Scars of Risenholm

LOCAL MISSING. SEEKING INFORMATION.

Local resident and scar-hunter, Randall Brayford has not been seen in over a month. Many may know him for his book titled, “God’s Cradle,” and the mysteries surrounding its contents. A small team including the associates of True & Neutral News and Nergui are gathering information from any who can lead us to where he may be. It is currently known that his mental state may be in question, and is likely the cause of his disappearance. It is assumed that he is somewhere outside of Risenholm, and may be receiving supplies. Our goal is to help him, and ensure his safe return to his home. We ask that any who can help seek us out. Your anonymity can be protected.

Penny Aller
True & Neutral News

*Below the text, a drawing of Randall takes up most of the page.*

Randall Brayford

On the page there were a painting. It was textured from all the different styles of paint used. Some were the dye of ground flowers, others made from mixing ichor together in mundane combinations to create the desired colour. Because of this imprecise process, some of the colours were slightly off - perhaps being a bit faded or otherwise a few shades too deep. Regardless, the artist had given a great deal of effort to make sure the brush strokes were even and the shading correct.

At the very top were letters written in broad and bold textura script reading - RANDALL BRAYFORD. The rest of the image were a simple portrait of the man in question. He was a human male on the cusp of his twilight years. His face creased in corners that old skin might, but for the most part his skin were taut, and he had deep green eyes. He was looking to his right - eyes wide. His brows and vaguely tilted lips made his face come together in a mix of a weary and excited expression. It was both amused and perhaps a bit defeated - like someone burdened by their joy. Around his mouth were a slightly unkempt beard completed by a painter's moustache.

His hair was a salt and pepper smattering of silver and black, though it seemed the black was lesser and much thinner. He were not rotund nor lithe. Randall's stature was very much average from height to torso. On top of his head sat a red-purple velvet beret that crowned his forehead with a brown leather strap. Around his neck he loosely wore what could be interpreted as either a towel or a scarf. For the most part it were orange, but it had been dirtied in some way to suggest that Randall had wiped something off on it.

His clothes were a simple male peasants shirt, laces crossed together in an x at the chest. Over this he wore another thicker shirt with an open v neck and no sleeves, and over that a brown leather vest. His clothes were not overly detailed or embossed, but came together in a way that suggested one who needed to prepare for the climate and had a fair bit of wealth. Perhaps he were a well to do explorer, or some merchant.

This had all been painted on a black and blue background. The black started from the edges of the negative space in the painting. It was then meticulously lightened and mixed with the blue until it formed a gradient that transitioned completely into an artic ocean colour. It formed a deep blue around the background of his head to make it look like the lighting of the painting was hitting his face directly. In contrast to Randall's off-kilter jovialness it gave the painting a slightly somber tone. Perhaps he was mad, or the background was more literal, the artists intention to display a man accepting an incomprehensible and abyssal prison - fearful and somewhat amused. It gave the painting a slightly nihilistic mood, one that was rooted in a dark wisdom instead of a youthful directionlessness or nonexistence.

At the bottom right, deep in the recesses of the pure black paint, a little white T was painted. Its bottom curled and turned upwards in the manner of the flags traditionally drawn on sixteenth notes. The artists signature.