Shattered Honor – Part One
Howdy, Buckaroos! The new arc begins with Brett behind the screen, taking the helm of the existing Karthun campaign. It has been a little bit since their last session, so jump to these two links to see the Karthun groups exploits thus far.
Once you read those arcs, you will be all set for what is to come.
If you are curious about that map panel, I tried to recreate a close facsimile to my actual original, handmade maps for Karthun from many years ago. Remember that in-universe, Karthun is still just a home-brew setting that is being passed around within this group.
With that said, I want to cover a few things up front:
“It has been a long time (in real world time) since the group played Karthun. How much time has passed in the strip?”
I always keep the passage of time a little loose-goosey in d20Monkey just because it posts 3-days a week and in the longer arcs, real-time passes much faster. I suggest just sitting back and enjoying the story. If the strip ever hits 5-days/week then I will stay truer to actual times and dates.
“Why is Brett doing ______?”
Brett’s DMing style will be different from Sam and Jeanie. It will be intentional. For the most part, Sam and Jeanie DM the way *I* DM (which is a normal transference of creator-to-character) but Brett is a different type and I will be working to make that clear as the story develops. This page is an example. He just rolled out the set up and here we go. It is a little more old school or tournament style.
“Why does _______ look different now?”
My style evolves over time and that leads to new approaches to how things look.
“I don’t like _______ and you are [insert insult here]!”
Ninety-nine percent of the people who read this comic are kind, wonderful people who know how to show support and offer constructive thoughts when they disagree with something the characters or I do. It’s great and I am very lucky. There is, however, a very vocal minority who likes to take it a little too far. So, I am reminding everyone that dropping into the comments on this page and being a complete asshole will get you shown the door. If not by me, then by moderator and Sheriff in Town, NotanNPC. Be cool and we will not have any issues. Cool? Cool.
Oooh! Always have a soft spot for airships.
WHERE CAN I BUY THAT MINI?
With Santa as the DM he can commission a ton of exclusive minis from a skilled resource group.
anyone else hear the giddy laughter pf Percy when someone say Airship?
I just binge read all the comic again and I wanted to say that you are an amazing artist and writer and it has been a real joy to really see how you have grown so much. Bravo!
I don’t like cilantro and you are a bigly-witted handsomeface.
That was uncalled for. Cilantro has feelings too.
20 minute Burrito Ban. You cannot eat a Burrito for the next 20 minutes.
i trully pitty those who don’t like cilantro cause it’s actually genetic
Yep, it just tastes really acrid or something, like soap. Would that I could eat any salsa placed in front of me!
I learned that I can eat cilantro (and several of the bitter salad herbs that are good for me) if I use just enough ranch or blue cheese dressing to n lightly coat each leaf. It also works okay for me in guacamole but even if I pull it out of my salsa or off my taco, I can still taste that soapy flavor.
*gets popcorn and breaks out the 3D glasses (proper 3D glasses, with blue and red lenses, ‘cos that’s how I roll!)*
Looking forward to this! 😀
Love the old-school “blueprint” map.
Cool.
Hmm. Are airships normal in Karthun, or is Brett adding his own touch? The fact that it’s ending on that note makes me wonder if Sam is going to take note of that.
There is a populated floating city, so presumably a way to get goods to and from same.
It’s hiiiiiigh noon.
Shit! SCATTER!
I feel as there is a joke here that I am not, could I trouble either of the fine mentlegen’s here for a clue?
Brian called me (NotAnNPC) a sheriff in the comic blurb. It’s high noon is the phrase McCree says in Overwatch says just before he Ults. So when you hear it in game…you hide fast.
Brett’s getting minis from his workshop, isn’t he?
You’ll see this as the story progresses (and it isn’t a spoiler) but in this case, no, he is actually making everything on his own. From the painted/modded minis to the maps. I feel like he would do it all on his own for this run and then maybe if it besomes a regular thing, he brings in the elves for projects.
Good to see you in the comments again, MB.
Making the minis himself, eh?
Nice intersection between his Gamer background, and the Mantle (it always struck me that Santa should be as good at making toys as his elves – just, he has so many other things on his plate, he doesn’t DO it a whole lot).
🙂
You’re picking up what I am putting down. 🙂
I know that *I* am very into the arts and crafts of tabletop games, so that love is present in Brett.
The header art for Desin in the Karthun book, with the floaty ziggurat, is probably my favorite piece in the whole book.
I am excite., Brian. Excite, I tell you.
Also also… That airship is about to crash, right? Like, that’s Airship Rules 101.
Well yeah, they didn’t have to go through a series of arduous quests to acquire it and unlock fast travel, they just bought a ticket. Obviously it’s going to be sabotaged and burst into flames at any moment and/or be attacked by swarms of vicious flying monsters.
I mean, that’s how I started my Karthun campaign once upon a time…
*Cough*
Shit.
*Begins scribbling in notebook*
Checkov’s Airship. Any airship introduced in Act 1 crashes in Act 1.
Let it burn, Brian, let it burn. It’s the natural state of flying things.
It is known.
The sun knows it, the stars know it, Colonel Sanders knows it…
The Boat sinks. Some of them live.
Air or water don’t matter it’s the truth about ships in stories and games
But I cant WAIT to watch the crash
I have started a truly *embarrassing* number of campaigns wherein the players are aboard some kind of mass transport (airship, boat, train, etc.) for the dual purposes of a) having a confined space where they *have* to get to know each other and can’t just walk down the street and out of scene, and b) so that I can make something go Horribly Wrongâ„¢ with the transport vehicle for challenge and drama. At this point, I’m surprised my players will get into *any* vehicle they didn’t bleed for.
*continent
BAH! Thanks. Let me fix that…
A classic blue-and-white hex map! Aww yeah.
Ohhh Brian. I like his dm style already! That said are you ever gonna do any path finder arcs I would love to see Pf in the comic
I doubt there will be PF 1st or 2nd ed due to copyright.
I like to say “Never say never” when it comes to wishlist games the cast might play.
Rereading the old Karthun stuff has me wanting to pull out my book and run a game…also I had forgotten how much I love Carlos’ character.
Brett use old school techniques? I like it!
I wish I had time for a regular RP group, that would probably be fun, once I relearned how to do it.
To quote:
“Why is Brett doing ______?â€
Brett’s DMing style will be different from Sam and Jeanie. It will be intentional. For the most part, Sam and Jeanie DM the way *I* DM (which is a normal transference of creator-to-character) but Brett is a different type and I will be working to make that clear as the story develops. This page is an example. He just rolled out the set up and here we go. It is a little more old school or tournament style.
I don’t care if you’re telling this story in PeeWee Herman style. You tell an amazing story and I very much so look forward to it.
Secret Word for the day is: Worldfire
I know you are but what am I?
Woot new Karthun arc! always a fan of your work Brian I can’t wait to see how this goes.
Gorgeous retro-style rendition of the map! Reminds me of Athas for some reason…
I want to thank you for linking the last two arcs of this one, as I know I’ll need a refresher.
Also: AIRSHIPS!
Just for the record, I don’t think I’ve ever seen any online comic by a single artist (or for that matter, any paper comic by a single artist) where the art style did not change over time, usually for the better. Hell, I can track style changes over the years on even the giants of the comic industry.
This is not a bug. It’s a feature. And whenever some artist starts speculating about going back and “fixing” the old stuff, I do the digital equipment of squirting them in the face with a garden hose. That’s not how it works.
in my headcanon it is Sam who is asking all Questions of panel, only to test how well Brett has studied the game.