Book One, page 66

bravo1102 on Aug. 31, 2017

This was the first page that was done with proper page layout software using templates as opposed to guess your best. When re-editing I adapted the layout of that template rather than rigidly adhere to it. I was never crazy about the templates and this gives me a chance free up the layout of the panels so more of the images can be seen. The templates in Comic Book Creator had huge borders between panels so I always felt there was too much dead space and much of the content in some of the panels was hard discern.

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Fresdrul and Nadlan are two lesser noblemen and are vassals loyally following their liege lords to war. Nadlan is in fact a vassal of Duke Randall and the only one to heed the call for war as mentioned way back on Page 33. Count Fresdrul wasn't at that meeting but he is a loyal vassal of Duke Darran of Sertkor who in return has sworn fealty to King Falkimir. Now just what does all that mean?

It's the political system called feudalism. In return for land, one swears an oath of loyalty to a stronger land owner for common defense. Someone attacks him and he calls for troops or money, you provide and if someone attacks you he's supposed to come to your aid. But since he's the bigger landholder he can also demand service for other things.

Feudalism is old. The Hittites had feudal oaths as did the the Assyrians. Landowners swore their loyalty to a greater lord and to provide help in time of need as opposed to paying rent. Read the Iliad and you'll see feudal alliances in operation as the Mycenaean kings rally lesser kings and other lords to join them to go sack Troy. And so it continued into the European Middle Ages.

Narthatheia has counts (ruling counties) and dukes which is pretty much French as opposed to English which had Earls and no Dukes until the reign of Edward I. An English Earl was actually a holdover from the Anglo-saxons and Norse where it comes from Jarl as in Halfdan's father Jarl Egill.

Narthatheia was separated into counties by the old high kings, so there have always been counts. Some territories were bound by oaths to one duke and would all march under one banner to war. In some systems a duke was one who was related by blood to the reigning king. In Narthatheia they're pretty much the guy who grabbed up a bunch of counties and put himself at the head of them but didn't quite have the pull to get his own crown. Kingship is more than a fancy hat. You have to get others to recognize you're a king, usually that's the highest ruler in the place; here it's the High King. So there are petty kingdoms and duchies in Narthatheia. Randall is a duke and Falkimir is a king because once upon a time the High King gave the ruler of Elegon (Falkimir's ancestor) the right to call himself a king whereas that right was never bestowed upon the rulers of Pithmorlan (Randall's ancestor).

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This whole scene is based on a great documentary series called Foot Soldier which detailed the life of common soldiers throughout history. You'd be surprised at just how universal the experience of soldiering has been through the ages. Going on campaign is very much the same whether you were an Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Viking or Johnny Reb. You carry between 60- 80 pounds of gear, you usually have laced footware or marching boots, you're issued food that is usually shared with 5-10 others and that mess is the smallest unit in the army. You also share cooking utensils and camping gear with these others but you maintain your own weapon. And when you're off duty you generally spend your time in one of three activities. Gambling, drinking and sex or the pursuit of same. It's universal behavior among all of humanity when they go to war. China, the Mongols, South Sea Islanders, African Tribesmen, Greek Hoplites and Roman Legionnaires all left records of the same behavior.

Anyone who tells you different knows no more about real battle than they do about fornicating. Patton was so well read in military history that he had no problem imagining himself having fought in many wars, under many guises. He knew about the universality of military experience. He was a freaking nut, but that comes with the uniform as other more sober individuals have said over the years.

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The backgrounds are taken from Medieval reenactor encampments and a lot of built and collected furniture and accessories. Rather than kill myself with fire effects and creating torches and lanterns, I let magic do the work. If you have magic and fire deities why not spells and items to light up the night?