This is the story of a woman, lost in a strange world, her quest for answers and survival— and our journey to bring her story to life!
We'd like to invite you to follow along!
What is The Secret Forge?
Have you wanted to take a deep-dive into the world of 12Arrows while you wait for the release of our first issue? Well, same here. The result is The Secret Forge: an in-depth exploration of the world of 12Arrows, beginning with the very birth of the mythological Twelve, the Pantheon whom oversaw the creation of the Yōkai and the Okami alike. If you're a lore fan, or you're desperate to revisit the scope and splendor of Tolkien's Silmarillion, this is your kind of book!
It's also the first full-length novel that wull be shared here on TTAG. Every week, you can expect new content headed your way in brand new chapters. Start reading now, and stay caught up on the legends of the gods: how they entered the world, how they faced off against the One Who Was Before Them, the rivalries which separated them--and sometimes got them killed! It's all right here!
We're insanely proud of this project and hope that it whets your appetite for the world of 12Arrows. But if it leaves you wondering, "How does all of this connect to a random human woman, kicking it in the jungle?"
Unfortunately, you'll just have to wait and see...
Meet Shakes the Thickets and Yshuro the RedHanded. They'll be your guides as you walk through the ancient history of Abas. Everything that you see will be through their eyes, and every word you read a result of their long labors to reveal the truth in every gory detail. They set out to change their world by finding out what really happened. But the world is rarely ready to change.
12Arrows
When Ada wakes up, dangling from a parachute in a primeval forest, she has more than a few questions, and unfortunately no answers.
She doesn't know who she is, for starters, or how she got here. An enormous wall looms over the highest trees and disappears in either direction. Other than her name, the only thing she knows for sure is that she ins't welcome here.
Finding herself in the middle of a war between the savage Yōkai and the seemingly noble Okami, Ada's quest for truth begins with a fight for her life, and the imutable, haunting fact: she's the only human anyone's ever seen.
The epic story of Ada's legacy in this strange world,12Arrows launches its readers headfirst into the fray with its first issue, coming 2020! Fans of Planet of the Apes, Saga, or Lord of the Rings, rejoice and stay tuned for more!
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Meet the Characters!
Ada
The only one of her kind, in a world she has no part in, Ada's life is an avalanche of trouble--especially considering it didn't seem to start until the day she fell out of the sky, and into a war between nations and species she's never heard of before. But whoever she is, and wherever she came from, one thing is for sure: Everyone, Okami and Yōkai alike, will know her name.
Okeyo
Warrior of the Okami. Defender and Heir to the House of Hiyro. Okeyo the son of Akiro is Ada's first friend in this strange new world, even if his face is a long way from friendly, the first time she sees it. Honorable and strong, Okeyo's reputation as a warrior is untarnished and revered, just as his loyalty to his uncle, the Pale Eyed Lord, is infallible. But whatever Okeyo's life in the City Above the Trees might have been like, now that Ada's here, it's not likely to go back to normal anytime soon.
Hunts Among Rocks
Life in the Black Snake Clan isn't too bad, most of the time. They're a long way from the war, and food is plenty. Of course, there's the domineering champion to watch out for, and the constant perils of the forest to be aware of, not to mention the dangerous proximity to the cursed city of the rats. But for Hunts Among Rocks, a skilled Yōkai hunter, things are just fine. He's a family man--which doesn't mean he won't eat your heart out, of course. However, when he finds himself at the mercy of his prey, everything changes. His life in his enemy's hands can mean only one thing: that he must earn his redemption in blood, or sacrifice his palce in Oshu's Eternal Hunt.
Meet the Makers!
Pictured Above:
Two boys with bad haircuts (age nine, approximately) pose triumphantly. Between them, an animal cracker contained filled with snakes. No snakes were harmed before, during, or after this photo was taken, we can all hope.
Who am I kidding? Those haircuts are dope. And those two boys, very proud of their yearly snake harvest? Those guys stayed friends (going on 14 years!), got collectively taller and collectively better haircuts, and decided to write a graphic novel together.
And so 12Arrows, a storytelling can of worms (or in this case, bucket of snakes), was born. It has two loving dads, who are doing their darndest to raise it right. Meet us right below!
Aaron Tolopilo is an artist, writer, musician, and all around "gigantic, beautiful nerd." (JD Miller, 2019) Currently studying at UC Berkeley, he is the co-creator of 12 Arrows as well as its artist. If you ever need advice on how to DM, or wax a mustache, or just *can't* quite remember that one piece of Star Trek trivia, fear not: help is on the way. Soon you'll see his face at ComicCon and on the backs of books (and wherever else cool people are found), but you can also find him right now on Instagram!
JD Miller is the author of a couple things, and curator of this website. This is the face he makes when he finally formats this page correctly!
Pictured here in his favorite coffee shop, JD Miller is the co-creator of 12Arrows and its writer. He enjoys long walks on the beach, spending time with his wife, and answering aggressively worded questions about his tattoos. He's also enjoying a renewed passion for HoneyNut Cheerios. You can follow him on Instagram too!
