Character Codex - Round 19 - Halfling Rogue and Sorcerer

July 2, 2014 Than Gibson

Greetings Chroniclers! Welcome back to the Character Codex!

We're drawing our way through all 77 race/class combinations in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. We're showing off the Halfling Rogue and Sorcerer today. The last halfling, the Halfling Wizard, will post up before next week's entry as a bonus entry so stay tuned! If you've missed any previous entries you can catch up HERE!

Virtual tabletop players, make sure to pick up some free tokens suitable for use in any virtual tabletop environment. The halflings will only be around for one more week!

Want to support the Character Codex? Have me draw your own personal RPG character! RPG Character Sketches are inexpensive and a great way to show off your characters unique qualities. You can find out more about that HERE!

Now, let's take a look at this week's Halflings!

First up is the Halfling Rogue. She is a duelist with expertise in catching her enemy off guard. I gave her a leather jerkin for a bit of armor, but for the most part she relies on her swiftness for defense. I imagine that she uses that scarf as a trip technique.

This rogue is based off one of the original Chronicle characters, a Caun named Demerus. She was a rogue that found a fallen paladin and served as his squire in hopes of helping him find his path again, I loved their story and hate that I've never gotten to tell it. Maybe one day!

Next up is the Halfling Sorcerer. I like to show that sorcerers can be anyone and this guy is another example. There's nothing special about him, just a caun who is probably part of a caravan. But, when the caravan is threatened he can bring the fire and take care of the danger.

He's had a Sorcerer's Surge or two in his time, as shown by the green hair. I also put a crackle of energy inside his fireball. I like the idea that magic effects have a crackle to them as they disperse the raw ethereal energy.

That's it for this week's update! Keep an eye out for the Halfling Wizard, coming in the next couple of days. Next week, we kick off the half-elves!

The Chronicler's Notes - Five months in and many more to go! - June 30, 2014

June 30, 2014 Than Gibson

Greetings Chroniclers!

Welcome to another week here at Chronicle as we close out our fifth month! I want to thank everyone who has continued to support Chronicle and help it grow. As always, I want to let you guys know how things are doing. We leveled off from the huge month of May and seem to be cruising right at 5,000 page views. That is fantastic in my opinion. For such a young comic I am very happy with that number. We passed our 10,000th unique visitor this month and are averaging about 2.5 page views per visit, which means that people are curious enough to click around before leaving.

So, heading towards the half year mark, what does all of that mean? It means that Chronicle has found its footing and is going to keep going. We will most likely hit the end of Chapter One by the six month mark. I had written out this first chapter and thought I would see where the comic went. If it got some attention, we would go further. If not, hey we gave it a good shot. But, there is definitely some attention. So we will wrap up Chapter One soon and keep moving forward!

One of the things that I have had trouble with was a good descriptor for Chronicle. I usually say it's a fantasy rpg based webcomic. But boy is that a mouthful. Instead, I have found a term that fits it very well: Swordpunk. What is swordpunk? Well, better that you ask G. Derek Adams, author of Spell/Sword and James D. Cormier the writer who tipped me to the term through the r/fantasy Subreddit. Basically it's fantasy that is aware it's fantasy and has fun being fantasy.

When I read these two blog posts, I had a moment of clarity. I understand my goal for Chronicle a bit more. I still want to build a world and I still want to breathe life into it, but I don't want to get so mired down in the mechanics and details that I forget to write a fun story. I want to take those fantasy tropes that have sat so long they have grown moss and roll them over exposing something fresh rather than toss them away. I think I've already done that some and will continue to push that envelope.

Finally, I've had a lot of people ask me if their kids can read Chronicle. Absolutely! I grew up with fantasy that could be read by everyone and I want to continue that tradition. There is a time and a place for "grimdark fantasy" like Game of Thrones and I love it. But I also love it when my young cousins or my friends' kids say they're enjoying the comic.

So, what is Chronicle? All-Ages Swordpunk, has a nice ring to it.

Fun Art Friday - Star Wars Kids - Little Han

June 26, 2014 Than Gibson

This is the first in a series of kid Star Wars characters. I grew up playing at being Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. So, I thought it would be fun to see them as kids at play! Obviously I will do the main cast. But what other Star Wars characters would you like to see as a kid? What would they be playing with? Leave a comment below!

Character Codex - Round 18 - Halfling Paladin and Ranger

June 25, 2014 Than Gibson

Greetings Chroniclers! Welcome back to the Character Codex!

We're drawing our way through all 77 race/class combinations in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. We're showing off the Halfling Paladin and Ranger today. If you've missed any previous entries you can catch up HERE!

Virtual tabletop players, make sure to pick up some free tokens suitable for use in any virtual tabletop environment.

Finally, the t-shirts in the Artist's Shop are ON SALE for $14 through Friday! If you are a fan of Guardians of the Galaxy, Firefly, Game of Thrones, or How to Train Your Dragon, you should go check them out!

Now, let's take a look at this week's Halflings!

First up is the Halfling Paladin. She is a paladin of Jul, the god of travel and inspiration in Chronicle. Jul's colors are green and blue to represent the land and sea, where Jul's followers strike out for the next journey. As the Caun (as they are called in Chronicle) were not an original race, but a happy accident from the union of an elf and a fey (most likely a leprechaun, hence the similar name and penchant for hoarding), Jul became their adoptive "mother." She delights in their free spirit and unfathomable depths of cleverness.

This particular Caun is a "knight of the crossroads." It is her sacred duty to travel the roads, keeping them safe for other travelers and helping those in need. I gave her a spear, because I imagine she is particularly adept at mounted combat, probably from a pony. However, I could see her atop riding dog!

Next, is the Halfling Ranger. This guy is less of a defender of the wild and more of a guide and explorer. He seeks uncharted lands, forgotten tombs, and ancient gold. I gave him leather clothes that provide a bit of protection but lots of mobility for climbing through ruins. The spyglass and compass would most likely be magical higher levels.

I gave him silver hair as a bit of a change. I'm not sure it's a standard color for halflings but maybe it's part of a backstory!

That's it for this week! Make sure to come back tomorrow for Chronicle, as Autumn continues to try to keep her world in order.

The Chronicler's Notes - Answers and Questions - June 23rd, 2014

June 23, 2014 Than Gibson

Well Met Chroniclers!

I wanted to give you a few quick updates as to how things are going. June's been a great month, not as good as May, but you guys are still keeping the numbers looking great. Thanks again for your continued support. You guys are awesome!

Let's talk schedules for a second. You may have noticed that a few things haven't gotten updated lately. I had about three days last week where I wasn't able to hardly see with my left eye. So, I had to rush on the big stuff and let some stuff slide. That being said, I'm playing catch up. So, I will not be updating the Chronicler's Notes and World of Chronicle for awhile. I'm still here and I still want to communicate with you guys so here's where you can find me on social media:

Lastly, let's talk merchandise. As you guys have seen with Rocket Jayne and Girls and Their Dragons, I'm branching out into the t-shirt business. But I want to start getting some Chronicle merchandise going as well. I can slap the logo on stickers, buttons, t-shirts, etc. and probably will. But, what would you really like to see? Art prints and posters? Characters on items? So, here's my question to you: What Chronicle merchandise would you be willing to buy?

Leave a comment below if you have ideas or drop a note on one of the social media sites above.

Also, feel free to leave a comment in general! I love getting feedback from my readers and having good conversations with people who love the things I do.

Have a great week and see you on Wednesday!