ABORT! SCATTER! RUN AWAY! ALLONS-Y!

As a few readers figured the last couple weeks, outright taking the jeweler’s strongbox was just as viable a strategy as picking the lock — though that does limit the level of discretion they could hope to accomplish (especially considering Beck’s little song and dance for the Tamian merchant). It’s pretty clear that she won’t be shopping in that part of town for a while. Rook is probably also in hot water, but it’s hard to tell when your entire species has a built-in eye mask.

10-2

To all who celebrate it on January 1st, I hope you all had a wonderful New Years! 2015 was really one heck of a year for Rachel, Jerome, and myself — most relevantly it was the year that saw Beyond the Western Deep: Volume 1 hit stores thanks to Action Lab Entertainment!

It is looking very much like 2016 will be the year that Volume 2 sees release, but I’m hoping that isn’t the only Western Deep development that the year holds. A lot can happen in a single year, so we’ll see how much cool stuff we can cram into it! Like the stuff below this totally relevant picture of Dakkan playing the fiddle!

DakFiddle_sm

It’s relevant because I’ve got a bit of a twist for you: I’m not sharing guest art this week, but guest music! Music based on Beyond the Western Deep!

This piece, entitled “The Deep” by composer Nolan Markey, hits a great many marks of mine when it comes to music that sounds comic-appropriate. Give it a listen:

The Celtic-inspired instrumentation is spot-on, and it manages to work in both bagpipes (or are those uilleann pipes?) and even a few seconds of a Danny Elfman-esque choir. It actually reminds a little bit of Mark Mancina’s very underrated work on the PS3 title Sorcery, which had its own spin on Celtic-flavored epicness. But seriously, throw in some uilleann pipes and whistles and I’ll smile so wide that my face breaks. It just straight-up breaks. Seriously.

Nolan Markey may not be a name you’re familiar with at the moment, but I’m about to change that. If you watch Star Wars: Rebels with the volume turned on (and why wouldn’t you?!), chances are you’ve heard some of the music he orchestrated!

I highly recommend you check out some of his work on Soundcloud via this link — you’ll find there’s a lot to love, including a lovely re-scored How to Train Your Dragon 2 piece in the style of John Powell.

Thank you SO much for composing, performing, and sharing this wonderful piece with us, Nolan! It captures a lot of what I love about Beyond the Western Deep, and I hope this isn’t the last piece you’re inspired to do based on our world! But either way, we’ll all probably be keeping an eye on your Soundcloud for new stuff even if it isn’t Western Deep related!