(Last substantial change: 8 May 1998.)
Ananda Patterson, gamemaster extraordinaire, ran a roleplaying game (alternately known as “The Versedrom Campaign” and “La Tierra”) starting in 1993 or so that was one of the two best and most intense games I’ve ever been associated with. We had a total of nine players over the course of the game (usually seven at any given session), mostly playing characters who’d known each other since childhood. The situations were far too complicated to even touch on coherently in a brief description—the characters' parents were convicted of heresy and banished to Siberia; the characters accidentally traveled into alternate universes to rescue an NPC; they engaged upon a hellish descent into a place called Paradise which tested their faith to the utmost; they discovered that they were hybrid seedlings of the Tree of Life (and were therefore the personifications of certain universal Archetypes); they rescued what was left of their parents; they evacuated the entire population of an alternate Japan into another universe; and they managed to avoid a war with the Council of Mages. All this, plus magical explosions, assassinations, interspecies sex, shapeshifting, attempts to prevent the destruction of the world... And did I mention that the characters were mostly humanoids from an alternate Earth where sentience evolved from mammals other than primates? Like I said, the campaign doesn’t lend itself to easy summary.
Fortunately, you don’t need to know the story to appreciate the drawings that one of the players, Mark Precious, made of some of the characters. Mark has kindly given me permission to post these portraits online; please don’t copy them without permission. Oh, and I apologize in advance for the scanning artifacts; the originals were in pencil, and even after some fairly intensive processing aren’t quite as nice on-screen. For each character, click the thumbnail to see a better and higher-resolution version.
Player characters
All art in this section by Mark Precious. Copyright ©1993. All rights reserved.
Not shown are Hisbollah, played by Charles Cala, and a couple of other player characters who weren’t among the eight seedlings of the Tree of Life.
Elena
Played by me.
(Last change: 20 October 1995.)
This is Elena Sahve Taipale, Vargrin mage (in training) and former Army engineer, in her Swashbuckling Fencer costume. She’s not really as fierce as she looks (but don’t tell her that.)
Alejo
Played by Jeremy Frank.
(Last change: 15 November 1995.)
This is Alejandro-Jesus Shahin Nwikko-Oppong, a long name for a tall Talnera. (His ankles have been cut off in this picture, so you can't tell he's really 7'4".) He’s a mage by accident and an ecological research scientist by avocation. That’s his faithful dog Yasmin by his side.
Bena
Played by Sarah Liberman.
(Last change: 20 October 1995.)
This is Benazir al-Pharoz Rafinejad, Iwaruna mage (in training) and artist, working on a difficult sculpture. Why does she work in stone when she can change her own form?
Dedo
Played by Arthur Evans.
(Last minor change: 21 March 1998.)
This is Bendedos Kamil, Pakut Prophet and former priest. He’s no longer a mage, but still wanders around trying to convince people that he is the Truth. Look at the size of those tusks! (ooh, baby.)
Ishaq
Played by Jessica Skelton.
(Last change: 20 March 1998.)
This is Ishaq Da'ud, Talnera mage (in training) and former Army officer. Can you say Special Forces? She’s trained to kill, and will cheerfully do so for her compatriots.
Tanshan
Played by Vadim Akselrod.
(Last change: 20 March 1998.)
This is Tanshan Salir, Aleukka mage (in training) and high-powered businesswoman. For her, a day without a new acquisition (whether of men, money, or power) is less than successful.
Non-player characters
All art in this section (except for Ymotama and Drexxel) by Ananda Patterson. Copyright ©1993. All rights reserved.
Ymotama and Drexxel art by Mark Precious. Copyright ©1993. All rights reserved.
Lucia
Elena’s twin sister.
(Last change: 20 March 1998.)
This is Lucia Hanne Taipale, Vargrin mage. Underneath that bookish exterior lies a sweet, gentle seeker of knowledge, quite capable of mercilessly destroying anyone who hurts her friends.
Beatríz
Elena and Lucia’s mother.
(Last change: 8 May 1998.)
This is Beatríz Taipale, Vargrin computer engineer, looking a little grim as usual, probably over something Elena did.
Gabriel
Elena and Lucia’s father.
(Last change: 8 May 1998.)
This is Gabriel Taipale, Vargrin Librarian, also known as Papa Wombat. He’s almost as studious as his daughter Lucia.
Ymotama
A friend we picked up along the way.
(Last change: 20 March 1998.)
This is Ymotama, Iwaruna scout and long-suffering fellow traveler. For someone who doesn’t like magic, he sure hangs out with a lot mages.
Iwaruna
An Iwaruna in its true form.
(Last change: 8 May 1998.)
Millie
An innkeeper.
(Last change: 8 May 1998.)
This is Millie, a Kynthmerai innkeeper. What’s in that mysterious blue drink that she serves everyone for free, and why’s she so friendly?
Drexxel
A bounty hunter.
(Last change: 8 May 1998.)
This is Drexxel, bounty hunter at large. Good thing he’s friendly.
