Doesn’t seem too far fetched. The main party had been at least partially recognized as a diplomatic delegation. The rights of messengers and diplomats to be safe from harm most likely exists in this world; forcing them into what looks like a gladiatorial pit for execution would be “poor form” to say the least.
And if this Harky is the same one responsible for the slaughter at Leafport, it’s well within this organization’s power to sever the connections between a mystic and the dead, and any omens and forewarnings he might receive from them. Gravedust had no reason to expect to be poisoned and betrayed within his own people’s camp, especially while under (admittedly, assumed) diplomatic protection.
I’m not saying it’s perfectly clear, but the rationale certainly exists for our heroes to be a bit off guard here.
So they win the bloodsports, get recognition as tough motherfuckers from the beasties, and succeed in their mission. Score.
As an added bonus, when they’re all done they can all call themselves Spartacus.
Actually, long, long ago, before the races of man learned the arts of painting themselves blue and hitting each other with sticks, a giant peach fell from the sky. When the survivors of the cataclysm arrived, they found this, the Peach Pit of Death, in the center of the crater.
If I were a guild adventurer, and were faced with death by chocolate, I think I’d lose my fighting spirit pretty damn quick. “Chocolate, you say? Oh well, if you gotta go, you gotta go…Nom nom *huuuuurk* *klunk*”
Hmm, just occurred to me that Harky is just an S away from being Sharky, which if I’m not mistaken was what the orcs called Samuran when he tried to take over the Shire near the end of the Lord of the Rings books.
Homage or coincidence? I’m looking forward to finding out.
Oh my fucking god! This is exactly like the one time i played warhammer pen & paper with my homies. We enter this big church of ulric, ready to kick some major ass. Then we found the boss and his gang, beat em up pretty good and just the moment we thought we did it, a fucking lesser demonprince of khorne pops out of the chest of the headcultist. This was the moment our ratcatcher turns round and run for the hills.^^
I wasn’t bothered enough by Dusty’s possibly-too-scared expression to join in the debate on Wednesday, but Frigg DEFINITELY looks too scared in panel 3 here. >_>
Though yeah, I’m thinking we’re not quite on sync between the art and the personalities yet.
Oh, and in panel two, everyone’s looking perfect, except Bandit. She’s looking a bit like she got misplaced from a Doonesbury strip.
Love the new art, but there’s moments….
Yeah, I think New Art Guy is generally doing very well and I don’t want to be an ass, but dude, read the archive and look at everyone’s expressions. <_<
Absolutely love the Bandit expressions. I now have Bandit pegged as the comedy relief, which is a great thing. After all, bandits are always comedy relief.
She looks fine! :) She was probably midway through arguing with Byron, and caught with her mouth open, when the shock hit. A little gaping is good for the jaw.
I think the new artist is doing a stand up job, you have to accept a little variation if someone steps in at such short notice for three pages a week – there’s a lot less experience with these characters, and I’m sure the art will blossom with time (not to say it’s bad now, saying that things always improve).
The only thing I find a little jarring is the realistic textures that are coming through a little too strong. The stone wall in the last panel, and the intricate carpets in GraveDust’s betrayal comic just stand out a bit too much as stock images.
Thank you, GBeans. You’re very understanding of the situation. It will take time for all of us to get use to the change.
I admit the realistic textures can be a bit jarring, but I wanted to put in a little more detail in some areas I thought needed it, but lacked the time to do it “by hand”. I reasoned Iver is the drawf leader, he’s going to have the best stuff in his tent. It had to look exstravagant, so I used real rug patterns(although, they may have been too intricate).
Blah, blah. Yes, the New Guy’s art is a little different. Great prismacolor’s ghost, people! It’s nowhere near anything like the Great Art Frellsplosion of “American Flagg” between 1-12 and #13, when they went from Howard Chaykin’s very realistic* style to some staff twit’s cartoony style. WE CAN TELL WHO THE CHARACTERS ARE. DEAL WITH IT.
*For a given value of “realistic”.
Discussion (80) ¬
It’s hard to believe that no one questioned the building they were being “herded” into.
Yeah, both Gravedust and the rest seem uncharacteristically naïve and careless in this chapter.
Doesn’t seem too far fetched. The main party had been at least partially recognized as a diplomatic delegation. The rights of messengers and diplomats to be safe from harm most likely exists in this world; forcing them into what looks like a gladiatorial pit for execution would be “poor form” to say the least.
And if this Harky is the same one responsible for the slaughter at Leafport, it’s well within this organization’s power to sever the connections between a mystic and the dead, and any omens and forewarnings he might receive from them. Gravedust had no reason to expect to be poisoned and betrayed within his own people’s camp, especially while under (admittedly, assumed) diplomatic protection.
I’m not saying it’s perfectly clear, but the rationale certainly exists for our heroes to be a bit off guard here.
The ol’ Divide and Suckerpunch. Works every time!
What divide? Aside from Gravedust going to the dwarves, they’re all together in that death trap.
So they win the bloodsports, get recognition as tough motherfuckers from the beasties, and succeed in their mission. Score.
As an added bonus, when they’re all done they can all call themselves Spartacus.
Bandit is a little quicker on the uptake than the rest.
Not enough quicker, mind you … but a little bit…
Run Bandit, run Bandit, run run run.
Here’s come’s old Harky with his fun fun fun.
Opposing oppressive, racist empire of humans… With brutal, slave-driving monster-races. It’s almost like this setting isn’t black and white anymore!
Or quite carefully and intentionally never was to begin wi…oh wait. I see what you did there.
Could this “Death Pit” be… some sort of pit… of death?
Actually, long, long ago, before the races of man learned the arts of painting themselves blue and hitting each other with sticks, a giant peach fell from the sky. When the survivors of the cataclysm arrived, they found this, the Peach Pit of Death, in the center of the crater.
Doesn’t really look like a pit, looks more like a stadium
Sorry, Bandit, you’ll have to exit throught the gift shop, just like everyone else.
“Oh, sorry, he has a speech defect. He meant ‘Deaf Pit’. This is where we care for all our hearing-impaired citizens. We’re big into charity.”
It looks like a giant chocolate fountain. DEATH BY CHOCOLATE!
If I were a guild adventurer, and were faced with death by chocolate, I think I’d lose my fighting spirit pretty damn quick. “Chocolate, you say? Oh well, if you gotta go, you gotta go…Nom nom *huuuuurk* *klunk*”
“Now, ROLL FOR INITIATIVE!”
I’d ask how the bird-man was supposed to get out, but I figure he’d fly. Unless they shot an arrow into him.
How do you feel about this situation, Mr. Ackbar?
That’s Admiral
to you sir (my hand slipped hence double post)
“They call me ADMIRAL FISHY!”
I believe the words you are looking for are: “It’s a Trap!”
And yes…that would be ADMIRAL to you.
I just love calamari.
I’m guessing Bandit saw them playing basketball with human skulls in the first panel.
I think she did — look at her expression in the second panel.
Ooh, nice detail. I didn’t see that either, but Bandit did. Good spot.
Byron has back
story.
Never ask why it’s called a “Death Pit” a “Void of Terror” a “Forest of Rending Agony” or a “Gorge of Painful Insertion”.
Sometimes it’s better not to know these things.
also, never stand next to a sign that reads ROODPART or a box that reads SEL CAT NET
SEL CAT NET? What? It’s three AM and I’m too tired to get it. I’d have to be dead not to get the first one, though.
Tentacles.
Rule no. 8 – Never put Player Characters in a ‘death pit, arena, great hunt, or bloodsport’. They will just level up and hurt you more later.
A lot more.
aw man, why bother giving a tour in the first place if you’re just gonna kill them?
What better than a tour to keep the guest stars occupied while the whole camp has to get seated for the big event?
I wonder if time or teleportation will have permitted these savages to bring a drugged Gravedust to the party? A guy can still hope, right?
And if it wasn’t for flevine’s recent link to an earlier page, I would never have recognized “Harki”.
The tour means they’ll appreciate the irony of their deaths more. Right?
Or that was the most slick bit of villain monologuing ever :P
the monologue certainly kept most of them too busy to realize where they were going.
Looks like betrayal is the hot gift item this Christmas.
of blood anguish? or perhaps now…
The First Rule of Ring of Blood is You Don’t Talk About Ring of Blood
blood *and anguish
They don’t call ’em Savage Races for nothin’. Never trust a talkin’ owl, I says. The last talkin’ owl I ever met ate my Tootsie Roll Pop.
The world may never know, indeed.
Gold Star.
Gondoleeza’s givin’ hella stink-eye in the third panel. Not unlike her (possible) real-world equivalent:
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSHZ_LwSclK49QXpu6dYPbUBp0H-ViILk7QfEZyu0UREK10–JS
Gold Star, also.
reminds me of this:
http://scienceapalooza.wikispaces.com/file/view/beeker.jpg/37046495/beeker.jpg
Hmm, just occurred to me that Harky is just an S away from being Sharky, which if I’m not mistaken was what the orcs called Samuran when he tried to take over the Shire near the end of the Lord of the Rings books.
Homage or coincidence? I’m looking forward to finding out.
”Sharky” is also the shark-dog from Eek the Cat.
Just saying, you’re not exactly on stable ground here.
Not to be confused with the PIT OF DESPAAAAAAAAIIIIIR
Oh my fucking god! This is exactly like the one time i played warhammer pen & paper with my homies. We enter this big church of ulric, ready to kick some major ass. Then we found the boss and his gang, beat em up pretty good and just the moment we thought we did it, a fucking lesser demonprince of khorne pops out of the chest of the headcultist. This was the moment our ratcatcher turns round and run for the hills.^^
See, this is why rogues are just better than other people. Not enough people understand this.
However, the Big D*mned Door still stopped her cold.
Joining the team was her downfall, as her Mentor long warned her could happen.
Lol. This is true. Didn’t say they were perfect, just better than their peers;)
Bandit had a bit of a Road Runner moment there, eh?
And those land sharks playing skull-ball are so cute.
I’m such a dope, Just realized something:
Big Boss “HARKI”
http://guildedage.net/webcomic/chapter-5/chapter-5-page-4/
Thank you, you weren’t the only dope. :P
Ah, the classic villain mistake: forgetting that every PC in the multiverse has Rorschach’s maxim* inscribed on his, her, or its heart.
Well. somebody’s heart.
*”None of you understand. I’m not trapped in here with you: you’re all trapped in here with me.”
I wasn’t bothered enough by Dusty’s possibly-too-scared expression to join in the debate on Wednesday, but Frigg DEFINITELY looks too scared in panel 3 here. >_>
Looks a bit more like shocked surprise to me.
Though yeah, I’m thinking we’re not quite on sync between the art and the personalities yet.
Oh, and in panel two, everyone’s looking perfect, except Bandit. She’s looking a bit like she got misplaced from a Doonesbury strip.
Love the new art, but there’s moments….
Yeah, I think New Art Guy is generally doing very well and I don’t want to be an ass, but dude, read the archive and look at everyone’s expressions. <_<
I have. And I did. And I can only be me.
You need to draw yourself a nice avatar for these discussions
Absolutely love the Bandit expressions. I now have Bandit pegged as the comedy relief, which is a great thing. After all, bandits are always comedy relief.
She looks fine! :) She was probably midway through arguing with Byron, and caught with her mouth open, when the shock hit. A little gaping is good for the jaw.
I think the new artist is doing a stand up job, you have to accept a little variation if someone steps in at such short notice for three pages a week – there’s a lot less experience with these characters, and I’m sure the art will blossom with time (not to say it’s bad now, saying that things always improve).
The only thing I find a little jarring is the realistic textures that are coming through a little too strong. The stone wall in the last panel, and the intricate carpets in GraveDust’s betrayal comic just stand out a bit too much as stock images.
Thank you, GBeans. You’re very understanding of the situation. It will take time for all of us to get use to the change.
I admit the realistic textures can be a bit jarring, but I wanted to put in a little more detail in some areas I thought needed it, but lacked the time to do it “by hand”. I reasoned Iver is the drawf leader, he’s going to have the best stuff in his tent. It had to look exstravagant, so I used real rug patterns(although, they may have been too intricate).
Blah, blah. Yes, the New Guy’s art is a little different. Great prismacolor’s ghost, people! It’s nowhere near anything like the Great Art Frellsplosion of “American Flagg” between 1-12 and #13, when they went from Howard Chaykin’s very realistic* style to some staff twit’s cartoony style. WE CAN TELL WHO THE CHARACTERS ARE. DEAL WITH IT.
*For a given value of “realistic”.
Who’s the one on the right in panel 2? Is it Baron Splande?
It might be napoleon solo… Wait, wait, wrong fandom.
Super thiefly spider sense + stubby little gnome legs + fast closing gate = tragic fail.
…I choose to believe Bandit would have come back for them. Eventually.