Call of Adventure: The Art of Draconis

Dear readers, passionate about RPGs and imaginary worlds, today we are sharing with you a sneak peek of the art of Draconis, which is being crowdfunded on Kickstarter from October 22th until November 15th.

Today, we share with you the history behind Dreanke's setting; its origins, from pencil & paper sketches to a watercolor universe populated with creatures each more extraordinary than the last!

Everything started with Chane. As an illustrator for Studio Agate from its beginnings, Chane contributed to breathing life into the universes of Shadows of Esteren and Fateforge. But she also had projects of her own, and that was how Draconis artbook came to be in 2017, after which followed Draconis: Sparks. These colorful, bright artbooks depict a world filled with dragons and magic, with a touch of oneirism.

A few years later, Studio Agate approached Chane and offered to bring her dragons into existence by making a Draconis role-playing game. The project was greenlit, with Chane as its Art Director.

In May 2023, jointly with Chane, we launched a French crowdfunding campaign for The Call to Adventure, the first book of the Draconis role-playing game series, consisting of a complete starter campaign suited to role-playing game beginners. We are currently working on this campaign's English translation and also on a campaign setting, which will expand the game's setting, regions, peoples, mysteries, and it's dragons.

Draconis: Adapting a Graphic Universe

Our Studio's wizards and wizardesses are used to creating portals to other universes, and to weaving together new adventures. Sometimes, we do so ex nihilo, and sometimes, we take on the mantle of alchemists looking for the perfect formula to adapt pre-existing settings into wondrous role-playing books. For example, we've done so with Tainted Grail, by Awaken Realms, transforming it from a board game and video game into a tabletop role-playing game.

Draconis posed a slightly different challenge, as the starting point was a graphic universe with some lore. Chane and Yoan prepared to re-explore every nook and cranny of Dreanke side by side with the Studio's members. Together, they studied every dragon, looked under every stone and leaf, and committed to paper the events that made the history of this world, from the Mieriga Valley to the faraway continent of Shra. The purpose was to gather all of Draconis' lore, and to jointly put together a true role-playing game setting.

Finally, since Draconis was originally an artbook, we wanted to continue bringing this universe to life through new and equally beautiful artworks, which involved looking for artists with a style or sensitivity close to that of Draconis. Chane, as the Art Director, was closely involved in the creation of new imagery and the recruitment of artists. She brought an expert perspective on the setting, its atmosphere, and its dragons, to help illustrators provide a faithful, evocative rendition of the world of Dreanke. Thus did the artistic team come up with the first houses, the first landscapes, and the first characters featured in Draconis.

A few artworks and sketches for Call to Adventure

And so, Call to Adventure paints the first strokes of the great Draconis fresco, which promises to be gorgeously sprawling. For months, artists have been hard at work drawing the rest of the setting and each of its lands. If you are interested, keep your eyes peeled, as we may soon share more with you...

Draconis: an Interview with Chane!

While we were preparing the Draconis role-playing game's crowdfunding in French, we sought information from its creator herself: her history, her inspirations, and her part in the game's design. Chane was kind enough to give us an interview, and here are her answers, in English, for the rest of our community ;)

Studio Agate: Hello Chane, can you quickly run us through your history as an artist, for those who are not familiar with your work?

Chane: Of course! As a child, I dreamed of having magical powers and of making the world "more beautiful". Of growing trees and flowers with a single gesture, of bettering the city I saw every day. It was very naive, but I think it was partly what later drew me to drawing. For lack of magic powers (though I'm still holding out hope), I turned to dreams and fantasy! My first projects were in a similar vein: I drew inspiration from real-life locations which I instilled with a smidge of magic.

Thus, in 2014, I published "Angkor", inspired by Angkor Vat, Cambodia, with its lush vegetation and ruins-strewn jungle. Then in 2016 came "Eluveitie", a foray into the dark legends of medieval Switzerland. In 2017, I released "Draconis", then "Draconis: Sparks", which were immensely successful, gathering more than €200.000.

Studio Agate: How was the Draconis project born, and why is it so important to you?

Chane: Thinking about it, Draconis was also born from this. I drew inspiration from real animals to create magical, dreamlike beings: dragons. Thus, all forms of life got "leveled up" (aside from humans)!

I started working on this bestiary in 2016, but 2017 was a taxing year (breakup, move, no driver's license...), and I launched this project on Ulule like one launches a distress call. I wasn't sure I could keep on living off my art. But it was incredibly successful, and served as a springboard. Following said success, I was able to pay my rent, get my driver's license... in short, it solved many of my issues!

I've remained attached to Draconis as well as to all the people who supported me when times were rough. For this reason, I'm especially committed to expanding on Draconis and sharing it around ♥

Studio Agate: Can you tell us about Yoan and his part in the Draconis project?

Chane: When I started working on the second Draconis volume, I asked Yoan if he wanted to be involved. He was, and I guided him through his writing, since content creation for such a genre was a first for him! He enjoyed the experience, and got increasingly invested in shaping the setting. And since I'm so forgetful, you can say that today, he actually knows the books better than I do :D

Studio Agate: Can you explain your process when creating a dragon?

Chane: That's a difficult question. I need to be inspired by an ambiance, an atmosphere. Kinda like someone sculpting clay, I shape my creature and reveal it. My line work is rarely very precise, since I don't hesitate to "make it up as I go". Once I've hit on something I like, I hang on to it and try to build something around it with ever more details, all the while seeking to keep hold of a little something that's alive.

Studio Agate: In addition to being Draconis' main illustrator and writer, you also act as the project's art director. Can you tell us about how you're involved in this role-playing game?

Chane: This is my first experience as an Art Director. My role was to take a look at the artistic team's creations and to guide them, or even help them. Sometimes, it was just about correcting a perspective, or changing the look of a dragon so that it would match my illustrations. I remained rather closely involved, and readily got my hands dirty (with paint!) so as to best support my colleagues whenever something was complicated to convey through writing.

It was very interesting to see different creative processes and to see different visions of the setting. It was important for the whole to remain cohesive, but all these small variants, these idiosyncrasies of each illustrator are also part of the book's wealth of beauty ♥

An illustration by Nicola Bernadelli for Draconis - Call of Adventure

Can you explain how a role-playing game project appealed to you, and what you hope its audience will find through it?

Chane: I've known Studio Agate for 8 years (initially as one of their illustrators), and when the Studio approached me four years ago to pitch the idea of a role-playing game based on my Draconis books, I thought it was an excellent idea. I love Agate's outlook and the quality of their books, so a joint project? Draconis was a good fit, with its multitude of colorful dragons and its still mostly unexplored setting. The Studio Agate team offered to put in a lot of work to bring together a densely packed universe with a wealth of content.

Also, it's a universe I love so much—why not share it around? Readers can make it their own, and experience their own adventures through it. When one reads a book, there's always a certain distance, but role-playing games break this boundary. Encountering my creatures, being creative about the possibilities offered by their magical abilities, being moved by beautiful stories... It's a legacy I pass on to all persons of goodwill, to those who supported me as well as to those who don't know me yet. I think it's super nice—very symbolic, in a way—and it means a lot to me.

I hope that those who read this book will be touched by a small spark of magic. No matter the destination, the journey is what matters.

To read the introductory articles on Draconis the RPG:

To learn more about Draconis the RPG:

🌐 The official studio website
📻 The Studio Discord, to chat with the team
🦋 The official Draconis page, to follow the game's updates
🦉 The Kickstarter page for Draconis: Call to Adventure, so you don't miss the campaign launch on October, 22th!