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I apologize for the long wait for me to get this post out. But I think the images you're about to see will make up for it like a Power Pip or two. Let's begin.
Recently Leesha Darkheart (over at Ravenwood Radio) went on a trip to Austin, Texas.
"Hey, Blaze, isn't that where KingsIsle studios is located."
Yes, inquiring reader, it IS.
Leesha made a stop over there and was able to get some information on Celestia, and of course, some concept art for all of us back home.
Let me start off with a brief synopsis of the history of Celestia.
Long ago, the Astral Wizards of Celestia created powerful magic using the energy of the Stars, the Moon, and the Sun. The sorceress, Morganthe, the Queen of the Shadow Web, wanted the secrets of the Celestian magic at... all costs. The Celestians refused her, so she raised a dark army and sent it against Celestia. After decades of battle, the Astral Wizards realized their world would fall. They summoned the Storm Titan to defeat Morganthe’s legions and to take their world to a place of safety.
The Storm Titan betrayed the Celestians by sinking their world beneath the waves along with Morganthe’s invading forces. Realizing they were doomed, the Celestians raised mighty domes to protect some of their treasured city from the waves, though it was too late! They perished along with Morganthe's invading army. Celestia was lost to the Spiral, its Spiral Door closed forever.
Centuries later, a team of brave explorers from the Spiral Geographic Society, led by Sir Thurston Plunkett, re-discovered Celestia. They landed with an air-ship, and built exploratory undersea domes to explore Celestia’s ruins. Plunkett and his fellow explorers soon realized that Celestia was now inhabited by a strange new culture... the Crustacean Empire. Unfortunately, the explorers did not come alone to Celestia. Morganthe’s followers, the Shadow Weavers, stand ready to take Celestia’s magic for their Queen.
After receiving the Spiral Geographic Society’s distress call, Headmaster Merle Ambrose, of the Ravenwood School for Magic, seeks any young Wizards brave enough to journey to the undersea world of Celestia, and discover the secrets of it's lost magic.
What will they find there?
Cool huh? Well, let's take a look at what the teachers of the Astral schools might look like.
Now, I'm not sure if these are going to be the teachers, but they look pretty wise. (Although not smarter than Alhazred, right sorcerers?) I was curious why there didn't seem to be a picture of a Star school teacher. Which also makes me think that these might not be teachers. When I got these pictures from Leesha, they were saved as Sun Boss and Moon Boss. So I'm not sure. You can theorycraft on your own time. Let's get back to the spoilers.
I also got a picture of what the Crustaceans will look like. (Granted we knew from the wallpaper reveals.)
Pretty cool! You can definitely see the Roman-esque look to him. I also got a picture of one of the bosses. I don't know the name, but he is an Angler Fish. (I'm sure once these pictures get around to Autumn, she'll give you some cool info on those.)
He has symbols of all three astral schools, which brings me to a good point. What schools will the bosses / enemies be? I mean, we can't be getting attacks from the astral schools. Like Friendly, I think it will be a new type of spell if not some type of charm kind of thing. Hmm. Well, that's theory crafting for another day / post. Next picture.
I know, you're all asking yourselves, what the heckhound? Am I right? I'm right. The name of this picture was Platypus Leader. And he looks like a chief of some sort of tribe. That leads me to believe that there won't just be Crustaceans. He seems very friendly, so I'm assuming the platypuses, platypi, platypeople, will be allies of the Crustacean Empire. (Sort of like the goats and the cows in Mooshu.) Either way, he's a platypus, and that's cool enough for me. Moving on.
My second favorite picture from Leesha is this next one. Looks to me like the Unicorn isn't going to be our only new mount this summer.
Yeah, it'll kinda weird me out having squids running around Krokotopia too. Which is why I think this will be a Celestia Only mount. I don't know if that's possible, but it can't be good for squids to be out of water for long. Then again these are magical squids, so who knows.
The next two pictures are of Shadow Weavers. Yeah it's the full versions of the pictures from Becketts.
Regular Shadow Weaver henchman-bug-thing.
And there's your head Shadow Weaver, second in command.
Of course, we can't forget about the all important architecture. ("Right, Blaze, definitely...") Here's one of the areas in Celestia.
Now, for the final picture from Leesha, everyone's favorite drumming troll is going to start us off. Take it away, bud!
x drumroll x
Here it is.
Yup, that's our new villainess, Morganthe, Queen of the Shadow Web. You can see her creepy little Shadow Weaver babies behind her. She's got her big, bad, Staff of No Return. Loving it. I really like the purple magic power in her hand. That really adds to the spookiness of her. Same with the big web and spider legs on the back of her dress. Wait, maybe she's part spider. Even better! I can see it now, Morganthe BATTLE FORM! I'm liking it. She gets down on spider legs and x shudder x death everywhere. If you were wondering what to get Leesha for her birthday, it's definitely that dress. (It is Death Overlord-esque!) She just loves it. And frankly I think every little necromancess will too!
I hope you all enjoyed this little spoiler, and will post your comments with your thoughts on all these pieces of awesomesauce.
Btw, if you caught my Phineas and Ferb referance earlier, you get +15 Brownie Points. ;D
Also, I got these out before Friendly. I feel special.
Happy Gaming
