Song of the Eastern Sands: Page 12
Theo really likes his tea. Also, Asha’s mom is a Felis! There’s a good story to this, and it’s much more interesting than Theo’s love of tea — which is why I’m going to talk about the tea first. Theo’s love for tea is partly personal inspiration, because I also really like tea (and coffee, but also tea). When I took a trip to Ireland many years ago, I was taught how to make a proper cup of Irish Breakfast by a very loud, honestly awesome Irishman whose name I never quite got. He was very specific that I place the bag in the water and not touch it in any way for three minutes.
“Three minutes?” I asked.
“Well, it can either be three minutes or 180 seconds. Your choice.”
After the three minutes (or 180 seconds — my choice) the bag was removed, a dollop of milk added (not cream — and a “dollop” is apparently scientific measurement in the UK), and a teaspoon of sugar added and stirred. Because I was using a bag, the milk went in after the tea was steeped, but apparently whether you put the milk in first or second is a big freaking deal in the British Isles. I’m pretty sure that’s what the War of the Roses was all about.
ANYWAY.
Asha’s adoptive mother is a Felis! Her parents made the dangerous crossing from the Northern Wastes before Asha was even born, and the journey took a deadly toll on the both of them. This kindhearted Felis saved the newborn Asha from her terrible fate, and raised her as her own daughter. The tavern makes a good hideout for Asha and her friends, as it’s located in the slums of Nessa and in a rather inconspicuous location to boot!
This week, for guest art, two pieces! First, a piece from Jakub that features a continuation of the Cain and Yurk story we all remember taking place before this chapter. Yes, a true resolution is finally found, and yes, it involves some of that Tamian wine:
Truth be told, drinking too much of that Tamian wine would make anybody see anything.
Cain and Yurk have some wonderful eccentricities about them that I absolutely love — their love of parkour is obviously thanks to Jerome’s own appreciation of the form, and their tendency to fist-bump is a bit anachronistic, but it’s stuff like that that makes them special. Thank you, Jakub, for bringing these two back in another of your amazingly wonderful behind-the-scenes episodes :)
Our second piece this week is, coincidentally, done by Jerome! My birthday was last week, and Jerome decided to put together a fun little gift picture for me!
That is me, yes, walking through the markets of Nessa. I’ve carelessly placed my wallet in a location easily accessible by thieving claws, and Beck has shown up to teach me a lesson in personal finance management.
Yes, I’m being robbed blind by my own creation. The irony is not lost on me!
“Trouble!”
“I like tea!”
“I swear . . .”
I’m laughing so hard about that right now. And Alex is right, a good cup of tea is a fine treat.
Sooo . . . Asha is Tabby’s adopted daughter, but no mention of Rook or Beck . . . this is another one of those things that I just need to wait for more information on. Still, it’s interesting.
Now I wonder if Tabby is the one who gave her the name “Asha”. If that happens to be a Felis name, I’m sure that is something that requires frequent explanation. Unlikely, but an interesting thought.
Good work on both pieces of guest art this week, and an interesting commentary tale; what more could I ask for? Time to wait for next week’s page and browse the later comments.
So… If Tabby’s Asha’s adoptive mother, then Theo must be the father figure. But what about Beck and Rook? Also adopted and grew up together? or just really close friends to a point where they treat each other like siblings?
I always love the back stories you tell.
Being adopted in this world is like……the most adorable thing ever. Like the rest of us, I’m wondering if Mrs. Asha’s mom is also Mrs. Rook and Beck’s adoptive parent as well and with Theo possibly being the Adoptive Dad or the Slum Drunk Uncle.
And Thanks Jakub for delving into Cain and Yurk Deleted Scenes that I’m certain the writers didnt wanted us to see!
.. no seriously….I take that Dunians crack down over the over-consumption of Tamian liquor and constantly needs to spread awareness through PSAs.
The lighting in all of these pages is so wonderful and warm, even with the cooler colors in the first panel. And excellent comic, Jakub, it gave me a good laugh xD
^^
Jakub comic is excellent, he really got Yurk’s smug/mischievous face right!
I imagine that the “milk in first or second” argument is hopefully sidestepped altogether in Dunia where there are no cows to provide it and the other species capable of lactating are sentient.
…then again there’s always soy milk.
PS:
Alex, you may wish to avoid intimating in the discription that
(The Republic of) Ireland is part of the UK. That’s a can of furiously wiggling political worms you don’t ever want opened in the comments of your fantasy animal adventure comic. “British Isles” is fine.
I know the commenters here now would never make trouble but you must account for the future when BtWD is a massivly popular trans-media franchise.
Yes, in the year 2020, people will go to this very page in search of the origins of the Western Deep franchise, read each potentially controversial phrasing, and make an overly exaggerated ruckus about it.
Your Irish friend was right about the tea. Another argument is wether to squeeze the teabag or not. Personally i think squeezing is a hanging offence..! A dollop is between a skoosh (or a squirt) and loads, a very specific amount in these fair lands.
Also, yay, a Felis! :D I know we saw her last week but i only felt the need to comment when tea got involved.
Hahaha loving the commentry on the method of tea. I’ve heard about the specificity… x)
Love the panel! Tabby is a beautiful character!
Also, seeing Yurk and Cain again was a real treat! xD
Rereading this strip, I find that I’m a little confused about the order of the lines in the first panel. Do I read top-down or left-right?
It’s left-right. I usually try to follow left-right AND top-down convention as you should, but the way the final image was composed made it extremely difficult to do both while “feeling” right (I dislike long speech bubble tails). I will likely revisit this because it bothers me, too.
(side note: I’m still handling the text due to the crazy micromanagement that has to be done to ensure everything’s kerned nicely, in this font. Which is why I’m answering. :D)
So it seems Theo is the ringleader, or at least Asha’s mom seems to think so. This also looks like a regular point of contention between the two. Which raises an interesting question: how much does she know about the quartet’s activities?
…Thinking about it, I suppose there isn’t any creamer in the world of Dunia considering that everyone sentient is a mammal. I love the way Felismum’s expression changes when they return, and the way the light reflects off the counter on the first page.
You sure Beck’s stealing your wallet? I thought that was your phone…
But then, what would Beck know to do with a phone?
Cell reception in Nessa is also notoriously terrible.