figjam | Royal Makakis

Makakis! For Assili and Lynnlita respectively :D Neither of them yet have names, though I suspect Lynnlita's the type to name hers after a story character, and calling it Sharalynn (main character of Griffin's Gift,, in which Yamin has special interest) or Rutherford (dragon man in Dragon Boy) would be a good conversation starter for her.

So the Assiraz's makaki on the left is Assili's, though whether it's HERS or just the one they nicked from the inn stables to leg it from Assiraz idk. Prior to said escape, Assili's only ever left the palace on one occasion so I'm not sure she has her own makaki to ride? So it's more likely to be the one they nicked. Anyway. Assiraz's makakis, bred by the first empress of Kazin who united the empire, are always snowy white except for their gorgeous swishy tail, which can be anywhere between black and white. Unlike the destriers of the army, the colour of an Assiraz's makaki's tail isn't any indication of status and is purely preference. Some like the uniform snowy white all over, some like the contrast with a black tail, some like to match their makaki's tail to their own hair colour, most care more about the animal's temprament than the colour of its tail.

Similarly with the Llayan makakis, colours of the stripes aren't a status symbol. The light part is always white, but the dark stripes can be between black and mousey brown, almost blonde. Lynnlita's matches her hair because she's shallow and vain :D

Very pleased with how they've come out! I love how every time I draw these things I start going 'but how does it do?' and at some point it stops looking like a horse or a camel and suddenly it's a makaki. I usually use a camel for reference, used a horse for the Assiraz's makaki because, funnily enough, camels aren't really capable of being elegant. Llayan makaki I used a racing camel in Abu Dhabi for reference, and those poor creatures look very malnourished :< I gave it a lot more meat to be a makaki. Half the reason I made these things is so they don't break their ankles if they so much as look at a pothole. They're sturdy beasts. And then Assiraz went and bred her own, brittle makaki and threw that out the window but the locals all laugh at how useless they are so it's okay.

Royal Makakis

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