Concept Art Galore
Dive into the Fractalverse with this collection of exclusive concept art, commissioned by Christopher Paolini to capture the inner workings of his imagination!
Spaceships
Battleships
Battleships such as the Unrelenting Force were the largest standard ship class in the UMC Navy.
UMCS Extenuating Circumstances:
“The most striking feature of the Extenuating Circumstances was the banks of radiators that lined its midsection, starting directly behind the habitats and continuing all the way down to the swell of the engine. The edges of the diamond fins flashed and gleamed as they caught the light of the sun, and the tubes of molten metal embedded within the fins shone like silver veins.”
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars
The UMCS Extenuating Circumstances was one of the UMC’s new cruisers (another being the Darmstadt). Two Markov-drive equipped shuttles hugged its side, ready to deploy as needed. It was one of those, the Valkyrie, that Kira used to escape Sigma Draconis.
Naru-class Jelly Ship
These medium-mass Jelly ships carried a limited number of troops, usually no more than three squids, two or three crawlers, and the same number of snappers. The Wranaui called their spaceships shells, a term derived from their own protective carapaces.
Nightmare Ships
These monstrosities combined elements of human and Jelly anatomy in grotesque ships that transported the nightmares themselves. The ships traveled at enormous speed and showed little regard for self-preservation.
SLV Wallfish
Captain Falconi’s ship reflected his style: rough on the exterior but warm and even cozy on the inside. The ship served as a good home to him and the crew as they crisscrossed the League.
Characters
Kira
Kira Luminosa Navárez was born March, 2230 on the colony planet of Weyland, the eldest of two daughters (the other being Isthah Navárez). Her parents were among the first wave of settlers. Growing up, Kira often helped her father care for his favorite flower, the Midnight Constellation, in their greenhouses.
As a young child, the discovery of the Great Beacon in 2234 by Dr. Crichton inspired Kira to become a xenobiologist. Her life-long desire to seek out and study new forms of life eventually lead her to discover the Seed/Soft Blade on Adrasteia.
In her spare time, Kira enjoyed playing a concertina she bought off a miner during one of her assignments for the Lapsang Trading Corp.. The instrument accompanied her on missions ever after, providing solace and amusement for herself and her crew mates.
concept art galore
Trig
Trig was the youngest member of the crew and full of youthful enthusiasm. He was often found with a ration bar in hand, entertaining the crew with eye-rolling puns. His bravery and loyalty to the Wallfish and her crew never wavered. Born and raised on Utgard Station (a mining outpost at 61 Cygni B), his real name, which he was loath to share, was Epiphany Jones.
Qwon
Qwon was the first Jelly that Kira saw. Qwon’s fate was sealed when an explosion blew it out of the Extenuating Circumstances along with Dr. Carr and a piece of Kira’s suit.
Jellies/Wranaui
Humans never imagined meeting a species quite like the Wranaui, the sentient, space-faring race that originated on the planet Pelagius. Researchers were astonished to learn about their highly complex life cycle and their equally complicated hierarchical social structure, dominated by Arms and a ruling form.
Back Front Side Side 
Carapace
Places
Nidus
Named after the planet, the city Nidus was the first abandoned settlement of the Old Ones that humans discovered, and final resting place of the Staff of Blue. The city was obviously empty, yet it felt. . . dormant, as if awaiting a signal to awaken.
Unity
Kira constructed Unity using technology drawn from the Seed’s vast store of knowledge. Unlike any human or Jelly station, it was an amalgam of organic and inorganic materials, filled with living, growing elements, an ecosystem drawn from different races to form a harmonious whole.
Fractalverse Galaxy
Visual representation of the Fractalverse Galaxy. Poster available for purchase.
Orsted Station
The UMC built this station by Ganymede, one of Jupiter’s moons. It had two spindle-like extensions at either end, with a bulbous middle, like a gyroscope. Its stationary shield ring provided docking space for ships, while the central hab-ring rotated to provide gravity. (Poster available for purchase.)
More to Come
Be sure to check back regularly for new concept art! More is on the way.
What images might you like to see next? Do you have some beautiful Fractalverse artwork to share? If you’d like to see your art here, share it on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) using the hashtag #FVfanart. Christopher will choose his favorites each week. If you are one of the lucky ones, our team will contact you to get permission to post your work here (with attribution, of course). Eat the path, Fractalnauts!
Concept Art Galore