Most OCs I see floating around for Limbus Company are often based on written works like books and plays, which is definitely awesome, but uhhh... It's been a while since I read a book, and I listen to a lot of music. Like, a lot lot.
So I made some of my favorite Albums into Sinner OCs! Both Sprite form and their ID Cards. I might do E.G.O. for them but that's a lot more complicated to draw, so might take a looong while. Especially with me doing like so many art projects at once...
It's a mega-post under the cut, going into lots of details about backstory, design choices, music trivia, etc. Click at your own risk!
Still here? Awesome. I drew everything on Krita, per usual, and while I could replicate Limbus's style for the character portraits, I decided to just use it as practice for my usual style instead. Not everyday you get to draw a bunch of busts repeatedly...
These Alt-Sinners, the Musiclings from now onwards, are all inspired by some of my favorite albums. I picked a mix of what's commonly accepted as great albums and my own individual, personal picks - As much as I'd love to, I'm not gonna make a "Hot Pink" by Doja Cat Sinner... Unless...
Two specific Albums are from my home country of Brazil, including the oldest one there, "Clube da Esquina", released in 1972, 5 years before "Animals". Which also means the Musiclings are hopefully ordered by release date, from 1# to 12# (or 13#, since Dante would be 10#... and probably a music player of sorts.)
Some of these Musiclings are more developed then others simply because... Well, there's more I can think of!!! And these are all my interpretations and personal feelings towards these Albums. Music is subjective, after all.
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1# Cacau - "Clube da Esquina" by Lô Borges and Milton Nascimento, two legends of Popular Brazilian Music. Her name comes from the album cover, which depicts two boys sitting on a dirt road, with one of the boys being nicknamed Cacau. Her symbol of a simple sunflower is in reference to the song she's mostly based of - "Girassol da Cor do Seu Cabelo", or "Sunflower the Color of Your Hair", translated.
The album does not have a narrative in itself, but the themes of its songs are all loosely connected - Unfulfilled potential. Stifled growth. Cacau would be a Backstreets kid that lived the dream - Did everything she could do, got into a nice Nest, rose the ranks of her company and then... Well, plummeted for personal reasons. I keep thinking of B-Corp for her, but we know so little about it, it's hard to place her somewhere.
She's classy. Sassy. A little full of herself, since she would take the role of Faust as the know-it-all assistant to our musical Dante, but it is partially a mask to hide her deep, deep sorrow. She has older clothes and mannerisms befitting the 60's. Pre-Contract she'd be maybe 3rd or 4th weakest, but that's before expulsion from her Nest. She'd give everyone a run for their money if she was still backed by her Nest.
She's from B-Corp. Her weapon's a single-edged "wooden" sword, which I imagine can grow and shrink to a degree, as if it was a real live plant. Probably is. It is engraved with "Girassol".
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#2 Carolyne Floyd - "Animals" by Pink Floyd, one of the greats from the 70's. I could do "Dark Side of the Moon", I could do "The Wall", but none of them speak as deeply to me as "Animals". Especially "Pigs on The Wing 1 & 2", which gives her name - The singer's then wife at the time was called Carolyne. And well, Floyd is a surname in itself, isn't it?
The album's narrative, being based loosely of Animal Farm, is pretty clear cut. Revolution. Or in her case, a simple change of who's in power. Our dear Carolyne here is a butcher from District 23 - Warp Corp territory - So she would be a human butcher as well, since that is acceptable in those parts. Hers is a story of breaking free from the traps of The City, regardless of who's in charge.
First thing that came in mind when thinking of her design was simple: Farms and butchers. Big fluffy sheep hair? Farm. Bloody white shoes? Butcher. Cow-print headband? Farm. The tag marking her as #2? Butcher. She's a docile, shy woman, but is easily the physically strongest of the group. A gentle giant archetype, if you will. The symbol is a smoking factory landscape, from her time working.
She's from W-Corp. Her weapon's a butcher knife, oversized and increased in weight, with a notch for her to hold onto while cleaving bone. It is engraved with "Pig".
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#3 Johnny Brown - "Devil Went Down To Georgia" by Charlie Daniels Band. Okay. This one is based on a single song, but it's because this whole thing started with him. I was just casually listening to some rock, this came up and I was like "huh this is a story. You could make a sinner out of this." And well. Here we are.
The song and it's sequel (which actually exists!) are all about this prideful little bastard named Johnny Brown winning a bet against the Devil from The Bible and getting a golden fiddle out of it. Our Johnny here is from X-Corp, where the "Hellholes" of Limbus are located. Somehow, someway, Johnny got into a bet with some sort of entity in these holes, and got his Golden Crossbow from that bet. While he thinks he got a good deal out of it, that will prove to be a bad decision very, very soon.
Design wise, there is the Primus version of the song, made out of stop-motion. That was my main inspiration for a hillbilly country boy - Overalls, straw hat, etc. His ID, however, is based on Charlie Daniels stage outfit itself - Black vest and red shirt. The little wheat straw is also just a classic for these kinds of characters. The symbol is a burning note and a fiddle bow.
He's from X-Corp. His weapon is the golden fiddle from hell. It is engraved with "VI VI VI".
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#4 "Andy" - "OK Computer" by Radiohead, considered by a lot of people to be the best rock album ever. Supposedly. An album filled with feelings of displacement in modern society and the struggles technology brings with it. "Subterranean Homesick Alien" was the song that inspired "Andy", short for Android, and it is a banger.
No, they're not an Android, but I think the feeling of being one is there. I imagine they're not originally from The City - "Andy" is from the Outskirts, and simply could not adjust to the realities of The City - The crushing wheels of reality got to them, completely displacing their worldview. If The City and The Outskirts are both the same in the end, there's only one place left for them to go. Beyond the nebulae...
The space motiff, given the futuristic themes of the album felt fitting, like the small stars on their hair and the solar-system mace. Them being so pale is also a nod to the whole Android idea. If you notice, their tie is actually inside out! And their symbol is, of course, a little cow being abducted. Their E.G.O. is the one I want to draw the most, but no spoilers.
They're from the Outskirts. Their weapon is a mace based off the solar system. It is engraved with "OK..."
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#5 VIKTOR VAUGHN - "Operation: Doomsday" by MF DOOM, the metal face villain himself. MF DOOM used a lot of different names in his entire discography to release songs, and one of those names is Viktor Vaughn. All of these names, however, are villainous in nature, as that was the character he embodied. The main song inspiration for him though was "Vaudeville Villain".
I don't think Viktor is a good person. He probably ran his own Syndicate, and I think he was very good at it as well. The kind of professional, cold theatricals that raises problems. He was no Star of the City, but maybe an Urban Plague, beginning to dip his toes into Urban Nightmare. Maybe the situation got too hot to handle, and he was forced into a contract to clear his situation.
Also, while it is a dubious and heavily unexplored part of the PM universe... I think he's just magic. Like how the original Dr. Doom character can do spells, Viktor either uses similar technology or is straight up magic. I really would like PM to explore that but, hey, maybe in Canto 23. His metal mask is a prosthetic, and his hat has a MF in it. Like motherfu-
He's from V-Corp. His weapon is a book of rhymes used to cast "magic". It is engraved with "ALL CAPS."
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#6 Eddie Blue - "Nada Como Um Dia Após O Outro Dia", by Racionais MC's. This is the deep cut of these Sinner OCs. Brazilian old-school rap is something I grew up listening, and it holds a very special place in my heart. It is composed of Mano Brown, Edi Rock and Ice Blue, and from those three comes this man - Brown's appearance, and Edi(ie) Blue's names. The main song from this one is "Vida Loka Pt. 2" in specific. Translates to "Crazy Life", or something akin to that.
The album is about the struggles of the black and impoverished lower-class of Brazil, the profit made out of crime, the shackles it imposes on those that participate and the struggles that force them into it. As such, Eddie is from the Backstreets and a member of The Middle. Former member, that is, looking to leave that life behind and paying all the prices that come with it. I like to imagine he was a Big Brother, akin to Ricardo, due to the sheer influence of Racionais MC's in Brazil.
You may see some similarities in the Album cover and Eddie's pants, alongside a lot of ice on his fingers and wrist, common fashion choices for those in the rap game. The molotov symbol and hat being a hue of pastel beige is reference to one of their lyrics - "Jesus in beige pants, devil in a suit", and he uses the hat to hide his enhancement tattoos.
He's from U-Corp. The weapon is a cheap machete, associated with cartels and Syndicates. It is engraved with "Vida Loka".
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7# Calliope - "Black Holes & Revelations" by Muse. I LOVE MUSE! YEAH!!! High energy rock and roll telling me to destroy the government, incredibly based. Not a lot of names to draw from there though, except that Calliope is the greatest Greek Muse, and that is close enough for me. "Knights of Cydonia" was the specific song I had in mind for her, but honestly, they're all bangers. Go listen to "Assassin" right now.
Revolution is the name of the Album and the one goal Calliope has. I think she, above everyone else, hates the City the most. She probably partook in something like the Yurodiviye and had influence as a musician, and once she realized Limbus is (maybe) aiming to chop The Head off, she was on board. Speaking of which, how is the music landscape in The City? That's gotta be messed up. She hates that too.
Her design has a lot of small details. The black hole colored eyes for the "Supermassive Blackhole" song. The four pins she wears? The four different horsemen - Conquest (Crown), War (Sword), Famine (Apple) and Death (Skull), all with their respective horse's color on the pins. Even her gold chain on the ID has a horse. She's a horsie girl now. Oh, and the symbol is a knight - A horseman, if you will. Of the apocalyptic kind.
She's from I-Corp. Her weapon is a microphone, screaming her lungs out to cause damage, akin to G-Corp Outis. It is engraved with "Revelation".
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#8 Alain Randall - "Cross" by Justice. I LOVE JUSTICE! YEAH!!! One of the greatest french EDM duos of all time, and they don't get recognized enough. More people need to know they are the G.O.A.T.! "Alan" and "Randy" are both songs by the duo, and since they are french, "Alan" became "Alain" and "Randy" became Randall, a surname. The song that inspired Alain however is "Stress".
"Stress" video clip was banned from being aired in a few places due to being just... well, stressful. A kind of raw violence you don't see often. The song is also very stressing, which is awesome! Alain was a Fixer before being hired, one hired for "clean up". His office was part of Shi Association, and besides the main target, his job was probably also "sending a message". He's the only remaining member of his office, and wants to settle the score with whoever got rid of the rest of his crew.
The outfit from the ID is based on the video, while the very stylish arm is an homage to Ultrakill (I couldn't help myself) and the "Generator" video, in which robots, uh. Well. They uh "get intimate".
He's from V-Corp. His weapon is his prosthetic arm, from a high-end workshop. It is engraved with "Stress".
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#9 Nemo - "Plastic Beach", by Gorillaz. Ahhh... What an album. I almost picked "Demon Days", but this one just edged it out by a little. Plus, it has a clearer narrative and a name for inspiration - Point Nemo, the most isolated part of the ocean, and where the story of the album takes place. "Melancholy Hill" is the song that inspired it, though "Stylo" is a close second.
The Album, unlike the other ones, has a pretty clear story with Gorillaz having lore and all, but I'd like to mix in the songs with the events behind the scenes as well. Nemo was part of a crew, kind of like Ishmael, but after a disaster she was separated from them. It took a long time for her to return, but once she got there something was already in her place - A thing from the Outskirts taking her life from her. Instead of trusting her, her old crew trusted the thing, and Nemo was left to fend for herself.
Design wise, Noodle in the Plastic Beach era is the most clear-cut inspiration possible. It is hard to deviate from a design that's already so good, but I tried leaning more into the jovial, carefree spirit, with looser clothes and even uniform that the LCB probably wouldn't allow anyone else to wear. She is the kind that wouldn't take no for an answer, unless forced to.
She's from U-Corp. Her weapon is a harpoon, used to hunt in District 21/U-Corp. It is engraved with "Manatee".
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#11 Jenny Death - "Year of The Snitch" by Death Grips. Now, I did mess up. This Album came out in 2018, while the next one came out in 2013. I will not be fixing that. "Jenny Death" is the first part of the two-part Album "The Powers That B", with the second part getting me cancelled forever if I say it out loud. I could pick "Money Store", but guess what? This album is better. And Jenny Death's main song inspiration was "Black Paint"
Jenny has some sort of disease which burns and corrodes her flesh, thus the black marks - I think all sort of sickness is created in The City, and it doesn't get particularly explored, so having someone carry this inconceivable situation with her is really interesting! I also think she's a good view into drugs of the city. That District 1 zaza hitting different...
Augmentation tattoos and bare fists are all a woman that's crazy out of her mind needs to fight. The hat comes from "The Money Store"'s cover, and the many tattoos are all inspired by MC Ride, the lead... singer? Of Death Grips? The MC. And of course, the symbol is the demonic fly over the heart, dripping with black paint. A representation of Beelzebub, I believe. Don't quote me on that.
She's from D-Corp. Her fists are all she needs, marked with enhancement tattoos. They're engraved with "Death".
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#12 Giovanni Giorgio Moroder - "Random Access Memories", by Daft Punk. The original french EDM duo that took over the world, with reason since they made banger after banger for years, all while remaining mysterious under their helmets. Giorgio's name comes from his signature song, "Giorgio by Moroder", which is in turn a reference to Moroder, one of the father's of EDM.
Giorgio's story is a story repeating all across The City. A man wishing for freedom, doing it through his career as a Fixer. Sacrifices made to achieve greater Ranks, Offices left behind, family and friends abandoned, all for the pursuit of "freedom" and the prestigious Title of Color. Giorgio lost everything that made him himself in that pursuit. Rediscovery and remembering his life is the meaning of his journey with the rest of the cast.
I think it is lame to be like, "My OC is super mega powerful :)" cuz that's boring. But this is Daft Punk, the face of EDM, and Moroder, the father of the whole genre. I really would like Giorgio to have been a solidified Grade 1 before becoming a washed up Grade 9 Fixer, and definitely the strongest of the Musiclings pre-contract. Anyway. Moroder is the obvious inspiration for him, alongside cool 90's action old men. Love those.
He's from N-corp. The katana he wields is another homage to those 90's action old men and the tropes of "the cool guy with a katana". It is engraved with "Privo Di Armonia (Devoid of Harmony)".
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#13 Birdboy - "The New Abnormal" by The Strokes. This is the most recent Album on the list, and I adore it. The Strokes have always landed for me with Indie Rock, and their songs just always hit me where it hurts most. However, they leave little inspiration in the department of names. So, I decided to just go with something simple... Birdboy.
The youngest by far, Birdboy's story is similar to Sinclair's, involving N-Corp, Inquisitors and Prosthetics Users, as the Album all harks back to that feeling of making a choice, regretting it and having to live with it. I think Birdboy's mother was a prosthetic user fleeing from persecution, with Birdboy helping her as a good son. However, due to a mistake of his part, a single moment he took his eyes away from her, she was taken by the extremists and he was left for dead. Learning to live with his perceived mistake and struggling with vengeance is the journey for this kid.
Design wise there's a few cues here and there. The scarred eye comes from the rabbit from "At The Door"'s video clip. The pistol is from their second album, "Room On Fire", and the blue feather/feather coat is from, well, the Album cover right there. His haircut is like that of Julian Casablancas, and the casual look of a tunic rather than a social shirt is due to his age - He's still a kid compared to everyone else. Maybe even just turned 18? Labor laws in the city must not be very strict after all.
He's from N-Corp. His weapon is a revolver, though he doesn't fire any bullets. They're expensive after all. It is engraved with "Abnormal".
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There's a few more thingies here and there, if you're curious about some general design ideas and thoughts.
I didn't give everyone Lust Affinity since that's boring. Instead, themes and songs from the Album made up their Sin Affinity:
Wrath - Lyrics about causing violence onto yourself or others.
Lust - Lyrics about sexual activities.
Sloth - Lyrics about stagnancy, conformity and acceptance.
Gluttony - Lyrics about drug usage and excessive indulgence.
Gloom - Lyrics about longing, sadness and overall moodiness.
Envy - Lyrics about change (Or desire to change) and for different things.
Pride - Reserved for those extremely influential in their genre, or with uplifting, almost military-like hymns and anthems.
Pre-Contract Strength (Weak > Strong):
#13 Birdboy > #4 Andy > #7 Calliope > #1 Cacau > #9 Nemo > #3 Johnny > #11 Jenny > #2 Carolyne > #8 Alain > #5 Viktor > #6 Eddie > #12 Giorgio
Viktor's the tallest (196cm), Birdboy's the smallest (157cm)
Maybe I'll think more about this if people are interested, but that's all I got for now! Thank you for your time!
Looney tunes mirror world where the sinners solve all major problems by putting don into a canon with her shoe laces tied to the bottom and then launching her with a force that pulls her free of rocinante. Effectively sicking sancho on towns or small cities of “evil doers” while they all stay safe on some cliffside they launched her from, overlooking the chaos ensuing.
