Runic Revelations: Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice By KeeperofAges Watch

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Hellblade fanart I painted for the thumbnail of my upcoming Let's Play series! January of 2019 I streamed and recorded a complete solo playthrough of 'Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice', which was highly recommended by fans of Wanderbot and I. I love games with extensive narratives, lore, puzzles, and gameplay that serves to meaningfully carry the protagonist forward on their quest- and Hellblade features all of these and more!



Though I grew up with and delved extensively into Greek Mythology, I never really read into Norse Myth- so the premise of the game and the Norse tales told by Druth upon reaching the runestones proved quite informative and left me wanting to learn more! Senua's is a tale of dealing with internal as well as external discord- from the invading Norse pillaging her Celtic homelands to the voices that perpetually haunt and question her every move and motivation. It is also a journey of love, loss, and accepting others and oneself despite the hardships they endure. The game is so immersive, I really did feel like Senua braving numerous trials to gain access to Helheim with the hopes of reclaiming the lost soul of her lover from the goddess Hela herself.



In this piece I had to keep the layout of the thumbnail in mind while incorporating numerous elements I found impactful to me from the game. Featured predominantly is Senua herself- a look of fierce determination mixed with fear on her bloodied and woad-painted visage. Her blackened hand is afflicted with 'the rot' which threatens to creep further up her arm with each defeat. Reaching her head will spell her ultimate demise. She also wields a legendary sword she acquires on her journey- one that she must bear if she has any hope of facing Fenrir and Hela.



I also included the aforementioned runes- which often played a part in puzzles hidden in the environments and could be collected via runestones to acquire more Norse lore from Druth and ultimately aid him if all are found (which I, completionist that I am, had to accomplish!). The background is my own rendition of the carved depictions of the goddess Hel that are scattered throughout the game. I enjoyed creating interlocking swirls and whorls that comprised Hela's ghostly features.



It was recently announced that a sequel to Hellblade is in the works and will be released sometime after next year! I can't wait to see what became of Senua and the war-torn world she hails from.

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