10 Things You Didn't Know About Volfyirion
1. The illustrations on cards A, B, and C are all details of the same image D
Like other card games, Volfyirion also consists of several cards, with different illustrations, powers, and abilities. If you look closely at the cards on the right you will observe that the pictures on the command cards A, B, and C have details of the image on command card D. These similar illustrations help players generate powerful combos according to the situation.
2. Our illustrator Travis Anderson creates all his scenes in 3D before drawing
Travis wants to clearly see how the scenes will look in the end. In this way, he can immediately know if it works and if it does, he can give a more realistic effect to the illustration. By creating scenes in 3D, the illustrator is trying to digitally create a three-dimensionality, this helps in visualizing existing scenes and also in envisioning totally new ones. With the 3D creations, he can boast of perfect views, angles, lighting, precise measurements, and accuracy.
3. The story behind Celethe's haircut in Volfyirion
When we first imagined the world of Mysthea, one of the ideas was that the Qoam controllers had to shave their heads as a part of a ritual. Indeed in the very first sketches, Telron and Celethe have shaved heads. This is also evident in Travis’s illustrations. In the end, however, we decided not to maintain this idea and the artist added a lock of hair to Celethe.
4. The true story about Volfyirion birth
The truth is that the real creators of Volfyirion were our backers. During the Kickstarter campaign of Mysthea in fact, we received so many requests to add a dragon to the game that we were impressed. In the end, we didn’t add a dragon in Myshtea but we raised the stakes, creating a specific game for it... and that's how we met Volfyirion.
5. The connection Between Volfyirion and… a motorcyclist?
The idea for Volfyirion design came from... music! More precisely, the music that was made for Volfyirion video inspired our game designer Alessandro Veracchi. He says that the music reminded him of a motorcyclist who is the king of the road and so he thought that Volfyiron, in a similar way, had to be the king of the sky. If you want to listen to it, then watch the video.
6. Did you know there used to be a Volfyirion Junior?
In one of the Mysthea sketches, there is a version of a mini-Volfyirion! At a first glance, the similarity is not immediate to spot, but once you look more closely it becomes evident (even if it is little and acts like a dog bringing the newspaper). Could you have imagined that he would have grown that much?
7. How Volfyirion's illustration was designed
We started identifying the most important aspects of its design. Once we did it, Travis started creating an illustration of the dragon above the ruins of Kyradar, a dramatic image that would then drive the game mood and visual aesthetics. The design of this illustration had been modified multiple times until we felt that it was exactly how Volfyirion should have looked like. In the final design, the dragon's tail was wrapped around its body, and its face had a menacing look that truly represents its might.
8. Mysthea Universe has its own RPG
Well, yes! its name is Mysthea: Legends from the Borderlands, and it was made by UFO Press, a small indie publisher. Its game system gets you into the heart of the action, while at the same time allowing your stories to zoom out and take in the broad sweep of geography and history.
For more info: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jayciles/mysthea-legends-from-the-borderlands
9. Travis’s secret hallmark
Travis Anderson is the game artist behind all the illustrations used in Volfyirion and this is something well known. What you probably don’t know is that Travis has a unique hallmark: he always draws some nice birds in all of his artworks. If you haven’t paid attention to that before, have a try and see if you can actually locate them. That would be such a fun thing to achieve.
10. Have you ever wondered who is this mysterious creature wandering around Kyradar ruins?
The City of Kyradar, miles away west of Ilvash. The whole place lies in ruins after being sieged by King Ahatils during his conquest of Mysthea. It is also the place where Volfyirion settled, creating its lair in the remains. So let’s say that if you want to be safe you shouldn’t go there. However, someone said they saw a strange figure wandering around Kyradaar ruins. From the appearance and pose it resembles a monk, but who it really is?
