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Following the success of his 2019 launch of The Thornclaw Manor Illustrated Poker Deck, award-winning illustrator Steve Ellis (The Only Living Boy, High Moon) invites you to help expand the Thornclaw Manor universe with The Thornclaw Manor Illustrated Poker Deck and Art Book.
The Thornclaw family is an ancient clan of monsters and creatures from myths and legend that live in a sprawling mansion that lies somewhere between our world and the world of myths and legends. The family members themselves are Fairies, Demons, Cryptids, Lovecraftian Creatures who live a rather civilized existence in their giant interdimensional manor. Think of it as Downton Abbey, but with a monstrous spin. They have come home to the Manor because the Dowager, the ancient and horrible matriarch of the family claims to be dying, and the family members hope to be named the sole beneficiary of her fortune and her Elder-Godlike power.
“Thornclaw Manor comes out of my love of myth, creepy fantasy, and the period of Spiritualism in the early 20th and late 19th centuries,” said Steve Ellis. “Books like Pride and Prejudice, the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, Poe, and Arthur Machen, real life characters like Harry Houdini, The Fox sisters, my fascination with the occult, and the creepy dark woods of my upstate New York home.”
Steve Ellis has been a fantasy illustrator and comics artist for 25 years. A Harvey Award-winner and co-founder of the creative studio Bottled Lightning, Steve has illustrated works for Blizzard and for Wizard of the Coast (Dungeons & Dragons) in addition to Marvel and DC. Most recently, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, he has been hosting free Monster Art School drawing classes online for youth and adults, which you can find on his Facebook page.
Going beyond the funding goal, the intention is to expand the Thornclaw Manor art book as well as the Thornclaw Manor universe with a tabletop game. Backers of the Kickstarter can receive incentive items such as lavish, fully-illustrated playing cards featuring the Thornclaw family as well as lovely prints, original art, sketches, world material, behind the scenes process pictures, and even a book of full-page art!
