The Callous Blog

Callous took a somewhat darker turn this week, but it was all in good fun!  The Chronicles of Chaturanga story arc came into being one day while watching a fellow physician play online chess.

Online chess had been a running gag in Callous for quite some time.  It had always been a real pain for Rianne because she could never seem to win a match.





Personally, there's nothing in the world that tires my mind more than a game of chess.  I find it absolutely exhausting!  So I gave it up early.  But the few games of chess that I experienced has given me a profound appreciation for regular players. 

Interestingly, in my history of playing the game, I can remember winning two matches.  In one of those matches, I narrated an engaging fantasy storyline with each move on the board.  My opponent loved my storytelling and became more engrossed in the tale than the game itself... until I made my last move to score checkmate, that is.

So when I recently noticed my friend engrossed in an online match, my mind started racing once again with fantastic tales of honor and glory!

Writing and drawing the story arc was a further challenge.  Quick searches online led me to the history of chess and its roots from chaturanga (apparently the game's predecessor).  I had to look for sample pictures of chess pieces as well, as I didn't have their appearances memorized.

In the end, producing the story arc was a blast! I enjoyed drawing Rianne as the black queen as she let herself loose in the drama.