What also is interesting to note is where the abbot is looking at the moment. Is he eavesdropping? And if he is dropping eaves, is he the sort to drop harpsichords as well?
All speculation and flimsy as far as clues go. More likely to lead astray than anything else. And Lucas, despite familial ties, you cannot rule Maula out entirely. It taints the investigation and means you have to prove you aren’t accusing someone else just to free Lady Bloodhand from suspicion.
When filming 24, they advised the cast, foreground and background, to give sideways looks on occasion, to stir general suspicion/tension in every scene. Apparently they were so impressed with Reiko Aylesworth’s looks that it inspired them to promote Michelle to main cast.
Maula considers Lucas to be blood-kin and has gone out of her way for him countless times. Go all the way back to Axe in the Rock: if Lucas needs her help, she’s *THERE*. Glon also feels the same way. The Orcs, if they don’t fully understand the emotion behind it, understand that Lucas is family to the biggest badasses in their civilization. And he is ferociously loyal to Maula and Glon because he feels the same of them: they’re *family* in all but blood (Lucas is not blood-related to Glon or Maula, but they are family). Gods have pity on those who try to fuck with any of them for they will not.
Maula IS the only mother figure he has ever had, really, if I recall correctly. (At least until Cadugan’s mother came on the scene.) So yeah, he is defending her like she was his mum. Also, werewolf. Wolves defend their pack. I have no idea how long it has been since he has changed, but I bet he still has a stronger sense of smell, and a few instincts left from that.
Speaking of which, too bad he hasn’t gotten to use any of his heightened senses in this investigation, but the crime scene is a bit old for that to be practical. At this probable point in decomposition (even stored in a cool place) it would take a sensitive nose indeed to detect complex details past the immediate smells of a dead body.
Werewolf senses would be extraordinary, not magical so technically he should still have access to them within the bubble.
But it all depends on how Rich is handling the werewolf powers, and having a super sniffer dog would take a lot of the mystery out of the murder mystery.
Not necessarily. Some time has passed since the murder, the crime scene has been cleaned up, a lot of people have been over the ground in question, and he wouldn’t be familiar with the scent of most of those involved. I am surprised that he didn’t have a sniff of the mattress and mirror/wardrobe though, to rule out Maula (not that they would take his word on that), and perhaps catch a scent that he could identify later, other than that of the victim and Carruthers.
Not to my knowledge. I mean unless the reduction in magic broke the werewolf curse, and we just haven’t heard about that yet. If I recall correctly, he did use his werewolf abilities towards the beginning of the Ranna crisis when the whole story with the Greyfort curse and Cadugan’s mom went down, and she was pushed from the top of the tower. Eddy’s mages had been training him and …I forget her name, the other werewolf who turned to good, and stayed at Greyfort… to better control their curse, but as far as I know, they had not found a way to remove it yet at that time. Then Ranna happened, and the rest is history.
I don’t think Owen ever married after Lucas and glons switch perhaps because he still loved Maula and since he had an heir it was not necessary. so yea Maula pretty much is the only mom figure he knew. he even claimed then when he came to talk about the raid caused by goria’s daughter.
What you’re saying is not unfair. But how much objectivity did we even start with, really?
The reader was pretty certain Maula didn’t do it the moment the crime was mentioned.
So was Lucas. He’s pretty much speaking for everybody who knows Maula, including the reader, in strip 3439.
Bearing that in mind, he’s been on a pretty even keel, outwardly, up until this moment. I think he deserves some credit for that. In his position, I would try my best to stay calm, and I know I’d be less successful – I’d be *seething*.
To be fair, Lucas had all that training to resist the change to werewolf, and keep his emotions under control so that they don’t trigger the change. Speaking of which, it would be interesting to find out whether he can change in the no-magic zone, or not, as a werewolf is a magical creature.
Heh, Lucas has done very well at getting people to forget (or never realize) that he is a werewolf… even the readers. I have to wonder if while ‘investigating’ he has been trying to subtly sniff things (under the pretext of looking closely at them), but not let on, as he does not want more people to know about that, and he might mention his findings to Cadugan later when they are alone for a moment. Whatever he comes up with, they will still need other evidence, as Carruthers and the rest are not going to just take his word for it that he scents that so-and-so did it, and not Maula, his mother figure.
That does give King Runtherd another good reason to have sent Lucas to investigate, as he knows about Lucas’s extra-sharp senses, and his husband’s talents as a ranger.
I would think that unless the victim was nobility, then the nobility really wouldn’t care much about this beyond finding someone guilty and keeping the peasants calm. A bonus is finding an orc guilty as this will be an easy out and, to the best of their knowledge, will go away quickly. If the orcs get upset and bang the war drums, well, that’s just life as usual in this setting.
Six months in total from Lucas and Cadugan dropping in on Maula to that side track ending, including breaks for working on Phineas and Ferb (or whatever the heck it is Rich does to earn actual money)
I am really struck by that playful look on Cadugan’s face in the last panel. Lucas is talking about something both horrible and enraging, but Cadugan, confident, is not worried about it at all.
Sign of a strong relationship. If you can still find time to needle your husband in the midst of a potential family-altering situation…your foundation is pretty solid. 😉
I imagine his training in suppressing the change to werewolf has greatly improved his ability to not display emotion when he does not want to in the last ten years as well.
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And in the background, the Captains still staring each other down. Nice touch.
What also is interesting to note is where the abbot is looking at the moment. Is he eavesdropping? And if he is dropping eaves, is he the sort to drop harpsichords as well?
All speculation and flimsy as far as clues go. More likely to lead astray than anything else. And Lucas, despite familial ties, you cannot rule Maula out entirely. It taints the investigation and means you have to prove you aren’t accusing someone else just to free Lady Bloodhand from suspicion.
When filming 24, they advised the cast, foreground and background, to give sideways looks on occasion, to stir general suspicion/tension in every scene. Apparently they were so impressed with Reiko Aylesworth’s looks that it inspired them to promote Michelle to main cast.
Still works!
t!
Well… he’s a honorary/adopted part orc?..
No, but he’s family. That runs deeper.
Maula considers Lucas to be blood-kin and has gone out of her way for him countless times. Go all the way back to Axe in the Rock: if Lucas needs her help, she’s *THERE*. Glon also feels the same way. The Orcs, if they don’t fully understand the emotion behind it, understand that Lucas is family to the biggest badasses in their civilization. And he is ferociously loyal to Maula and Glon because he feels the same of them: they’re *family* in all but blood (Lucas is not blood-related to Glon or Maula, but they are family). Gods have pity on those who try to fuck with any of them for they will not.
Maula IS the only mother figure he has ever had, really, if I recall correctly. (At least until Cadugan’s mother came on the scene.) So yeah, he is defending her like she was his mum. Also, werewolf. Wolves defend their pack. I have no idea how long it has been since he has changed, but I bet he still has a stronger sense of smell, and a few instincts left from that.
Speaking of which, too bad he hasn’t gotten to use any of his heightened senses in this investigation, but the crime scene is a bit old for that to be practical. At this probable point in decomposition (even stored in a cool place) it would take a sensitive nose indeed to detect complex details past the immediate smells of a dead body.
Huh, I wonder if he even could change in an anti-magic bubble. Or if that would cancel out his heightened senses. I hope we find out.
Werewolf senses would be extraordinary, not magical so technically he should still have access to them within the bubble.
But it all depends on how Rich is handling the werewolf powers, and having a super sniffer dog would take a lot of the mystery out of the murder mystery.
Not necessarily. Some time has passed since the murder, the crime scene has been cleaned up, a lot of people have been over the ground in question, and he wouldn’t be familiar with the scent of most of those involved. I am surprised that he didn’t have a sniff of the mattress and mirror/wardrobe though, to rule out Maula (not that they would take his word on that), and perhaps catch a scent that he could identify later, other than that of the victim and Carruthers.
Whoops; weird, tried replying to you, but ended up as a new comment chain.
Anyways, wasn’t he cured already?
Not to my knowledge. I mean unless the reduction in magic broke the werewolf curse, and we just haven’t heard about that yet. If I recall correctly, he did use his werewolf abilities towards the beginning of the Ranna crisis when the whole story with the Greyfort curse and Cadugan’s mom went down, and she was pushed from the top of the tower. Eddy’s mages had been training him and …I forget her name, the other werewolf who turned to good, and stayed at Greyfort… to better control their curse, but as far as I know, they had not found a way to remove it yet at that time. Then Ranna happened, and the rest is history.
I don’t think Owen ever married after Lucas and glons switch perhaps because he still loved Maula and since he had an heir it was not necessary. so yea Maula pretty much is the only mom figure he knew. he even claimed then when he came to talk about the raid caused by goria’s daughter.
There was also the curse, of course, preventing Owen from marrying… and eating carrots.
Marrying carrots is right out.
Unless you want the carrots to die horribly.
Well, now I’m curious about what happens if Baron Greyfort marries an inanimate object.
…and on a semi-related note, if that kind of curses still work now.
Objectivity goes out the window. Just like in real life.
What you’re saying is not unfair. But how much objectivity did we even start with, really?
The reader was pretty certain Maula didn’t do it the moment the crime was mentioned.
So was Lucas. He’s pretty much speaking for everybody who knows Maula, including the reader, in strip 3439.
Bearing that in mind, he’s been on a pretty even keel, outwardly, up until this moment. I think he deserves some credit for that. In his position, I would try my best to stay calm, and I know I’d be less successful – I’d be *seething*.
t!
To be fair, Lucas had all that training to resist the change to werewolf, and keep his emotions under control so that they don’t trigger the change. Speaking of which, it would be interesting to find out whether he can change in the no-magic zone, or not, as a werewolf is a magical creature.
Yes, damn you (in the best way).
I’m trying to figure out if I can work that in, now…
t!
Heh, Lucas has done very well at getting people to forget (or never realize) that he is a werewolf… even the readers. I have to wonder if while ‘investigating’ he has been trying to subtly sniff things (under the pretext of looking closely at them), but not let on, as he does not want more people to know about that, and he might mention his findings to Cadugan later when they are alone for a moment. Whatever he comes up with, they will still need other evidence, as Carruthers and the rest are not going to just take his word for it that he scents that so-and-so did it, and not Maula, his mother figure.
That does give King Runtherd another good reason to have sent Lucas to investigate, as he knows about Lucas’s extra-sharp senses, and his husband’s talents as a ranger.
I would think that unless the victim was nobility, then the nobility really wouldn’t care much about this beyond finding someone guilty and keeping the peasants calm. A bonus is finding an orc guilty as this will be an easy out and, to the best of their knowledge, will go away quickly. If the orcs get upset and bang the war drums, well, that’s just life as usual in this setting.
I thought he was cured already?
I’m glad Rich has resisted the temptation for a quick side track which could have lasted months depending on his professional work schedule.
"Hey Maula how are you bearing up?"
Six months later…
I’m not sure Rich could stay away that long even if ordered to by a doctor.
t!
Six months in total from Lucas and Cadugan dropping in on Maula to that side track ending, including breaks for working on Phineas and Ferb (or whatever the heck it is Rich does to earn actual money)
I am really struck by that playful look on Cadugan’s face in the last panel. Lucas is talking about something both horrible and enraging, but Cadugan, confident, is not worried about it at all.
t!
Sign of a strong relationship. If you can still find time to needle your husband in the midst of a potential family-altering situation…your foundation is pretty solid. 😉
It says something about Lucas’ training in diplomacy and court etiquette that he can keep a calm exterior in public right now.
I imagine his training in suppressing the change to werewolf has greatly improved his ability to not display emotion when he does not want to in the last ten years as well.
Family is not just about blood. ^_^
The character development of Lucas from spoiled brat to loyal friend and husband my second favorite character arc in this comic.
/Queen Clover’s arc is my favorite.