Vortex Verlag
CREATOR
about 1 month ago
Project Update: Welcome to Shanarel – A New Date, a Gift, and a Faerie Picnic
Hello, travellers – and welcome to Shanarel!
First of all, thank you for following our campaign. Whether you discovered Shanarel only recently or have been waiting at the roadside for some time, we are delighted to have you here.
For our first update, we have some important news, a small gift, and a wonderful new illustration to share with you.
Shanarel Will Launch in September 2027
We have decided to move the launch of our crowdfunding campaign from March to September 7, 2027.
The reason is simple: Shanarel is going to be enormous.
We are creating three substantial books, each published in both English and German, and filled with a great many illustrations and detailed maps. The layout work alone is expected to take around a year.
We could launch earlier, but that could result in rushed work before the campaign or a longer wait for the finished books. We do not want to compromise on quality or let our backers wait much more than a year after the campaign ends before they can finally hold Shanarel in their hands. All of our projects so far were printed in under a year, and we'd like to keep it that way.
In the meantime, there will be plenty to discover. We will use these updates to introduce you to Shanarel’s peoples, cultures, countries, creatures, artwork, and many peculiar corners.
First texts will come as soon as we have a first English translation of Ben's German text. We don't want to use AI to create preliminary translations – they would not do justice to Ben's exquisite style.
First texts will come as soon as we have a first English translation of Ben's German text. We don't want to use AI to create preliminary translations – they would not do justice to Ben's exquisite style.
A Gift for Our Early Followers
Everyone who joined us in the first months and has missed the gift, can download our exclusive Shanarel screen wallpapers for free. Consider them a small window into the world while you wait for the road ahead to open.
Followers can find the wallpapers in the followers-only section. If you have not yet signed up, we invite you to do so now – you'll then get the link upon registering.
Followers can find the wallpapers in the followers-only section. If you have not yet signed up, we invite you to do so now – you'll then get the link upon registering.
A Picnic Not Quite in This World
We would also like to show you a wonderful new illustration by Runa Rosenberger, whose work you may already know from the cover of Serenissima Obscura.
The picture introduces four of Shanarel’s six playable faerie cultures: a Nor, a Holf, a Clywynn, and a Djunan. They are enjoying a picnic in the Near Faerie World – a place that is never quite as far from Shanarel as sensible travellers might hope.
The creature in the foreground is a Koll. Kolls are commonly kept as pets by the Clywynn, although whether they are well-behaved picnic companions is another question entirely.
We love everything about this illustration. It captures Shanarel perfectly: beautiful, strange, full of personality, and filled with details that reveal something about the people who inhabit it.
Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann, the creator of Shanarel, had this to say:
“I love how perfectly the clothes fit these different faerie cultures. The Nor has a warrior mask for his face- Nor have metal masks as faces – so naturally he wears sensible clothing. The Holf may once have worn something sensible, but Holf clothing becomes stranger and more gothic over the course of a few days, so they really have no choice in the matter.The Clywynn probably considers her outfit entirely sensible. This is exactly what a Clywynn would wear for a casual occasion – and she may even feel slightly underdressed. And the Djunan does not care in the slightest. She does, however, know that members of other cultures generally prefer not to go entirely nude, so perhaps some kind of bra might be appropriate?It’s simply wonderful.”
And that, perhaps, is Shanarel in miniature: four faeries, four completely different ideas of suitable picnic attire, one curious Koll – and an entire world waiting just beyond the trees.
Thank you again for joining us. We are tremendously excited to share more of Shanarel with you over the coming months.
Come for the adventure. Stay for the world.
The Vortex Verlag Team
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