authoring
Tales from the Oldewoods
A series of hearthside adventures from the valleys of the Oldewoods.
Chapterbook One introduces us to our narrator hosts, the Coffeetieri, who travel between hearths with their café-wagon to hear the small tales and the tall tales of the fellows they meet. Tea, coffee and other beverages are also offered. With biscuits
Chapterbook One: the Spooks Hollow
📖the Sketchbook Proof
the ‘story-within-the-story’ of Chapterbook One is the tale of an apprentice waystrider who loses her trade caravan in the mists of the Barrowwoods Edge. Beset and worn down by barrok* and other spooks she must find her way free and somehow help the caravan escape the place.
(*barrok are the spook residents of barrows, of which there are many in the Barrowwoods.)
a Living Proof
Various pages have been inked, showcasing the two styles within. First is the cool monochrome of the ’host’ Coffeetieri’s arc. Second are the autumnal hues and shades of the Spooks Tale, as told to the Coffeetieri by its protagonist. All pages have been storyboarded, and beside final choice of fonts all that remians is for the remaining pages to be finished. Sketched pages act as placeholders within the proof and as pages are inked the finished art is entered to replace them, one by one.
a World in Vignettes
✒️the Roving Hearths
.. and other stoves, such as the post-porch seen here. Inspired by the magic of cafés many of the scenes seen in these inkings involve a hearth or stove of some kind, including many that have taken to the road. On their heels are many sketches yet to find their way under the quill.
✏️a Sketchbook Field Journal
The Oldewoods grows with every sketch, a lore that must adhere to the ‘Origins’ notes that codify the world and its cosmos.
Not every sketch captures a thing quite right, but eventually, often inspired by other discoveries in the world, a design brings out the essence just right. Most of this journey was journalled, and supported, on Patreon.
👾Wayswatch & the Travelling Café
Ash, aka Woodchi, has always crafted worlds intended for games as well as books, and has found that developing the game and world hand-in-hand leads to a richer, more integrated result. The Oldewoods is no exception.
Wayswatch is an abandoned wayside hall encountered early in the game and while existing worldcrafting gave it its basic look, so the needs of the game experience gave it its form and details. Said results then made their way into Lore.