*giggles* After an absence from AC...the series of original artwork during cons has returned, well at least a few pieces anyway.

The idea for the pic came from real life...namely that Southern Illinois is often called "Little Egypt," namely for the river references (the Ohio and the Mississippi rivers run in the area as well as the Kaskaskia River), the towns with Mediterranean names (Sparta, Cairo, New Athens, etc.)...and Egyptian-themed names that shows up. The idea cropped up at MFF and I was just giggling because I was thinking of a humorous story...and I had to do a picture (although I didn't remember if the Saluki has ears that go downward as I was going off memory).

If I ever get to making a story behind it, the story would be about an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who, during a ceremony, ended up lost in time going 4000 years into the future and winding up somewhere with alot more green than Egypt. While Cairo wasn't founded till the spread of Islam...the "pharaoh" came upon the town of Cairo, Illinois (in Illinois it's pronounced Kay-ro...like how the Geography Bee winner from 2008 said it when he answered for Cairo, Egypt). Awestruck by how the Mississippi resembled the Nile, he thought that the Nile had made the desert turn into a paradise and tried to claim the town as his dominion. Problem - sovereignty issues for one, the local deer which seems to resist his awe-inspiring presence, parishioners from "Our Lady of Paranoia" who see him as a Pagan creature who needs out...besides other humorous complications. :P And so, the adventure follows the "Pharaoh" and his goals to make Southern Illinois his kingdom, often with many mishaps.

And so, here's a lost Pharaoh. :P

Character and artwork ©  charliekit