Annotated 46-18
Flo and I had occasionally discussed what Iver thought about the reports that Gravedust was alive, which must have reached his ears eventually. Auraugu discovered at least one of the five was alive and kicking as early as Chapter 13. Harky knew the group was back by Chapter 18, and Gravedust was visibly fighting rebels there. Even if he didn’t engage other dwarves directly in that one, somebody probably would’ve mentioned “the archer dwarf on the elves’ side” afterward. And lots of the World’s Rebellion would’ve seen Gravedust fighting the Corruptor Beast in Chapter 35, including some dwarves who surely recognized him.
Some of Iver’s reaction here is political theater. He has a lot less trouble believing the mystics are hypocrites than he says he does: he’s just trying to trap Gravedust into admitting that hypocrisy in public. Gravedust continues to show his political adroitness: he not only sidesteps that trap, he uses the current moment to bolster his challenge to Iver.
FB: “Reaching behind my back like this is just how I express my skepticism about your prowess! It’s kind of like interlacing my fingers behind my head and sitting back in my chair. But I don’t have a chair, so I’m doing this instead.”
The others were dead, but I assumed that Gravedust using the runestone to send himself to the spirit realm avoided his own death. Shut down the body until the poison was gone (and he was dug up).
Ah. The foolishness in too much confidence in your own dirty tricks.
Similar to Iver’s words on the previous page, I wonder why Gravedust doesn’t mention the fact that, contrary to Iver’s story, the Mystics did not leave the Savasi, but Iver had them all killed. And that the reason Iver believed Gravedust to be dead was that he himself had betrayed and tried to kill him.
Should calling out that detail not make Iver look a lot less trustworthy in the eyes of pretty much anyone around? And would allowing that lie to live any longer not make Gravedust’s job of convincing the other Savasi to follow him a little harder?
That turns into his word against Iver’s, which would probably split the tribe. But winning the challenge gets them all united behind Gravedust.
Why would it be his word against Iver’s? Iver himself just says that Gravedust should be dead, but how would he know, unless he’s been involved in some way? Officially, Gravedust has walked away from the Savasi before the Rebellion began and not been seen since.
Of course, Iver would try to deny the allegation, but his first reaction is likely to give away the truth, and so does his demeanor until now.
Although Iver never admitted to being the one who killed Gravedust himself, there was no room for doubt that Gravedust was dead after a couple of goblins dumped his corpse into this very arena, moments before Harky began battling Gravedust’s allies. Since Harky had announced it was open season on any Gastonian envoys, Iver could easily claim that Gravedust had been killed under those orders.
Everyone in that stadium is like, “Oooh, nice: Two fights for the price of one!”
Surprised ya didn’t use a pic of Iroh.
Whoops! Wrong page. Durn…