1970 submissions
The Shade of the Palm Leaves
An art we made for
alekronov and
Vogelverschrikker some time ago. You can also see Idow, a main hero of our comic story Asomatous, that belongs to us. This art is slightly out of the canon, but can give some alternative view of Idow's and Neith's canonical storyline.
Vogelverschrikker wrote an amazing little story. Read and enjoy.
=====
The sun peered over the Eastern horizon, with only a few spindly clouds high in the early morning sky. Although close to the height of the warmest month, a gentle breeze promised a mild day in the arid lands of El-Balyama. As mild as can be expected for the sandy outskirts surrounding the small but lavish reserve that was Otta in midsummer. The entire city held a sense of tranquility and ambient peace, being the getaway for many of the nation's politicians and people of merit. The loudest part came from the market, but being located closer to the docks, the shouts of merchants and whistles of shipmen remained muffled.
The countryside came alive as the sun made its climb above the land. A camp of roving merchants set to packing their camels once again, boats began travelling down the river, and the scent of incense steadily crept into the air. From the balcony of a fair-weather villa a solitary lady stood; a sahash, watching the country as it awoke early in the morning. Her dark grey fur soaking up the sun's rays, and her maroon eyes watching all the early morning bustle. She bore a scar on the right side of her muzzle that traversed across from her upper section of the jaw across her lips to the lower section, just wide enough to be noticed from her parted coat and pink flesh that show now in its place. The sahash placed her hands on her slender hips, her figure athletic, the likes of which a traveler might have when not overeating or lounging about, as too many of the aristocrats in this city seemed to do. Was it not time for her host to arrive? What was taking so long?
She readjusted her faded red and cream poncho, preparing herself for the coming heat of the day. She was watching from behind the pillars and heavy curtains as a river boat as it headed off to begin it's day.
A sound from one end of the room broke the tranquility. A quiet 'click' as a side door opened - the kind reserved for chambermaids and the like to exact their services unseen. A small servant girl, human, entered the grand lounge, closing the door behind her. She kept her head bowed, the hair of the shoulder length wig swaying with each step. The wig had low-hanging bangs, enough to reveal skillfully applied white eyeliner, a contrast to her tanned skin, that formed sharp wingtips. Her eyes were the hazy white of cataracts. A blind servant girl? Yes, but with practiced footsteps, she carried a small metal tray with several folded cloths and a few pieces of jewelry atop it. She placed the tray on a low table and without looking up, bowed and left the room.
The sahash woman turned again to the scene of the river, but her eyes did not behold it for long before the sound of a new entrant caught her attention. This time she only turned her ears to listen. The sound of well trimmed nails against stone with a powerful gait and the scent of cinnamon and myrrh filling the air gave away who it was. The owner of the villa. Or, rather, the daughter of the owner.
"It's been too long, Idow," a youthful voice chimed from behind her, smooth and even. Idow turned to look. A golden-pelted sahash had arrived, striding through the massive pillars of the room's entrance. She glided past a pair of twelve foot tall statues of sahash warriors before finally stepping along the side of the long, low table, running her hand across its surface. She stopped by the end where the tray had been delivered only moments ago. The claws of her feet tittering across the floor with each step; she only ever allow such a sound announce her presence when she wanted to be seen. Her horns were well groomed and even, with gentle curves to match the rest of her shapely figure. She wore a fine, white silken robe of simple, yet elegant design, which draped her body somewhat loosely. Before Idow could answer, the lady of the estate spoke again, glancing down at the tray, "I know why you have come to me."
"It's good to see you Neith," Idow replied. She paused for a moment before continuing, "You still owe me a favor, and we both know this is not an outlandish request." The newcomer, Neith, smiled as she studied Idow. She turned suddenly and, with her back now to her guest, shrugged off her robe and placed it on the table. She picked up an necklace and toyed with it before looking over her shoulder.
"You're right. Meet me at the pool this afternoon and I can tell you what you want to know," Neith said, taking on a sweeter tone, "I have some business to attend to first. The girls will give you something to wear. I believe I have something that would fit you. It's a newer fashion as well, so it will look good."
At the last word, five bodies materialized from different corners of the room. They had been absolutely motionless, as if statues with fine makeup and clothes, until the mention of helping Idow brought them to life. All five wore similar kalasiris to each other, but the colors of their makeup and other accents differed. Three came forward to attend to Neith and help change her, attaching jewelry first. The remaining two stepped to Idow to lead her to another chamber to be changed.
Neith smiled as her guest left. She put her arms out in front of herself as the aids whirled around her silently. Rings, anklets, and a black dress, followed by an ornate necklace and a glass plate of an inverted triangle was tied between her horns. Neith dropped her arms to her sides and the other women stopped, backing away as she took a seat on an obsidian chair. A new servant girl stepped forward from the heavy shadows, her face covered in multitude of piercings and tattoos of varying color, carrying a tray of paints. The girl set the tray before Neith and bowed, before taking up a brush to paint the makeup on the canvas that was her mistress.
I will have to change all of it before this afternoon, shame.
Neith thought of the makeup and the rest of the clothing. She held her hand up to the young artist as the brush was dipped back into a small jar. Another woman approached and leaned in to listen as Neith motioned her over.
"Bring me Orion," she said. He was one of her best set of eyes, and was always so polite. She was going to need what information he had gathered. "And fetch one of the Hiiva." Hiiva was one of her favorite flowers. Delicate and beautiful, and yet a force to be reckoned with - just like herself. Its petals alone could make an elephant sick for a week, potentially deadly to smaller creatures if ingested, it was nearly traceless when ground into a powder and dissolved. Before she could go to Idow, she had a meeting with some old, fat tradesman who had been causing her a headache for nearly half a month, spreading rumors about her and claiming she had tried to bribe him. Whether the rumors about her were true or not did not matter. Thankfully, this tradesman had made plenty of enemies, no one of worth would be bothered by his absence.
Neith allowed the makeup girl to finish, then stood and shooed all the help away, walking to the archway that let in the early morning sun. She ran her hands across the heavy curtains, and felt the cold floor grow warm against the pads of her feet as she stepped into the sunlight.
After a moment of enjoying the view and a contented sigh, she turned and left the chambers to head to her 'meeting'.
A few hours later, Neith returned to the small villa to have her makeup and clothes changed. She took a black swimsuit and wrapped another delicate white robe around it, along with a pair of sunglasses and a tome filled with old poems she had been making slow but enjoyable progress on. She stopped on the way to speak with Orion, a thin, hairless human man who told her everything he had found. "Your services have been most helpful," Neith told him once he had finished, "consider your pay doubled." He gave a deep bow, slinking back into the shadows as she turned to leave him
Shortly after her brief meeting with Orion in her chambers, she made her way across the lavish garden connecting her villa to the exclusive pool houses nestled only a few hundred feet away. Here, in her personal sanctuary filled with lush palms and carefully placed hiiva bushes nestled among other greenery, she was shielded from the prying eyes of the outside city of Otta.
Approaching the pools, she came to the massive stones forming the entrance of the tall, rectangular building. Giant pillars supporting enormous stone blocks atop them bore intricate details carved and painted into their surfaces, similar to the pillars within the villa. Continuing through the spacious passage, the designs of the exterior decoration persisted after a fashion, taking the form of murals on the walls and ceiling. The columns within the warm chamber surrounded a single pool, and an opening in the stone roof allowed for a skylight and sunshine to pour into the room. As she entered, Neith saw that Idow had already arrived - sitting in a chair off to one side and fidgeting with some small trinket that could not make out, her head turning quickly when she heard someone approach. She was wearing the bathing suit the maids had been instructed to give to her, its ivory hue accentuated against her ebon pelt.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting long," Neith said as she set the book down on a short rosewood stand beside the pool.
"No, I got here only moments ago," Idow replied as she stood from her seat to walk to the poolside with her host, "I had forgotten what a relaxing retreat you had tucked away in Otta."
"Yet you don't seem relaxed," the first sahash responded with a slight smirk. She raised her hand in a warding fashion when Idow's expression grew annoyed, "but I know why you aren't..."
Before finishing the thought, a new set of footsteps interrupted them both. The newcomer was not a mystery for long as a tall gold-and-white creature entered the expansive room. She stool a good foot over the tip of either sahash's horns, though her head bore none of her own, and her coat was a more vibrant tone than Neith's. Her muzzle was longer, jaw wider and more angular, and she was slightly more curvaceous than the other two women in the room.
"Alexis, I'm so glad you could join us." Neith said to her friend with a smile. She noticed Idow's look of curiosity and mentioned, "This is a companion of mine, she can be trusted. Come, both of you, let's sit next to the water."
All three happily took seats at the pools edge, Idow and Alexis dipping their legs in cool water. Neith took a seat in a lounger that was already close to the edge. No sooner had they sat down, three attractive Maroosh men appeared through a doorway opposite the main entrance. They all wore matching purple dhotis, leaving their upper bodies exposed, carrying refreshments with them, each a unique cocktail with differing colors and garnishing; a tangy pineapple for Alexis, a sweet mix of strawberry and banana for Idow, and a tart blueberry and vanilla for Neith. The three ladies took their presented gifts and enjoyed the smooth, cool flavors amid the rising heat just before noon.
The Maroosh bowed and two were able to return to their positions at the edge of the room, but the third was delayed. After delivering his offering to Alexis, she had teasingly wrapped her tail around his leg. "You always employ the finest help around, Neith," she laughed, "so handsome and strong." The Maroosh replied with another slight bow, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. The compliments were able to pull a small smile as it cracked across his previously stony face. He backed away, but bumped into one of the giant pillars as he did. Flustered, he turned and hurried to take up a position against the wall, somewhere that would hide him from sight as best he could manage. Alexis watched him as he went, giving a flirtatious wave when he looked over his shoulder, and Neith placed her drink down while shaking her head. "Stop harassing the poor boy, you've got him all wound up," She said lightheartedly.
Having finisher hers, Idow eyed Neith's drink now that it was left unsupervised, and slowly edged her way closer. After a few seconds she was in range and able to swipe her target. Neith hadn't noticed Idow's movement until she had already begun to take a sip, with an empty cup hidden behind her. The three traded glances for a moment before breaking out into laughter.
After regaining their composure, Alexis bound her mane into a ponytail and began idly kicking her legs in the pool water, gently so as not to splash the others. Idow placed the drink back on the small table she had snatched it from as Neith leaned towards her. Still smiling, she said with a conspiratorial tone,
"So, you want to find your sister?"
====
Neith © vogelverschrikker
Alexis © Alekronov
Idow, sahash, El-Balyama and Shang-La world in general © Lingrimm
PS
Special thanks goes to
Caervec for the proofreading of the text and help!
Vogelverschrikker some time ago. You can also see Idow, a main hero of our comic story Asomatous, that belongs to us. This art is slightly out of the canon, but can give some alternative view of Idow's and Neith's canonical storyline.
Vogelverschrikker wrote an amazing little story. Read and enjoy.=====
The sun peered over the Eastern horizon, with only a few spindly clouds high in the early morning sky. Although close to the height of the warmest month, a gentle breeze promised a mild day in the arid lands of El-Balyama. As mild as can be expected for the sandy outskirts surrounding the small but lavish reserve that was Otta in midsummer. The entire city held a sense of tranquility and ambient peace, being the getaway for many of the nation's politicians and people of merit. The loudest part came from the market, but being located closer to the docks, the shouts of merchants and whistles of shipmen remained muffled.
The countryside came alive as the sun made its climb above the land. A camp of roving merchants set to packing their camels once again, boats began travelling down the river, and the scent of incense steadily crept into the air. From the balcony of a fair-weather villa a solitary lady stood; a sahash, watching the country as it awoke early in the morning. Her dark grey fur soaking up the sun's rays, and her maroon eyes watching all the early morning bustle. She bore a scar on the right side of her muzzle that traversed across from her upper section of the jaw across her lips to the lower section, just wide enough to be noticed from her parted coat and pink flesh that show now in its place. The sahash placed her hands on her slender hips, her figure athletic, the likes of which a traveler might have when not overeating or lounging about, as too many of the aristocrats in this city seemed to do. Was it not time for her host to arrive? What was taking so long?
She readjusted her faded red and cream poncho, preparing herself for the coming heat of the day. She was watching from behind the pillars and heavy curtains as a river boat as it headed off to begin it's day.
A sound from one end of the room broke the tranquility. A quiet 'click' as a side door opened - the kind reserved for chambermaids and the like to exact their services unseen. A small servant girl, human, entered the grand lounge, closing the door behind her. She kept her head bowed, the hair of the shoulder length wig swaying with each step. The wig had low-hanging bangs, enough to reveal skillfully applied white eyeliner, a contrast to her tanned skin, that formed sharp wingtips. Her eyes were the hazy white of cataracts. A blind servant girl? Yes, but with practiced footsteps, she carried a small metal tray with several folded cloths and a few pieces of jewelry atop it. She placed the tray on a low table and without looking up, bowed and left the room.
The sahash woman turned again to the scene of the river, but her eyes did not behold it for long before the sound of a new entrant caught her attention. This time she only turned her ears to listen. The sound of well trimmed nails against stone with a powerful gait and the scent of cinnamon and myrrh filling the air gave away who it was. The owner of the villa. Or, rather, the daughter of the owner.
"It's been too long, Idow," a youthful voice chimed from behind her, smooth and even. Idow turned to look. A golden-pelted sahash had arrived, striding through the massive pillars of the room's entrance. She glided past a pair of twelve foot tall statues of sahash warriors before finally stepping along the side of the long, low table, running her hand across its surface. She stopped by the end where the tray had been delivered only moments ago. The claws of her feet tittering across the floor with each step; she only ever allow such a sound announce her presence when she wanted to be seen. Her horns were well groomed and even, with gentle curves to match the rest of her shapely figure. She wore a fine, white silken robe of simple, yet elegant design, which draped her body somewhat loosely. Before Idow could answer, the lady of the estate spoke again, glancing down at the tray, "I know why you have come to me."
"It's good to see you Neith," Idow replied. She paused for a moment before continuing, "You still owe me a favor, and we both know this is not an outlandish request." The newcomer, Neith, smiled as she studied Idow. She turned suddenly and, with her back now to her guest, shrugged off her robe and placed it on the table. She picked up an necklace and toyed with it before looking over her shoulder.
"You're right. Meet me at the pool this afternoon and I can tell you what you want to know," Neith said, taking on a sweeter tone, "I have some business to attend to first. The girls will give you something to wear. I believe I have something that would fit you. It's a newer fashion as well, so it will look good."
At the last word, five bodies materialized from different corners of the room. They had been absolutely motionless, as if statues with fine makeup and clothes, until the mention of helping Idow brought them to life. All five wore similar kalasiris to each other, but the colors of their makeup and other accents differed. Three came forward to attend to Neith and help change her, attaching jewelry first. The remaining two stepped to Idow to lead her to another chamber to be changed.
Neith smiled as her guest left. She put her arms out in front of herself as the aids whirled around her silently. Rings, anklets, and a black dress, followed by an ornate necklace and a glass plate of an inverted triangle was tied between her horns. Neith dropped her arms to her sides and the other women stopped, backing away as she took a seat on an obsidian chair. A new servant girl stepped forward from the heavy shadows, her face covered in multitude of piercings and tattoos of varying color, carrying a tray of paints. The girl set the tray before Neith and bowed, before taking up a brush to paint the makeup on the canvas that was her mistress.
I will have to change all of it before this afternoon, shame.
Neith thought of the makeup and the rest of the clothing. She held her hand up to the young artist as the brush was dipped back into a small jar. Another woman approached and leaned in to listen as Neith motioned her over.
"Bring me Orion," she said. He was one of her best set of eyes, and was always so polite. She was going to need what information he had gathered. "And fetch one of the Hiiva." Hiiva was one of her favorite flowers. Delicate and beautiful, and yet a force to be reckoned with - just like herself. Its petals alone could make an elephant sick for a week, potentially deadly to smaller creatures if ingested, it was nearly traceless when ground into a powder and dissolved. Before she could go to Idow, she had a meeting with some old, fat tradesman who had been causing her a headache for nearly half a month, spreading rumors about her and claiming she had tried to bribe him. Whether the rumors about her were true or not did not matter. Thankfully, this tradesman had made plenty of enemies, no one of worth would be bothered by his absence.
Neith allowed the makeup girl to finish, then stood and shooed all the help away, walking to the archway that let in the early morning sun. She ran her hands across the heavy curtains, and felt the cold floor grow warm against the pads of her feet as she stepped into the sunlight.
After a moment of enjoying the view and a contented sigh, she turned and left the chambers to head to her 'meeting'.
A few hours later, Neith returned to the small villa to have her makeup and clothes changed. She took a black swimsuit and wrapped another delicate white robe around it, along with a pair of sunglasses and a tome filled with old poems she had been making slow but enjoyable progress on. She stopped on the way to speak with Orion, a thin, hairless human man who told her everything he had found. "Your services have been most helpful," Neith told him once he had finished, "consider your pay doubled." He gave a deep bow, slinking back into the shadows as she turned to leave him
Shortly after her brief meeting with Orion in her chambers, she made her way across the lavish garden connecting her villa to the exclusive pool houses nestled only a few hundred feet away. Here, in her personal sanctuary filled with lush palms and carefully placed hiiva bushes nestled among other greenery, she was shielded from the prying eyes of the outside city of Otta.
Approaching the pools, she came to the massive stones forming the entrance of the tall, rectangular building. Giant pillars supporting enormous stone blocks atop them bore intricate details carved and painted into their surfaces, similar to the pillars within the villa. Continuing through the spacious passage, the designs of the exterior decoration persisted after a fashion, taking the form of murals on the walls and ceiling. The columns within the warm chamber surrounded a single pool, and an opening in the stone roof allowed for a skylight and sunshine to pour into the room. As she entered, Neith saw that Idow had already arrived - sitting in a chair off to one side and fidgeting with some small trinket that could not make out, her head turning quickly when she heard someone approach. She was wearing the bathing suit the maids had been instructed to give to her, its ivory hue accentuated against her ebon pelt.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting long," Neith said as she set the book down on a short rosewood stand beside the pool.
"No, I got here only moments ago," Idow replied as she stood from her seat to walk to the poolside with her host, "I had forgotten what a relaxing retreat you had tucked away in Otta."
"Yet you don't seem relaxed," the first sahash responded with a slight smirk. She raised her hand in a warding fashion when Idow's expression grew annoyed, "but I know why you aren't..."
Before finishing the thought, a new set of footsteps interrupted them both. The newcomer was not a mystery for long as a tall gold-and-white creature entered the expansive room. She stool a good foot over the tip of either sahash's horns, though her head bore none of her own, and her coat was a more vibrant tone than Neith's. Her muzzle was longer, jaw wider and more angular, and she was slightly more curvaceous than the other two women in the room.
"Alexis, I'm so glad you could join us." Neith said to her friend with a smile. She noticed Idow's look of curiosity and mentioned, "This is a companion of mine, she can be trusted. Come, both of you, let's sit next to the water."
All three happily took seats at the pools edge, Idow and Alexis dipping their legs in cool water. Neith took a seat in a lounger that was already close to the edge. No sooner had they sat down, three attractive Maroosh men appeared through a doorway opposite the main entrance. They all wore matching purple dhotis, leaving their upper bodies exposed, carrying refreshments with them, each a unique cocktail with differing colors and garnishing; a tangy pineapple for Alexis, a sweet mix of strawberry and banana for Idow, and a tart blueberry and vanilla for Neith. The three ladies took their presented gifts and enjoyed the smooth, cool flavors amid the rising heat just before noon.
The Maroosh bowed and two were able to return to their positions at the edge of the room, but the third was delayed. After delivering his offering to Alexis, she had teasingly wrapped her tail around his leg. "You always employ the finest help around, Neith," she laughed, "so handsome and strong." The Maroosh replied with another slight bow, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. The compliments were able to pull a small smile as it cracked across his previously stony face. He backed away, but bumped into one of the giant pillars as he did. Flustered, he turned and hurried to take up a position against the wall, somewhere that would hide him from sight as best he could manage. Alexis watched him as he went, giving a flirtatious wave when he looked over his shoulder, and Neith placed her drink down while shaking her head. "Stop harassing the poor boy, you've got him all wound up," She said lightheartedly.
Having finisher hers, Idow eyed Neith's drink now that it was left unsupervised, and slowly edged her way closer. After a few seconds she was in range and able to swipe her target. Neith hadn't noticed Idow's movement until she had already begun to take a sip, with an empty cup hidden behind her. The three traded glances for a moment before breaking out into laughter.
After regaining their composure, Alexis bound her mane into a ponytail and began idly kicking her legs in the pool water, gently so as not to splash the others. Idow placed the drink back on the small table she had snatched it from as Neith leaned towards her. Still smiling, she said with a conspiratorial tone,
"So, you want to find your sister?"
====
Neith © vogelverschrikker
Alexis © Alekronov
Idow, sahash, El-Balyama and Shang-La world in general © Lingrimm
PS
Special thanks goes to
Caervec for the proofreading of the text and help!
Category All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 2000 x 1194px
File Size 527.1 kB
Listed in Folders
Now, this is what I love in both of you Ms. Lins and Grimm, and in artist's overall… you can change something as plain and simple like a white sheet of paper.
Into a beautiful drawing like this one right here. A drawing that brings happiness to people, a gift that will be cherished for years to come. ;w;
Just like when people go to shaman for spiritual guidance. People are coming to you so you can help them release their imagination, ideas and dreams from the prison of their minds.
As they are either unable to do that on their own. Or in the way that its satisfying for them. You are literally creating something from nothing...Isn’t that the basic term for miracle?
I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart. For all your hard work and effort that you put throughout the years into your drawings and polishing your art-style. TwT
Thanks to artist’s like you me and your watchers can admire such beautiful masterpiece’s like this one. QwQb
Into a beautiful drawing like this one right here. A drawing that brings happiness to people, a gift that will be cherished for years to come. ;w;
Just like when people go to shaman for spiritual guidance. People are coming to you so you can help them release their imagination, ideas and dreams from the prison of their minds.
As they are either unable to do that on their own. Or in the way that its satisfying for them. You are literally creating something from nothing...Isn’t that the basic term for miracle?
I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart. For all your hard work and effort that you put throughout the years into your drawings and polishing your art-style. TwT
Thanks to artist’s like you me and your watchers can admire such beautiful masterpiece’s like this one. QwQb
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