cihrp

[keydekyie]

Bundle!

I've been working on a book I & II bundle ahead of book III's release, with maps and a calendar and nice formatting and such. It's going to be a strictly digital release for now, but hopefully it'll be a nice way for folks new to my books to catch up. If it does well or there's a lot of interest, I might do a physical copy with merch!

Here's the synopsis for the two books together:

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

The land of Kellabor is a wild place, where snow-capped mountains and deep forests hide monstrous creatures. Medved’ Beis, the man-eating “bear demon” keepers of Kellabor’s wild laws, are said to be the most terrible of the mountain beasts. But the Kellaborn people call these mountains home, and to them, the ancient tales are no more than children’s bedtime stories.

Kaelin Belka, daughter of her village’s blacksmith, was raised on tales like these. But after her father vanishes without a trace, the stories become all too real. Years later, Kaelin will come face-to-face with myth, and as it turns out, Medved’ Beis aren’t anything like the old stories say.

Bear demons aren’t beasts, spirits, or monsters, they’re just people; as petty, emotional, vindictive, and complicated as any human.

Oh, but the man-eating? That part is very real…

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

This bundle should be available very soon (before August 2nd), so keep an eye out!

[justagiantpotato]

Decided to draw these two sweethearts from the amazing story The Moth and the Bear by @keydekyie !! I don’t know why Kaelin is scolding Ruyak, but he looks guilty...

I highly recommend reading the books and the third one is coming out soon!!! Just saying...

[damnwtfisgoingon]

doodled @keydekyie 's boy, Ruyak, love this lad fr fr

[funsizedcoffee]

@keydekyie introducing their giant character in their book:

[definitely-not-knightress]

When I first saw that @keydekyie had physical versions their books I knew I had to get them, I’m just so happy that they finally came in today :3

[theboarsbride]

I'm DESPERATELY trying to manifest an art style that look like sketches/concept art for 1980s dark fantasy movies, if that makes sense?????? because that's were i swear 85% of my inspiration comes from- 😭

[squidlykitten]

[the-east-art]

I believe these were posted to my Patreon a while ago and then never posted here so I’m doing that now so they’re easier for me to find. World building for tmatb

[iescans-blog]

Popped onto tumblr briefly and I’m not happy ...

There are several posts of ours that have been flagged under the “Adult Content” rules that tumblr has decided to impose. I understand, I do, you don’t want to log onto tumblr and see child pornography but that doesn’t mean you have to work towards annihilating half of your user base.

A lot of our posts have been flagged, some do show adult content and some are just simple art like you can see above from TMATB. Yes, I know they show skin (“nudity”) but I’m still seeing naked models from sponsored posts so tumblr can get lost.

December 17th is the day all adult content will supposedly be removed from tumblr.

We will be making a Wordpress account (which is going to go so bad since I’m no good with technology) because I will not stand for this BS on tumblr. If posting links and things are still allowed, I will share update links here but pictures of art and things that we like and update progress will move to the Wordpress.

This is a dumb thing and I hope tumblr realised how much they’ve fucked up when their revenue drops.

We will be back December 16th, okusama C5 is nearly done and we’ve started working on kedamono again.

I know, we’re slow and we’re sorry. We’re going to work hard to get you a few Christmas treats.

Thank you,

KN

[wormedeye]

drawing little doodles bc can’t concentrate

I liked some of them (especially Sophie from TMATB, wanna draw her later) so uhh here they are

abstract nazgul is a funny thing from a silly comic that my sister and I took turns drawing frame by frame, not knowing what would happen next bc we were really bored :D

[keydekyie]

At the top of page 114 of Book I (physical version), is imaginary Sliuk referring to when her brothers would eat any humans they came across, or something else we haven't seen yet?

Yep! That's absolutely what she's referring to.

[keydekyie]

The Moth and the Bear Book I excerpt: Thinking

528 words, no content warnings

“Kaelin, is that you?” Ruyak growled, sounding a bit more menacing than he meant to. He cleared his throat, trying to get the bittersweet image of his sister out of his head.

The scuffling sounds immediately stopped. Ruyak leaned over and glared down the steps into the den. Sure enough, there was Kaelin, frozen on the second step from the top, moonlight turning her already pale face white. There was a tense moment while they stared at each other.

“Were you trying to run off this time?” Ruyak asked irritably.

Kaelin broke eye contact, looking up at the sky. It reminded him of a child trying to think of a way out of a scolding. Ruyak sighed and shook his head.

“Well, you’ve made it this far. May as well come the rest of the way,” he grumbled, turning back towards the landscape.

Kaelin didn’t move right away. Ruyak sat silently and watched a silvery cloud drift over a distant mountain for a moment before he heard Kaelin make the final ascent to the entrance. One ear followed her as she scrambled over the scree towards him.

“I th-thought maybe you’d gone back to your own bed,” Kaelin said quietly. Ruyak didn’t look at her.

“You wouldn’t have gotten far anyway,” he said. “You’ve no idea where you are.”

“Better to be lost and alive than here and doomed to be eaten.”

Ruyak flinched, the imaginary Sliuk’s words echoing in his head. Uncomfortable silence fell, and somewhere in the forest below an owl screeched. Another answered, its call sailing indistinctly over the trees from far away.

“What are you doing out here, anyway?” asked Kaelin nervously, as if fearing reproach for her curiosity.

“Nothing particular.” Ruyak hoped his gruff tone would close the subject, but Kaelin was persistent.

“Do you come here to do nothing very often?”

“No.”

“Were you-”

Ruyak glanced down sharply at Kaelin, making her flinch. Still, she couldn’t be silenced so easily.

“Were you thinking?”

“Of course I was thinking.”

“You said you were doing nothing.”

“I can think and do nothing at the same time.”

“But, thinking is doing something.”

“If I gave it my very best effort,” Ruyak said darkly, pointing into the distance, “do you think I could toss you as far as that mountain?”

To Ruyak’s immense surprise, Kaelin laughed. It was a strained, tired laugh, but she was obviously amused, nonetheless.

“So, what were you thinking about?” Kaelin asked, completely undeterred by Ruyak’s attempt at a threat.

“You’re feeling bold, tonight.”

Kaelin shrugged. “I’ve got nothing to lose,” she said, but Ruyak could hear a tremor in her voice. He watched her as she settled herself on a large boulder right where he’d been imagining Sliuk moments before.

Ruyak was conflicted over whether or not to be truthful. He’d already told her far too much, but he felt more words fighting to escape him, and pursed his lips to keep them in. Kaelin was watching him.

“Come on,” she pressed, “people don’t go outside to stare at the moon in the cold and think about nothing.”

Ruyak snorted quietly.

“I was, uh... I was just thinking about my sister.”

[keydekyie]

Is Urike in the same community as Datee, or are both of their territories too far apart to be considered in the same one?

This isn't a great visualization because I don't have a close-up map with Sutzgrad province shown (the pink) but this gives you an idea of the area of "community" they're in. That gathering place is where all the seasonal celebrations (including coming-of-age ceremonies) happen. Ruyak has a dream about it in book I.

Everywhere within that blue circle (about 100 miles across) is dotted with Kanai dens and territories. The territories themselves sometimes overlap and the boundaries are usually fuzzy. Wherever there are human towns and villages, there tends to be less Kanai activity, but that doesn't mean they aren't around.

Datee and Urike are in the same community, but they avoid each other ever since Datee disowned her daughter. If they end up at the same gathering, they pretend the other isn't there. Usually one will just refuse to go if they know the other will be there.

[keydekyie]

Hilarious how Liruk defends Kadu’s behaviour whenever he attacks one of his brothers or how he allows Kadu to only do hunting and else when he tries to get out of the other chores. Yet Kadu screwed up his nameday so bad it looks like he’s not allowed another try and may never get his own territory.

Yep! Kadu's the favorite. I think if you asked Liruk and Datee about the situation, they'd gripe about it not being fair because humans are so wimpy! It's not his fault his artist didn't survive! He should get to have his Adinen ceremony anyway! But the community is staunchly opposed because it's clear as soon as Kadu has a modicum of authority he'll become a huge liability.

I doubt Kadu cares all that much anymore, though. He's living in his mom's basement and eating whatever he wants. He doesn't have to worry about fiddly things like parasite load in the local deer population or tracking forest succession or tending food gardens. Managing a territory is a big responsibility. He just likes hunting stuff and being a menace.

[keydekyie]

did liruk go to the village thinking demayn was there and wanted to finish him off via ruyak and was disappointed he wasn't actually there or was it complete accidental coincidence that he at first was seeking demayn out from the village for ruyak not realising he might've been after the same guy?

SPOILERY STUFF FROM BOOK I!!

Liruk wouldn't have known exactly which village Demyan was from, since he was captured on the road. All Liruk knew was that the human was a blacksmith, since he had his wares with him. That was why in coming right into Motylek to find an artist for Ruyak, he sought another blacksmith. He didn't know (or care) that they were looking in the same village.

Also, way back when, right after Sliuk got kicked out, everyone assumed Demyan was killed in the shuffle. I doubt Liruk spared much thought to wondering what really happened to him.

[keydekyie]

Been rereading Book 1 and do find it interesting how Liruk thinks that Ruyak needs to respect Kadu since he's the elder and how it was the same with his brothers. Was Liruk perhaps a favored older child or was he more like Ruyak and doesn't realise how messed up this all is?

Liruk was sort of a middle child like Renge, but he's got anger issues and justifies a lot of unnecessary force with kids needing "discipline" and to be taught "respect." I don't think his own parents or siblings were quite as harsh as he is, and certainly not as bad as Kadu, but he wasn't taught how to be thoughtful and understanding either, so all that really leaves is harshness.

Not to say he can't be caring in his own way. He found a lot of satisfaction in teaching his kids skills and passing on his knowledge of things. But he definitely isn't willing to face the fact that his own behavior may have been too harsh and that it rubbed off on his kids.