Settling the matter of what Rykolyn -really- looks like

[Mephistophelina]

And Y'lissana, too.

It's too big to post here. So click on the link below to satiate your burning curiosity. You know you want to.
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/ ... 316195.jpg

Preview thumbnail:


I have to go to work so I'll let Xan caption and comment it out. He had direct input into how Ryk looks here (he even took my mouse away from me at one point), so this is an approved tested-selected version.

- M.
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[NWDuneAuron]

Astounding, as usual.

[VIpAcT]

I love the expressions and the way the robe's sleeve indicates motion. But for some reason I cannot explain, the amulet looks tasty. It might be because it resembles a glowing tomato slice!

Great picture.

[Xanthalas]

Y'lissana gazed at the legion of beasts before them, having to witness the undescribable and consider the unthinkable, she stepped back reflexively to feel Rykolyn's lithe form behind her.

Leaning against him she continued to stare fearfully at the scene in front of her, barely even hearing the warm whisper upon her cheek and ear.
"Do not be afraid of them Y'lissana. There are much more frightening things to witness..."

And with a gesture and a few arcane words, Rykolyn called forth a power admidst the legion to defend Rykolyn and the young Moon Elf. Y'lissana's mouth fell slightly agape as she uttered faintly...

"Oh... Pike..."

First off, I would like to point out that I indeed provided the information, both with IG events and RP, but with RL comments, and aide. But my aid stops there. Mephistophelina quite humbly fails to point out the countless hours, (And I bet I have a rough idea of how many hours she poured into this.)

I wish I could say I feel spoiled. But my ego knows no bounds. *Wink* Though truly I am blessed. Her talent is shown in many subtle ways. For instance Rykolyn's skin. A perfect example of my words turned to visual art by her talent. His eyes a burning reminder of her complete command and grasp of artistic expression. I wish I could truly put to words the absoloute awe and wonder I have at such a work. But I cannot.

I do however want to point out that the man in this picture, Is in everyway how I pictured Rykolyn, and would like to publicly thank her for the wonderful honor she has done me. Not only with such admirable talent, But showing others what I seemed to be unable to explain. Also Y'lissana was no small feat, That expression quite deliberatly portrays a bit of the relationship between the unlikely pair. As Mephistophelina quite aptly put words to her that were repeated in the caption above, which I can only hope are worthy and befitting this incredible work of art. Y'lissana's form and beauty have very specific notes that could be touched upon. Which I will leave to Mephistophelina to do. But simply, She captured quite perfectly the essence of Y'lissana, being horribly disgustingly cute, in such a beautiful manner, That it is hard to define.

Other details can be appreciated though never fully comprehended, Such as the reflection of the fiend in the wall behind them, and the carefully worked hair, Painted -by hand-. I may have inspired her, and I am honored and touched to have done so. Truly a blessing is but a reflection of the amazing work of art, My sweet Mephistophelina has set free from the imagination between ouir respective characters.

Thank you Mephistophelina.

[Mephistophelina]

Okay, back now.

Wow Xan, that was so sweet.

For those of you who might care, this is a multi-media digital piece, begun in Poser for the figure design, scened and rendered in 3DStudioMax R8 and postworked in Photoshop. All the textures are custom and yeah, the hair is painted on (digitally), which is a severe pain the rear but 3D hair still doesn't look as well as my handwork. I enjoy doing this kind of thing, and I think this is one of my best pieces.

You can check out my portfolio here: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/ ... r_id=70671

Y'lissana has a fairly high charisma, and I RP that in her feminine charm and beauty. I think that's shown well here as she watches Rykolyn summon "that piking demon" to their aid. It drives her bonkers that he uses a balor.

About Ryk & Liss

There's been some question as to how in the Nine Hells a moon elf ended up paired with a drow. Moon elves are the most tolerant and open-minded of the elf races, and she was born and raised in Sigil. As a city-girl, she's seen just about every conceivable kind of race living together, if not in harmony, at least with Lady of Pain-enforced tolerance. She'd seen a few drow, but never up close, and they'd always seemed busy. No one ever told her about the conflict between elves and drow, as few in Sigil give a cranium rat's ass.

Y'lissana is slowly and by measures learning about the drow culture, but Rykolyn is mindful of what he says. For a long time she just thought a drow was a dark-skinned elf with a sort of exotic appeal. She is lawful neutral and with her diverse Sigilian background, slow to discern absolute morality from a person's race. It never occured to her to think ill of him because he is drow. She doesn't think he's evil... just grumpy.

For a long time, Rykolyn tolerated her with a kind of reserved condescending patience, which she wore thin on a regular basis with her silly ways and ignorance of drow cultural propriety. Having never known anyone of such power, she came to depend upon him for protection and guidance. Not since her late parents has anyone shown so much care for her. Of course, she didn't realize that his idea of "care" was quite a bit less to do with emotion and more to do with pragmatism and principle.

It was not until an Illithid descended upon Mirtho Rest, paralyzing everyone else -- including Rykolyn -- that this dynamic changed. Initially she fled from instinct, but she found the idea of never seeing Rykolyn again due to her own cowardice and inaction to be more frightening than the Illithid, and so she turned around and attempted to save him at great risk to herself. This changed the relationship between them, and since that day, Rykolyn has been staunchly loyal to her.

From loyalty grew a love that is both passionate and tumultuous, as they fundamentally do not understand each other and often speak at cross-purposes, resulting in explosive arguments that usually end in tears... or tears into the Plane of Fire.

I really enjoy RPing this pair. Xan and I don't pull our punches with them, which makes roleplaying this most unlikely couple both fascinating and challenging. They are their opposites in almost every conceivable way, but they help each other develop, often at the expense of their respective sanity. And of course, being a girl, I cannot help but enjoy the moments when a hopelessly lovelorn Ryk is being startlingly passionate and sweet... though woe betide the hapless individual who crosses his threshold thinking him any less sinister and cruel just because he gives his girl candy. If anything, it makes him more likely to... well, let me not spoil the fun by telling. Heh.

They are each other's weakness and strength ((which I highly recommend a DM take advantage of)), and I hope that was captured in this portrait.

Xan, I love ya, my dark angel.

- M.

[Xanthalas]

Diamonds are often referred to as the hardest stone.
But moreso lies within the broken heart I onced condone.
But softened it could, and as it should be.
With this beautiful thing that has been granted to me.

[NWDuneAuron]

A dragon eats you.

There, DMed. NEXT!

[Lord Droke]

Poser!!! You mean you didn't model them yourself!!!! The humanity!!!

LOL, just kidding, great work, Im loving it. Makes me want to go into Max and start work on Vil.

[Mephistophelina]

A dragon eats you. There, DMed. NEXT!

That already happened once this week... no, twice. Dragon-eating is so yesterday. *sighs plaintively* Oh well... I guess I'll just have to come up with my own ways to torture our PCs. Where is Xan? Hmph. At work. *mutters*

Poser!!! You mean you didn't model them yourself!!!! The humanity!!!

Model human figures from scratch when I'm not being paid?!?!

*coughs*... ow....

I don't love our PC's that much. I used Zbrush, but that's as good as it gets for pretend people in a game. I came this close <> to making Vilmiathien, too, but I didn't want to be presumptuous. Also, I realized that I'd never zoomed in close to see what exactly she's wearing.

Now I wanna see. Make Vil!

- M.

[Blaatmeister]

Ooh, very nice.

[levis pie]

wow, those look great! nice work!!

[Zelle]

she was born and raised in Sigil. As a city-girl, she's seen just about every conceivable kind of race living together, if not in harmony, at least with Lady of Pain-enforced tolerance. She'd seen a few drow, but never up close, and they'd always seemed busy. No one ever told her about the conflict between elves and drow, as few in Sigil give a cranium rat's ass.

o.O If Zale ever finds that out that could be interesting, her home town as well. She made quite a few faux pas around Hala because of it. Might be a reason for her to come out of "hiding" to say hi

She tended to approve of "nice" people and hate "mean" people, becoming buddy-buddy with crazed necromasters and freeing meanie slavers cows

The really weird thing is i played her once before on a PW . . . where she had a relationship with a drow (that does not figure into "this" zale's backstory though) that sounded oddly similiar to your interaction between you two.

Anyways, as an artist myself, your portrait is indeed beautitiful.

[Mephistophelina]

She tended to approve of "nice" people and hate "mean" people, becoming buddy-buddy with crazed necromasters and freeing meanie slavers cows

That's so funny; Y'lissana is just like that. She'll make up her mind in a snap whether someone is "nice" or "mean", winding her up counting her friends as a githyanki refugee from the Astral who seems to be neurotic, a very odd psionic human who seems so very sweet; a cruel, heartless drow wizard who she thinks is just a misunderstood darling of a man...

As a matter of fact, she likes just about everyone who doesn't show hostility toward her. The only person she's hated so far was Vilmiathien, but even then, in her heart of hearts she thinks that Vil just had a bad childhood or something.

Y'lissana is developing this theory, however, that for some reason probably having to do with the "well known fact" that Hala is categorically inferior to Sigil in both culture and civility, she cannot seem to leave Ryk's house without some kind of chaos occuring often winding up with a dragon trying to eat her or someone deciding that her attempts at levity and diffusion of hositilities are proof of her stupidity.

Heh. She's not stupid.

- M.

[Zelle]

*grins* Man they would be best friends, very similiar world view hehe