Sole

@solestratego.bsky.social

244 Followers 875 Following

Colorblind Draw-Maker ║ 33m ║ Lover of Sharp Teeth and Spicy Characters

The black Joker is represented by Corren. Corren is a unique, strange case for a Star Courier - unlike the rest of the species, Corren retains independent thought does not always comply to the orders of the Smilers. Depending on his mood, he may outright contradict them or act against them. Worse still, Corren is mentally unhinged and often lashes out in fits of rage, killing anyone nearby, whether friend or foe. Courier medics have deduced that due to his inability to fully submit to his Smiler leadership, he is left in a constant state of cognitive dissonance. His independent mind thrashes against his Courier need to conform and obey. The state has left Corren agitated, to say the least. This situation concerns Omni, but not to the degree that he would be deemed "defective". Corren is a useful tool, an unleashed beast who cannot seem to escape Omni's thrall, yet can go completely off the rails. Due to this instability, he can openly break deals Smilers made in the past, which a Smiler cannot do, even through ordering Star Couriers to do so. In the end, Corren is a deadly, highly skilled Courier who the Smilers can barely contain. Used as an assassin to sate his bloodlust, you can safely assume that if he's in the same location as you, your best move is to get away. Fast.
The Ace of Spades is the most immediately iconic card in any playing card deck. Because of that, it was important it was immediately recognizable, even moreso than the other three aces. That also meant I needed to aim for a more immediate interpretation to the design, as well. The spade itself appears to be melting - Smilers' bodies are made entirely of crude oil and this is a fun callout to that. It also gives an unsettling feeling compared to the other, cleaner aces. This is a suit that represents a deconstruction of the norm, an old world that is literally melting away. In the flourishes, you can see a few subtle callouts - near the bottom, you can see linework on either side that calls to mind a smiling mouth as it melts, a motif that is repeated at the top of center. The main focus of either side of the spade are the multiple orbs circling around each other towards a central point - a nod to the fact that the Smilers' home planet no longer exists and all that remains in its place is a black hole.
The ace of clubs is indicative of the Star Couriers' obvious contrast in design sensibilities compared to the Centrarians. The Star Couriers enjoy flat design work that "gets the job done" - the sun in the background with the various lines represent the hundreds of trade lanes the Couriers have established to transport goods across the galaxy. From the center, the club "sprouts" from the ground much like how a sapling emerges from its seed - a symbol of rebirth that is contrasted by the intricate design within the shape that gives it a look like a satellite dish, a signal sent deep into space. To the Centrarians, the logo of the Star Couriers is symbolic of a rebirth of civilization after their societal collapse, a reconnection of ties long lost, and a cold efficiency that was once so familiar when Centrarian galleons roamed the stars. And they would be correct, for the most part. The Couriers would disagree on whose society is being reborn.
The ace of diamonds is represented by an amalgamation of the three locations of the Medium Colonial Cluster. Centrarians love to categorize things, and this is shown by the “cluster” system - they will not colonize a planet unless there’s at least two nearby planetoids to group with it that serve auxiliary functions. The spears represent Medium, the colony itself. At the time of the Aftermath event, the colony was still being settled by the imperial military. Because of this, Giant Centrarians are the primary sub-species, and the culture is highly centered on tribes which are constantly in-fighting for control and resources. The scale and banners near the bottom represent Spire, the transit hub for the cluster. To keep colonies free of traffic from galleons, long-haul ships drop supplies off at Spire for short-range delivery to Medium via skiff. Spire is a luxury station built with all the necessary amenities for pilots and crews, including casinos, hotels, and banks. Base Centrarians, the backbone of colonial administration, were stationed here when the Aftermath occurred, and are more highly represented than other sub-species. Finally, the crown represents Des Mortem, Medium’s burial moon. All colonial clusters have a designated planetoid for burials and cremations, and most are occupied in some way by the “Cult of the Storyteller”, a secretive group led by Winged Centrarians who proceed over occult burial rituals under authority of the Imperial Royal Authority. Winged Centrarians represent <1% of all Centrarians, and are extinct on Centraria herself.
The ace of hearts - symbolically, this ace represents the Patriarch crew, and more specifically Shade's, goals and ideals. An idealized column material, representing Shade's fondness for history, forms a heart lined with waving, seeded grass - the plains outside Shade's home in Thunder Fields. The sword stabbing through the heart are the three pieces of the "Creator" sword, which is the artifact the crew wishes to find in the story. Tying the design together is Shade's blind eye in the middle - perhaps indicative of how he is blind to the struggles of such a monumental task.