VAE'BRUKH, BLADE OF THE HIGH KING
BACKSTORY
"Forged deep within the molten halls of the Dwarven kingdom of Khural-Varn, Vae’Brukh was the ceremonial greatsword of the last crowned High King — a symbol of unbroken lineage and arcane dominance. Crafted from bronze-rich alloy and rune-bound obsidian, the blade was embedded with volatile aether crystals mined from the collapsed Vein of Nhaldur, a source said to tap directly into the realm between worlds.
Crafted in the Aetherforge vestiges, Vae’Brukh was never meant for battle.
Its fractured edge and asymmetrical design are the result of an ancient curse bound to its crystal core — a remnant of the king’s ambition to merge steel and spellcraft. Though it once rested sealed above the throne, legends tell that the blade pulses brighter when war nears the mountain gates.
Few can wield it without succumbing to the whisper of the crystal’s will."
DESCRIPTION
Hard Surface Model - Mythic Weapon
A stylized dwarven greatsword crafted as a hero asset study in weapon storytelling, material contrast, and fantasy worldbuilding. Designed for use in stylized ARPGs or cinematic fantasy pipelines, the sword emphasizes regal craftsmanship, arcane fracture, and exaggerated silhouette for strong silhouette and asset readability at distance.
Total Poly Count: 18,264 (game-ready; sculpted in ZBrush at 400k+ high-poly for baking)
Render Engines: Substance Painter Iray (for wireframes) & Unreal Engine 5 (for rendering and in-world integration)
Render Engine: Substance Painter Iray (real-time ready for UE5 or stylized pipelines)
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Modeled in 3DS Max using high-poly sculpt refinement, boolean fracture passes, and hard-surface edge polishing
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Textured in Substance Painter with layered bronze wear, emissive crystal veins, and stylized damage breakup
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Baked using custom curvature, position, and AO passes to enhance material reads and smart mask response
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Designed to convey lore through form: ram-head hilt motif symbolizes dwarven nobility and arcane forging tradition
Created as a solo project to explore stylized weapon pipelines with a focus on storytelling and sculpted material contrast. Every element — from shattered edge to embedded crystal — was designed to communicate function, age, and mysticism, while maintaining clean topology and game-engine optimization.
ROLE: Solo project — modeled, sculpted, UV’d, baked, and textured as a stylized weapon study
TOOLS: 3DS Max (low/high-poly), ZBrush (fracture sculpting), Substance Painter (smart masking, emissives, baking)
PURPOSE: Designed as a hero asset for fantasy RPGs; focused on strong shape design, stylized material definition, and narrative form language in real-time asset workflows.
MODEL VIEWER TURNAROUND
CONCEPT
I’m revisiting an idea I first explored almost 8 years ago—originally, it was a heavy maul I designed as a dwarven artifact. The concept stuck with me, and now I want to reimagine it as a hero sword—something that carries the same magical weight and presence, but with a sleeker silhouette.
This version of Vae’Brukh should feel ancient, powerful, and crafted by dwarves who mastered both metallurgy and arcane containment. It needs to stand alongside my other hero assets like the Ember Lexicon, and reflect my current modeling skills and storytelling ability.
REFERENCES
Visual Influence & Direction
Drawing from the following visual references:
CONCEPT
DESCRIPTION
Glowing Energy Core
I want the blade to have a central channel that contains unstable magical energy—something that feels alive, controlled by dwarven glyphs and metal braces.
Ornate Dwarven Craftsmanship
Decorative flourishes, layered plates, and relief carvings will form the primary metal language. It needs to look heavy, functional, but majestic.
Arcane Tech Aesthetics
I’ll bring in arcane machinery—maybe a locking ring or a gear-like structure—to contain the magic. Gives the sword a sense of engineered precision.
Natural Texture Contrast
For subtle organic influence, I’m considering textural contrast like rough bone or aged stone integrated into the design—something that implies age and history.