Beginning as collection of vague doodles during Inktober 2015, doodles which lingered long in my thoughts well after the challenge was complete, Beyond the Sacred Mountian (or BTSM for short) expanded in scope and went through a long development process of drawing and redrawing over the course of a few years. It is now presented here in a Ligne Claire'ish style, silently (sans dialogue and speech bubbles) and in glorious monochrome, 48 page chapter, format.

Drawn entirely in the old school method (pencil and pen on paper) the pages are produced complete on A3 using Staedtler 0.05 pigment liners exclusively, then scanned, digitally panel framed and cleaned.

When a broken man staggers back into town he triggers a chain reaction leading to four of the unlikeliest 'adventurers' being sent on a ludicrously epic journey. An ancient and malevolent power aches to discover the last great secret in the desolate world. Just what is beyond the sacred mountain?

As our newly founded 'gang of four' trundle, slowly towards their fate, the errors that sent them on their way have come to light. Coin-face's arcane wrath is swift and terrible and now the full weight of the arduous journey to the sacred mountain, and what lies beyond it, rests solely upon the broad shoulders of Verin, Coin-face's brutal Lord of war.

Artamay (Verin's mysterious consort), hot on our gang's heels, is sidetracked when she discovers a curious nugget of information about one of our 'heroes'. Verin, awaiting his armies, readies his march to the mountain. He also needs to reclaim his stolen prize along the way as his own life now depends upon its reclamation. They may both be too late, however, for someone else has already captured our fearful four.

Free of the Scavenger Farms, and the chaos therein, our 'gang of four' soldier on, with little option otherwise. In a tiny cell, in the middle of a salt flat known as "The Punishing Grounds", they discover a misshapen man who claims to know of safe passage to the Sacred Mountian. Meanwhile, suspicion prompts Verin to test Artamay's recent alibi with a personal investigation.

Betrayed and captured, our gang trudge (and scrape) towards another new horror where someone called the Marshal of Ceremonies will put them to use at the "Kursaal". Not far behind our misfortunate foursome, Artamay continues her hunt but will she be able to prevent their terrible fate? Or at least delay it until a much worse one, in the form of Verin, arrives?

Our fortunate four have escaped the clutches of the Marshal and his hideous "games". Swept down into the bowels of the cave system they end up in a place not best stayed in for long. Back in his great hall the Marshal is coming to terms with the utter destruction of his kursaal but, little does he know, things are about to get a whole lot worse.