Ah, so the Bazaar of the Bizarre on page #180 was one of the Slum quarters. Or a ghetto for weird "foreign" races. That explains some things.

At last we got some exposition back story and explanation on how the Empire and Legarion are run. I still wonder how Benny knows all these things. She must've been to the city before.

Really smooth, Pella, to talk about Aelloon looking for you and asking about spies while shady looking guys are passing you by.

WIFE???

nice double thread

the plots moving huzzah!

This should silence the people who have been complaining about a lock of story progress.


And, by the way of plot twists, I would like to say damn.

Somehow, I doubt Krunch gave her away at the wedding.

And it looks like Vraay's first mate has been dead for quite a while.

Benny is... married??



Well she obviously didn't like him, judging by that devious look in the last panel... but still, that is so... it's just.. so.... strange!


Edit: AND, I believe her "husband" is a nobleman.. she must have been a slave and one of his many wives, but she managed to run away.

Wife!?!?!?!
WIIIFEE!??!
WHAT NOW??!?!

Now so many fanboy's dreams are crushed...
Very subtle plot development, guys. I did like the artwork quite a bit on this page. I assume it was night, but there was a lot of attention to shading and detail here, not just the blue tone.

Also, that guy hanging from the noose.... from Tah'Vraay's crew, no?

Agreed, I was wondering about Pella mouthing off RIGHT as the stranger was passing by.

So...Gid has a husband among the Thieves' Guild. Interesting. Also interesting that thievery is apparently a respected occupation in Legara, to the point that the guild holds a position of authority.

Judging from the hanging man, it looks like Aelloon's already dispensing with Vraay's crew...so at least the plot might get back on track soon.

That is so sad to see him hanging! He seemed like he was Vraay's uncle almost.

Wife?????? Three words to respond to that: What The Awesome-sauce.

Let's see if I understand this correctly...

The city is ruled by "the king's regent". Which apparently isn't Aelloon, otherwise I think Benny would have mentioned him by name. But Aelloon seems to be the commander of the Legion's forces and... the leader of the secret police force?

The Legion keeps out of the Outer City quarters, leaving them to govern themselves, which is done by the Guilds (is that Thieves Guild legal and official?)... How does that work, if all food and supplies for the nobles and elite citizens have to be produced in the Quarters or pass into the city through the Quarters? Sounds like you could just starve the nobles. Unless the Legion is used to keeping everyone in line through brute force, but terror regimes without support from The People seldom last longer than a couple years.

So the guilds run things, but bow to the king... why? He keeps the balance of power stable, the streets clean and crime organized? (The Vetinari method.) Nobody wants civil war, so they all grudgingly go along with it? The king doesn't share power, but delegates things... read, he bribes people with official titles, giving them a piece of the cake. But how does the King stay in power? Military force alone? Divine Right that everyone believes in? Mind control? Well, monarchies have worked for millenia, so maybe I'm overthinking things here.

Is this a hereditary monarchy, or a feudalism where the king is elected by the nobility or at least crowned with their consent? (Which was surprisingly common way to run things.) Somehow I get the feeling that the king isn't married (the bit about sharing not power).

I wonder if we will see a statue of this king. That could be interesting...

Or, worse, a statue like the one they found in Kethenecia, showing Cale, Benny et al. That would be awkward.
City guard: "Hey, don't I know you? Are you the prophecied outlaws?" *points to statue*
Benny: "No, we're... someone else. Look, do we have a Chained One with us? No. Bye."

He seems to have been the second in command. The man at the wheel, in charge of torture and rowing the group to shore.

He will be missed... until Richard reanimates his corpse and forces it to do a merry jig.

Hurray plot movement, which is nothing like bowel movement(Obligatory poop joke over)

and richards commentary is just priceless
one of those faces indeed.

Not. Touching. It.


Soooo, dead first mate. That's foreboding. And, seeing as how the 'group' (or some variant thereof; at this point it kind of reminds me of those roleplaying games where you've got a shitload of people to work with, but only a set number can be in your party at any given time) is currently on a mission to retrieve Cap'n Tah'Vraay, it'd make alot of sense for there to be a rescue situation from all of this. The alternative would be pretty boring.

Pella: So, who'r we looking for then?

Cale: Captain Tah'Vraay, of the Father's Bones.

Pella: A description. What does 'e look like?

Benny: She's a [insert whatever the LFG equivalent of 'Drow' here], and blind in one eye. And a total bit-

Cale: Aaaalrighty then, where should we bunk down this evening?

Pella: She's a ['Drow'] with a scarred eye? I just saw 'er back there by the pub then.

Cale/Benny: What?! *whirls around*

'Vraay: So I said, that's no woman, that's my first mate! HAHA! *hic* *stabs the throat of some guy trying to feel her up*

Cale: *stares at the [guys] body for a moment* Captain 'Vraay! Do you remember me? We sought passage to Keth-GAH!

'Vraay: *grabs up Cale* Elfy! O'course I remmemer you! You were wif that stupid cow and that warlock who kept charring my cats! Haf a drink!

Benny:

Cale: Er, well, I was wondering if you'd like to come back with us to the Temple of the Sisters, you see-

'Vraay: Yea, sure, whatever you say Elfy! Wherever you say! Ya know, you're not too bad for a Elfy....

Etc.

Okay, that would actually be pretty amusing. But still. Not good for more than a page or maybe two, and no epic battles involved. Except maybe between the Cap'n and Benny, but that's inevitable no matter what the situation.

I was gonna say something else about it, but at this point I've forgotten. So...there you go.

I'm gonna go back to playing Spore now.


Ohhh yea, I remember now. Of course Pella's gonna say stupid shit like that. At the risk of sounding like I'm 'defending' her; she came from Kethencia, before it fell. Kethencia, the city of Light and Law? That Dwarven bard doesn't have a bad bone in her body (which probably is why she doesn't seem to fit into the group at all), and she's apparently having enough issues with the whole 'Archmage's go-to-gal' thing. It's probably the Archmage what's keeping her from botching up that little part of her association with the group anyway, though I still think Richard knows what's going on and just doesn't feel like saying anything. Or rather, feels it would be more amusing to not say anything and let the rest find out on their own.

Bottom line: Pella's more or less ignorant in the ways of the Rogue. All she knows is to help in fights, sit around and smile, and occasionally give into the urge to ask questions instead of just waiting to see if they're answered.

benny's someones wife? i dont think she would volunteer for that, but how did they wrangle her into it?

also, i love the art of this page. we dont see too many night time pages, but this one looks magnificent.

*claps for Lar*

I keep getting the idea that her husband would have the typical Baroque hero all girls would fall for.
Maybe he's a playboy, and that's why Benny left. (Oh wow, a Rayne in LFG? )

You know what, I've actually forgotten where our Bovine friend disappeared to. So it's time for some back tracking unless someone can do a link/just sum it up.

He was hanging out with Daddy Bloodrage and Ray'd, going over strategies and such to defend what remains of the Bloodrage tribe from the impending Legaran threat.

thx, can't believe i forgot about the bloodrage's impending war

I love Bennys expression in the last panel. I've felt that way about some of my past relationships. Thats the "I'm going to run you through with something now!" look.

secondary effect of high-fructose corn syrup. (@ Dictaternutz)

I would guess that the system of government and crime that runs the city has been in place for such a long time that it's practically pointless what it actually is, all that matters is that it's embedded in so deeply into the minds of the Legarians that they accept it as a matter-of-fact.

Aparently Benny was, or is, married to a Thief Lord, or possibly the Thief King himself; either way she'll be forced to swallow her pride and ask him for assistance in their quest to find Vraay, unless I'm missing something here. I would hazard a guess at him being slightly older than her, and at a point in time when he was an upandcoming thief in the guild and she was a newcomer to the city, he helped her out in some way, shape, or form, and their brief flirtations erupted from there. How they finally broke up though, remains a complete mystery.

"Twitches" wife? WHAT?!

Three things I love about the last panel.

One: Pella's actually looking at someone else than us.
Two: Cale with his "Wait, what?" expression.
Three: Benny's eyes are Bloodrage red!

Cale looks like that at least once every other page.

Okay, at least this explains why Benny was to the city before. She probably lived there for some time. She was... a thief? A healer for the guild? That is probably how she met Aelloon, who might have been a simple soldier back then, or not. But we know Benny owed him money, and he thought her capable of stealing the SoT.

QUOTE(iloverichard @ Sep 8 2008, 06:27 AM) [snapback]289171[/snapback]

Benny is... married?? Well she obviously didn't like him, judging by that devious look in the last panel... but still, that is so... it's just.. so.... strange!

Perhaps she declared a divorce, only Rojave ignores it?
I'd like to know why Benny left the Bloodrage, came to the city, married this guy (unless the "wife" bit is a total lie and red herring) and then left again to hang out in shady taverns with Krunch. Or without Krunch. You know what I mean...

QUOTE(iloverichard @ Sep 8 2008, 06:27 AM) [snapback]289171[/snapback]

Edit: AND, I believe her "husband" is a nobleman.. she must have been a slave and one of his many wives, but she managed to run away.

Rojave is obviously the leader of a gang or the leader of the Thieves Guild itself, because in panel 9 he says, "I had heard you were touring my territory", and they're in the territory of the Thieves Guild.

If that guy was a nobleman, he is definitely disgraced now, living where he is living. But expensive clothes do not make a nobleman... if he's a thief, he has probably stolen them.

Er, since when do noblemen keep several wives, and these wives are slaves?? Did I miss something? A wife plus a courtesan on the side was common in aristocratic circles (and the courtesan often had a lot of power, more than the wife), but I've seen nothing to indicate that Legaran men are allowed to keep 1001 Night-style harems.

Edited to add:

QUOTE(Aeriosa @ Sep 8 2008, 06:55 AM) [snapback]289183[/snapback]

benny's someones wife? i dont think she would volunteer for that, but how did they wrangle her into it?

Sometimes two people do fall in love... even if they're totally unsuited for each other.

Perhaps that relationship (and its ending) are the reason Benny is so jaded and cynical.

I wonder if Rojave is an elf or a human. His skin isn't red or green or blue, like some characters we've seen.

QUOTE(Aeriosa @ Sep 8 2008, 06:55 AM) [snapback]289183[/snapback]

also, i love the art of this page. we dont see too many night time pages, but this one looks magnificent.
*claps for Lar*

Quite nice effect.
Wow, Cale is really pale. I mean, really really pale.

So Benny is married.

All she needs now is one child she ran out on and those fanboys who are crying about her being married will be making up banners with the letters m-i-l-f in them.

It might have been an arranged marriage from when she was young, and Krunch took her in for that. -shrugs-

Just my two cents.

The moment I saw his blue feet I thought: "Cross-dressing pirate."
Which makes me wonder: Do the Legaran people read a list of his crimes before the hanging?

"You have been sentenced to a hanging until death follows! Your crimes include: Torture, setting granaries on fire, willfully shooting at the King's navy, and worst of all, cross-dressing! May the gods have mercy on your pitiful soul."

Edited to add: Finally some plot development, and a twist! I don't think Benny's husband will be focused on really, which probably means there will be a thread speculating on how the wedding took place. Adds to Benny's mystique.

You really should rethink that premise.



It's possible the thieves' guild (and others) realizes it wouldn't be able maintain it's autonomy if they undermined the monarchy. The fortunate few are rarely revolutionaries, and the people seem generally content.

Also, marriage in feudal societies/Monarchies has little to do with sharing power. Ever hear of Henry VIII?

@Rip Van Ishmael: I think you're making an unwarranted assumption thinking Vraay would want to go back to the sisterhood.

Yay, plot!

Finally,some plot progressing!But I -kinda- missed
the Richard-killing-streaks.

And the whole "Benny's married" threw me off,
waaay unexpected.And probably a disaster
for the shippers.Someone's gonna die for
the ships..

@Czer: In Rip's version of of things things could happen, it seems like V'raay (she's been gone for a while, I keep thinking it has a ' in it) is drunk.

But, I was getting myself all worked up when Richard was going on about knowing the fellow. XD
I just kept trying to figure out who he could have been by what I could see, I knew anyone who wen to school with Richard is probably dead or undead by now with or without his help, and then WHAM!!, IT SHOWS HIM.

Im kinda sad to see him go, actually. He was kind of amusing, probably V'raay's cousin or something.
It'd be a big twist if he were her father, I feel kinda sad now. :\



Speaking of twists.............WHAAAAAAAATT?!??!!?



Edit to add:
I keep staring at the dead body, that guy's nose is huge now. I can see why Richard's looks so big.
Seriously, they're starting to look alike.. XD

Wow...Richard *facepalm* That's one of V'raay's pirates

And...did i read the word...WIFE?!

...Richard went to chess club..?

I think that the king is Vullii and it's hereditary. I still think Temmet is the regent, why else would he say, "I possess a land. A nation?" It's possible that he was overstating his position, but I don't think so. Sohmer isn't shy about keeping secrets from us, so I can believe that Benny wouldn't mention the regents name. It's possible that she doesn't know herself. Maybe Temmet regent too recently for Benny (or Vraay) to know about it. OTOH, it wouldn't make sense for the regent to leave the capital as much as Temmet does.

I also think the king currently has no power. How else can he have a regent? He would have to be unable to rule (officially, anyway). When Benny talks about the king sharing power, she might be talking about the normal situation when there is no regent. Officially, the regent does everything in the king's name.

I agree with Czernobog about the "terror regimes" and also don't think it's necessarily black and white. How would the situation in the strip be all that different than normal kingdoms? A king is typically just an overlord who would be very easily overthrown by his lords if they every united against him. To stay in power, he has to keep them reasonably happy and play them off against each other. Furthermore, he has to intimidate the people in the cities. The Tower of London was built to do that, for example.


Good question. I'm not sure. I think there is more to Rajave calling her "wife" than meets the eye. Was she promised to him? Did he just claim her? Was she a slave or in a harem? Did she just leave him?


That is one of the things that didn't make much sense to me. Benny is searching for the Thieves' Guild hall, but seems unhappy at meeting the leader of the guild. Wouldn't he likely be there? She was not concerned about spies, yet should have expected that Rojave would have informants.

Actually, I can't understand why Aeloon wouldn't have spies. Benny says he wouldn't dare send them into the quarters. Um, that's exactly when you need them. The more dangerous someone is, the more you need spies. And it's not necessarily a matter of "sending them". Sometimes you turn someone who is already there.

Why not? It's already been revealed that he's into botany.

Love Benny's look in that last panel… but I wonder what Cale is staring at? It's not Rojave.

Huh? The closest I can think of is the reanimated chipmunks on fire but that was more of a landscaping with burning animals thing. You are probably thinking about something else.

I certainly wouldn't want to play Richard in chess or anything else. He'd always win. If he didn't somehow, it would be even worse. He'd be a sore looser, I'm sure.

I know Richard is into handcrafts at least working with leather. He made that smurf-skin wallet and was looking to make an elf- or human-skin belt earlier, IIRC.

Yup,he does it live-action.With corpse-chess pieces.DUH.
It's definitely an improvisation of wizard chess.(warlock chess?)

So.. some, if not all of the crew (bar ze Captain?) have been hung.. well, people always said there'd be a double cross there & well.. there you are.

Gid married? Didn't see that one coming. Human married to an Orc/Troll/Human hydrib.. *shrugs* I guess there are stranger things out there.. the Welsh, for example..

Hmm, should make for an interesting Thursday.

WIFE!?!??!?*Head explodes and riots can be heard in the distance*
This comic just has more and more loose ends..

There is, in fact, a Rayne in LFG. His name is Richard.


It was on the CCG-style Richard card that came with the Richard figurine. Can be seen in this thread:
http://lfgcomic.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2227

Your Freaking kidding me??BENNIES GOT A HUBBY????*dies*

Either it's a lack of caffeine on my part (which I'm trying to fix as I type this), or is there a word wrong or missing in that second panel? I can't figure out how to read it to make sense, as just the text given.

Am I needing more coffee than I already have?

And so, people will begin to drop like flies.

Seriously though, along with a certian soul Calibur 4 spoiler, this twist is a good contestant for 'Plot twist of the year'.

It's just dwarf speak for "Aren't we going to be seen?"
......yulp (Insert Attacking Felbunny here)

Edit: and am I the only one who is picturing Rojave as some old fat bald man with a ponytail and big nose?
idk why, but I am

Remember, this is a summary described by a layperson (who also happens to be an outlaw). This description doesn't necessarily have to make sense, except to her. It could be that there are official administrators of the guilds, but they pretty much ignored by everyone, so Benny's analyzation is accurate, but not "official policy."

The legions apparently don't stay out of the "quarters" out of fear, since they are totally capable of entering for executions. In that case, let us assume that the situation is something like this:

The king rules through the might and power of his legions, or seems to, seeing how feared those legions are. Some wealthy but crooked individuals in the quarters would prefer not to have a bunch of soldiers breathing down their necks, so they pay tribute to the king to stay out of their affairs. The king likes this source of income, so the soldiers don't hang around in the individuals' territory, but they do occasionally bare their teeth at all and sundry in hopes of keeping some semblance of order. Just because the legions weren't stationed in Rome doesn't mean that they weren't able to get to Rome double-quick to shut down any rioting.

If this is the case, than supplies, etc. wouldn't be a problem to get into the city, since the guild admins wouldn't want people aggravating the the king either. Additionally, it isn't stated whether or not the quarters extend entirely around the city. It may be that there is a four-mile wide stretch of wilderness on one side, allowing direct access to the more "noble" areas of the city.

Other than this, the situation appears to be fairly "normal" for a fantasy world.

On a side note, sharing power and delegating are two very different things. One could easily argue that a general doesn't "share" power, but he'd have to be an idiot if he thought he could tell every single private his orders specifically. Even Pharaoh, though considered a god, handed over the administrative aspect to Joseph. Rome's Emperor ran the Empire through local governors.

@ Czernobog: I think that what Tobrian was saying is that most "Terror Regimes" don't last longer than a couple of generations. "A couple of years" was simple hyperbole, unless Tobrian has never heard of Mobutu, Edward Longshanks or the USSR. It is true that if one rules by terror, as soon as a ruler comes that isn't good at using that terror, the regime falls. Generally, one must be a good deal smarter to rule by fear than to rule by love.

Pella, with her gaelick accent or whatever, is saying "Aren't we exposed here?"

Damnit, i didnt see your post dictator

I tend to agree about the king, but I think Temmet is in the process of usurping the throne. Why else would he want the sword of truth?

Who wants to bet that the "Till death do us part" part of the marriage vows is going to be exercised soon? After all, Richard is involved...

Also...He might not be a noble. I think he might be head of the Thieves Guild...