Author Archives: Amanda Ohsiek

Hi there! I'm a sophomore in college, and though I've only taken the occasional art class back in high school, I like to think of myself as a decent self-taught visual artist with some writing skill as well. I love fantasy, particularly when it comes to the fun creatures, so my characters may very well be something other than human. Nice meeting you, and thanks for stopping by!
2 December 2010 10:17 PM EDT

Amanda Ohsiek - 30 Characters in 30 Days

I…I did it! 30 characters completed in one way or another within the official time constraints, and on my first year! It was definitely worth it. Here’s my collection of shameless furries aliens and fantasy beings and the occasional human! ^^ Enjoy.

Day 1 - RunyoriDay 2 - NanneyoDay 3 - AshDay 4 - King ChayoroDay 5 - Blake Day 6 - NeklaraDay 7 - LuziimDay 8 - AkarnuDay 9 - TanseiDay 10 - Ariadne Day 11 - The RisenDay 12 - FyorraDay 13 - RohalDay 14 - SorashiDay 15 - Karalún Day 16 - NakoaDay 17 - SudarshanDay 18 - Prof. EverettDay 19 - CharaDay 20 - Kamano Day 21 - "A-Two"Day 22 - ShulayaDay 23 - NehikuDay 24 - "C-One"Day 25 - Nyarokhu Day 26 - MalinaseDay 27 - OmirandoDay 28 - Sir YurudónDay 29 - NoahDay 30 - Prof. oro-Banaru

I hope you all had as much fun with this as I did. Not only did I love the excuse to draw more often, but I also loved seeing the nice entries all you folk were coming up with as well. I look forward to seeing many of you next year! ~Amanda

30 November 2010 3:43 PM EDT

#30 Reiko oro-Banaru

Name: Reiko oro-BaranuReiko oro-Baranu

World: Race

Species: Onka

Gender: Female

Age: 49

Bio: Reiko is co-chair of the Mathematics Department at NDU. Though she does her best to be friendly and approachable by the students (she asks that they call her by her first name), she has been known to get brusque with people occasionally, most likely from the pressure that comes with her position. She and the other co-chair, Professor Kanari, don’t exactly get along well. Some students are fond of her while others are wary around her, which in itself isn’t all that unusual. She’s taken an almost motherly liking to Professor Everett; despite working in different departments, the two of them often have lunch together. The student tutors and graders of the department answer to her, and she’s the one who ultimately selected Nyarokhu and Fyorra, plus a few others, from the small pool of tutoring applicants. She’s a bit on the short side, and she speaks with a slight accent.

[The following journal entry is translated from the original, which was written in Azenai-ro.]

There was another dinner with the school president tonight. He’s a nice fellow, don’t get me wrong, but the dinners are always the same. I feel justified in politely declining his invitation in favor of tackling this queue of student proofs. Fear not, I’m in no rush.

Seems like at least once a week, I’m hearing from either Fyorra or Nyarokhu about the other. Fyorra moreso. I swear, you’d think they were at each others’ throats day and night, the way they complain about each other. I’m half tempted to fire them both if they don’t knock it off soon, but being down two tutors is certainly not the wisest course of action at this time of year. I would’ve thought it an aggressive trait of Dubina as a whole if Kristen hadn’t lauded that one student of hers so. Nanneyo, I believe her name was. According to Kristen she’s the sweetest thing since French Vanilla. I certainly wouldn’t mind meeting her. Aira’s mane, I’d welcome it after all the animosity from those other two.

Yesterday I finally had the fortune to meet Nakoa, the young lad Nalirún kept talking about. I must say, it’s no wonder he likes that boy so much. I could see the eager sparkle in his eyes. From what Nalirún’s told me, he’s quiet but always alert in class, as if he can’t get enough of the knowledge he’s receiving. I would’ve liked to have him in my own department, I admit, but a passion is a passion. I could never keep a person from his or her dreams.

It probably isn’t the best idea to let this drag on for too long. I’ve still got quite a few proofs to look over. A shame that starting to work is the hardest part. Believe me when I say I’m looking forward to winter break this year.

Race info can be found here.

30 November 2010 12:24 AM EDT

#29 Noah Kiemann

Name: Noah KiemannNoah Kiemann

World: Race

Species: Human

Gender: Male

Age: 20

Bio: Noah used to be more arrogant than he is today. In high school, he tried several times to start a relationship, but could never hold one down because of his tendency to womanize. Upon arriving at NDU, however, things began to change. Perhaps it was seeing so many different races together that opened his eyes to diversity, or maybe it was just a change of scenery that helped him relax. In any case, he thinks a lot more highly of others now. He made many good acquaintances during freshman orientation, and it was such a good experience for him that he was compelled to volunteer to be a student host for the next year’s orientation. It was at that time that he met Nakoa and Karalún, who had both been assigned to his group. He and Nakoa hit it off almost immediately as buddies, and he greatly admired Karalún for her conviction, courage, and sense of justice. He’s currently a sophomore pursuing a major in Chemistry.

“What the heck is that?”

Noah looked up from his console. “What’s what?”

“What you’re holding,” Blake clarified as he let his backpack hit the ground and pulled out a chair next to his friend.

“Oh, this. It’s a DS.”

“Which would be…?”

Noah leaned over so Blake could see his screen. “Sorry, it’s an old gaming console. See, it’s a little computer made specifically for playing various games on it.”

Blake eyed the screens skeptically. Noah seemed to be steering a small, pixelly kid along a wooded path, closely tailed by some sort of green critter. “Hunh. How old is it?”

“About two hundred years, according to Nakoa,” Noah answered.

“Jeez, and it still works?”

“Sure it does. Nakoa’s got this whole huge collection of consoles that he’s repaired and rewired for power. The battery life’s atrocious, but manageable. I’m sure he could loan you one if you’re curious.” Noah closed the device, leaned to his side, and dropped it into his own backpack. “Probably not the best thing to have on in class, though.”

Blake laughed at that. “Yeah.”

They stared off into space for a while, vaguely listening as the rest of the class filtered into the room. It was a Friday, and people were getting chatty and excited for the weekend. The thoughts of the two of them, however, lay elsewhere. It was a few minutes before the silence between them was broken.

“Dude,” Noah started, “is it…weird to have the hots for someone who’s not Human?”

“Hm?” Blake shook himself from his thoughts and looked at Noah. “Ah, heh, you’ve got your eyes on someone?”

“Uh, well, you could say that,” the latter faltered nervously. “I don’t know. Is that even, like, okay?”

Blake stretched in his seat. “I don’t see why it wouldn’t be. Did I not introduce you to Tansei?”

Noah looked at him in confusion. “Who?”

“Tansei. Junior, Onka, dancer. We’ve been seeing each other since April. I guess I didn’t tell you, sorry.”

“Oh, hm. Onka, though…they’re way more like us. That’s, like, natural.”

Blake peered at Noah curiously. “What species is she, then?”

“Jorgoan.”

“Well, hey, there’s nothing wrong with that. You should ask her out next time you see her.”

Noah pulled back a little. “You’re not serious, dude.”

“Sure I am,” Blake persisted. “You won’t get anywhere if you don’t start moving.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Noah sighed. “I just hope we don’t lose the friendship we already have.”

“You’ll be okay, buddy.” Blake placed his hand on Noah’s shoulder encouragingly.

Noah smiled a little. “Thanks,” he replied as the bell rang.

Click here for Race info!

28 November 2010 6:12 PM EDT

#28 Anora Yurudón

Well, looks like I left my tablet’s stylus at my aunt’s house after Thanksgiving. She said she’d mail it but I probably won’t get it back until Tuesday. So to keep on schedule, I figured I’d try a few written entries instead. The image is a five-minute pencil sketch I did and took a picture of with my phone, touched up a bit in Photoshop.

Name: Anora YurudónSir Anora Yurudón

World: Race

Species: Jorgoan

Gender: Male

Age: 53

Bio: Sir Yurudón is the unofficial leader of the Jorgoan Upper Council, the single highest-ranked man in the entire empire. Most call him the Protector. Some have called him the Dictator, though those who do usually end up banished. The mind-numbing injection now unknowingly given to and received by all Jorgoans upon turning eighteen, when they go in for their required medical checkups? That was his idea. He’s been infected with the desire to have as much power as possible, and seeing the entire population brainwashed in front of him is one way of doing so. It’s oddly satisfying, in a way, seeing an entire race at your mercy. His corruption also came with paranoia, though, and he desperately fears losing his position. Any dissenters, nearly always youth who have not yet received their injections, are punished ruthlessly. He even gets defensive around the other Upper Council members. He’s gone so far as approaching the Innovation Team about extending his life indefinitely…perhaps transplanting his brain into a young clone of himself would work?

They’re after me.

I know they are. I see the way Kalana eyes me during meetings, I see the way Noraji flirts with my daughter, the way Runi and Hinál always leave together, conversing in hushed tones with their shoulders hunched.

I see the number of dissenters rising. Twenty-two this past year here on Jorgoa, eighteen on Eléz, twenty-nine on Atareo! And all of them these teenagers. I fear we may have to move the injection down to fifteen instead of eighteen, maybe even lower. This can’t go on. We can’t risk being overthrown, not now. Not after all this time, all this effort. I can’t let it happen.

The Innovation Team contacted me today and said their experiments were underway, but so far they haven’t been able to do a transplant without permanent damage to the brain stem. I do hope they get their act together soon. This body of mine’s only got forty more years to live, if it’s lucky. And I refuse to let this empire go without me watching it. I refuse to let it fall apart. I’ve held this nation together for more than twenty years now, and Dani-Shugál smite me if I’m letting it go anytime soon.

There have been enough failures. Our armies failed to subdue Anaziim and its people, those hideous slug-rodents. Zanduul, they called themselves. I already got on the Resource Team’s case for that one. Water shortage, my ass. You can’t have a water shortage if you’ve got a planet 85% covered in it under your belt! Blame the Transport Team if you must for not expanding its NSoD facilities, but come on! You’re higher than them! Kick their sorry tails!

But no matter. We’ve already scouted out another life-supporting planet, Narinno Gamma. Less populated than its neighbor, Narinno Delta. If we can seize the former and stock it with troops, the latter will fall all the easier. Pray the locals aren’t as resilient as those damn Zanduul. If they fail again, I swear, I swear by the Dani-Hajoro itself, that their grandkids are going to be feeling my wrath. That system’s going to be ours if it’s the last thing I do.

General Race info, as usual, can be found here.

27 November 2010 2:51 AM EDT

#27 Omirando

Omirandu

OMG A UNICOOOOORN

Now, your average white-horse-with-a-horn-glued-on unicorns have their charms. I still think they can look nice when drawn well. But I figured the earth Elementals should feel more organic and real, so I came up with a more deer-like base. Whee.

Click the following links to read about Kamano or Teyra in general.

26 November 2010 4:34 PM EDT

#26 Malinase

Malinase

I’ll go ahead and say it up front: it’s “mah-lee-NAH-say.” The Teyran language is very phonetic, much like Spanish, Japanese, or Swahili.

Click here for more info about Teyra.

25 November 2010 5:43 PM EDT

#25 Nyarokhu ra’Sennari

Nyarokhu ra'Sennari

I ran out of room to write it on the image, but he’s a junior at NDU with a major in Mathematics.

I do hope I haven’t gotten in over my head here. There shouldn’t be any problem writing Fyorra’s reactions to Nyarokhu, since she and I have similar prudish personalities. Writing for Nyarokhu and his group, though, is going to be hard to do realistically and without offending anyone. Maybe I should start hanging out with more people at my own school…

Fellow math tutor Fyorra’s page is here, and general Race info is here.

25 November 2010 5:35 PM EDT

#24 CL-C 01 “C-One” Vargas

C-One Vargas

A question I’ve long wondered about: if animals were more sentient like us, how would they feel about being bred? It’s a concept I’ve explored a bit in (unpublished) writing before.

His friend is A-Two. To compare to an immature male Biot, you may want to look at Ash. And as usual, basic Race info is here.

24 November 2010 5:29 AM EDT

#23 Nehiku

Nehiku

I figured I should have at least one of each Teyran elemental before the month’s up, so here’s a Patlani! Whee. (Aaaand I forgot to color the claws.)

Teyra info can be found here, as usual.

23 November 2010 4:40 PM EDT

#22 Shulaya

Shulaya

Another fighter in Neklara‘s group! I’ve been wanting to try something with dual blades. I was originally going to do this with Akarnu, but I kept having issues coming up with a good fighting stance. Hopefully this one looks decent.

General Teyra info can be found here.

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