very nice, too bad it didn't make the challenge, would've got my vote :)
Yeah i guess i just didnt understand what the glowy thing were. Otherwise this rocks.
It doesn't look like pillow shading. The issue is that the colours on the red one are too far apart. Your shading is very good, this could have won.
I wanted to make the color come out from creaks or glowing runes, but then I rushed and screwed up, I guess.
Looks nice! But i think the shading on the gems(?) looks like pillow shading.
Very solid work. Excellent dithering.