I draw book covers for freelance all the time. I feel pretty lucky to do so, and wanted to create one with all my free will and spare time, to make just for me. Well, and for you lot as well. But mainly, for me.
I will be drawing book 2 and book 3 as well. And potentalially have prints of them later this year.
Gideon, wretchedly miserable and angry at Harrow, goes to the Eighth for any information at all they can offer her and -- WHAM! -- bears witness to a necromancer betraying his cavalier's trust to his face--
still reeling from that, she stumbles into the Third and -- BAM! -- bears witness to a cavalier discovering that his 'necromancer' has betrayed his trust behind his back--
retreats back to the Ninth's rooms where -- KABLAM! -- she finds proof that her own necromancer has, you guessed it, betrayed her trust on multiple levels--
ortus nigenad’s “My lady, I follow your every order… I will accept your chidings gratefully. I will watch you slay whomsoever you feel the need to slay, and I will sponge the blood from your brow… but when I lay me down to sleep, I am a fully grown man who is allowed to feel precisely what I want, about anything I want” has me feeling colum asht in this chili’s tonight
hello nobody asked but i’m here to deliver. presenting: the cavs as dog breeds. photo sources and caveats after the cut.
Second House: Marta Dyas
UKC-registered German Shepherd, stock coat. A working breed characterized by its focus, confidence, and fearlessness; obedient to a fault. Strong intelligence, drive, and energy, but at manageable levels suited to all-purpose organizational use (unlike their more intense sibling breed, the Belgian Malinois). Dominates in Schutzhund (obedience & personal protection) trials.
Third House: Naberius Tern
UKC-registered Standard Poodle, red coat cut Continental. A breed with a reputation for wealth, beauty, and proud attitude, all of which distracts from its surprising intelligence and steady work ethic. A well-rounded gundog that, given the correct training and handler, dominates at both sporting and conformation events. Intolerant of rugged terrain (highland herding, search and rescue, etc.), though well suited to swimming.
Fourth House: Jeannemary Chatur
AKC-registered Belgian Malinois, mahogany coat. A legendarily intense and capable working breed, with high intelligence, drive, and fitness. With sufficient training to sate its drive for stimulation, becomes a fabulously impressive working dog. When fulfilled, will win obedience, Schutzhund, extreme vertical, and obstacle course competitions. Not well suited to scent work, diving, and herding, and lacks the patience for boring tasks like conformation. With insufficient stimulation or an unconfident handler, becomes a destructive, vocal, nervous wreck; can and will take its frustrations out on others. Benefits from the influence of living with calmer dogs. An AKC-recognized breed, but not UKC recognized; would be a source of strife with handlers that prefer UKC (… Third House).
Fifth House: Magnus Quinn
Show-line UKC-Registered Irish Setter, mahogany coat. The beautiful coat and regal bearing of this breed obfuscates its extremely goofy and friendly nature. Because of its beauty, playful attitude with children, and capability as a gundog, it is a sought-after breed of the wealthy. Working-line setters have higher stamina and intelligence for long days afield; show-line setters are suited to conformation and social settings, and are therefore wonderful family pets.
Sixth House: Camilla Hect
Unregistered Border Collie, lilac short coat. A breed with intense intelligence, focus, and drive; must be put to work constantly by its handler or will resort to self-destructive behaviors and be liable to develop strange obsessions. Movement at work is shockingly fast for its body size and build; does not speak while working, unlike other herding breeds, instead relying on glare-based intimidation. Well suited to rough terrain and independent problem solving. Lilac coat caused by rare recessive genes expressed thru inbreeding; causes grey brown eyes, as well.
Seventh House: Protesilaus Ebdoma
UKC-registered Afghan Hound, cream coat, unmarked. A lithe, long-legged athlete with regal bearing and a beautiful appearance. Independent, aloof, and generally indifferent to instruction, though loyal and affectionate with a single handler; will strongly resist a change in handlers. Whiplike tail.
Eighth House: Colum Asht
UKC-registered Great Pyrenees, white coat, slight tan markings. Unflappably calm; intelligent, but with a tendency towards indifference. A large, stalwart flock guardian that shrugs off being bloodied. Patient and careful with its flock and with children, but vicious against physical threats.
Ninth House: Ortus Nigenad
Black and Tan Coonhound. Large and strong, though without the cleverness of some other working breeds. Excels at scent-tracking over long hours. Highly vocal when bored (and, frankly, at all other times), with a booming voice. Handler focused, but can be very stubborn.
Ninth House: Gideon Nav
Australian Kelpie with red coat, or perhaps Red Heeler—lineage is unclear; genetic testing may reveal dingo ancestry. A vigorous and hardworking herder, with high stamina in rough terrain and harsh weather. Stocky and solidly built. Always eager for a job to do. Not overly affectionate, even with long-term handlers, but intensely loyal. Infrequently vocal; tendency towards shyness and reactivity around strangers and new circumstances. May have light brown (amber) eyes.
GSD: Minthe Hartman on Facebook
Poodle: Bijou Poodles, breeder site
Mal: Breed standard website
Setter: Brittanica
BC: C Bar C Ranch, breeder site
Afghan: AKC
Pyr: Intuition Farm, breeder site
Black&Tan: Showsight Magazine
Kelpie: AKC
Heeler: Jane Dogs
Also, some caveats: obviously, I wanted to find an Aotearoa native dog for Gideon. Unfortunately, because of colonialism, all Polynesian dog breeds I could find records of on short notice are extinct due to genocidal violence against their peoples. The history of dog breeds and the pedigrees thereto is one that is, like all history, influenced by colonialism. Also, I am very familiar with a large variety of breeds, but only those primarily used in dog sports, competitions, and working professions in North America. My choices of breed reflect both of those biases.
Even though Augustine was critical of Mercy for “hammering out the eighth house before the paint was even dry on the Resurrection,” I don’t think Mercy had nearly as much influence on the eighth as her cavalier did. Cristabel was always eager for self-sacrifice — Pyrrha mentions that Cristabel was the only other person crazy enough to get trepanned on the regular during the lyctor trials, and then there’s the glaring fact that Cristabel killed herself not once but twice in the name of advancing necromancy/helping her friends. She was also fervently faithful, both before and after the Resurrection. It’s really interesting to look at Silas and Colum and see Cristabel’s influence on the eighth — how it warped and darkened over time, and also how that might’ve felt for Mercy as a witness.
Mercy watched her house become the house of zealots and parasites. She watched them become siphoners, leeching power from their cavaliers in a sickly imitation of lyctorhood, her greatest regret. She watched them become the house of “salvation no matter the cost.” She watched them (if Silas is any indication) become critical and unfeeling, fanatics who only knew worship without adoration — all the accusations that had been leveled at her, all the things she loathed. But that’s the path Cristabel laid for them. For all her good intentions, Cristabel’s self-sacrifice only ever managed to hurt people. It gave John the weapon he needed to end the world, it made her best friend into a monster, and it made her house into something she never would’ve wanted for anyone else. It must have killed Mercy to see Cristabel’s twisted legacy, to know her best friend died and she couldn’t even make it mean something.
