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

Those guys sure got rocked.

Chapter 30 – Page 23

on April 24, 2014
Chapter: Chapter 30
└ Tags: Frigg, Magda, Penk, Rachel, Rana
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Discussion (125) ¬

  1. Tatsu
    Tatsu
    April 24, 2014, 12:04 am | # | Reply

    Really hope the Peacekeepers turn it around and rock the oppoents..eh..eh?

    • Tatsu
      Tatsu
      April 24, 2014, 12:07 am | # | Reply

      Also is it just me or do the World Rebellion REALLY enjoy attack injured opponents alot?

      • Fiaryn
        Fiaryn
        April 24, 2014, 12:10 am | # | Reply

        Shrug. The only meaningful difference between Gastonia and the World’s Rebellion is whether the savagery has good PR or not. Imperialistic, industrialized society simply commits it’s atrocities by proxy.

        • biggmac
          biggmac
          April 24, 2014, 12:37 am | # | Reply

          MORAL EQUIVALENCY ALERT. THIS FORUM HAS JUST EXCEEDED THE M.E. OPINION QUOTA ALLOWED FOR THIS MONTH.
          Any future M.E. statements before May should be accompanied with donations of antacids for those without the stomach to handle them:)

          • Swagner
            Swagner
            April 24, 2014, 1:06 am | # | Reply

            Ah, good. I’m not the only one who’s tired of hearing the (ridiculous) case that both sides are equally awful.

            • Bloodvork
              Bloodvork
              April 24, 2014, 1:08 am | # | Reply

              Guys, GUYS! Rana doesn’t look as concerned at the death of that other Avian as he should be! Don’t you all hate them now when you were just starting to like them and want them all to die horribly?!

              • CorrTerek
                CorrTerek
                April 24, 2014, 8:51 am | # | Reply

                He’s clearly composing a heartfelt eulogy to be recited later amidst copious tears. Respect his stoic grief, man.

            • Schneidend
              Schneidend
              April 24, 2014, 1:50 am | # | Reply

              The Gastonians ARE kinda douche bags, and the Rebellion is pretty ruthless.

              • Swagner
                Swagner
                April 25, 2014, 1:43 am | # | Reply

                Oh, don’t get me wrong, the Gastonian rulers are awful, and I suspect that the foreign policy as been toxic for as long as anyone can remember. I’m just saying that they aren’t deeply flawed, I’m just saying that it’s small potatoes compared to the debauchery (slavery, genocide, etc.) of the Rebellion.

                • Swagner
                  Swagner
                  April 25, 2014, 1:45 am | # | Reply

                  *I’m just not saying that they aren’t deeply flawed, I’m just saying…

                • Observer
                  Observer
                  March 15, 2015, 1:31 pm | # | Reply

                  Both sides (talking the leaders here not individual adventuring groups etc…) attempted to enslave the same race. The rebellion just succeeded.

                  Genocide seems to be done in an attempt to survive in the resource limited wastes that the savage races had to live in after being kicked out of greener pastures/mountains by the Gastonions. (had they not run their THEY would have been either enslaved or eliminated as a race) The Gastonion’s have a leader who sided with a powerful cult seeking to bring about the end of the living world in order to accomplish his little power plays. He fed them/is going to feed them a whole community of his own people to do this.

                  The reason arguments can always be made for the equivalence of the “evils” on both sides is likely because the authors are working hard to write them that way for as long as possible so you will side with “The Five” who will, I’m betting, eventually be working hard to find a way to save everybody on both sides. The authors want them all to be equally grand or flawed “people” instead of monsters and heroes.

                  That said I guess its fine for people to point out which side is currently seeming to be ahead in the darkness of their grey so the authors will know if they are doing to good a job muddying one side or the other. (and for the same reason its great that others who truly believe they are still roughly “equal” to support their claims)

            • Fiaryn
              Fiaryn
              April 24, 2014, 2:35 am | # | Reply

              Both sides ARE awful. Gastonia is obvious symbolism for America or similar imperialistic regimes (Britain at it’s height). The depersonalization of crime is what allows “civilization” to prosper while convincing themselves the rest of the world is just too inferior and un-bootstraps-y to solve their problems themselves.

              It’s not OUR fault that our corporations utilize and encourage child slavery, it just kind of happens and we benefit enormously! It’s not OUR fault it becomes politically convenient to assassinate and destabilize legitimate reform in Africa wherever it threatens profit margins, that’s just the way the pieces fall. Self interested warlords are so much more profitable ya know?

              As long as the people at home get their iPods and are insulated from it all, “civilization” marches on pristine and unconcerned with the blood and bondage of millions that sustains it.

              • Fiaryn
                Fiaryn
                April 24, 2014, 2:37 am | # | Reply

                TL;DR confronting one’s own culpability is hard and nobody wants to do it, understandably. It’s so much easier to just world fallacy your way through life, as most Gastonians and Americans do.

                • biggmac
                  biggmac
                  April 24, 2014, 6:21 am | # | Reply

                  Awaiting antacid donation.

                  • Aslandus
                    Aslandus
                    April 24, 2014, 8:17 am | # | Reply

                    I’m not sure if fighting against yourself is still against the rules…

                  • Tsenzei
                    Tsenzei
                    April 24, 2014, 12:51 pm | # | Reply

                    Get over it. Or hell, present an argument or at least explanation as to why you can’t seem to stomach discussing it.

                    • biggmac
                      biggmac
                      April 24, 2014, 2:45 pm | #

                      !. I’m picking up that you’re irritated at me. I’m attempting to express my opinion with humor. I could have responded to Fiaryn as you just did to me. We’d have a full on flame war by now, I’m sure.
                      2. The arguments and explanations have, in the last few weeks on this forum, been discussed ad nauseum. Which is why I suggested bringing antacids if we’re going to discuss/judge/(and yes, politicize) this further. Says me, with respect and moderation.

              • Paddy
                Paddy
                April 24, 2014, 9:26 am | # | Reply

                But whatever the sins of the USA, I’d still happily label any faction aiming to not only start a war with but exterminate the population of the USA and allied nations, whilst enslaving others to help them get the job done, as “bad guys”. Ditto for Gastonia.

                • Nalano
                  Nalano
                  April 24, 2014, 10:37 am | # | Reply

                  And yet, the only people who have been getting exterminated are those who the powerful countries deemed “threats.” They may burn a lot of American flags, but we burned a lot of their people.

                  • Paddy
                    Paddy
                    April 24, 2014, 11:48 am | # | Reply

                    The casualty figures, while tragic, from the succession of stupid conflicts that the US and assorted allied nations have got into over the last few decades are way below genocidal levels, however. However screwed up the goals and outcomes of such conflicts may be, they don’t include extermination.

                    • Danzin
                      Danzin
                      April 24, 2014, 2:20 pm | #

                      Unless you have access to unedited recordings of high level executive branch meetings that say otherwise, I would not be too confident that partial extermination of certain races/cultures is not on the long list of goals in our foreign interventions. Those thousands of tomahawks aren’t for show, they’re for “SHOWin’ them who’s boss!”

                      True, our MO is almost never to fully exterminate because that’s not practicable or profitable. Our superior FOO strategy is long term crippling and mass exploitation (usually via political corruption). Make your enemy reliant on you for survival and comfort while keeping them defanged. The rewards for this include a buttload of natural resouces, some nice new options for strategic military placement, and an extremely valuable source of near-free labor.

                      Now is this morally ‘better’ than those beaten, exploited and humiliated cultures snapping and declaring ‘cultural/national thunderdome’ because they would rather die fighting in earnest than be ‘peacefully’ and slowly strangled to death? It’s hard to say since that is still ‘technically’ a drastic conflict escalation. Personally I can’t really judge because I can’t even grasp the level of raw hatred this particular hegemonic system creates over time. I’m fortunate enough to not know what it’s like to look at uncle sam’s boot planted on my throat for life. Instead I just watch out for him listening to my phone, scanning my house, reading my (e-)mail, checking my posts and…

                      0___0

                      Doing nothing unconstitutional or morally wrong, ever. Also HAHAHA! this was actually a really late April fool’s joke and not a serious comment! Did I fool you??

                      >_>
                      <_<

                      *closes curtains and locks door*

                    • Paddy
                      Paddy
                      April 24, 2014, 4:33 pm | #

                      Where this “strangling to death” story falls down is that most of the world is getting richer. It’s still a screwed up, massively unequal world, with a shedload of shitty politicians in every nation everywhere, and all sorts of problems still, but a large chunk of it is on the way up.

                      http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_reveals_new_insights_on_poverty

                      http://blog.ted.com/2013/02/04/hans-rosling-shatters-the-myth-of-developed-versus-developing-nations/

                    • Nalano
                      Nalano
                      April 25, 2014, 2:18 am | #

                      Right, of course: We only killed a tenth of the Vietnamese population. That’s not genocide, merely decimation! I’m sure they’ll understand: We didn’t actually mean to exterminate them; we meant merely to use their country as a battlefield in a proxy war against China. Our morality remains intact!

                    • Danzin
                      Danzin
                      April 25, 2014, 2:35 am | #

                      To clarify my main point was that I see no real moral high ground *chucks bottle of TUMS at biggmac* between a neo-colonial culture prospering from the blood and sweat of weaker groups and those exploited cultures declaring a ‘war to the last breath’ from decades of building resentment created by said cultural domination.

                      The “strangled to death story” is kinda superfluous to that, it’s just my quick summation of a common logical justification provided for the ‘thunderdome’ declarations. It’s factual truth is not nearly as relevant as the belief that it’s true and even if that belief can be partially dispelled by experts like Hans, they still have a not-so-logical but fairly understandable justification: revenge.

                    • biggmac
                      biggmac
                      April 30, 2014, 12:04 am | #

                      Thanks for the TUMS Danzin! See, I’m easy to please.

                  • Swagner
                    Swagner
                    April 25, 2014, 1:34 am | # | Reply

                    Burned flags, and, you know, bombed civilians. There’s that.

                • nemui
                  nemui
                  April 24, 2014, 12:09 pm | # | Reply

                  Not sure what kind of intended extermination you’re talking about, RW-wise. It’s fairly easy to attribute the craziest fringe opinions to a whole group of people, ending up with a “they hate us because they hate us” attitude… But that’s like saying the Ku Klux Klan represents the USA.

                  Gastionia-wise, forcing the Savasi into the desert to starve is pure ethnic cleansing, 100% attempted genocide, no doubt about that.

                  • Paddy
                    Paddy
                    April 24, 2014, 2:07 pm | # | Reply

                    We don’t know the history of that. And although imperialist landgrabs are certainly a Bad Thing, since the Savasi are displaced rather than dead, it really doesn’t seem on a par with what the gnolls said they did to the other fuzzy peoples.

                    Or with trying to burn the entire wood elf population alive.

                    Or with Harki’s stated intent of killing everyone in Gastonia.

                    • nemui
                      nemui
                      April 25, 2014, 5:08 am | #

                      Those are false distinctions. Purposefully and knowingly forcing out a group of people from their land into the wastes to die out in a few generations isn’t significantly “better” than burning them all at once and/or eating them.

                      I feel the comic is doing a great job in presenting us with a realistically grayish world. I don’t see why we keep trying to establish the “bad guys” and the “heroes” on a nation-wide scale. Can’t we just root for a handful of people (from other side) without trying to whitewash their entire national/racial history?

                    • nemui
                      nemui
                      April 25, 2014, 5:09 am | #

                      *Either side, of course. Not “other”.

                    • Benedikt
                      Benedikt
                      April 25, 2014, 5:31 am | #

                      Spider is right!

              • Swagner
                Swagner
                April 25, 2014, 1:31 am | # | Reply

                I’m just frustrated with dumb arguments like “we’ve done bad things, they’ve done bad things, therefore we’re as bad as them” (once you’ve made that argument, you’re not allowed to call anyone else’s reasoning “fallacious” again). I never claimed that Gastonia was perfect, or even good. However, in the face of an cabal of cannibals, slavers, and genocidal maniacs bent on the utter extermination of the other party (a party which, I might add, has certainly had the ability to exterminate them back, but hasn’t opted to), I’m pretty sure I’m gonna root for the “civilized” ones. Bad guys? Perhaps, but sure as hell a step up from the alternative.

                Oh, and thanks for bringing real-world politics into it! Nothing like hearing conspiratorial rants about the imperialism of a nation that hasn’t grown an inch in 60 years, or that somehow poor nations would be better off if we didn’t trade with them. Sure, make everyone feel bad about the living conditions in other countries while at the same time condemning trying to fix them. Throw out buzzwords like “assassinations” and “destabilizing Africa for profit margins” without examples (or even logic beyond captain planet-style “evil makes money” in spite of the actual poor economics of civil war), surely that will sell people on the evils of America. Apologizing on behalf of America for how other nations handle themselves is a great way to alleviate your own guilt without needing to do anything about the issues you care so deeply about!

                • Fiaryn
                  Fiaryn
                  April 25, 2014, 9:10 am | # | Reply

                  Patrice Lumumba, Cote D’Ivoire/Hershey/Child Slavery. Educate yourself. Imperialism is more than physical landgrabs, especially in today’s world. It’s about the economic subjugation of other people. That we do it via corporations to avoid any personal responsibility is just part of the evolution of imperialism.

                  • banjo2E
                    banjo2E
                    April 25, 2014, 11:26 pm | # | Reply

                    Whenever I read the phrase “Educate yourself” I assume that the person who wrote it doesn’t care enough about the subject to have done the research themselves and acquired the links/citations to prove such, and thus ignore their arguments.

                    • Benedikt
                      Benedikt
                      April 25, 2014, 11:33 pm | #

                      That doesn’t seem to be a sensible assumption, especially when a starting point is given from which you could start trying to educate yourself. Obviously Fiaryn has given some. To give another example: you or Swagner could start with the WP entry about United_States_intervention_in_Chile, too.
                      Or just go on and ignore the arguments based on a certain phrase. Nobody here can force you to educate yourself.

      • Arrkas Zek
        Arrkas Zek
        April 24, 2014, 5:12 am | # | Reply

        You get its a war right? Like, a war to decide the fate of entire civilizations, not a peace talk about zoning laws gone wrong. To finish your enemies off, they need to go from healthy to injured to dead. When your enemy is injured, he can be a issue later, especially in a fantasy world with healing potions and magic. Its ugly stuff, but so is fighting a war of extermination.

        People need to get off their high horse cause one person or another is going after a injured person. It is required to make living foes dead foes, which is kinda why they’re all there. It’s not villainous from the Peacekeepers, its not dickish from the Champions. It’s what. Needs. To be. Done.

        And the side that can’t get that through their heads is at a huge disadvantage.

        • CorrTerek
          CorrTerek
          April 24, 2014, 8:55 am | # | Reply

          My only beef was with Auraugu, who was painting going after a weakened and helpless individual like it was some sort of heroic thing to do. It’s not. It’s ugly, like you said.

        • Commiekeebler
          Commiekeebler
          April 24, 2014, 9:52 am | # | Reply

          During the Vietnam war, the most cost-effective land mine proved to be not the one that kills a soldier outright, but the “leapfrog” that blew up in such a way as to cut off his foot at the ankle.

          Lots of screaming. Demoralizing to the team. And instead of 1 casualty, you get 3: the amputee and 2 guys to carry him off.

          There have been plenty of campaigns to ban land mines outright. Most “civilized” countries signed a treaty.

          United States and Russia did not.

          • CorrTerek
            CorrTerek
            April 24, 2014, 10:13 am | # | Reply

            So…are you agreeing with me? Because I’m not saying it’s not effective, or necessary. I’m saying it’s ugly, regardless of how people (like Auraugu) might try to pretty it up by painting themselves as doing it for good and noble and heroic reasons. These are not mutually exclusive things.

            And really, I’m getting the impression that everyone more or less agrees, which means the continuing argument is probably my fault for not expressing myself well enough originally.

            • Nalano
              Nalano
              April 24, 2014, 10:57 am | # | Reply

              I’m pretty sure that whichever side wins the war will lionize their actions as unflinchingly heroic at all times.

              • CorrTerek
                CorrTerek
                April 24, 2014, 12:54 pm | # | Reply

                That’s a given, yeah. But I’m more interested in the Champions’ own views. See below.

            • nemui
              nemui
              April 24, 2014, 12:13 pm | # | Reply

              I”ll grant you that it’s not heroic. If that’s what you mean by “ugly” – sure.

              But they’re not heroes in the classical sense, are they? They’re “champions”, whatever that’s supposed to mean. At least two of them are champions of some weird apocalyptic deity, to boot. Not sure why you’d expect heroism from them. I wouldn’t even expect the Peacekeepers to let an injured foe recover instead of finishing him off.

              • CorrTerek
                CorrTerek
                April 24, 2014, 12:51 pm | # | Reply

                Yeah, that’s exactly what I mean. The heroism angle comes from Auggie himself, who styles the Gastonians as “villains” he must save his people from. Both Penk and Auguaru comes across as being very black and white in their outlook, in contrast with Goblaurence and Magda, who take a more balanced view of things.

                • Devlerbat
                  Devlerbat
                  April 24, 2014, 2:41 pm | # | Reply

                  The thing to remember is that the majority Peacekeepers aren’t Gastonian and two of the ones that are (possibly the only two as I am not sure where most of the human members fall in regards to citizenship) are treated as second hand citizens. They don’t really support the actions and beliefs of the heads of Gastonia but have agreed to fight to keep the country alive nonetheless.

                  The Champions are very much member’s of their respective societies and the World’s Rebellion. With the possible exceptions of Goblaurence and Magda they very much support the actions and beliefs of the heads of the WR. Even Magda and Goblaurence do to an extent. I get the feeling they wouldn’t have been chosen if they didn’t.

                  • Devlerbat
                    Devlerbat
                    April 24, 2014, 2:49 pm | # | Reply

                    Er..maybe not majority. I am not certain where Frigg, Rachel, and Scip fall in regards to this but I recall that Byron has stated that he isn’t Gastonian and obviously Gravedust, Syr’nj, and Fr’nj aren’t either.

                    That is a good chunk of and at least half of the original six.

                    • CorrTerek
                      CorrTerek
                      April 24, 2014, 5:48 pm | #

                      All good points. At this point I’m just looking forward to seeing how this plays out. The more I look at Penk and Augauru’s attitudes, the more I’m convinced that theirs and Magda’s will conflict at some point. That should be interesting to see.

                • nemui
                  nemui
                  April 25, 2014, 5:03 am | # | Reply

                  Yeah, they’re kind of nuanced as a grooup. I’d say Auraugu’s supposed heroism is just for show, but Penk genuinely feels he’s 100% righteous – and he’s supposedly the leader.

                  My guess? We’ll see both groups united in opposition to the cultists, and Penk’s outlook (assuming he survives) will be significantly different after that.

                • Observer
                  Observer
                  March 15, 2015, 2:08 pm | # | Reply

                  Champions fight for a cause on behalf of someone else. The cause is to save his people from the the Gastonian’s who he sees as villains (bad guys to be opposed) and monsters (not people).

                  He goes out of his way to use the word Champion and not the word hero. It is possible that he sees himself as an “anti-hero” who is willing to commit dark acts in order to preserve what he sees as good. Similar to the “agent” in Serenity who was able to go about the most horrendous of acts cheerfully and politely because he truly believed he was making a better world where people like him would no longer be necessary and further more would not truly belong. Until Mal opened his eyes to the reality of his masters true nature the Agent was able to remain extremely positive about what he was doing because the pay off was going to be incredibly good and make things awesome for everyone else. (he sort of implied if he wasn’t already dead or neutralized by then he would remove himself in some fashion… ) Don’t know if The Champion of the Fuzzy peoples will truly go as far as that Agent or if he has thought it out that much but he does seem to be a deep thinker under the mask if what he occasionally says to the young Avatar is any indication.

                  This whole thing makes me wonder about how the PC’s affect the world. Its clear from what H.R. says that The Five, and to a lesser extent the PC’s directly interacting with them, are capable of getting levels of realism/communication out of NPC’s and even PC’s that no other PC’s can on their own. The audience of course sees everybody as fully realized and properly motivated beings. So what I am wondering is: If characters like The Champion of the Fuzzy Peoples is being played by a PC from Sepia world into making certain overall choices it seems unlikely those PC’s have such fine control as to cause all these deep thoughts and speeches we are seeing so are characters like the Champion actually 2 people in one. The PC is calling the big shots but its up to the “game world” side being to come up with reasons WHY he would do all of that? As well as fill in all the little details and skills that make that action really work in a fully realized universe. And just like when H.R. tried to control the world and partially succeeded how often do the characters manage to bend what the PC’s are commanding them to do into something more realistic? Do the PC’s even SEE the same actions that their characters do? Or are they respawning in a grave yard when the character is merely incapacitated with serious injuries in a medic station or whatever? (if that character who ended up with damaged legs is a PC and his PC is aware that he has become gimpy it must mean H.R. has created a rather robust system to deal with non-fatal injuries??)

                  Can’t wait till we get more on how Sepia world players talk about their experiences though I am starting to get the depressing thought the writers are going to wait till the very end or not at all to reveal this cause they actually aren’t sure of exactly how it goes in any detailed way so are leaving it vague on purpose. :(

      • zero
        zero
        April 24, 2014, 6:00 am | # | Reply

        in a world where healing magic is prevalent, the strategy simply must involve finishing off the weakened, there’s simply no way around it.

        • Fren
          Fren
          April 24, 2014, 12:19 pm | # | Reply

          Simply put, concentrating your fire is a viable tactic. Down ’em one at a time with coordinated support. One man’s “dick move” is another man’s sound tactics.

          • CorrTerek
            CorrTerek
            April 24, 2014, 5:50 pm | # | Reply

            Well, it’s sound tactics either way. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. For instance, throwing dirt in your opponent’s eyes is a good way to get the upper hand in a fight to the death, but it’s still often referred to as a “dirty trick.” The pun may or may not be intentional.

    • Ganurath
      Ganurath
      April 24, 2014, 12:28 am | # | Reply

      With the speed potion active, Byron’s current foes are but a minor problem.

      • MichaelHaneline
        MichaelHaneline
        April 24, 2014, 3:58 am | # | Reply

        Well, they’re made of rock, so wouldn’t it be a miner problem?

        • zero
          zero
          April 24, 2014, 6:00 am | # | Reply

          picky picky

        • Tsenzei
          Tsenzei
          April 24, 2014, 12:53 pm | # | Reply

          I like how axes make round holes in his enemies.

    • TBeckett
      TBeckett
      April 24, 2014, 1:26 pm | # | Reply

      Woah guys, WOAH. Passionate debates? This is exactly what the creators want. Don’t give in.

      But for real, what a testament to the power of this story that we all care so much. I’m always glad to recommend Guilded Age to my friends for this exact kind of quality.

  2. CorrTerek
    CorrTerek
    April 24, 2014, 12:06 am | # | Reply

    “Isn’t it ironic that your name is Lucky?”

    • Snowblind
      Snowblind
      April 24, 2014, 12:32 pm | # | Reply

      “Don’t be sarcastic”

  3. Wiggle Bottom
    Wiggle Bottom
    April 24, 2014, 12:06 am | # | Reply

    Beserker ftw!

    • biggmac
      biggmac
      April 24, 2014, 12:31 am | # | Reply

      Watch for falling rock!

  4. SteelRaven
    SteelRaven
    April 24, 2014, 12:18 am | # | Reply

    Wouldn’t it be easier to kill the dwarf controlling the monsters first?

    • biggmac
      biggmac
      April 24, 2014, 12:33 am | # | Reply

      I’m still wondering how a non-glowy set of axes can put holes in 3 foot thick rock. Even if it is being wielded with super speed.

      • CorrTerek
        CorrTerek
        April 24, 2014, 12:34 am | # | Reply

        It’s possible that it’s just densely packed earth rather than actual rock. Just as good at crushing, but not as durable.

      • Beige
        Beige
        April 24, 2014, 10:23 am | # | Reply

        because super speed.

        Impact equals mass times velocity squared, so the greatest contributor to any form of impact is the speed. afterall, bullets are only dangerous because of their speed, and byron’s current speed is comperable combined with those axes being heavy as heck, wielded by byron who has show the strength to warp and misshape metal unbuffed… yeah, that’s probably the equivelant of an anti-tank round with each of those many, many hits

        now how the AXES are taking this force without snapping is a better question

        • HURRDURP
          HURRDURP
          April 25, 2014, 9:30 am | # | Reply

          considering his background, the names on the axes, etc.. I’m pretty certain Byron’s axes are, at least to some degree, magical.

          • Speedy
            Speedy
            December 21, 2018, 5:49 pm | # | Reply

            I agree. I don’t think his axes are named after his brothers. I think they’re possessed by his brothers.

    • CorrTerek
      CorrTerek
      April 24, 2014, 12:33 am | # | Reply

      Depends on which direction Byron was coming from. The rock monsters might have been closer.

    • LockeZ
      LockeZ
      April 24, 2014, 2:50 am | # | Reply

      The golems were using an aggro-holding ability, as you can tell from panel 5.

      More seriously, there’s obviously some major writer prejudice against killing off the named characters, even though a bunch of them have been standing here in a clump fighting each-other to the death for like 60 panels now. I’d expect two or three to have died by now, realistically.

      • Arrkas Zek
        Arrkas Zek
        April 24, 2014, 5:06 am | # | Reply

        Well of course, you don’t go to the trouble of spending more than a entire chapter dedicated to forming a team to act as the protagonist’s foil, with names and backstories and everything, only to kill them off en masse seconds later. It would be a waste of story and cause backlash from the fans. Clearly there will be one or two casualties, but both teams will end up parting with some mroe grudges but few to no deaths. To much work has been given to the Champions to just have them dispatched as mooks.

        • Aslandus
          Aslandus
          April 24, 2014, 8:20 am | # | Reply

          Well, unless it was one of those “tragedy of war” things where they build up a character then have them slaughtered as if they were a faceless mook, but that only ever happens to one or two characters, never to a whole crew…

          • HURRDURP
            HURRDURP
            April 25, 2014, 9:31 am | # | Reply

            Task Force X. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_Squad

        • LockeZ
          LockeZ
          April 24, 2014, 12:44 pm | # | Reply

          You know what causes backlash? Spending 30 chapters setting up a giant battle to the death, and then having no one die in it. What a fucking waste of time the entire comic has been if the climactic conflicts aren’t going to be taken seriously, because everything else was building up to them.

          You’re right – the brand new characters that people like shouldn’t all die yet. Syr’nj, Scipio, Frigg and HAMMERHEAD should all be dead though. Syr’nj and Frigg in particular would be good characters to kill off because they already have other characters set up to take their places.

          The comic has way too many characters anyway, and this battle is an excellent opportunity to get it back down to a managable number.

          • Benedikt
            Benedikt
            April 24, 2014, 3:40 pm | # | Reply

            Meh. I wouldn’t expect “backlash” if nobody died. I still fear someone will, but only disappointed expectations shouldn’t be a reason for this.

            • Paddy
              Paddy
              April 24, 2014, 5:24 pm | # | Reply

              People who won’t die today:

              Peacekeepers: Byron, Rachel. Any of the others could, and if any, my money would be on Syr’nj.
              Champions: Penk, Magda, Goblaurence, [avian], due partly to unfinished character development of various kinds. (And if the avian isn’t dying, that likely means at least one airship is going down). Hammerhead, however, may well end up dying at the hands of Silver Centurion, to further establish him as a bad-ass (who will inevitably end up clashing with the Peacekeepers at some point).

    • Observer
      Observer
      March 15, 2015, 2:13 pm | # | Reply

      We are used to summons fading away or going out of control when the summoner is killed/incapacitated but it doesn’t HAVE to be that way and we have yet to have clear evidence as to the general nature of summons in this world let alone if their are exceptions. (seem like a lot of classes so exceptions seem possible.

      And if the Five have to take this seriously like it was a real world they would have to allow for the possibility that a summon minion could keep going on after the summoner’s defeat. Not worth the risk when your best damage dealing tank is about to go down. Er… I mean your beloved companion…

  5. torint
    torint
    April 24, 2014, 12:34 am | # | Reply

    You got mud on your face, you big disgrace…

    • Carl-E
      Carl-E
      April 24, 2014, 1:04 am | # | Reply

      Kickin’ your can all over the place!

      • Ganurath
        Ganurath
        April 24, 2014, 1:42 am | # | Reply

        WE! WILL! WE! WILL! ROCK YOU!

        • Cytolus
          Cytolus
          April 24, 2014, 10:37 am | # | Reply

          But who rocks the rockers?

          • Snowblind
            Snowblind
            April 24, 2014, 12:33 pm | # | Reply

            Quakers.

          • Sergei Alderman
            Sergei Alderman
            April 24, 2014, 11:39 pm | # | Reply

            The mods. Duh.

          • Speedy
            Speedy
            December 21, 2018, 6:01 pm | # | Reply

            People waiting for a table at Cracker Barrel.

  6. Fairportfan
    Fairportfan
    April 24, 2014, 12:43 am | # | Reply

    When did Taz join the Peacekeepers?

    • Dorje Sylas
      Dorje Sylas
      April 24, 2014, 12:00 pm | # | Reply

      I have that spinny whirling sound in my head every time I look at the last panel.

  7. Nic
    Nic
    April 24, 2014, 12:43 am | # | Reply

    In panel five, I like how Rachel is turning around and screaming a dramatic “No!” while she kicks Penk in the gut. That’s real multitasking.

  8. Loyal
    Loyal
    April 24, 2014, 1:10 am | # | Reply

    Does this mean Byron will finally score a rock-solid victory against non-mook enemies?

    As gneiss as it would be, I get the sinking suspicion that he’s about to get clay-ed out within the next few panels.

    • Lexible
      Lexible
      April 24, 2014, 2:40 am | # | Reply

      Schist! That will teach them to take him for granite. Dirt-bags…

      • Zane
        Zane
        April 24, 2014, 3:48 am | # | Reply

        It chertainly it looks like the three had feet of clay. One could say that it would be gel silica if they weather through that damage.

    • Aslandus
      Aslandus
      April 24, 2014, 8:22 am | # | Reply

      It’s probably because it’s hard to get a believably nonlethal victory when you fight with axes…

      • Loyal
        Loyal
        April 24, 2014, 9:08 am | # | Reply

        I’m not sure what his weapon choice has to do with anything, especially considering (a) Payet Best and his very lethal Axe, (b) there have been no shortage of fatalities in the comic, nor people “shooting to kill”, as it were, and (c) Bayen and Brayen have been used (and used against him) in non-lethal contexts more frequently than arguably every other weapon in the comic combined.

        While Byron is an effective tactician, a solid leader (‘zerking aside), and it speaks well to his credit (and makes him my favorite character) that he’s capable of resolving things peacefully and diplomatically as he has in the past, it is rather disappointing that the guy who fights with two weapons, throws himself on the front lines, and bills himself as a Berserker has basically nothing to show for it when a fight gets sufficiently serious.

        About the only important combat victory he’s been a party to has been Gigundus, a team effort, but otherwise when the going gets tough he either gets quickly taken out of the fight (KO’d or berserked) or has to rely on his diplomacy check to win the day (Fightopia, Graiya).

  9. Panthaaron
    Panthaaron
    April 24, 2014, 1:13 am | # | Reply

    So I guess hitting Earth isn’t stupid and Byron is alright with it? Magda should’ve gone with Fire Elementals. Even if it didn’t work in the end for that gnoll priest of Tectonicus.

  10. Snowblind
    Snowblind
    April 24, 2014, 1:19 am | # | Reply

    It was a hatchet job…

    • ThePuck1
      ThePuck1
      April 24, 2014, 2:03 am | # | Reply

      I see what you did there, without axing any questions.

      • Lexible
        Lexible
        April 24, 2014, 2:41 am | # | Reply

        Listen Jack, enough with the lumbering metaphors.

        • Paddy
          Paddy
          April 24, 2014, 6:03 am | # | Reply

          Indeed, it’s time we put a chop to these puns.

  11. Valdrax
    Valdrax
    April 24, 2014, 1:41 am | # | Reply

    Toucan Sam! Noooooo!

    • Jonathan
      Jonathan
      April 24, 2014, 2:46 am | # | Reply

      Goooose!!!

      • Snowblind
        Snowblind
        April 24, 2014, 12:30 pm | # | Reply

        Khaaaaaaaaan!!!11!1!

  12. Dragon
    Dragon
    April 24, 2014, 1:54 am | # | Reply

    I think what makes me REALLY hate the Rebel Champions is the fact that they just got thrown together by their leaders, they didn’t really have time to bond or form useful communications. They aren’t a family. (well, Penk and…..The fuzzy dude knew each other, but I don’t think to any great extent.)

    • Paddy
      Paddy
      April 24, 2014, 2:25 am | # | Reply

      It’s a bit like a manufactured pop band vs the original band they’re cloning.

  13. Scorpio
    Scorpio
    April 24, 2014, 3:35 am | # | Reply

    Byron’s axes can cut through rock but not shark flesh?

    • Chantelune
      Chantelune
      April 24, 2014, 5:38 am | # | Reply

      That’s called “plot immunity”. Every GM’s best friend. Whenever they can get away with it, anyway. :p

      • wwlaos
        wwlaos
        April 24, 2014, 10:43 am | # | Reply

        No no, guys, I swear, those golems made of solid rock only have 3 armor. The mostly unarmored guy soaking blows with is bare flesh has armor 15. Really. <_<

    • nemui
      nemui
      April 24, 2014, 12:18 pm | # | Reply

      I usually hand-wave stuff like that by explaining that the iron golem isn’t actually made of iron any more – it’s made of _magically animated_ iron, which is now vulnerable to… just about anything: axes, swords, pixie sticks, fists, teeth. But hey, at least it’s moving now!

    • Snowblind
      Snowblind
      April 24, 2014, 12:31 pm | # | Reply

      It’s mostly aggregate.

    • Devlerbat
      Devlerbat
      April 24, 2014, 1:26 pm | # | Reply

      Remember this takes place in a video game world. HAMMERHEAD is a PC and the rock golems were only summoned by a PC (in mass even). It would be a bad game if the summons were harder to kill than the party tank (or at perhaps a really bad tank).

    • Seggs
      Seggs
      April 24, 2014, 3:59 pm | # | Reply

      if byron were to sink an axe into HAMMERHEAD full strength, it would get stuck. and guessing from the shape of the axes, irretrievably so. the golems appear to be made of sandstone rocks, pebbles, and sand, and should be loosely assembled so they can move around. if the geology of this desert is young enough, the stone might be the kind that hasnt had time to set into solid rock. jackhammering away at this kind of stone would cause huge chunks to simply separate.

      honestly, i was wondering how byron is zipping around those things at that speed without any kind of eye protection.

  14. MonkeyMadness
    MonkeyMadness
    April 24, 2014, 3:42 am | # | Reply

    So, for those keeping track:

    1. Penk goes toe-to-toe with Frigg, can barely stand up to Rachel.
    2. HAMMERHEAD tries to solo everything. It’s not very effective.
    3. Goblaurence tinkers and does tactics. Semi-effective, potentially world-shattering-kaboom effective.
    4. Auraugu is high on sass, low in effectiveness until he hits Ardiac, at which point he goes full-Bane to Ardiac’s Batman.
    5. Ranu has barely contributed (although that could change).
    6. Magda is apparently the lovechild of Gimli, Bruce Lee, and Sexy Jesus. She carries this stable.

    tl;dr, Bitches best stand back and let Magda do the heavy lifting.

    • CorrTerek
      CorrTerek
      April 24, 2014, 9:47 am | # | Reply

      This is why I’m really rooting for a Champions vs Cultists fight at some point down the line. Let them fight against people they can actually kill off.

    • Kamino Neko
      Kamino Neko
      April 24, 2014, 12:59 pm | # | Reply

      Auraugu and Penk are the only ones who’ve successfully taken a major player off the board (Ardaic and Syr’nj, respectively). Magda’s showy, and hurt Frigg, but she’s still in the game.

      • Devlerbat
        Devlerbat
        April 24, 2014, 1:28 pm | # | Reply

        I thought Magda was the one that took Syr’nj out of play?

        • Kamino Neko
          Kamino Neko
          April 24, 2014, 2:18 pm | # | Reply

          Hmm. Right you are. I’d forgotten the backstab.

          • Kamino Neko
            Kamino Neko
            April 24, 2014, 2:21 pm | # | Reply

            I also forgot HAMMERHEAD taking out Scip, until it occurred to me to wonder where he was. (He went flying on page 16, and hasn’t been seen since.)

  15. Talon88.1
    Talon88.1
    April 24, 2014, 4:19 am | # | Reply

    Raise your hands in the air like you just don’t care!

  16. Locke
    Locke
    April 24, 2014, 4:54 am | # | Reply

    Why aren’t Byron’s axes tagged?

    • Chantelune
      Chantelune
      April 24, 2014, 5:39 am | # | Reply

      Because they’re not Scipio’s cigar.

    • Ahighfunctioningsociopath
      Ahighfunctioningsociopath
      April 24, 2014, 9:52 pm | # | Reply

      The real question is why isn’t Byron tagged?

  17. Guesticus
    Guesticus
    April 24, 2014, 7:28 am | # | Reply

    Wait, when Trigger got lit up, why didn’t the bomb go boom! Where was the Earth shattering Ka-boom?

    • Squarebear
      Squarebear
      April 24, 2014, 1:49 pm | # | Reply

      Nice Robin Hood reference!

      • Guesticus
        Guesticus
        April 25, 2014, 8:28 am | # | Reply

        Wait, what? If you mean that Yank Costner abombination, then wash your lungs out with asbestos-paste, but it was actually paraphrasing Marvin the Martian

        • Squarebear
          Squarebear
          April 26, 2014, 12:35 am | # | Reply

          Actually, I meant the animated cartoon from 1973. The foot soldiers are a pair of buzzards named Trigger and Nutsy, and they have beaks not unlike the ex-avian above. No need to get nasty.

  18. Chris
    Chris
    April 24, 2014, 9:08 am | # | Reply

    SLICE THE SCROAT!

    It is the source of your power.

  19. Lord_Pippet
    Lord_Pippet
    April 26, 2014, 11:40 pm | # | Reply

    Who gave the Tasmanian Devil a pair of hatchets?

  20. Dips
    Dips
    August 12, 2016, 8:44 pm | # | Reply

    They’ve killed the last dodo bird avian…

  21. MidnightDStroyer
    MidnightDStroyer
    February 17, 2017, 9:25 pm | # | Reply

    Those golems need names. I’m going to cal them Barney, Barney & Barney…’Cause now they’re all Rubble.

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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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