Guilded Age

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Annotations Every Day - Written by T Campbell & Flo Kahn - Illustrated by John & Jason Waltrip

I'm sorry it had to be this way.

Chapter 8 – Page 24

on January 19, 2011
Chapter: Chapter 08
└ Tags: Byron, Syr'Nj
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Discussion (181) ¬

    • The Webcomic Overlook #148: Guilded Age « The Webcomic Overlook
      January 21, 2011, 3:18 pm | #
  1. RJ
    RJ
    January 19, 2011, 12:01 am | # | Reply

    dman what was in those?

    • Anonymous
      Anonymous
      January 19, 2011, 4:17 am | # | Reply

      SCIENCE!

      • Stephen
        Stephen
        January 19, 2011, 5:03 am | # | Reply

        She blinded him with … oh nevermind!

        • Harrowed
          Harrowed
          January 19, 2011, 6:06 am | # | Reply

          Sc-Sci-Science!

          • Locke
            Locke
            January 19, 2011, 12:18 pm | # | Reply

            C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER!

            • Baldur
              Baldur
              January 20, 2011, 2:23 pm | # | Reply

              NEW CONTESTANT!

              • Brent Felzien
                Brent Felzien
                January 20, 2011, 6:43 pm | # | Reply

                NAPALITY!

        • SotiCoto
          SotiCoto
          June 26, 2013, 3:59 am | # | Reply

          No. She knocked him out. His eyesight was not independently targeted.

      • Nate
        Nate
        January 19, 2011, 7:38 am | # | Reply

        And maybe some Poison Arrow Frog secretions.

  2. Pikey
    Pikey
    January 19, 2011, 12:02 am | # | Reply

    “It was beauty killed the beast.”

    • Locke
      Locke
      January 19, 2011, 1:49 am | # | Reply

      Well, unless you’re talking about the one with Jack Black, where he really hams it up. In that case, the line is, ” ‘Twas beauty killed beast.”

      And trust me, that ” ’twas” makes a good difference.

  3. Alice Macher
    Alice Macher
    January 19, 2011, 12:02 am | # | Reply

    That’s some fast-acting sedative there, Syr’nj.

    • Sun-stone
      Sun-stone
      January 19, 2011, 12:08 am | # | Reply

      I think the gaping hole in his torso is finally catching up with him, too.

    • Locke
      Locke
      January 19, 2011, 1:49 am | # | Reply

      Like I said on an earlier strip, that has to be enough tranqs to drop a small elephant.

      • smaller
        smaller
        January 19, 2011, 4:57 pm | # | Reply

        Or poison. She might have figured his rage-heightened metabolism would shrug off even a quadruple dose of tranqs.

        He’s probably dead.

    • Brandon Richard
      Brandon Richard
      January 19, 2011, 11:32 pm | # | Reply

      BAM! Fast actin’ Tinactin!

    • SwordofJustice
      SwordofJustice
      January 20, 2011, 7:04 pm | # | Reply

      And that’s the power of Pine Sol baby.

  4. Moe Lane
    Moe Lane
    January 19, 2011, 12:04 am | # | Reply

    (pause)

    Well, that combat could have done better. Who’s got the char-gen rules?

  5. swordsister
    swordsister
    January 19, 2011, 12:04 am | # | Reply

    what happened to frigg?

    • Alma
      Alma
      January 19, 2011, 12:08 am | # | Reply

      Her armor was dented in, compressing her ribcage and making it hard for her to breathe. Hard to kick ass without air in your lungs.

      • swordsister
        swordsister
        January 19, 2011, 12:51 am | # | Reply

        no, i mean in the pevious page she was about to get sliced and diced. Did Syr draw the attention on herself before Byron landed the blow or what?

        • vred13v
          vred13v
          January 19, 2011, 2:38 am | # | Reply

          i think the authors want to keep us in suspense in regards to Frigg’s fate, just like we haven’t seen Bandit’s fate yet either

          • herpderp101
            herpderp101
            January 19, 2011, 4:00 am | # | Reply

            just remember kids! two axes through the collarbones will only minorly hinder you if you have the right potions!

            • Tupimus
              Tupimus
              January 19, 2011, 9:29 am | # | Reply

              Well, Bandit about had half of her torso severed from her spine… so she’s in no condition to even use those potions herself.

        • dfacto
          dfacto
          January 19, 2011, 3:45 am | # | Reply

          Not sure. Feels like there’s a panel missing to be honest.

        • flevine
          flevine
          January 19, 2011, 6:18 am | # | Reply

          My assumption is that Syr’nj distracted him by calling out.

  6. Alma
    Alma
    January 19, 2011, 12:06 am | # | Reply

    IRL sedatives are very hard to administer correctly, and unless you’re very careful tend to either have very little effect or outright kill the person. (This is why anesthesiologists need to go to medical school and make a lot of money) However, this is fictionland, and Syrn’j is awesome, so that’s probably not a problem.

    Also, does Byron purposely wear red to make it less obvious when he’s injured? Because I forgot he was until the last panel there.

    • bwernard
      bwernard
      January 19, 2011, 12:14 am | # | Reply

      I say that was 3 doses elephant sedative, 1 dose general-purpose intravenous healing potion. After all, as potentially deadly conditions go, what are 4 needle pricks and some badly applied anesthetics when you have a gaping spear hole on your chest?

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      January 19, 2011, 3:46 am | # | Reply

      tranquiliser guns ezist though.

      • Solna
        Solna
        January 19, 2011, 10:11 pm | # | Reply

        for use on animals.

        they’re loaded light too. many times it takes multiple darts to do the job, especially on high-mass animals.

        and they STILL kill the occasional animal.

        • Hawk
          Hawk
          January 19, 2011, 11:25 pm | # | Reply

          If you’ve ever watched vet shows, ever notice how they prop the critter’s mouth open when they’ve got them sedated? That’s the danger with tranks; high mass animals (and berserkers!) need a lot of trank to drop them, but that much sedative can stop their heart or make them stop breathing.

          In Byron’s case……….

          Eh, percentiles. 50/50 chance of survival.

    • herpderp101
      herpderp101
      January 19, 2011, 4:01 am | # | Reply

      i’m sure he also forgot it was there…

  7. BarGamer
    BarGamer
    January 19, 2011, 12:07 am | # | Reply

    Talk about using excessive four-ce.

    • Locke
      Locke
      January 19, 2011, 1:58 am | # | Reply

      Bar, I sure do appreciate your attempts to inject some humor into this bleak situation.

      • Scott
        Scott
        January 19, 2011, 4:03 am | # | Reply

        I think you guys are missing the point.

        • Coyote
          Coyote
          January 19, 2011, 5:13 am | # | Reply

          Quit needling them

          • Twigs
            Twigs
            January 19, 2011, 2:20 pm | # | Reply

            That pun needs a shot in the arm.

            • Gizmo III
              Gizmo III
              January 19, 2011, 4:08 pm | # | Reply

              I dont know. I thought it was pretty sharp.

              • Lynxx
                Lynxx
                January 19, 2011, 4:15 pm | # | Reply

                i dunno, i thought it was kind of tired.

                • AMRIV
                  AMRIV
                  January 19, 2011, 4:26 pm | # | Reply

                  You might think I’m a prick, but I actually like all these needle-es puns.

                  • Locke
                    Locke
                    January 19, 2011, 7:49 pm | # | Reply

                    I know, right? I hate it when people get too Syr-ious.

                    • Jean-Luc
                      Jean-Luc
                      January 19, 2011, 8:35 pm | #

                      In any case it was nice to see Byron dart forth like that.

                    • Hawk
                      Hawk
                      January 19, 2011, 11:26 pm | #

                      I-ma get stabby on you guys

                    • AMRIV
                      AMRIV
                      January 20, 2011, 1:46 am | #

                      Then we might need Syr’Nj to administer an IV to you as well.

                    • centuriancode
                      centuriancode
                      January 20, 2011, 5:25 am | #

                      And when you’re down we can through salt into the IV wound.

                    • Hawk
                      Hawk
                      January 20, 2011, 8:50 am | #

                      Amusingly, this string of replies now resembles an ampule.

                      So I guess we made our point.

                    • G@T0R
                      G@T0R
                      January 20, 2011, 9:54 am | #

                      The pen-icillin is mightier than the sword? maybe…

                    • Jean-Luc
                      Jean-Luc
                      January 20, 2011, 10:26 am | #

                      I thought I’d inject some life into this discussion.

                    • Larry
                      Larry
                      January 20, 2011, 2:33 pm | #

                      This thread is about to fall flat on its face.

  8. Loyal
    Loyal
    January 19, 2011, 12:09 am | # | Reply

    With everyone combat-capable out of commission… what happens now?

    • dfacto
      dfacto
      January 19, 2011, 3:47 am | # | Reply

      Well, either Byron comes back to life after a brief nappy-time and lays into the trolls, or things will have to get mighty silly for the party to have a reasonable chance at escape. I WOULD like to see pornstache come in on a Gastonian airship and bombard the trolls with cannon though.

      • barsukthom
        barsukthom
        January 19, 2011, 9:46 am | # | Reply

        They do have ‘just cause’ for such an action, as the feelthy wargs did violate the sanctity of a parley.

      • Locke
        Locke
        January 19, 2011, 7:52 pm | # | Reply

        Colonel Pornstache to the rescue would be epic win. On an airship with mounted moose artillery.

    • flevine
      flevine
      January 19, 2011, 6:33 am | # | Reply

      I don’t think “fight more (and win)” and “(everyone) escape(s)” are the only options as such. Did Bandit unlock the doors and simply require help pushing them open? Will Frigg and Syr’nj have to make an agonizing decision to leave possibly injured/possibly dead friends behind in order to escape with their own lives? What’s going on in the stands–is everyone fleeing from “berserker rabies”…or awestruck? “But my Chieftain, we don’t…”what?

      I’m only ticked because soon I expect a chapter title page instead of a strip. :-D

    • smaller
      smaller
      January 19, 2011, 5:02 pm | # | Reply

      Maybe Syrinj is hailed as a mighty warrior for slaying “the demon”, and the savage races switch their allegiance to her rather than Harki the Weak and Yellow.

  9. Angry-buddha-88
    Angry-buddha-88
    January 19, 2011, 12:11 am | # | Reply

    Oh damn, that alt text is awful sullen. That can’t be good.

    • Drea
      Drea
      January 19, 2011, 4:15 am | # | Reply

      I’m HOPING that’s just what Syr is saying (or thinking) to Byron as she drugs him up…

  10. SaltyKracka
    SaltyKracka
    January 19, 2011, 12:12 am | # | Reply

    Syr should just sell that stuff as the world’s best anesthesia and get it over with

  11. Axekickerbuckler
    Axekickerbuckler
    January 19, 2011, 12:13 am | # | Reply

    Well… with Harki obviously getting owned by that guy, it has shown that he’s not as an invincible leader as his followers thought he was. Remember when that minion questioned him? And he looked to be the timidest of the bunch…

    We could hope for a full on civil war. I am… Mostly, if not all, hoping for making a run with a living Gravedust and bandit.

    • swordsister
      swordsister
      January 19, 2011, 12:52 am | # | Reply

      why does this remind me of the cultist foreseeing him leading armies?

  12. swordsister
    swordsister
    January 19, 2011, 12:14 am | # | Reply

    ok, i’m so out of any ideas that i cannot even speculate.

    • RJ
      RJ
      January 19, 2011, 12:28 am | # | Reply

      well i’m ready for the horde to start taking orders form Syr’nj ;)

      • swordsister
        swordsister
        January 19, 2011, 12:10 pm | # | Reply

        my mind… is..blown.

      • G@T0R
        G@T0R
        January 19, 2011, 4:04 pm | # | Reply

        She is the last one standing. I mean so the one v. one (or in this case four and a half vs. one) for control of the horde of savage races cliche has been done… still, a stereotype is usually grounded in truth… amiright?

  13. Angry-buddha-88
    Angry-buddha-88
    January 19, 2011, 12:15 am | # | Reply

    Also MAGICAL SELF-READJUSTING GOGGLES. WE’RE JUDGING YOU, GUYS. WE’RE JUDGING SO HARD.

    • Cyberwulf
      Cyberwulf
      January 19, 2011, 11:36 am | # | Reply

      She used SCIENCE to readjust them.

  14. Lala
    Lala
    January 19, 2011, 12:25 am | # | Reply

    Science be praised!

  15. Alechsa
    Alechsa
    January 19, 2011, 12:31 am | # | Reply

    RJ got his (her?) wish from last comment yesterday.

    Also: She looks entirely too shocked that he fell into her arms… I’m highly suspicious that the needles actually did it and think he may have either fallen out of rage and passed out, or come to his senses and collapsed on her to cry.

    • Tim
      Tim
      January 19, 2011, 2:46 am | # | Reply

      I think the needles did it and her face is more of an “OH GOD I WASN’T SURE IF THAT WOULD WORK OR NOT.”

    • flevine
      flevine
      January 19, 2011, 12:11 pm | # | Reply

      I think Byron’s position says “unconscious or dead” more than “I really need a hug.” ;-) I would have loved to see his face, though–did he just black out mid-kill-mode? Was there a moment of “What the–?!” or “Oh, f—!” or simply “Owwww!!!!”?

      • Hawk
        Hawk
        January 19, 2011, 11:29 pm | # | Reply

        RAHGHGHLGHARGHLGHG – uhhhh – phwoomph

        Onamatopoeia ftw

        • Solna
          Solna
          January 23, 2011, 6:31 pm | # | Reply

          ‘rrhrrrraaaaaaaaazzzzzznk’

    • Far
      Far
      January 21, 2011, 12:10 pm | # | Reply

      Please note that the needles aren’t hollow. The contents behind them (if any) aren’t playing a roll here.

  16. swordsister
    swordsister
    January 19, 2011, 12:45 am | # | Reply

    i dunno if any of us has entirely forgotten but that guy is DIYING over there, with a spear pierced through his heart or something. he’s gonna end up with a pierced whenever he recognises the havoc he has caused anyway.

    • swordsister
      swordsister
      January 19, 2011, 12:47 am | # | Reply

      heart*….end up with a pierced heart*. goddarn keyboard is testing my patience!

  17. Guy
    Guy
    January 19, 2011, 12:56 am | # | Reply

    Byron, you were the chosen one, you were my brother…well, more like that cousin you have funny feelings about, but the point stands!

  18. Jean-Luc
    Jean-Luc
    January 19, 2011, 1:00 am | # | Reply

    Something for the occasion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n998mTia61s

    Also what’s with the alt text, is Syr going to take advantage of Byron now?

    • ThatGuy
      ThatGuy
      January 19, 2011, 1:27 am | # | Reply

      thats what you say to a dear friend when you are forced to kill em. I.E. Old yeller, highlander,whatever

    • Locke
      Locke
      January 19, 2011, 1:57 am | # | Reply

      … That’s country. Though, I’ll forgive it, Captain, because of the pun. However, you do realize that this means war.

      • Jean-Luc
        Jean-Luc
        January 19, 2011, 2:44 am | # | Reply

        Hey, it’s not country. :/ It’s pop-rock or some such crap. In any case nice return but: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsONBKFbL-w

      • Jean-Luc
        Jean-Luc
        January 19, 2011, 2:52 am | # | Reply

        Oh my science I had no idea she’s a Christian themed musician, I’m so sorry. Hopefully that other one makes up for it.

        • barsukthom
          barsukthom
          January 19, 2011, 9:48 am | # | Reply

          Science Never Forgives. (Breakout album of “Syr’ and the Tranqs”)

    • JarrysKid
      JarrysKid
      January 19, 2011, 11:09 am | # | Reply

      Had to get in on this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_wssByW7JQ

      • Locke
        Locke
        January 19, 2011, 11:51 am | # | Reply

        Well played, new comer. But, can you beat MUSIC I DON’T EVEN LISTEN TO?!

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1K7KqQy7MA

        I was looking for another song, but I have class in a few minutes and couldn’t find it fast enough. Stupid college. :P

        • The Unreal
          The Unreal
          January 19, 2011, 12:19 pm | # | Reply

          Seriously, no one went here?

          • JarrysKid
            JarrysKid
            January 19, 2011, 12:38 pm | # | Reply

            I thought about it, but it seemed way too obvious. I already consider that to be Syr’s theme song. :-)

            • JarrysKid
              JarrysKid
              January 19, 2011, 12:39 pm | # | Reply

              Now, if one of those had hit him in the eye…

        • Jean-Luc
          Jean-Luc
          January 19, 2011, 1:50 pm | # | Reply

          Syr considers this to be a love making song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN9XzGffw-0

          • flevine
            flevine
            January 19, 2011, 7:03 pm | # | Reply

            I would have guessed Syr’nj was a Loreena McKennit fan.

          • Locke
            Locke
            January 19, 2011, 7:48 pm | # | Reply

            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjObi8ESWjA
            I actually kinda like this one, too. And it seems to fit both Syr and Byron.

            But, seriously, we’re going to run out of songs with punny names eventually.

            • Mic-Gold
              Mic-Gold
              January 19, 2011, 8:38 pm | # | Reply

              I know this band was used already, but I thought this was a more apt song choice!

              • Locke
                Locke
                January 19, 2011, 10:43 pm | # | Reply

                If we’re going to get into the field of medicine, then…

                • RJ
                  RJ
                  January 20, 2011, 1:08 am | # | Reply

                  damn keep them coming!

                  • Hawk
                    Hawk
                    January 20, 2011, 8:56 am | # | Reply

                    I don’t care if this makes me seem old:
                    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfHtvdgIWws

                    The first few lines are spot on.

                    • Jean-Luc
                      Jean-Luc
                      January 20, 2011, 10:03 am | #

                      Well done crew, I’m proud of you.

                    • flevine
                      flevine
                      January 20, 2011, 12:04 pm | #

                      Wasn’t Hawkwing the band Lemmy Killmister was in before Motorhead? Yup, old. *runs away*

                    • xheralt
                      xheralt
                      January 20, 2011, 12:05 pm | #

                      Maybe not quite on target, as PWK is magical rather that alchemical, but worth mentioning for the D&D theme…

                      http://sunspot.bandcamp.com/track/power-word-kill

  19. CatOfEvilGenius
    CatOfEvilGenius
    January 19, 2011, 1:07 am | # | Reply

    SCIENCE!!!

    • KiZeR
      KiZeR
      January 19, 2011, 1:31 am | # | Reply

      “Good heavens Miss Sakamoto – you’re beautiful!”

  20. SteelRaven
    SteelRaven
    January 19, 2011, 1:35 am | # | Reply

    Awkward hug

  21. Arky
    Arky
    January 19, 2011, 1:49 am | # | Reply

    “What happened to Frigg?” becomes another offstage question in the same way as “what happened to Bandit?”.

    Getting increasingly suspicious of this being a dream sequence, because there’s not really any other way out of this situation now that isn’t a stonking great deus ex machina.

    • Lem
      Lem
      January 19, 2011, 5:08 am | # | Reply

      oh no way… while i can’t see any way out that isn’t deus ex machina either, a dream sequence would be a huge cop out.

    • flevine
      flevine
      January 19, 2011, 9:41 pm | # | Reply

      Hey, we still have the one “preview” image of Someone Lurking In the Shadows…

      • John
        John
        January 20, 2011, 2:58 pm | # | Reply

        That Someone will emerge from the Shadows… soon.

  22. Locke
    Locke
    January 19, 2011, 1:54 am | # | Reply

    What we don’t know yet:

    Phil and T. are actually ending the comic. Bandit and Gravedust are both dead, Byron was just killed by a lethal dose of sedatives or poison, and an incapacitated Frigg and somewhat defenseless Syr are going to be riddled with arrows by Harki’s archers. The last page will be of Best on a tropical beach, surrounded by beautiful women, being an enormous kharma-defying douche. After that page goes up, the two writers will split a bottle of scotch, kick back, and watch as the heads of their fanbase explode like fireworks on the Fourth of July.

    • Bardo
      Bardo
      January 19, 2011, 2:09 am | # | Reply

      Sometimes you just end with a TPK.
      Will we roll up new characters next week, or just play Catan instead?

    • NicolasRei
      NicolasRei
      January 19, 2011, 2:49 am | # | Reply

      Damn you, you nearly made my head explode just by stating that!

    • Jean-Luc
      Jean-Luc
      January 19, 2011, 2:54 am | # | Reply

      I’d actually like that. :D

      • LadyDragon
        LadyDragon
        January 19, 2011, 7:45 am | # | Reply

        Yessssssssss.

    • G@T0R
      G@T0R
      January 19, 2011, 10:05 am | # | Reply

      I almost posted this three comics back and mentioned how epic that would be. But then it occurred to me that all the unsolved back story would just be a red herring and that’s just plain mean story-telling. Meanies…

    • Locke
      Locke
      January 19, 2011, 11:52 am | # | Reply

      And did I say the last page would be Best relaxing with beautiful ladies and being a douche? No, my bad, that’d be the second to last page. The real last page would be Best flipping us all off with both hands.

      • Jim
        Jim
        January 19, 2011, 1:00 pm | # | Reply

        If the comic were written by Mark Millar, that would probably be exactly how it would end.

        • Locke
          Locke
          January 19, 2011, 7:43 pm | # | Reply

          “He’s the goddamn shit elf!”

        • Moe Lane
          Moe Lane
          January 20, 2011, 2:35 pm | # | Reply

          …We’d never forget this webcomic, that’s for sure.

      • SwordofJustice
        SwordofJustice
        January 20, 2011, 2:48 am | # | Reply

        Achievement Unlocked: BEST ending ever.

        • Jean-Luc
          Jean-Luc
          January 20, 2011, 10:03 am | # | Reply

          :D

    • Locke
      Locke
      January 21, 2011, 2:12 pm | # | Reply

      WHY DID I HAVE TO SAY THIS

  23. Doma
    Doma
    January 19, 2011, 2:04 am | # | Reply

    Science’d©

  24. dr pepper
    dr pepper
    January 19, 2011, 2:35 am | # | Reply

    From: Hypothalmus
    To: Cerebrellum
    Subj: System Status

    Hey boss, sorry to interrupt your coma, but interference from the adrenals has cleared and there are 1537 messages from remote nerve nodes now arriving. All describe serious damage. In addition, there has been no contact with the heart or lungs for over 3 minutes. Lactic acid saturation has reached a destrutive level. Blood pressure, electrolytic movement, and neuro-electrical activity are below critical and dropping. Recommend activating “Life Passing Before My Eyes” program.

    • GMV
      GMV
      January 19, 2011, 3:59 am | # | Reply

      HAHAHAHA!

    • Phil
      Flo
      January 19, 2011, 7:17 am | # | Reply

      Gold star.

    • Diziet
      Diziet
      January 19, 2011, 8:03 am | # | Reply

      One internet to you sir!

    • Freako
      Freako
      January 19, 2011, 1:41 pm | # | Reply

      This is why I always read the comments.

    • Larry
      Larry
      January 19, 2011, 9:17 pm | # | Reply

      And here I was just going to say: “and then Byron bleeds to death.” This is so much more well done.

      • Hawk
        Hawk
        January 19, 2011, 11:31 pm | # | Reply

        I love this.

    • FistFingers
      FistFingers
      January 20, 2011, 1:30 am | # | Reply

      http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae141/kamikazescot/2efn9na.gif
      well played Sir.

    • Abcus
      Abcus
      January 20, 2011, 3:29 pm | # | Reply

      This is so well done that I can’t even find words.

  25. Furetchen
    Furetchen
    January 19, 2011, 2:35 am | # | Reply

    Cue cut to a tavern;

    “And that’s the story of just one of our many wipes!”

  26. King of Zeroes
    King of Zeroes
    January 19, 2011, 2:50 am | # | Reply

    I had a few “anger issues” back in my day. Hilariously, this is almost exactly how real doctors handle them.

    When in doubt, induce a comatose state using dangerous chemicals!

  27. ahdok
    ahdok
    January 19, 2011, 3:48 am | # | Reply

    fly my precious nerf darts! fly!

  28. Silvermane
    Silvermane
    January 19, 2011, 4:09 am | # | Reply

    I can’t wait for some kind of conclusion! This whole ark has had me so emotionally stressed! Gosh this is good!

  29. Odo
    Odo
    January 19, 2011, 5:04 am | # | Reply

    Well, it seems to me that as far as Frigg is concerned, Byron was distracted (a common failing of berserkers… OH, bloody) and just leapt over Frigg to confront a new “threat”.

    Frigg is tough, and as soon as she gets the latches on her back and breast unhooked, she’ll be able to breathe. There is definitely an armorer in her future, however, should she survive.

    Fictional sedatives always act almost instantaneously, but I am not quite sure what to make of Syr’ng’s expression in the last panel. Something else besides Byron’s collapse has startled her, is my theory.

  30. Lem
    Lem
    January 19, 2011, 5:12 am | # | Reply

    i’m guessing at least one character is going to die or at least be out of commission / out of the comic for a while. with this much damage, i’d be really surprised if everyone made it out relatively ok.

  31. flevine
    flevine
    January 19, 2011, 6:14 am | # | Reply

    And thus it came to pass that Syr’nj was named Queen of the Savage Races, healed all of their boo-boos, and sent Harki to “time out.”

  32. flevine
    flevine
    January 19, 2011, 6:34 am | # | Reply

    So is anyone but me wondering whether, starting next chapter, we will see flashbacks instead of flarshforwards?

    • Mic-Gold
      Mic-Gold
      January 19, 2011, 8:47 pm | # | Reply

      That’s how the first season of “Sledgehammer” ended, with everybody dying from a nuke. Season 2 was a prequel of sorts, happening before the first.

      • flevine
        flevine
        January 19, 2011, 9:38 pm | # | Reply

        I love Sledge Hammer! I remember that the cast/producers said they had to open season 2 with “Five Years Earlier…” because they assumed they were getting cancelled, hence Sledge setting off the bomb at the end of season 1. Uh-oh…we’re hinting at our ages, aren’t we? :-D Anyway, mainly I was thinking that since we’ve caught up with the flash-forwards, and since we obviously now have Big Unresolved Backstories (Sry’nj is royalty, what’s the deal with Byron and berserking, also potentially stuff with the Dwarven mystics), it seems logical that future chapters might open with flashbacks as the characters sort themselves out in the present.

  33. Schrödingers Katze
    Schrödingers Katze
    January 19, 2011, 7:50 am | # | Reply

    This reminds me somehow on this szene from Van Hellsing…

  34. Diziet
    Diziet
    January 19, 2011, 8:02 am | # | Reply

    Doesn’t that beg the question:

    “Why not do that before he called her friends?”

  35. Jean-Luc
    Jean-Luc
    January 19, 2011, 8:03 am | # | Reply

    I really don’t think it’s necessary to emphasize the “action lines” so much. The streaks of white in panels 4 and 5 feel really overdone, especially in #4 where they obscure so much of the “primary content”.

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      January 19, 2011, 7:38 pm | # | Reply

      you mean boobies, right?

      • ahdok
        ahdok
        January 19, 2011, 7:39 pm | # | Reply

        More seriously, as a fellow artist, I love special effects like the action lines on those syringes. You can obscure a multitude of sins by putting special effects over them :p

  36. Cassandra
    Cassandra
    January 19, 2011, 8:38 am | # | Reply

    Okay, now that the friendly fire is off, lets see what we got left…
    Bandit and Gravedust, presumed dead/dying, so we can’t count on their help.
    Frigg was knocked down, but we don’t know how exactly bad the damage, so she may be able to help.
    Byron is half-dead and sedated, nuff’ said.
    Syringe (for I forget how exactly to spell her name) is the only one still up and fight. Science can still be done.
    And… the bad guys still have and army with them, and still have the upper hand.
    …. Re-roll anyone?
    All I’m hoping now is that the human race secretly have an army that would barge in and take care of everything, and that the group was only a distraction/precaution.

    • barsukthom
      barsukthom
      January 19, 2011, 9:51 am | # | Reply

      That’s “human race-ists”.

      • ahdok
        ahdok
        January 19, 2011, 7:40 pm | # | Reply

        The Human Race is a non-stop race, with too many trials and no real case.

    • Gizmo III
      Gizmo III
      January 19, 2011, 4:32 pm | # | Reply

      I dont know. I think Sry’nj can get them out of this one, assuming she can bluff. After all, if she can sedate berzerker-byron, she can certainly UN-sedate him. Sort of an I-have-a-berzerker-and-I-know-how-to-use-him manuvre

  37. Kom
    Kom
    January 19, 2011, 9:55 am | # | Reply

    I can’t help but feel like there’s going to have to be a long, serious chat about Byron’s contribution to the group after this (that is assuming the whole party somehow makes it out of this of course. Frigg’s shattered ribs, Bandit’s severed BODY, Gravedust’s melted brain, Byron’s gaping chest wound and all). We all know he’s a gifted tactician and leader but his non-berserker combat has been lackluster, even after he had an epiphany that he should start sucking less he didn’t improve. His berserker state turns him into an unstoppable engine of blades and severed fingers but now he’s causing more of a problem for the group than he would have just staying dead as Frigg instructed.

    • SwordofJustice
      SwordofJustice
      January 20, 2011, 2:36 am | # | Reply

      I have to comment on this mainly because I’m actually in the process of playing a frenzied berserker in a campaign ran by one of my friends. One has to realize that when a person is like that they often hold back on normal combat for fear of the frenzy coming out in them and thus their out of rage combat is often “lackluster”. They do provide a massive bonus to the party though in combat when they fly into the rage as it turns out more often then not there is nothing that can stop them until they tire themselves out. Granted sometimes things like this happen where the party ends up getting beaten too but more often then not there are enough enemies to occupy the berserker until they fall over from exhaustion. So he’s not really doing a bad job so far he’s just had really bad luck as far as situations go. He would excel if say Harki’s entire bodyguard or a large task force had been down there with them.

  38. Rentok
    Rentok
    January 19, 2011, 10:14 am | # | Reply

    Anyone else remember that Syr’nj has been trained as a medic to save people from injuries like the ones the party just sustained?

    I’m thinking she’ll heal them up as fast as she can, excepting Frigg who doesn’t need much healing and will be able to walk once she unclasps her plate. Frigg’s healing is a lot less urgently needed, so she might just get a quick wrapping.

    I’m much more concerned about Frigg’s mental state. She’s never really LOST before. In case you hadn’t noticed, she hasn’t exactly reacted well to being unable to do everything on her own in the past. Like when bending the bars, or that time she got kidnapped. I’m thinking they’re all going to make it out of this alive, but that we’re about to see Frigg deal with some sort of mental breakdown, or at least pseudo-breakdown.

    • dfacto
      dfacto
      January 19, 2011, 11:02 am | # | Reply

      Well, she did get a beatdown from her former sisterhood, so she has lost before.

    • SwordofJustice
      SwordofJustice
      January 20, 2011, 2:42 am | # | Reply

      I like your optimism but if Bandit did get hit like that I really don’t think Syr’nj can fix that with a bandage. There’s too many organs that would have been slashed in half let alone the damage to the spine. I hope you’re right though and we don’t have to lose them all.

      • Tupimus
        Tupimus
        January 20, 2011, 8:07 am | # | Reply

        Well… lungs, pancreas, liver… with the lungs and loss of arms the most critical at the moment. Didn’t really look like it’d have hit the spine itself, TBH, especially considering gnome-size.

  39. Deets
    Deets
    January 19, 2011, 10:28 am | # | Reply

    I am just amazed by our new artist! Excellent work thus far, worried I will not be anymore!

    • Cyberwulf
      Cyberwulf
      January 19, 2011, 11:35 am | # | Reply

      That really wasn’t much of a stand up fight though, which is what she’s used to.

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      January 19, 2011, 7:42 pm | # | Reply

      Yeah, John, you’re officially totally awesome.

      It’s official because I said so.

  40. Flintte
    Flintte
    January 19, 2011, 10:30 am | # | Reply

    Yay, SCIENCE!

  41. Cyberwulf
    Cyberwulf
    January 19, 2011, 11:38 am | # | Reply

    That look on her face, she’s shocked by the forest of arrows behind him that all missed, and now the archers are reloading.

  42. Snowblind
    Snowblind
    January 19, 2011, 12:08 pm | # | Reply

    Give him a sed-a-give!

  43. Redo19
    Redo19
    January 19, 2011, 12:54 pm | # | Reply

    I didn’t know the “nj” stood for NINJA.

    • Jean-Luc
      Jean-Luc
      January 19, 2011, 1:53 pm | # | Reply

      Syr’Ninja?

      • Locke
        Locke
        January 19, 2011, 10:41 pm | # | Reply

        She fought with Syr’njutsu.

  44. BriGuy
    BriGuy
    January 19, 2011, 2:48 pm | # | Reply

    I have to say, this is a beautifully done action comic.

  45. thatkid
    thatkid
    January 19, 2011, 3:21 pm | # | Reply

    Spoiler: This is all a dream. Byron is still unconscious from that spear-stab, and he’s just dreaming about what would happen if he lost control.

    That’s why there’s no background.

    • G@T0R
      G@T0R
      January 19, 2011, 4:08 pm | # | Reply

      optimist. Get on the bandwagon with everyone else!

    • user554
      user554
      January 19, 2011, 5:42 pm | # | Reply

      There hasn’t been a background since before Byron got a spear through him.

      • ahdok
        ahdok
        January 19, 2011, 7:44 pm | # | Reply

        That’ll be because action shots are particularly difficult to draw. Dynamic movement takes up a lot more art time than simple walking and talking and faces. Your artist has a time budget for each strip, and if the characters are harder to draw, there’s less time for backgrounds.

        You see this a lot in comics that come out on a regular timescale. – You can get away more with the lack of background when the eye is drawn to the action, most of your readers won’t even notice the lack of background when you’re killing off main characters. :)

        • ahdok
          ahdok
          January 19, 2011, 7:46 pm | # | Reply

          oh, this isn’t to demean the artwork, I think it’s a sensible and efficient use of time. It’s much more important that the dynamic action looks exactly right than it is to draw detailed textures of the sand on the floor of the arena.

  46. Ph1N3a5
    Ph1N3a5
    January 19, 2011, 9:48 pm | # | Reply

    So… Syr’nj survives

  47. Randonimity
    Randonimity
    January 19, 2011, 11:26 pm | # | Reply

    I love this comic. SO much.

    I love the writing. The art. The storylines. The alt-text.

    I also especially love: THE PEOPLE WHO COMMENT. Your puns make me groan halfway across the world and I love you guys for it.

  48. Brandon Richard
    Brandon Richard
    January 19, 2011, 11:34 pm | # | Reply

    Safe! For the time being at least, there’s still the problem of those archers about to pincushion poor Syr. D:

    • Locke
      Locke
      January 20, 2011, 1:19 am | # | Reply

      COLONEL PORNSTACHE TO THE RESCUE! Watch in suspense as he knocks at the arena door and suggestively asks if they need some “pipes fixed”. Cheer as the savage races flee from lecherous advances and awkwardly arousing music! And close your eyes in suspense as Colonel Pornstache, sweating nervously, shoots a round into Harki’s face… From a loaded crossbow!

      • SwordofJustice
        SwordofJustice
        January 20, 2011, 2:50 am | # | Reply

        Harki better watch out. I’m afraid Colonel Pornstache has the rapid reload feat. He may even have manyshot.

        • dfacto
          dfacto
          January 20, 2011, 4:03 am | # | Reply

          With double penetration action!

          • Hawk
            Hawk
            January 20, 2011, 8:59 am | # | Reply

            No. Just a Super Soaker full of egg whites.
            (yay for obscure references)

  49. jast
    jast
    January 20, 2011, 11:38 am | # | Reply

    OK, in reality it’s Payet Best wet dream, right?

  50. Xheralt
    Xheralt
    January 20, 2011, 1:25 pm | # | Reply

    Situation: Critical. Evacuation: Impossible. Commencing triage….BANDIT: Expectant. Probably will not survive without immediate care, but doing so will divert resources needed elsewhere. GRAVEDUST: Expectant., last priority — less immediate combat capability. FRIGG: Minimal. Walking wounded, may be able to apply self-help. BYRON: Immediate. Abdominal trauma, plus probable circulatory system collapse following abrupt end of beserker state. May swap classification with BANDIT if determined to be beyond available resources.

  51. Lazy J
    Lazy J
    January 20, 2011, 2:18 pm | # | Reply

    lol called it total knock out!

  52. SwordofJustice
    SwordofJustice
    January 20, 2011, 4:45 pm | # | Reply

    Must be patient. Midnight will come soon enough….patience…..

  53. Knives6196
    Knives6196
    January 20, 2011, 5:44 pm | # | Reply

    Syr’nj: I’ll just be taking THIS with me.

  54. Dissent
    Dissent
    January 20, 2011, 10:11 pm | # | Reply

    I think Syr’ may have won. The chieftan was the leader because he was the most powerful in combat, if the disbelief from the other troll in the last page is any indication. He wasn’t able to stop Byron, but she was. Could that be a bargening chip?

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Guilded Age is co-written by T Campbell & Flo Kahn, and illustrated by John Waltrip. Site design by Samantha Kyle. Fonts by Blambot.com.
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