Frequently Asked Questions

Here’s the old F.A.Q. reloaded, now referring to VHQ, Carpe Noctum and my Network.

About Valhalla HQ/Carpe Noctum

Q: Why “Carpe Noctum”?
A: It comes from a word play from “Carpe Diem” (seize the day)-”Carpe Noctem” (seize the night). Also, the words “Carpe Noctum” come from a song from Tiesto named like that. They fit me and my works since I mostly work on my stuff at night.
Q: Where did the “Valhalla HQ” came from?
A: It is from my novel “Dark Heaven”.
Q: Do you accept link exchanges or affiliations?
A: Not anymore, sorry.
Q: Can you post my pictures in your website?
A: No, unless it is a submission for any of my other sites.

About me

Q: What’s your real name?
A: My first name is Maria. The other one is complicated to spell for most people around the world (unless you’re latino, spanish or italian).
Q: What does “Rodhernan” means?
A: It is my lastname.
Q: Are you a boy or a girl?
A: …
Q: Don’t you have a photo of yourself? How do you look like?
A: No. I’m just a generic geek (short, pale, brown hair, glasses).
Q: Your fav Games? Music? Movies? Bands? Books?
A: I’m too lazy to make a list, and I think the basic info and my works can give you an overview of what I like and what I don’t.
Or, why don’t you check my joined fanlistings instead?
Q: Do you use AIM/MSN… (instant messaging programs)?
A: No.
Q: But I’ve seen screenshots of your desktop once with MSN!
A: Ok, sometimes I do, nly when necessary.
Q: In what RO server do you play?
A: Go check my Ragnarok Online website/journal.
Q: I am stuck in a game. Can you help me?
A: GameFAQs is your friend, not me
Q: Why don’t you answer my e-mail????
A: Probably I’m busy, or I didn’t get your message, or you input wrong your e-mail on the mailing form, or what you are asking is already answered here.
Allow me three weeks to answer (yes! three!). If you haven’t heard a reply from me. Feel free to re-send your message (if urgent).
Q: Your english sucks!
A: oh hai! thanks you, lulz! (English is not my first language).

About my drawings

Q: What do you use to make your drawings?
A: In general:
For traditional art: Opalina or bristol paper, color pencils (Faber Castell and Prismacolor), Mechanical pencil with 0.5 Staedtler leads, rapidograph 0.5 Staedtler, Gel pens, Pelikan Ink.
For digital art and sprites: PhotoShop CS2, Open Canvas 3 Plus, Illustrator CS2, SAI, MS Paint.
Computer and hardware specs: Windows XP SP3, HDD 500GB, 2.7 GB RAM, AMD Athlon II X3 2.71 GHz. Wacom Intuos4.
Q: Since when are you drawing?
A: Since I was a child.
Q: Can you teach me how to draw? Can you give me advices for drawing?
A: No, I can’t, teach you how to draw. I don’t even know how to draw.
As for advices, just keep practicing! That’s the best advice I can give for drawing.
Q: Draw something for me! Draw a pic of myself!
A: No.

Miscellaneous about drawings/sites/works/writtings

Q: Do you accept comissions for drawings and/or websites?
A: No.
Q: Can you give me critic of my drawing/website?
A: No. I am not a professional nor the right person to do it, plus when I give critics, I tend to be quite special and demanding.
Q: Why some of your pictures have another url that is not rodhernan.com?
A: Because I have been on different hosts before rodhernan.com. Here is the list of my old urls:
- http://www.geocities.com/rodhernan_valhalla/
- http://www.geocities.com/cid_belmont/
- http://www.valhalla-hq.fr.st/
- http://vhq.clockworkmansion.com/
Q: Why are your pictures so small?
A: Because of something called “paranoia”.
Believe it or not, my pictures have been stolen, that’s mostly why I decided to keep them small. The bad part is that a lots of details are missing.
Q: Are you interested in a collaboration/art trade?
A: No, sorry. When I happen to do this, I only do it with my close friends.
Q: Do you write fanfics?
A: No.
Q: Why don’t you post your novels and short stories yet?
A: Although I’m still a bit afraid and paranoid, I am working on it.
The main problem is that I have to write all of them again in computer readable format (I have them in notebooks) and have proofread, corrections and maybe translations.
Q: Do you have OCs (original characters)?
A: Yes, a LOT of them, since I used to write a lot since I was really young.
Q: Who are your OCs (original characters)?
A: I promise that, someday, I’ll try to make a list and all that jazz with them. I was waiting to have my stories available so you’d know more about them, but I think that might take years to happen.

Usage/Permissions

Q: Can I put your pictures in my website?
A: At this point I stopped caring about my pictures being posted in other sites, since lately I’ve found some of them in various fansites without a single credit.
I added a “Creative Commons License” to my pictures that can be shared in other sites, so, yeah, you can post pictures from my FAN ART section only! No exceptions! as long as you follow those rules, as well as NEVER claim them as yours, because that’s just lame and stupid.
Q: Can I use your pictures/characters to illustrate/emulate my own stories/characters
for my story/rpg (and whatever else)?
A: Oh, God, NO! Absolutely NO!
If you want a graphic reference for your characters, use photos, a detailed description or something else to do so. Be creative.

About websites

Q: What do you use to make your websites?
A: Now I use Photoshop and Notepad++ or Dreamweaver.
Q: Can you teach me how to make websites?
A: No.
Q: Can you make me a website/layout/code/style sheet?
A: No.
Q: How did you learn how to draw and make sites?
A: Everything by myself.
Q: Can you host me?
A: No.
Q: Where did you buy your site?
A: StartLogic.
Q: I found a broken link/missing image/error/codes not showing/db error…
A: Please contact me with information about the problem and I’ll fix it as soon as possible.
As a side note, maybe you won’t get an answer from me directly but you’ll find the error fixed sooner or later.
Q: What are those ” XD , o_O , o_o , @_@ , ^^ …” symbols everywhere on your sites?
A: Those are text smileys/emoticons. Use your imagination and try to guess what they mean.
Q: Why I can’t access to your Y! account from your profile?
A: Because it is protected and you’ll need (to be old legal) to have your own account to see it. Otherwise you’ll get a 404 error.
Q: Why don’t you accept my friend request/app invite in FaceBook?
A: Because I’m so mean and selective? Ok, here I go:
First, I’m there again only because of CastleVania’s FB. I don’t have photos, information or anything “interesting” for people, and I rarely use it.
Second, I don’t like adding random people just to have “a lot of friends”. If I don’t know you or don’t recognize you in yor profile, I won’t be adding you.
Third, I HATE FB apps and games, seriously. So, please, I politely suggest you to not send to me those things, because I probably going to ignore them anyway.