Zmey Cherovnik

"I don't buy it," she said. "If you zmeys are so old and smart and strong, why don't you run the world?"
Malynth looked up from his monocle, scaly lips stretching over his fangs. "Chovechentse, what makes you think we don't?"
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Zmeys are shape-shifting reptilian predators from Bulgarian mythology, known for their dangerous nature and their fondness for attractive young humans. You may remember the poem I translated on the subject: [link]
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This one is for Kalin Nenov, who beta-read The World's Other Side. He's also the Creative Director of the Human Library ([link]), which translates Bulgarian sci-fi, fantasy, and "human-evolving literature" into English. Here's to you and your work, Kaline!
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I am actually very pleased with how this turned out. SAI has an "ink brush" function that I used to make the outline, and a rougher, bristly brush I used for the shadows. The snake skin pattern and the orignal photo of a guy in a top-hat come from das Interweben.
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Done while listening to: Making Money, BBC's Alexander, the Making of the Fittest.