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← The Vanishing Spell

Production notes

Every story starts as a cast and a setting. Those are drawn once, then used as reference for every picture in the story, so the characters stay themselves from beginning to end.

The cast

Model sheet for Eldric

Eldric the wise head wizard

an elderly human wizard with a long white beard, wearing a tall blue hat adorned with silver stars and a flowing blue robe embroidered with moons, holding a wooden staff topped with a crystal orb

Sounds calm and deep.

Model sheet for Mira

Mira a young apprentice wizard

a young human woman with short curly red hair, dressed in a simple green robe with a leather belt holding small pouches, carrying a small spellbook in one hand

Sounds bright and eager.

Model sheet for Borin

Borin a gruff castle guardian wizard

a stout dwarf with a braided black beard, clad in heavy dark robes with iron clasps, and a broad leather belt with carved runes, clutching a hammer-shaped magical talisman

Sounds rough and gravelly.

The setting

Background painting of Mysterious ancient castle shrouded in mist and guarded by wizards.

Mysterious ancient castle shrouded in mist and guarded by wizards.

An ancient stone castle perched atop a craggy hill, shrouded in thick mist and dim twilight, with towering grey walls, narrow arched windows flickering with candlelight, twisting spiral staircases, and shadowy corridors lined with flickering torches casting eerie shadows. The atmosphere is heavy and enigmatic, with the occasional glimmer of arcane runes faintly glowing on the walls, and vaulted chambers filled with rows of dusty tomes, glowing crystals, and shimmering magical artifacts.

stone grey deep indigo flickering amber misty silver

The plan

  1. Borin discovers a strange glowing mark near the castle gate just as Mira reports Eldric's study is empty.

    tense and curious wide establishing shot Borin, Mira

  2. Mira and Borin enter the empty study and note Eldric's staff is missing from the rack.

    worried and focused medium shot Mira, Borin

  3. Mira suggests the ancient spell scroll might hold clues to Eldric's vanishing.

    thoughtful and determined close-up Mira

  4. Borin and Mira discover the glowing mark is a portal entrance, possibly connected to the missing Eldric.

    uneasy and cautious long shot Borin, Mira

  5. They debate whether to step through the portal to find Eldric, uncertain of what lies beyond.

    uncertain and suspenseful medium shot Borin, Mira

How it was made

Pictures drawn
10
Words written
1372
Generation steps
18
Time to make
5 min

Drawn in watercolour. Written in English at level B2, for adult readers.

Read the story