Eclipse of the Celestial Empress

"Eclipse of the Celestial Empress" is a hypothetical game I created for my graduate submission. By creating a brief story for this game I aimed to create concept designs & illustrations that bring to life the characters, creatures, and themes of the game.

“Eclipse of the Celestial Empress" is an action-adventure RPG set in a fantastical realm where a powerful celestial being, the Celestial Empress, once a beacon of light to the realm, seeks to harness the energy of a rare cosmic event known as the Eclipse. Players take on the role of the courageous protagonist, a skilled warrior and heir to an ancient lineage, who must prevent the Empress's plans and restore balance to the world.

From the beginning I knew I wanted to create a visual separation between the two characters to define their role within the game. The imagery I decided to use was the opposition of sun and moon. In the process of designing the two characters, you can see the imagery of the warm sun and the cold moon woven into the designs to separate the two. 

In the heart of the Ember Keep's Fortress, Dawn, a warrior of unmatched skill, is entrusted with a sacred duty by her ancestors. Armed with the Sword of the Emberkeep's Flame, a relic passed down through generations, she embarks on a perilous quest to recover the Astral Heart from the clutches of the Empress. With the legacy of her lineage on her back, Dawn's determination blazes as brightly as the fire that forged her blade.

Creating creatures was something I had dabbled with in other university workshops/projects but I wanted to try it again for this one, as I felt the story I had created called for at least one or two fantastical creatures/animals. I was fortunate that this projects time frame allowed me to experiment drawing something that I might start over or scrap. 

I loosely based Lumina and her rabbits off of the Chinese legend of Chang’e (嫦娥) the immortal goddess and the Jade Rabbit as it fit with the themes of sun and moon which I wanted to display. Legend tells of Houyi (后羿), who saved humanity by shooting down nine suns, earning the right to marry Chang’e. When Houyi acquired a pill of immortality, Chang’e swallowed it whole out of curiosity, ascending to the moon and leaving Houyi behind, forever separated. Here she met the Jade Rabbit.

The tragic fate of Chang'e and her companionship with the Jade Rabbit reflects that of Lumina and the Celestial rabbits as well as the connecting theme of the moon and ethereal beings.

The Celestial rabbits, an extension of the Empress's power, silently observe and protect their mistress's domain, their eyes glowing with otherworldly light as they watch Dawn and her guardian on their journey. Each bears markings as unique as the constellations themselves, a reflection of their connection to the moon and its divinity. Together, they form a silent network of spies and informants, their presence felt but rarely seen as they move through the shadows, unseen and unheard.

I began learning to draw, like many, through learning about the human form. Landscapes are not my strong suit but I really wanted to set the tone for the game as best I could through my illustration. I felt a landscape image seemed one of the only reasonable ways to execute this. After going back to a sketch I did previously in the project, I decided to color map, collect references and then began to paint. This is the outcome of that process.