I was thinking on what aspect actually makes Minsc a ranger, because apart from speaking with animals his class seems a little mismatched, especially when it comes to the fighting style. He’s a berserker, he wields a zweihänder, so why is he a ranger? And I’ve got an idea.
What if Minsc is really good at the survival skillset of the ranger? Like, he seems like a relatively dumb muscle, but what if he can survive in the wild with little effort - he knows how to navigate, where to find place for camp, how to find freshwater and start a fire, which plants are toxic and which are edible? Because… Dynaheir, while probably pretty practical also doesn’t strike me necessarily as someone who would be well-versed in living in the wilds, and they’ve made quite a distance from Rashemen. They had to travel through a pretty rough terrain. While a usual warrior doesn’t necessarily have skills for pathfinding and other travel-related stuff, that’s exactly when you’d need a ranger. And honestly, if You are entrusting a young witch for someone to protect in a long journey, a ranger works better than a warrior - getting lost in the mountains could be just as deadly as monsters and bandits. Minsc isn’t exactly low-profile, but it would be pretty funny if everybody assumes that
due to his issues
he’s kind of lost and helpless, and he actually does surprisingly well on his own.
I can imagine that everytime the party stops for the rest, you don’t even need to ask and Minsc pretty much organises the camp automatically. At some point, Charname asks him why he’s moved their tent, and he answers that “It isn’t good when water is dripping on a brave warrior’s head! Boo said he can feel the rain in his whiskers!” or something along the lines.
Guess who’s finally got a proper refsheet.
I’m still updating the characters, but I’ll most probably take part this year!
For the record, if I had the time to play this year, I’d join the Werewolves.
(But I will not.)
Wait, why do I have a row of frogs next to my searchbar? :D
‘Frenzy’ by Wladyslaw Podkowinski, 1894
I thought I’ll butt in, because I’ve seen it in original! (more than once, it hangs in the gallery in Sukiennice building located on Cracow’s main square). The second reason is that’s one of the most iconic 19th century Polish paintings (there was A LOT going on in art back then, but if You mention Szał in the context of the visual art, it’s the first thing that comes to people’s minds).
Long story short, the full title is Frenzy of Exultations, which together with the strong symbolism and dream-like, almost fainting expression of the woman immediately points to an erotic meaning behind the painting.
And it honestly is striking, when seen in person - it’s monumental, almost life-sized, also some people speculated on who exactly the woman in the painting resembled (apparently there was a few candidates). The theme of sexual ecstasy, the uneven strokes of paint, the representation of symbolism, which was a new current in art, the correspondence to artist’s personal life (Podkowiński was both terminally ill at the time, and was in love with a married woman - whether it was requited or not, remains unclear) all added to how scandalous it was. It was criticised for the mistakes in anatomy, atypical composistion (worth remembering, the academic art current was still very strong), the critics wondered how someone with such a skill as Podkowiński created something which was so technically unsound and felt so unreal. Yet it had something incredibly authentic in it, and drawn people to see it. It was fascinating and was rumoured to be almost cursed due to its influence - it soon became a sort of a local manifesto of the new currents in art.
And it probably was very personal to him, seeing that at the end of its exhibition he tried to destroy it. His art took a dramatic turn - early in his career he painted mostly colorful, almost impressionistic landscapes and portraits, he was also a rather popular illustrator, one of a few young artists who actually were able to sell their works. After the exhibition of Frenzy, when his tuberculosis took turn to the worse, he turned to darker topics, reflected by his Funeral March, inspired by Chopin’s work. He died in his workshop, at the age of 28. Despite the fact that Frenzy has been meticoulously restored after his death, the marks left by the cuts on the canvas are visible to this day. One could say that altough romantism’s days were long gone by then and the art was moving past academism back to the more emotional symbolism and young art movements, in this painting’s story the mixture of emotion, madness, tragedy and scandal shows how fin-de-siecle was really similar to romantism.
Running Running Running
The artfight is closing in, which means it’s time for a fun game called how many reference sheets I’ll manage to make until July? I wanted to make a proper ref for Igna for a very long time, complete with her equipment and maybe a set of outfits (she hasn’t got too many, so maybe I’ll manage). That also means that I had to make a revision of the anatomy I’ve never had to actually use before, oops.
Meanwhile, catch a WIP!
"Heya! It's me, Imoen."
Fanart of the thief Imoen who later dabbles into magic from "Baldur's Gate" video game series.
Absolutely superb Beaste spotted on Etruscan food jar
Shadowheart after vaporizing a poor 7hp goblin with guiding bolt
I NEVER get tired of this video. It would be fantastic if the bird was just flying near him, but the fact it feels safe and comfortable enough to land ON his paraglider, isn't startled when he pets it, and is NIBBLING HIS SHOES... blessed moment, absolutely fabulous, 10/10 gold stars.
a watery grave
Rory for @velvetwastaken !