Inktober 2017: Day 22

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The commotion from the giant and the presence of the stranger's sword disturbed the Drinking Dragon from its slumber.  The hooded stranger landed on its back and grasped tightly to what he thought was grass, but it had a strong hold like hair. 

The dragon soared up into the sky, encircling the giant. The hooded stranger preferred this way of getting to the giant's head. 

Inktober 2017: day 21

[Flash back]
3 days earlier*.
The hooded stranger and the musician on top of Castle Rushen, Castletown:

M: "See that rock over there just near Calf of Man? That’s drinking rock." 

HS: "Is that where people go to drink?" 

M: "It looks like a dragon drinking from the sea." 

HS: [straining to see] "ah! I see it now." 


*3 days earlier = Inktober Day 2

Inktober 2017: Day 20

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... and with that, the hooded stranger flew through the air and plummeted to the waves below...

Inktober 2017: Day 19

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As the hooded stranger climbed higher and made his way up the giant’s shoulder, he paused and looked over the Manx landscape. He was both in awe and petrified. He could see all of the island and across.

Suddenly, the giant noticed the enchanted glow from the sword. It raised its hand and began to brush the hooded stranger off like a piece of dust…

Inktober 2017: Day 18

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The hooded stranger made some progress up the giant’s forearm before it stood up tall again. The climb was going to be harder now and progress was going to be slow. The sword could give him added ability to leap and climb, but the hooded stranger had never meet a kaiju this big before. Maybe this really was Manannán Mac Lir.

Inktober 2017: Day 17

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Something was not quite right about the giant. The hooded stranger could sense an anger or annoyance from it. As he tried to reason with it and convince it to leave, the giant had enough. It slammed it's hand down on top of the hooded stranger. He managed to get enough distance, but it was extremely close. The force of the hand hitting the ground caused a mini earthquake, knocking the hooded stranger (and many of the crowd) to the ground.

The hooded stranger looked back at the hand. He quickly realised this may be the opportunity he needed to climb the giant.

The hooded stranger ran towards the hand...

Inktober 2017: Day 16

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The hooded man stood before the giant, his sword in the air and glowing. The giant bent down for a closer look at this strange spectacle. 
The hooded stranger began to speak to the giant, or rather shouted at the giant over the roar of the sea and the struggle of his voice being lost to the wind. He spoke in a strange language that resembled Gaelic and Nordic. 

The giant spoke back. It's voice was a sound the crowd watching had never experienced before. Rather than spoken with a voice, the words resonated in everyone's head. A low frequency rumble could be heard / felt, but the words themselves originated within their heads.

The hooded man's expression changed to disappointment. He looked back at the crowd, looking for the mayor. It would seem there was a major misunderstanding a few centuries ago and the mayor knew it... 

Inktober 2017: Day 15 (late)

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The hooded stranger looked back at the crowd. The musician was walking towards him. In his hands was the hooded stranger's own sword which was taken from him back at the B&B. He suspected the musician wasn't too far away when he heard the choir. 
Now with his sword back in his procession, the hooded stranger might be able to turn the tables...

Inktober 2017: Update

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Update: Day 15 / 16:

Some idea sketches and experimenting in a notebook.
You can see here why I'm regretting doing the giant so tall in day 14. I will continue with the extreme size since it might work with some other elements I intend to add.

Other things have come up, so I'm falling behind with the inktober sketches. I might be 2 or 3 days behind and might struggle to catch up. But I intend to have 31 sketches done regardless. (some people might remember last year I was two days late by the end of October).

Inktober 2017: Day 14

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The giant towered over them, standing there silently.  The hooded stranger was in awe. He then suddenly remembered his hands were still empty of a weapon. The swords the weapon dealer had haphazardly left behind were not suitable for anything, let alone taking down a mountain.

Inktober 2017: Day 13

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A loud bellow rumbles out of the fog. The weapon dealer hastily collected his swords and ran to join the onlookers. The hooded stranger could hear the sea swell and crash loudly against the cliff below. A storm was coming, but the wind did not increase. 

Suddenly, a towering figure emerged through the fog. At first, the hooded stranger thought it was a large ship (before quickly remembering they were on top of a cliff). It resembled a moving mountain. The fog began to clear a little, and the hooded stranger got his first glimpse of Manannán mac Lir...

Inktober 2017: Day 12

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A mysterious figure unrolled a blanket and proceeded to lay out a selection of ancient weapons. The hooded stranger recognised them from the Manx museum. The collection consisted of old Viking weapons, corroded or damaged during burial ceremonies. The sword that wasn’t damaged looked to be an ornament, polished and never sharpened. 
The hooded stranger's worry continued to grow. He couldn't use any of these.

The mayor announced to the crowd to step back and clear the area.

Inktober 2017: Day 11

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As the fog grew thicker, the hooded stranger looked at the mayor. For the first time that day, the look of glee and dramatics was drained from him, and now the hooded stranger saw… fear?

“What the hell…?”

A choir behind them began to sing...

Inktober 2017: Day 10

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The hooded stranger rose to his feet. As the mayor continued addressing the crowd, a fog started to drift in from the sea.

"It is time! Manannán is coming!" roared the the mayor to gentle applause from the crowd.

Inktober 2017: Day 9

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The boat journey to the island wasn't long, but the walk was. After twenty minutes, they arrived at the lighthouses.
It was awkward walking with two men holding his arms. The hooded stranger tripped a number times along the way.
The mayor stood with delight, waving his arms and encouraging the crowd. Before them stood a huge wicker statue...

"What is that meant to be?" asked the hooded stranger, with a sense of panic as he started remembering the end scene from a movie.
"That is our Wallaby. They have flourished here on the island since the 70's. We thought it was an interesting representation of the uniqueness of our isle."
"...and the tourists love it," mumbled the hooded stranger, sarcastically.
"Actually, we don't know.This is our first year with Wally."

The hooded stranger started to struggle again.
"You can't do this! You can't put me in there!"
"In there?!" The mayor was startled. Then realised how this all looked.
"God no! that is just for spectacle. This isn't "The Wicker Man!"
Some people in the crowd laughed. One of the men holding the hooded stranger give a gentle chuckle.
"What the hell is going on?" thought the hooded stranger to himself.

Inktober 2017: Day 8

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When they got to Port Erin, everyone boarded buses going in the Cregneash direction. The hooded stranger was a little confused as they passed the living museum village. The only destination past the village was...
"... Isle of Calf?!" said the hooded stranger to himself.
"...ummm? Calf of Man, yes," said the mayor, as if remembering the hooded stranger had a voice. "We have boats waiting to take as many of the tourists over as we can."
"Why did we take that train? Wouldn't it have been quicker to take the bus the whole way from Douglas?"
"It's traditional!" Smiled the mayor. "...and the tourists love it."

Inktober 2017: Day 7

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The hooded stranger sat quietly as the train chugged along. He had taken this train journey earlier in the week, so he had a rough idea where he was going...

Inktober 2017: Day 6

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The crowd paraded the hooded stranger through the market street. He saw tourists gleefully take part, buying masks or applauding as he walked past. The hooded stranger was now regretting not researching more about the island before arriving.
They eventually arrived at the train station. The hooded stranger was ushered onto a carriage.
"Finally, I can sit down again" mumbled the mayor to himself.

Inktober 2017: Day 5

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The hooded stranger had no sooner checked-out and exited the B&B when three masked locals grabbed him. One took his back packs while the other two held his arms.
He was about to put up a fight, but quickly realised they were far from alone. From what he could see, the whole town must have been there.
He didn't think his reputation had reached outside of his home village. He was about to discover that assumption was still correct.

Before him stood the mayor.
-"You have been chosen for the privilege of serving as our tribute to the Fomorians."
-"The what? Let go of me! What the hell is going on?!"
-"It was no coincidence that you came here when you did. Manannán mac Lir has sent many to protect us..."

Inktober 2017: Day 4

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The weather had cleared up by the next day. The hooded stranger made his way around the rest of the island, visiting Ramsey and finishing the day in Peel. 
For such a beautiful ruins (near a long stretch of beach), he never visited a castle that was so difficult to find from the middle of town.
His only choice was to follow the slope of the land down through narrow winding streets in hopes of finding the beach. A number of times he was convinced he was going the wrong way.

Inktober 2017: Day 3

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Visibility was poor due to wet weather, forcing the hooded stranger to abandon his plans for more exploring that day.
That evening, he sat quietly in an Italian restaurant, sketching in his little notebook while waiting for his pizza...

Inktober 2017: Day 2

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The musician showed the hooded stranger around Castle Rushen. The hooded stranger had seen the castle when he took the "scenic route" the day before.

Inktober 2017: Day 1

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The hooded stranger had quite the trip to the Isle of Man. From getting on a bus that went in the wrong direction (and visiting half of the Island in the process) to crossing the Fairy bridge and defiantly not saying "hello fairies," the hooded stranger finally dropped his things at his B&B and went to meet with the musician at the sea terminal.

◀"Will I know it's a sea terminal when I see it?" Asked the hooded stranger.
▶"It's the building that looks like a giant lemon squeezer."