Checkmate in Valhalla: Folk Tale Week Series
Client: Self-Initiated
In this epic seven-part saga, our Viking hero Bjorn Helwind navigates the treacherous realms of Norse mythology, facing off against fearsome foes in a high-stakes game of strategy and survival.
From the mist-shrouded battlefield to the chilling depths of Hel’s domain, Bjorn must outmaneuver cunning opponents and overcome daunting challenges to claim victory. With each triumph, he inches closer to checkmate, his warrior’s spirit forged in the crucible of these fantastical trials.
Witness Bjorn’s ascent from mortal to chess master of the gods, as he deftly captures precious artifacts and allies the forces of Yggdrasil to his cause. Will the bravest Viking of all emerge victorious, emerging from the shadows to take his rightful place in the pantheon? The final move is yours to behold.
SKÅL, brave souls of Midgard! Meet Bjorn Helwind, our stout-hearted Viking hero who stands ready to journey through the seven worlds of Yggdrasil! 🗡️
Apologies to the gods for my tardiness – the ravens of creativity flew slower than expected. But fear not! The complete saga shall unfold like a mighty feast throughout the weekend. Seven prompts, seven tales, one Viking’s destiny!
First stop: Folk Tale Week 2024! May the Allfather guide our path… 🛡️🌳
Mist
Lo! Here lies mighty Bjorn Helwind, fallen upon the snow-covered fields of battle, his valor pierced by a volley of coward’s arrows. As his life-force seeps into the frozen ground, the mists of Helheim gather, carrying whispers of a destiny far greater than a warrior’s death…
The saga begins! 🗡️❄️☁️
Gate
Following his valiant death upon the frozen battlefield, behold!
Bjorn Helwind’s spirit now stands before the mighty gates of Helheim, where watchful guardians perch upon ancient pillars and runes of power mark the threshold between worlds. What mysteries lie beyond these forbidding doors? The saga continues… 🏰💀
Blight
Beyond Helheim’s gates, Bjorn Helwind faces terror incarnate – mighty Fenrir, his form twisted by the festering blight that erupts from his cursed flesh!
The corruption spreads like burning amber across the great wolf’s form, yet even in death, our hero stands resolute. Can Bjorn’s blade pierce through madness to find healing in these shadow-haunted depths? 🐺⚡
Trial
Having triumphed over the blight-stricken Fenrir, Bjorn Helwind now turns to spy the dread goddess Hel, enthroned amidst her grim domain. Though the wolf’s madness has been quelled, Hel extends a new challenge – to retrieve a bone from the depths below, a trial that will test the mettle of even the bravest Viking. With his path now clear, Bjorn steels himself for the journey ahead.
Depth
Having accepted Hel’s bone-retrieving challenge, brave Bjorn Helwind now plunges into the murky depths of the goddess’s domain. Surrounded by strange, ancient creatures, the Viking warrior presses on, resolved to complete his perilous quest no matter what nightmarish sights may lie in wait. What secrets will the watery abyss reveal, and will Bjorn’s mettle prove strong enough to overcome them?
Bone
Undaunted by Hel’s trial, Bjorn Helwind delves deeper into the dark, bone-strewn waters, single-mindedly pursuing the artifact the goddess demands. Yet the Viking’s resolve remains unbroken – Bjorn will retrieve the sacred relic, no matter the cost.
Blossom
Returning triumphant from the depths, Bjorn Helwind presents the sacred bone to Hel. As the goddess examines the relic, it suddenly blossoms into new life – a verdant branch from the great tree Yggdrasil, symbolizing rebirth and the cycle of existence. Bjorn’s perilous journey has been fulfilled, he celebrates his ascension with a hearty toast. With Folk Tale Week now complete, a new chapter awaits our Viking hero.
Tempo Play: A Strategic Badge Collection
Like a grandmaster positioning their pieces across different sectors of the board, these badge designs strategically map out both geographic and educational initiatives for Adams County. The top row represents key economic zones – from Clear Creek’s renaissance development to Aerotropolis’s airport hub, the I-25 corridor’s vital thoroughfare, and Fitzsimmons’ medical complex – each acting as a critical square to control on Colorado’s economic chessboard.
The bottom row showcases educational programs that, like the careful development of chess pieces, help participants unlock their full potential. The Career Expo serves as the opening move, introducing students to possible paths forward. The Classroom to Career program advances the strategy, developing essential skills like pawns transforming into queens, while the Apprenticeship Fair represents the endgame – where theoretical knowledge meets practical application, creating masters of their chosen craft.
Just as a successful chess strategy requires coordinating multiple pieces, these badges work together to tell a cohesive story of economic development and educational empowerment, each design moving the larger mission forward with its distinct yet interconnected purpose.
Long Game: Folk Tale Week Series
Client: Self-Initiated
Like a master player who sees seven moves ahead, this illustrated series unfolds through carefully orchestrated story beats that draw viewers deeper into its mystical narrative. Each piece serves as a crucial position in the tale’s development – from the opening gambit of Ida’s fall, through the middle game of darkness and discovery, to the endgame revelation of the sirens’ true nature.
The illustrations, much like the careful development of chess pieces across a board, build upon each other to create a complete strategic vision. Each day’s prompt advances the story like a well-calculated move, while maintaining perfect position with the overall narrative structure. From “Lost” to “Found,” the series demonstrates how every piece on the board – from the young protagonist to her feline companion, from the mysterious ink drawings to the revelatory sirens – must play its precise role in achieving the story’s graceful conclusion.
Just as a grandmaster might sacrifice a piece to gain position, the story’s tension builds through calculated revelation and concealment, culminating in a narrative checkmate that leaves the village forever puzzled by Ida’s mysterious return. The series captures that delicate balance between danger and discovery, between the known world above and the mythical realm below, moving its visual pieces across the board with precision and purpose.
