Here we go! Just downloaded the program PaintStormStudio (around $20) just because I wanted to do a more painterly look. Very rough right now, setting things up - but here is the first WIP. Actually painting with some sort of (digital) oil is so far outside my comfort zone I can't even describe - therefore I have to rethink everything I did and how I did it before.
To the culture (redoing something I have planned already for something else): High up in the north there are the Wulfgār. The descendants of Wulf Of-The-First-Snow was born out of itself and is said to be the first human whose feet ever touched the world. He laid with the godess / the great spirit of the nine winds (the highest of them all) and took her as his bride. Wulf is said to be the first one who did anything and everything. Even to this day, the Wulfgār trace their lineages back to the first days and hold the many spirits of their animistic worldview in high regard. The Norningār - holding the balance and communicating with the spirits - are a group of shamans gathered at the sight of the first imprint Wulf ever made on the snowy coast. Since the land is barren and cold, the communities strife to the coasts and the seas, live of the ocean and raiding in their longboats. The communities are connected by stories, fairytales and myths the people often tell (especially the sailors). News travel fast this way, but it is said that no story is so good it doesn't deserve to be amplified. This led to the tradition, that a well-told lie is often regarded higher as a plain truth - a tradition surely seen by the stories that are told of Wulf himself... and many of them are written down. In fact - nearly everything is written down. This is for a reason: The Wulfgār believe, that if anyone is talking about someone, someone is remembered or there are written accounts about someone he is never truly dead or gone, but will live on as a spirit who can be called if the name is remembered (leading to spectacular deeds and courageous acts by young Wulfgār). This also led to runes on weapons and tools, carvings of letters or tales in the wood of the houses, etc.
My inspiration for this were the vikings which combined well with the floral patterns of art nouveau, the culture is fictional and the religious aspects of spirits are a variant of the early kami-religion of Hokkaido.
If you have questions, be sure to write. This is just a brief overview. =)
Best wishes, Steffen
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