As long as Jhalm doesn’t know she’s stalling, it will probably work. As soon as he realizes that Digger is underground, he’ll walk right past her. Jhalm would be a fool though to head underground unless he has some accurate way to find where he needs to go. Digger knowing the way will be much faster. I suspect Jhalm might be more likely to seal the hole by any means necessary. Especially with Digger in it.
“So I will stand in the doorway with my sword and my broken arm, and we will see which one of us is correct.”
Murai has such a quiet strength that’s easy to overlook in the midst of her brokeness, but it’s always there. Getting to see her bring it forward, to stand straight and proud and without hesitation in the midst of pain and confusion, is wonderful and maybe even a little awe-inspiring.
I agree with Tom Long. That gal’s got balls of tempered *steel* !
Also as to the Diplomacy check bonus: for Murai, you get to add the assist bonus from Statue, so +22 to whatever her Diplomacy is in the first place (and I’m thinking it’s pretty dang high)!!
I still think Murai feels this is her big Destiny moment. Self-sacrifice, stalling.. but she figures Jhalm will eventually not brook dissent anymore, and do teh irreparable, but it will be worth it if it gives Digger time enough.
Yes, that’s what _Murai_ thinks is her destiny right now. Ursula, on the other hand, may have other ideas. 🙂
[opinion]
Surka is using her pirate training to Hide In Shadows, so she can pounce on Jhalm at an opportune moment to save Murai’s life (go Murai!).
[/opinion]
I want Murai to lose… not to die, but to lose, like she know she will. The most she can reasonably hope to accomplish delay, and that is all she should accomplish… PERHAPS some of it later when Jahlim pauses at a critical moment with her words echoling in his mind.
“who distinguishes himself by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy”…
Hey, Murai agrees with me. Oh, that’s worrying, actually. Ursula has a habit of throwing a wrench in expectations, especially when they’re spoken aloud. It might be a subset of the Rules of Narrative Causality. Probably is. *frets*
not to downplay murai’s courage…but i wonder if jhalm’s army would obey him in this circumstance. after all, even armies are made of human beings – and as murai has said, some of them are her friends.
one wonders what they would think of a commander who would order them to attack her.
That’s sort of her whole point. Murai is betting that Jhalm will not order them to attack her and that if he did, they would not. Of course, she isn’t using the “they are my friends” angle, she’s going with they will not attack “a girl with a broken arm and a sword”. Either way, it’s very brave. I think she is right, I don’t think he will order his army to attack her. I think he will try to talk her into surrendering. But, I think when she does not do so in a timely fashion, he will order someone to “deal with her”. Not sure how that will go.
Great job as always, Ursula!
I’d say this is a crowning moment of awesome for Murai, but I have a feeling it’s only going to get better. I await eagerly to see what happens next. Granted I did read this comic in 2 days, but I’m used to it. After all any comic running this long in my experience either becomes tediously boring or gripping and addictive, and this is obviously the latter.
Both the statue and Murai are saying Jhalm is honorable. We’ve really only seen Jhalm through the perspective of Digger, who has never gotten along with him. Given that both the statue and Murai have known him a lot longer, I would say they’re probably right. Also, remember, Jhalm was ready to stand against the cold servants to protect Murai. He seems to genuinely care about those under his command. Also remember that he feels a certain sense of responsibility towards Murai, since he was the one who assigned the mission that drove her mad. I think this will be an extremely effective tactic. Also, I don’t think he’d harm Murai. He’s much larger and a more experienced combatant than she is. If he decides to force his way past, I think he could probably disarm and capture her with little effort. I think it will be primarily his sense of honor that will keep him from doing it at the first.
Damn, just caught up after reading the entire archive… twice so now I need to wait like everyone else for new updates.
I love the comic though. Easily one of my faviourite webcomics ever. It also has the best art of any webcomic I’ve seen. Massive credit to Ursula for the sheer awesome that is Digger. I’ll be sorely tempted to buy the full set of printed books once it is complete, and failing that I’ll definitely donate. (I’m a poor student so ~£60 for the full book set is probably too much to justify spending just yet. I’ll probably wait till I get money for christmas/birthday in a year (or hopefully more))
PS. Thanks for destroying any hope of me doing work today.
… now I just need to find a comic to fill saturday and sunday and I can have one every day :D.
Friends, Hyenas, Flying rats, lend me your ears.
I come to bury He-Is, not free him.
The good that gods do lives after them;
The evil is oft interred with their bones.
So let it be with He-Is. The noble Jhalm
Hath told you He-Is desires freedom.
If it were so, we have done grievous wrong,
And grievously hath He-Is answered it.
Here, under leave of Jhalm and the Veiled —
For Jhalm is an honorable man,
So are they all, all honorable men —
Come I to speak before Ganesh’s gates.
He was betrayed, possessed by Sweetgrass Voice.
But Jhalm says he desires freedom,
And Jhalm is an honorable man.
He hath asked himself to be bound and killed,
To be shackled that he not rise again.
Did this in He-Is wish freedom?
With guilt at his dead son, He-Is hath wept.
With his imprisonment, he hath rejoiced.
Yet Jhalm says he desires freedom,
And Jhalm is an honorable man.
You all did see that within this temple
He thrice presented the chance to turn back,
Which he did thrice refuse. Was this for freedom?
Yet Jhalm says he desires freedom,
And sure he is an honorable man.
I speak not to disprove what Jhalm spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did bind him once, not without cause.
What cause compels you then to unbind him?
O Judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason!
Bear with me.
My heart is in the coffin there with He-Is,
And I must pause till it come back to me.
Lucius — Caesar also wasn’t Brutus’ student/protege. Their relationship was at lesat as *complicated* as Jhamal’s and Murai’s, but I think that Murai’s status as a student for whom Jhamal was responsible, and whom he failed, is a likely part of this equation.
It’ll work if Jhalm is an honorable man, probably — but, I’m not so sure that Sweetgrass Voice hasn’t gotten to him somehow, and made him a bit less honorable than he once might have been…the kind of person who thinks they know what’s good for everyone else is ripe for that kind of corruption.
brave girl, taking a gamble like that. i really hope that jhalm hasn’t cracked
This is the kind of noble that makes you hate a person, yanno.
Murai – not just a pretty face. Or pretty veil.
As long as Jhalm doesn’t know she’s stalling, it will probably work. As soon as he realizes that Digger is underground, he’ll walk right past her. Jhalm would be a fool though to head underground unless he has some accurate way to find where he needs to go. Digger knowing the way will be much faster. I suspect Jhalm might be more likely to seal the hole by any means necessary. Especially with Digger in it.
“So I will stand in the doorway with my sword and my broken arm, and we will see which one of us is correct.”
Murai has such a quiet strength that’s easy to overlook in the midst of her brokeness, but it’s always there. Getting to see her bring it forward, to stand straight and proud and without hesitation in the midst of pain and confusion, is wonderful and maybe even a little awe-inspiring.
Just imagine the iorny that he dosent.
Or even that he dosent attack…
Hats off for Murai.
She’s got balls, that Murai!
A Broken Arm adds +20 to Diplomacy Checks. True fact.
I still reckon she’s going to wind up kicking ass but this is cooler than that would be anyway!
I think everyone here is expecting her to pull a River…
BarGamer: It also adds +20 to Indimiation checks.. the difference being *whose* arm…
“You shall not pass!!”
I can’t come up with anything to say but oh *god* the solemn self-sacrifice and pain and oh, Murai.
Ursula, you’re going to make me cry at work again. I just know it…..
Hurray for Murai! Just don’t go all crazy now.
Go, Murai! It’s sort of the same thing with Grim Eyes not fighting Boneclaw Mother. Jhalm can’t win this one.
Murai, I love you. I love you so much.
(Thank you Ursula!)
I agree with Tom Long. That gal’s got balls of tempered *steel* !
Also as to the Diplomacy check bonus: for Murai, you get to add the assist bonus from Statue, so +22 to whatever her Diplomacy is in the first place (and I’m thinking it’s pretty dang high)!!
I still think Murai feels this is her big Destiny moment. Self-sacrifice, stalling.. but she figures Jhalm will eventually not brook dissent anymore, and do teh irreparable, but it will be worth it if it gives Digger time enough.
Yes, that’s what _Murai_ thinks is her destiny right now. Ursula, on the other hand, may have other ideas. 🙂
That is a wise, wise girl.
Whether she’s RIGHT, I have no idea. But just having the plan … yeah. You go, kid.
A bluff and yet not a bluff. *fingers crossed for Murai*
Well spoken Murai.
@Gwennan: yeah, me too.
*gulp*
Go Murai!
Holy crap! I really, *really* hope that she was right about him. And that she still is, for that matter.
I think this may be the most rational I have ever seen Murai. The logic is impeccable. Let’s hope that Jhalm is as honorable as she thinks he is.
Where is Surka?
[opinion]
Surka is using her pirate training to Hide In Shadows, so she can pounce on Jhalm at an opportune moment to save Murai’s life (go Murai!).
[/opinion]
Don’t forget to VOTE! http://topwebcomics.com/vote/10180/default.aspx
Murai is so hardcore she makes the hyena hunters look like a pack of girls. *badum-tish*
I want Murai to lose… not to die, but to lose, like she know she will. The most she can reasonably hope to accomplish delay, and that is all she should accomplish… PERHAPS some of it later when Jahlim pauses at a critical moment with her words echoling in his mind.
“who distinguishes himself by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy”…
Yep. Definitely Medal of Honor qualifications.
I got chills at that last panel. Ursula does such an amazing job at using silhouettes.
Why do I have this feeling that this moment had a previous life as an ill-advised strategem in a D&D game?
Hey, Murai agrees with me. Oh, that’s worrying, actually. Ursula has a habit of throwing a wrench in expectations, especially when they’re spoken aloud. It might be a subset of the Rules of Narrative Causality. Probably is. *frets*
god *damn* that’s well done
not to downplay murai’s courage…but i wonder if jhalm’s army would obey him in this circumstance. after all, even armies are made of human beings – and as murai has said, some of them are her friends.
one wonders what they would think of a commander who would order them to attack her.
That’s sort of her whole point. Murai is betting that Jhalm will not order them to attack her and that if he did, they would not. Of course, she isn’t using the “they are my friends” angle, she’s going with they will not attack “a girl with a broken arm and a sword”. Either way, it’s very brave. I think she is right, I don’t think he will order his army to attack her. I think he will try to talk her into surrendering. But, I think when she does not do so in a timely fashion, he will order someone to “deal with her”. Not sure how that will go.
Great job as always, Ursula!
I’d say this is a crowning moment of awesome for Murai, but I have a feeling it’s only going to get better. I await eagerly to see what happens next. Granted I did read this comic in 2 days, but I’m used to it. After all any comic running this long in my experience either becomes tediously boring or gripping and addictive, and this is obviously the latter.
Oi… Every time I check back the tension just gets worse! XD Ah well… Go Digger! Lay down some ‘tunnel seventeen!’ on that old (un)dead god-heart with your axe! Read this and share my marsupial-related-pun agony!- http://www.whiteponyproductions.com/comicstrips/minicomics/NEOCTC/NEOCTC_057.htm It burns!
Hmm…anyone for understated brilliance? Even if Jhalm’s not *that* honorable anymore Murai will still give him pause.
Both the statue and Murai are saying Jhalm is honorable. We’ve really only seen Jhalm through the perspective of Digger, who has never gotten along with him. Given that both the statue and Murai have known him a lot longer, I would say they’re probably right. Also, remember, Jhalm was ready to stand against the cold servants to protect Murai. He seems to genuinely care about those under his command. Also remember that he feels a certain sense of responsibility towards Murai, since he was the one who assigned the mission that drove her mad. I think this will be an extremely effective tactic. Also, I don’t think he’d harm Murai. He’s much larger and a more experienced combatant than she is. If he decides to force his way past, I think he could probably disarm and capture her with little effort. I think it will be primarily his sense of honor that will keep him from doing it at the first.
Hmm, I agree, I am almost expecting her to “Pull a River.” (interesting phrase that as well. Apt, but haven’t heard it before.)
I came into this game somewhat late, and read through the archives in one night. Simply beautiful so far, strangely enough.
“An honorable man”?
So was Brutus.
Then again, Caesar wasn’t a young girl with a broken arm……
…….but Caesar wasn’t carrying a sword, either.
It’s a toss-up……. 7@=Q
Damn, just caught up after reading the entire archive… twice so now I need to wait like everyone else for new updates.
I love the comic though. Easily one of my faviourite webcomics ever. It also has the best art of any webcomic I’ve seen. Massive credit to Ursula for the sheer awesome that is Digger. I’ll be sorely tempted to buy the full set of printed books once it is complete, and failing that I’ll definitely donate. (I’m a poor student so ~£60 for the full book set is probably too much to justify spending just yet. I’ll probably wait till I get money for christmas/birthday in a year (or hopefully more))
PS. Thanks for destroying any hope of me doing work today.
… now I just need to find a comic to fill saturday and sunday and I can have one every day :D.
Ah, now I have to wait. Maybe I’ll just go back and start reading it again.
Friends, Hyenas, Flying rats, lend me your ears.
I come to bury He-Is, not free him.
The good that gods do lives after them;
The evil is oft interred with their bones.
So let it be with He-Is. The noble Jhalm
Hath told you He-Is desires freedom.
If it were so, we have done grievous wrong,
And grievously hath He-Is answered it.
Here, under leave of Jhalm and the Veiled —
For Jhalm is an honorable man,
So are they all, all honorable men —
Come I to speak before Ganesh’s gates.
He was betrayed, possessed by Sweetgrass Voice.
But Jhalm says he desires freedom,
And Jhalm is an honorable man.
He hath asked himself to be bound and killed,
To be shackled that he not rise again.
Did this in He-Is wish freedom?
With guilt at his dead son, He-Is hath wept.
With his imprisonment, he hath rejoiced.
Yet Jhalm says he desires freedom,
And Jhalm is an honorable man.
You all did see that within this temple
He thrice presented the chance to turn back,
Which he did thrice refuse. Was this for freedom?
Yet Jhalm says he desires freedom,
And sure he is an honorable man.
I speak not to disprove what Jhalm spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did bind him once, not without cause.
What cause compels you then to unbind him?
O Judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason!
Bear with me.
My heart is in the coffin there with He-Is,
And I must pause till it come back to me.
Lucius — Caesar also wasn’t Brutus’ student/protege. Their relationship was at lesat as *complicated* as Jhamal’s and Murai’s, but I think that Murai’s status as a student for whom Jhamal was responsible, and whom he failed, is a likely part of this equation.
Hello all;;
I just finished reading this comic from start to now. I fine and very creative story. I look forward to following digger’s adventures.
It’ll work if Jhalm is an honorable man, probably — but, I’m not so sure that Sweetgrass Voice hasn’t gotten to him somehow, and made him a bit less honorable than he once might have been…the kind of person who thinks they know what’s good for everyone else is ripe for that kind of corruption.
@Mark Antony:
*Amazing* take on that, particularly coming from Mark Antony. Kudos!