3486 Fatalism
Hello all.
It’s been pointed out to me that I’ve gone quiet here for over a MONTH!
Holy crap I’m so sorry. There’s only so many times I think I can give you guys excuses before it becomes meaningless.
In a nutshell: I’ve been very very busy with this contract, on which I’ve fallen behind schedule and I’m trying desperately to keep up.
Add to the fact that COVID 19 forces my kids to occasionally have to school from home and as a result, they’ve taken over my living-room work station, all my YAFGC material is relegated to my cramped work area in the basement, and so even casual noodling on the comics has become even MORE difficult in the time I’ve got.
But please hang in there. I’ll get back to more YAFGC. Never dead, but often slowed.
Love you all!
-Rich
I am very suspicious of this guy now.
Oh thank gawds, I’m not the only one !
Well, yeah? Revenge is a dish best served cold and there are at least a couple of reasons why it makes perfect sense.
1. The tournament wasn’t held for the last ten years. If resentment starts setting in after the tournament, and is then defused next year, there would be no annual event to vent.
2. Before Ranna and Ch’Their faced off, there was plenty of magic in the world. Any investigation would be much easier because of magical divination. Everyone except the perpetrator would have no reason to object honestly answering one question regarding the murder.
3. Stakes were never that high. With the constant tension, the killer would have hoped that the murder would be overlooked. The harpsichord made this too obvious, however.
Problem with your second point.
They’re inside an anti-magic bubble, divination magic wouldn’t work anyway.
True, but suspects can be taken out of the bubble to perform the investigation/interrogation.
At which point they are free to use whatever magic they want to escape if they are guilty.
Also people tend to get narky about having their honesty questioned by insisting that they undergo some form of lie-detection spell or technique to prove their innocence as it implies that they aren’t trustworthy and likely to lie.
And do you really want certain species or characters to get narky with you?
Is he talking about Taurenil now, or about the harpsichord?
Nice one.
t!
2! 2 somebodies I cared about killed in my abbey! (lightning effects and laughter a la Sesame Street)
Yes. The two things I care deeply about are my dear friend Taurenil and the poor, blameless ACME harpsichord. And the annual card tournament…right. The THREE things I care about are Taurenil, the harpsichord, the card tournament, and the legacy of St. Aldwin. The FOUR…no, wait…AMONGST the things I…such elements as…
I’ll come in again.
At some point will they realize that the mangled body found under the harpsichord was not Taruenil’s? That it was actually a coyote, and he was holding a sign that said, "OW".
Are you saying the abbot is about to be promoted within the church? That would explain why having a murder amongst those in his protection could be seen as a cardinal error. One that no one expects, eh?
Yeah, let’s keep this in perspective, now! This mars the reputation of Abbot Heigh’s fine establishment, and might drive away high-rolling pilgrims!
Oh, by the way, the abbey may be the target all along, the known open vendetta between Clan Bloodhand and Clan Taurenil making a convenient choice of victim and suspect. But the murderer made the mistake of assuming it really was Taurenil, and not someone with enough non-elven heritage to be less susceptible to Prattroot. Thus the harpsichord. So maybe Abbot Heigh isn’t that far off in focussing on that it happened at his abbey.
This is all very well thought out, but where is the pun? Who are you and what have you done to the real Fnordius?
Abbot, I am slipping up! Like a harpsichord, it drops in every now and then. It just never occurred to me when writing the comment that there was more Heigh to be made here.
That’s a very interesting thought, that it’s aimed at the abbey (or possibly the tournament), rather than either of the women.
In which case, I recommend Boss Hogg, er, the Baron, be added to the suspect list.
I don’t think the abbot did the murder, but I do believe he knows exactly who did.
Everybody is making the assumption that it was a murder rather than a coverup of a suicide. The victim drank the prattroot much like Socrates and the hemlock, then someone found her and dropped the harpsicord on her to make it look like Taurenil was murdered instead of a suicide.
I’ve either read or saw on television that plot play out.
They wound up being charged with desecration of a body.
Fair enough.
Also tampering, I assume?
Just because noone saif it yet: Merry Christmas for all of you! 🙂
To you and yours, THAT bard 🙂
and a merry Christmas to all of you!
Thank you for your presence 😉
Merry Christmas, THAT bard, Rich, and to all who are celebrating this day.
It could be a monk causing trouble at the game to prevent the winning on such items that they believe should not leave the abby
So, the book.
Are we all agreed it’s some sort of play guide based on rigorous statistical analysis of the game?
Not exactly, no. We seem to have consensus that the "poetry" was not poetry but code. Whether it was algorithms for winning or a cheat guide, that isn’t clear. We do not have the actual book, only the statement from Eliddel to Abbot Heigh that it was "initials or some magic formula".
This particular book has people making wagers, though. Just ask the bookies.
It might have been a birthday-calendar. With the long life came many friends to fill that book.
on a side note: Happy New Year Everyone! 🙂
Happy New Year!
Imagine having to prepare gifts for all those bdays…
Happy New Year!
I was thinking something like the /I Ching/.
That too would fit Eliddel’s description, but a book on probability theory seems more in line with the recent themes of the story. With magic fading and science ascendant, the world has jumped rapidly from a pseudo-Medieval/Renaissance tone and aesthetics, to a pseudo-Enlightment feel.
Of course, in a real world, elven card sharps who have spent their whole long lifetime divining on the I Ching would not immediately switch mindsets…but fiction has rules of its own, so I would lay odds (ha!) that the book will tie into the story’s broader direction.
OK, it’s been full radio silence for a month now…. Rich? Are you OK? Knock twice if you’ve been buried under an avalanche, three times if it’s just work… (If there’s no knocking at all, I’m grabbing the snow boots and shovels! )
I’ll join the rescue team!
Maybe an interlude with the Dreaded "Writer’s Block?"
https://elgoonishshive.fandom.com/wiki/Writer%27s_Block
I thought this arc is already written, though? Co-writing doesn’t tend to leave that much room for ad-lib.
It’s written, yes, but not drawn. Visual interpretation, i’d think, would be harder than the physicality of drawing. I expect with his job and family, Rich is bearly keeping up some days. As much as the comic is for his own enjoyment as well as us, i can’t imagine having to draw for work and fun. Just wow, thinking about what might go into drawing made my brain explode some. more kudos!
(Yes, the spelling of bearly was intentional. I’m privately amused by the thought of him having a bear (from prior comments) that takes up space, time, and energy. Not the same as an elephant in the room, but a different vibe. Elephants can be adjusted to, and even helpful. Bears, not so much. And it’s not a gnu.)
When someone says to "Bear with them" I always tell them that if there’s a bear with them, they should run!
"Elephants can be adjusted to, and even helpful. Bears, not so much."
Bears can be helpful! Just ask Corporal Wojtek if he wasn’t helpful!
I expect it’s an extra workload for now, as our favourite teller of fantasy tales did state that he had a lot to do in his paying job.
In the meantime, in the spirit of Saint Aldwin, I will be playing solitaire. With tarot cards. Once I figure out how the major arcana work in solitaire is, that is.
The major arcana are a form of wild cards, depending on the type of solitaire you are playing. *said with confidence, having been made up on the spot* Really, I just removed the major arcana whenever they showed up, and arrayed them in the order they were exposed for a reading along with the solitaire.
Yeah, I hope it is just work. He usually posts something if he is facing a prolonged work impediment though. I keep checking here.
I will keep checking in.
Rich, hope everything is okay.
Rich, thanks for checking in to say hi. (For those who haven’t seen his note, it’s at the top of the page under the comic.)
Sorry to hear the job has you running ragged, but I hope it’s an enjoyable project in the end. Hang in there, give the family all our best, and we’ll look forward to seeing you again as things lighten up a bit. Your work and your company are always worth the wait!
Ah, there’s the announcement.
Well, I hope things will get easier for you soon!
Always worth the wait, Rich. Do the needful. We’ll be here, cheering, when the updates come through. Just glad you’re well!
Don’t worry (God knows we wont).
You continued with the strips for many times ago and you return.
Sometimes sooner, sometimes when you can. But you will always back.
This said thanks for the announcemente. In this times is good to know nothing really bad happens to you or yours
Thanks for the update for us worriers Rich, good to know you are okay. Goodness knows a lot of us have had similar problems the last couple years. As long as it is just a matter of time and space, we will be here when you get ahold of more of it. Many is the time I have wanted to borrow a TARDIS.
No worries, Rich, and thank you for the update. While it’s safe to assume that the job is what’s occupying your time, it’s still good to hear that you and the family are doing well. Take the time you need, and don’t stress about YAFGC. We’ll be here waiting for you.
While we’re waiting, gang, who’s up for a round of 43-Man Squamish? https://www.madcoversite.com/quiz_olympics.html
Sounds complicated. Can’t we just play chess or something?
It sounds fun. I’m in!
How about a game of Global Thermonuclear War ?
Rules?
The usual. Last person to die wins
I don’t know the usual.
The Game ir the Life?
Seems to me that a company that piles on so much work that it completely engulfs your life, that is not healthy. Even if you enjoy your work and co-workers, it looks like someone higher up at the studio you’re working for is about profits over all else. Be safe and don’t neglect your own well-being. A job, even a good one, is never worth more than your health.
The weird thing is that it’s not… more than I’ve had to do in the past. I think the difference is that in the past I’ve been IN a studio, surrounded by people also working and on a show that I quickly stopped being really all that emotionally engaged with. On the one hand, more distractions, less passion.
This show is personally driven because I’m at home, with fewer distractions, (although, with less discipline to pull me away when I do get distracted) and an actual interest in making a good product and pleasing my coworkers.
I’ve been really weirded out by how much this job absorbs me as opposed to my previous job which had the same expectations.
Dude,
BREATHE.
life is coming hard at everyone right now. Randy was saying nearly the same thing, and you know what. It’s cool. we’re all looking for that rush of a new comic, but shits fucked up and its hitting us harder and harder everytime we thing we’re getting some breathing room. Behind on work, Cool. you told us and set an expectation: you need to get caught up. no time to work on the comic. Cool. Kids are messing with home routine cuz of online classes and Quarantines. Cool. you told us and set an expectation. see how that works?
Seriously man, I dont know how you guys are keeping it together, TBH, Im having a hard enough time just doing the 9 to 5 and taking care of my folks. How the fuck you’re managing to be full time workers, Artists, Family people, and STILL getting shit done…when im barely holding on most of the time. Dude, BREATHE.
We’re here for the story. so do what you gotta do and we’ll be here.
*Hug*
*hug* NP dude, glad to be able to help out when we can. Just hang in there.