Chapter 1: Page 60
So, last week I said Hardin didn’t mean this tribe any harm – but I quickly followed that up with the qualifier “at this junction.” His target for the newly-expanded Sratha-din begins to come into focus: Deltrada Garrison. What exactly he means to achieve and how he means to achieve it are still open questions, but it should be clear to all that Hardin is willing to sacrifice anything to do it.
A few weeks ago, I was asked about children in Ermehn culture and how they factor into the proceedings. As you can see in the last panel here, there isn’t really a divide between “child” and “adult” in Ermehn culture the way we see it in modern times. Because life for the Ermehn is so tough, if you can handle an axe, regardless of age, you’re going to be chopping firewood. If you can work a plow, you’re going to be digging at the soil. And if you can swing a sword, you’re going into battle.
In medieval Europe, the rules were a lot different than they are today. Because most people didn’t live past their 50’s, people had to grow up and handle lots of responsibility very quickly. Children as young as 7 could be hanged for crimes, serve on juries at 12, and (in the case of Prince Edward during the Battle of Crécy) lead battalions into open warfare at 16. Many races in the world of “Beyond the Western Deep” share this view – particularly in the harsh Northern Wastes.
*sigh* Yes. Of course. To be fair, you’re desperate. So I’ll let that slide.
But Hardin, I hope you know that plan is best left for the short-term. Unless you fancy having traitors or deserters among your ranks.
Ah. So, how many are there going to be when you go after Deltrada?
Ah, love it. So brutal and…pragmatic. This has been a great peek into Hardin’s motivations and goals. His principles (most likely) vary greatly from Quinlan’s, with the whole idea of expendable warriors, but his background makes it completely believable and – dare I say – almost justifiable. He understands the reality of his situation.
He prooobably doesn’t need all that many warriors. I’m guessing he has some sort of plan for using them as a distraction while, perhaps, he goes after the head of the snake at Deltrada, as it were? I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see. Either way, if they manage to take it (which I feel like they will), his side’s casualties will likely just make the surviving warriors more fanatically devoted to him. “Yes,” they’ll say, “we may have lost nine tenths of our tribe, but Hardin’s plan worked and there’s hope for our race after all.” Reminds me a bit of Dune and Muad’Dib and the Fremen.
Also, love that we can see the hooded one’s face in this one, and the conflicted expression of the one behind him (completely spacing on their names at the moment). She doesn’t look to be completely behind Hardin’s plan.
Well, tronn and I called it on one of the previous pages. Hardin is looking for some sacrificial lambs to use in his plot (aka ruthless calculus; “I’ll-let-all-of-you-die-if-it-means-saving-everyone-else”)
The last panel is incredibly grim and striking just by having the Ermehn cub up front. We all know while he may get some stabbing in, he’s going to be dead by the time he meets an actual adult Canid. The tribe is desperate, but expendable indeed, and judging by the looks on all their faces, they’re aware of it.
But when you’ve hit rock bottom, where can you go?
At any rate, I applaud the fact that you and Rachel actually went there with using the Ermehn young as soldiers; it adds another level to showing just how desperate they are, and how merciless Ermehn life is. Kudos.
From a layout design point of view it’s a really nice touch that the word balloon ‘expendable’ hovers just next to the child, that’s good foreshadowing. Also, I get the feeling that when Hardin mentions that one of his Sratha-din isn’t any good for battle, he isn’t talking about old Ashtor but the one I’ve dubbed Worried Healer Girl in my mind.
Anyhow, we totally nailed this development, high-fives all around!
I still personally think he’s talking about Ashtor, since an elder wouldn’t be as efficient in a fight and they’ll lose a whole generation of older knowledge if Ashtor dies, but I do wonder what Worried Healer Girl’s role is. She doesn’t seem as pleased as everyone else to be following Hardin.
Virtual high fives for all, indeed!
If they weren’t under pressure at the moment, I assume Hardin would either punish them or let them wander out into the northern wastes by themselves. If they were balking before a fight, he would probably kill them.
Pretty much. Just without the snazzy uniforms and propaganda. Which the former is a little bit of a pity; the Ermehn would be warmer and look good in uniforms (though they would probably cut the coats and shirts up to better display their tattoos or something, which would ruin a bit of the effect.)
Hmm, you’re right. I could fish for something potentially horrific to talk about, but Hardin won this week. Perhaps this weekend we can find something; Hardin and his questionable morals can’t have the spotlight all the time.
I haven’t been on Skype much lately, but I’m going to be on later. My own stories about fuzzy animals doing ethically questionable things and killing each other have been recently occupying me.
Great job with this part. The morality conflict is beautiful here. No war/drama/adventure is ever good without one. I actually want to like Hardin, but his scheme of expendable warriors just makes it harder (even though it’s more practical). Also, it seems as if the final (unknown) member of his troupe has something to say. I have been intrigued by her since the page where the tribe’s guardian died, so I can’t wait for her to finally reveal herself.
Just one minor correction to point out. Hardin had blood stains on his face in previous pages but here, they’re absent.
Mmm… Sometimes the expendable warriors are the ones that survive and out beat everyone. Sometimes the weak and small find their way up to the top.
But these are vermin, we’re gonna see some dead kids here soon.
Oi, mizz Tealeaf be ‘eres az well! :D
None of the races should really be considered “vermin,” though certainly the Canid would paint the Ermehn in that light. ;)
Can I just say that this is one of the few comics I’ve read that have, in just 10 or so pages, made me feel more uncomfortable than watching “Children of Men.”
This is a good thing. The sheer reality of the cruelty is painful.
One thing I must ask-how big are the characters? Are they the same size as their real life everyday animal counterparts or about the same size as the average human?
The characters are roughly the same size relative to their world as we humans are to ours, yes.
Oh yeah, this is going dark places. Sad truth about war though, it can’t be won with only a small band, you need the decoy, the masses, the armies. If I was not engrossed before, I am now!
I like how Alex mentioned the adult roles some young people used to play. Adolescence is a rather recent idea. 300+ years ago (and in much of the world today) there was/is no concept of the adolescent. One was either a child, or an adult, and “adult” often started from 12 to 16 depending on the culture. There was no in-between twilight realm (pun intended). Many medieval fantasy stories ignore this and portray teens and youth culture as an homage of what we see now as if it was an ever present phenomenon, but it was not. Thumbs up Alex for keeping it real!
A couple interesting young people are:
The secretary of the first ambassador to the Empire of Russia from the United States was 14 year old John Quincy Adams. He served that role for three years.
General Lafayette of the continental army was 19 (and married) when he started his service.
Was every single Ermehn expelled when the Canid occupied Aisling?
The Canid certainly did their best! I don’t discount the possibility that there’s at least one Ermehn hiding somewhere in Aisling, but it wouldn’t be advisable. Those who haven’t joined with the majority of their people in the Wastes are generally better off as refugees elsewhere.
What Rachel said! Additionally, though, there are also Ermehn that have been enslaved by the Canid as free labor. While it’s technically against Canid decree for an Ermehn to be present anywhere in Aisling, the Canid elite tend to look the other way when it comes to using Ermehn slaves instead of omega-caste Canid. This isn’t a widely-practiced thing, however – it’s actually extremely rare to see any Ermehn anywhere in Aisling.
Thank you for the info. I was just curious as to how much support Hardin could expect from within the homeland. The answer, it seems, is not very much.
“Gotta catch some sweet waves, dude. Drown some Canid, get a few kids killed… y’know what I’m sayin’?”
What happened to the blood on Hardin?
Darnit, was hoping to switch in the fixed page before anyone noticed. X)
(if you don’t see blood on Hardin, refresh the page)
Ehh, if you hadn’t said anything I’d just have assumed that he cleaned himself up already with a handful of snow or something. It must be a major pain to get dried blood off your fur anyway.
And we come to another big tear jerker in the comic… A lot of us had hoped to get a closer look at the Ermehn cub watching the duel, but maybe not by having it become clear that he’s unlikely to survive whatever plan Hardin has in store for his tribe. The image of the poor kid standing there with someone pushing a sword into his paw, an uncertain and kinda frightened look on his face while Hardin’s “expendable warriors” comment hovers above him… You two certainly know how to tug at the heartstrings… :(
This says a lot about Hardin’s character, which I’ll have more to say about next time.
Quaver Ava: It seems you too fell into the habit of referring to the Ermehn as “vermin”. Just goes to show what the Redwallian influences on the comic will do to you ;)