it's 1:30 am and after a month of peacefully enduring Interesting Times, trying to set up a new laptop is turning me into the joker.

every day i am spending money and having problems.

Pillyki redesigns~

i have granted them extra pinch abilities.

top pic is some common island breeds with their Piips (larvae). got a standard Lush, a Coral, a Berry, and a Mossy. bottom pic is life cycle from egg to cocoon.

fun facts:

when frightened a Piip's feathery fluff shifts into patches of black that make it resemble two large unblinking eyes when seen sideways.

they can shoot paralyzing venom from the sacks near their eyes. this venom is sometimes harvested for medical reasons but it must be watered down to be used safely.

wild Pillies spin their cocoons in pits lined with ashes from dead hawks. the glow of the cocoons make it look like a many eyed creature is staring out from the pit.

most Pillies resemble what we would consider roosters and it's very difficult to determine what sex a Pilly is. even if you think you're sure, your "buck" pilly might start laying eggs out of the blue one day. sequential hermaphrodites? mistaken identity? who knows.

a sea hare awakens.

this generation's Biggest Owl.

hawk design update. this gentleman has gone scarlet with age and will probably turn pyre soon.

a good way to tell a hawk's age at a glance is to note their coloration. newly kindled hawk chicks come in a range of whites, blues, and violets that shift to warmer colors as they age, and eventually end up in deep red territory.

i watched Scavenger's Reign and it unblocked the part of my brain dedicated to Rabbit Shenanigans a little bit so here's a stout baker and some light design fiddling with the goddess Katah from like 6 months ago.

seeing all the funky little dudes in that show just living their lives made me realize that i could go back and play in that world without stressing so much. i don't have to explain every single reason why something is the way it is if it isn't fun for me. i don't have to make a detailed lore post for every single sketch to justify the existence of a fucked up lil' creature. i can just vibe. so i went back to refine some creature designs and try to remember how to draw rabbits because WOW some of those old sketches are rough and or boring.

i hope the 5 Rabbit Enjoyers who still remember Downtrodden will enjoy the upcoming content :)

mushrooms :)

"Welcome! I'm glad to see that we still have people interested in volunteering. We have 6 positions open this Riverseason, 3 at each of the base camps. After you fill out your paperwork I'll take you to meet the new Companions and we'll see who you connect with!"

every few years after a heavy rainy season the river swells and a lush, high, patch of forest grows around its fattened middle in a matter of days. during this time strange Creatures emerge to nest in the surrounding area, which is seemingly a safer place to rear young than the forest, and then migrate back when the river begins to lower in a few months. neither the creatures nor the Townsfolk know why the forest appears or what exactly is going on with the river but they learned long ago to (mostly) live in peace. 

Gloria and Phoebe!

i missed goblin week this year due to Situations but every week is goblin week so whatever.

Vermes pt 2: a beloved fairy godmother, a comfort during grief, a troublemaker, and an appreciator of fine things.

made some Vermes. here are some facts about them from over on patreon :)

The Witch's Granddaughters

local witches Mishthill Vine and her husband Joe found a very badly woven basket full of strange infants and wildflowers on their doorstep about 26 years ago. they did not have to read the note tucked in with the babies to figure out that their daughter had found a new way to give them migraines. 

everybody wants to be a monster-fucker, but nobody wants to deal with the results. 

Ashe and Arrow rarely see their parents but they don't really mind anymore. they used to go on little holiday adventures with them when their mom remembered they existed (or needed something from Maw and PopPop) but that was... A Lot. these days they're full grown witches plotting out adventures of their own while helping their grandparents keep the local magic bullshit under control. 

they're good kids. 

bonus:

the Greeter, the Cook, and the Housekeepers.

The Long Pier is one of the best rated openly fae run bed and breakfasts. the gimmick is that you get to stay in a genuine unglamored fae home, experience coastal fae culture,  and then leave alive/only Altered with consent (which costs extra). 

five stars. 

"every other Wednesday the old "sailor", the  lord's secret lover, the musician, and the new priest hang out for a few hours after closing time at the local bar. this is probably fine. "

trying out some designs for a rodenty race.

the Lady Tall and her faithful servants are powerful beings of home and hearth. make sure to give a polite nod or wave if you see towers wandering just outside the village.

I'm Alive

I posted this on patreon so I might as well post it again here. Hopefully current and past patrons see this as well as people who have just been generally curious about where I've been.

I'm very sorry for not being around and I'm very grateful to those who stuck around. To those who didn't, I get it and I truly appreciate you passing through.