Annotated 17-15
Byron’s not wrong in panel 1! Harky’s total party kill really did set that bar about as high as it gets.
The relationship between Byron and Bandit is enjoyably complex here; that panel-1 remark was a little insensitive to the fact that HE KILLED HER, yes, and yet Bandit’s primary motive here is that she doesn’t want Byron to die and can’t understand why he’s risking himself for a culture that so plainly hates him. Her concern is a little ironic in light of later developments.
Hey, how many of you noticed that Byron was rocking his old-school look here? Syr probably instructed him to be a bit more subtle with his ax-wear (without leaving himself completely unprotected in case of a combat situation). I’d say “Not that it helped,” but he and Naror probably wouldn’t have even gotten to the introductions without it.
Yeah, I didn’t notice the lack of shoulder-axes before the alt-text pointed it out. I’m not the most observant reader, though.
“Syr probably instructed him to be a bit more subtle with his ax-wear”
Huh. In the beginning of the chapter Byron was wearing a cloak (like almost everyone else) which would make it highly impractical to wear shoulder-axes at the same time, and I just assumed he hadn’t had any reason to put them on afterwards.
That guard is a pretty chill guy. I like him.
He seems like a standard NPC to me.
I never noticed until now, but Gravedust calls Byron “friend” and actually sounds like he sincerely means it. That’s big progress from the last time they went on a mission alone and he grudgingly called him “pal.”
Did not notice the armor. But it’s weird that now he looks off without them. I really love Bandit here, a tricky thing to have baggage with someone you like, and that gulf of understanding will grow into a greater rift as time goes on. Just makes me more sad about how things turn out.