The Hero of Halas

One of my first projects was actually a gift from someone on instagram to his brother. When he inquired about working on a piece together, he'd sent some great information about how much this game meant to his sibling and some screenshots for character reference. I then asked a few follow-up questions, including some favorite zones, moments, places, etc. Again, we get a background narrative about returning home, as the favorite zone - like my other piece about the three alts - was Halas, the home of their Barbarian character.

As a result, I started to think what a return home for a top-tier character might even look like. What would be the end journey for someone who'd ventured off to the tombs and ruins of Kunark, then over to the icy fortresses and lairs of Velious? Not just from a player perspective, but what would a BARBARIAN top-tier Warrior's return home look like? My thoughts were that he'd probably want to bring a head back as a trophy. The Barbarians in Norrath have some mixes of Northern European tribal elements to them. The kilts, names and body paint all lean Scottish/Pict, but the snowy lifestyles tend to go more Scandinavian. So, if we were to mix Viking and Woad Raider together, they'd probably use the imposing task of carrying a dragon's head back with their own strength as a show of their place in the pack, so to speak.

When I sent the painting, I wrote a small excerpt about his character's journey from Velious back to Halas. People on boats, roads, taverns, and villages stopped to gawk at him. Not that he needed to much of the time, but if he needed to pay for food or shelter, he would do so by prying out a tooth or removing a scale. These items would go on to be traded, or kept as family heirlooms. Upon returning to Halas, he found that his people had built a bridge on what used to be a ferry ride to their city. They knew that there was no way they could get a boat large enough to carry him and the head across in that small body of water. Instead, they erected a structure and named it after the hero, so he could walk across it and complete his journey.

It's a lot, I know, but sometimes things just come to you. It happened a lot during these, and it meant a great deal to the recipient. In the moment, I'm having a hard time capturing the words around how their enjoyment of the creation makes me feel. It's not as hollow as an ego inflation by their praise or enjoyment. It's more like a shared feeling or experience. My work made them very happy, and that in turn makes me very happy. All things considered, I'm good with leaving it at that.