#adze

the character line up for my upcoming comic, Vampire sorority!!! wooo!!!

Lilien - Moroaica (Romanian vampire) house director

Meabh - Dearg Due (Irish vampire) business major

Izumi - Iso-Onna (Japanese sea vampire) environmental science major

Diantha - Chedipe (Hindi vampire witch) English literature major

Shauntae - Adze (Ghanaian firefly vampire) fashion design major

Kanami - Manananggal (Filipino self-segmenting vampire) health studies major

The adze is a vampiric spirit from the Ewe folklore of West Africa (present in Ghana, Togo, and Benin). It disguises itself as a firefly at night to enter houses and suck the blood and vital energy of people, especially children.

Altough her design is not as clever as other espers, I wanted her to have an outfit that reminded people of firefly inspired by modern african fashion. Specially the pattern present in almost every outfit I saw. She may be smiling sweetly at the camera when I drew her but it's because I wasn't sure how to make her fell like a Zoe Morgan (person of interest) while reveling her outfit (and also because I didn't like the first less-open designs)

Information below!

Part 3

Vetala

In India, there is a vampiric spirit that is called a vetala. One is created every time a child dies and does not receive proper funeral rites. When a vetala possesses a corpse it causes a hideous transformation to take place: the feet and hands twist backward; the face twists about until it resembles a fruit bat with slitted eyes; the skin becomes discolored by turning either green, light brown, or white; and the fingernails grow long and carry a poison on them. While the vetala possesses the corpse, it is able to animate it and will use its magic to find human blood to drink, for as long it does so regularly, the body that the vetala is possessing will not decompose. It will call to it a green horse that it will use as its mount. Using its magic, the vetala will enter into a home by use of an enchanted thread being fed down a chimney. Typically it preys on those who are asleep, using the opportunity to drain them of their blood, but it will also take advantage of a person who has passed out drunk. Women who have gone insane are also fed upon, the idea being no one would believe them if they reported it. But above all, its favorite prey is children. Regardless of whom it attacks, the vetala mostly feeds on intestines and excrement. Vetalas can cause insanity and miscarriages, and anyone who survives one of its attacks will first suffer through a severe illness before he can begin to recover. However, because of the vetala’s ability to see into the past, present, and future, as well as its deep insight into human nature, it is often the goal of a sorcerer to capture one and use it for his own intent. When not seeking out prey, vetalas are at rest hanging upside down from trees in cemeteries, dark forests, or any deserted place. They may be appeased with offerings of gifts, but should that not work, they can be driven off with the use of magical spells. Should all else fail, the body of the child that caused the creation of the vetala must be found. Then proper funeral rites must be performed over it, essentially destroying the vetala.

One of the Vetala’s most remarkable attributes is its ability to see past, present, and future. This trait, often associated with deities and seers, places the Vetala in a unique position within Hindu mythology. It’s akin to a “spiritual GPS”, capable of spanning the vast expanse of time and space.

The Vetala myth presents a compelling paradox. On the one hand, the Vetala is depicted as a creature of horror, lurking in the most ancient and secluded forests, preying on unsuspecting travelers. Yet, it is also portrayed as a source of wisdom and assistance, imparting valuable knowledge to those able to control it. This duality, at once frightening and enlightening, adds a new dimension to the Vetala, transforming it into a character that defies simple categorization.

Famous stories tell of King Vikramaditya’s numerous attempts to ensnare a Vetala, only to be outwitted time and again. This highlights the Vetala’s sly and elusive nature. The Vetala, unlike the stereotypical undead creatures of western lore, holds a complex relationship with demigods. It is not just feared, but also respected, often attributed with the protection of Hindu temples and priceless treasures.

Chapter 0

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FINALLY MORE ASTER LORE!!

Meanwhile…

The grass whispered in the early dawn, bending and parting with the breeze—or so it seemed.

But something else moved beneath it.

A pulse of orange light blinked once in the shadows, then again, drifting low across the weedy outskirts of Norrisville like a stray ember. Small, silent, deliberate. A lone firefly. But not just any firefly. Its glow burned deeper than natural—tinged with red and gold. Its wings, thin and smoky, left faint trails of heat in the cool air. And its flight? Too controlled. Too knowing.

It bobbed through tall grass and past chain-link fences long forgotten by the city, until it reached a cracked, moss-covered storm drain yawning at the earth like a mouth waiting to swallow something whole. The firefly hovered at its edge… then darted inside.

Below, the sewer tunnels pulsed with old, unseen magic. The deeper it flew, the more the air thickened—cool and still, like the world had stopped spinning. The walls, crusted with lichen and grime, bore scars older than the city itself. Symbols etched in stone—twisted, ancient glyphs—glowed faintly at the firefly’s approach.

The insect paused mid-air, hovering in place. And then, without warning, it began to change.

Its glow intensified, erupting into flame before stretching and twisting, smoke curling around its body as it shed the guise of something small. Wings folded into arms, legs unfurled from haze, and the creature stood upright at last—tall, thin, wrapped in flickers of light and ash.

The Adze.

Eyes glowing like coals beneath dark water. A smirk already carved across his sharp face. He raised his hand, and a ring of runes lit around him—old magic, not forgotten but waiting.

A howling tear opened in the air, swirling like an oil-slick whirlpool, edges crackling with sparks and dread. From the portal stepped a figure draped in dusk.

The Sorceress.

She emerged with liquid grace, her long, serpentine form wrapped in robes of black, deep plum, and shifting midnight blue. Her hair flowed as if submerged, floating around a face both regal and wrathful.

Her first words were a snarl. “Who dares drag me from exile?”

But the Adze only chuckled, the sound smoky and smooth.

“My lady,” he said, bowing with a hand to his chest, “I assure you, I’m an ally.”

Her jaw tightened, eyes narrowing. “The Sorcerer- where is he? Where is my love?”

The Adze’s smile widened, cruel and slow.

“Gone. Turned to dust. A smear on the walls of history, thanks to the Ninja.”

The scream she loosed rattled the very bones of the city. Pipes cracked. Stone shivered. The air itself recoiled.

“I will reduce this wretched town to embers!” she howled, magic boiling at her fingertips.

“Or,” the Adze purred, circling her, “you could burn it with purpose.”

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“I’ve seen what’s coming,” he whispered. “The Codex has awakened. The Ninja isn’t alone anymore. Another warrior has awoken—foreign, unpredictable. Not of this land.”

The Sorceress tilted her head. Her fury began to cool, replaced by something far older. Curiosity.

The Adze leaned in, voice low and laced with promise.

“Let me show you how to break them. We poison the Codex’s next bearer—corrupt them from the inside. And then… the Ninja will fall. Not in battle. But by betrayal.”

Adze 9x12 Watercolor and Colored Pencil on Hot-Pressed Watercolor Paper

OC art, Seshi Osei