The Bishop of Black
Welcome!THE BISHOP OF BLACK is our first novel, and a work-in-progress that we are stoked to share with you.Our project is heavily inspired by manga and light novels, and it's this style that we've attempted to emulate here by including beautiful full-colour illustrations, and releasing the work in individual volumes available right now on ko-fi.As this is a work-in-progress, we appreciate your support, and your feedback. Enjoy the ride, and thanks for dropping by!Want the latest chapters? Sneak peeks on upcoming art? Check us out on Patreon and be sure to give us a follow on our socials.
Two Kingdoms, An Endless Struggle
The Bishop of Black is a queer dark fantasy set in a haunted realm encased by a mysterious, sorcerous barrier. When a tragedy rekindles an ancient blood feud, Femi, the court medic, must search for answers, treading the knife-edge of wartime politics, and her fraught relationship with Irastenys, the Bishop of Black.
The Kingdom of Black
Located high in mountainous terrain, the Kingdom of Black values personal relationships, loyalty to the King, and a direct approach to conflict. The Kingdom boasts seers and crones, jaguar warriors and ghosts that roam almost freely.Their leadership is accessible, and often determined by public opinion--the current King, Kalmin, won his throne by marching up the mountain in rebellion against the previous ruler. His Court is hand-chosen, many of them involved in the very battles which gave him his throne.
The Kingdom of White
Benefiting from easy access to the coast, the Kingdom of White boasts rigid traditions and social classes. The Kingdom boats sunny shores, heavily enforced laws concerning necromancy, and meticulously recorded family histories. Here, resonating crystals are cultivated for use in powerful magic.The current King, Cynevor, was raised into the position, his powers cultivated over generations. He wed his Queen, Setsulin, in defiance of their families, defended by the White Knight, Kelradest, who has served the kingdom for centuries. His Court is appointed through traditional, familial alliances and the occasional cunning political maneuvering.
Canterville & Canterville
That's us! Alexander and Harrowben! We are Canterville & Canterville, a husband and husband team that's been telling stories together since the days of dial-up. It's our dearest dream to make a living doing our favorite thing in the world--writing!THE BISHOP OF BLACK is our first major project, with more to come. We specialize in queer speculative fiction, whether it's fantasy, space opera, or horror, and with your support, we'll keep sharing those stories until we can't anymore.To learn about our other projects, check out our main page.
Support Us!
We wrote our first draft of Book One, complete with illustrations for each chapter, with a little bit of Patreon support and a dream.To fund our final draft and the second book in the duology, we’ve opened up shop! With a digital omnibus edition coming soon (and maybe even epubs), it’s never been a better time to get into The Bishop of Black!Still not sold? With every volume we sell, my beloved husband and I get closer to getting gay married in the eyes of the law and being together at last in these dark and troubled times. Help out a couple of BIPOC queer and trans creatives and get a fun and fruity story for your trouble!Really digging us? Check out the first chapters of our revised draft right here or check out our other socials below.
The King of Black
"By the end of these games, perhaps there won't be sides. What a world that will be. I'll have to find something to do with myself! But, if you are right... We are always ready, aren't we?"
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The Queen of Black
"Keep boasting. It’ll be even more embarrassing for you, then, when things don’t go like you think."
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DetailsStar Sign: Taurus
Height: 5'10"
Gender: Cisgender woman
Romantic Affiliations: Kalmin
The Bishop of Black
"It is of value to me to know what my King makes of his adversaries. You are right, after all. Already we have slighted the Queen. We must be prepared for the end of this reprieve."
This evil wet cat is about to cause so many problems. Like so many. He's too gay to function and there is something very very wrong with him. Don't fuck him!! Haha... Unless...
DetailsStar Sign: Aquarius
Height: 6'3"
Gender: Transgender man
Romantic Affiliations: Femi, Shifra, Bazaya-Addi
The Second Bishop of Black
"Breathe. We've done it. Just one more day, and we've done it."
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DetailsStar Sign: Libra
Height: 5'9"
Gender: Cisgender man
Romantic Affiliations: Femi, Irastenys
The Rook of Black
"You know, back home, they’d just applaud and yell at me to lay you well. The capital pisses me off sometimes."
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Height: 5'5"
Gender: Cisgender woman
Romantic Affiliations: Femi
The Second Rook of Black
"My days of being… popular, are by and large behind me, I think. Let the garlands go to those who are more inclined to such things."
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Height: 6'6"
Gender: Fluid, currently identifying masculine
Romantic Affiliations: Tajorinen, Simonery (adjacently)
The Knight of Black
"There is something wrong. Not just with you, within the court."
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Height: 6'7"
Gender: Cisgender man
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Ashtoryan, Simonery
The Second Knight of Black
"Mistake."
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Height: 7'0"
Gender: Agender
Romantic Affiliations: None
The Healer
"Shouldn’t I be known not only as the most highly ranked medical Pawn but also the beloved companion of both Bishops of Black? Doesn’t that seem appropriate?"
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Height: 5'4"
Gender: Transgender woman
Romantic Affiliations: Irastenys, Shifra
The Spy
"Everything in moderation."
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Height: 5'8"
Gender: Cisgender man
Romantic Affiliations: Tajorinen, Ashtoryan (adjacently)
The Seer
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Height: 6'1"
Gender: Agender
Romantic Affiliations: None
The King of Old
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Height: 6'6"
Gender: Cisgender man
Romantic Affiliations: Irastenys
The King of White
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The Queen of White
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The Bishop of White
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The Second Bishop of White
"Eyes down, mouth shut, don't forget."
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The Rook of White
"You can do anything you like with someone like me."
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The Knight of White
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The Second Knight of White
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The Aide
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The Archer
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