The Art of Cigarettes and Fireflies

[Roen]

I've always wanted to share with people here all the art that have been created for the characters in the story thread Cigarettes and Fireflies.

 

So I will post them here as I obtain the permission from the various artists to repost them! They are all lovely and some of them from specific points in the story. I can't wait to share them all! Also the respective artists and where to find them will be posted under each piece. I invite others (I am looking at you Anchor/Ruen and Ghoa) to post any art if you'd like too since I know you have some really great ones! You are totally welcomed to do so!

 

It was just after nightfall, when the tall blades of grass swayed and rippled like the sea across the plains of the Azim Steppe. At first, when the lights appeared all around her, she thought that the moon itself had dusted the fields. But when she blinked her tears away, she saw the countless fireflies rising up from the waves of the meadows and quickly her sniffles gave way to a sigh of wonder.

 

The first commission: Nabi Amongst the Fireflies

 

Artist: Sangrde @ https://www.deviantart.com/sangrde

 

Edited January 16, 2019 by Roen

[chaoticsleepy]

Did somebody say... character art?   Here's just a couple of my pieces of Ghoa!

 

 

(Commissioned from FeliceMelancholie.)

 

 

 

(Traded by Hutarin.)

 

 

(Giveaway prize from sunhiskies on tumblr.)

 

 

(Commissioned from Snarksonomy on tumblr.)

 

Last one under a spoiler tag because it's semi-nsfw for pin-up / underwear. (But nothing actually explicit, pretty much just some collarbone and tummy and a lil' thigh showing.)

 

Spoiler

(Commissioned from Harpbeats on Tumblr.)

Edited December 5, 2018 by Jaliqai
wonky formatting

[Roen]

 

“He isn’t a hero. He killed so many people today. 

…But he still saved me.”

 

Commission: Anchor Saltborn

 

By ADPong

 

This commission was inspired by this scene.

Edited January 16, 2019 by Roen

[Sentry]

Going to add sketch of Elam Grave here, done by Ruen/Anchor.

 

I love it.

 

[chaoticsleepy]

 

Quote

It began slowly. Languid, sweeping gestures combined with steady, graceful steps. As her hands moved, so did the water follow, stretching to long streams and then curling back in on itself into a roughly shaped ball. It seemed almost a living, breathing being of its own as it followed wherever the gentle pull of her aether guided it, but remained ever under the dancer’s control…   [ – EXCERPT FROM “DANCE” – ]
 

 

I recently got back an amazing commission piece from the super talented EQUN0X on tumblr, inspired by the drabble above, and I'm just... floored. It's been days and I still find myself pulling it up and just looking at all the tiny little details in starry-eyed awe. @__@

[Roen]

 

Nabi watched the sparks disappear toward the heavens, a sense of serenity finding her in that moment. A belief that things would be alright, somehow, in the end. She could have sworn she spied a smile on Anchor’s face too. [Except from this scene]

 

Commission: Nabi and Anchor at the Shogatsu Festival

 

By Yutaan!

Edited January 16, 2019 by Roen

[Roen]

 

"Once we laid on a grassy hill, and just listened to the sounds around us, with our eyes closed."

 

 

Nabi Kharlu by Ruen!

 

You can check out more of Ruen's art here!

Edited March 15, 2019 by Roen

[Roen]

 

"You got ones like you. That go sniffin', and diggin', and explorin' them darker corners. And then you got the one's that were bred there. You ain't see the true piss of this world. Its people. You's hardly even had a taste. You saw a peek in from the muddy window."  [Excerpt from this post]

 

Commission: The Underground

 

by Shinjyu

 

I commissioned this piece after the completion of the Underground arc! It included the major players in that took part and I am happy how it turned out! From left to right: Anchor Saltborn, Nabi Kharlu, Tserende Valqirelle, Shael Stormchild, Ghoa Mankhad, and the shadowy silhouette represents Elam Grave (alas!).

Edited February 26, 2019 by Roen

[Shael]

There is a portrait of Shael drawn by Ruen. She's so well captured here. I love her expression. And of course after this pic, I forever see her with a crazy voluminous (read: gorGEOUS) ponytail.

 

[chaoticsleepy]

Another Ghoa piece -- this time done by yours truly! I'm just a lazy occasional hobby artist that literally gets the drawing itch maybe once a year, but I'm pretty proud of this simple little portrait!

 

EDIT :  Swapped it out for the improved, much less lazy version I did!

 

 

Edited January 26, 2019 by Jaliqai

[Roen]

 

"I was wrong, you know,” Nabi had confessed to Anchor in that shed, whispering what truths came to her mind, when she thought he was drifting away. “I thought I wanted one thing from all this. Your freedom. That if somehow I helped you get free, that it would all be worth it.

“I was wrong. I want more. I want… to watch the cherry blossoms rain upon your head. And... I want to hear you say my name. I want us to watch the fireworks again. I want to show you the fireflies taking to the air just as the daylight sinks into the sea.” She was imploring him to stay. With her. “I want so much more."

 

 

Commission: A Wish of Cherry Blossoms

by lovely BunBunDango!

[Roen]

 

“Why did you save me?”

 

Because, I couldn’t save her.

 

 

Nabi and Anchor by Ruen!

 

You can check out more of Ruen's art here!

 

This one has a special place in my heart, because it was the very first art that was drawn of these two together, and a total surprise sprung upon me by Anchor's player. I love LOVE Anchor's look here. This is pretty much how I see him in my head. And it has been the reference I've used when approaching other artists to draw him since. I guess you can say that this piece started my entire run of collecting all sorts of art pieces for the characters in this story! It made me fall in love with these two instantly.

[Roen]

The Bath by Ruen

 

It is hidden in the spoiler section for small bit of nudity. It was a very touching scene, all about trust and nothing sexual. Nabi and Anchor were still trapped beneath the mountain, and this was the night before the final battle. Some glimpse of the scene can be found here.

Spoiler

 

"I think... I need you."

 

You can check out more of Ruen's art here!

 

Edited January 25, 2019 by Roen

[Roen]

 

In what seemed like seconds and a lifetime, her hand reached out for his, within her palm a glowing mote of life. There was no way to deny this gift. He felt his hand reaching for it as if it beckoned every fiber of his being. He felt that pull inside him--the same will that had his heart pulsing and lungs working--to take this beautiful offering. And he did.

Their fingers touched, and in that moment the light flashed brightly. And he felt her, for just a moment, embracing him.

 

Commission: The Gift

 

By Mizunoir

Edited February 26, 2019 by Roen

[Roen]

 

“The land has a heart of its own. With an energy that flows through all the things of the earth. You can hear that heartbeat if you close your eyes and listen. Really listen. And upon your time of need, it can beat with your own.”

 

Commission: Nabi Kharlu

 

By: ADPong!

Edited February 26, 2019 by Roen

[Roen]

 

“We’ve had a strange start, she and I. While I know she doesn’t trust me with everything, I trust her… with all things.”

 

Commission: Shael Stormchild

 

By Squaffle! 

[Roen]

 

 

“We will call this place our home
The dirt in which our roots may grow
Though the storms will push and pull
We will call this place our home.” 

 

- North by Sleeping at Last

 

Commission: Home

 

By BunBunDango!

 

Commissioned by Anchor's player. I can't say enough about how much I LOVE. THIS. PIECE. (Also I titled it "Home" but between us we usually just call it North because that Sleeping at Last song is so SO PERFECT in context of the RP that inspired this)

 

[Roen]

 

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. "

 

― Rob Siltanen

 

Commission: The Misfits

 

By: 7teal7

 

I wanted to commission a portrait of Nabi and her friends! I thought this came out fantastic.

 

Individual portraits below! While I love the line up, I really like the details in each close up.

 

 

Ghoa Mankhad: The Seducer

 

 

Anchor Saltborn: The Confederate

 

 

Nabi Kharlu: The Healer

 

 

Akhutai Khatayin: The Grump

 

 

Shael Stormchild: The Smuggler

 

 

 

[Roen]

 

Commission: Standoff

 

“I know they don’t like each other, but they trust each other when it counts. And I think eventually, a friendship can bloom from that.”

 

By Drist

[Roen]

 

Stolen Kiss by Ruen

 

You can check out more Ruen art here!

[Roen]

 

I had this line art commissioned for Batuhan Kharlu and Arasen Kharlu! I love the stoic expression on Batuhan and the sly smile on Arasen. Very apt for those two. And i love the details of their horns, the unique scales upon their face, and the necklace of bones that Arasen wears. 

 

The artist cane be found here!

Edited October 28, 2019 by Roen