secret project! 👀 second character - Stripes (Patreon)

second character of four! The striped hyena's natural range extends through the Middle East and into the Indian subcontinent, so I took inspiration for this character's outfit from historical (and contemporary) clothing and jewelry across those regions, specifically as depicted in medieval Indian artwork from the Deccan Plateau and some fashion plates I found of ladies' dress in 19th century Ottoman Turkey.

I imagine this character as a tailor/dressmaker with a particular fondness for silks and other high-end fabrics. She's elegant and fussy, in stark contrast to the generally-held stereotype in her world of gnolls as coarse, brutish creatures. She doesn't even bare her fangs at difficult customers! Well, hardly ever.

I don't think I'm going to officially name these characters, but personally, I've been thinking of this lady as Aisha.