Annotated 39-25
Panel 1: Wait, not “rekt”? What was up with that?
Presumably, Iwatani retains some channels of communication with the Cultists. He had to have set this up with them, because otherwise his plan makes no sense. Brother Tom might say that Iwatani owes the Cultists their promised immunity after they already helped Iwatani out. They destroyed Pardo’s economic base, removing him as a political obstacle to Iwatani’s plans. But Brother Tom isn’t running things any more, and what Cultists remain are under new management.
Iwatani may’ve expected them to be without purpose and easily manipulated, but Brother Dedalus is as sure of himself as Tom was. However, the goal of eliminating the Peacemakers aligns nicely with both their interests at present. (Wish we could’ve worked in an Iwatani-HR scene, but with everything else we had going on, it never got past outline status.)
The wood elf and her cure were “miles away” the last time, too.
I don’t think HR really cares about that. He just needs to reassure his new minions to go through with the plan. The previous attack killed one of the Five, and split up the rest of the group, thus creating the best opening he could have hoped for. All he wants out of this particular attack is to take out Frigg, and the spirit they have brought along should be able to do that on it’s own. Still, he seems a bit disappointed to only have a single spirit — but reacted well to that because the cultists are already not as self-assured as he would like them to be.
Hmmm, is HR even aware that WAV is also one of the Five? No idea. He might be less confident himself if he knew.
Also: A single spirit? So where are the others? All vanquished by Syr’Nj? Still prowling about (then why aren’t the Peacemakers hard at work cleaning up)? Or just got bored and returned home?
They seem to be a form of parasite. So if their host dies, or if there just are no hosts for them to inhabit, then I suspect they will eventually die too.
Sure, HR may not care, he’s trying to reassure Ulak, who I’d think would be smart enough to point that out. Assuming he knows exactly how Syr’Nj reached ……. Lumberton! (Took me forever to find that name.)
Should Brother Homon be tagged here?
My understanding is that Brother Homon was the physical vessel created into Arkerra; and that HR’s soul/spirit/mind fused with and took over when he entered the tank and connected the same way as the five.
Yup.
There is no Homon, only Zuul. Er, HR.