Journey Character Design Exercise

After playing the game Journey for the first time, I created sketches and backstory for a new character that would work as the focus for a sequel game.

Name: The Worker

Backstory: The Worker is a Rythulian that forcibly underwent the same process of transformation as the War Machines.

Before the End, the Worker had a name. It was an important name, the name of a brilliant engineer that discovered a way to preserve the cloth in special alloy that would amplify and sustain it. With this new technology, their society had a chance to survive. For the first time in a longer time, The Worker saw hope. The Forgotten Council in the Lost Capital only saw fear— fear that others would attack, fear of their own citizens. When they caught wind of the Worker's invention, they saw a cure to their fear. They could use the cloth to power unimaginable weapons. Next to the great kelp farms of the underground Pillar City, a monstrous factory was built to harness this new power. Disgusted with how their miracle was being used, The Worker attempted to interfere.

​During the End, the Worker had a purpose. Alongside the other workers, it oversaw the Factory. Here it managed the creation of weapons of mass destruction and forced transformation of benevolent creatures into vicious War Machines. Twisting and distorting the helpless creatures' body & mind, it almost makes the Worker want to feel... something. It can’t quite remember what. Actually, it has trouble remembering much since being put in the Factory. It probably doesn’t matter. If it is not an order from above, it doesn’t matter.

After the End, the Worker had a family. The Workers continued to keep the Factory going well after new commands stopped coming in from Above. Long after the screens that displayed the message faded to black, they worked. Until one-by-one, the Workers began to disappear. Many of the workers used themselves to repair the Factory. Little-by-little, their body became one with the facility until no sign of life remained. Some attempted to reach the Above in search of their next orders. Less ventured deeper into the underground, toward the Pillar City and beyond, in search of something to return the Factory to its former glory. In search of hope. But the Worker knows nothing good ever comes of hope.