Chapter 2: Page 68
Out of the frying pan, and into a pitched battle between the Canid and Ermehn! This is one of those pages where there isn’t much else I can say aside from “how about that awesome battle, huh?” I’d always had an image in my head for how the battle scene might look, and Rachel just kinda ripped it out fully-formed, like Athena from the mind of Zeus!
The thumbnail for this page illustrates once more how occasionally, in service of the action we choose to portray panel-by-panel, sometimes we need new lines from certain characters. In the original script, Quinlan has his “By Tesque” exclamation again — which might work timing-wise if we consider it’s been a month and a half since you saw the page where he said it last. BUT! When you’re reading this in book form or speeding through the archives, seeing the same exclamation twice so quickly would be a bit jarring.
Originally, Dakkan had an exclamation that was something akin to “By the tides,” but Rachel rightly pointed out that having Quin and Dak both have a “By the [insert culture-specific word here]” exclamation might seem a little convenient. Rachel put in Dak’s “Sonuva” as a placeholder in the thumb until we could come up with the current exclamation for him :)
This week, for guest art, it’s a Christmas Holiday Spectacular! Both Veigue and Saraa Luna have been cranking out some amazing Christmas-related artwork that I would be remiss not to show this week. Much as I would love to spread it out over a few weeks, I think it makes sense to show it all on the page that will be visible on Christmas! SO! Here we go — starting first with Veigue’s super-cute piece of Ashtor and Eira:
Kilts and ugly Christmas sweaters could eventually become a thing in the Northern Wastes! After all, ugly as they may be, those sweaters are COMFY! This piece is just incredibly cute — thank you so much for putting it together, Veigue!
Continuing this trend of ugly Christmas sweaters, Saraa Luna created a quartet of Christmas pieces featuring our Sunsgrovian cast that just screams “Somebody who didn’t know me very well bought me this sweater and now I have to wear it to the family gathering because otherwise they might be offended!”
Kenosh pulls off the Christmas sweater thing with his usual “Meh, whatever” approach. Honestly, his sweater isn’t even THAT BAD. It’s when you get to Quinlan that you realize there’s possibly some kind of terrifying market in Terria for oak-leaf-themed sweaters. Janik also manages to avoid donning an ugly sweater in favor of her mistletoe-berry-colored (and accessorized) getup.
As I’m sure we all could surmise, it was destined to be Dakkan who donned the most heinous of ugly Christmas sweaters. His is adorned with (most likely completely functional) Christmas lights. I wouldn’t be surprised if the same hidden battery pack that drives the Christmas lights also makes the stars twinkle and the Christmas tree star glow. Basically, Dakkan is a walking fire hazard here.
Also, Saraa — I appreciate the salmon coffee mug filled with cocoa :)
Have a wonderful Holiday, everyone!
Anyone up for a round of “Where’s Kenosh”? :)
Gotta love Dakkan’s exclamation. How did you come up with something so fun, descriptive, and suited to the world, if you don’t mind my asking? (I’m having lots of trouble making up “colorful language” for my novel…)
Oh, Merry Christmas, by the way! (Or Happy Holidays, whichever you happen to find preferable.)
Too much marvelousness in this week’s page, from the top panel all the way down to the last guest art pic. Kudos to all artists/writers!
And Merry Christmas, one and all!
Oh, Sonuva, the less known lutren deity of single parent moms. I guess Dakkan might be familiar with her?
Merry Christmas and/or happy New Year to everyone!
Kenosh is very familiar with her, too. That’s actually how Dak learned about her years ago, when ol’ dad dropped a mackerel on his big toe. I imagine it went something like:
“Dad, what’s Sonuva?”
“Ahmph, harumph, you see, she’s, er, a very special Lutren lady who cares for single mothers, but we also invoke her name to ward off sudden misfortunes.”
Dak calls on her for help often.
Seconded, happy holidays to all! And ah yes, patron deity of single parent mothers. How could I have forgotten.
I agree, the place-holder was better.
Wasn’t that originally a Canid deity?
No one really knows anymore. Members of all the races are known to call upon her frequently. Even the Polcan are getting in on the action.
Is that a grapnel and climbing rope there next to Dakkan in the second panel? If so it seems to be missing from panel one.
I think you’re right.
Honestly, I feel like whoever bought those Christmas sweaters actually knows the four of them very well. They all seem to match. Even though Quin’s picture is uncolored, I see his sweater as red and white, a callback to his guard captain uniform, which fits perfectly because those are Christmas colors anyway.
Centuries from now, in a hypothetical scenario where Sunsgrove abolishes the Tamian monarchy and takes on another form of government, half-remembered descriptions of the captain’s uniform design will be used as the basis for the legend of Santa Squirrel, who soon becomes popular throughout all of Dunia. Parents tell their children of how he jumps down and back out of chimneys to deliver gifts, hoping his sash doesn’t get caught on the flue lever.
The Vulpin moms and dads have things a little tougher, as their kits immediately ask, “What’s a chimney”?
I wonder who took out that Canid archer behind them.
Also I wonder who’s winning down there, since the Canid were apparently caught by surprise
The Canid archer is likely Bevan’s work.
Yeah, Bevan would be the type to shoot a Canid five times in the chest with his own bow . . .
Ahaha, I didn’t look close enough and was under the misconception that all the arrows were spilling from the Canid’s quiver, not his back; if that really was Bevan, he needs to tone it down. There’s no kill like overkill, buddy.
(The arrows are spilling from his quiver, though)
Ah, okay. No overkill after all.
Well now I feel silly.
Now I have a mental image of Bevan acting like Samwise from that one scene from Return of the King.
Shoots the Canid once–“For the Ermehn!”
Again–“For my tribe!”
Again–“For Sratha!
Again–“For my grandmother!”
Again-“For Apple Pie!”
Looking more closely, the Canid was shot in the back a mere four times.
“They came from behind!”
*gasp* Is that a liddle Ermehn I spot running just below the stairs? Don’t die, little dude! Also, I love the splotches of color via torchlight. Excellent way to portray the stormy night.
Veigue’s picture is as ridiculously adorable as ever, and is it bad that I’d actually wear any of those other sweaters? I’m especially fond of Quin’s. Would totally rock that in cashmere.
The attack begins! And with lovely weather and lighting for it too, at least for us. Don’t see any sign of the Din, Eyebrowsdad Mcgrumpus, or General Clovis yet, but I have a feeling we’ll be seeing them very soon, for better or worse. Until then, we’ll have to keep an eye on Quinlan and Dakkan (whose swear greatly amuses me).
I love how *bleak* the battle looks. No glamorous action scenes here.
Seeing this reminds me of that one battle scene in the Lord of the Rings trilogy…..I’m no expecting Quinlan to slide down some stairs overcoming a huge line of Ermehn while shooting some from his side with his bow.
this battle is big are hero’s will be okay for now i thing? but wait were is Kenosh? and MARRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!
Yay! The long awaited battle has begun, Dakkan has a super great exclamation, a Canid has got all shot up, Oh, and it’s Christmas in 3 days time.
Life is good!!!
Out of the frying-pan, into the fire for Our Heroes.
Dakkan’s oath made me smile. I’m going to have some fun with that one.
And there’s the fighting in the rain! The Helm’s Deep analogy was certainly an appropriate summary of the mood of the piece. (refrains from bitter comments RE: the movie’s version of Helm’s Deep)
I assumed that streak down the wall was a blood trail, but a grapnel makes as much sense.
That effect of the rain bouncing back up again after hitting the cement- the splatter effect, yes that- looks really cool.
Knowing Hardin, this is a distraction. Dakkan, Quinlan, you’re probably safe this early on but still //be careful Quin’s already got his haircut for the year.
And now, the reveal- ’tis the 150th page.
68 (chapter 2) +65 (chapter 1) +14 (prologue) +3 (cover pages) = 150
Congrats to Alex and Rachel for making it this far! This comic is one of the highlights of my week, and it only gets better and better. Thank you both.
You know what’s interesting?
Janik has only been seen in two major scenes–the beginning with Quinlan and then later in the tavern scene. She’s been in maybe 15 comics, tops, and all in the first chapter. Quin, Dak, Kenosh, Clovis, and Hardin have all gotten more screen time than she has in this chapter alone, and if the battle plays out the way I think it will, the rest of the Sratha-Din have a good chance of joining that group. The last we heard of Janik she was leaving on her diplomatic mission to Nessa, and we have no idea as to how even the first leg of that journey went. If you’ll pardon the pun, we still haven’t seen her “Beyond the Western Deep”.
And yet, as Saraa’s and other fan art all throughout chapter 2 have shown, she is still held very closely in the minds of many of us readers. I think part of it is because she’s one of a cast of only three female characters in the comic (but I have faith that that number will grow), but I also think a big part of it has to do with her attitude.
This is certainly the reason I like her so much; I absolutely adore Janik’s attitude. She reminds me of myself: a generally nice, well-spoken person who can sink into the greatest depths of deadpan sarcasm when they feel it is necessary. To be clear, I am a terrible diplomat, but I behave in more or less the same way that she reads to me, and I appreciate that.
So, how do you feel about Janik? Like her? Hate her? Think she’s just “meh”? And why do you feel that way?
Janik intrigues me. While we’ve had some insight into her character, I haven’t built an emotional connection to her like I have with Quinlan and Dakkan. I think this will change when she gets more screentime and I get a chance to see a wider range of emotion from her, and what exactly makes her tick. I’m looking forward to it.
Janik seems like one of those strong-willed, sassy and diplomatic characters I’d get attached to, and I’m already fond of her from what we’ve seen. The fact she’s only one of the only main female leads at the moment does admittedly influence my decision, but I just look forward to seeing the arc of a character who stubbornly refused to be a healer and marched out onto the front lines before her writer could stop her. Characters who choose to pen themselves are always the best.
i think Janik will be in others pages in chapter 2. still i wish to see her in the pages as will.
In honor of the holiday season, I decided to bring a classic Christmas carol into the world of the Western Deep. I hope you enjoy. Imagine the Ermehn singing this in today’s page . . .
“The Most Wonderful Time of the Year to be an Ermehn”
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
There are scouts out there seeking
So warriors sneaking
Have nothing to fear!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
It’s the hap-happiest season of all!
There are Canid for maiming
And land for reclaiming
So Ermehn, stand tall!
It’s the hap-happiest season of all!
There’ll be forts to be taking, swords and staves for shaking,
And dagger fights out in the snow.
There’ll be new battle stories and tales of the glories
Of Ermehn from long, long ago.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
All our soldiers are heeding
While Hardin is leading
Our triumph is near!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
(Instrumental)
There’ll be forts to be taking, swords and staves for shaking,
And dagger fights out in the snow.
There’ll be new battle stories and tales of the glories
Of Ermehn from long, long ago.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
All our soldiers are heeding
While Hardin is leading
Our triumph is near!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
It’s the most wonderful time,
It’s the most wonderful time,
It’s the most wonderful time,
Of the year!
Hear hear! :-D Love it, FM! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Thanks, Alex! I wish you the same, and a happy new year as well!
Merry Christmas!
I’m sure you’ve all raided the BWD store for gifts, but Dust: An Elysian Tail is on sale on Steam again for $5.99. It’s worth every penny, I promise.
Yes! I can attest to its worthiness! :)
I love the small touch with the abandoned torch that hasn’t sparked a fire yet because, of course, the incredibly well-disciplined fortress keeps their training areas clear. :)