Annotated 28-26
This, of course, is the chapter’s least surprising development. We originally had a little more to this scene, with Auraugu sitting down and continuing to irritate some of his teammates while starting to win others over. It could’ve been fun, but I was starting to chafe at the pacing. The Penk-Harky stuff we were putting off was a lot more interesting.
There was a lot of discussion about who in the team was meant to be an opposite number for which Peacemaker. Like, was Auraugu the anti-Frigg, a brawler with some anachronistic features who sang his own praises? Or did his showmanship make him an anti-Best? Or did his speed and stealth make him an opposite to Bandit, whom he’d already fought twice?
We never really thought about the Champions in that way, though. We gave them a few traits that opposed our heroes’ traits, like berserk fighting and scientific proficiency, but mixed and matched them pretty freely. Making these villains just extensions of our heroes by way of a dark mirror probably would’ve gotten in the way of appreciating the Rebels as their own people, and the fact that they are their own individuals is kind of the point.
I appreciate this scene’s confirmation that HAMMERHEAD is not sitting in front of the door to the tent.
Rather, HAMMERHEAD merely observed the failure of the tent to have a door where he wished to enter and manufactured one.
With what little exposure to wrestling I have, I just want to appreciate the fact that Auraugu makes a *fantastic* wrestling personality. Big and bombastic, check. Talks like he’s cutting a promo? Check. He’s charismatic, but in a way that simply clashes with the conventions of the fantasy setting he’s in, and the ‘mark of dishonor’ bit for losing his mask (from the last page he was on) is on point for wrestling luchador honor.
Out of curiosity, did either you or Phil watch wrestling, T?
Oh, Phil did! Auraugu’s original concept was based on a specific wrestler, whom I think we mentioned earlier in the archives (can’t call the name to mind right now, but Mexican, I believe).
Auraugu is very well designed as the most annoying character of the whole cast.
All the self improvement of a monk, without any of the humbleness usually associated with a monk.
I had no idea anyone found him annoying. I think he’s hilarious, and his ebullient self-confidence is one of his most endearing traits. It makes a big difference that a) he’s not a blowhard (i.e. he really *is* as good as he says he is); b) he’s not arrogant like Best (i.e. he doesn’t treat other people as if they’re beneath him); and c) he’s not self-serving like Best (i.e. he uses his skills in service of a cause, not his own gain).
How can they not know who he is? This guy’s a loud charismatic baller that hangs with Harkey and his Harkey Jr Bard all the time.
And got them the Magic Elf Stick too. That by itself should bring some renown.
They just don’t care. This pow wow between champions actually shows how fragile the rebellion’s alliance really is, a dwarf, goblin, avian or land shark isn’t going to care about some gnoll, even if he is the most well known gnoll of the lands… Also kinda takes the piss out of Auraugu being the most over the top champion in contrast to the others.
reminds me of Patric Steward’s interview on the filming of Dune, when he met Sting.
„oh, you make music in a police band“
The mask that Auraugu retrieved from the tree at the beginning of this chapter was still the original design (notably without the ear covers, but also with a lot of subtler small differences). Has he spent most of this chapter altering that mask? (If so, he works remarkably fast.) Or is this a completely different mask that he has been making over a longer period of time, and just happened to start using now?
It’s a new mask, for a new job. Not just Champion of the Fuzzy Peoples, but Gnoll Champion of the World’s Rebellion.