Richard Powell

2 Threaded Spouts

Marcus Bezalian is a character very much in the vein of the contemporary tech billionaire, someone with an outward benevolent appearance but an inner malevolent personality.

https://www.ratchman.com/

“It’s the cult of personality, you know that. People can’t handle to idea that progress is collaborative. They have to believe in the myth that there are lone geniuses that drive everything. All part of the marketing.”
Marcus Bezalian
CEO, Aleph Corporation

05:13 PM - Dec 08, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

5 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

S01E04 - The Fillim Perspective:

https://www.ratchman.com/e...

ratchman.com

The Void - The Long Cold Dark - Episode S01 E04 - The Fillim Perspective - Science Fiction Series — The Void

Doctor Denom Richt takes Carter Vincent on a survey in an alien environment in an attempt to build relations with two xeno species. Both want to help, but are sceptical of humanity's intentions. To build a bridge between their cultures would benefit humanity greatly, but there's so much cynici..

05:55 PM - Dec 07, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

4 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

S01E03 - Trust In The Enemy:

https://www.ratchman.com/e...

Namor Skenn, an enemy agent and a man with much blood on his hands, seeks asylum with the crew of the HDR Liberator.

ratchman.com

The Void - The Long Cold Dark - Episode S01 E03 - Trust In The Enemy - Science Fiction Series — The Void

Namor Skenn is one of the most dangerous humans in the universe. A covert agent for the Teel Corporation, he has unexpectedly broken free from their control and starts to assert himself. But to go against Teel is a death sentence, so defection becomes the only option, but can he live long enou..

05:19 PM - Dec 06, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

4 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

S01E02 - Who The Hell Is Buck Rogers?:

https://www.ratchman.com/e...

ratchman.com

The Void - The Long Cold Dark - Episode S01 E02 - Who The Hell Is Buck Rogers? — The Void

Carter Vincent dies in the 21st century and unexpectedly awakens in the 42nd, and in deep space. His family long dead and home reduced to a toxic hell, can he adapt and find a new purpose in this weird future, or will he forever remain a stranger in a strange land?

03:26 PM - Dec 05, 2023

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Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

3 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera. S01E01 - The Naled:

The Republic unearth a secret that has been kept for over forty years, hidden deep in the archives of the old despotic regime that existed before the Republic.

https://www.ratchman.com/e...

ratchman.com

The Void - The Long Cold Dark - Episode S01 E01 - The Naled - Science Fiction Series — The Void

The HDR Liberator has been commissioned by the Human Democratic Republic to investigate a remote colony expunged from the previous regime's records. They find and unravel a mystery that has profound implications for the fledgling Republic.

05:07 PM - Dec 04, 2023

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Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

3 Threaded Spouts

This is very much me speaking through one of my characters here, and it is something I wholeheartedly believe in.

Politicians are hyper-aware of this because the simplest re-definition of a term allows them to frame the narrative, and thus control our beliefs.

“I couldn’t read when I was your age. I didn’t even start learning until I was sixteen, I think. My owners wouldn’t let me. It’s when I picked up a book I realised why. I’m not a smart person, Lude. I’ve been called cunning, but I’m not academically gifted. But I do know this: words are power. Those who seek to control you, will deny you access to those words. And it is absolutely why you must read everything people tell you not to.”
Mira Candor
Killer And Literary Enthusiast

05:46 PM - Dec 03, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

4 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

The Venn Hidran:

https://www.ratchman.com/s...

One of the elder species, and rather mysterious and oblique. Humanity has had little contact with them, and their broken language patterns make them hard to interpret.

Image by natalijanaca.
The Venn Hidran have a unique and oddly terrifying body plan. Resembling a palm tree with arachnid limbs sprouting from the top of its trunk, and with a vicious-looking mouth lined with sharp teeth in the middle of all these weird limbs, they instantly cast a very alien image.
Most of those spider-like limbs have claws at the end, but two have trumpet-like tubes at the end, and other two have sac-like sensory bulbs at the end.
Underneath the limbs and mouth are the eyes, six of them positioned equidistant around the circumference of the trunk, and with tubes projecting outward under them, their purpose to provide propulsion in ever horizontal direction.
Then the creature's most stand-out physical characteristic: the meat skirt at the bottom of its trunk. The Venn Hidran do not have traditional legs, but instead hover by an organic form of jet propulsion.

05:01 PM - Dec 02, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

3 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

The Okkarren:

https://www.ratchman.com/s...

Strange broad and squat creatures with radial symmetry. Widely regarded to be superb engineers and a spiritual people who view their chief god as an engineer working to a holy schematic.

Image by natalijanaca.
One of the stranger sapient species known to humanity, the Okkarren are about chest height to a human, and their bodies are round, relatively thin at the outer edge, and thick in the middle.
Their mouth is in the middle of their disc-like body, and surrounded by four pairs of two eyes, giving them unparalleled depth perception.
They have six legs located equidistant around the edge of their bodies, with two tentacles above each leg.
When they are being expressive, this can appear as a mass of flailing flagella, but they are surprisingly dextrous.

05:53 PM - Dec 01, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

6 Threaded Spouts

Conn Teel is, for want of a better term, the arch-villain of The Void. Immortal by use of the Incarnate technology, he rules over a vast corporate empire with the venal vindictiveness of the ancient Roman emperors.

https://www.ratchman.com/

“Humanity would never have survived if it hadn’t been for me. It would have doomed itself with its own short-sightedness if myself and a few others hadn’t built Eden and then Paradise. Humanity would never have conquered the stars without me. Humanity is nothing without me.”
Conn Teel
Bastard And Saviour Of Humanity

05:15 PM - Nov 30, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

4 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

The Naled:

https://www.ratchman.com/s...

Far more intelligent, emotional and individual than humanity thinks. No queen, no hive mind, and adaptable DNA, they are not a technological species, but a biomechanical one.

Image by natalijanaca.
The Naled take many forms, and a myriad of shapes and sizes. They are by far the most adaptable species known to humanity.
Pictured is one of the most common forms: the warrior warform.
Somewhere between a beetle and crustacean, it is of similar size to a buffalo, and very strong.
Where it really shines is with its intelligence. Naled are quick to assess any situation and work out any new problem posed to them, and with their claw-like hands, they even have the means to manipulate tools.
The mandibles and horns that adorn their head change depending on the individual, and this leads to another unexpected trait: the Naled may be insect-like, but they are not hive-minded. Each Naled is an individual, but they do still have a very utilitarian society.

06:45 PM - Nov 29, 2023

0

1

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

5 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

The Makeen:

https://www.ratchman.com/s...

The embodiment of the term 'eco-warrior', these saurian conservationists are as savage as their appearance suggests. And yet, in many ways they are more cultured and caring than humanity is.

Image by stazlax.
The initial appearance of the Makeen is that of a dinosaur, but that resemblance is purely coincidental, brought about by convergent evolution.
The body is very raptor-like, but with the addition of two extra arms. The 'forearms' are a little less strong than a human's, and are their main dexterous arms, whereas their larger main arms are much stronger than a human's, and built for rending more than they are fine control.
Their heads have a three-sectioned jaw, giving the creatures the capacity to swallow very large prey, and the three eyes gives them excellent depth perception. At the back of the head is a peculiar set of hollow tubes that they breathe through to create a musical form of speech.
Their backs are covered in small armour plates, all along their extended tails, which are used for balance. At the end of the tail is a barb that can be used for slashing, though using this comes at the cost of a loss of co-ordination.

05:54 PM - Nov 28, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

3 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

The Kollomeen:

https://www.ratchman.com/s...

Ephemeral and fragile, no species appreciates life more than the Kollomeen and, as such, they make perfect peacemakers, acting as diplomats to the universe.

Designed by natalijanaca.
The Kollomeen as sapient creatures from a gas giant and, as such, are little more than bags of gas with a tentacled creature dangling underneath.
With six eyes, orifices through which they propel themselves, and a multitude of squid-like tentacles dangling from the bottom, these creatures need an exo-suit to survive in a human environment.
The suit itself is a hovering bell-jar-type construction, transparent and with many controls the Kollomeen inside it can use.

05:31 PM - Nov 27, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

4 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

The Ju'Jinkai:

https://www.ratchman.com/s...

Evolved from aquatic predators, they hail from a planet where existence is a struggle, and premature death is common.

Image by Doodlenerve0116.
The Ju'Jinkai evolved from an aquatic predator, and hold onto many of the associated traits. In many ways, they are trapped between two worlds: the aquatic and the terrestrial.
Imagine a hammerhead shark with the stance of a velociraptor and a secondary extending jaw, and you have a general shape for the species.
This is a little reductive, as they are complex creatures with many unique features. Their skin has bio-luminescent patches which flash different colours depending on their mood. Their arms and legs can fold up into grooves in order to make their bodies streamlined underwater. Their hands have opposing thumbs, and their feet are almost amphibian-like.
Their size is also rather intimidating, being much larger than humans, at around six to nine feet tall at the hip. It takes many people to down a single Ju'Jinkai in melee.
And never get close to those jaws.

05:54 PM - Nov 26, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

4 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

The Fillim:

https://www.ratchman.com/s...

Spindly insectoids with a bizarre appearance, the Fillim are one of the elder species. They are sociable and immensely intelligent, and even share elements of humour with humanity.

Image by natalijanaca.
The Fillim are strange-looking creatures, resembling bowling pins in general body shape, they have a tripodal arrangement with their limbs: three legs and three arms, all very spindly but with surprisingly dextrous digits.
They have a single compound eye that stretches all around the circumference of their head, making them impossible to sneak up on, and a similarly wraparound mouth with a baleen filter.
They communicate via musical whistles which are projected from their multiple nostrils.
Despite their unusual appearance, the Fillim are incredibly agile, and their motion does tend to unsettle humans as it does remind them of the way spiders move.

06:15 PM - Nov 25, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

2 Threaded Spouts

The most sympathetic of the 'villains' in The Void, Yiu Quon is someone who started out with noble intentions, but was eventually corrupted by too many compromises and political reality.

“So many confuse ruthlessness and cruelty with strength, but it betrays insecurity and desperation.”
Yiu Quon
Yeung Corporation Executive Directorate

06:25 PM - Nov 24, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

4 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

The Eyrians:

https://www.ratchman.com/s...

One of the elder species of the universe, and godlike next to humanity. They also see themselves as shepherds for the younger species.

Image by natalijanaca.
The Eyrians live shrouded in the shadows, having evolved on a planet with very low levels of light.
Monstrous avians in their bodyplan, they have a roughly humanoid shape, though they are more comfortable walking in a similar manner to a bat than they are like a human.
Their leathery wings are evolved arms that have skin stretched between their fingers. This makes them excellent fliers, and it is their preferred form of locomotion.
Their heads are almost satanic in appearance, with raptor-like beaks, four glowing red eyes and two long horns that jut out of their head. These horns are one of the key distinctive features for individual Eyrians, as they curve and curl individually.
Their necks have a form of vent in them through which they breathe in a system separate to their ingestion.
They also have a long tail with a wicked barb at the end of it, and their hands and feet have vicious talons.
Due to their appearance, it is theorized that they visited Earth at som...

05:19 PM - Nov 23, 2023

0

1

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

4 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

The Dantikar:

https://www.ratchman.com/s...

Cosmic capitalists with strong familial bonds and feudal system.

But it is not their sole defining trait, as they also have well-defined family bonds, and a deep and complex spiritual mythos.

Image by natalijanaca.
The Dantikar are about chest high to a human, but they have roughly the same mass. However, due to coming from a planet with higher gravity, they are surprisingly strong.
They are an insectoid species, but one that has evolved a centaur-like body plan. They started off more arachnid in shape, with eight legs but, over time, their front body tilted upwards and two legs move forwards and became arms.
Their lower body is more conventionally insect-like, with six sturdy legs on a horizontally-aligned body. The front half is more humanoid, with two muscular arms extruding from their torso. The hands are large and are less flexible than human hands, so their technology is larger and chunkier than our own.
Their heads have an appearance that echo an ant, with large mandibles and huge compound eyes.

04:03 PM - Nov 22, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

5 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

The Cadir:

https://www.ratchman.com/s...

Image by akutabi.
The Cadir are a mollusc-like species that have evolved to stand upright on a pyramidal base with four snail-like feet, broad and flat, that secrete mucus to help them glide.
Their heads still retain a familiar slug-like shape, with eyes on stalks and a few other sensory organs sprouting beside them. The underneath of the head has a 'mouth' with a radulla, a rasping tongue that can cut as effectively as any tooth.
In addition to all of this, they have four whip-like tentacles that emerge from either side of their main body. Their 'walking' might be slower than a human's pace, but their tentacles can be wielded with speed.
Their 'walking' is a form of half-walk, half-slide which looks reminiscent of skating. This means they can move faster than they look, but still not as fast as a human.
They are very intelligent, and are at a similar level of technology as humanity, though their religious zealotry has been holding them back for some time.
Their ships are organic-looki...

06:30 PM - Nov 21, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

4 Threaded Spouts

https://www.ratchman.com/

Namor Skenn is a character I wanted to subvert some expectations, and also to explore just how dehumanising it can be to have one's emotions suppressed.

He's spent most of his life with some emotions suppressed, and others left intact.

“A person who is not afraid at some level, is a person that does not care about life. And I speak from experience.”
Namor Skenn
Former Teel Covert Agent And Survivor

05:02 PM - Nov 20, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

3 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

Everett Creed:

https://www.ratchman.com/c...

Image by dana_psd.
Everett is a man in his early sixties with a generally approachable demeanour. Softly-spoken and articulate, he seems friendly at first glance.
However, when he chooses to let that façade slip, his true nature is far more cold and disturbing, and those eyes reflect a chilling disregard for any kind of life.
He has aged well, with a full head of grey hair, and wears a pair of spectacles. In this image, he is smoking a cigarette and he holds a bloodied axe hang by his side, his preferred method of punishment.
Affixing the viewer with that cold, reptilian gaze, there is the sense that he is sizing you up, and seeing nothing but raw meat.

04:18 PM - Nov 19, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

2 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

Leric Corsanis

https://www.ratchman.com/c...

The pragmatic foil to Daedaric Varr's idealism and one of the four leaders of a resistance against the Teel Corporation.

Image by dana_psd.
Leric is a burly male with long dreadlocks, a goatee, and a contemplative mood. Though his attitude may be brusque, his eyes reflect his analytical nature.
Quick to become agitated, but never rash, he always manages to employ his reasoning to any problem in front of him.
In this image, he is dressed in heavy clothing with a mask hanging around his chest. This gear is necessary to wander out onto the streets of Mennan City on Caliban, a planet heavily polluted by centuries of heavy industry. The bulky protective clothing is required to prevent the toxic air from melting the lungs or the heavy metal rain spilling contaminants onto bare skin.

05:28 PM - Nov 18, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

2 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

Daedaric Varr:

https://www.ratchman.com/c...

Terrorist or freedom fighter depending on your allegiance. Highly principled individual desperately trying to mount some opposition to Conn Teel and his dynasty.

Image by mdw_jason.
Daedaric is a man with an intensely focused look in his eyes that hint towards his inner drive, but otherwise, he is of average build and appearance.
He keeps his hair short, and tries to remain professional-looking, even while he is evading the forces of law and order.
He is dressed in a pinstripe shirt and black trousers, giving a business-like appearance, but he also wears a leather jacket, more out of practicality than anything else.
He is holding up a sign stating 'humans not resources' across his chest and has a defiant stance about him.

04:11 PM - Nov 17, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

2 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

Mira Candor:

https://www.ratchman.com/c...

Feared sapient acquisition specialist. The definition of criminal can be a little hazy, depending on the territory, but Mira doesn't care. Whatever brings the credits in.

Image by SBSIllustration.
Mira Candor is more of a cypher than an identifiable human. Mira is the armour that they wear.
The armour itself is deep scarlet, and covers most of the body, leaving a few gaps around the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees.
The helmet has a menacing visor in the shape of two glowering pupil-less eyes, though angular and rectangular. The rest of the face is enclosed by a filter which gives Mira an anonymous sneer.
Mira is prudent about making the armour the identity of the feared bounty-hunter, as it allows them to walk unmolested without it, a valuable trait for a manhunter.
Mira stands in an alert pose, with a handgun held up beside the helmet as they track a potential target.

04:08 PM - Nov 16, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

3 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

Loren Roth:

https://www.ratchman.com/c...

04:33 PM - Nov 15, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

2 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

Kang Si-Woo:

https://www.ratchman.com/c...

Pirate Queen of the Dokkaebi and equally charming, principled and devil-may-care. She is a scoundrel by nature, and a leader by circumstance.

Image by mdw_jason.
Kang Si-Woo is a confident and scurrilous woman in the prime of her life and enjoying every moment, even the harsh one.
Of average height, but with a larger-than-life persona, she has long, dark hair and a face filled with cheeky bravado. She does have a distinguishing birthmark on the right side of her face. Whilst not particularly eye-catching, it would mark her out as an outsider in Aleph territory.
Dressed in leather armour typical of a pirate, her attire harkens back to the piracy heyday of ancient Earth.
She stands with a confident posture, with a smirk on her face, as if contemplating her next act of mischief, her hand on her hip whilst the other carries a handgun to her side.

04:16 PM - Nov 14, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

3 Threaded Spouts

Marcus Bezalian, self-professed genius tech entrepreneur, is the most business-focused of the corporate leaders in The Void.

https://www.ratchman.com/

“Everything is transactional. The universe itself is based on a transactional ruleset. Math is transactional. Molecules trade atoms with each other to change states of matter. Transactions set the universe in motion.”
Marcus Bezalian
CEO, Aleph Corporation And Capitalist Philosopher

06:31 PM - Nov 13, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

2 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

Valentine Rao:

https://www.ratchman.com/c...

When Lex Teel murdered his mother, it sent Valentine down a dark path of vengeance he knows will likely end with his own death.

Image by SBSIllustration.
Valentine is a tall south Asian man with a long face with a full beard and eyes that hold a sadness about them.
He inherited his good looks from his mother, Lakshmi, who was a popular actor of her time, and to whom, Valentine was devoted.
Viktor Heller, knowing Valentine's heritage, offered to train him following his mother's murder, equipping him with the tools he'd need for his vengeance. This has led to him being in excellent shape, and being very lean.
He is dressed in a long black duster jacket, black top and black trousers, and holding a gun pointing towards the camera.

05:12 PM - Nov 12, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

2 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

Zhang Kai:

https://www.ratchman.com/c...

Ambitious member of Yeung Corporations Executive Directorate with designs on taking sole charge of the empire.

Image by mdw_jason.
Zhang Kai is young, lithe and handsome, with long, flowing hair and a definite swagger about his body language.
Although he is handsome, there is also a hint of his underlying nastiness that can be glimpsed in his eyes.
Where Yiu Quon is the wise dragon, Zhang Kai is the virile tiger.
He is wearing a very expensive blue suit with white shirt and navy blue tie, and standing in a very confident pose accentuating his slim physique.

06:54 PM - Nov 11, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

2 Threaded Spouts

The Void - Dark sci-fi space opera.

Shi Yin:

Working for the Yeung Corporation, she is a small and quiet woman who blends into a crowd. She is an expert gunslinger and brawler. But what makes her dangerous is her lack of restraint.

https://www.ratchman.com/c...

11:56 AM - Nov 10, 2023

0

Richard Powell

@Ratchman

A

3 Threaded Spouts

Hadrian Heller is a moral man thrust into an amoral power structure, and forced into actions he'd rather not do to protect his family.

https://www.ratchman.com/

"No leader in human history has gone without blood on their hands.”
Hadrian Heller
Second Son Of The Heller Dynasty

07:07 PM - Nov 09, 2023

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Richard Powell

The Void - The Long Cold Dark - Episode S01 E04 - The Fillim Perspective - Science Fiction Series — The Void

The Void - The Long Cold Dark - Episode S01 E03 - Trust In The Enemy - Science Fiction Series — The Void

The Void - The Long Cold Dark - Episode S01 E02 - Who The Hell Is Buck Rogers? — The Void

The Void - The Long Cold Dark - Episode S01 E01 - The Naled - Science Fiction Series — The Void