The Spellcraft monster of Aramore, Estesia Mistral
As I mentioned in the previous blog, now that we're gearing up for the release of volume two, I want to begin previewing some of the fun and exciting characters you'll meet! I did this at the launch of volume one as well, but at the time I didn't have a website. If you scroll back on my social media far enough, you'll find those posts. But all those characters have since gotten dedicated blog posts anyway.
Unfortunately, I'm unable to offer any art of my new characters at this time. It's hard to believe because he's so talented, but my illustrator is actually a college student, currently in the throes of his university career. Because things have gotten so busy, at least for now, we're saving him for the really important stuff - like the covers! I haven't decided if I want a new artist for the concepts, so I spent all night trying out AI art but... didn't really get any satisfying results. So I thought it would be fun to, instead, share the concept boards I sent my illustrator before we cancelled the project.
So without further ado, allow me to introduce the "untouchable" witch athlete Estesia Mistral!
A concept board for The Silver Witch, which I hope will one day soon turn into actual artwork!
The Silver Witch
“The Silver Witch had hair that was deep and blue like a tropical ocean, though the tips of her short bob were colored a much lighter shade, similar to turquoise. She was pretty, but had a rugged, tomboyish quality. Her eyes were the color of ash. And true to her name, she was donned in silver robes that glittered subtly. Her hat, of course, was also silver, and looked like it was made of a very fine, silky material. The bloom of a moonlight lotus adorned the brim, similar to how an amber ribbon adorned my own.”
Name: Estesia Mistral
Age: 36
Birthday: Aoutto 11, Constellation of the Fox
Hometown: Kingdom of Aramore
Bio: A renowned Spellcraft athlete who keeps people at a distance inside and outside the ring. When she fights, she is seemingly untouchable, completely undefeated and setting a record with six back-to-back championship wins. She's charismatic with her fans, but less so with others. She always says what's on her mind, and she doesn't mince her words either. But what's the secret to her fighting prowess? And can Isabel get along with someone so rough and tumble?
Likes: Though she'll vehemently deny it, the Silver Witch loves anything cute: cats, flowers, ribbons... Magic didn't always come easy to Estesia, but she loves to fight. Outside the ring you can find her taking frequent naps or trying new, exotic foods to whet her voracious appetite.
What is Spellcraft?
Welcome to Wis' Apothecary isn't as action packed as some other fantasy series, but I love flexing those writing muscles when I can. That's what made this story so much fun to create! Isabel gets to attend her first Spellcraft tournament, an arcane sport where witches, wizards and warlocks professionally duel one another. These tournaments are both regional and seasonal, with qualifiers ahead of larger tournaments. I imagine there might be exhibition matches that involve teams, but this is primarily an individual sport - and you can bet the Silver Witch prefers it that way.
When these tournaments come around, it's all the rage. Aramore, of course, has a large stadium devoted to the sport. As a bit of a country bumpkin, Isabel doesn't really know much about the game, but Ailu and Kyon are huge fans! Not that they've ever paid for a ticket...
Still, instead of just telling you about the sport, how about an excerpt?!
It was Enchantress who decided to break the standoff and make the first move. She raised a hand and… began to sing?
The language was strange, but she had an incredibly beautiful voice. With the weight the words seemed to carry, even a novice like me could tell it wasn’t any ordinary song. It had to be magic.
"Is she trying to charm her?" I turned to my teacher and then the twins.
"Exactly. Enchantress isn't a fighter, but is known to end things quickly by incapacitating her opponent with charms and illusions." Ailu answered.
I noticed the sigils on the arena walls were glowing, protecting us from the magic.
"I believe it's some kind of sleep spell." Master Wis watched intently.
It didn't look like it was working though. While the Silver Witch wasn't making any attempt to defend herself, she didn't seem particularly fazed either. Then as if to settle any doubt, she charged in.
"Your voice is really irritating!" The Silver Witch chanted a spell as she ran alongside the field's pond, and launched a barrage of frozen water darts at the Enchantress. But as they struck, she just dispersed into a cloud of butterflies which immediately swarmed in.
"If my voice won't work…" The butterflies coalesced behind the Silver Witch, and the Enchantress appeared at her back. “Goodnight, Silver Witch.”
Her hand began glowing a dark purple, and she reached for the Silver Witch’s shoulder.
"That's her finishing move, the Touch of Death!" Kyon gasped.
From behind, the Silver Witch was totally exposed. But as Enchantress made contact, there was a spray of blood and she let out a shrill shriek as she hastily pulled her hand away. She clutched her wrist in pain as blood dripped to the grass below.
“Wait, what just happened?” I exclaimed. Did I miss something? It didn't look like the Silver Witch moved at all, let alone cast a spell.
Enchantress scowled, and once again disappeared into a cloud of colorful insects which surrounded the Silver Witch, filling the air around her with dust from their wings. The witch began coughing into her arm as she tried to swat away the butterflies, but it was futile.
“That’s not good…” Ailu bit her thumb, her voice filled with concern.
“What kind of spell is that?” I asked.
“It’s a magical poison Enchantress uses to paralyze her opponents.” Ailu replied.
I looked back at the arena, and sure enough, the Silver Witch’s movements were beginning to slow.
“This might be a bad matchup…” Kyon anxiously tilted forward. “Even wizards have trouble dealing with charms. A witch can’t really counter this kind of magic without a potion or talisman, right?"
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Master Wis replied. There was a twinkle in her eye.
Despite my teacher’s confidence, the Silver Witch fell to her knees. Though she tried, she was unable to get back up, and soon stopped struggling all together.
Descending like a butterfly herself, Enchantress reformed and gracefully dropped in front of the Silver Witch. The wizard held her tenderly by the cheek, and raised her other hand high in the air — glowing purple with energy.
“Is it over?” I gasped.
More to Come
I hope you look forward to the conclusion to that fight, as well as the rest of the tournament! Now vested with an Arcanus, Isabel quickly learns magic isn't as easy as just chanting a few magic words. But at the 62nd Autumn Solstice Spellcraft Championship, Isabel is exposed to magic of all different kinds... the elemental magic of witches, the augments and charms of wizards - and my personal favorite, the pact magic of warlocks.
There's more characters to introduce ahead of volume two as well, so keep an eye on the blog! Or follow me on social media. EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT! I've launched both a subreddit and Discord server for Wis' Apothecary. As my community here grows, I want there to be platforms for people to meet and interact with one another. I also want to interact with you more directly, and offer an additional space to push out updates as it relates to the series. So if you're interested at all, please feel free to join these communities and say hello.
Next time: I introduce an heiress with a penchant for singing... though she'd rather pick up the sword!
Until then, thanks for reading!