Inktober 2024 (October 2024)

Day 1 – Backpack

When exploring the darkness of the world, it is a staple of any monster hunter to have their trusty tools and weapons by their side at all costs. Most have state-of-the-art backpacks to carry them all or even give that job to a lackey who follows them on their journeys. I don’t need all that when I have Ol’ Reliable. Sure they are a bit weathered and burnt in places, but this bag has been with me through thick and thin and has always been able to carry all that I need and then some.

Day 2 – Discover

A great tool to always have on hand for anybody when traversing unknown lands is Seeing Stones. You can never go wrong with a little added perception plus you never know what little creatures are hiding out there. I mean most of the time they’re just tricksters hoping to spook you off the guided path, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Day 3 – Boots

No matter the journey, you never know when the terrain will shift to not be in your favour. When the soft ground starts to misshapen and squelch, attempting to pull you deeper into the earth that is when you wish you had a better pair of boots. That is why I always go for a sturdy pair with some added support spikes to help me shift some speed wherever I may end up travelling. Just need to find a way to make them fireproof.

Day 4 – Exotic

Most hunters tend to go for common companions when it comes to keeping pets, like dogs or cats. In my case, I like to go the more exotic route and fell in love with the Pasquet’s Parrot. This unique bird is best known for its vivid black plumage as if it was enveloped by shadow, the only colour visible is on their vibrant red bellies like they’ve drank so much blood that it has turned them crimson. Thankfully they mostly eat sticky fruits and flowers, but the myths did help them coin the nickname of the Dracula Parrot. With this stocky pal by my side, let’s hope my neck shall be safe for a while.

Day 5 – Binoculars

When hunting, it is always crucial to have sights that are accurate as well as able to spot creatures that are hard to find. Rather than stick to using binoculars to spot and track, I prefer to mix and match monocular sights to help improve my accuracy depending on the scenario. For instance today I’m on the search for an elusive clan of shadow figures, so I have my configuration set to have one lens focus on movement within shadow and the other specifically designed to bring spectres and ghosts to light. You can never go wrong with a bunch of sets of extra eyes.

Day 6 – Trek

It can be quite treacherous travelling across murky lakes and swamplands as you never know what could be dredging down in dark depths. That is why I always bring aboard a barbed trek net whenever I have to cross such mysterious waters. They always come in handy when the captain starts spinning tales of leviathans under the water that turn out to be true rather than just legends. Let’s just say on those days, there’s gonna be fish on the menu for a while.

Day 7 – Passport

Ever since they implemented teleportation as a public transport in the realm, it can be very difficult to track where people have gone and, if a teleport fails, where they might end up. With that in mind, it is always crucial to have an Astral Passport to keep your identity on you as well as showcase your teleport history. Plus in case of a faulty teleport, it showcases where you are in the world and helps guide you to a local wizard station for assistance. Unless you’ve popped into the belly of a beast, in which case the assistance is not needed.

Day 8 – Hike

When packing light on long journeys, it is always the best feeling when you can kill two birds with one stone. Meet my beautiful twins Shank & Stab, a custom-built pair of trekking poles that have been modified to act as stakes with extra reach so they are both tools and weapons. They are also enchanted to help put an extra pep in my step, branded with varying runes that imbue me with extra strife and speed if I ever get tiresome. If I ever retire, I am definitely converting these babies into a walker so they can continue living with me rather than gathering dust in an old box somewhere.

Day 9 – Sun

Gemstones are incredible artefacts to hold on to as a monster hunter since not only do they look pretty but they can also be catalysts for great magic. For example, I always carry this opal around my neck as it can harness solar energy, capturing its rays like a liquid in a bottle. When the necklace is charged up with this energy, it emits an ultraviolet pulse that can disorient and deter vampires like dogs to a high-pitched whistle. Much less conspicuous than a large ring of garlic dangling around my neck if you ask me.

Day 10 – Nomadic

Travelling alone from place to place always comes with danger, especially if you’re one against a pack of god knows what. To help give myself the upper hand, I always wear my Robe of Shadows to help shroud me in darkness and blend in better with my surroundings. As long as I’m silent and watch where I step, it is as if I’m not even there to the naked eye. All I need now is a giant version of one to shroud my house someday if I ever decide to set down roots.

Day 11 – Snacks

Ever felt tired on a long hike and needed an extra pick me up but the regular snacks you carry around are just too boring. Well, why not try out my own special recipe for trail mix that’ll kick regular old trail mix straight in the teeth! All you gotta do is find an old sack and fill that bugger with as many beans, nuts, berries, bread nuggets, olives, and wheat paste that you can physically cram in there before it bursts. Then all you have to do is give it a good shake and bam! The oddest hiking snack around that’ll give you that extra pep in your step to get you to move faster towards actual food!

Day 12 – Remote

On late nights when you can hear the distant howling and screeching of unknown creatures, it may feel a bit daunting to set up camp. That is why on nights when I feel like I need an extra layer of protection, I carry around my little Pocket Remote Campsite. All I need to do is say my own secret encantation and rather than set up a whole campsite with the fear of monsters jumping out from the dark, I have a prebuilt camp waiting for me in the safety of the bubble. The only worry is to find a good place to hide the bauble, since if it breaks I’m stuck as being tiny and I don’t know about you but I’d rather hunt down monsters full size than be the size of a blueberry.

Day 13 – Horizon

Have you ever felt stumped on a solution and not sure what to do next? Need a little help expanding your horizons when trying to get over a hurdle that keeps stumping you? If that’s the case, I recommend a rubber fellow to talk through the problem with as they can act as a conduit to help your own brain put the pieces together. Mine is a funky little gnome named Rudy and they help me figure out new ways I can modify my tools or explore new tactics when it comes to hunting things I haven’t come across before. It might be a little goofy but honestly once you try it, you’ll never look back.

Day 14 – Roam

When you travel a lot like I do, you tend to subconsciously take the same paths to places over and over again cause they’re the safest ways to go in your mind. Sometimes it’s good to break those patterns and roam freely since it helps you to naturally discover new places or hidden gems. That’s why I keep this old memento somebody gifted me years ago as a joke, this blank compass forces me to get lost and have me hone my instincts in order to find my way back to known spots. If only my patience was as sturdy as this compass cause I have definitely thrown it against a tree a few too many times out of frustration, but hey that’s the fun of getting lost.

Day 15 – Guidebook

Depending on the situation, rations can deplete quite rapidly when out on expeditions. Whether you pack light and accidentally get stuck in a cave, or pack heavy and end up having to ditch your pack after being chased by a herd of Werejackal. It’s always good to come prepared knowing at some point you may have to pluck random stuff off the ground to eat to survive. That is why I always carry this handy dandy foraging guidebook cause honestly, without this book I would probably be dead or as high as a kite since I cannot tell a normal everyday mushroom to one that’ll knock me on the heels of my feet and send me off to never ever land for all eternity. Stay safe out there people, don’t eat random berries just cause they look good! Do your due diligence and research!!

Day 16 – Grungy

I don’t need to tell you how tricky it is to sneak into places, I could use the cover of night and sneak in while the target is sleeping but where is the challenge in that?? However, creating tons of different disguises to blend in is a big hassle and will burn a big hole in your coin purse. That is why I am a proud customer of Dr Melch’s Hair Growth Elixir! Just a small application of this stuff will make hair grow in seconds, making it the perfect way to change your appearance in the blink of an eye. Just be sure to only use the amounts specified and don’t smack it on like I did the first time I used it. Ended up a walking talking hairball until I could find someone talented enough to hack away at me without leaving me scarred or bald. Yeah, that’s 10 hours of my life I can’t wait to forget.

Day 17 – Journal

Most hunters like to keep track of all the kills and bounties they’ve collected over the years by scratching marks into their weapons and being all showboat-y about it. I dunno about you, but I’d rather not scratch up my beautiful weapons or even boast about all the targets I have to take care of to make ends meet. That’s why as a token of remembrance, I have my little pocketbook to keep track of everything I’ve had to eliminate. I reckon when this little guy is full, that’s when I should put the crossbow down and put the violence behind me.

Day 18 – Drive

I’m not saying I’m a terrible shot or anything but sometimes hunters miss and the bounty gets ahead a little further than I’d like. Rather than work on my endurance and get better at picking up the pace, I designed this little self-propelled rock that I can just throw towards the target and watch it drive itself into their head. Knocks them down pretty quick after a thwump with a rock, either that or they lose a big chunk of hair if a rogue gust of wind catches it off-guard and spins it around last second. Either way, it’s enough or a distraction for me to catch up every time.

Day 19 – Ridge

I’m not really the type to get sentimental, it comes with the years of hunting as a lone wolf. There was a time when there was a guild of us collecting bounties together, travelling the globe and going on adventures. As time went on, we drifted apart but always kept in contact. I mean communication is crucial since you never really know when the last time you talk to someone you care about will be. So next time you think it has been a while since you’ve talked to that one person, take the time to check-in.

Day 20 – Uncharted

Since most maps only chart well-known places and the routes to take between, they don’t tend to showcase a lot of hidden gems. On my travels, I tend to use my instincts more than normal routes and end up in a lot of uncharted areas that I think deserve more recognition which is why I plonk a special flag in as many as I come across. I always keep a bundle on me since you never know what you are going to come across, but now I can always keep an eye out for one of these bad boys if I ever want to set up camp.

Day 21 – Rhinoceros

Animals are a beauty that we all take for granted. They all have their own attributes and each symbolises something that we value a lot or tend to take for granted. That is why I made this protection amulet out of worn leather and a polished horn of marble so that I could have the strength and ferocity of the beast to help shield myself from harm. I’d never take an actual horn from one of those majestic creatures and I hope to use my own creations if I ever spot a poacher on my expeditions. Let’s hope their perception is better than most of the bounties I take care of.

Day 22 – Camp

Sometimes you don’t need anything to be unique or with extra add-ons, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Nothing wrong with a bog standard tent.

Day 23 – Rust

You never really forget your first bounty as a monster hunter. The target that kicks you into the deep end of the ghouls and creeps that lurk in the dark. For me, it was this withered hag who put up more of a fight than I bargained for, but then again it was my first job. The crazy witch taunted me with this rusty old pair of scissors, snipping them at me while yelling out all types of curses. I keep them as a reminder that no matter how big or menacing the targets get, they will never catch my nerves as much as her. Definitely, a better memento as if the roles were switched, it would be her keeping my eyeballs in a jar.

Day 24 – Expedition

As the fabled All Hallows Eve draws closer, monster hunters around the globe are now starting their treks for the quest of the Pumpkin Plinth. This statue is in commemoration of one of the greatest fighters out there, who still roams in service of the people. However, hunters like myself can often get quite superstitious, which makes a lot of sense given our line of work, so each year we go to this monument and rest for good luck as well as additional strength on our future quests that will be carried out the following year. Guess I’m just a sucker for tradition, but it’s also a beautiful walk if you don’t mind 20ft tall spiders and drunk goblins who can’t throw spears for crap but somehow land a lucky shot every time.

Day 25 – Scarecrow

As much as I love this yearly trip to the pumpkin plinth, this gateway always puts me on edge. I mean I’ve travelled this pathway countless times but the guardian is always stationary. You always expect them to jump out at you when you least expect it or stalk you through the woods. Thank god they don’t have any legs, I could definitely outrun a crawling scarecrow but not so sure about one lunging at me full sprint.

Day 26 – Camera

Most forests tend to have totems or lampposts as markers to help you get through them. However, this forest in particular is known for its giant pylon of cameras that was made by the local hermit who resides in these woods. Normal people tend to see it and think of it as an eyesore but hunters appreciate its value as the hermit keeps an eye on the monsters that roam through the trees, taking tally of what still lurks and what new creatures find their way. This information is then couriered to local taverns and weaponsmiths for bounties and maintaining a surplus of supplies that we may need. It tends to work most of the time but obviously, cameras do have blind spots but anything small enough to hide in them isn’t that dangerous.

Day 27 – Road

When the wilds reclaimed the lands, a lot of stuff from the old world got buried never to be seen again. Sometimes things rock back up to the surface or you can be one of the types who like to go out and dig for the stuff instead. For example, found this lump wrapped around some roots on today’s walk. Not quite sure of what the purpose of it was but it’s sturdy and sharp in the right places. Seems like a great chunk to create a makeshift maul or hatchet if I get lost again.

Day 28 – Jumbo

For a lot of people, food raining down from the heavens is a dream come true but in reality, it is a pain to deal with. Giants think it’s funny to throw their scraps down upon our realm like we are peasants to be fed but we never touch or eat what they drop. We have no idea what that stuff will do to our systems plus usually some unfortunate souls don’t see the things coming. An elderly neighbour of mine is a good example, she was too old to hear the whistling of the falling turnip. The best thing to do with these hazards is to just let them rot and feed the earth, or at least give something else for it to devour.

Day 29 – Navigator

I don’t really use this piece of junk much nowadays but you’ll see a lot of newbies and tourists carrying them about. Some wizard years ago decided to place a beacon around the pumpkin plinth and sold these handy navigators to beginner hunters, helping them find their way through a vague, glowing arrow that would emanate from the crystal. Since most hunters now know the trail like the back of their hand, we tend to just use them as paperweights or as a fun memento thinking back to our first trip. I personally use it as a reading light.

Day 30 – Violin

This is my baby, Tess! Her name is short for The Extra Shrieky Skull and was my first attempt at making a musical instrument. Of course, I started out trying to make something that sounded beautiful and elegant, but I love this version even more. I tend to only bring her out on special occasions since most people don’t like the mood-killing screams she makes at parties. However, on cold nights in the woods like this where I know scared tourists are hunkered down in their tents hoping nothing springs out, I play Tess to help add some more spook into the atmosphere. So if you hear a distant screeching of screams, it is probably dangerous but there is also a 50/50 chance it’s me in the trees playing a little tune to soothe me to sleep. Rest easy!

Day 31 – Landmark

Well after a week’s hike, I have finally made it to the Pumpkin Plinth. It’s definitely seen some better days but I’m glad to have come and got my yearly supply of luck and protection. With that said, I guess I really should be getting back to work and quitting going through all of my possessions. If you’ve learned anything about the craft through this then that’s all that matters, use it to keep the ghouls away from this All Hallows’ Eve. Stay safe out there travelers.