Annotated 17-7
Let’s ignore Fr’Nj’s geyser of hormones in the last panel, hard as that is to do, and focus on the complexity of her relationship with her sister. She is so happy to see Syr’Nj again, and yet… dammit, Syr’Nj, why do you always have to bring up politics at Thanksgiving?
An earlier outline made Fr’Nj more stereotypically “the nice one” and gave Fr’Nj’s argumentative lines here to a second, grumpy druid named Astr’x with unreciprocated designs on Fr’Nj. He added little, in the end, that a more well-rounded Fr’Nj couldn’t do as well herself, and Timmi was the only conversational partner she needed. The parallels between the ‘Nj sisters’ love lives would soon be strong enough as it was: we didn’t need to give Fr’Nj a Gr’Zl of her own, too.
(Also, while all the goofy wood-elf names owe a little something to the comics series Asterix, calling one of them “Astr’x” would be extra confusing if he didn’t resemble Asterix, and he wouldn’t. Asterix is a warrior who’s pals with a druid, not a druid himself, and he’s generally pretty easygoing. Maybe Astr’x was meant to be like an asterisk that leads to elaborations on Fr’Nj’s simple statements? Or maybe the image of an asterisk was a metaphor for his prickliness, since an asterisk looks kind of like a cockle-burr? Coulda been both, I guess, but ugh.)
I read that line in John DiMaggio’s voice…
I re-read the entire PAGE in John DiMaggio’s voice(s)!
It was definitely a different take.
Suddenly hearing “LEEEEEET’S GO ALREADY…” has an entirely different context.
A druid, named Astr’x, designed to be a grumpy foil?
That would have been Gauling.
Hormones make everything funnier.
“Big, strong hands that could crush me like a twig” is a strange thing to say in the same breath as “homina”. What paraphilia are you hiding, Fr?
I feel her, honestly.
The point is they could, but they don’t (except maybe they do just a little bit), but they could, yet they wont (because you are their delicate flower), but they could… That vibe is 90% of why (TM)Big Strong Man is still a thing.
Yeah, I fell hard for that one, once. The result is about to turn 40.
Turns out the short, plain one was a better person. though (no reflection on Skippy intended).
Angry? Nah, their father is going to be “burning’s too good for them” once he finds out that not one, but TWO of his daughter have fallen in love for humans.
She’s got fleshy-fever.
She’s
in
love.
I love the leaf overlay on the page.
Astr’x: The elf who always says what everyone’s thinking but is too polite to mention and can’t help but point out all the hidden flaws in every plan.