Annotated 32-4
Tobias gets a better scene later, but this is probably peak Astoria Troy, so let’s focus on her for a bit. She certainly deserves a little focus, and she rarely gets it! She’s described by her backer as “a tagalong, a wannabe” in most adventurers’ eyes, a child of the theater, but eager to make a difference even if she seems to be getting mostly scut work, “cleaning giant spiders out of basements and gathering potion ingredients and retrieving stolen velocipedes.”
But that same description gave her a pretty intriguing power set: “combining low-level illusions and basic student magics with acrobatic brawling taught by her childhood, she can go unseen or blind somebody with a blast of color, or just swing a properly dramatic fist.” In her brief appearances here, we tended to let those cool powers do most of the talking, which probably creates an impression that she’s more respected than her given backstory implies. But then, maybe she was more respected than that by the time she fell in with the Kickbackers. They don’t seem too elitist.
There were always gonna be things we never got to. The nerdy completist in me would like to have seen more of her inner life, just as I would’ve liked to find a villain scene for her fellow backer-creation Avidro (see earlier link). Still, better to leave the stage before you run out of ideas than vice versa.
(I’m aware Colonnus miscounts in panel 1… not sure if that’s an error on our part of Colonnus trying to cover for the sneaky Isidro.)
Could just be me T, but this page doesn’t appear to be loading on my system.
Not you, it seems to be a little busted today.
Yeah, same. Link to the original: http://guildedage.net/comic/chapter-32-page-4/
Sorry about that, folks! Should be fine now.
When making evil plans it’s probably best if you don’t write them down. Or if you do, don’t carry them with you where they might get stolen.
Like that scene from *The Wire*: “Is you takin’ notes on a criminal fuckin’ conspiracy!?!”
His deadpan response to having the “plans” stolen always cracks me up.
‘I’ll give you candy’ is a hell of a giggle.
I’ve always liked the way you write the characters, T. The way the dialogue unfolds, it gives them a certain depth, individuality and it is quite dynamic and humourous. It might be cheesy and overly playful at times, but it feels authentic in a way that shows an underlying understanding of who the characters are at their core.
This scene feels like it could be just a regular happening among RPers in a game, for sure! That’s what I enjoy the most out of it.
Awwww!