Benni, one of my fellows in the Baltimore Rock Opera Society, just survived a horrific house fire and lost everything but her cat and the clothes on her back.
Benni, my niece, and her beloved cat, Stinky, experienced a life-changing tragedy w… Denise Cumor needs your support for Help Benni & Stinky
Please check out her fundraiser if you're able to donate anything so that she can rebuild her life.
if someone buys one of these i will donate 100€ towards the renovation of the rainforest house in Vienna
which is cool because it's one of the best zoos welfare wise and they are planning to establish a pangolin breeding program among many other cool things
more selfishly i get to request they put my name in there and i want my stupid transgender name in the vienna zoo rainforest house
A small monkey endemic to the Amazon rainforest in Pará, Brazil. They eat fruits, flowers, nectar, plant exudates (gums, saps, latex) and animal prey (including frogs, snails, lizards, spiders and insects).
While camping out in Tenna's realm, Ramb lures Kris away from the Fun Gang with promises of a special artifact that can free them. But, it's all a ploy to trap Kris in an extradimensional chamber with a strange shadow entity! Can they escape??
This is a comic I was expecting to be on the shorter end, but oops, it ended up being rather involved to draw. You'll see why moreso in the second part, which will be out tomorrow!
Either way, excited to finally share this one!
Alt text for this comic is under the read more:
Page 1
Panel 1 - A wide shot of the whole Fun Gang seated around a campfire. The landscape around is bleak, with enormous, curtain-like trees holding up the sky, their surfaces shiny. They’re in Tenna’s domain. Kris and Ralsei sit facing each other, the campfire between them. Susie and Noelle lay together on Kris’s right, and Berdly sits on Kris’s left.
Panel 2 - A small panel as Kris looks over to their right incredulously–
Panel 3 - Where Susie and Noelle are busy “making out,” in as much as giant beasts do so. They’re completely occupied licking at each others’ faces by the firelight’s glow.
Panel 4 - A little put off, Kris also looks to their left–
Panel 5 - Where Berdly is very busy preening under his wing. He makes obnoxious noises as he furiously cleans up old, tattered feathers.
Panel 6 - A full shot as Kris and Ralsei continue to face each other across the fire. Kris sighs, and turns around to look out into the wilderness.
Panel 7 - A wide shot showing that there is someone out there. A figure with a broken face stands on a crest of the horizon, watching the party.
Panel 8 - Closeup on Kris as they look back at the figure, a little surprised, but not saying anything. Their figure is framed by the fire’s glow.
Page 2
Panel 1 - Wider shot as Kris starts to stand up from their sitting position. “I’m going to go for a walk,” they say. Susie and Noelle ignore this, and continue to lick at each others’ snouts.
“You shouldn’t wander off, Kris! Tenna’s minions are all around out there!” Ralsei warns.
Panel 2 - Full shot as Kris walks away from the camera, waving their right hand dismissively at Ralsei’s warning. “I am armed. I won’t go far,” Kris says.
Panel 3 - Inset panel with a closeup on Ralsei. He looks concerned and a little peeved, but says nothing.
Panel 4 - Very wide shot as Kris heads far away from the camp, cresting the spot where the figure was and walking forward to meet them. Ralsei and the rest of the beasts remain huddled around the fire. The strange trees surround the landscape.
Panel 4 - Full shot as Kris faces the figure: it’s Ramb, the lost werewire. He has most of the usual, wiry body of a werewire, but his face has been melted away. Only an eerie cross-section of where it once was remains. “You’ve been skulking around our camp for awhile,” Kris says. “Didn’t I tell you to leave?”
Ramb waves a hand in greeting. “Kris, luv! So glad that you’ve come around to chat!”
Panel 5 - Mid shot as Kris faces down Ramb, clearly suspicious of him. “You won’t be glad if I don’t like what you have to say. Why are you still here?”
Page 3
Panel 1 - Closeup on Ramb as he explains himself. He says: “Ah, Kris, direct as always! I understand your hesitance to speak with me, considering our previous encounters. That’s why I’d like to make it up to you!”
Panel 2 - Kris remains suspicious, and crosses their arms. “And how do you intend to do that?”
Panel 3 - Full shot as Ramb starts to circle around Kris, his weak hands held out as if carefully explaining something. “I’ve seen how you are with your party, Kris! That demon prince, Ralsei…he speaks so highly of you!” Ramb says. “It helps take the edge off, dunnit?”
“The edge?” Kris asks warily.
Panel 4 - Ramb comes up behind Kris, and Kris watches him carefully, their expression dour. “Of his *ownership* of you, luv. It must be weighing on you,” Ramb says.
Panel 5 - Closeup as Ramb leans in closer to Kris. “I know what you *really* want, Kris…*FREEDOM*.”
Panel 6 - Kris turns away from Ramb, their expression now more resigned. “That’s not possible for me,” they respond.
Page 4
Panel 1 - Full shot as Ramb continues to walk around Kris, arms still stretched out. He says, “Ah, Kris, this world’s got more possibility than you think…even for you!”
Panel 2 - Closer shot as Ramb turns around to face Kris again, delivering his offer. “I’ve found something precious. Something that’ll break the shackles of your contract,” he says. “Give you real freedom!”
Panel 3 - Mid shot of Kris as they narrow their eyes, remaining suspicious. “Why should I believe you?” they ask.
Panel 4 - Full shot as Ramb faces Kris. “Well, certainly you don’t *need* to. But why not see for yourself?” he offers. “What’ve you got to lose but your servitude?”
Panel 5-6 - Two closeup inset panels as Kris considers this. They look a little worried, but at last willing to try something. “Fine. I will see,” they say.
Panel 7 - Full shot as Kris starts to walk after Ramb. “But if I sense even a hint of a lie from this, I will not hesitate to kill you,” Kris says, still suspicious.
Ramb points ahead, unbothered by the threat. “As you wish, Kris!”
Page 5
Panel 1 - Wide shot as Ramb leads Kris further into the strange wasteland. They’re heading further away from the campsite. “It’s just over here!” Ramb says, pointing.
Panel 2 - The two stop and look over their destination: a spot where one of the curtain trees has broken off, leaving its roots and branches a tangled, dangerous mess. At the foot of the tree stands an enormous iron treasure chest.
Ramb says, “A mantle of shadow…an ancient relic that breaks the chains of fate!”
Panel 3 - Full shot as Kris and Ramb approach the chest. It’s a large chest, easily almost Kris’s height. Ramb carefully pries the lid open.
Panel 4 - Overhead shot as Kris looks down into the chest. The bottom disappears into a black void.
Panel 5 - Kris peers closer at the chest, unsure. “There’s only darkness,” they say.
Panel 6 - Mid shot as Kris continues to look in the chest. Ramb stands just behind them, and says, “A mantle of shadow, of course! Just reach in and take it!”
Panel 7 - Kris scrunches up their face in distrust…
Panel 8 - But reaches forward into the chest anyway. Their hand seems to vanish into the blackness.
Panel 9 - Kris tries to lean in further into the enormous chest to touch the bottom. They have to lift one foot off the ground in order to reach. Ramb circles behind them…
Page 6
Panel 1 - Ramb then gives Kris a solid kick with their back leg. They tumble headfirst into the chest.
Panel 2 - A long, almost page-length panel as Kris falls into what seems like a bottomless pit.
Panel 3 - High above, Ramb peers into the chest after them, as if seeing them down an impossibly long corridor. He yells out, “Cheers!”
Panel 4 - Kris continues to free fall through what feels like nothing–
Panel 5 - Before they suddenly land on their feet, upright, on some flat ground.
Panel 6 - Kris swivels their head back upwards, arms outstretched, their expression furious. They scream, “RAMB!!”
Page 7
Panel 1 - There’s nothing. What was once a tunnel stretching back up to the surface now leads only into complete darkness.
Panel 2 - In the blackness, a disembodied voice says, “Welcome, Kris.”
Panel 3 - Kris starts at the sound of the voice, eyes wide.
Panel 4 - Full shot as Kris looks around, and shouts back, “Who’s there?!” They appear to be surrounded by perfectly cube-shaped blocks.
Panel 5 - Wider shot as Kris looks around for the voice, which again speaks to them: “You don’t know? Oh, but you should! After all, I know *you* quite well.” While it’s still very dark, the space Kris is in appears to be an endless hallway, filled with enormous stone blocks clinging to the floor, walls and ceiling…a geometric maze.
Panel 6 - “Show yourself!” Kris yells back, putting a hand on their sword hilt. They’re ready to fight, even in darkness.
Panel 7 - A black panel with only the voice’s words: “Heehee…can’t see in the dark, can you?”
Panel 8 - Just ahead of Kris, a glowing flame springs to life, providing some illumination. The flame magically floats in the air, lighting just enough of the room for Kris to see a bit.
Page 8
Panel 1 - A single wide panel as the fire in the foreground reveals something else. A shadow springs up behind Kris, its form contorted in various ways across the stone blocks of the chamber. It’s got long claws, sharp horns, and a wicked, toothy smile. Kris just barely turns, unable to quite see the shadow springing up from them.
“Then let’s illuminate some things!” says the mantleholder.
Kris confronts the shadow in the chest, and manages to stop it before it steals their body. They then escape and deal with Ramb...but the shadow's words still carry a great weight of worry.
Aaaand heck yes, this comic is done! A tricky one to do considering the angles and lighting involved, but hopefully it all works well enough! Sometimes there's scarier things for Kris to deal with than death! ;)
Not sure when the next comic will happen since I need to start scripting it first, but as always, there will be more in the future!
Alt text for this comic is under the read more:
Page 1
Panel 1 - Mid shot as Kris spins around, and tries to swing their sword at the shadow–
Panel 2 - As they do, the magical fire moves around as well with a soft hiss.
Panel 3 - Wide shot as the fire changes position. In doing so, it also changes the mantleholder’s position, and they shiver out of the way, always behind Kris. Kris’s sword strikes the wall with a useless CLANG!
Panel 4 - High angle shot as the mantleholder moves over Kris, its grinning face now over the ceiling. “Heeheehahaha! Not a moment wasted!” it says. “You’re so eager to fight!”
Panel 5 - Low angle shot as Kris spins around to face the shadow, sword still in hand. “I’m not eager to die is all!” they retort.
Panel 6 - The mantleholder splays across a variety of stone blocks, its silhouette contorting across the angled surfaces. It replies, “Is that so? Death is no danger to you, after all!”
Panel 7 - Kris again tries to strike at the shadow, and again the fire changes direction in order to change the shadow. It slithers out of the way, and Kris’s sword again hits the wall. “Not when *he’s* got your soul gripped tight in his claws!” the mantleholder continues.
Panel 8 - “But I can fix that for you!” it says. “All you need to do is hold still for a moment…” Kris grimaces as they stand between the floating fire, and the shadow dancing across the stones behind them.
Page 2
Panel 1 - Low angle as a huge stone block above Kris shudders with a rumble.
Panel 2 - High angle as Kris hears the noise, and looks up, their face shocked–
Panel 3 - The stone drops from the ceiling and slams into the ground with a loud BOOM!
Panel 4 - Kris stands with their arms spread out, pinned against the wall. Only a narrow gap separates them from where the block fell, and their body shakes.
Panel 5 - Wide shot of the chamber as more come: all around, the stone blocks begin to move in every direction. They slide across the floor and walls, drop from the ceiling, shift left and right. Kris is still pinned between the firelight and wriggling shadow.
Panel 6 - High angle shot as Kris tries to run and keep ahead of the moving blocks. The fire keeps pace with them, floating ahead. “There’s no sense in running, Kris! I see what’s burning in your eyes.”
Panel 7 - Kris’s head wheels around as the mantleholder continues to taunt them from the ceiling: “I know how you *anticipate* the violence you’ll bring to your town?”
Panel 8 - “How *good* it’ll feel when you order those beasts to kill them,” it continues. Kris continues to run down the length of the chamber, the blocks dropping and shifting with ominous rumbles all around them.
Page 3
Panels 1-5 - A spread of panels in a kaleidoscope as Kris tries to fight back against the shadow, all while avoiding the blocks. They still only strike the walls as the mantleholder evades their strikes. Kris is starting to look scared and a little desperate. Still, all around, the blocks move from one side of the chamber to the other.
Through it all, the mantleholder taunts them: “And I know there’s something nagging at the back of your mind…something so horrible, you date not speak it!” It says. “What happens *after* the fire dies out? When they’re all dead by your hands…what if there’s *guilt*? Despair? *Regret*?
Panel 6 - The mantleholder spreads its shadow all across the moving blocks of the chamber. It changes its shape to more resemble Ralsei: horns, fiery fur, and glowing eyes. “What *will* he do to you?” the shadow taunts.
Panel 7 - Kris is distracted as the mantleholder shifts across the whole chamber, still retaining Ralsei’s shape. “I can spare you all of it, Kris!” it says.
Panel 8 - Full shot as Kris suddenly turns to their left. A stone block is hurtling towards them at high speed, rumbling against the floor.
Page 4
Panel 1 - Kris tries to run out of the way as the block rushes towards them in a blur of stone–
Panel 2 - But they don’t quite make it. The block slams into the wall with an echoing BOOM, crushing Kris’s lower left arm between the two.
Panel 3 - Kris throws their head back and screams.
Panel 4 - Wide shot as the block then slides away, revealing what remains of Kris’s arm–
Panel 5 - Kris turns and gapes in shock as what was once their arm is now only a shadow, like the mantleholder.
Panel 6 - Another angle as Kris tries to move, but finds that they’re effectively pinned to the wall, as their arm now just exists as a shadow on the surface of the stone.
Panel 7 - “Heeheehahaha, incredible! What a sensation!” the mantleholder cries. Kris turns back to their right…
Panel 8 - And sees the mantleholder grinning maniacly against the wall. However, its left shadow arm has now been replaced with Kris’s arm, sticking comically out of the wall.
Page 5
Panel 1 - “Existing in three dimensions is such a thrill!” the mantleholder says, waving Kris’s arm and wiggling the fingers with excitement.
Panel 2 - High angle as Kris looks on in horror, eyes wide. “What are you doing to me?!” they yell back.
Panel 3 - Wider shot as Kris and the mantleholder face each other, showing how Kris’s arm has effectively traded places with the shadow. “Just hold still a little longer, Kris! It’ll be painless…you can stay here, free from him!” the mantleholder says. “I’ll take your body back and do *all* the same things you’ll do.”
Panel 4 - The mantleholder holds out Kris’s arm as if in offering, still grinning. “They’ll never know it’s not *really* you!” it says.
Panel 5 - Low angle as Kris looks up: another stone block has shifted position and is hurtling down, ready to crush them.
Panel 6 - Kris runs towards camera, dodging the block as it slams into the ground. However, with their arm flattened, they’re forced to run against the wall. The mantleholder continues to slither around the room, taking Kris’s forearm as it goes.
Page 6
Panel 1 - Kris still tries to fight back, but it’s all the harder as they’re pinned to the wall. They swing their sword around at the shadow again, but miss. The fire still burns ahead of them. “All the revenge your heart desires, without the burden of you actually doing it!” the mantleholder continues.
Panel 2 - Kris swings their sword around again, their expression frightened and desperate. They again miss, and their sword strikes the wall.
Panel 3 - The mantleholder grins down from the angled ceiling, waving Kris’s arm from above. “Doesn’t that sound perfect, Kris?”
Panel 4 - As another block passes by, Kris finally stops to notice something else: the magical flame burning just ahead of them, always keeping the shadow behind them.
Panel 5 - Closeup on Kris as they study the fire, their face illuminated by its glow. Their eyes narrow as they come to an understanding.
Panel 6 - High angle as another block against the wall starts to slide across to the other end of the chamber. Getting an idea, Kris quickly moves so that their shadow arm falls onto the new surface, peeling them away from the wall.
Panel 7 - Wide shot as the stone block moves across the length of the chamber, with Kris running alongside it so that their arm can remain on the block. The mantleholder grins from the ceiling above.
Panel 8 - Kris runs faster as they approach the fire glowing ahead of them, focusing on their target…
Panel 9 - As they run, almost on top of it, they throw their sword to the ground. It lands with a CLANG!
Page 7
Panel 1 - Furious and desperate, Kris charges right at the glowing flame in front of them, but instead of their sword, they grab their cowl in their right hand and hold it upward, ready to yank it over the flame.
Panel 2 - The mantleholder realizes too late Kris’s actual intentions. It yells out “NO–” and reaches Kris’s hand out as if to stop them…
Panel 3 - But Kris doesn’t listen, and once the block is close enough, they yank their cowl hard over the floating fire, snuffing the flames.
Panel 4 - Wide shot as all the moving blocks in the chamber begin to slide to a stop, including the one that Kris is attached to. Without the light, the shadow behind them has vanished. “Whatever you are…DIE!” they shout.
Panel 5 - A last few flickering embers remain on Kris’s cowl, and from that light, the mantleholder’s shadow stretches across Kris’s own body. “So, you reject my offer,” he says, his speech now less steady.
Panel 6-7 - The camera gets closer to Kris’s face as the shadow creeps up, closer, until it’s nearly hugging Kris’s face. He gives Kris his parting words: “Heehee…don’t say I didn’t warn you! At least…you got a little practice at it!”
Panel 8 - Wider shot as Kris is left alone, standing next to the now-still stone block. The fire light has completely gone out, and the mantleholder has vanished, leaving Kris alone in darkness.
Page 8
Panel 1 - Kris pulls their left arm away from the block…it’s whole once again.
Panel 2 - Lower angle shot as Kris looks down at their arm, shaking and breathing heavily. Their arm is back, but the experience has clearly left them disturbed.
Panel 3 - Kris turns their head, and sees an opening appear in the ceiling…it’s their way out of the chamber.
Panel 4 - In a wide angle, Ramb paces back and forth in front of the open chest. He’s clearly waiting for something to finish.
Panel 5 - However, he turns his head suddenly as, in the foreground, Kris’s hand grabs onto the edge of the chest with a clink!
Panel 6 - Kris pulls themself up and out of the chest, gripping their sword in their right hand. Their expression is furious.
Panel 7 - Ramb was clearly not expecting this outcome. Trembling, he holds his arms out and says, “K-Kris! Luv!! You…”
Panel 8 - “Got yourself out of that place, huh?” he finishes nervously. Kris, now fully out of the chest, strides toward him with the sword out and fury in their eyes.
Page 9
Panel 1 - Inset layer of a closeup on Ralsei, as he yells out “KRIS!”
Panel 2 - Wide shot as Ralsei, Susie and Noelle all walk up to Kris and Ramb by the open chest. They’ve finally found where Kris has gone.
Panel 3 - Ramb turns back to Kris, shaking and scrunching himself up with worry. The beasts and demon prince are now directly behind him, and Kris stands ahead of him. “Oh, Kris, I know you’re upset. But…can you blame me?” he asks.
Panel 4 - “A creature like me’s got so few options…your soul’s such a rare opportunity, I-I had to give it a go…” he continues, trying to plead with Kris. Kris still looks furious.
Panel 5 - Closeup on Ralsei as he again tries to work out the situation. “What’s happened?”
Panel 6 - Kris ignores him, and instead just points at the shaking Ramb. Noelle trots up behind the mutilated minion. Kris just speaks her name, and gives her the FIGHT command.
Panel 7 - Closeup on Noelle’s face as icy frost begins to spill from her open mouth…she’s preparing to use her freezing spell.
Page 10
Panel 1 - High angle as Noelle peers down at Ramb, frost and ice still gathering around her. Ramb holds his hands up, shaking, as he stares up at her in horror. “P-please…Kris, please sp–”
Panel 2 - His stuttering plea is cut off. Noelle rears back, and a blast of freezing magic shoots from her mouth.
Panel 3 - The blast hits Ramb, and he is instantly frozen in a chunk of ragged ice with a loud, icy CRAAAAKKK.
Panel 4 - But Noelle is not done. Kris watches, stone faced, as Noelle rears up on her hind legs over the frozen Ramb…
Panel 5 - And then brings her front hooves down on him, smashing him into dozens of frozen chunks.
Panel 6 - Susie walks up and sniffs at the frozen chunks of Ramb, looking a little disappointed. “Aw man, could’ve had a fresh snack…”
Panel 7 - “Eh, no use crying over it. Frozen’s still good,” she concludes, and laps up a piece of ice with a smile.
Panel 8 - In the background, Noelle, Susie and Berdly all help themselves to the remains of the frozen minion, ice crunching between their teeth and beaks. Kris watches them from the foreground, while Ralsei walks up to stand beside them.
Page 11
Panel 1 - Full shot as Kris stands close to the open chest, trembling all over. Ralsei notices, and puts a hand on their shoulder. “You’re shaking. What did he try to do?” he asks.
Panel 2 - Kris turns away from Ralsei, still shaking a bit. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”
Panel 3 - Closeup on Kris and Ralsei - Kris still looks rather worried, while Ralsei has his own concerns about Kris not speaking up. He elects not to bother them about it, though.
Panel 4 - Ralsei turns away as well. “I see. Well, there’s no need to fret over it. You’re safe now!” he says, trying to sound encouraging.
Panel 5 - Kris suddenly turns back around, their eyes wide–
Panel 6 - Against Ralsei’s robes, their lower left arm again looks like it’s turned to shadow.
Panel 7-8 - Extreme closeup as Kris shuts their eyes tight, then opens them again…
Panel 9 - Their arm looks normal as always. Was it a trick of their mind?
Panel 10 - Mid shot as Kris hugs their left arm to their chest, looking disturbed. Ralsei keeps one hand at their back, standing close to them. “You’ll always be safe with me,” he says. The frame cuts off the top half of his head, revealing only a familiar smile.
