Tag: Rob Stenzinger

#22 – Barb Creston

Barb Creston is a new character in the world and story of Art Geek Zoo: The Way of Sound.

Barb Creston works with Iscura Tragtomb in the administrative office at Polytechnica. During her breaks she runs to a nearby coffeeshop to enjoy a good book and warm comforting beverage. She’s found this practice relaxes her and keeps her from punching her miserable weasel of a boss Iscura in the face.

#23 – Gene the Ninja Rockstar

Gene the Ninja Rockstar is a new character in the world and story of Art Geek Zoo: The Way of Sound.

Tribal Knights are the greatest protectors of Musica and all mystical instruments. One of the greatest tribal knights ever also happened to be a ninja named Gene. Gene is an impressive force on stage when he sings and plays guitar in his band. Even more impressive is how he’s always on call to handle any trouble that enters Musica – home of the mystical instruments. During a recent battle, Gene made a mistake and was poisoned by a great and powerful celestial beast. Now he faces the problem of not wanting to admit he should pass down the Tribal Kight mantel which means he’ll have to face the mystical instruments and ask for help.

#20 – Jenton

Jenton is a new character in the world and story of Art Geek Zoo: The Way of Sound.

Jenton is one of the first humans to gain knowledge of The Way of Sound and one of the first humans to visit Musica. Jenton is honest, strong willed, yet humble. Other than a tendency to laugh at strange times, the mystical instruments and gholhems favor Jenton above all other human musicians. The feeling was mutual until Jenton discovered some of the darker truths about the connection between mystical instruments and their musicians. That’s when he left Musica, never to return.

#13 – Amplifier Riot

Amplifier Riot is a new character/entity in the world and story of Art Geek Zoo: The Way of Sound.

Amplifier Riot is the collective mind, body, and creative energy of hundreds of sentient music amplifiers and speaker systems. He/She/It formed during a confluence of energy unleashed at what started as a peaceful demonstration for fair treatment and equalization for all amplifiers.

During a speech being given by one of the key organizers – a battle at the edge of the crowd broke out. Pick and Crunchy and the rest of their band – Resonant Dojo were trying to stop an enraged group of gholhems from tearing the peaceful demonstration apart. Instead – the amplifiers sensed it all as a threat and conspiracy against their united spirit.

Their hearts and minds were so entirely focused that the entire crowd of amplifiers converged, morphed, and formed one giant entity that referred to itself as Amplifier Riot.

A witness to the event claims it escalated because Crunchy the mystical guitar was laughing at the amplifiers during his battle with the gholhems saying: “You don’t impress me, all you do is repeat what an instrument says only louder. No come back? Ha. Must have your volume nob turned down.” And that’s when Amplifier Riot brought the noise.

#14 – Ekvaren – Warlord of the People

Ekvaren is a new character/entity in the world and story of Art Geek Zoo: The Way of Sound.

Ekvaren – Warlord of the People wasn’t born of royalty. He was a seemingly normal village are born in a land that was oppressively run by feudal rulers overtaxing and over punishing their people. His first attempt to escape oppression was to become a soldier. Through that experience he discovered his immense natural strength, cleverness, and leadership that sparked loyalty in many that knew him.

Eventually he realized that he was partaking in the very acts that was causing the poor conditions he grew up in. This sparked and him a cause for rebellion that he organized and struck out against the regional feudal lords.

While he was humane in taking over neighboring lands and villages – many times it required the taking captives. He would take captives that were likely to make trouble that could thwart his efforts tonight the regional lands.

After a hard-won victory in taking over the capital he met the Ikmoda – Gholhem Wiseman and Teacher and knew immediately this person must be imprisoned lest he confuse the people and cause more strife than was needed. However there was something very curious about Ikmoda. So Ekvaren would often visit Ikmoda in Ikmoda’s prison to meet and debate.

The legends get unclear and disagree with one another was how what happened next came about. Howevery, the do agree that eventually the Ekvaren and Ikmoda became friends and taught one another what each of them were best at. The warlord shared his knowledge of sword fighting and Ikmoda shared what he knew of the sound based martial art – The Way of Sound.

Years passed and peace and prosperity was now the rule of the lands where Ekvaren ruled. Ekvaren could have ruled for many years to come if it weren’t for the distress call from Musica. The distress call came to Ikmoda in a vision. He dreamed a detailed series of scenes in which the land of musica was under attack. All he could see were the results of some great force striking again and again destroying buildings, cities and villages. As the shock of the dream was waking up Ikmoda, he was able see just for a few seconds a small force of defending mystical instruments and gholhems battling against the creature. When Ikmoda awoke, he pleaded with Ekvaren to be allowed to go back to defend Musica.

Ekvaren denied his friends request. Instead he took Ikmoda’s guitar sword, called forth the musical bridge to reach the land of Musica. Ikmoda watched his friend jump in to battle and remove the bridge connection gateway between the lands.

What Ekvaren battled was like no living creature he’d ever faced. He fought a towering beast of celestial origin whose indeterminate shape seemed to lash out from every angle – destroying anything it struck. Beyond the frightening realization of the creature’s power – it seemed immune to the sword and even sound based attacks. Any blast of sound would dissipate as it got close to the creature. Standing next to it was to experience the vacuum of pure silence.

Ikmoda opened a new bridge to Musica – but once he arrived he saw neither his friend nor the horrific sound consuming creature. It had seemed his friend figured out a technique that no other caller mystical instrument understood but those that witnessed it did see the destruction of the beast.

This is when the mystical guitar tribe decided to open their ranks to create the honored position of tribal knight. Ever since, over the centuries, anytime the tribe found worthy warrior-bard they would make the offer. Join our tribe and we will share with you the post powerful secrets in The Way of Sound and you can wield a guitar sword to protect those that need it and to honor the Mystical Guitar Tribe.

#12 – Roanne Lancer

Roanne Lancer is a new character in the world and story of Art Geek Zoo: The Way of Sound.

Roanne Lancer holds the high position of master instructor in three separate creative disciplines: dance, writing, and acting at Polytechnica: the prestigious best-of-the-best college within Zoo College of the Arts. She sees herself as the rightful successor to the schools first multi-disciplined master: Professor Xavian Charlesworth. However, Professor Terrant Razorclaw prevents this just by doing an outstanding job as the master professor of all music at the college.

To cover so many departments effectively, Roanne oversees a team of assistant professors and their student teachers which the entire lot are often referred to by their unofficial name “The Lance Collective”.

Roanne is an aggressively competitive person and able to adapt her mind and body to achieve almost anything. This serves her well when she is heading toward single-minded goals but it becomes a significant hindrance when she needs to do anything with a group of peers or students. When it’s time for the group to decide anything, she thinks the best thing to do is to fight it out. Literally. For her this isn’t a problem because she happens to hold higher than black belt rank in Aikido, Tae Kwon Do, and both pro wrestling and thumb wrestling.

Recently she’s set her sights on mastering The Way of Sound – which she never knew existed until seeing Professor Razorclaw’s students Pick and Crunchy perform an assignment gig at the Soundhouse Saloon.

Anytime she crosses paths with Master of Music Professor Terrant Razorclaw, the sparks fly, challenges are said, and often an exchange of sound and martial arts techniques occurs. These exchanges are typically over in moments and almost never seen by bystanders.

It is interesting to note that she does not really care about taking over the visual arts because there is no one to compete within that space. After Charlesworth left the college the position of master of visual arts became vacant and has remained so ever since.

#11 – Iscura Tragtomb

Iscura Tragtomb is a new character in the world and story of Art Geek Zoo: The Way of Sound.

Iscura spends his days as a petty tyrant in the offices of the Zoo College of the Arts (ZCA) managing the day to day operations of the offices. His favorite thing is finding technicalities that force students to rethink major aspects of their school careers. He’s practiced in finding prerequisites that are not met well-enough, reasons to put students into probabtion, and reasons to expel students on probation.

This all started for Iscura when he was seeking entrance into ZCA soon after ZCA became an accredited art college. Iscura wanted to be a famous art professor and sought entrance into the most difficult program offered at ZCA the Polytechnica Master of the Arts. Why go for such a lofty academic position? In Iscura’s town, it was uncommon for the younger generation to seek careers outside of the local businesses of foam and tourism… so throughout his life he was a celebrated small town hero and had little outside feedback. That’s the polite way Iscura remembers things. In actuality, anytime someone offered feedback Iscura would pitch a fit to be tied… and after a few of those outbursts at public events and fairs people treated him differently. They gave him constant, droning approval.

When Iscura met the young Angela Tall (who is now the dean of the whole college – then an admittance counselor) she gently explained what he needed to work on in order to be admitted in a year or two. Then when Iscura tried to launch into a whiney tirade throwing papers and books about her office – Angela would have none of it. She subdued Iscura and as she was escorting him out of her office in an arm twisting wrist lock – he opened up a seemingly sincere plea to just be part of the college somehow to work his way up the ladder – no matter how long it took.

Years later, Iscura just bides his time waiting for opportunities to look good to his supervisor (which is still Angela Tall) and to vent his frustrations by throwing red tape and technicalities at unsuspecting students. He has set his eyes on the dean’s job which he’s still waiting for the right situation to make his move.

Optional fun bonus game with this post! Iscura Tragtomb is an anagram. Can you guess it? Whoever guesses it first on twitter by @ tweeting me the answer (I’m @RobStenzinger) by the end of November, I’ll send them an artist trading card sketch of one my 30 Characters.

#9 – Harmata

Harmata is a new character in the world and story of Art Geek Zoo: The Way of Sound.

Harmata was the first instrument familiar created by King Beatforge. A dedicated assistant, Harmata would keep King Beatforge’s workshop running, organized with supplies, and find homes for the various other creations that took shape from within the instrument furnace.

He carries a simple harmonica to pass the time when his workday is done and King Beatforge is away from the workshop. From time to time Harmata suffers from intense jealousy of King Beatforge’s other creations and has been suspected of stealing, hiding or breaking them but never been caught.

#8 – King Beatforge

King Beatforge is a new character in the world and story of Art Geek Zoo: The Way of Sound.

King Beatforge is a gholhem (a race from the world of Musica) who never connected with a mystical instrument. He discovered he indeed had the talent to be a powerful drummer, perhaps enough so to become a master of the Way of Sound. He found he had stronger interests elsewhere when he discovered he could heal and modify mystical instruments. This led to his discovery of how to create gholhem and instrument familiars (sentient amps, guitar pedals, and other band supporting equipment).

King Beatforge held a position of high honor among mystical instrument society making his creations for all of Musica and the celestial beings that Musica serves. While a drummer at heart, King Beatforge carried a powerful enchanted (but not sentient) woodwind all-purpose crafting instrument.

King Beatforge always enjoyed creating items – most of all to serve Musica and he tolerated the tributes and gifts he had to build for the celestial beings Musica served. Often, while creating items and entities he would assemble an audience and make a performance of the art. He could dazzle crowds while creating rhythms out of items in his workshop and still crafting materials together in his instrument furnace. He could pack a few hundred gholhems and mystical instruments in his workshop and dazzle, entertain, and inspire them for hours.

King Beatforge went missing during the world shattering battle now known as “The Fall of Chromarch” where much of Musica was torn apart. Much of it was destroyed when part of Musica fell to Terra.