Character Codex Round 10 - Gnome Barbarian and Bard

April 30, 2014 Than Gibson

Welcome back to the Character Codex! We're working our way through all 77 core race and class combination in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. We just finished up the elves and this week we're beginning the invasion of the gnomes! That's 22 down! you can see them all in the Character Codex Gallery.

Also, if you use a virtual tabletop you can pick up free tokens every week for the latest entries. If you're looking for dwarves or elves, you can pick up each 11 piece token set over in the Artist's Store. These tokens are already formatted and sized to import into any virtual tabletop program like Roll 20 for example.

And now, on with the gnomes!

First up, we have the Gnome Barbarian. Part caveman, part Celtic warrior, this little guy makes up for his size with his fury.

Gnomes in Chronicle tend to be very civilized and intellectual. So this guy is a great departure right off the bat. What's not to love about a feral gnome?!

Next up we have the gnome bard. This is more like the gnomes of Chronicle. Gnomes in Chronicle are sponges for knowledge. When they come of age, they devote themselves to a field of study and join that field's bureau. A gnome's bureau is its family. Gnomes are not interested in recording blood lineages, but rather pass down the great breakthroughs and discoveries of those in the bureau before them.

This particular gnome would be using the Archivist alternate class features.
I love the Naturalist ability for this alternate class. Basically, the bard carries around a Bestiary and looks up monsters then tells everyone how to beat it. I imagine that's what she's doing here - checking her notes on how to tame an owlbear maybe.

That's it this week! Next week, come back for the gnome cleric and the gnome druid. The gnome cleric is one of my all-time favorite Chronicle characters and fans of the original series will be happy to see his reappearance. So make sure to come back next week!

Character Codex Round 9 - Elf Sorcerer and Elf Wizard

April 23, 2014 Than Gibson

Greetings Chroniclers! Welcome to another week of the Character Codex!

This week we're wrapping up the Month of Elves! So make sure to get your free Virtual Tabletop Tokens before next week! All of the elves will be bundled into a low-cost downloadable bundle after that. Speaking of which, stay tuned to The Chronicler's Notes because there will be more downloadable content coming very soon!

Next week we'll begin the Gnomes! I can't wait to get started on these guys, especially some of the unusual combinations like Gnome Barbarian or Gnome Paladin. Until then let's take a look at our last two elves!

First up is the elf sorcerer. He looks similar to the Elf Bard and with good reason. These two are brothers! They are both from the noble family, House Etyr (Et-ear).

House Etyr is noted for having a very strong bloodline of sorcery. They are proud of that lineage and resent that the Celesyn king has chosen to diplomatically align with the wizards of the Brotherhood of the Threefold Path.

This particular elf is one of the younger siblings of the Etyr family. He is flashy and full of rage. I've given him a few scars on his face as he's been in several battles and loves spell duels. Fire is his preferred element, coinciding with his temperament.

Black and red are traditionally House Etyr's, setting them apart from the usual greens, yellows, and browns of other elves.

Up next is the Elf Wizard. She is a member of Awyr (aw-ear), the royal house of Celeque, though a distant cousin to the king. The king has made it a priority that any magically gifted children in House Awyr should immediately be schooled by the Brotherhood. This is a sign of good faith between the king and the Brotherhood. As such, she is also a member of the Brotherhood of the Threefold Path.

As a member of the White Order, she is tasked with mediation, diplomacy, and healing. White robes are called in whenever the peace needs to be maintained or restored. They are the most public of the three orders and are seen as the face of the Brotherhood. This order has unlocked the mystery of Arcane Healing. Since magical healing has almost exclusively belonged to the divine powers of the gods, this has drawn both intrigue and ire from non-wizards.

Her robes are travelling robes, designed for adventure and walking. She also has more formal robes to be worn when she is at a Brotherhood academy.

Character Codex Round 8 - Elf Paladin, Ranger, and Rogue

April 16, 2014 Than Gibson

Welcome to another week of the Character Codex, where I'm drawing my way through all 77 race/class combinations in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Core Rulebook, giving each one a Chronicle twist.

As always, you can check out the whole Character Codex Gallery and pick up some free Virtual Tabletop Tokens.

Now, onto this week's characters!

First up is the Elf Paladin. Sticking with the traditional Japanese theme that I've been working with, I felt that elven paladins would very much mirror the samurai of feudal Japan. They adhere to a strict warrior code of honor all in the service of their lord, in the case of these paladins, the goddess Belagaea. Belagaea's paladins protect the wild like her druids and rangers do. But, they also are tasked to aid the temples and keep the peace of nature.

This particular paladin is a Celasyn. Her tight hair bun and composure are signs of a more civilized upbringing. Sasyn paladins are rare, but not unheard of. They tend to be a bit more rough around the edges and are seen as a bit of an oddity.

I wanted the paladin to reflect the elf cleric's robes of green and yellow while at the same time being able to wade into battle. Her samurai-styled armor is made of magically hardened wood called Ironwood. I went with a basic katana for her sword, but I would change that up to an elven longsword for some flavor if I were to redo it.

Second, we have the Elf Ranger. This is Jade, a Celasyn ranger who spends most of his time in the deep woods hunting lizardfolk. His green hair is a trademark of his family, House Comet. House Comet is known for producing only the most elite of rangers. Somewhere in House Comet's past a minor curse was placed on them that they would always stick out by having unusual hair color. No one in house Comet has a "traditional" elven hair color.

Jade's bow is a powerful magical weapon with an elven name that translates roughly to "Mother's Tears." It is recognized by the blindfolded, winged, elf whose neck the bowstring ties around.

Jade's protege is Lex, the Elf Rogue below. His serious demeanor is often a counterpoint to her lively ways. Both of these characters were to be part of the cast of the original Chronicle comic book series.

Finally, we come to the Elf Rogue. This Lex, a Sasyn elf girl who partners with Jade the Elf Ranger. Lex is a counterbalance to Jade with her free spirit and feisty attitude. She prefers the rogue skill set to the ranger skill set, though she has become quite good with a bow. She would rather be the stealthy scout than the noble hunter.

Her signature two-tone wild hair possibly comes from her human maternal grandfather (technically making her 3/4 elf) who may have had a bit of sorcery in his blood. She wears the same leather wrapping "breeches" as the previously seen elf barbarian and druid.

Lex made one appearance in issue #0 of the original Chronicle comic book, however she was to be a main character of the series. I hope to some day revisit her and Jade.

Character Codex Round 5 - Elf Barbarian and Elf Bard

March 26, 2014 Than Gibson

Here we are with another round of the Character Codex!

In case you're new here, this is what's going on. I'm working my way through every race and class combination in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. You can see the Dwarves over at the Character Codex Gallery. There are also Virtual Tabletop Tokens if you want to use them in the virtual tabletop of your choice.

It's the Month of Elves here at Chronicle and we're kicking it off with the Elf Barbarian and Elf Bard. I'm trying something different with the elves. I picked up the Frenden Wash Brushes awhile back and thought I'd break them out for the elves. It's an experiment but I'm digging it so far. As we move forward, let me know what you think in the comments.

So up first is the female Elf Barbarian. She's a Saysyn from the Crow Clan. I gave her a glaive and some basic leather riding armor because I can see her riding atop a Dire Raven that she's trained. She can use the glaive as either a makeshift lance while riding her Dire Raven or to slash at opponents from a distance.

I am SUPER pleased with how this turned out. Tony DiTerlizzi is one of my favorite artists and I think I may have "touched the hem of his robe" here.

Up next is the Elf Bard. He's a Celasyn and has been travelling the world performing as a stage magician. This is actually a preliminary design for a character we'll meet later this year in the comic, so I don't want to talk about him too much just yet, but I love the idea of a stage magician trying to get by in a world where magic is so commonplace.

I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of this design. So he will probably look different when he shows up in the comic. But, for now, I think he fits the bill.

That's it for this week! Check back next week for the Elf Cleric and the Elf Druid! Also, make sure to come back tomorrow for New Strip Thursday over at the Chronicle Comic!

As always, if you like what you see here, please share or re-tweet it with your friends on social media. Leave me some comments and feedback. Finally, if you REALLY like what you see, consider leaving a tip in the Tip Jar or picking up a commissioned drawing over in the Artist's Shop.

See you tomorrow!

THAN

The Chronicler's Notes - Name That Rogue Contest! - March 10th, 2014

March 10, 2014 Than Gibson

Welcome to another week at Chronicle!

Last week's strip had 25 Rogues in it! I had a lot of fun drawing it and putting in some of the scoundrels and thieves that have influenced my characters over the years. To commemorate, I'm launching Chronicle's first contest:

NAME THAT ROGUE!

All you have to do is click on this CONTEST LINK and name as many rogues as you can (the two Chronicle characters appear multiple times, you only have to name them once each) and leave your name, address, and email.* The person with the most correct names wins! In the event of a tie, a winner will be randomly selected.

This contest will run for one (1) week. All entries must be submitted by March 16th, 2014.

The winner will be announced next week in the March 17th Chronicler's Notes.

THE PRIZE

A full color commissioned drawing of any one(1) character of your choice**. It can be your own or someone else's. The drawing will be done digitally and then printed on 8" x 10" bristol board suitable for framing. I will then sign it personally and send it to the winner!

* Contact information will only be used to communicate with the winner and not sold or distributed in any way.
** Commission requests must be no worse than PG in nature.