It’s inspiring that on October for Inktober people are creating in a mass. I am going to participate in this year’s Inktober and I will use it as an opportunity to hone my fantasy illustration skills and to feel out my world that I have been making stories for. Also in time for Filipino History month here are my Filipino Folk inspired fantasy illustrations. (click and scroll down please)

Day 1–Fast

Moonimisha and Reemu has been together since Moonimisha found a cracked egg in the jungle as a little girl and the two have been good companions ever since. Reemu is not the prettiest Macquiao, in fact he might be the ugliest, with only one eye, large scars, and missing tufts of feathers which appear like he is molting; Moonimisha doesn’t care though because she knows her ugly Reemu is the fastest and bravest. Domesticated Macquiao can be quite skittish, but not Reemu; he is very protective of his rider and has fought beasts of the deep jungles twice his size to keep his Moonimisha safe. Moonimisha has trained and cared for Reemu well in return and the two are hailed as the fastest on the coast.

Day 2– Noisy

The Kapre live to fight and eat, if they weren’t so busy beating on each other, we would be turned into meat pulp.

Day 3– Collect

The Nuno War Bands love to collect stupid man-ape weapons after a blessed ambush.

Day 4 – Hungry

People say that the Duende’s existence is so balanced with nature that they don’t grow old and die like us. I have my doubts because some of them little turds eat too damned much.

Day 5– Sad

Sometimes heroes can’t be with their friends.

Day 6–Hidden

The Duende are safe and at home in the jungle. They remain hidden to outsiders and if one sees a Duende in the jungle, it’s because the Duende wants to be seen.

Day 7–Lost

There once was two brothers who set out to sea named Dol and Gul. Before setting out, Gul was told by an old priest that if they didn’t turn back before it got dark tonight that the brothers would drift into the underworld. This was troubling news, however he did not dare to tell his brother Dol who was not superstitious. The two caught many fish and lost track of time, both became very tired. Dol paddled onward, but Gul paddled backward. A storm looked like it was fast approaching. The brothers argued, Dol reasoned that there was a closer island ahead, but Gul urged his brother to go back in fear of the priest’s prophecy. The brothers wasted their strength paddling in different directions and was swallowed by the storm.

Day 8–Rock

The Higans are humongous and very ancient creatures. There are only two left in the world, one is named Lolo and the other is Lola.

Lola: How do you know what I will pick crafty little human?

Moonimisha: You always pick rock every single time.

Lola: Oh.

Day 9–Broken

The Asturi had enslaved the resilient Tikbalang race long ago and have broken their spirits by destroying their stories, traditions, and culture. Overtime the Tikbalang know nothing of themselves except never ending labor and the pain of an Asturi whip.

Day 10–Jump

The Nagini Empire was an advanced and powerful civilization in their time. They are a matriarchal society who worshiped moon and snake deities. Their empire was spread vastly in the northern continent and some dozen islands. Unfortunately the last war with the Aswang one hundred years ago had decimated their population and the Nagini has not yet recovered.

Day 11–Transport

Taba: I would rather be out on sea, everything in the jungle wants to eat you. There are beasts that want a taste, there are clans that fancy man flesh, heck even the damned plants snap at you when you ain’t lookin.

Kika: but chief, there are all kinds of sea creatures that devour sailors too.

Taba: Well at least I’ll have my ship in between me an the ugly sea beasts. Sea if they catch me hehehe…

Day 12–Worried

The Vorrack is an ambush predator that resides in the eastern parts of the mountains. Its diet consists mainly of the hearts of warm blooded humanoids. The Vorrack mimics a human facade and can be quite effective when coupled with its poison; its poison induces hysteria, hallucinations, and paralysis. Milder cases have seen poison victims in a constant state of fear and worry.

Day 13–Scared

When the moon flies small over the darkest parts of the jungle, where nothing makes a sound, not even little insects or frogs, that’s where you will find an extra-planar that emits a white radiance wherever she walks. It is said that she moves between worlds and one look in her eyes will transport you into another plane of existence where your mind, body, and soul are apart. Old people tell tales about her to scare children and even hardened scoundrels fear seeing the lady. Many villagers have witnessed poor souls who have come across the lady and they would be returned home completely insane, foaming at the mouth, and muttering incoherently about a lady in white. It’s unclear what the lady wants, but elder shamans warn if faced by the lady and you are lacking in any of the three (mind, body, and soul) the lady may keep with her what is less and send back the rest.

Day 14–Tree

(Outside) & (Inside)

The Banyan or Balete tree is a large and common fig tree found in the jungle. The large tree is covered in vines and has a spacious center that animals take refuge in and is steeped in superstition with stories of spirits living within its hollow center from many ancient cultures.

The Big Balete Trees are home to many creatures in the jungle. Huge Kapres stay dry within its center, clans of Duende stay there to keep safe, and even all sorts of jungle beasts reside within the Balete. It is said that the spirit of the jungle provides for its children and in return it only asks for protection.

Day 15–Relax

A wise shaman once told me that you can see the spirit of a clan in how they treat animals. For example if they starve their animals, they must be a poor clan. If their animals fear you, they must beat their animals, and they must be a cruel clan. If their animals are diseased or suffer ailments and the people are wealthy in health and coin, then they are a greedy clan and no clan we associate with.

Day 16–Wet

Not much is known about the enigmatic Katan except the stories traded by sailors.

Dy 17–Battle

The crafty Asok Clan of the metal mountains and the wild Painted Clan of the twilight jungle at first became allies through necessity, but after countless battles they have forged a strong friendship between their peoples.

Day 18–Escape

The Archer escaped!? Tae… She could at least finish off all the mercenaries so we don’t have to pay them!

Day 19–Flight

When the warrior Hadurag returned from the jungle with the gift of flight, the people rejoiced and called him an angel. That was long ago, now whenever he’s seen in the skies the people flee. Tall walls can’t keep him out and the Wakwak clans chant his name, their champion’s name to inspire fear and despair.

Day 20–Squeeze

There are wild Tikbalang who have escaped slavery and they are distrustful of other races, but their own.

Day 21–Big

It’s a big deal sometimes to befriend those who are different from us to find the small (but important) things in which makes us the same.

Day 22–Little

The Giants Lolo and Lola make little work of building fortifications against a coming storm for the Malo Villagers.

Day 23–Slow

As Moonimisha caressed Reemu across his face, she wondered how far they have gotten. It felt like they have traveled so far and got through so much. Her thoughts somehow took her back to the academy, to other riders from Warida, highborn apprentices, boasting of their mounts’ pedigree and how their mothers spent much coin from a breeder. She remembered the taunts they would shoot toward Reemu, “That thing looks like it’s ready to fall apart,” or “That thing won’t last too long in the jungle you should put it out of its misery.” At first it stung her heart, those rich fools get whatever they want fast from their mothers, but not her. Moonimisha found Reemu as a child. She thought she was the luckiest girl to find Reemu’s cracked egg in the jungle, but Moonimisha’s mother informed her that that egg was abandoned and if it survives, it will be weak, and that they couldn’t afford to feed it. Moonimisha fought her mother to keep the egg, she didn’t care that they were poor and shared what meager food she had with the underdeveloped chick. Even years later Moonimisha’s mother wanted to sell Reemu, but Moonimisha refused and ran away with Reemu to the jungle. It was tough those times and Reemu and Moonimisha took care of each other as best as they could. They suffered, but they suffered for each other and got strong, *slowly*. When the guard announced they were recruiting, Moonimisha took her Reemu there and they all laughed. Those spoiled highborn of Warida all wanted to be in the prestigious guard, however it required a test, the test was a macquiao ride from coast to coast through the most treacherous parts of the jungle. Reemu looked like a beat up old bird, but his time with Moonimisha surviving in the jungle had made his senses fast, his legs powerful, and his bond with his rider, unbreakable. (To be continued)

Day 24–One Dozen

They say that a dozen Painted Clan are equal to one hundred warriors in battle.

Day 25–Tired

Kulasa rests under the shade of a large tree, but keeps an ear out for predators in the jungle. The Askal’s superior senses are the Painted Clan’s secret to being able to live and navigate through the inhospitable boondocks.

Day 26–Box

Sometimes me hear voice in box, sometimes me hear scratching. We no allowed to ask bosses what in box or we get pained or they no give food.

Day 27–Creepy

The Wakwak priests take dried bones, pieces of soul, the parts that are instinctual and hungry, and they weave it into the deadly Mananangal to plague the jungle and their enemies.

Day 28–Burn

It’s a disheartening thing to watch a flaming juggernaut burn whole villages in minutes. The Tuskhan herd demolish the jungles near the west side of the mountains; Everything is dark there, burnt, and lifeless.

Day 29 – Surprise

The Duende of the small Dorro Clan are the very best navigators and they know that understanding the land and good timing wins battles, not just having a bigger war party, hence the Dorro Clan has held their own in the jungle with clever guerrilla tactics against even larger groups.

Day 30–Wreck

Lolo felt a wet squishy thing spread around the bottom of his foot and he stood up straight, shocked. His eyes widened as he exhaled, “Putang-ina-shit,” solemnly under his breath. He was afraid to look down, but just then he heard a small voice near his foot. The voice yelled, “Hey my cheeses!” At that moment Lolo felt a relief spread over his rocky skin and raised his foot to find a smashed wagon and piles of squished cheeses. Lolo thought he might have ended a villager with his foot.

Day 31–Friends

Ayonis felt like a wave crashed on him and his mind slowed down as his feet were swept from the ground. He thought that the villagers were superstitious and spun tales of the Tikbalang, but in a surprise attack he felt the real weight and power of the Tikbalang’s hoof, full on his left cheek. Anyone else would have their neck broken by the blow, however Ayonis is a Painted Clan warrior. Kika instinctively fired an arrow at the raging Tikbalang’s leg and Ram Sarma threw one of his concoctions at its eyes; both efforts effectively slowed the Tikbalang down and its attention away from the dazed warrior. Ayonis staggered to regain his bearings, he shook the blur from his vision and he thought he was fortunate to have friends right now.

That’s all for Inktober 2016, thanks for stopping by.