New Quickling

[Klaus]

In the original image, the shoulder muscles are disproportionately large. I was trying to stick with that design. Also, the chest is very wasted. The original pic of the Quickling was posted on another forum so I'm going to link to that.

I see that you stood close to the concept.

I'd rather see the quickling look closer to my own version of the buckawn (from Untamed Woodlands counter collection):

 

[jaer]

I see that you stood close to the concept.

I'd rather see the quickling look closer to my own version of the buckawn (from Untamed Woodlands counter collection):

Which looks a lot like Puck from the Sandman. Not that I'm complaining about that...and I believe you already said you liked the idea of the fey as drawn in those comics. I'm a fan of that look and concept as well, so I'm all for it. I think such a character could and would make for a great encounter.

I really like the art of the new Quicklings. I agree that they seem a little too goblinoid. But then, goblins have their place as fey as well, so maybe that was the point: to have more monstrous fey creatures.

I like Tray's more than the orignial...Tray's is hunched and dark and sinister, looking ready to leap into action and rush forth with mad intent and vicious purpose. The orginial piece seems a little too alien.

I never used quicklings before, so my concept of them is not based on any previous image they had. Having them be more goblin then elf works as a concept for me, but there must be a fey-nature to them, even if that is the dark fey. I thing Tray's image captures that better than the original.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I love scary and insectile fey (including the new gnome), but I have to say, the new quickling looks awful to me. It lacks any sense that it's either:

A) Fast as lightning.

B) Fey.

Which is really a bit of art failure, I think. The stubby digitigrade legs are reminiscent of an ostrich, which is fast in a straight line, but not WOOOSH and then any ostrich-y-ness is undermined by the dull "toothy goblin" torso and head. Just sticking a little Tarzan-ish leaf skirt on it doesn't make it "fey". The artist could have at least made it streamlined or something to nod to the speed.

I too like the "Sonic the Hedgehog-ish" idea. I love Klaus' buckawn but I don't think it screams SPEED and OUCH in the way a Quickling should (when you can see it at all), and I like the idea of the fey being more "alien".

Now, if the look of the Quickling is part of a "continuity" of mean/evil fey (like they're all muscle-y goblinish things), then I could get to like it a bit more. On it's lonesome though? Ugh.

 

[Traycor]

I'd rather see the quickling look closer to my own version of the buckawn (from Untamed Woodlands counter collection):

Nice pic Klaus! Personally I'm glad they strayed away from that design. The new design doesn't evoke speed very much to me, but it is far more horrifying.

I can just imagine one of the new quicklings hiding in a bush. Regdar looks down and sees a pair of large white eyes peering at him through the leaves, then the thing lunges out with a mouth full of needle-like teeth, slashes at his legs with daggers, and darts away into another bush before he even realizes what happened. All he hears is quick, palpitated breathing from somewhere nearby.

Combined with stealth, this kind of creature could make a for a very good "horror" encounter. The party backs together and watch every bush as cold sweat runs down their necks.

 

[heirodule]

I realize the "makes sense" is a criticism that must be used sparingly, but c'mon! Do you think something whose feet are half its body-weight (and lacks hips to speak of) are going to run fast?

Sure! Feet are what makes us go fast!

Haven't you heard Bill Cosby on new sneakers improving your speed?

 

[jaer]

I don't think fey should be "alien," but other-worldly. Things from the fey seem like they should be similar to things in the prime (it is a parallel place after all), but there should be differences that belay a certain otherworldly aspect. Things are a little too beautiful or grace or a little too menacing and vicious. They take the human aspect and push it a bit too far beyond human limits.

Not to say that they can't look completely foreign, either. But they shouldn't look alien...that is Far Realm in my mind.

As for looking fast: I agree that a quickling should have a sense of other worldly speed and grace to their form (they need to be graceful, cause a trip at a full sprint for them would break some bones!), but I don't think they need to be "built for speed." They don't need to be fast because their muscles are, in some way, designed to run faster than humans, so they don't need to look like they can run super quickly.

They could be moving so switchly because they blur the lines between the fey realm and prime when they move. An eladrin does this with short teleporting hops; the Quickling does something similar, but it makes them moves super fast and makes them hard to see while they do it. Unlike the teleport, however, they actually do need to pass through the space they travel through, and in doing so, rake with their daggers as they go.

But, being that the fey embodiment of speed and grace, I feel that they should look the part (just as numphs are the fey embodiment of beauty - so much so loking at them can blind a person).

 

[Klaus]

Nice pic Klaus! Personally I'm glad they strayed away from that design. The new design doesn't evoke speed very much to me, but it is far more horrifying.

I can just imagine one of the new quicklings hiding in a bush. Regdar looks down and sees a pair of large white eyes peering at him through the leaves, then the thing lunges out with a mouth full of needle-like teeth, slashes at his legs with daggers, and darts away into another bush before he even realizes what happened. All he hears is quick, palpitated breathing from somewhere nearby.

Combined with stealth, this kind of creature could make a for a very good "horror" encounter. The party backs together and watch every bush as cold sweat runs down their necks.

Even if "horror" is what they're going for, I'd rather have something like my very own redcap from Arthaus' Van Richten's Guide to the Shadow Fey:

 

[FreeXenon]

I really like the way they are reenvisioning it.

 

[Stormtalon]

I think it's already been said, but I'm getting a very heavy "Pan's Labyrinth" vibe from the redesign of the fey for 4th ed. The quickling for sure has the feel of the faeries from that flick.

As an aside, on the page with the quickling, there's a couple other fey portrayed -- including the Lamia. She screams "wicked, creepy yet horrifically alluring" fey. All she appears to be wearing is a strategically-placed swarm of cockroaches, and she's got this nasty grin on her face.

Frankly, she's far more horrifying than this little beastie -- until you think that maybe, just maybe, quicklings might run in packs. That's when the cold sweats start....

 

[Clavis]

At least the new Quickling isn't a tree with boobs...