He’ll probably get away with that (she doesn’t have a shield after all) but if that becomes a regular thing, it’s gonna hurt his already meager chances.
That was my first thought, but maybe she’s just pissed at the interruption. “Dammit! This is the third goddamn random encounter today! I’ve used all my dailies! If I have to fight another thrice-damned displacer beast, someone’s getting the bladed yardstick up the ass!”
I interpreted it as he snapped it up so quick that Rachel got stuck inside, just when she was ready to open a can of Holy Whoop-Ass* on these guys…But, well, yeah, he probably is shielding his crush.
Incorrect. Strictly speaking, a “grace” is reserved for actual rulers. The type of ruler does not matter. The following are referred to as “Your Grace”: kings, queens, dukes, duchesses, doges, emperors, empresses, judges, gods, popes, and cardinals. In certain circumstances, a prince (as in Machiavelli) who is the ruler of an independent state could make an argument for “your grace”, but it’d be touch and go. Governors, ambassadors, and plenipotentiaries also receive a “your grace”, but only while at work. This is because, while performing their official duties, they count as the king/queen and speak with his/her voice. Hence, Blackboard Monitor Vimes received a “your grace” for two reasons – he’s a duk, and an ambassador.
Non-ruling) princes and princesses receive a “your highness”. If they are the children of kings/queens/emperors/empresses, they are called “your royal highness” as this distinguishes them from the children of mere dukes, doges, and so on.
Your majesty refers to kings, queens, emperors, and empresses.
Your holiness refers to popes (and possibly gods, but there is limited precedent for that).
Sir and Dame refer to knighthoods.
Lord and Lady are blanket terms for nobility other than squires.
Mister, strictly speaking, only applies to squires (also signified by esq. after their name) and surgeons (they decided they didn’t want to be “Dr” – YMMV depending on country for this one).
Doctor refers to anyone with high degrees, whether that be medical or otherwise.
Barons and Baronets have no special title and are simple covered by Lord/Ladyship. Please note: a Baronet is not a female Baron, but instead a rank slightly lower down the hierarchy. Counts and Viscounts (pronounced Vie-Count) are at a similar level to Barons, though the exact relation depends on individual circumstances. They are also referred to as Lord/Ladyship.
Therefore, either the elf, in his shock, got the title wrong, or Syr’nj got promoted in absentia.
Very very nice rundown on that Centurian
BUT
They’re elves. They don’t necessarily use the exact same titular structure as humans. It’s possible they might refer to the Princess as “your Grace” in yet another slightly-off-the-expected detail. It’s not like the GA guys haven’t done this before.
Although I do very much wonder about this as well. Any “promotion” would require the death (or other absence) of her parents…
As for that, standard fantasy convention says, just as all space people are American, so are all fantasy races from somewhere in the british isles. Elves are pretty much always English nobility.
Or it could be a hint that the king has died, and the elven kingdom is currently being run by a temporary military junta, perhaps some members of which might be less than happy the heir has returned.
A person or persons invested with absolute power to rule, negotiate, and generally act on your behalf. While they are fulfilling their job functions, they have every bit of power and authority you have. Until you show up, at which point it (in theory) reverts to you.
Or, because you foolishly called them a grand vizier, they kill you and take your throne.
Excellency is typically used for substitute kings/queens/emperors/empresses. So, ambassadors, plenpotentiaries, regents, and so on could be addressed as “Excellency”. It’s more a function thing than a person thing. However, it does not exclude the use of “Grace” from any of the above.
That may be true NOW, but the use of “Your Grace” for any high-level ruling noble is well established in the Middle Ages (Earth, Northern Europe). The summary by Centurioncode was bang on.
I concur with several posters however, that the use of the form of address in this case implies an advancement in rank.
Of course, in the old days it was common for Princes (and why not princesses) to be both Crown Principates and Doochess of X…
So, Syrnj could be Syr, Princess of the House of Nj, Duchess of Grov’sal’ot. Or something.
From what i’ve read, “Grace” for royal children was once standard, with “Highness” becoming more common starting about 400 years. Elves being longer lived, perhaps they haven’t had time for that development yet.
Keep in mind that Byron, being a real person fully immersed in a virtual world, is basically Neo. Arrows being a negligible fraction of the speed of bullets, he dodges them with ease.
Em, no, I don’t think that’s been established.
In “the Matrix” all the sheeple were hooked up like that, and with no such neolike whoa-ness, so it’s not even a trope.
Honestly I get a similar feel from syr’s pots as from mccoy’s syringes in that star trek movie reboot. Quick, McCoy x Syr’nj crossover fanart go! Byron as Kirk! Gravedust as Spock! Bandit as Scotty! HHHHNNNGGG
how did a spiked mace to the face not just kill him? The angle it looks like it hit him, it looks like he would have gotten one right between the eyes.
Anyway, at that angle, it looks like some kind of wierd back-hand strike, and (if you look at the forty-five degree angle it’s being held at) is not coming at anything like full power. It’s more of a helping hand to knock him out. And maces are not typically that sharp, so his eyes are probably going to be fine.
If you look carefully, his other arm is outstretched, and is presumably carrying the other axe. As for the shoulder axes, he was probably goign for the subtle approach this time. And they’d be a pain to get under a cloak.
Very nice, there’s blood present for Scipio’s injury that he’s trying to cover with one hand while shielding himself from more arrows. Clearly that hurts a LOT, since he’s bothering to put pressure to it.
Friggs shield bounced the arrow while Scip’s shield did not. Sign of magic armor bonus or is her old armor just that good? (or did Scip draw the lucky lot of getting the only two archer’s backing armor piercing heads while hunting? [or I guess they could be pulling MUCH stronger bows?])
There is something both beautiful and savage about that first panel. Will it be available as a print with and without dialog?
Seconded.
Thirded. This is one I’d save my pennies for, for sure. Damn good job John!
Thank you, Hawk. Thank you all.
Hm! It may be a little time before we’re ready to make a new round of prints, but this can definitely be one of them.
In the meantime, if you guys help us clear out some of the existing stock, it’ll grease the wheels on that a little more.
At the very least, you better believe I’m wallpapering this one.
DAMN that’s an awesome first panel.
That’s a This-Whole-Week-Is-Going-To-Be-Good first panel.
That’s right guys, you almost killed the heir to the thrown.
To the thrown what?
I’m more concerned about thrown where, personally.
They’re both important questions, but thrown when is perhaps even more important.
And of course, why would she wanted to be thrown is another story altogether. (And how!)
What it boils down to is, someone’s been quite a tosser about all this. But now we’ve gone and said grace, so they still get supper.
Well, thank the Lord for that!
This whole thread just threw me for a loop @.@
(P.S. I love you all, internet strangers with a penchant for puns)
More like “Your FACE”
Note to self: at some point in the coming week, when in the midst of a very serious conversation, remember to pause and say, “Wait…was that a gnome?”
Terrible lawn dwellers…
…selling bad trips to England.
…watchin’ yur sexxors on ‘th lawn…
Yeah, and just what is in that damned wheelbarrow?
Their stash, of course.
Which is exactly what they would not give for a Holocaust cloak.
Even when on fire.
The elf’s face seems to be in excellent condition all things considered.
Different elf. Check the hair colors.
By Cog, Frigg smacked him so hard his hair changed color!
Maybe it’s his alt. :P
That’s the thing about uniforms, it makes people look quite similar.
E-Merl kept Rachel inside his bubble-shield. Interesting.
He’ll probably get away with that (she doesn’t have a shield after all) but if that becomes a regular thing, it’s gonna hurt his already meager chances.
She looks pissed at being in there. I’d expect her to question him about it later.
Either that or she’s yelling out “SHOW YOURSELVES” or something like it.
agreed, she looks very, very mad, curious to see how this turns out
That was my first thought, but maybe she’s just pissed at the interruption. “Dammit! This is the third goddamn random encounter today! I’ve used all my dailies! If I have to fight another thrice-damned displacer beast, someone’s getting the bladed yardstick up the ass!”
I interpreted it as he snapped it up so quick that Rachel got stuck inside, just when she was ready to open a can of Holy Whoop-Ass* on these guys…But, well, yeah, he probably is shielding his crush.
*Holy is a new flavor
I noticed that myself. Wonder how that will play out. Very interesting.
I fear he may hear some things that are entirely true…
I wonder if she also carries a potion of Jazz…
Those are for Monks.
Change the vowel there, Gary….
Don’t do it, it’s a trap! Jozz just sounds silly!
Jozz also tends to kill off fan-favorite characters to increase the drama.
Wait. Syr’Nj is a Princess, and she’s being addressed by this dude as “Your Grace”?
Someone is asking for some “special time” in the etiquette dungeon.
The only difference between a Princess and a Duke’s daughter is how many potions of Zzz you need. :D
Incorrect. Strictly speaking, a “grace” is reserved for actual rulers. The type of ruler does not matter. The following are referred to as “Your Grace”: kings, queens, dukes, duchesses, doges, emperors, empresses, judges, gods, popes, and cardinals. In certain circumstances, a prince (as in Machiavelli) who is the ruler of an independent state could make an argument for “your grace”, but it’d be touch and go. Governors, ambassadors, and plenipotentiaries also receive a “your grace”, but only while at work. This is because, while performing their official duties, they count as the king/queen and speak with his/her voice. Hence, Blackboard Monitor Vimes received a “your grace” for two reasons – he’s a duk, and an ambassador.
Non-ruling) princes and princesses receive a “your highness”. If they are the children of kings/queens/emperors/empresses, they are called “your royal highness” as this distinguishes them from the children of mere dukes, doges, and so on.
Your majesty refers to kings, queens, emperors, and empresses.
Your holiness refers to popes (and possibly gods, but there is limited precedent for that).
Sir and Dame refer to knighthoods.
Lord and Lady are blanket terms for nobility other than squires.
Mister, strictly speaking, only applies to squires (also signified by esq. after their name) and surgeons (they decided they didn’t want to be “Dr” – YMMV depending on country for this one).
Doctor refers to anyone with high degrees, whether that be medical or otherwise.
Barons and Baronets have no special title and are simple covered by Lord/Ladyship. Please note: a Baronet is not a female Baron, but instead a rank slightly lower down the hierarchy. Counts and Viscounts (pronounced Vie-Count) are at a similar level to Barons, though the exact relation depends on individual circumstances. They are also referred to as Lord/Ladyship.
Therefore, either the elf, in his shock, got the title wrong, or Syr’nj got promoted in absentia.
I just got educated.
<3 the GA-Comment-Section.
Very very nice rundown on that Centurian
BUT
They’re elves. They don’t necessarily use the exact same titular structure as humans. It’s possible they might refer to the Princess as “your Grace” in yet another slightly-off-the-expected detail. It’s not like the GA guys haven’t done this before.
Although I do very much wonder about this as well. Any “promotion” would require the death (or other absence) of her parents…
As for that, standard fantasy convention says, just as all space people are American, so are all fantasy races from somewhere in the british isles. Elves are pretty much always English nobility.
But, yeah, no guarantees. Just convention.
Or it could be a hint that the king has died, and the elven kingdom is currently being run by a temporary military junta, perhaps some members of which might be less than happy the heir has returned.
Like I said, promotion.
SEconded!
Pardon me, I meant seconded to “I just got educated <3 GA comments section."
Plentipolaries?
A person or persons invested with absolute power to rule, negotiate, and generally act on your behalf. While they are fulfilling their job functions, they have every bit of power and authority you have. Until you show up, at which point it (in theory) reverts to you.
Or, because you foolishly called them a grand vizier, they kill you and take your throne.
That’s interesting, but not based in reality.
A prince or princess is referred to as “Your Highness”.
“Your Grace” is reserved for British dukes and duchesses, and bishops and archbishops.
(There are a couple of very minor exceptions to these, which do not apply in this comic’s scenario.)
For a list of styles and who gets them, this is a good place to start. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Style_(manner_of_address)
It’s how the Hapsburgs (or Habsburgs) and the Bourbons did it, and they ruled most of Europe for a very long time, so I’ll go with them.
Enlighten me; how does this Gracery line up with the form of address “Your Excellency”? Competing parallels or subset/superset or what?
Excellency is typically used for substitute kings/queens/emperors/empresses. So, ambassadors, plenpotentiaries, regents, and so on could be addressed as “Excellency”. It’s more a function thing than a person thing. However, it does not exclude the use of “Grace” from any of the above.
Thor —
That may be true NOW, but the use of “Your Grace” for any high-level ruling noble is well established in the Middle Ages (Earth, Northern Europe). The summary by Centurioncode was bang on.
I concur with several posters however, that the use of the form of address in this case implies an advancement in rank.
Of course, in the old days it was common for Princes (and why not princesses) to be both Crown Principates and Doochess of X…
So, Syrnj could be Syr, Princess of the House of Nj, Duchess of Grov’sal’ot. Or something.
Well, we know Syr’Nj has an excellent rig in the basement of the guildhall.
Henceforce, let Gr’zl be nicknamed Zizz-faced.
From what i’ve read, “Grace” for royal children was once standard, with “Highness” becoming more common starting about 400 years. Elves being longer lived, perhaps they haven’t had time for that development yet.
True, but 400 years is long enough for traditions to alter. Currently, “highness” is the appropriate term for children of rulers.
Also: so much for the much vaunted woodelf archery skill. They should have at least hit Byron.
Keep in mind that Byron, being a real person fully immersed in a virtual world, is basically Neo. Arrows being a negligible fraction of the speed of bullets, he dodges them with ease.
They arent aiming at Byron, everybody knows you kill the wizard first ;p
Em, no, I don’t think that’s been established.
In “the Matrix” all the sheeple were hooked up like that, and with no such neolike whoa-ness, so it’s not even a trope.
Is E-Merl an elf, or half-elf, half-human ?
He’s a half-alt. You can really see it when he puts his Best foot forward.
I thought Bandit was Best’s alt?
I thought that troll kid was Best’s Alt? The little drummer boy?
I am Best’s alt.
And so is your wife?
I think I saw Best in the beta of Torchlight 2.
E-Merl, like Best, is half human and half elf, and would be considered a Shit Elf by many.
I wonder how Scip’ will react to having one hear mown off by an arrow, when he get to the elvish soldiers …
Alas, poor Gr’Zl, for this is the king of bad days. Nearly feathering your princess, slipped a roofie and then maced.
Honestly I get a similar feel from syr’s pots as from mccoy’s syringes in that star trek movie reboot. Quick, McCoy x Syr’nj crossover fanart go! Byron as Kirk! Gravedust as Spock! Bandit as Scotty! HHHHNNNGGG
[X] Green-skinned
[ ] space
[YMMV] babe
Nothing says grace like a mace to the face.
Well if he wasn’t asleep before he’ll be waking up with one hell of a hangover… Frigg style!!!
“No, I’m Syr’nj. Oh, wait, wrong spelling. Too much time on the Net. Sorry.”
Scip looks to be on the verge of losing his composure. Could it be that he has an Achilles’ Ear?
I want to see either indentations or really awesome bruises on zzz-elf’s face next time. Continuity is essential for good story telling…
Mace to the Face
….
wow that rhymes
I think he got the POINT.
how did a spiked mace to the face not just kill him? The angle it looks like it hit him, it looks like he would have gotten one right between the eyes.
One, it’s a game. Two, zzz-elf is not the same elf as the guy who’s speaking in the last panel. For all we know, “WHUD” did, in fact, kill him.
Anyway, at that angle, it looks like some kind of wierd back-hand strike, and (if you look at the forty-five degree angle it’s being held at) is not coming at anything like full power. It’s more of a helping hand to knock him out. And maces are not typically that sharp, so his eyes are probably going to be fine.
Anybody? Why does Byron only have one axe and why isn’t he wearing his shoulder do hickeys?
If you look carefully, his other arm is outstretched, and is presumably carrying the other axe. As for the shoulder axes, he was probably goign for the subtle approach this time. And they’d be a pain to get under a cloak.
Stab them through the cloak, then re-sow around the “hilt”. You won’t be removing the cloak anytime soon, but you’ll get +10 to your badassitude.
Very nice, there’s blood present for Scipio’s injury that he’s trying to cover with one hand while shielding himself from more arrows. Clearly that hurts a LOT, since he’s bothering to put pressure to it.
Friggs shield bounced the arrow while Scip’s shield did not. Sign of magic armor bonus or is her old armor just that good? (or did Scip draw the lucky lot of getting the only two archer’s backing armor piercing heads while hunting? [or I guess they could be pulling MUCH stronger bows?])