So now that I know that the the cityscape in the drawing of Emirikol the Chaotic was taken from the Street of Knights in Rhodes; I fired up Google Earth and the photo feature to see where the guy was heading.In the picture in the right the red line represents the Street of Knights and the supposed path of Emirikol the Chaotic.
The crude X is roughly where the viewpoint of Trampier's picture is located.
A short distance behind the viewer of the ride is a small enclosed plaza ( I am sure there some technical term for it). It has a roof and archway all around it from what I can tell. It looks large so I don't think that would be a problem.
Until he stopped death raying his pursuers and turned around.
Looks like he riding right into the courtyard in front of the main castle. If he lucky (and skilled enough) he may be able to get out by a road going to the right of the enclosed plaza but given the breakneck speed suggested by the drawing and the fact he just 10 feet or so from entering said plaza that probably unlikely.
So into the main courtyard where the guards undoubtedly wait. If was in the Majestic Wilderlands they would have Knight Killer Crossbows as well.
Well Emirikol it was nice knowing you.
Haha, I love this kind of "research" :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I always figured Emirikol was that kind of a bad-ass who get's away with. Maybe he is even going to the castle to kill the (King/Emperor/Highpriest/Ordensmeister), you know, just becaus he can. Look closely at his face, he is smiling...
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely incredible. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteAnd we're all assuming that's not his castle, and he's just death-raying assassins.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome post Bat. Thats one of my favorite most iconic D&D images and I've never seen that picture in that light
ReplyDeleteHowever my GP are still on Emirikol .
Yes knight killer crossbows are nasty but "Protection from Normal Missiles." is only a third level spell...
If you use Greyhawk spells from AD&D 1e, a variant that protects from magical missiles as well is only 4th level IIRC.
This is beyond cool...
ReplyDeleteWho's to say the castle guard aren't in his pay? Or maybe he's in charge around here and this is an assassination attempt? The castle could be friendly territory.
ReplyDeleteVery cool, thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteI've read this post before, probably quite a while ago. I'm coming back to it now via your post regarding the death of Dave Trampier.
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction back when I saw this was "Trampier really was a master, and the gaming art he did is better than the game industry understood."
I can also remember coming across the Emirikol image back in middle school, just after the DMG came out, and wondering how the hell someone could draw such a fantastically vivid scene based on something completely imaginary.
Trampier's drawings, along with Jim Holloway's, will always be my touchstone and viewport into the imaginary worlds I started exploring, and building for myself 33 years ago.
Trampier knew how to tell a story with a few lines and some blank space. Simple elegance. Would that things had turned out differently and his legacy was greater than we have, but I am happy that he allowed us to see as much as he did, through his eyes.
Peace to you, Dave Trampier, where ever you've gone.
There’s no way Emirikol doesn’t have a way out. I mean, if he doesn’t just kill everyone who stands in his way instead. The dude is so capable
ReplyDeleteof dealing with whatever awaits him, I have ultimate faith that he will escape unscathed and ready to sew chaos once again in the next town!