All praise to the Hypno- I mean SilentSongbird · 4:01am Sep 13th, 2016
So I mentioned a thing. I don't know if anyone really noticed because it was the most minor of a mention and surrounded by things that were more thing-y.
Well, it's blossomed into a full blown thing-tree...
I need to get off the thing-trip, because I was suddenly reminded how squicky things get with a Thing around. And I'm getting side-tracked.
I'm a fan of Baron-Engel. SilentSongbird is a fan of Baron-Engel. SilentSongbird is such a fan of the Baron that he can request favors. (Once per Lunar Cycle the petitioner - henceforth known as "SilentSongbird" may petition (formal entreaty through official channels) the petitionee - henceforth known as "Baron-Engel" - with the intent and interest to yadda yadda yaddayadda...) And, for some reason, he decided that Etherea was worthy of such an honor.
Etherea's been Engel-ized!
Sorry for gif-age...
The idea was that those tablet-things can store and display spell arrays, freeing casters themselves from having to visualize them - very useful in high-end, complicated spells. I know how it looks - she looks more angry than anything, and the arcane stuff is small - but we're not complaining! Nope! Perish the thought that we would do so about such an amazing gift!
After all, this just too awesome! I'm so giddy! Can you tell I'm giddy? Because I totally am!
I feel like doing something awesome in return, but I realize that the awesomest thing I can really do is to write more. Next chapter's somewhere around 5000 words - I don't have the exact number at hand - but I'll be back to it in a minute here.
Stay awesome Silent! 
Dude, that's awesome!
Although I've got to say, she really looks pissed at her tablet. Maybe it bricked when it was trying to load a spell.
Cool beans!
Yeah, I look angry when I'm coding, too.
People have shown me pictures.
Pointy birdhorse is grumpy about Fruit Ninjas.
Looks amazing!
Heh, congrats! I've always enjoyed the work of artists who take a more realistic approach, this one is no exception.
Baron Engel rocks :D
Ahhh, that is gorgeous!
Etherea is totally worthy of such an honor. Just look at that face of hers! So much gratitude for the honor, clearly.
oh it's dat guy, I love dat guys stuff.
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I did comment that maybe she's in the process of "coding" a custom spell of some kind. Or her pirate stream of the latest episode of "My Little Hobbit: Second Lunches are Magic" just isn't working right.
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Or ninjas. Ninjas are totally a valid reason to goof off with prototype government magi-tech.
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He's an awesome person too! I've been to a number of art streams, and his was really, really interactive. It's not just the chat stream, he's got a co-host and everything. The stream is divided between talking with the audience or about what he's up to, and the actual drawing shares space with camera's showing our glorious hosts. I'll definitely be hanging out there more often.
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Isn't she? I really don't draw her enough. If I had money I'd ask Baron to do more (and Silfoe, and maybe a couple others I hesitate to mention here...)
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One of the reasons I love his work so much is the effort he puts into everything. Most artists, even those going for more "realism," still put only so much effort into the seemingly extraneous portions of their work. You'll get detailed bodies with cartoon hair, great face-work but the most basic of hooves, etc. All the little details really make a character seem like a being.
'Dat paunch tho...
It's funny, some things are never really considered unless they actually happen. For instance, the facial expression for "heavy concentration whilst preforming large spell" and "fuck this tablet I'm going to beat up a kid" are strikingly similar. Who knew?
Also the lack of any context about what's going on in the pic whatsoever doesn't help. Poor Etherea; people making brash assumptions that she has an attitude problem, like she's some kind of spoiled single child "princess" or something. Terrible, just terrible.
Still gonna color it??
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