Inner page
woe be upon the bearer of bad news
HERALD
A comic prologue & concept Book
by Emily Sanders
Email: emilysandersart@gmail.com
Twitter @_PigeonPrincess
Instagram @pigeon.princess
Tumblr @pigeon-princess
© 2022 Emily Sanders
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced without permission.
southern border of
Hartfell
YEAR 1142
HARK! A HERALD APPROACHES!
Thank you so much for picking up my comic concept
book! This is just a prologue for a much longer story
that I’m hoping to continue working on in the future.
Making comics has always been a life-long dream of
mine and I’m thrilled to have something completed
that I’m able to share with you, even if it is just an
introductory chapter.
A herald is often a minor role in historical or fantasy
worlds - a faceless entity decorated in heraldic
regalia that traverses across enemy lines to deliver
messages on the behalf of an entire kingdom.
HERALDRY OF HARTFELL
I was always facinated with the unspoken formality
of war that would allow a herald to walk away
completely unscathed. What a terrifying job that
would be, surrounded entirely by people you’re
fighting against.
The concept for this story came about when I
started to contemplate what a job like this would
entail.
What would a friendship/relationship be like
between a herald and an enemy king? And the story
developed onwards from there.
Inspired by my love of history, this story takes place
in a fictional world based loosely around Europe
during the middle ages somewhere between 1095-
1291.
HERALDRY OF RAVENSWALL
This project has been a fantastic learning journey for
me and I’m extremely excited to make more comics
in the future!
HEAR YE, HEAR YE!
Wesley is the first of his family name to hold the title of
Herald in the royal court of Hartfell.
His kind-hearted father works as the master of the
stables, tending to all of the horses for the royal elite.
Wesley was perfectly content to follow in his father’s
footsteps, however during an unexpected fire at the
castle, Wesley daringly ran back into the flames to
rescue the King’s youngest daughter who had fallen
asleep in the stables.
Wesley was rewarded for his bravery by being
promoted from a lowly stablehand to Royal Herald.
Unable to refuse such a honourable position, Wesley’s
humble world was turned upside down.
Wesley and a few other hopeful trainees studied
under the King’s former herald. Entrusted with endless
squire duties, Wesley was now faced with heavy
responsibilities.
As the ongoing conflicts between Ravenswall and
Hartfell continued, many of the former heralds of the
realm had fallen, leaving Wesley to step up as King
Esmond’s official messenger.
As the only line of communication between the two
warring Kings, Wesley spends most of his time on the
road, riding back and forth between the two turbulent
kingdoms.
As a new upredictable regent steps up to take the reins,
can Wesley save his own people from destruction?
ALL RISE FOR HIS MAJESTY!
Godric is the bastard son of King Wulfstan’s younger brother.
With his mother being of low birth, she feared her son’s
existence would threaten the Royal bloodline, and thus hid
him away from the world - sending him to be raised at a
secluded convent situated on a small island off the coast.
Godric’s tendency for trouble often led him to being on the
receiving end of the Mother Superior’s zealous anger.
As a religious zelot with with an absolute intollerance
for sin, she would often unjustly inflict severe and violent
punishments against him for her own enjoyment.
After many long nights praying, Godric came to a conclusion
in his own twisted mind: no god has answered his plea for
rescue because he himself was a god reborn. It made perfect
sense...to him at least.
At the convent he meets Demelza, a strikingly tall and bold
young girl forced into the service of God by her family after a
string of violent outbursts and a particular love of fighting.
With Godric’s twisted religious beliefs and Demelza’s
complete lack of religous faith, the two outcasts of the
convent became fast friends.
In their late teenage years, after Demelza takes it upon
herself to kill the Mother Superior to save Godric, the pair
take over the convent. With the help and support of the
rest of the nuns, the two outcasts train a powerful and
unexpected army of women.
Looking beyond the convent, Godric sets his eyes on the
thrones of both Ravenswall and Hartfell to reclaim a Kingdom
he believes is his ultimate birth right. The only thing standing
in his way seems to be one lowly Herald.
CONCEPT SKETCHES
ORIGINAL THUMBNAIL SKETCHES
In order to keep colours consistent I made myself a colour
guide to show the passing from late afternoon to evening.
Thank you so much
for your support!
‘Herald’
is a comic prologue and
concept book about a loyal
herald and his relationship
with an unpredicable enemy
king.
rpppppppppc
“Known to many as the royal
herald of Hartfell, Wesley’s
profession is not without its fair
share of danger. When a strange
regent steps into the old king’s
shoes, can Wesley save his own
kingdom from destruction?”
