Tales from Zeheer

Tales from Zeheer

In the distant kingdom of Zeheer, magic weaves through the air and enchantment saturates the land. Towering mountains, lush forests, and bustling towns paint a picture of wonder. Mystical creatures and entities far & wide from the Cosmos roam freely, while secrets lurk in shadowed corners. But as a plague of unknown origin infests the land causing horrifying mutations, people must come together and rise to preserve Zeheer's fragile balance. Welcome to Tales from Zeheer, a fantastical land where adventure beckons at every step!

Leafy Friends

This is an illustration of a scene featuring the main trio that will accompany us on our journey through the lands of Zeheer. Starting from left to right, we have the keen Asperanza, the bold Luka and the ever so cheerful Goubo the Karr Bear. We see them in the company of their newfound friends, the playful little Frilhos, as they take shelter for the night at the old ruins of a place long forgotten and claimed by time.

Grayscale version of the above illustration

A quick timelapse of my illustration process

Bonfire

This is an illustration depicting Luka and Goubo spending the night in a mystical forest, before they met Asperanza on their travels. Gouba seems to be in a state of wonder as he looks curiously at the raging green fire in front of him, meanwhile Luka holds a stick with Sweetmallows over the fire.

Process timelapse for the above illustration

Before I settled with my final "Bonfire"  illustration, there were a few iterations which didn't make the cut. Nonetheless, I feel like including them here in a separate section. As you can see, Luka and Gouba looked quite different early on before I eventually settled on their final look.

Here are some rough thumbnail sketches I made before starting with the final illustrations. Not all of them saw the light of day, but I am quite happy with the couple of them that did. These basically depict our protagonists in different scenarios, exploring old ruins, getting in trouble on their adventures, coming across mystical creatures and enemies, spending time together and so on.

Asperanza Kriiste of the Noble House

Asperanza is a dedicated scout known for their quiet strength and unwavering loyalty. With grace and keen perception, they navigate the land, serving as a reassuring presence in times of uncertainty. Their courage in the face of danger is matched only by their commitment to safeguarding their homeland and its people.

Some rough iterative sketches for Asperanza

Greetings from Zeheer!

Character thumbnail sketches I came up with which give a brief look into Zeheer's mysterious inhabitants, ranging from mutated Mages and Plague Doctors, anthropomorphic Butlers who can conjure otherworldly magic at will, Meerkat Cartographers, Royal Guards from the Cosmos, monstrous pet Echidnas, members of the Royal Church, Cigar Smoking Butchers of an unlikely species, creatures from the underground tunnels and swamps whose sole purpose is to wreak havoc, Metamorphic Trolls from the Dungeons, Puppet Ballerinas taking control, Entities of the Paranormal kind from a Realm unknown, a Queen no longer in control of herself and her kingdom, flying Executioners, escapades of a silly Prisoner duo, Celestial Messengers from the Cosmos, an inquisition of Ghastly Witches, and Pilgrims carrying entire mountaintops on their backs! 

These give you a brief glimpse of what goes on in my mind. Heavily inspired by FROMSOFTWARE's Souls-like games, if you couldn't tell already!

Thank you for visiting Zeheer!

I am really glad I got to work on this project, and I am quite happy with the result. It was a great learning experience for sure. I am forever grateful to my mentor and friends who helped me out along the way and provided valuable feedback. Hope you guys like the world of Zeheer as much as I enjoyed creating it! Thank you :D