Cursed, of Course: A Fantasy Comic

[Kantaki]

I wouldn't be surprised if Cat DID literally fall from the sky, honestly.

Right onto her head. I'm sure it was hilarious.

We did those jokes already. Frequently.
Doesn't make them less true though.

[Shoreward]

Update!

Page 69 - It's a Wonder the Paper Wasn't Soggy.

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[Kantaki]

From the handwriting I would guess she started out in a better position in life than she is right now.

Well, duh. She wasn't born a outlaw after all.
But what I mean is that the writing seems to scream „upper class”.
So I think some kind of lower nobility or at least a rich family.
Merchants maybe?
Rich and powerful enough to put value in good education and fancy writing but not enough to protect her from whatever happened to her.

[ti'esar]

Something gives me the feeling that whatever she got that brand for, it was at least partially genuinely her fault. But that's mostly just a guess based off the other members of the party.

Also, I can't tell for sure what the second letter in her name is. I'm thinking 'Y' but that's a pretty flowery font. Rip "Mime."

Also also, the last panel is amazing.

Edit: "Such womanly lettering?" I reaaally hope he doesn't fall for her next.

[IntelectPaladin]

Oh, poor Catt. Let's hope things take a turn for the better.
And at least we get to know our mute's real name. Progress.
I wonder how it's pronounced. "Aldell-eye?" "All-dellie"? ...Likely the former.
Thank you, and have a happy holiday. Or a merry christmas! I don't want that phrase to die!

[Shoreward]

Bit busy with the Christmas week at the moment, but luckily that's what the buffer is for.

Update!

Page 70 - Once Upon a Time

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[ti'esar]

I have a bad feeling about this.

[IntelectPaladin]

I have a bad feeling about this.

It's rather difficult to get a good one.
It could easily be related to his past, for example,
and he's been quiet on it until now for a reason.
But it's still worldbuilding, at any rate, and I'm glad for that.
In fact, I'm willing to bet another "I told you so" on this being from pellan's past.
Well done on the comic, shoreward, and happy holidays to you all!
{Edit: Isn't that a semi-familiar spear? And fog, from the cover?}

[The Fury]

Does anyone else imagine that Pellan is saying "good queen Kyren Kaizen" sarcastically?

[Kantaki]

Does anyone else imagine that Pellan is saying "good queen Kyren Kaizen" sarcastically?

Well, how else can someone who knows the truth possibly react?

[ti'esar]

Cat's clueless, not stupid. From that reaction, I'd actually guess that Pellan's not saying it sarcastically, and hasn't yet gotten around to the part of the story where he lays on the heavy irony.

[Kantaki]

Cat's clueless, not stupid. From that reaction, I'd actually guess that Pellan's not saying it sarcastically, and hasn't yet gotten around to the part of the story where he lays on the heavy irony.

Maybe not sarcasm, but some kind of... bitterness(?) seems to be there.

Almost as if he witnessed it.
Do we know how long Pellan has been cursed?

Maybe that's why he has „a girl name”.
It used to be a name for boys (too), but that fell out of use.
It would also offer an (additional) explanation why he isn't wearing his house colours.
Wearing the crest of a long dead fairy-tale queen would look really weird.

[ti'esar]

Maybe not sarcasm, but some kind of... bitterness(?) seems to be there.

I mean, certainly, I just suspect he hasn't actually gotten into that bit yet.

Do we know how long Pellan has been cursed?

That... is an interesting question.

[Kantaki]

I mean, certainly, I just suspect he hasn't actually gotten into that bit yet.

True. The good part has yet to come.
Still, that sort of thing tends to colour the speakers tone of voice.

And I wouldn't be surprised if Cat simply missed it just cause she loves the more common, „heroic” version so much.
Wouldn't be the first time her excitement made her miss a cue.

That... is an interesting question.

Well, yeah. I mean from the start of the story I would usually assume the answer to be „not very long”, but considering how coy he is about his past- the curse, why he isn't wearing his house colours/ coat of arms... -and now he seems to have knowledge about the truth behind this fairy tale about some legendary Good Queen...
Taking that into account makes me think he's quite a bit older than it seems.

Maybe he just lived in her times, maybe he fought against or for her.
It's even possible his curse relates to her.
Either as a punishment for opposing her or for some transgression under her orders.

If it even is a curse. Well, it certainly is now, but did it start as one?
We know this queen fought several wars.

So, what if Pellan's side- for now assumed to be Queen Kyren Kaizen's empire -choose to deploy undead(-ish) troops?

Maybe not the mindless variation, but at the very least some of the sentient brand.
Death Knights, lichs, that sort of thing.
Immortal, untiring, nigh unkillable elite troops.
Imagine the effect on morale if someone like Pellan (well, not personality wise) leads armies into battle.
On both sides.

Their own men would be bolstered by following someone who can shrug off even the most terrible blows and by the chance to receive the same gift.

The enemy would be terrified.
Just imagine some almost unstoppable juggernaut tearing through your battle-lines, felling your knights and officers in direct combat as if they're just children playing at being warriors..

[ti'esar]

Why am I not surprised that your theory drifted into necromancy?

[IntelectPaladin]

Why am I not surprised that your theory drifted into necromancy?

In other news, cows moo.
Jokes aside, I'm seriously interested in where the story goes next,
partially because I'm rather sure that Kantaki is right.
Pellan could honestly have been around much longer than we'd expect.
Sentient undead's usual gripe, really. Either way, I'm looking forward to the story ahead!
It's probably not, but I trust Shoreward to make it all interesting at this point.
Thank you, everyone, and I hope you have a merry holiday!

[Kantaki]

Why am I not surprised that your theory drifted into necromancy?

Well, just look at Pellan.
Whatever happened to him definitely was necromancy(-like) in origin.
Him being a walking, talking skeleton and all.

Theorizing that it didn't happen relative recently- and possibly was done on purpose and not a curse isn't that much of a stretch.

Okay, that's all based on him seeming to know something about this „Good Queen” that would make her look less so.
Could be that he's just very well learned on history.
Or it's his cynicism speaking.
But for now I'm going to assume he's old enough to have seen it.

[Shoreward]

Update!

Page 71 - The Box.

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Loving the theories. Reading speculation and character chatter always gives me one of those goofy grins. Anyone who has ever GMed knows the feeling, and it's one of the reasons I wanted to write and upload something like this installment-by-installment.

[ti'esar]

Now there's a wish that it seems like nothing can possibly go wrong with. Especially in a setting where there's at least two undead guys wandering around...

[Prince Zahn]

Now there's a wish that it seems like nothing can possibly go wrong with. Especially in a setting where there's at least two undead guys wandering around...

No, absolutely not. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised (but would be very pleased) to hear that

Spoiler: speculation

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the old man's box corrupted Kyren, and, with Pellan probably making a point of stopping it (perhaps being one of the Queen's men in the past himself) only for her to put a curse on him for all eternity.

[IntelectPaladin]

Now there's a wish that it seems like nothing can possibly go wrong with. Especially in a setting where there's at least two undead guys wandering around...

I concur wholeheartedly.
Not to mention that if it had gone well, it would be quite a notable nation at this point.
Methinks pellan doesn't wear his house colors for one dang good reason.
Things can only get better from here.
Thank you for reading this, and I hope you have a happy new year!

[EldritchWeaver]

Maybe Pellan is actually Kyren?

[Prince Zahn]

Maybe Pellan is actually Kyren?

That would be a helluva twist O. O

The people at the temple did say Pellan was a girl's name.

I'd sooner believe though, that, the queen tempted him, too, with the promise of immortality.


If I could make one simple request though - I struggle to read cursive writing (I never paid attention in that English class) could someone please spell the tongueless girl's name for me in non-cursive English? It would make future conversations about her easier for me. Thank you.

[Hish]

Maybe Pellan is actually Kyren?

At this point, I'm thinking this, or Pellan was also corrupted by the box.

[Kantaki]

That would be a helluva twist O. O

The people at the temple did say Pellan was a girl's name.

I'd sooner believe though, that, the queen tempted him, too, with the promise of immortality.

Well, there's at least one other individual with a similar glowy eye like P's who's looking for him, so it's possible that one's the queen and his current state comes from her „gift”.
Or it's the other way around.
Or neither is the queen and they just both knew her.

Did we ever get a confirmation of Pellan's gender?

I mean Kyren could pose as a guy, but would she have picked a girl name then?
Unless it really wasn't back then....

If I could make one simple request though - I struggle to read cursive writing (I never paid attention in that English class) could someone please spell the tongueless girl's name for me in non-cursive English? It would make future conversations about her easier for me. Thank you.

Her name is Azdelie.

[aReallyGreatAxe]

Actually, I think it may be Ardelie. Cursive zs tend to look more like... almost a loopy three. Or you might say like a cursive g, but not closed? (Source: I never learned to print, so cursive-only for me!)

Assuming anyone could actually read my handwriting... otherwise I'm stuck with HANDWRITTEN CAPSLOCK.

Some fonts do it differently, however, so I'm not 100% sure.

[S@tanicoaldo]

The dummy must have done the old wish for immortality but not for eternal youth kind of thing, so typical.

[The Fury]

That would be a helluva twist O. O
The people at the temple did say Pellan was a girl's name.

Well, Pellan is a skeleton. It's not like anyone could tell at a glance if (s)he were a girl. Though since everyone in the comic seems to presume he's male, and Pellan seems to go with it, I'll go with that as well. Actually, after going through a few of the last pages, I'm not sure that last bit is actually true.

[Prince Zahn]

Well, Pellan is a skeleton. It's not like anyone could tell at a glance if (s)he were a girl. Though since everyone in the comic seems to presume he's male, and Pellan seems to go with it, I'll go with that as well. Actually, after going through a few of the last pages, I'm not sure that last bit is actually true.

I tried getting a better glimpse at the armor structure. Didn't really learn much from it though. Slate gray armor, looks relatively realistic. There's a bit of a curve, but if Pellan was a woman, she didn't have much of a chest going for her.

From a masculine theory, if you bar the fact that he's a skeleton, Pellan does seem to fit the bill for a typically masculine role - acting tough, chasing women (in particular - damsels in distress), when pointed out that Pellan is a girl's name, he made an effort to make his name sound stronger. He is narcissistic, to-the-point in his speech, stubborn, antisocial, rude...

If Pellan is a woman, she has few (if any) other qualities besides the name to show for it. But lack of evidence in this case is not enough to prove it, until we can see a picture of Pellan in the flesh, or until we have Confirmation of Pellan's Gender, we can't truly disqualify either way, but we should still look for more clues for both arguments.

[Shoreward]

Update!

Page 72 - Hurt.

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