'Cloud Atlas' original score has been released today. It's a great musical feast that hopefully will be nominated for Oscar this winter. You can listen previews here and if you like it - buy it!
And October 26th is almost upon us. Once the movie is out there, I'll share some of many concepts I created for it, so stay tuned.
United nomad tribes before the attack on the capital in the climax of the story. Although technologically outmatched by the Empress, nomads are able to equal the terms of engagement. Large Monsoons, serpent-like creatures from the far reaches of the Outer Lands, are armored and used both, as a troops transportation and a weapon. Though they are pretty slow and are not particularly dangerous by themselves (apart from their sheer size), augmented with the hoover-engines, they can be used very efficiently as a 'living hovercrafts' and rams. Floating above the ground allows nomads to steer them over sharp rocky terrains that normally keep Monsoons at bay. Smaller units, called Zephyrs, are used typically for combat. These are fully mechanical, usually composed from elements coming from Desert Trains and shot down Frigates.
Flying ships powered partially with Arcalum are the main royal vehicles, capable of transporting goods, orb from the Outer Lands' mines or soldiers. There are three types of Frigates - War Frigate, Transport Frigate and Scout vehicles. Basically, powerful turbines provide a push while the strong wings, controlled bio-mechanically, keep the frigate in the air and at the correct altitude.
Although it was a daunting task, the Empress and meta-alchemists discovered how to artificially breed prestoses, using a variety of substances and quasi- magical machinery to create and keep hatchlings alive. Although such prestoses are much smaller than the ancient ones and don't live long, their bodies still produce a protective lining inside of cocoons that is processed into the precious Arcalum. Entire hatchery is controlled by the Empress and can only be accessed by trusted servants, psionics and meta-alchemists.
The throne room of the Empress. Several powerful psionics feed the 'psi' pool surrounding the throne. Thanks to the constant energy flow, the Empress can 'monitor' the thoughts of every single citizen in the kingdom, efficiently preventing any resistance groups from being formed. It also allows her to find a potential candidates for her troops. Psionic energy can also be utilized for attack/defense, though apart from psionics and Executioners, it's forbidden to be used by ordinary people.
A concept for another of my personal projects (yes, I have plenty of those :) called 'Absolutum'. The story, a pretty complex one, takes place in a futuristic fantasy-like kingdom in totalitarian setting. The world, full of bio-engineering, meta-alchemy and psionics is ruled by the Empress, a quasi-immortal with powerful psychic powers thanks to her longevity and numerous mutations. The magical substance called Arcalum is the base of her power. Arcalum is used to run machinery and weaponry developed by royal meta-alchemists as well as a high-energy fuel source used in air-fregates. The rule of the Empress is eternal and unthreatened. Or so it seems.
The city, with the main 'stem' divided into dozens of levels, is built among the remnants of giant nests of ancient dragon-like creatures, extinguished many eons ago. The lining of their partially preserved cocoons was used by the first meta-alchemists to create original supply of Arcalum.
