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

Well THAT'S convenient!

Chapter 9 – Page 24

on March 21, 2011
Chapter: Chapter 09
└ Tags: Best, Gravedust
Comments RSS

Discussion (217) ¬

  1. Jacobus
    Jacobus
    March 21, 2011, 12:02 am | # | Reply

    Wow. Nice deal. I wonder what he has to do in return for the afterlife?

    • Thor
      Thor
      March 21, 2011, 12:14 am | # | Reply

      Agree to be stuck naked in a tube in the basement.

      • JarrysKid
        JarrysKid
        March 21, 2011, 11:43 am | # | Reply

        Could be worse. Could be stuck naked with a tube in a basement. Although Best might be into that. Time will tell.

    • zeperx
      zeperx
      March 21, 2011, 9:23 am | # | Reply

      Resurrection Sickness for 60 minutes.

    • Mutterscrawl
      Mutterscrawl
      March 21, 2011, 11:26 am | # | Reply

      The other dead mystics probably “re-died” in the afterlife to send him back, and he’s probably strong enough to raise the others as a result.

      • Mike
        Mike
        March 22, 2011, 5:24 pm | # | Reply

        The other mystics were killed by the CEO. The same who brought him back.

  2. Nicolas
    Nicolas
    March 21, 2011, 12:03 am | # | Reply

    Wait, best called him an old ham… Run Gravy! Or you’ll be dinner! We’ve seen him eat old buddies before!

    • Thor
      Thor
      March 21, 2011, 12:13 am | # | Reply

      Ham and Gravy? All we need now are some biscuits.

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      March 21, 2011, 3:42 am | # | Reply

      Shank you very much for the rescue.

  3. Ash
    Ash
    March 21, 2011, 12:05 am | # | Reply

    I see five caves. So Bandit is indeed coming back.

    • Jean-Luc
      Jean-Luc
      March 21, 2011, 2:31 am | # | Reply

      There are four caves!

      • Ash
        Ash
        March 21, 2011, 2:43 am | # | Reply

        I see what you did there Captain Picard.

      • solna
        solna
        March 21, 2011, 3:34 am | # | Reply

        you’re my hero.

        • Caitlin
          Caitlin
          March 21, 2011, 6:16 am | # | Reply

          Picard is everyone’s hero!

          • barsukthom
            barsukthom
            March 21, 2011, 7:38 am | # | Reply

            He’s got a glib tongue, but he’s no Jimmy Kirk.

            • Jean-Luc
              Jean-Luc
              March 21, 2011, 9:35 am | # | Reply

              Hey, words hurt too you know. :*(

            • JarrysKid
              JarrysKid
              March 21, 2011, 10:56 am | # | Reply

              Nor, dare I say, a Christopher Pike.

              • Hawk
                Hawk
                March 21, 2011, 1:22 pm | # | Reply

                Picard > all other captains
                Screw you other guys.

                • barsukthom
                  barsukthom
                  March 21, 2011, 1:32 pm | # | Reply

                  If by “>” you mean “Older than”, you are correct.

                  • SteelRaven
                    SteelRaven
                    March 21, 2011, 6:43 pm | # | Reply

                    …Oh, I get it!

                    • Scorpio
                      Scorpio
                      March 22, 2011, 5:05 pm | #

                      I don’t get it. :-(

                  • Hawk
                    Hawk
                    March 22, 2011, 9:18 am | # | Reply

                    Grrrr. Older, perhaps, but also better. Picard is the best Captain the Enterprise ever had. Period.

                    • Deets
                      Deets
                      March 22, 2011, 10:18 am | #

                      If you mean “best” as in Second best.. Jim would have him for breakfast and then ask for seconds, aka Archer… Then he would have melted Janes icy exteirior with his masculine wiles, then had sweet passionate love with her and the entire crew of all three ships. BOOM

                    • Jean-Luc
                      Jean-Luc
                      March 22, 2011, 4:43 pm | #

                      Jim….could…certainly…try. But…I don’t think….he’d get…very…..far.

                    • Danny
                      Danny
                      March 23, 2011, 12:00 pm | #

                      Sisko is literally a God. He punched Q in the face. Yet you go on about Kirk?

      • Fren
        Fren
        March 21, 2011, 7:32 am | # | Reply

        You won.

      • Rolan7
        Rolan7
        March 21, 2011, 8:54 am | # | Reply

        How do you speak with his voice like that??

      • Orgikan
        Orgikan
        March 21, 2011, 11:46 am | # | Reply

        Awesome *_*

      • John
        John
        March 21, 2011, 11:48 am | # | Reply

        What caves?

        • Jean-Luc
          Jean-Luc
          March 22, 2011, 1:09 am | # | Reply

          Tombs? Mounts? Rock shelters?
          We could be seeing just the tip of the rock-berg here.

        • John
          John
          March 22, 2011, 1:00 pm | # | Reply

          “How many lights do you see, Picard?”

          “Five lights.”

          “There are four lights.” “How many lights do you see?”

          “Five Lights.”

          “HOW MANY LIGHTS DO YOU SEE?!”

          “THERE ARE… FIVE LIGHTS!”

          “I can’t understand how you can be so blind.” “How many lights do you see?”

          “What lights?”

          • Jean-Luc
            Jean-Luc
            March 22, 2011, 4:45 pm | # | Reply

            Heh, I knew it rang a bell.

          • Benedikt
            Benedikt
            March 27, 2011, 1:30 pm | # | Reply

            Oh my… no I get it, too.

            • Benedikt
              Benedikt
              March 27, 2011, 1:31 pm | # | Reply

              now!

      • SotiCoto
        SotiCoto
        January 20, 2015, 3:39 am | # | Reply

        More of this sort of thing.

  4. alicemacher
    alicemacher
    March 21, 2011, 12:06 am | # | Reply

    Good, good! Bring them all back. Although I’ve been perfectly happy with the whole “Dedalus” reveal bit, I have missed these guys.

    And I take back what I said the other week or so about Best being less of a douche in this chapter. He’s still an engaging character, though, but yeah, as arrogant and selfish as before.

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      March 21, 2011, 4:00 am | # | Reply

      I’m going to be a little disappointed if all “G-Day” is is the resurrection of Wordsworth, Needle, Frag and Pundit. We’ve known that was on the cards since a little before they died!

      • Angry-buddha-88
        Angry-buddha-88
        March 21, 2011, 5:20 am | # | Reply

        There’s other stuff. I know because I can see the future.

      • alicemacher
        alicemacher
        March 21, 2011, 8:37 am | # | Reply

        Look, we’ve already established that “G-day” is going to be about clitorises and fighting the Nazis. The resurrection of our adventurers is just Gravey.

        • JarrysKid
          JarrysKid
          March 21, 2011, 10:58 am | # | Reply

          (Snaps top attention and salutes) Voluteering to fight the nazi clitorises, SIR!

          • Thor
            Thor
            March 22, 2011, 1:36 pm | # | Reply

            With enthusiasm like that, we’ll have ’em licked in no time!

        • barsukthom
          barsukthom
          March 21, 2011, 1:34 pm | # | Reply

          I cheerfully will volunteer to join the Muffin Rangers.

    • JarrysKid
      JarrysKid
      March 21, 2011, 11:00 am | # | Reply

      Best is (ahem) at his best when he is by himself, because he is the only one who appreciates how totally awsome he is.

  5. Locke
    Locke
    March 21, 2011, 12:09 am | # | Reply

    No need to lie about the “arousing” business, Best, we’ve seen your orgies.

    • Ash
      Ash
      March 21, 2011, 12:13 am | # | Reply

      Though necrophilia isn’t a line he has crossed. Yet.

      • Snowblind
        Snowblind
        March 21, 2011, 12:33 am | # | Reply

        No, but I bet he has nanced around it.

      • Harrowed
        Harrowed
        March 21, 2011, 1:38 am | # | Reply

        That we know of!

      • FoolishOwl
        FoolishOwl
        March 21, 2011, 3:14 am | # | Reply

        In Cyrodiil, it’s only 500 drakes for a first offense.

        • Karishi
          Karishi
          March 21, 2011, 7:29 am | # | Reply

          Grin. Just played that bit of Oblivion yesterday.

        • Talisaerin
          Talisaerin
          March 21, 2011, 8:29 am | # | Reply

          I wonder how much the penalty will be in Skyrim.

          • Jean-Luc
            Jean-Luc
            March 21, 2011, 9:36 am | # | Reply

            Probably an “eye for an eye” if you get my drift.

      • JarrysKid
        JarrysKid
        March 21, 2011, 11:00 am | # | Reply

        It’s a Deadline!

    • randonimity
      randonimity
      March 21, 2011, 12:17 am | # | Reply

      Guess he prefers a different sort of “stiff” XP

      • Locke
        Locke
        March 21, 2011, 12:47 am | # | Reply

        Oh, come on, we already used all the death-related puns last page. It’d be too repetitive to do them all again. This pun-off be dead in the water before it even started.

        Whoops.

        • randonimity
          randonimity
          March 21, 2011, 3:45 am | # | Reply

          :( -5 to Innuendo then? That’s what I get for dicking around with the masters ;^;

      • Jean-Luc
        Jean-Luc
        March 21, 2011, 1:55 am | # | Reply

        Gravedust doesn’t look so well, he seems to be a bit under.

        • centuriancode
          centuriancode
          March 21, 2011, 2:07 am | # | Reply

          A little bit limp, would you say?

        • randonimity
          randonimity
          March 21, 2011, 3:46 am | # | Reply

          I don’t know, Gravedust seems to be on top of things. Though Best’s sympathy is clearly bottoming out.

          • centuriancode
            centuriancode
            March 21, 2011, 6:26 am | # | Reply

            That’ll upset Best, he never likes to be behind. Especially not in scoring.

      • barsukthom
        barsukthom
        March 21, 2011, 7:39 am | # | Reply

        This punline really blows.

  6. Thor
    Thor
    March 21, 2011, 12:13 am | # | Reply

    I thought this comic used to update at midnight Eastern time. Did that change? Did I miss a memo?

    • Ash
      Ash
      March 21, 2011, 12:14 am | # | Reply

      It’s been updating at this time (4pm here) for as long as I’ve been reading.

    • Jean-Luc
      Jean-Luc
      March 21, 2011, 12:19 am | # | Reply

      Pretty sure it updated the same time it always does.

    • Meirnon
      Meirnon
      March 21, 2011, 12:37 am | # | Reply

      Yes, it used to update midnight Eastern, but I assume that the scheduling’s behind. It might be a daylight savings thing, though.

      • Fren
        Fren
        March 21, 2011, 7:34 am | # | Reply

        Plus you have to account for that one-and-a-quarter microseconds since the big earthquake.

        • Meirnon
          Meirnon
          March 21, 2011, 4:12 pm | # | Reply

          : |

  7. Bake
    Bake
    March 21, 2011, 12:15 am | # | Reply

    Im startin to guess Bests prob is just when he’s around other people.
    When he’s alone hes the very best n could easly be my fav. char. <:

    • alicemacher
      alicemacher
      March 21, 2011, 8:44 am | # | Reply

      “L’enfer, c’est Best en présence des autres.” (Sartre, if he’d known him)

      • Bake
        Bake
        March 23, 2011, 1:15 am | # | Reply

        xD loved it.
        Maybe thats why I like him. He’s actually a nice elf with bad attitude because of what he’d lived so far.
        “Best the Beast” (mais que quand quelqu’un est trop proche d lui).

  8. Jean-Luc
    Jean-Luc
    March 21, 2011, 12:16 am | # | Reply

    I wonder what kind of favor Best might ask of the party in the future. Maybe they could be backup dances at one of his concerts or something.

    • Jean-Luc
      Jean-Luc
      March 21, 2011, 12:18 am | # | Reply

      *dancers

      • Meirnon
        Meirnon
        March 21, 2011, 12:30 am | # | Reply

        Tombdirt has already been established as capable.

        • Danny
          Danny
          March 21, 2011, 3:58 am | # | Reply

          Frigg would be a good bouncer. dare i say the dopest bouncer in history.

          • barsukthom
            barsukthom
            March 21, 2011, 7:40 am | # | Reply

            The folks she bounced certainly wouldn’t try coming back!

    • Aeovis
      Aeovis
      March 21, 2011, 4:14 am | # | Reply

      All I can think of is him trying to talk poor Syr’nj into some sort of skimpy outfit to just that purport.

      ….An image that was quickly followed by Gravedust in a grass skirt and coconut bra.

      • Darking
        Darking
        March 21, 2011, 9:06 am | # | Reply

        Thank you for that image sir. It will haunt me to my grave. Now, where’s that brain bleach shop I saw the other day… *Wanders off to locate some brain bleach, inwardly screaming in horror.*

        • Sentora
          Sentora
          March 21, 2011, 6:38 pm | # | Reply

          Hey, it could have been worse. He could have said Big D, the reporter geeks and Adam Sessler in said skirt and bra.

          • VinceNalari
            VinceNalari
            March 22, 2011, 1:07 pm | # | Reply

            all in ONE SKIRT!?

            • Sentora
              Sentora
              March 22, 2011, 1:28 pm | # | Reply

              Seperate skirts, but that idea is even more frightening.

      • ahdok
        ahdok
        March 21, 2011, 9:52 am | # | Reply

        I was about to say, a grass skirt would be right up syr’nj’s alley.

  9. Ash
    Ash
    March 21, 2011, 12:17 am | # | Reply

    I’m guessing we are going to find out what Bandit’s deal is in light of the Sepia World revelation sooner rather than later.

    • Bake
      Bake
      March 21, 2011, 12:19 am | # | Reply

      Im just so into rule #34 for bandit ;_;

      • Thor
        Thor
        March 22, 2011, 1:46 pm | # | Reply

        I’m afraid the internet’s Army of Perv Artists has not caught up to you yet. This will have to do for you until Rule 35 kicks in.

        http://guildedage.net/webcomic/chapter-6/one-year-anniversary/

        • Bake
          Bake
          March 23, 2011, 1:23 am | # | Reply

          Guess its time for me to give a lil back to the internet 4 all those things that it had given me.
          to me! pencils!

      • The Indomitable Eric
        The Indomitable Eric
        March 23, 2011, 2:03 am | # | Reply

        I’m actually REALLY surprised at the lack of GA rule 34.

  10. Meirnon
    Meirnon
    March 21, 2011, 12:29 am | # | Reply

    There has been no mention of him being “Gravedust” in this, so it is obvious that this is Tombdirt.

  11. Jean-Luc
    Jean-Luc
    March 21, 2011, 12:30 am | # | Reply

    That symbol GD’s drawing looks like a slight variation on the Ankh of Life, which I guess isn’t surprising for a sand dwelling mystic even if he is a dwarf.

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      March 21, 2011, 3:44 am | # | Reply

      It looks like an ankh to me as well.

      • Danny
        Danny
        March 21, 2011, 3:59 am | # | Reply

        i have no ankhexiety for this theory.

    • gangler
      gangler
      March 21, 2011, 4:22 am | # | Reply

      Hadn’t caught that. Thought it was his tracks. Wasn’t sure why he wouldn’t walk to the next cave in a more direct fashion.

      Anyway yes. Definitely and Ankh of some form.

      • ahdok
        ahdok
        March 21, 2011, 5:45 am | # | Reply

        He’s dragging a stick through the sand to make the shape.

        • barsukthom
          barsukthom
          March 21, 2011, 7:41 am | # | Reply

          Not just a stick, that’s his mystic bow he’s using.

    • Thom
      Thom
      March 21, 2011, 9:21 am | # | Reply

      It is a late St. Patrick’s day comic and that is a clover. Tombdirt is Irish.
      What? You’re telling me everyone else isn’t reaing him with an accent?

      “…But I requoired yer services ta free me’ body.”

    • John
      John
      March 21, 2011, 11:54 am | # | Reply

      Nice catch, Captain. It’s an Ankh with an infinity figure “8” as the cross bar. So… Eternal Life symbol? Only thing I could come up with for a
      resurrection rune.

      • Hawk
        Hawk
        March 21, 2011, 1:25 pm | # | Reply

        sweet.

      • barsukthom
        barsukthom
        March 21, 2011, 1:39 pm | # | Reply

        Totally.

      • Locke
        Locke
        March 22, 2011, 12:32 am | # | Reply

        You could have had Gravy draw a picture of Marvel Comic’s Jean Grey into the sand.

        • Hawk
          Hawk
          March 22, 2011, 9:20 am | # | Reply

          Which one of her….?

      • Jean-Luc
        Jean-Luc
        March 22, 2011, 1:14 am | # | Reply

        Isn’t it Phil and T’s job to come up with this? Don’t tell me they just said, “Hey John, draw some ‘thing’ that goes with this whole resurrection theme we’ve got going”.

        • John
          John
          March 22, 2011, 12:07 pm | # | Reply

          No, they did not say that.

          • ahdok
            ahdok
            March 22, 2011, 3:58 pm | # | Reply

            They actually said “Hey John, draw us a comic. We’re going to go get drunk.”

            :)

            • Phil
              Flo
              March 22, 2011, 5:35 pm | # | Reply

              No, T did not say that.

              • Tolrick
                Tolrick
                March 22, 2011, 6:48 pm | # | Reply

                I notice he only argued T didn’t say that…..

    • Snowblind
      Snowblind
      March 22, 2011, 2:25 am | # | Reply

      Looked like a Morpork to me…

      • JarrysKid
        JarrysKid
        March 22, 2011, 11:51 am | # | Reply

        I thought I saw Roderick and Keith hiding nearby.

    • Jaang
      Jaang
      March 22, 2011, 11:16 pm | # | Reply

      Actually, it looks to me like an hourglass, with the infinity symbol crossing it in the middle.

  12. Eldrazi
    Eldrazi
    March 21, 2011, 12:32 am | # | Reply

    …Does this make Gravedust a necromancer?

    I can’t tell.

    • Valdrax
      Valdrax
      March 21, 2011, 12:38 am | # | Reply

      No, being able to speak to the dead made him one. This just makes him effectively a cleric.

      Res plz!

    • Thor
      Thor
      March 21, 2011, 12:57 am | # | Reply

      Depends on who is defining necromancy at any given point of time.

      It’s a funny word. Nowadays, pop culture has defined -mancy as meaning “magic”, but originally it meant “divination by”. For example, fortune telling by cards was “cartomancy.” So necromancy originally meant “divination by death.”

      Except that it didn’t. The necro- part is a back-formation, language’s way of “fixing” words so that they mean what you think they should mean instead of what they used to mean. In Medieval Latin, the word was nigromantia with the prefix meaning “black”. As in “black magic”. Which it apparently meant then, even though every other word with -mantia in it referred to divination specifically.

      I’m not sure what my point was here.

      • gangler
        gangler
        March 21, 2011, 4:18 am | # | Reply

        So… yes? No?

        • Phil
          Flo
          March 21, 2011, 8:35 am | # | Reply

          Sorta!

      • Kups
        Kups
        March 21, 2011, 9:56 am | # | Reply

        In greek the word nekromanteia was already used in the 3rd century. So necromancy isn’t a backformation even if it was called nigromantia at one point. The word was altered to nigromancy by association with the colour black.

        • Timelost
          Timelost
          March 21, 2011, 1:52 pm | # | Reply

          So what you’re saying is everything’s not so…Black and Wight.

          • Hawk
            Hawk
            March 22, 2011, 9:20 am | # | Reply

            or Black and Write.

            • Thor
              Thor
              March 22, 2011, 8:17 pm | # | Reply

              Or Black and Rite.

              • Timelost
                Timelost
                March 22, 2011, 10:34 pm | # | Reply

                Or Black and White…no, wait, I’m bad at this.

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      March 21, 2011, 3:44 am | # | Reply

      No, he’s a Mystic

    • barsukthom
      barsukthom
      March 21, 2011, 7:42 am | # | Reply

      If Best had accepted what he thought was Gravy’s offer, then HE’D be the NecRomancer.

  13. khavren
    khavren
    March 21, 2011, 12:43 am | # | Reply

    you can tell Best is uncomfortable, he’s putting his shirt on

    • Locke
      Locke
      March 21, 2011, 12:49 am | # | Reply

      EXCUSE ME? That is a MANLY JACKET. You can tell how MACHO he is because he does not wear a shirt underneath it.

      • centuriancode
        centuriancode
        March 21, 2011, 2:11 am | # | Reply

        A manly jacket for extra MEN-ERGY!

        • Novijen
          Novijen
          March 21, 2011, 9:00 pm | # | Reply

          Boy + Jacket = Man!

          Man + Jacket = Manman….man!

          Pregnant woman + Jacket = Holy sh-

    • VioletArrows
      VioletArrows
      March 21, 2011, 2:09 am | # | Reply

      That and deserts can be cold at night.

      • barsukthom
        barsukthom
        March 21, 2011, 7:43 am | # | Reply

        In Arkerra, Desert is a dish best served cold. And it is very cold… at night.

      • Locke
        Locke
        March 22, 2011, 12:34 am | # | Reply

        Best is immune to the cold. He melts it with his wit and charm. In fact, little known fact, the personification of Winter is not an Old Man, it is an attractive young woman. Spring comes about whenever Best goes to visit her.

        • Khavren
          Khavren
          March 22, 2011, 10:32 pm | # | Reply

          I read that Oglaf strip!

  14. Alma
    Alma
    March 21, 2011, 12:53 am | # | Reply

    Aww, the second panel there was kinda poignant, in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it way. Last of the Savasi mystics! Poor Gravedust.

    • Mike
      Mike
      March 21, 2011, 3:16 am | # | Reply

      Like!

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      March 21, 2011, 3:49 am | # | Reply

      Dialogue’s quite nice all the way through this, the stumble before “rouse” suggesting that it might not be too pleasant for someone to go around raising the dead, and the misinterpretation of that as a different word. Lovely :)

    • AMRIV
      AMRIV
      March 21, 2011, 4:34 pm | # | Reply

      The tone that I got from it is that he was trying to play up the rarity of the bow. Being that he ‘is’ the last of the Savasi mystics I suspect he thought it sounded better than, “I made this bow”.

    • Jean-Luc
      Jean-Luc
      March 22, 2011, 1:37 am | # | Reply

      The image of GD offering his bow really is kinda sad and strongly contrasted by Best’s disdain. So much sorrow bottled up inside of him.

  15. Iocane
    Iocane
    March 21, 2011, 12:54 am | # | Reply

    So does Frigg get Gravedust’s name yet?

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      March 21, 2011, 3:47 am | # | Reply

      It’s Tombdirt.

      • JarrysKid
        JarrysKid
        March 21, 2011, 11:39 am | # | Reply

        But Gravedust told Frigg she could have his name when he died. Well, he died. Frigg is now Gravedust, who is now Tombdirt, who may or may not have been Gravedust at one time. so now Frigg’s name goes to Byron, Byron’s name goes to Bandit, and Syr’nj will henceforth be known as Cyril Prendergast, Esq. I hope this clears things up.

        • Tyris
          Tyris
          March 22, 2011, 11:46 am | # | Reply

          He said, “I would probably be to preoccupied to object,” not “yes.”

          He is no longer too preoccupied to object.

  16. Connie
    Connie
    March 21, 2011, 12:59 am | # | Reply

    Longest corpse-run ever…

    • centuriancode
      centuriancode
      March 21, 2011, 2:09 am | # | Reply

      You never know, he might’ve been flogging a dead horse to get there.

      • Karishi
        Karishi
        March 21, 2011, 7:33 am | # | Reply

        Please; It’s not Blizzard, it’s Hurricane, and it’s not “flogging a dead horse,” it’s “Eating a dead bawkbagawk.”

  17. jast
    jast
    March 21, 2011, 1:32 am | # | Reply

    Respawn. Yaaawn….

  18. Jake
    Jake
    March 21, 2011, 2:19 am | # | Reply

    I am so pleased by this. So ridiculously, inordinately pleased.

  19. Niall
    Niall
    March 21, 2011, 2:33 am | # | Reply

    This really makes me wonder, why show us that this is, in fact, a game? More specifically, why now? Narrative wise, you could have theoretically just continued with Best’s story undisturbed, but the choice to bring in a meta element now is… curious. I’m interested to see how exactly this is relevant to the current events in-game.

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      March 21, 2011, 3:45 am | # | Reply

      It’ll be worth bearing in mind as future events play out, I guess.

      • JarrysKid
        JarrysKid
        March 21, 2011, 11:27 am | # | Reply

        Definitely an idea to play with.

    • wootcat
      wootcat
      March 21, 2011, 1:07 pm | # | Reply

      My guess is — if we weren’t introduced to this new “reality”, then many of us would be crying Foul! at Gravedust’s reappearance and the apparent imminent resurrection of the party. Knowing they are not permanently dead, any future life-threatening situation is no longer any concern.

      “What, they’re being attacked by 10,000 Landsharks? How will they ever survive!?”

      “So what. Big deal.” (Points for movie quote reference)

      “Gravedust will just rez them again and they’ll be on their merry way.”

      Now that we think it’s a game, their resurrection has a different meaning and there are other elements in which crises can have importance in the story.

      • Gillsing
        Gillsing
        March 21, 2011, 3:25 pm | # | Reply

        Good point!

        I wonder if the players have more or less subconsciously decided that the game is so fun that they don’t want to quit playing, and therefore they’re meta-gaming to cheat death. Because Dedalus didn’t do any gaming, meta or otherwise.

        • Sentora
          Sentora
          March 22, 2011, 1:48 pm | # | Reply

          It also brings up an interesting question on death and the afterlife in this world. Is Big D’s inability to release them because Gravedust is affecting the game in ways he isn’t expecting through the Afterlife? Or even through the tech aspect? We got an impression that he is an academic of sorts but is his knowledge only books?

      • John
        John
        March 21, 2011, 4:14 pm | # | Reply

        “So what. Big deal.”

        Buckaroo Banzai.

  20. SaltyKracka
    SaltyKracka
    March 21, 2011, 2:42 am | # | Reply

    Finally, a get out of TPK free card. Courtesy of your very own overpowered magic-user class.

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      March 21, 2011, 3:46 am | # | Reply

      Free?

      They owe Best a favour. Nobody wants to owe Best a favour.

      • Caitlin
        Caitlin
        March 21, 2011, 6:23 am | # | Reply

        If Best is anything like the Marquise de Carabas, they’ll eventually have to raise him from the dead to repay him. Given how much they dislike Best. . . yeah. . . nobody wants to owe Best that favor.

    • Xheralt
      Xheralt
      March 21, 2011, 6:47 am | # | Reply

      Death has always been a temporary inconvenience in D&D and derived games…as long as you make your System Shock on d% ;)

  21. FoolishOwl
    FoolishOwl
    March 21, 2011, 3:08 am | # | Reply

    Funny thing is, I’ve always found “coming back from the dead” to be the single biggest break in immersion in any RPG, tabletop or online. Some make some effort to justify it in the game world, but it never really makes sense — especially in fantasy RPGs with intelligent undead, who are understood to have committed horribly evil acts in exchange for coming back as grotesque rotting corpses with crippling vulnerabilities. By contrast, the heroes come back without a blemish, and with little effort.

    • Jean-Luc
      Jean-Luc
      March 21, 2011, 3:54 am | # | Reply

      Hopefully Gravy’s debt to the underworld is a significant one.

      • Floru
        Floru
        March 21, 2011, 4:46 am | # | Reply

        I don’t know what would be worse . . . Owing the underworld a debt, or owing Best a debt.

        • Jean-Luc
          Jean-Luc
          March 21, 2011, 5:12 am | # | Reply

          Unfortunately they, or GD at least, are stuck with both.

        • JarrysKid
          JarrysKid
          March 21, 2011, 11:30 am | # | Reply

          He could consolidate his debt by sending Best to the underworld.

    • gangler
      gangler
      March 21, 2011, 5:52 am | # | Reply

      I’m with you there. As far as I’m concerned dead needs to be dead. Once in a rare while someone pulls it off well, but most of the time it just breaks the story. This being said, thus far the Guilded Age Guys have done a flawless job of avoiding the trappings of fantasy fiction, so I’m gonna see how this goes before making any accusations.

      I’m also interested in the specifics of this because it brings up the question of why the other mystics didn’t come back. I’m certain that this question will be answered. They wouldn’t leave a genuine plot hole like that. Perhaps some manner of collective debt, or everyone needing to work together to open the rift wide enough for one/five person(s). Anyway, there’ll be an answer, and I’m interested in what it is.

      • Caitlin
        Caitlin
        March 21, 2011, 6:25 am | # | Reply

        I suspect the dead wouldn’t have anyone to talk to if ALL the mystics were dead, so they let Gravedust slide. After all, none of them would ever be able to rest if they didn’t have someone to help them with their unfinished business.

      • Thom
        Thom
        March 21, 2011, 9:28 am | # | Reply

        Perhaps the arrangements made were not palatable to the other mystics.

      • Jean-Luc
        Jean-Luc
        March 21, 2011, 9:38 am | # | Reply

        I bet all the other mystics gave their han to GD so now he’s the first true mystic in a hundred years!

        • Thom
          Thom
          March 21, 2011, 10:29 am | # | Reply

          Too much flaying-alive in that scenario for my liking.

          Not that Best isn’t giving the dwarf a good flaying at the moment.

          • JarrysKid
            JarrysKid
            March 21, 2011, 11:31 am | # | Reply

            “Flay the Dwarf” would be a great name for a band.

            • Thom
              Thom
              March 21, 2011, 4:53 pm | # | Reply

              I had to do it. Check out their new album cover:
              http://thnikkalemur.deviantart.com/art/FTD-Album-Cover-201832514

              (This is fan art of fan art, apologies to Meirnon)

              • Phil
                Flo
                March 21, 2011, 6:19 pm | # | Reply

                Gold Star.

              • Locke
                Locke
                March 22, 2011, 12:38 am | # | Reply

                FAAAAAKE.
                (The real album cover totally has Gravedust and Tombdirt rocking a double guitar solo against the background of Hell.)

                • Thom
                  Thom
                  March 22, 2011, 12:16 pm | # | Reply

                  One strums while the other does the chords?

                  But nay, nay. The bard is clearly the instrumentalist. Tombdirt is the dance troup. Gravedust is dead, lending them a mysterious past and street cred.

          • TheDeadMansLife
            TheDeadMansLife
            March 21, 2011, 11:52 am | # | Reply

            I always assumed that the town that was destroyed was where they kiled the mystics and they just slaughtered the rest of the town to throw people off

    • Darking
      Darking
      March 21, 2011, 9:12 am | # | Reply

      In D&D at least, there’s no way to come back from dying of old age, which is why someone might do something cruel and horrible to become an undead rather than relying on having someone you trust spend a fortune in diamonds to keep ressing you until you die of old age.

      • FoolishOwl
        FoolishOwl
        March 21, 2011, 11:32 pm | # | Reply

        Among epic characters in the Forgotten Realms setting — at least the classic version — there are a lot of heroes, mostly with ties to Mystra, who have lived for centuries without aging. And, there are a lot of villains, who are liches.

        That’s just among humans — then we get to elves.

  22. ahdok
    ahdok
    March 21, 2011, 3:47 am | # | Reply

    I guess Best passed up the opportunity to bury the hatchet.

  23. LadyDragon
    LadyDragon
    March 21, 2011, 5:01 am | # | Reply

    Granted, Best is being a jerk, but I’d be pretty pissed myself if someone had lied to me about something I had based pretty much my whole life on.

    • gangler
      gangler
      March 21, 2011, 6:01 am | # | Reply

      Eh suck it up. He got the quest exp. He was offered epic Lootz. What more could an adventurer possibly ask for?

      • Jean-Luc
        Jean-Luc
        March 21, 2011, 9:38 am | # | Reply

        An epic fuck?

      • JarrysKid
        JarrysKid
        March 21, 2011, 2:32 pm | # | Reply

        He’s a musician, so perhaps an epic lute?

        • Jean-Luc
          Jean-Luc
          March 21, 2011, 7:26 pm | # | Reply

          This one time, at bard camp…

  24. TraderInTown
    TraderInTown
    March 21, 2011, 6:28 am | # | Reply

    Finally a comic that’s not just Best!

  25. Hawk
    Hawk
    March 21, 2011, 6:31 am | # | Reply

    I have a theory.

    Everything we saw in Sepia World was what Gravedust was seeing.

    Sepia World is the afterlife? Sort of? I was going to say that now GD at least knows they’re in a game, but he isn’t acting differently. Plus, now I’ve written that out, I don’t think it’s such a good theory after all.

    ….it was bunnies.

    • Caitlin
      Caitlin
      March 21, 2011, 6:40 am | # | Reply

      I have a theory
      they’re gamers dreaming
      and we’re all stuck inside their wacky RP nightmare.

      • Drakin
        Drakin
        March 21, 2011, 9:50 am | # | Reply

        I don’t know if I buy that idea. maybe if you say it… Once More *puts on some awesome shades* With Feeling…

        • wootcat
          wootcat
          March 21, 2011, 1:10 pm | # | Reply

          …or maybe midgets.

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      March 21, 2011, 7:17 pm | # | Reply

      I don’t think that makes sense, it seems fairly clear that brown-scarf-dude is Tombdirt, and most of sepiaworld was from the perspective of the mr. moustached-man. I think Occam’s razor most likely applies here, and what we’ve seen is what we get.

    • flevine
      flevine
      March 21, 2011, 11:31 pm | # | Reply

      I’ve had bunnies. They can be very devious, as well as vindictive!

    • Khavren
      Khavren
      March 22, 2011, 10:34 pm | # | Reply

      My theory is that Gravedusts player hacked the system and is keeping the party trapped and never “dying” or otherwise logging out and mustache man is “Byrons” brother

  26. Caitlin
    Caitlin
    March 21, 2011, 6:37 am | # | Reply

    This is going to be a super-awkward reunion for Byron. He’ll have to apologize for leading to the TPK and filleting Bandit like a flounder.

    • barsukthom
      barsukthom
      March 21, 2011, 8:07 am | # | Reply

      “I, I’m sorry, Bandit.”
      *REDACTED FOR POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
      “WHAT? RRRRAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!”

  27. Thom
    Thom
    March 21, 2011, 9:42 am | # | Reply

    Anyone notice how Best is now dragging his Master-Crafted Sky Elf-Made Instrument through the dirt?

    • barsukthom
      barsukthom
      March 21, 2011, 1:41 pm | # | Reply

      He IS a jerk, after all.

  28. Thom
    Thom
    March 21, 2011, 9:52 am | # | Reply

    Holy crap and can we get a shout out to Best who made a grave pun IN-COMIC?!?!

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      March 21, 2011, 7:19 pm | # | Reply

      The Pittance comment? – I don’t think it’s an intended pun.

      • Thom
        Thom
        March 21, 2011, 9:25 pm | # | Reply

        I don’t care I don’t care! It’s Fabulous!

  29. ahdok
    ahdok
    March 21, 2011, 9:59 am | # | Reply

    Hmm.

    Tombdirt said they wouldn’t be going far, but only after drawing most of the ankh. Does this imply some sort of transport to another plane is about to take place?

    • JarrysKid
      JarrysKid
      March 21, 2011, 2:06 pm | # | Reply

      And if it’s not that far, why do they have to take another plane? Anyway, it was an airship they took the first time, not a plane, so why another? This is all very confusing!

      And here I thought it was that the others are in the other cav…Sorry, John…holes in the other rocks. :-)

      • ahdok
        ahdok
        March 21, 2011, 6:26 pm | # | Reply

        uh, I thought I made the thing about the plane quite plain, plainly I may need to explain. What a pain.

        • Freako
          Freako
          March 21, 2011, 9:19 pm | # | Reply

          The rain in Spain falls mainly on the Boeing 747.

          • Hawk
            Hawk
            March 22, 2011, 9:24 am | # | Reply

            Silliness quotient exceeded, you guys.

            • ahdok
              ahdok
              March 22, 2011, 10:56 am | # | Reply

              Are you going to detain me again? just let me explain! Mainly you’ve got everything ot gain!

              • JarrysKid
                JarrysKid
                March 22, 2011, 12:15 pm | # | Reply

                You’re insane.

                • VinceNalari
                  VinceNalari
                  March 22, 2011, 1:17 pm | # | Reply

                  In the membrane?

                • ahdok
                  ahdok
                  March 22, 2011, 3:59 pm | # | Reply

                  Why thank you.

  30. Orgikan
    Orgikan
    March 21, 2011, 11:46 am | # | Reply

    Nice!

  31. Lydia
    Lydia
    March 21, 2011, 3:22 pm | # | Reply

    At least their foes had the decency to provide burial grounds.

    • Schlock
      Schlock
      March 22, 2011, 10:23 pm | # | Reply

      I was thinking the same. They were oddly considerate in the treatment of their bodies.

  32. Hoo-ya
    Hoo-ya
    March 21, 2011, 4:57 pm | # | Reply

    Rez pls

  33. Zach
    Zach
    March 21, 2011, 6:30 pm | # | Reply

    I’m really impressed with how this was handled. I was expecting something rather overblown (and don’t get me wrong, I love overblown) when it came time to reunite the party, but Gravedust simply works, and works well. Love it!

    • gangler
      gangler
      March 22, 2011, 2:01 pm | # | Reply

      Lol. That’s Gravedust for you. Anyone else would tell a fantastic tale about the adventure to get a second chance at life and redemption. I’m sure there would be one to tell if Gravedust cared to tell it. But no, Gravedust just makes it sound like a pretty typical business transaction. Doesn’t even comment on whether or not he got a decent price. Not an ounce of theatrics in his body. Really looking forward to seeing how he interacts with Best.

  34. Brandon Richard
    Brandon Richard
    March 21, 2011, 11:29 pm | # | Reply

    THERE’S the Best I know and disdain.

  35. Locke
    Locke
    March 22, 2011, 12:42 am | # | Reply

    Why doesn’t Gravedirt just lie to Best? Flatter his ego.

    “Why, elf, this IS part of your destiny. We are mere bit parts; important, but bit parts none the less. Why can’t you feel the power flowing through your veins? My spirit cast a spell, right before re-entering my body. It has made you even more skillful than before! You are practically a god! Now, Elf, fulfill your destiny and slay the foul Troll Harki, so you may take your place as the HERO OF THE WORLD!”

    Then I would have sat down with my newly-resurrected teammates and watched as he ran headfirst to his likely-death.

    • Novijen
      Novijen
      March 22, 2011, 1:18 am | # | Reply

      Dusty strikes me as the horrible liar type. That or he really just detests Best.

    • ahdok
      ahdok
      March 22, 2011, 4:56 am | # | Reply

      Tombdirt’s too smart for that, he knows if he said that, then Best would just go and do it. Then we’d have to live with an even bigger ego.

    • randonimity
      randonimity
      March 22, 2011, 5:46 am | # | Reply

      I get the feeling Tombdust would rather be upfront and honest if he can help it. Lies and deceit is last resort.

    • Locke
      Locke
      March 22, 2011, 3:18 pm | # | Reply

      So, is Tombdirt a version of Gravedust only better at everything and a more clear moral compass? Not that Gravy’s evil, he just strikes me as very neutral-ish.

      Then, can we have a Bizarro Gravedust? We could name him something like “Lifeclean”. He’d be tall, bald, albino, sharply-dressed, somewhat stupid, and would speak only in limericks.

      • ahdok
        ahdok
        March 22, 2011, 4:46 pm | # | Reply

        We could call him Cryptgrit.

        • Novijen
          Novijen
          March 22, 2011, 9:31 pm | # | Reply

          Stonebirth?

          • Jean-Luc
            Jean-Luc
            March 22, 2011, 10:22 pm | # | Reply

            Mr. Clean?

            • Timelost
              Timelost
              March 22, 2011, 10:39 pm | # | Reply

              Clean Slate.

  36. Wazza
    Wazza
    March 24, 2011, 5:04 am | # | Reply

    Grave gets better service because he’s got a VIP account…

  37. dragon8writers
    dragon8writers
    August 16, 2015, 8:49 am | # | Reply

    Who says this isn’t his destiny?

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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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