Chapter 3: Page 73
Oh my gosh! IT’S WAR!
Segue: have I ever mentioned how much fun I have writing fake news stories? I wrote for a fun little puzzle game called DarkNet several years ago, and the whole crux of that project was that you played a computer hacker who was digging into giant corporations and revealing their secrets to the public–and every once in a while you’d be able to surf the web in the game to see news stories that followed up on the results of your actions. Some of them were blogs, some were big New York Times-esque headlines, and so on. So I got to write a bunch of news stories in a variety of styles and voices, and it was a TON of fun.
ANYWAY.
Traveling on the road for as long as they did certainly can result in some delayed news. It’s a good thing Janik’s father was ahead of the curve on this one, otherwise no amount of QTEs would have been able to save Janik and Mitra from their possible fate.
Of course, now that everyone knows there’s a problem, that doesn’t necessarily stop it from being a problem. Still, at least we can assume our heroes won’t be walking up to canid soldiers and following them into deathtraps anymore!
To give a brief update on Kickstarter-related stuff, it seems as though all pledges have been locked in and are in the process of being approved and transferred–though we likely won’t get that money for another week or so. Until then, we’re laying the groundwork for a little something called BACKERKIT.
BackerKit is a handy little service that allows us to continue taking orders for items from the campaign (if you missed it) as well as allowing current pledgers to add on new items to their pledges. For example, if you ordered a standard edition hardcover bundle and want an extra set of pins, you can tack them on (no pun intended). Want an extra print? Go ahead and add one on!
We’re still in the process of setting all that up, but if you want the latest updates on it, including an update that lets you know the moment it goes live, you can keep tabs on the Kickstarter page right here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2036424072/beyond-the-western-deep-volume-one
See you next week!
A killer of a page … even if no one actually gets killed for a change … and well worth the wait. Love Beck and Rook’s expressions throughout, and looking forward to MUCH more interaction between this new quartet.
Hmm kinda expected something like that after Clovis saying that Tosch doesn’t care much about Sunsgrove right after they came to Deltrada. Also Tosch asking Quinland “what Sunsgrove has done” implying that he was blaming them. So it looks like he thought about that before and assassination of his brother is perfect opportunity to declare war.
Great page anyway :)
You can thank Kenosh for pushing that too.
Yes, from logical point of view Canid did what most nations would do after but since Kenosh is (and probably Hardin is/will be) protagonist I expect the story to go like this:
It would seem like Kenosh/Hardin started the war, but later we will find that Canid planned domination in Four Kingdoms anyway after dealing with ermehns (or just generally speaking), so actually what Kenosh/Hardin did will turn out to be a good move at the end interrupting their plans a bit.
The heck do they need the rest of the kingdoms for? Outstretched across the continent with territory Aisling does not need or want, it’s illogical. They’ve been fine for generations with what they have.
As for the war, all I get from Tosch right now is, as you said, a logical response to the attack. That being said, we don’t know who’s behind the conspiracy. You could perhaps bet your money on Tosch but in the end we’re not sure yet.
I assume that basing on:
1. History: they attacked ermehns before because they wanted they land. How about more land?
2. They allied themselves with Sunsgrove only because they were losing. Sunsgrove is not needed for them because they are holding most military power in 4 kingdoms. So that incident is good excuse to attack them because officialy it is Sunsgrove who betrayed canids so other races might hesitate to interfere in this conflict.
3. Canids are based on Romans, they were pretty much expanding a lot in antiquity.
4. I actually expected that it won’t be official war declaration in comic, but since it is then it kinda gives me feeling that it was planned at some point anyway or they were at least prepared for that eventually.
Those are just my basic points, story says that it could be next global conflict so there is probably much more to it so I am aware of that.
But those are just my 3 cents and how I expect that to go atm ;]
P.S. Sorry for me english, its not perfect (yet).
1- They attacked them because they lived the the wastes. Who wouldn’t want to get out of there. Though waging war to simply to get out of there was probably not the best option in the long run, as we see now.
2- That’s true, the Canid citizens will see that, they will cry for war. Who is going to convince an entire population of a kingdom that it’s based on a lie? Who is the liar? Right now they’re justified to wage war.
3- It’s not like they’re going to be exactly like them simply because they have something like Hadrian’s wall.
4- Someone has definitely planned something.
Besides, the timing of the message arriving by crow to Nessa and the Canid assassination attempt do not match. The message came after. Which gives your points validation that someone has been up to no good to cause war, but who? The entirety of Aisling did not wake up one morning and decide ‘let’s wage war now’. Not like the Romans, who decided that waging war was a basis for an emperor’s popularity (the whole reason for the invasion of the British isles).
There’s nothing wrong with your english, don’t worry about it.
In reply to Ravandel, in case we run out of space.
1. They didn’t hesitate to lie/attack other race because they wanted land. They might always want more land since now they are military power.
3. I know that they are not exactly the same, but it is a possibility seeing their other actions.
As for timing of the message its not clear if Janik seeing Raven was before or after assassination attempt. For me it seems like this:
– Janik sees crow with message
– assassination attempt
– Janik enters Nessa
Song of eastern sands might be happening at the same time when Janik was travelling and Quinlan/Dakkan held prisoners. I might be wrong, because I didn’t read all lore but trying to do learn more about it still.
But I must admit that as much as I think its unlikely I would really like plot twist with someone other sending that canid assassins just to heat up conflict.
Perhaps for the canid back then yes, I’ll give you that, but we don’t carry the sins of the father.
Yeah, could be in that order. It would have to be one from Aisling though, and we don’t know how long the crow had been traveling for. Many questions, time will tell.
I agree, which is why I keep wondering: who is pulling the strings?
I like how the time on this page is around 3:20 am.
Wait… if that is the punchline to this page, what is the twist of the next one? – this will be great.
You people are awesome!
I know i’m a bit late but I need to say that I love this page, Rook and Beck’s expressions are amazing, and the writing is great as always.
By the way, i’m planning on sending another fanart for you guys.
What is the gesture Rook is doing while Beck introduces him? Is that a Polcan formality?
I love how enthusiastic Beck is even after she just killed someone
Yes, I’d realized when I went back and counted that Beck only gets three face shots on this page compared to Rook’s five … but Beck packs enough into her trio of portraits to more than hold her own!
Also its nice detail about look of Rook on 2nd panel, kinda like he is feeling sorry for that dead guy.
Could be … or maybe he’s looking at the one he conked on the head, making sure he stays out cold. Rook may be against killing in general, but I think he also possesses a very strong sense of What Needs to Be Done.