From the Collection: Tower Party: The Spear Bearers and One Nameless one

Paintings by simulation of: Esmeralla Diamond, Iglesi Diatanti, Ron Spencer, Mixer-of-Oils, Oda Echiiro.

[[[[[Painting notes: This collection of art, found in the back of the Juggernaut after the group left the floor, is an eclectic mix of tastes and simulated artists, some with personal relationships with the subjects, others not at all related. Of the pieces, many are 'everyday' scenes, curated to cover a period of several days spent on the floor. Commentary has been provided by a quest given to Iglesi Diatanti III, an experienced art critic, in exchange for a copy of any paintings his grandfather would have made, should he have been observing the team as they had dinner and/or relations. He was awarded all paintings as thanks for his help. This selection omits some paintings that were very similar involving using [Flow-Like-Water] against monsters over and over in a variety of styles and a few very detailed illustrations of mating we decided would be more appealing inside the imagination that the commentator did not bother to comment on.]]]]]

Painting 1: Arrival

A wide composition showing the group arriving on floor [Paintings][Altered Reality][Altered Time movement][Possible output: Oil, Ink, Crayon, Digital, Crystal Print, Plasma Gas arrays][Large Land mass][Large Objective spread][Many Doors][Mountain Landscape][Cliffs and Waterfalls][Forests and plains][Interesting weather][Focused Lighting][Bridges][Outlooks][Monsters: Hydrawls, Feather Fencers, Stoper Chymes, Mold Mimics, Minor Dragons, Painted Chimeras, Furslugs, Cloud Wolves][Pastoral Painting Fauna][Notorious Monster][Some Towns][Some Dungeons]. I don't know what most of that means but I can guess.

The painting shows the party, lead by Corvayne... whom the system informed me is not a vampire despite his name, emerging from a glowing orange stairway into a vast wilderness. The central figure is Corvayne, standing with his spear and a pose on a bluff that represents his pride, direction, and likely his phallus given that the painter has three of the five female subjects gazing subtly at it's tip.

Corvayne is the center and focus the eye is drawn to, dressed in swirling white cloth and centurion armor that has been peeled off to reveal his muscles, with a kingly red velvet set of trousers, the kind of wear one would have in court rather then in the field where it would be impractical and likely mudcaked. He is stoically looking forward, but has a single foxglove tucked into his belt.

Behind him is Spears-Like Water, rendered as a slime for some reason. The painter expertly captures the rays of light from the sun above diffusing through her liquid form, possibly representing the glorious system (Thank you for this quest!) or some less important god. Her breasts are bare from the diaphanous veil around her. The painter suggests via shadowing that she is cold. Her pose suggests support and devotion, and lines up both with Corvayne's face and the tip of the spear. We can assume from the Carnation in her hair that she feels love. The color of the slime is a sort of bright turquoise,

Princess Bellithica is behind them, red hair flowing with the wind. She also has a bare chest, one hand covering it or trying to marshal her diaphanous strip of cloth, the other framed by her hair pointing at a peak in the distance. The painter, despite having her topless, has painted a pair of metal greaves and a blade by her side, as well as an overlarge musket. The painter has placed a Marigold in her hair to suggest her jealous nature she is trying to overcome.

Lady Blood Claw, is that really her name? Please scrape that off the parchment. As I was saying, the Illustrious Lady Blood Claw, also certainly not a vampire as I was told to say by my patron, lingers behind them. Her gaze is directed at Corvayne with a glare, as if she blames him. The way she is clutching her rippling white cloth to her bare chest suggests she is not happy to be rendered topless in this first painting, as does the red tone the artist picked for her skin, suggesting anger at her shirt missing. Her drow features otherwise speak to wisdom and restraint with her tall frame suggesting martial prowess, as does the large weapon she carries marked by a trinity knot. In her hair is a single Daffodil, but the hand covering her chest is clutching a few more.

On the other side of Corvayne is Preshe, a fully armored figure with pink skin and clear purple eyes. She has been given a white cape that flutters behind her, but is clutched in one hand to suggest innocence. She is looking at Corvayne's face. A Celtic knot on her own sword suggests the role of a daughter. The painter also has etched into her armor Lythandies holding a Gladiolus. The goddess, if one looks at the painting carefully, does not have a shirt on.

Mosh'po, the Goblin, stands off to the side of Preshe, also gazing forth in excitement at some unseen wonder. Rendered in all black, the figure perhaps representing darkness that they bring along. He's their friend? Goodness. Don't goblins usually... Please scrape that. I was speaking to our patron. Anyway, Goblins are figures of rapid growth and rapid change, perhaps attached to our hero to represent a fast rise and equally fast fall? The scars on the figure might be past adversity that is now growth, or may be the painter trying to capture the possible danger that the figure most excited to go forward represents.

He is not wearing a shirt, instead having a rich green scarf, perhaps another nod to Lythandies, as is the small wood shield at his belt.

June is looking towards the Goblin, holding roses. She has also failed to find her shirt before venturing into the wilderness. Many symbols of Lythandies and artifice adorn her, including a seed pendant placed around her neck, the black lotus clamping the diaphanous white cloth she wore as pants to her navel, the wood sword and shield resting at her side. The way she is looking back means that the viewer will also look back to Corvayne's foot, a nice trick of the painter to keep the eye on the main subject.

The Juggernaut, a character itself, is halfway out of it's Truck shell, showing off a scaly belly. The noble beast is strong, his gaze lining up with Corvayne's face in the painting, as if to suggest the steed was ready to press on another thousand miles. The painter perhaps got distracted because they added some hunting dogs that would be as large as a wagon if the perspective and my own notes hold. Perhaps they just like hunting dogs.

The last figure is on the other flank the triangle of main subjects. Gylwin is rendered as an elf with many limbs wreathed in silk, on a tree. A green orchid is tucked into her hair, and the single eye pointed at the viewer as well as the exaggerated blade might suggest the painter was afraid of what would happen if she was topless.

Painting 2: We are in a (Fornicating Painting?)

In this, the figures from the previous work are gathered around the side of the Juggernaut. All of them are arrayed so that the center of the piece is the painting, which is a smaller reproduction of painting 1, Arrival. There is a forest scene and blue sky framing the center of the work.

Corvayne as always is considering the painting, stoic and tall. He has fully removed his shirt, and is rendered with a layer of sweat.

Conversly, Lady Blood Claw is pointing at the cloth she has tied around her chest then the painting. Again, we see Red as the primary color. Her body language leaps off the painting, as if to say, 'Why did they drew ME topless?' She has perhaps not noticed the clam shell a cloth is suspending on her being the only thing keeping the viewer from seeing everything.

Bell and Spears stand behind her and Corvayne respectively, the princess showing anger while also keeping one hand firmly over her chest, the other over her crotch. Spears is leaning on Corvayne and showing us her back and surprisingly well rendered posterior, the faint smile we can see from her profile face suggesting that the painting is pleasing and hinting of a teasing nature.

Preshe is covering her face, embarrassment at the content of the painting or perhaps of how she is displayed. Once more, she is fully armored with a black lotus in her hair, suggesting Lythandies's favor and her own purity.

The Juggernaut itself is rolling it's titanic eyes. Some hounds are bothering a chicken at the other side of the painting, and there is a table full of cheeses and meats and fruits, with Mosh dressed as a Franciscan monk toasting the proceedings. The other side has what seem to be a few horses grazing on loads of flowers. If one guessed that the system is simulating a painter, perhaps the store of flowers is what the models for the group will need for the next few paintings.

Panting 3: Oh no!

One of the hounds has knocked over Moshes wine cup, and now the girls are chasing after it! Corvayne is calling them to stop.

The other hound and chicken are seemingly shouting at the fleeing dog. The disaster is taking a nap, and Gylwin can be spotted eyeing the remaining feast on the table.

Painting 4: Time me.

Rendered in black in white with tone paper and ink. Corvaynes stern face is looking with a clothed but hour glass figured Lady Blood Claw at a stopwatch.

Spears has a big grin on her face, and is fully clothed with goggles. The disaster has googly eyes, and the animals from previously are lined up as if the preceedings are a race. Everything is rendered in linework, dots, and many hatching effects that suggest textures despite the lively exaggeration of features.

Painting 5: NO WAY?!

Similar to the previous work, Corvayne's face is stern and he's looking at the stopwatch. Lady Blood Claw's mouth has fallen to the floor, her eyes are shaped as if popping out of her skull in a grotesque exaggeration of surprise. Lightning is drawn around her. We see the watch has moved an hour. In the background, Spears has a trophy and is being tossed in the air by the horse, two dogs, a chicken the size of a horse, and Juggernaut, all somehow having opposable thumbs even if they did not before.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Painting 6: The Group Rides with Cloud Wolves Down a Waterfall

Similar in design to the previous works, but in vivid blocks of color. There is no reason why this painting should be in the sequence, as the Cloud Wolves are clearly monsters, do not appear in any of the battle paintings, nor is there a waterfall or river, nor were the cast wearing gear for camping or rafting, nor did we see anything that suggested they had rafts with wolf faces on them.

They are all having fun however, and while rendered in ink the author accounted for every piece of food in the previous feast and has someone in the image, human or animal, snacking on it.

Painting 7: Setting up camp.

A pastoral scene, the group each taking tasks. Corvayne has lost his shirt still, but Spears, Lady Blood Claw, and Bell seem to be wearing extra layers. A hint of flowing white cloth can be seen under the clothes they have piled on. June is comfortably washing clothes in a nearby stream, and Mosh is fishing near her.

The warm color of the fire that Gylwin has started and the glow of lanterns on Juggernaut suggest the point the sun has just gone down, as does the cascade of colors the sky is painted in. The hounds, the chicken, and the horse have settled down next to the Juggernaut, whom is smoking a pipe that mingles with the gentle smoke rising from the fire.

The tasks and methodology and style of both worn and excess clothes June has washed and strung out to dry suggest this is meant to evoke the Archibald Romantacist painters of floor 20 who often would go out on patrol with the Dukes guards and paint their camping and patrols of the floor. The eye is drawn the warm places in this painting and thus the subjects who are arrayed around bright spots as if to stay warm.

Painting 8: Dancing around the fire.

Bright, exaggerated colors contrast with darkness. Painted as if through the eyes of someone sitting at the campfire, we can see Corvayne faintly smiling, and Preshe next to him laughing. Where the canvas is not the dark of night, the colors pop out, as if one was in a daytime market on a tropical floor rather then sitting at a fire at a camp.

Before the bonfire itself, we see Spears dancing with the chicken, the animal standing on her hind legs with wings out as Spears crouches to hold it's 'hands'. She is dressed in red and yellow bands of cloth, leaving parts of her alluringly open. The warm glow of the fire lines her body where it's not covered, and we can see her laughing, one hand extended to Corvayne as if to invite him to dance. Lady Blood Claw sits to the side, wine bottle next to her, clapping along. Bell is facing outwards, hands crossed but gazing back, as if torn between staying vigilant and watching the fire. We can see Mosh crafting an instrument out of the fire itself.

The other figure who looks either tense or pensive is Gylwin, locked in a staring contest with the fire and perhaps cradling the simple meal she has. The only hint of danger in the painting is her sword, positioned so she can draw it at a moments notice.

The animals from the previous paintings can be seen as shadows in the foreground on the left side, sipping drinks perhaps.

Painting 9: Teeth Cleaning

Framed in a green border. The painting (Drawing, as I am told this is colored pencils, a novel idea) shows Corvayne, rendered with bulging and gleaming muscles but sleepy, brushing his teeth. Preshe is nearby, also rendered athletic, brushing her teeth. The last figure is a sleepy Gylwin, spins rippling from her form, also half awake and brushing her teeth.

Painting 10: Hence the tags!

Corvayne with two girls tugging him as he reclines in bed. Spears at one side, teasing, covered in diaphanous white cloth, again, and Bell at his other side. He is clearly holding Spears hand, showing they are on the same page, while looking at Bell and tensing his arm as if he's about to pull them both together. The space looks to be an enlarged bedroom, which is artist fancy as what I know of the truck there are no spaces to sleep that are the size of sprawling nobles quarters, nor enough room for a circular bed that size. The dark background accentuates the girls and Corvayne and the white of the bed.

Despite the flowing cloth, the viewer is given a pretty good view of both girls. Yes, I already suspect this is my grandfather's simulacrum. Scrape that whole line.

There are hints of warmth in the 'black' interior of this painting, with browns and hints of red suggesting that while Bell seems annoyed, she is also flush with enjoyment, and the hint of her turning slightly towards Corvayne before he pulls is masterful painting of the female form and capturing a moment where we can guess, from the red trousers crumpled on the floor and scattered wine cups on the table, what came before and what will happen afterwards.

Painting 11: To arms!

A typical 'military slice of life' painting, it shows the entire group presumably the next morning, geared up for combat. Ornate full plate armor on Corvayne, Bell, and Spears, who are on horses whom have multiplied thrice from the original we saw in the painting, are marching past Gylwin, Preshe, and Lady Blood Claw.

Gylwin is standing straight and stern, as if telling Corvayne what he must do in the coming fight. The warrior on his steed seems thoughtful, hand poised to his helmeted head. Besides his armor he is given strawberry finery, to perhaps suggests his vitality or sweetness under the steely top half.

Beside them, Preshe adjusts Spears's saddle while the woman pats her steed. The easy confidence in Spears and the loving gaze Preshe has is matched by how their colors are mirrored in Preshe's aquamarine dress to Spears watery flesh. A lavender rose suggests admiration from Preshe.

The last two are Bell, reaching out from her mount to Lady Blood Claw. The posing reminds one of 'The Knights Depart' where one of the heroes in the painting reaches for a pregnant lady, presumably his wife, but sometimes suggested to be a tryst captured in art from how the woman in question hides her face with a hand as she sneaks a kiss from her lover, as if afraid of identification from the theoretical viewer. In this work, instead, Lady Blood Claw is sprouting the hint of a tree from her abdomen, a bit of blood staining her white dress. Bell is reaching down to ensure she is okay, but it feels like the subject of those attention, while one hand is holding the tree and wound, is also urging the warrior princess to go forward and fight.

The juggernaut and June look on from the foreground, both wearing crowns of flowers.

Painting 12: The Warriors Fight On!

An action scene, with mounts and monsters and the combatants all snarling and straining as dust flies. One can practically hear the winnowing of horses and clash of arms, the shouting of the two women and Corvayne and the snarl of beasts.

Presented in a clearing in a thicket, several birds with razor sharp beaks and presumably razor feathers they can fling are engaged with the trio circling them. One of the feathers has damaged the straps on Corvayne's armor and shirt, causing him to fight bare chested. His spear is gleaming as five copies of it race forward, suggesting multiple thrusts (or perhaps a form of arms that I am not familiar with) and Corvayne looks very pleased while also some how aloof, the faintest hint of a smirk. The few wounds we see are marked by black knives coming from him, and one can see shadowy hands swirling too, perhaps a hint of how death follows the warrior one way or another.

At the same time, Spears armor is flying away from a near miss by a creature that seems to be a multi-headed owlbear, trio of squawking heads about to face a scythe of water from her spear even as they lay her chest bare, again, the spray of water also hinting at a wound taken for one about to be given. Her expression is one of battle lust, ecstasy over fighting and hunting perhaps pushing through pain.

Bell, on the other hand, is firing a gun into a beast that resembles a blob with eyes. In the heat of swinging her sword at a bird, she had caught her armor on a branch, as the painter seems to enjoy rendering her half naked. Her embarassment is evident from her flush face, as is perhaps a hint of annoyance at the moment captured as one might think she is looking at the viewer and about to have her gun follow.

Painting 13: Lunch time by the river.

Another camp scene, painted from far enough away that if anyone's shirt fell apart or was dissolved by slime or pulled off by dogs running around camp, it would be too small to really see anything and thus none of those things happen, or it's by a different painter. Who knows. I am sure that watery and pale breasts will appear as phantasms of the wrong color should I close my eyes-

Do not transcribe that. Go back. Scrape! Good. This painter takes a long view of camp by the river. The heroes are walking their mounts into camp, laden with monsters. They all have heads held high, Bell even gesturing to her kill as Preshe holds a basket and acts awed. Spears marches with her weapon straight up, feathers from her kills placed in her hair to give her both a wild amazonian look or perhaps the stature of a centurion from rome, still at attention despite her victory.

The colors and distance suggest a more muted and everyday scene, one that even with a monster in the shell of a carriage you might imagine was happening every day a group of adventurers strode out, while still having hints of romanticism mixed in via subject if not medium.

Mosh is helping Gylwin cook a stew, while June is hanging hides up near the fire to smoke. Juggernaut rests with a chicken acting as look out. The hounds are running behind the group, once again adding a few newcomers as if they could smell the stewpot.

Corvayne's mount and him are surveying something that none of the other characters are looking at and his position suggests vision, scouting, heroics. As before, the clouds are shining down on him and the camp.

The vision of majestic mountains and the faint rendering of a black tower in the upper left might symbolize change, danger, or may simply be a manifestation of some aspect of the Tower itself, as many paintings have.

Painting 14: Tending to the sick

Lady Blood Claw, sitting up in bed and chest wrapped in silken gauze, holds Corvayne's hand. The warrior is dressed as a knight. The scene is lit in a light that suggests intimacy and gentleness, the warm light and how Lady Blood Claw has a pink camo coloration, suggesting pain moving to joy. One need not know the secret painted language of LBCS (I do not have a clue how I know this, either) to see that they look apon each other with love. Her mouth is about to open a little to tell him, and the tenderness and concern in Corvayne's gaze is a contrast to the steely visage he has in most other works. The hand they share looks both comfortable and tenative, as if they are both afraid to touch one another yet seek it.

One might think her other hand, holding her wounded stomach and the plant growing from it, is instead reaching for the flower on said cursed plant, as if imagining it was a gift from her would-be lover.

Whatever the artist has against shirts, one must appreciate that this feels both a moment that may have happened many times, and one pivotal to two people. I must wonder why the composition includes Spears and Bell and Preshe looking in with a variety of emotions from an ajar door as a detail almost overlooked in the gloom to the side of the pivotal scene. They are not noticed on first glance of the painting, an odd detail in a masterpiece of things likely unspoken. Perhaps if I receive this, a frame to crop out the unwanted onlookers will elevate it to masterpiece.

Painting 15: Masterpiece? Masterpiece!

A black and white drawing of a shocked Corvayne standing up with a bubble saying 'Masterpiece!?!' on it.

Other subjects are in boxes to the side, reacting to this.

Painting 16: Preparing the play.

The group is busy sewing diaphanous white cloth, flags, a funeral shroud, and making torches and building a castle wall. The animals featured in other works are trying to help, comically handing Preshe materials while taking them from a confused Mosh.

June is stifling a laugh while mixing a pot, leaning towards Mosh to touch his shoulder with hers.

The one connection in this image to the striking scene two before is that Gylwin is sitting with Lady Blood Claw, gently directing her hand to Corvayne at the opposite end of the frame, whom is helping his daughter craft while also beaming at the quality of what she is carving.

Painting 17: The Masterpiece

Corvayne is laying broken, spear still clutched in his hand as blood drips from him onto a stone altar. Three weeping ladies, with extra diaphanous white cloth wrapped around their chests just in case, are positioned around the cairn, while a dour Mosh and Gylwin carry wood and a torch.

The lighting and poses of the girls are an almost comical hysteria in Bell, dignified despair in Spears, and Preshe burying her face in her hands next to her father figure.

The lighting, and darkening skies, as well as the thrashing of beasts flanking the scene suggests both the disharmony around death, while contrasted with Corvayne's form being almost at rest, his eyes closed and his muscled form slack.

The arrangement of the path leading to the weeping figures, the animals swirling about, storm about to break above, and the faintest hint of light behind the figures, with June the lone figure looking back, all suggest as one moves the eye from left to right a movement from the violence and chaos of dying, to the bitter rest of death, to the hope of those who will walk away from the departed to find new hope.

Painting 18: On their way.

Corvayne is embraced by cheering women, who are getting fake blood all over themselves. The painter of the previous piece has cheekily given everyone shirts with faux bodies in underwear on them. There is an awareness in the series that is enjoyable.

Lady Blood Claw looks on, now holding sunflowers, lavender, and a white lotus.

The piece is moving away from the props and altar they had made, back to a camp where the animals are waiting for a feast. Further on, we can spot the doorway off the floor, which we can see the Juggernaut is pointed towards.