Ah, Ardaic. His was the only design I believe we lifted directly from World of Warcraft, as a tribute to a player friend of Phil’s who ran with the Sentinels group. His moral arc took a long time for us to develop or even recognize: at this point he’s simply there to let Phil do a friend a solid. But that “duty to country above all else” vibe was there from the start.

You can still see the original Ardaic’s character sheet here, though it’s probably changed by now from the source material Erica once used to design him.

Erica tweak I: Phil suggested a bit more pomp and circumstance around these barracks: Gastonian flags flying, stabled horses– though these were suggestions, not essentials. Erica kept the outdoors simple but added wallpaper and hunting trophies indoors, making this feel more like Ardaic’s own property, which would suit a later retcon.

Erica tweak II: Phil had Bandit picking the locks of her manacles while she was listening to the conversation. This is probably an improvement: if she’s hearing something of interest and confident she can escape any time, it makes more sense to wait.

Erica tweak III: Phil had all the panels wide here. No question: keeping the first shot of Ardaic squarish is a MUCH better choice.