, which I've highlighted using this particular folder on my Deviantart page:
http://metatherealconcept.deviantart.co ... Sage-Heirs
With that said, this is not set in stone, and there are other styles that I envision for the story. You can view more examples of these in my general gallery:
http://metatherealconcept.deviantart.co ... /?offset=0
Right now, there's no money in this endeavor, but it is a major passion project that I definitely see becoming popular enough to monetize. I want to give a little more info of the world in which everything operates, so I've included something of a treatment to offer some additional context for the story.
"Mechanics of the World/Story
Like many stories of fantasy, this one takes place in a world all its own. There are similarities that need not be explained, such as the sun or the moon, but there are also aspects that, while familiar, contain variations as well, such as the flora and fauna that inhabit the land. There’s also the story’s undefined temporal placement, in other words, there’s no particular limit on the presence of modern technology, ideas, social circumstances or some variant thereof. This also allows for the expansion and execution of ideas in a pseudo-anachronistic approach to mixing people, places, events and culture. Finally, the most important mechanic operating in this world is the omnipresent energy known as Mana.
Mana, in its simplest yet greatest definition, is the building block of life in all its forms of matter, down to the most minute of particles and molecules. It would be better described as a force, as it can be ‘felt’, but contains no real, measurable properties when not being harnessed; however, there are instances in which the energy will manifest itself into a more familiar form of matter, i.e., solids – crystals and shards and/or liquids – fountains and springs. The source of this energy has many names to many different people, such as: The Vast, Alfame (Al-fa-may – Alpha/Omega), The Fountain of Dawn, but is most commonly referred to as The Mana Web. The Mana Web is said to be the origin of all existence, therefore, all things, great and small, are connected to it – plant life, animal life, and, of course, mankind. It is through this connection to the Mana Web that man and animal are capable of seemingly supernatural abilities. In fact, the word “supernatural” is quite misleading, as the use of mana is just as natural as breathing, both socially and biologically.
The manipulation of mana, and the resulting effect, is known as Nami (magic). Nami occurs as a result of two key factors; an individual’s will, and understanding, in manipulating mana. While one’s will dictates the conscious and deliberate action of creation as it pertains to a desired effect, it requires, to some degree, a particular knowledge of said effect, in order to achieve it. For example, over time, mankind has mastered Elemental Nami by studying the elements’ ‘nature’, understanding their tones and nuances, and then emulating them through mana. It should be noted, however, that the two, will and understanding, may exist separate from one another, yet still result in Nami. For example, animals naturally manipulate mana by virtue of their need and will to survive; this illustrates a more innate quality of their evolutionary existence. On the other hand, humans have observed and studied mana over lifetimes and centuries in order to develop their knowledge and understanding; which, coupled with their will, allowed them, too, to draw upon, and evolve in, their control of this force. It should be noted that an individual can perform Nami through sheer willpower without completely understanding how to manipulate mana, whereas the same cannot be said for the inverse.
Geographic Landscape
L’Gar is the name given to the collective land and sea as it appears on a map of the entire world. The land and sea is then divided into 6 (may be scaled down to 5) continents composed of various states, towns and villages. As mentioned before, these various locations will illustrate an anachronistic relation to one another, with some being more modest (rural) in their design, and others being more technologically-advanced and industrious in function and appearance. Each continent is ruled by a Hereditary Monarchy that has been in place for an undetermined amount of time (as of this point in development – whether that becomes an important enough detail of the story is unknown). The leader, or king, of each continent is known as the High Sage. The High Sage resides in the capital city, which is naturally the wealthiest, most ornate location in all of the respective lands. The story opens in Aluma, capital city of Arrydria, ruled by the High Sage, Vulzon.
Collectively, the continents and High Sages are:
Vulzon Austerius – Arrydria, capital city, Aluma Sage-Heir – Elza
Prento Nagalu – Stravanar, capital city, Rukon Sage-Heir – Hiotsu
Iyal Freus – Yrys, capital city, Carcel Sage-Heir – Ixon
Mokep Hamu – Gimeda, capital city, Dipher Sage-Heir – Sys
Irgin Gra – Metephelon, capital city, Suano Sage-Heir – Konju
Tulis Chadoy – Qumoin, capital city, Beltrus Sage-Heir – Nasan
Socio-cultural Landscape
In this world, knowledge literally equates to power; one’s social status/class/power can often be directly correlated to their actual power level (a quantifiable value illustrating one’s achieved or potential ability in Nami). This relates to real-world notions of class determined by power derived from material, biological and academic [knowledge] means. For example, it can be inferred that an individual born into a wealthy family will have access to an abundance of resources, to in turn become wealthy for him/herself. This is an example of material power functioning as a birthright, or as a ‘biological’ advantage. This particular example holds true for the story, except in the context of this world, there are actual biological advantages to being born as an upper-class citizen; an individual’s power level is also based upon ancestry and generational inheritance, much like genotypical/phenotypical traits are passed from parents to offspring. Again, it can be inferred that an individual born into an upper-class family will have access to an abundance of resources, but in this world, it would be for the sake of nurturing a latent potential based upon the aforementioned generational inheritance.
These factors are important to keep in mind, as it will make it easier to understand the social hierarchy of the world. Sages are Sages by birthright, and eventually surpass all others in power level, but it’s necessary for them to train in order to achieve this status. In other words, until they’ve breached the thresholds of their extraordinary potential, it is possible to find non-Sage characters that are on equal footing with them; which implies that these other characters are upper-class citizens as well. These characters serve as businessmen, tradesmen, public and political figures, and other traditionally important roles of society. Being that it is highly unlikely that an individual stemming from a lower-class family will achieve a power level beyond a base-level threshold, these lower-class individuals almost never achieve any upward mobility, thus succumbing to a basic, routine life. These are the laborers, factory workers, fishermen, and farmers. The cities and larger, wealthier towns are populated by the former, while the rural villages and poorer parts of larger towns are inhabited by the latter. While all people are capable of Nami, not all care to study or practice it, and while this sentiment is shared across the entire social spectrum, it is more commonly found amongst the poorer people of the nations. That is to say, there are seemingly ‘regular’ people as well. However, regardless of class, Nami has been integrated into virtually every aspect of life since its discovery by humankind.
With the advent of Mana and Nami came the development of academic institutions used to train potential mages. After mastering the elements, then utilizing mana for more practical and technological uses for everyday life, some of the more powerful forefathers of Mana began to conduct personal, esoteric research in order to continue advancing their perspective of its potential. Although controversial in nature, a number of findings suggest that the potential for Mana is limitless. Unfortunately, these individuals eventually went missing or had been driven insane by their attempts to delve deeper into the mystery of The Mana Web and its origins. Subsequently, the efforts of these previous mages led to the founding of various entities, most academic, some otherwise, dedicated to teaching and challenging future generations to constantly evolve in their abilities; albeit in a more controlled environment.
Every continent has its own academy, each one located in the capital city alongside the Sage’s Palace. However, there is one premier academy that is attended by a number of elite individuals, including every generation of Sages. This academy is located in Aluma, where the story begins. It is revered as the premier academy because it was the first of its kind (this point also taps into the history of the land and the social evolution of the people, once again, it is unknown whether that will become critically important), and based upon tradition, became the default institution of the Sages. As a result, it is home to some of the most prestigious professors and top-ranking students, even outside of the fledgling Sages, also known as Sage-Heirs. Although it is not explicitly stated, the academy’s primary objective is the training of the Sage-Heirs; therefore, the curriculum is shaped specifically around them. With that being said, admission is limited to one of two requirements: a substantial donation or an incredible display of power/potential. Donations are usually made by wealthy families that want to maintain/increase their renown, or to appease their spoiled children; sometimes, despite the fact that the students are ill-equipped to handle the rigorous training. This fact is overlooked simply because the donations serve a two-fold purpose: income for the city and the source of funding for scholarships offered to students displaying incredible potential. It’s been determined that this process results in the most financially-beneficial and academically-sound circumstances. Upon graduation, the average student usually follows one of three paths: Secondary Advanced Training (SATs), joining the Specialized Workforce, or becoming a Venture Mage.
The real-world equivalent of the SATs would be college, more specifically, Grad School. During these years of training, one hones his/her skills and understanding in Mana in the hopes of one day achieving the rank of Magus Prodigious. Once bestowed the title of Magus Prodigious, an individual is granted almost limitless access and entry to any information and/or place in the combined lands of L’Gar. A select few even serve as advisors to the Sage, becoming their right-hand in many respects. There are also contingencies set into place that would result in this elected official becoming the acting-Sage in the interim between the preceding and subsequent Sages. In the death of both Sage and Sage-Heir, this Magus Prodigious would become the indefinite successor to the throne.
The Specialized Workforce is composed of various jobs and positions that require a unique set of skills involving Mana manipulation. Some of these positions not only require a great deal of knowledge, but also an exceptional control of one's power. For example, mages that work for the Information Transmission Bureau, the communications network that operates between/throughout the continents, are capable of transmuting information into raw energy, before sending it through a series of channels to be filtered, and finally converted back into its original form. Like any workforce, with the advent of new technological advances comes the eventual dimming of an aging era; which ultimately results in certain areas of expertise becoming even rarer, in both value and presence. One such example of this is the Infuser, an individual capable of imbuing weapons and armor with permanent elemental and other altering effects. Unlike other specialties, Infusing is a family trade that is usually passed down through the generations; therefore, it is not something that can simply be taught in a textbook. Based upon the nature of their work, Infusers maintain a certain importance in the social hierarchy, and are regarded as highly-powerful mages despite a lack of formal training; thus they are also respected for having a more innate connection to their power and understanding of mana.
Finally, there’s the Venture Mage. Venture Mage is a title given to the more free-spirited, open-minded Mage who travels the world and experiences all that it has to offer, instead of just reading about it in a book. These individuals tend to have a very solid understanding of their capabilities, as they completely rely upon them in order to survive whatever they may encounter in their journeys. Typically, Venture Mages fulfill requests by villages and individuals to earn their living. These requests may range from providing rainwater for crops, protecting a village from an impending disaster or threat, to even escorting a shipment of goods from one point to another. Most lead modest lifestyles outside of the major cities, but some have been able to capitalize on their abilities and amass small fortunes; becoming local or, in more exceptional cases, international superstars."
That's pretty much the gist of it. If you're at all interested in this undertaking, or have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I hope to hear from you soon. Thank You!
Writer Seeking Artist for Graphic Novel project
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