#Kroashent: Bal Des Loups

[kroashent]

Return to the Tavern - A Familiar Tail

Marie deCygne set down her mug with a satisfied sigh, the sweet tastes of buckwheat and barley lingering from the last sip of the amber honey beer.  Without the drink to occupy her.  She glanced around the table.  Morgiana, of course was nowhere to be seen, replacing any vice of drinking with some other mischief of her own creation, no doubt.  Kathalia sat opposite, leaning her chair back on two legs, swirling the wooden bolee of cider, looking annoyed, but uncharacteristically pensive.  She fidgeted, crossing and uncrossing her leg and she continued to play with her drink.

Gwae, on the other hand, was almost buzzing with intense energy, her fingernails wrapping constantly on the table as she bit her lower lip, leaning so far forwards across the table that she was almost standing.  Marie blinked at the unexpected position for the normally collected Gwae, following her gaze to see her icy-eyes locked on the red-headed sellsword opposite her.  Then Marie noted the stack of three ceramic bowls piled in front of the silver-haired eladan, each having been recently filled with a drink called "Damona's Boon" according to Haizea and something considerably more bawdy according to her clientelle.  The cocktail, a mix of sugar-sweetened cream, buckwheat whiskey and cherries, was popular among the Faerie peoples, enough that it was offered this deep in the Ar Goat.  Marie personally found it a little too sweet for her liking, but Gwae, evidentially, shared no such qualm.  Marie smiled a slight grin, and then stood, taking care not to bother the intense Sidhe as she moved to get another drink from the bar.

The bartender, it seemed, had stepped out, as no one was behind the bar as Marie approached.  She peered casually over the edge, finding the space empty, and turned her attention to the large casks of beer and wine stacked in an alcove behind, the faded arms and labels of brewers and vineyards across Letha and beyond.  She imagined Kathalia would have just reached over the surface and picked up a bottle of her choosing, but Marie waited, puzzling out each label on the casks and drifting in her own thoughts until a voice brought her back to the moment.

"What'll it be." The voice belonged to a woman with dark hair, dressed in a simple apron and dress.  There was something off about the new bartender.  Marie hadn't even seen her approach as she stood, patiently waiting.  Marie blinked, caught off guard as she quickly pushed away her momentary unease and returned to the present.

"A... cidre please," Marie muttered, trying to remember what she had planned on ordering.  Her head was swimming, a sensation similar to standing up to fast, as she leaned on the counter to support herself.   "Brut."

"Coming right up!" The bartender replied, pouring the amber liquid into a wooden bolee.  "So what brings you to Ker-Ahes, and to the Silver Wheel?"

"I'm a trouvere." Marie responded with a practiced flourish and bow, despite the muffled pounding in her head "Seeking out new songs and stories of the Ar Goat, and spreading those I know."

"Oh, a traveling bard!" The bartender clapped her hands together with glee.  "Tell me, do you know 'Ballad of the Blood Moon?"

"It sounds... familiar..." Marie mumbled, a fog descending over her thoughts. 

"So, you'll play it?  Drinks on the house if you do!"

Marie nodded, picking up her lute and making her way to the edge of the bar.  She exhaled, taking in the room.  Everything seemed oddly placed, like a film was placed over the room.  She strummed a note on her lute, almost feeling the vibration travel through the space, sending a ripple shw could almost see across the room.

"The fires burned in Fourtongue's halls, as winter's breath assailed stone walls holding back winter's chill, yet shadows gather round the hill. Whispers of the Black Dog's return, as cold winds blow and lanterns burn. Howl, Howl, the Black Winds Blow Howl, Howl the Blood Moon's Glow"

Marie felt a prickling upon the back of her neck as she continued to play, scanning the tavern room as she strummed along.  There seemed to be movement in the crowd, but Marie played on. 

"Our walls are thick, our gates are strong, Black Dog may gather with his throng, but our swords are sharp, our arrows keen We'll drive him back into the green. Fourtongue raised his might ax, to show he feared no dog of black Howl, Howl, the Black Winds Blow Howl, Howl the Blood Moon's Glow"

Marie's breath quickened as she played, the hair on the back of her neck bristling in an unseen breeze, growing thicker as the flames of the candles began to waver.  Her fingers kept plucking the strings of her lute, even as black claws sprouted from them, growing thicker and sharper with each vibrating note.  Kathalia jumped to her feet suddenly, Gwae following with hunter's reflex.  By now, the crowd was worked up, joining in on the short refrain.

"A great wind blew in from the Black, courage growing weak and slack The fires snuffed, the chill rushed in, the hillside rang with awful din. The Prince, cast out, had come back home, spilling blood and cracking bone. Howl, Howl, the Black Winds Blow Howl, Howl the Blood Moon's Glow"

Brown fur spread along the bards fingers as she played, teeth sharpening into glistening fangs as she smiled, continuning the song.  The music sounded beautiful, more deep and melodic than she had experienced, each strum and pluck as clear as a winterrule sky.  Her ears lengthened, stretching into points resembling her red-haired friends.  As if on queue with the song, the laticed windows of the Silver Wheel tavern flew open, the freezing Black Winds rushing in, the candles fluttering wildly as Marie, heart racing and breath quick, sped up her pace, the muffling fog replaced by the clarity of a winter sky.  Actual howls seemed to replace parts of the chorus as the crowd began to stand, bottles and chairs crashing to the floors as tables were suddenly overturned. 

"The castle's gates of might oak, first they splintered, then they broke. With claw and fang, the Black Dog came, with snarling howl and b...burning flame... The bloody prince with Horned King's Boon, turned his sights upon the ... moon." Howl, Howl, the Black Winds Blow Howl, Howl the Blood Moon's Glow"

Marie stumbled across the song, despite knowing the words and music by heart.  A soft brown fur spread across her ears as they continued to lenghten, her fingers thickening as she played.  She panted, her face begining to stretch into a fang filled snout as she sang, growls finding their way into the pauses of the bloody ballad. Something pressed against her pants, tearing at the seams to reveal thick brown fur.  Claws ripped through her soft boots, revealing her pawlike feet, heels arching upwards as the tips of her black claws sharpened. Gwae had Kathalia against the walls as chairs and tables began to overturn, the glamour faltering.  For a moment, Marie faltered as the crowd turned before her eyes.  But she felt exhilarated.  She could almost smell the blood of the Fourtongue and the burning of Pont-Ivi.  A hunger and excitement rose within her, pushing her onwards. 

"The moon became as red as blood, the trickle of death became a flood The gates, the gates, the Fourtongue cried, but the walls had broke, the archers died. With wind of black and moon of red, the son climbed the stairs for father's head...

Marie's muzzle reached its limit, giving the bard an unmistakeable canine visage.  Her feet, ripped through her boots, were now paws, sharp claws scratching the floor.  A tail finally burst out from its fabric prison.  The lute dropped from lupine paws and Marie did not finish with the refrain, instead joining the chorus of howls filling the tavern. 

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Val's Notes: I mentioned before that these particular drawings were drawn years ago, and for a few reasons, simply never saw the light of day.  I wanted to share them with you all, but also turn them into something more, adding in a story to add a new creative flow rather than reposting the older work without additon, as well as rehabilitate my crippled drive to write.

I'll admit, this is probably my least favourite of the multi-part drawing series, but I really had fun with Marie actually doing bard things and transforming as she sings a relevant song.  I may do another picture down the line that properly matches up with what is happening in the story.  

I hope you enjoy Marie's song.  Would people be interested in me creating a full version (With the singer less wolfy by the end of it)?  I imagine there's more before and after the part Marie sings. 

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Others in this set:

Gwae: https://www.deviantart.com/kathalia/art/Moonlight-Maidens-Return-to-the-Tavern-877714588

Kathalia and Gwae: https://www.tumblr.com/kroashent/723946985005170688/moonlight-maidens-return-to-the-tavern-by?source=share

Kathalia: https://www.tumblr.com/kroashent/724028159030345728/return-to-the-tavern-kathalias-brawl-i-did-say?source=share ----------------

If you're enjoying these pieced, please check out the full length Kroashent story, Kroashent: Bal Des Loups.  I'd love to hear people's take on the story as I continue to work on it!

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If you would like to support my art help the world of Kroashent come to life, as well as receive other rewards like sneak-peaks, exclusive versions and sketches, please visit my Patreon page, with a wide array of tiers for all budgets: www.patreon.com/Kroashent Check out the full story of Kroashent: Bal des Loups, on Archive of Our Own or in this gallery: https://archiveofourown.org/series/3141606 Want to chat Kroashent or Val's art in general? Drop in on Kroashent on Discord: discord.gg/MZjc3Gg Learn more about the world of Kroashent on our official Wiki: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/alvez-kroashent

[kroashent]

Return to the Tavern - Kathalia's Brawl

I did say that there was a whole set of these that had remained unposted.  Initially, I had not planned to draw a Kathalia picture for this set, with the previous drawing --> https://www.tumblr.com/kroashent/723946985005170688/moonlight-maidens-return-to-the-tavern-by?source=share <-- serving as her appearance.  But, after some consideration, I decided that, since Gwae got her own, in a roundabout way, Kathalia should as well.  I'm not sure where it fits into the larger narrative, but I wanted to show her with a more wild look as she is further along than her initial surprise. 

For this series, my main focus was on composition.  I wanted all the characters to feel like they were in the same space, a full scene, not just a pinup plastered onto a background.  Didn't right a story snippet for this one, because I wasn't sure how it would flow. 

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If you would like to support my art help the world of Kroashent come to life, as well as receive other rewards like sneak-peaks, exclusive versions and sketches, please visit my Patreon page, with a wide array of tiers for all budgets: www.patreon.com/Kroashent Check out the full story of Kroashent: Bal des Loups, on Archive of Our Own or in this gallery: https://archiveofourown.org/series/3141606 Want to chat Kroashent or Val's art in general? Drop in on Kroashent on Discord: discord.gg/MZjc3Gg Learn more about the world of Kroashent on our official Wiki: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/alvez-kroashent

[kroashent]

Kroashent - Bal des Loups Concept Art - Moccus

Demat! Valentine here. 

As you may know (and if, not, go check it out in the links below!) I am hard at work in bringing the first full length Kroashent story to life in Kroashent - Bal des Loups. Bal des Loups is a spiritual sequel to one of the first Kroashent projects I undertook, Moonlit Tavern ( https://www.deviantart.com/kathalia/art/Moonlit-Tavern-1-637717269 ) and a second project that remained largely in the concept Stage. The story is meant to expand upon that story, making it less of a standalone and giving it context and scope beyond the events in the story. I sincerely hope you will enjoy the story if you choose to follow it. The world and its characters mean a lot to me.

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Val's Notes: A new character!  Biskontez Moccus is a noblewoman from the Biskonti (Viscounty) of Poher, a remote region in the interior of Letha.  What role will she have in the story?  Well, you'll just have to read the story!

There were sort of two concepts at the center of my approach to Moccus (Her first name is Seve, but no one dares call her that.)  First, I wanted to make her an older character, one who carried herself with a severe, restrained authority and confidence.  Secondly, I wanted to make her a little more "accurate".  Kroashent ostensibly takes place in a setting takes place in a world, in what would be, barring some magical anachronisms and cultural institutions, loosely inspired by 14th Century Brittany. Despite this, however, very few of the main cast wear or style themselves in anything vaguely resembling the fashion norms of that century.  Moccus is a traditionalist, an institution unto herself and she will not follow these frivolous trends of pirate-chic, dancing girls and vaguely Napoleonic uniforms.  I wanted her to be colourful, but stark.  I also wanted an excuse to draw a hennin, the medeival hat she is wearing.  Check out other concept art in the "Kroashent - Bal des Loups" gallery.

------------------ If you would like to support my art help the world of Kroashent come to life, as well as receive other rewards like sneak-peaks, exclusive versions and sketches, please visit my Patreon page, with a wide array of tiers for all budgets: www.patreon.com/Kroashent Check out the full story of Kroashent: Bal des Loups, on Archive of Our Own or in this gallery: https://archiveofourown.org/series/3141606 Want to chat Kroashent or Val's art in general? Drop in on Kroashent on Discord: discord.gg/MZjc3Gg Learn more about the world of Kroashent on our official Wiki: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/alvez-kroashent

[kroashent]

Return to the Tavern - The Hat or the Peg

Kathalia leapt up with a start, the chair clattering to the floor as it fell.  She had no doubt in her mind of what she had seen, the distinct presence of the troublesome poulpiquet trickster.  If Beldam was here, then trouble was already well underway.  She turned, ready to give chase when a hand moved in front of her, maneuvering her into the wall.  Gwae stood before her, looking up at Kathalia with her ice blue eyes, sparkling with sudden intoxicated mischief, her teeth flashing into a wolfish grin.  Kathalia squirmed with the sudden distraction, unable to comprehend why now, of all times, Gwae was suddenly upon her like this, pressing her body so close.  Her legs brushed against Kathalia's with an intentional and unmistakable push.

"Gwae!  We need to hurry!" Kathalia began, trying to push past her confusion and a growing, distracting intrigue as she looked into Gwae's eyes, feeling the girl's cold breath making her own hairs stand on end, a shiver passing over her body as she tried to focus.  Gwae was so close, so forward.  Her ears were pressed back as she leaned in close, nuzzling Kathalia with a soft snout, her tail wagging as she moved ever closer, softly whispering in the tongue of the Islands.  Kathalia shuddered, her resolution fading in her confusion as her own excitement began to betray her.  She felt nervous and excited, not the jaded veteran of a dozen battles and countless brawls, but like a young girl watching Markizez Melusine triumph at the tournament.  Her confidence wavered as she struggled to regain verbal momentum.

"Acrasia.... Wait... Tonnere de Brest..." She faltered.  Gwae didn't have a tail...  Kathalia blinked, the glamour fading away like a sheer silk curtain being drawn back.  Gwae's lupine muzzle still nuzzling Kathalia's neck, was covered in a soft grey fur that seemed to extend all the way down to her paw-like feet and the tip of the swishing tail.  Kathalia jolted back as the reality suddenly hit hit like a bucket of icy water.

"You're becoming..." She began, unable to finish the sentence

"I fancy yer hat, Kathalia." Gwae said, her wolfish grin now appearing quite literally before Kathalia's stunned face as she pulled back from her nuzzle to look into the sellsword's eyes.

"What..." Kathalia muttered, her train of thought broken.  Her claws scraped on the wooden floor as she squirmed and shifted, the brushing of fur against fur sending her senses scrambling as if carried by the 12 winds.  Gwae's scent, a pine forest after the first snowfall of the year, entered the nostrils on the soft black cap of her own lengthening muzzle.  

"But I fancy the peg its sitting on more..." Gwae continued as she moved in, kissing Kathalia on her neck and punctuating it with a little nip.  That was all that was needed as Kathalia, her own lupine form taking over, moved to return the favor, her inhibitions thrown to the winds....

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Val's Notes: Bloody hell, I've been sitting on this one for far too long!  This one was drawn about 2 years ago, part of a very large folder that, for one reason or another, never saw proper publication.  I'm slowly but surely cleaning that up and sharing these works.

AGES ago I did a little werewolf picture reimaging a scenario I drew even further back, featuring Gwae wolfing out in a fantasy tavern:

I really enjoyed that piece, both working on it and the end result, and decided it was time to rework the Moonlight Tavern sequence to better fit the characters and setting that has developed since then.  To that end, I drew a whole set of lycanthropic tavern goers, but held off on posting them as I began in earnest in outlining and drafting my first full length story with these characters: Kroashent, Bal Des Loups.  I was debating on using them for in-story illustrations.  I won't say whether or not this scene happens in the story.  You'll need to read to find out!  If you like this kind of content, please be sure to read and comment on my story here, on Furaffinity or on Archive of Our Own.  Your support and engagement is crucial to keeping the steam on these projects going! 

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If you would like to support my art help the world of Kroashent come to life, as well as receive other rewards like sneak-peaks, exclusive versions and sketches, please visit my Patreon page, with a wide array of tiers for all budgets: www.patreon.com/Kroashent Check out the full story of Kroashent: Bal des Loups, on Archive of Our Own or in this gallery: https://archiveofourown.org/series/3141606 Want to chat Kroashent or Val's art in general? Drop in on Kroashent on Discord: discord.gg/MZjc3Gg Learn more about the world of Kroashent on our official Wiki: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/alvez-kroashent

[kroashent]

Chapter 5 is now posted! Give it a read if you enjoy my work!

[kroashent]

Chapter 4 is now posted! Give it a read if you enjoy my work!

[kroashent]

Return to the Tavern - Dances With Wolves

Morgiana stepped out of the Tavern, the cold air of a Du night cutting through even her crystalsilk clothing.  She shivered, but the night air was strangely refreshing.  She turned to examine the structure.  As a boermerzh, a Bediz who could sense and manipulate glamour, she was often conscious of foyson, the quintessential magical energy that ran through everything in Alvez.  It was ever present, but the Silver Wheel was saturated with it.  She had felt subtle shimmers in the corner of her senses and been able to play with tendrils of mist curling up from her drink.  Stepping outside was like exiting a stuffy sauna and stepping out into well... a winterrule night.

Morgiana stepped close to the wall, running her fingers just above a carved wooden post.  A tendril of steam-like foyson followed her finger, revealing the structure underneath.  She frowned as she gently shook her finger, the magical illusion drifting lazily back in place.  The wood beneath was old, in much greater disrepair than the structure appeared.  There was a building, or at least part of one, underneath the spell.  It was not uncommon for taverns, inns and public houses to accentuate themselves with some cosmetic glamour, but this was not merely patching over a mispainted wall or crooked windowsill.  This was a major illusion.  If Morgiana herself could regularly draw this sort of power, she might have considered attempting the same thing at some point.  Which, in her experience, was not a good thing to be on the other end of.

The illussionist walked over to where a pool of still water from the morning's rain had formed on the lid of a barrel, the light of the moon reflected in it.  She began to dance, one she had done many times before, invoking her life on the desert sands of Ubar, of the winds blowing across the great dunes, and the moonlight reflecting in the oasis.  Swirls of luminescent energy began to form in the pool as she continued the steps of an Ubarite sword dance, tendrils of Feth Fiada wrapping around her hand.  As she danced, a shape began to form in the ripples.  Suddenly, without preamble, Morgiana plunged her arm elbow deep into the shallow puddle, pulling it out before the reality of the mundane world could correct its oversight.  In her hand she held a shimmering blade of silver, its hilt studded with precious gems.  She flicked it, sending liquid moonlight into the night air as she completed the dance, as she had done with the real sword all those years ago beneath the desert moon.

Morgiana's moonblade was a curved, single-edged sword, broadening slightly as it reached a point.  It was sharp enough to cut a falling blade of grass and leave a trail of moonlight as it sliced through the air.  She considered summoning its sister blade, but she decided convincing the cold night that it was mid-day was a step more than she was willing to undertake.  She waved her fingers, the blade dissipating into formless mist, ready to appear in her hand with a practiced and precise motion. 

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Morgiana stepped back into the illusion, feeling the overwhelming amount of magic pressing against her senses.  It felt real enough, but, like the moonblade, was not quite real at the same time.  She heard noises coming from a side room and pressed herself against the wall, peering inside.  Amid the crates was a large cage, three figures gathered around it.  She recognized the girl in the Anjevin windguard uniform, and the massive Fomorian by her side.  The third, a poulpiquet, casually blinked in and out of a glamour shroud as she seemed to disappear and reappear in front of the girl.  Morgiana watched, stifling a gasp as the sorceress pulled back her hand, seeming to draw the confused girl's face with it into a lupine muzzle.  The changes quickly spread across her as the caster turned her attention to the charging fomorian.

Morgiana fluidly moved her wrists and fingers, the silver scimtar forming in her hand.  The pair of soon-to-be-garwaf dropped to the floor as the changes overwhelmed them.

"Of course" the fox-tailed woman said, turning to where Morgiana hid, "I didn't forget about you, little spy..."

Acrasia moved through a cloud of glamour, repeating her earlier teleportation trick, appearing next to Morgiana.  Her clawed hand snapped out to grab the illussionist by the neck, instead finding something wooden as her fingers closed around a coat rack, Morgiana's image vanishing.  A flash of a blade from behind caused Acrasia to turn, throwing out a blast of raw power.  It phased through the attacking illussionist.  Acrasia's eyes widened as the true strike came from a third angle.    The Poulpiquet moved with supernatural speed, the blade clipping fur from her tail as Morgiana cut across.

"Oh, you're very good." Acrasia said as she backpedaled.  "I'll need to remember that trick."

"I've got plenty more." Morgiana smirked, slashing, a band of thin moonlight slicing through the air.  Acrasia leapt back, turning to find one of the crates appearing to open like a tooth filled maw as she careened towards it.  Without stopping, she slashed, the illusory monster breaking as her claws shattered the crate.  Morgiana pressed her attack, but as she closed the distance, something slammed into her side.  The wolf in the uniform snarled as she lunged up from her position on the floor, fangs snapping.  The illusionist had not counted on her joining the fray so quickly, her attempt to parry thwarted as both smashed into a pile of crates.  The moonblade slid across the stone floor, forcing Morgiana to fend of the snapping fangs with a board.  She shot a look over as the lumbering beast rose, its horns glistening in the dim light.  Morgiana knew that she had little chance in facing the fomorian turned garwaf, and began to consider her options for a quick getaway.

She kicked out, slamming a foot into Antoinette's stomach, sending the slight wolfgirl careening away with a whimpering yelp.  She scrambled, trying to rise before either garwaf could recover. 

"I'm impressed you heard us." Acrasia said with a smile, confident in her new wolfish minions to spare her direct effort.  "Quite the sensitive ears you have.  With all these garwaf around, makes you think..."

Morgiana could feel her own ears burning, feeling the strands of hair brush over them as they began to grow.  Within seconds they were as pointed as Kathalia's, a thin film of brown fur spreading over them.

"You're a Fáisteanach" Morgiana said, gritting her teeth even as they sharpened into fangs.

Acrasia knelt down next to her, her grin wide and cruel "I prefer 'chaos weaver'.  My magic merely defines possibilities that reality is too boring to think of.  On your own, this would be quite hard to pull off.  But since you're in a room with 3 Garwaf already... it would be almost stranger if you weren't in a fangpack..."

Morgiana flipped her wrist, the moonblade vanishing from the floor and reappearing in her clawed hand.  Despite her bad positioning, she swung at Acrasia.  The blade stopped, centimeters from the poulpiquet's neck.  Morgiana stared in shock as her the fur spread up her hand, pads throwing off the delicate balance of her sword dance.  The blade vanished.

"My Fangpack." Acrasia added as the changes overwhelmed the illussionist, paws ripping through her silk shoes as a tail shot out behind her. "I could use a talented glamour-weaver for the main event.  You'll do nicely, little wolf."

"Forgetting something?" Came a snarl from inside the cage

"Oh, I'm sure that with these three around, someone probably unlocked the door, intentionally or otherwise." Acrasia made a bored flick of her fingers, sending a stream of power through the spell.  

"Much better."  The lock fell away and the prisoner stepped out, her jet black fur shimmering in the light.  Antoinette and Azelma fell into place at her side as Morgiana, visibly struggling, finished her transformation.

"Watch out for this one." Acrasia warned "She's Boermerzh and has a small amount of casting ability.  They're suggestible up to a point, but the control is hardly absolute."

The prisoner snarled, her claws scraping large gashes in the crates "You really think you can explain Garwaf to me, witch?"

"A reminder." Acrasia said as Morgiana began to rise "before the show."

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Morgiana stepped out onto her stage.  The last few moments had been something of a blur, but as she heard the murmur of the crowd in the main room, her fur bristled with excitement at the challenge before her.  It was odd, she thought, to try and envision herself as a Bediz, cloaking herself in glamour until her grand reveal.  It seemed rather silly to her, but she had a strange notion that it was what the show would demand.  The venue, a Bediz tavern, was flooded with magical foyson, allowing her to draw vast amounts of energy to weave her spell.  She didn't know quite why, but she knew what she had to do.

The room was full of patrons, some that Morgiana recognized, some that she did not.  She began to sway, her tail keeping a subtle rythym as she moved through the room, weaving glamour to maintain a sense of utter normalcy, shielding herself and Acrasia from preying eyes.  She moved towards the table, beginning a delicate dance directed at the pair seated there.  The chain reaction that Acrasia had started made some of it easy.  She had done the hard part, targetting the magically resiliant Gwae with subtle castings.  Thin patches of light grey fur had already begun to spread across her pale skin

It didn't take much from Morgiana to push the Eladan further down the path, her sensual dance, fully watched, but not consciously seen sent feelings of desire and belonging.  As Morgiana swayed, Gwae's changes accellerated, her attentions directly focused across the table.  As her hips, tail and core swayed, her hands moved in a different fashion, pulling a veil around Kathalia to obfuscate the casting.  She could tell the sellsword was uneasy, her eyes darting, unbidden, to the ripples caused by the illussion.  When she was satisfied, she moved along.

"Oh, a traveling bard!" Acrasia clapped her hands together with glee.  "Tell me, do you know 'Ballad of the Blood Moon?"

Marie began to play and Morgiana could see the strings of the lute sending tangible vibrations through the room.  She had always suspected that Marie had some latent ability with magic, and she took her place, wrapping and pushing glamour in time with the music. 

Morgiana took her place as Acrasia's spell worked its way through the room.  Whenever someone started to notice something, she pulled on the threads of glamour filling the space, redirecting their attentions where she desired.  It annoyed her that she was forbidden from playing with the bard that Acrasia had begun to entrance, so she amused herself by brushing against a young noblewoman seated near the bar, a noticable quiver traveling across the woman's body as Morgiana moved a claw across her back. 

With each verse of Marie's spell-song, the crowd grew more restless, the changes among some triggered the Acrasia's chaos magic increasing.  Morgiana's own excitement grew as she yearned to take center stage, to unleash her true power, her instinct to hunt pressing hard on the edges of her mind as she noted the crowd not affected by the changes.  The true audience, she mused, fur bristling as she prepared.  In her excitement, the glamour slipped, Kathalia standing up as she caught a glimpse of Acrasia.  It didn't matter though.  Before she could act, Gwae was on her, providing more distraction than Morgiana's subtle castings could dream of. Even Marie herself was changing now, the spell rebounding on its unknowing caster. 

"Howl, Howl, the Black Winds Blow Howl, Howl the Blood Moon's Glow"

Morgiana could no longer contain the wolf,  she leapt on the table, letting out a howl as the illussion shattered.  The noblewoman joined the howl as the glamour was flung away and chaos truly descended on the tavern.  The pack was unleashed.

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Val's Notes: I drew this set of pictures as a "proof of concept" for a sequel to "Kroashent: Moonlit Tavern", a 2016 series and really the first "real" attempt at making Kroashent more than concept art.  A lot has changed with the settings and characters since then, with the addition of a whole cast, a formal world and and ongoing adjustment to the underlying story.  I wanted to make a spiritual successor to that series, and at the same time, make a reall attempt at creating scenes, rather than just pinups.

I actually drew a floorplan sketch of the Silver Wheel, so that everything felt like it was in the same space (except for the Antoinette/Azelma one), with things and characters in for fore, middle and background.  It was a real challenge, but I think it worked out. 

Special cameo from Zella Pontika, of the Spellshade Saga in this picture, in the yellow dress.  Zella belongs to https://www.furaffinity.net/user/e5111/, and you should go read her adventures!

Sadly (for now), this is all I drew for the series and all that is written for it.  This was largely a proof of concept while I worked on a more complex story, Kroashent: Bal des Loups.  The story is a different one from this chain of events, but you will see all the present characters in it and interacting.  If you liked these snippets, please give the full story a chance! 

I'd love to hear what you think about this series, and the stories attached.  Its been a while since I've had the will to attempt anything like it, so comments are welcome and appreciated.

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Others in this set:

Gwae

Kathalia and Gwae

Kathalia

Marie

Azelma and Antoinette

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If you would like to support my art help the world of Kroashent come to life, as well as receive other rewards like sneak-peaks, exclusive versions and sketches, please visit my Patreon page, with a wide array of tiers for all budgets: www.patreon.com/Kroashent Check out the full story of Kroashent: Bal des Loups, on Archive of Our Own or in this gallery Want to chat Kroashent or Val's art in general? Drop in on Kroashent on Discord Learn more about the world of Kroashent on our official Wiki

[kroashent]

Kroashent - Bal des Loups Concept Art - Aelez

Demat!  Valentine here.  As you may know (and if, not, go check it out in the links below!) I am hard at work in bringing the first full length Kroashent story to life in Kroashent - Bal des Loups.Bal des Loups is a spiritual sequel to one of the first Kroashent projects I undertook, Moonlit Tavern and a second project that remained largely in the concept Stage.  The story is meant to expand upon that story, making it less of a standalone and giving it context and scope beyond the events in the story.  I sincerely hope you will enjoy the story if you choose to follow it.  The world and its characters mean a lot to me.

A major character in those concept drawings was Veiðimaður Aelez, a witch from the ice-covered island of Fjallkonan, tracking down a stolen horn.  Aelez will be making a major appearance in this new story, so I revisited her design to bring her more in line with my current skills and the more defined aesthetics of Alvez, the world of Kroashent.  Aelez is inspired, as might be evident, but a certain fairy tale character, repurposed to Kroashent.  I tried to keep some of her more pronounced elements (her red cloak, black hair and blue-facepaint), while giving her a little more definition.

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If you would like to support my art help the world of Kroashent come to life, as well as receive other rewards like sneak-peaks, exclusive versions and sketches, please visit my Patreon page, with a wide array of tiers for all budgets: www.patreon.com/Kroashent

Check out the full story of Kroashent: Bal des Loups, on Archive of Our Own or in this gallery: https://archiveofourown.org/series/3141606

Want to chat Kroashent or Val's art in general?  Drop in on Kroashent on Discord: discord.gg/MZjc3Gg

Learn more about the world of Kroashent on our official Wiki: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/alvez-kroashent

[kroashent]

Chapter 1, 2 and now 3 of Kroashent: Bal des Loups, the first full length Kroashent adventure!

[kroashent]

Mermay 2024 - 6 - 'Welcome to Our Shop'

Beneath the waves of the Mor Bras, the Great Sea that surrounds the Armorican Peninsula, there is a city lost to time. Ker-Ys was once the jewel of a great kingdom, a beacon of prosperity and magic. But dark forces worked against the city and it was destroyed in a powerful magical storm, its princess condemned to live alone as a mermaid in her ruined home. But Ahes was resilient and clever, discovering that, while she could never again be human, she could make other Marie-Morgane. Taking in the lost and outcast of Alvez, Ys-Beneath-the-Waves rises again.

---------------------------

Val's Notes: Took a bit of time between first sketching this one and posting it, but it was far enough along that I wanted to finish it, despite not being May anymore. Still, I wanted to revisit as many of the Marie-Morgane characters as I could, so here are Akiko and Franceza. Akiko is a formerly wandering monk, now retired, while Franceza is a freed slave. Together, they run a small tea shop on Gardenhill in the sunken city of Ys-Beneath-the-Waves.

---------------------------

Back in 2019, I launched a special series for Mermay, an art project to develop a small, but important part of the lore of Alvez, the world of Kroashent. The Marie-Morgane of Ys-Beneath-the-Waves are one of several merfolk races of the world. For this project, I decided to "adapt" each of the Dungeons and Dragons Character Classes into a character as they may appear in Alvez, then transform these characters into mermaids with art and short stories! Since then, I've been working hard on developing the world and the characters who live, there, even writing an ongoing novella, Kroashent: Bal des Loups, which you can read right now, for free!

---------------------------

Planning on revisiting Ys-Beneath-the-Waves once more this Mermay and checking in on all the Marie-Morgane. I am currently looking for prompts to help inspire this set, so suggestions are welcome if you have ideas for the other girls!

First of 2024 - Ahes: https://www.tumblr.com/kroashent/749315089989091328/mermay-2024-1-welcome-back?source=share

Previous: Day at Work with Beldore and Joyce: https://www.tumblr.com/kroashent/750027368543993856/mermay-2024-5-day-at-work?source=share

-------------------

Want to support Akiko, Franceza and the Kroashent project? Check out my patreon page, for exclusive alternate versions of this drawing and other great rewards! All your support means a lot to me and helps bring the world of Kroashent to life! Check it out here: www.patreon.com/Kroashent

[kroashent]

Mermay 2024 - 5 - 'Day at Work'

Beneath the waves of the Mor Bras, the Great Sea that surrounds the Armorican Peninsula, there is a city lost to time. Ker-Ys was once the jewel of a great kingdom, a beacon of prosperity and magic. But dark forces worked against the city and it was destroyed in a powerful magical storm, its princess condemned to live alone as a mermaid in her ruined home. But Ahes was resilient and clever, discovering that, while she could never again be human, she could make other Marie-Morgane. Taking in the lost and outcast of Alvez, Ys-Beneath-the-Waves rises again.

---------------------------

Val's Notes: After the intensity of Dominique and Aisha's battle in the depths, we return to the shallows to the upper levels of Gardenhill. Not all the Marie-Morgane have the temperament or skills to be great adventurers, and some live very quiet lives in the sunken city. Beladore, a former princess, and Joyce, a farmer who learned she was not cut out for a life of piracy, are two such Marie-Morgane. Today, they are working on the important work of mussel farming. Shellfish are crucial to life in Ys-Beneath-the-Waves, providing the Marie-Morgane with food, shells, pearls and bysuss, a special filament with is used to weave together alchemically treated clothing that can survive in their underwater home.

Beladore is very excited to be doing her part after leaving behind her sheltered life as a princess, but Joyce is a little grumpier, having left home for great adventure and ending up a farmer again after her misadventures. She is here to work and go home to her house on the Gardenhill.

---------------------------

Back in 2019, I launched a special series for Mermay, an art project to develop a small, but important part of the lore of Alvez, the world of Kroashent. The Marie-Morgane of Ys-Beneath-the-Waves are one of several merfolk races of the world. For this project, I decided to "adapt" each of the Dungeons and Dragons Character Classes into a character as they may appear in Alvez, then transform these characters into mermaids with art and short stories! Since then, I've been working hard on developing the world and the characters who live, there, even writing an ongoing novella, Kroashent: Bal des Loups, which you can read right now, for free!

---------------------------

Planning on revisiting Ys-Beneath-the-Waves once more this Mermay and checking in on all the Marie-Morgane. I am currently looking for prompts to help inspire this set, so suggestions are welcome if you have ideas for the other girls!

First of 2024 - Ahes

https://www.tumblr.com/kroashent/749315089989091328/mermay-2024-1-welcome-back?source=share

Previous: Raid with Aisha and Dominque

-------------------

Want to support Beladore, Joyce and the Kroashent project? Check out my patreon page, for exclusive alternate versions of this drawing and other great rewards! All your support means a lot to me and helps bring the world of Kroashent to life! Check it out here: www.patreon.com/Kroashent

Interested in getting your own idea drawn by me? Commissions are open:

[kroashent]

Mermay 2024 - 4 - 'Raid'

Beneath the waves of the Mor Bras, the Great Sea that surrounds the Armorican Peninsula, there is a city lost to time. Ker-Ys was once the jewel of a great kingdom, a beacon of prosperity and magic. But dark forces worked against the city and it was destroyed in a powerful magical storm, its princess condemned to live alone as a mermaid in her ruined home. But Ahes was resilient and clever, discovering that, while she could never again be human, she could make other Marie-Morgane. Taking in the lost and outcast of Alvez, Ys-Beneath-the-Waves rises again.

---------------------------

Val's Notes: It really was not my intention to make more complex scenes for this set, but between Renee and Ailinor and this one featuring Dominique the Ranger and Aisha the Paladin, I am pretty happy with the results and may try to do a few similar ones for the rest of the set.

In this scene, our brave heroines have left the relative safety of the Three Hills to patrol the Lower Wards, the deepest part of Ys-Beneath-the-Waves, where Ahes light does not reach. These rangers are charged with clearing out the ruins of dangerous creatures like the feral, cannibalistic Finfolk, who regularly attack the Marie-Morgane, making the city safer for the daughters of Ys. Life in the Lower Wards and within the Seawall is dangerous even for experienced adventurers like Aisha and Dominique.

Aisha is wielding an espadon, the polearm favoured by the Beg-Sabrenn, the martial elite of the Marie-Morgane. The glowing orb in the foreground is Tan-Mor, a type of seaweed infused with the magical power of passing storms that glows when exposed to certain elements.

---------------------------

Back in 2019, I launched a special series for Mermay, an art project to develop a small, but important part of the lore of Alvez, the world of Kroashent. The Marie-Morgane of Ys-Beneath-the-Waves are one of several merfolk races of the world. For this project, I decided to "adapt" each of the Dungeons and Dragons Character Classes into a character as they may appear in Alvez, then transform these characters into mermaids with art and short stories! Since then, I've been working hard on developing the world and the characters who live, there, even writing an ongoing novella, Kroashent: Bal des Loups, which you can read right now, for free!

---------------------------

Planning on revisiting Ys-Beneath-the-Waves once more this Mermay and checking in on all the Marie-Morgane. I am currently looking for prompts to help inspire this set, so suggestions are welcome if you have ideas for the other girls!

First of 2024 - Ahes

https://www.tumblr.com/kroashent/749315089989091328/mermay-2024-1-welcome-back?source=share

Previous: Love and Peace with Ailinor and Renee

https://www.tumblr.com/kroashent/749671404499238912/mermay-2024-3-love-and-peace?source=share

---------------------------

Want to support Aisha, Dominique and the Kroashent project? Check out my patreon page, for exclusive alternate versions of this drawing and other great rewards! All your support means a lot to me and helps bring the world of Kroashent to life! Check it out here: www.patreon.com/Kroashent

Interested in getting your own idea drawn by me? Commissions are open:

[kroashent]

Mermay 2024 - 3 - 'Love and Peace'

Beneath the waves of the Mor Bras, the Great Sea that surrounds the Armorican Peninsula, there is a city lost to time. Ker-Ys was once the jewel of a great kingdom, a beacon of prosperity and magic. But dark forces worked against the city and it was destroyed in a powerful magical storm, its princess condemned to live alone as a mermaid in her ruined home. But Ahes was resilient and clever, discovering that, while she could never again be human, she could make other Marie-Morgane. Taking in the lost and outcast of Alvez, Ys-Beneath-the-Waves rises again.

---------------------------

Val's Notes: The prompt for this one, suggested by a viewer was "Love and Peace" I originally was going to go for a different vibe on it and use Renee and Ailinor for "warrior/armor" but went in a different direction. I went pretty deep on the design here.

The medieval concept of "Courtly Love" is very important to the Marie-Morgane, and part of their intricate Courtship ritual, of which the cleric Ailinor, and her paramour, the knight Renee, are a great example. I wanted to do something that showcased their relationship a bit more, since they are probably my favourite couple of the Marie-Morgane (Sorry Adele/Fleur!)

I decided to make an homage to one of the iconic Modern interpretations of the middle ages, the unparalleled work of Edmund Leighton in his 1900 masterpiece Godspeed in feel and composition.

I tried to replicate the architecture in the scene, but replace it with the quiet, lonely atmosphere of the sunken city of Ys-Beneath-the-Waves. The city was once the grandest in the North, but was destroyed by magic, nature and treachery. It is a ruin, overgrown by coral and maritime floraa, and the Marie-Morgane share it with fish, turtles and other creatures, including some rather nasty ones.

This scene takes place at the gate leading out of Castle-Hill, one of the three high points of the city. Ker-Ys was built within a great seawall, a network of balconies and bridges reaching from the sea-level gates down to the Lower Wards. When the city flooded, the city was quickly destroyed as water rushed down from the breaches walls.

For Renee's outfit, I really wanted to give her something that stood out as part of her new world, not merely her old human armor. She wears a tight, form-fitting shark-leather shirt, a coral gorget and a pair of turtle-shell pauldrons, fitted together with a thick shark-leather belt. Her weapon is an espadon, a polearm developed by the Marie-Morgane resembling the fin and bill of a swordfish, which serves as the primary weapon of the average soldier. The strip of cloth tied around the espadon you may recognize as part of Ailinor's old cleric robes, a token given to her girlfriend!

I changed the poses from Godspeed, as the keen-eyed may notice. In the original, the Lady ties a token to the knight's arm as he rides into battle. This moment of intimacy is held at arm's length, in accordance to the tropes of Courtly Love, but Renee and Ailinor have moved from that expression to a more direct, open and intimate relationship, closing the emotional distance that exists as the ideal of Courtly Love. They also meet alone, as Renee patrols the upper levels of the city, rather than a fleeing moment as an army marches away.

---------------------------

Back in 2019, I launched a special series for Mermay, an art project to develop a small, but important part of the lore of Alvez, the world of Kroashent. The Marie-Morgane of Ys-Beneath-the-Waves are one of several merfolk races of the world. For this project, I decided to "adapt" each of the Dungeons and Dragons Character Classes into a character as they may appear in Alvez, then transform these characters into mermaids with art and short stories! Since then, I've been working hard on developing the world and the characters who live, there, even writing an ongoing novella, Kroashent: Bal des Loups, which you can read right now, for free!

---------------------------

Planning on revisiting Ys-Beneath-the-Waves once more this Mermay and checking in on all the Marie-Morgane. I am currently looking for prompts to help inspire this set, so suggestions are welcome if you have ideas for the other girls!

First of 2024 - Ahes

https://www.tumblr.com/kroashent/749315089989091328/mermay-2024-1-welcome-back?source=share

Previous - 'Dance' with Isra and Mairead

https://www.tumblr.com/kroashent/749398157297942528/mermay-2024-2-dance

---------------------------

Want to support Ailinor, Renee and the Kroashent project? Check out my patreon page, for exclusive alternate versions of this drawing and other great rewards! All your support means a lot to me and helps bring the world of Kroashent to life! Check it out here: www.patreon.com/Kroashent

Interested in getting your own idea drawn by me? Commissions are open: Interested in getting your own idea drawn by me? Commissions are open: https://www.deviantart.com/kathalia/art/Commission-Sheet-2024-1014668898

[kroashent]

Mermay 2024 - 2 - 'Dance'

Beneath the waves of the Mor Bras, the Great Sea that surrounds the Armorican Peninsula, there is a city lost to time. Ker-Ys was once the jewel of a great kingdom, a beacon of prosperity and magic. But dark forces worked against the city and it was destroyed in a powerful magical storm, its princess condemned to live alone as a mermaid in her ruined home. But Ahes was resilient and clever, discovering that, while she could never again be human, she could make other Marie-Morgane. Taking in the lost and outcast of Alvez, Ys-Beneath-the-Waves rises again.

---------------------------

The prompt for this one, suggested by a viewer was "Dance", and it seemed like a great opportunity to check in with the Northern Raider Mairead and her partner Isra as they show off their moves in the warm waters of the South, far from the beacon city.

---------------------------

Back in 2019, I launched a special series for Mermay, an art project to develop a small, but important part of the lore of Alvez, the world of Kroashent. The Marie-Morgane of Ys-Beneath-the-Waves are one of several merfolk races of the world. For this project, I decided to "adapt" each of the Dungeons and Dragons Character Classes into a character as they may appear in Alvez, then transform these characters into mermaids with art and short stories! Since then, I've been working hard on developing the world and the characters who live, there, even writing an ongoing novella, Kroashent: Bal des Loups, which you can read right now, for free!

---------------------------

Planning on revisiting Ys-Beneath-the-Waves once more this Mermay and checking in on all the Marie-Morgane. I am currently looking for prompts to help inspire this set, so suggestions are welcome if you have ideas for the other girls!

Mermay '24 Day 1 - Ahes:

---------------------------

Want to support Isra, Mairead and the Kroashent project? Check out my patreon page, for exclusive alternate version of this drawing and other great rewards! All your support means a lot to me and helps bring the world of Kroashent to life! Check it out here: www.patreon.com/Kroashent

Interested in getting your own idea drawn by me? Commissions are open: https://www.deviantart.com/kathalia/art/Commission-Sheet-2024-1014668898

[kroashent]

Mermay 2024 - 1 - Welcome Back

Beneath the waves of the Mor Bras, the Great Sea that surrounds the Armorican Peninsula, there is a city lost to time. Ker-Ys was once the jewel of a great kingdom, a beacon of prosperity and magic. But dark forces worked against the city and it was destroyed in a powerful magical storm, its princess condemned to live alone as a mermaid in her ruined home. But Ahes was resilient and clever, discovering that, while she could never again be human, she could make other Marie-Morgane. Taking in the lost and outcast of Alvez, Ys-Beneath-the-Waves rises again. Will you join her?

---------------------------

Back in 2019, I launched a special series for Mermay, an art project to develop a small, but important part of the lore of Alvez, the world of Kroashent. The Marie-Morgane of Ys-Beneath-the-Waves are one of several merfolk races of the world. For this project, I decided to "adapt" each of the Dungeons and Dragons Character Classes into a character as they may appear in Alvez, then transform these characters into mermaids with art and short stories! Since then, I've been working hard on developing the world and the characters who live, there, even writing an ongoing novella, Kroashent: Bal des Loups, which you can read right now, for free! ---------------------------

Planning on revisiting Ys-Beneath-the-Waves once more this Mermay and checking in on all the Marie-Morgane. I am currently looking for prompts to help inspire this set, so suggestions are welcome if you have ideas for the other girls!

---------------------------

Want to support Queen Ahes and the Kroashent project? Check out my patreon page, for exclusive alternate version of this drawing and other great rewards! All your support means a lot to me and helps bring the world of Kroashent to life! Check it out here: www.patreon.com/Kroashent

Interested in getting your own idea drawn by me? Commissions are open:

[kroashent]

Redraw Challenge: Kroashent - The Rescue

April's Redraw Challenge, selected by my wonderful patrons, is one that I have a special connection to, a redraw a drawing from May 2019, my 1000th drawing posted to this website! Its especially fitting that this one is ready just in time for Lesbian Visibility Week, celebrating women loving women in Alvez and our own world.

[b]Original Text: [i]An early encounter between Kathalia and Gwae from Kroashent.

When Gwae falls into a trap and is captured by an evil nobleman, Kathalia rushes in to save her with crossbow, sword and unnecessary action stunts, happy to play the swashbuckling hero. As Kathalia holds Gwae close for a daring escape, the silver-haired mage has a startling realization that she may have feelings for her rescuer. But the moment is quickly overshadowed when the pair suddenly swings off the balcony, Gwae screaming and hanging on for dear life as they sail over an army of very angry guards.

Val's Notes: I really love how this one came out, and the original is one I have a lot of love for. I wanted to keep the concept and general vibe of this piece, but upgrade it both artistically and in terms of Kroashent's ongoing lore as the story gets written (Check out Kroashent: Bal des Loups for the first ongoing published Kroashent story!

This scene is envisioned to take place in the Kroashent story that precedes Bal Des Loups. I changed Kathalia's outfit to that of her highwaywoman persona, La Louve de Frehel, and changed the scene to be more mid-swing, rather than before it, as the pair make a daring escape via a passing windship.

If you want to support Kathalia, Gwae and Kroashent, helping bring more scenes like this to life, consider supporting me on Patreon for exclusives, voting privileges and drawing rewards! Every bit of support helps: www.patreon.com/Kroashent Alvez and the World of Kroashent is owned by me.

Interested in getting your own idea drawn by me? Commissions are open: https://www.deviantart.com/kathalia/art/Commission-Sheet-2024-1014668898