Jussi Pylkäs

As our exploration of Gothic continues, focusing on the three subtypes of Evil, 

, and this week, Undead, today, we stop to dig up the works of Sorcery Artist Jussi Pylkäs. 

With bold lines and comic-inspired sensibilities, Jussi’s work blends storytelling and style, evoking the pulp roots of fantasy illustration while adding his own dark humor and grit.

 our highly anticipated next set releasing December 5, Jussi brings that same energy to Stygian Archers, a moonlit vision of skeletal marksmen, spectral bows drawn and ready. It’s in his words, “just classic skeleton vibing - the dark forest, the moon, the necromanic glowy magic thingie…the good stuff.”

Art has always been a part of Jussi’s life, though his early inspirations came less from fantasy painting and more from comic books. “My style definitely has a comic vibe,” he shares. “That’s my background and what drew me into art originally.”

Influenced by Mike Mignola and Petri Hiltunen, you can see both in his work. Jussi adds, “I’m definitely still finding my own spot. You can kind of see me going back and forth in my 

work, but I kinda like that there’s some changes in style choice in there.”

While he’s still experimenting with mediums, his go-to tools remain practical and tactile. “I mostly work with markers, ink, and acrylics,” he says. “They give me better control. Oils just never seem to dry properly, though I do want to try them out more, but right now I’ve been sticking with what’s familiar.”

 staple going back to Alpha, his original entry into the realm was by chance. “Erik found me on ArtStation,” he laughs. “So, luck, basically?”

At the time, it had been years since he’d worked traditionally. “It had actually been a loooong time since I drew or painted non-digitally, so we agreed I’d make one piece as a test,” he recalls. “I guess it was good enough since I’m still here.”

That “one picture” became the start of a growing body of 

work - iconic pieces such as Battlemage, Headless Haunt, and Sugarplum Pixies.

 the goal was to complement Jussi’s earlier piece, Bone Rabble. “Erik wanted this one to match the earlier painting,” Jussi explains. “So the same color scheme and background came naturally. The most important element was the blue smoketrail - that energy rising out of the skeletons themselves.”

The connection gives both pieces a sense of continuity, as if the undead army from Bone Rabble has returned, now under necromatic command. “There’s the suggestion of them being resurrected from the same army,” he notes.

The finer details, however, took time to get right. “I did do a bit of back and forth with the bows of the skeletons,” Jussi admits. “Originally, I wanted them to be a lot more detailed, maybe engraved metal or spiny bone bows, but when I imagined the picture at card size, it just felt more pleasing to keep them simple. The glowing bows stand out from all the skeleton-y stuff.”

Even the smallest touches demanded patience. “The bowstrings were a pain,” he laughs. “I wanted them to have a blue tint, but whenever I washed color over the white base, they disappeared into the background. They’re a small part of the picture, but for some reason I was adamant about making them visible.”

That stubborn attention to detail pays off: 

 feels alive, or rather, unalive, with eerie light and motion, a quiet echo of Jussi’s first undead creation now fully risen beneath the moon.

 isn’t just the art direction, it’s the freedom. “The game itself is awesome,” he says, “but the best part is the freedom left for the artists. I get to tell my own little stories and create moments frozen in time.”

That sense of storytelling runs deep in his work. “I do think of myself as a visual storyteller,” he explains. “I always have some sort of world or scene in mind when starting a piece. It’s nice that Sorcery doesn’t have strict rules worldbuilding-wise, so I have a lot of freedom to imagine new cultures or characters.”

He laughs as he describes one example: “Okay, so this takes place in a nation of Aztec-type culture where insects are considered gods.” Even in more familiar fantasy scenes, the thought goes deeper. “For example, in Phase Assassin, from Alpha and Beta, the monarch and the advisor are just typical fantasy officials, but the assassin has more going on - protective bandaging, enchanted eyes, and equipment to move between planes. You can even see the veins on their head showing how that line of work is slowly taking a toll. Voidhopping probably isn’t something mortals should do very often.”

Blending the stark contrasts of comics with the darker atmosphere of 

Stygian Archers stands as both a haunting companion and an evolution of Jussi’s earlier skeletal works. A moonlit resurrection, simple, effective, and unmistakably his.

Tune in later this week to see the reveal of Stygian Archers as we take a closer look at the Undead, one of the three pillars of Evil in Gothic, alongside Demons and Monsters.

Bones and Ink come to Gothic: Jussi Pylkas and Stygian Archers

Truitt Parrish

 artist Truitt Parish, art has always been part of the family language. Growing up in a household of artists, pencils and paints were as common as conversation. His early ambitions leaned toward the scientific. Fascinated by the precision of the natural form, he aspired to be a scientific illustrator. But over time, curiosity led him from observation to imagination. Exposure to fantasy literature and game art opened the door to something larger: the chance to invent worlds of his own.

This shift changed everything. “I think there’s magic in creating one’s own little world,” Truitt reflects, “and being part of that tradition.” It’s a sentiment that runs through all of his work for 

 where structure meets strangeness, and realism gives way to wonder.

 library of forbidden lore, few works feel as unsettling as Truitt’s De Vermis Mysteriis, a vision of discovery turned to dread, arriving December 5 with 

When the commission for De Vermis Mysteriis first arrived, Truitt didn’t have a clear picture of what the final image would be - only a feeling. The brief called for a cursed book, a relic brimming with forbidden power, and he began exploring how a writer might react to what they’d unleashed.

“I was interested in the person reading the book and how they were reacting, almost as if they were being cursed,” he recalls. Early thumbnails focused on that relationship between curiosity and consequence, sketching out a figure caught mid-revelation. But as the piece evolved, so did its focus.

After a series of iterations and discussions with 

 creator Erik Olofsson, Truitt shifted his gaze from the reader to the horror itself. “I had a dragon-type thing coming out of the book attacking the reader,” Truitt explains, “Then Erik and I decided to remove the reader and focus entirely on the creature emerging from the pages. That’s when I made it more worm-like and Lovecraftian rather than draconic.”

What emerged was something far more primal, a writhing, otherworldly entity bursting forth from knowledge itself. A painting that transforms curiosity into catastrophe.

To bring the concept to life, Truitt relied on both improvisation and practical experimentation. Searching for the right light and shadow, he turned to a familiar place for inspiration: his parents’ house.

“I used some props I found at my parents’ house. I found a massive, really old book that I propped up and lit from the inside using a strip of LED’s and then I positioned a little sculpture I made using tubing,” he shares.

The setup created the piece's defining feature, the eerie, upward light that makes the book seem alive, radiating revelation and ruin.

While the composition centers on a single moment of emergence, every texture carries intention. “I just wanted it to be creepy,” Truitt says with a grin. “Something that felt like a Lovecraftian narrative, maybe even a bit dark academia in tone.”

He approached the creature's design like a biologist gone mad, borrowing forms from nature and warping them into nightmare. “I’m proud of the creature design,” he notes. “I based its mouth on a microscopic image of a tardigrade, a water bear, and then dialed it up to eleven, adding those tentacles you always associate with Lovecraft.”

Even the book's cover hides a story of its own. “Erik didn’t want text that would clash with the printed words, so I designed a small Celtic-style knot that doubles as a stylized version of the monster itself,” he explains. The result is both elegant and unsettling, an artifact that hints at danger before a single page turns.

And as in any good cabinet of curiosities, he couldn’t resist slipping in a few oddities. “The skulls on the shelves are real species,” Truitt reveals. “One is a saber-tooth, and the other is from a babirusa, an animal whose tusks grow through the roof of its mouth. It just felt like the perfect creepy detail to include.”

Each element adds to the layered eeriness of De Vermis Mysteriis, pulling tangible fragments of the real world but reassembling into something disturbingly plausible.

De Vermis Mysteriis captures the thrill and terror of forbidden discovery, the moment curiosity outweighs caution and the consequences come clawing through. Truitt Parish’s meticulous craft and imaginative daring make this piece a perfect fit for 

 approaches its December 5 release, Truitt’s work stands as a reminder that some books should never be opened…but it’s hard to resist looking anyway!

 events start at 5 PM on Friday, where attendees can see this piece in person and be the first in the world to take home limited prints.

Unbound: Truitt Parish and the Gothic Secrets of De Vermis Mysteriis

Drew Tucker

Few artists capture the haunting undercurrent of 

, our next highly anticipated set releasing December 5, Drew’s work once again merges myth and madness through his unmistakably expressive brushwork.

, embodies that eerie blend: something half-remembered, half-feared, rising from the darkest corners of the realm.

 to explore the tribal subgroup of Demons as the next Gothic focus, we take a peek at the art behind Drew Tucker’s Flayer, a piece whose card will be revealed later this week.

“When I get a commission,” Drew shares, “sometimes there’s a bit of direction - in this case, something about a demon with a whip, or the idea of a lasher. But I wanted to figure out what this demon 

. Why do demons even torment people? Is it for entertainment? What’s he having them do?”

Rather than depict mindless cruelty, Drew built a scene around intent and purpose. “I started to goof around with compositions and landed on this idea that they’re building a scaffolding. So there’s a reason for the whipping - they’re 

. You can see below the text box, people hauling timbers and beams. The first step was giving the demon purpose, not just making him another monster.”

Drew’s process balances structure and spontaneity. “Sometimes I do a color study first… sometimes not. I’m not sure I’m supposed to say that. The danger is, once I lock it in, the painting can sometimes want to go somewhere else. In 

, the demon changed a little along the way.”

“I fleshed the sketch out first in whatever weird language I sketch in,” Drew shares, “But sometimes I go straight to paint - probably not what you’re supposed to say, too, but sometimes I do. Sometimes with sketch, I’ll project the image, rough it in, and then just 

. I want to stay loose so the painting doesn’t lose its feeling. It’s still what the sketch was, but I avoid retracing it too tightly. I want it to 

For Drew, the real challenge lies in preserving the energy of his early marks.

 “Looking back at progression shots, it’s like ‘wow, that was just a blob of yellow and black.’ The hard part is keeping the same energy the sketch had. I like free lines and keeping it loose, but also true.”

That looseness serves a deeper purpose. “A lot of the horror is filled in by the viewer,” he explains. “The way I paint, the brushstrokes, the open spaces, I try to hit the subconscious. It’s like those old horror movies that don’t show everything. Your mind fills in the blanks, and that can be way scarier.”

Originally titled Lasher, the piece was later retitled Flayer. “I’m really proud of the motion in Flayer,” Drew shares. “That’s what I’m most drawn to - that sense of movement and power.”

 exemplifies what makes Drew’s art so distinct: that boundary between chaos and composition, where meaning seems to flicker in and out of focus. It’s a piece that invites the imagination to step in and perhaps to flinch, just a little, at what it finds there.

The painting is only half the story. Check back tomorrow to see how 

From Lash to Legend: Drew Tucker’s Flayer

Brian Smith

It isn’t just Erik’s Curiosa that’s making its first appearance at PAX Australia this week. Thanks to our partnership with 

 (AIE), we’ve brought an expanded booth to PAX Aus, complete with learn-to-play demos, artist card signings, and an unforgettable showcase of traditional fantasy art, including original pieces from 

These paired works embody creation and destruction, two opposing forces rendered through the same divine gesture.

“The original request was for a single painting,” Brian recalls. “It was to be a godly, translucent hand in the sky with beams of light streaming down through the clouds - a gesture like releasing a pinch of salt. I saw this as being a heavenly kind of painting, angelic, full of wonder and beauty. Uplifting, but also a little imposing.”

That painting became Sow the Earth, a vision of radiant benevolence. A massive celestial hand hovering above a living world, scattering vitality into a river valley below. Its tone is serene, suggesting that creation itself can be both generous and unfathomably powerful.

 creator Erik Olofsson, the feedback shifted the project in a new direction.

“Erik liked the painting but thought it was too bright, too positive,” Brian shares. “So he requested a second piece - the 

 version of the same hand. That’s how Salt the Earth came about. It turned into a concept of opposing focus, like Angel’s and Devil’s Eggs.”

Where Sow the Earth breathed life, Salt the Earth withers it. A more skeletal red hand tears through a dead sky, sprinkling ruin upon land. Both paintings share a composition, but their atmospheres couldn’t be further apart, one suffused in light, the other in shadow. Despite one conveying peace, benevolence, and wonder, and the other death and destruction, Brian adds, “I see them as equally terrifying in their own ways.”

Known for his bold style, Brian’s approach to 

 art focuses on impact over complexity. “More than anything else, I try to create powerful paintings,” he shares. “For 

 cards, it’s important to keep things simple and bold. Too much information can be difficult to read in such a small format. For these pieces, I wanted to convey simplicity and power. These are two big hands, with the power to create or kill entire realms.”

Brian joins us at the Sorcery booth at Pax Australia in Melbourne, where you can see these two power pieces in person, get Sorcery cards signed, and get your picture taken with one of Gothic’s most prolific artists.

 community has been a new kind of experience for me,” Brian adds. “I’ve made a lot of new friends, and there’s a great deal of support from all around. I’m happy to know there are so many people that find joy in the game and in the art. They motivate me to want to make better paintings!”

Come visit us at booth TT2828 and keep an eye out for more of Brian Smith’s work in 

Sowing and Salting the Earth: The Dual Visions of Brian Smith in Gothic

Juan Machuca

, an emerging illustrator from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, whose striking talent makes him a powerful new voice within 

 and a welcome addition to the game’s ever-growing roster of traditional fantasy artists.

 marks his first major professional project as an illustrator, a milestone born from years of self-driven study, creative perseverance, and a lifelong love for fantasy and horror art.

With the community voting in the Sorcery Discord and Facebook Group to explore the tribal subgroup of Demons as the next Gothic focus, what better time for Juan to share the process behind his piece, Shackled Demon?

From childhood, Juan filled his schoolbooks with strange sketches and stories. “I’ve always been a very imaginative person,” Juan shares. “If I’m not thinking about stories, I’m thinking about developing games, zines, or art. I like to tell stories, and I do this through my art.”

Though he trained in renewable energy engineering, Juan’s creative instincts led him elsewhere. Without access to formal arts training, he began learning illustration through online communities and YouTube channels by artists like Matt Busch and Jeff Miracola, and through the art blog 

“My work is very influenced by comic books,” Juan explains, “I like to maintain a rhythm through patterns, shapes, and colors. People have described my art as dramatic, and that’s true. I want to make images that live on the edge of emotion.”

When Juan received the commission for Shackled Demon, he knew it was a moment of arrival. “The instruction was to create a chained demon,” he recalls. “I came up with two thumbnails, and the one you see now was chosen to develop. Originally, I thought it was supposed to be a small demon, but I was asked to add more chains and something for scale, so I added a small wizard inspired by the classic 

The final piece depicts a massive, imprisoned demon stirring beneath a forgotten temple, its chest glowing with a white seal that holds its power in check.

“I imagined a demon that’s been long imprisoned in a dungeon, condemned to guard a temple for eternity,” Juan shares. “The wizard who approaches becomes the chance for escape. You can see dark energy beginning to rise from the demon’s wings, surrounding the oblivious wizard who doesn’t realize the danger that’s closing in.”

commission brought unique challenges, but 

 carried special weight, as Jaun's father was scheduled for a major surgery at the same time as it was being worked on. “It was always in the back of my mind while working on this set, and in some ways, it influenced the mood of my paintings. Even though it was a difficult time, I decided to commit myself fully and create something people would enjoy. Thankfully, my dad recovered, and I’m proud I had this chance to follow my dream.”

 and, on a whim, sent his portfolio to Erik’s Curiosa. “Erik replied just a few hours later,” he recalls, “he said he liked my work and he gave me my first few assignments.” 

 represents a realization of a lifelong goal. “This is a brand new world for me,” he shares. “I’m achieving a dream that once felt impossible. Seeing people enjoying my art makes me so happy. Knowing that something I created is out there, traveling around the world, it means everything.”

 nears its release on December 5, Shackled Demon stands as both a warning and a promise. It’s a reminder that in the darkness something powerful stirs, waiting to be set free.

Please join us in welcoming Juan Machuca to the 

 community, and be sure to connect with fellow players and artists in our community hubs on 

You can find out more about Juan Machuca on his artist page 

Sorcery Art

Latest Art Features

Bones and Ink come to Gothic: Jussi Pylkas and Stygian Archers

Unbound: Truitt Parish and the Gothic Secrets of De Vermis Mysteriis

From Lash to Legend: Drew Tucker’s Flayer

Sowing and Salting the Earth: The Dual Visions of Brian Smith in Gothic

Juan Machuca: Welcome to Sorcery: Contested Realm

Artists