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Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:44 am
by Chaser617
and actually that type of armor isn't *THAT* heavy to wear, because most the weight is being supported by either the armor itself or the horse.

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:27 am
by Madmoonie
Either way, after that disappointment with Kess, this whole new adventure has got me pysced. Excited. However you spell that word.

Re: Tin cans on horses...

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:51 am
by Lee M
EdBecerra wrote:...
Has he been vaccuum packed for freshness? :lol:
...
Oh, yeah, I'll bet he's "fresh" after spending all day in armour!

The last panel reminded me of an illustration for Gene Wolfe's story "Straw" which iirc is about a group of medieval mercenaries in a deliberately anachronistic hot air balloon.

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:51 am
by J4N1
Chaser617 wrote:and actually that type of armor isn't *THAT* heavy to wear, because most the weight is being supported by either the armor itself or the horse.
be as it may, i still wouldn't want to have to go to the toilet in a hurry while wearing one of those. :D

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 12:32 pm
by BrockthePaine
J4N1 wrote:
Chaser617 wrote:and actually that type of armor isn't *THAT* heavy to wear, because most the weight is being supported by either the armor itself or the horse.
be as it may, i still wouldn't want to have to go to the toilet in a hurry while wearing one of those. :D
Which brings us to the equally-old question of how stormtroopers use the loo...

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 12:35 pm
by Kerry Skydancer
RHJunior wrote:probably a roaming knight-errant, loitering around the edges of the "Dire Swamp of Mists," hoping for a stray monster to vanquish.
Probably? Probably??? You're the writer for pity sake! Stop toying with us! :wink:

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 12:42 pm
by LoneWolf23k
Kerry Skydancer wrote:
RHJunior wrote:probably a roaming knight-errant, loitering around the edges of the "Dire Swamp of Mists," hoping for a stray monster to vanquish.
Probably? Probably??? You're the writer for pity sake! Stop toying with us! :wink:
Hey, who cares about him? Quentyn's the star of the story!

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:06 pm
by Dapple
Well if its a French model society, then he's just a knight, but if we go with a more English moddel then he's a lord of prince.

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:06 pm
by Rokas
Now THAT was cinematic!

I couldn't close the tab to the page for an hour; I didn't have the heart to turn off such a cool scene.

RH, you are a brilliant chazwazzer. ;) You got me on the edge of my seat here, and I want to know what happens next! Keep on truckin'!

As to the knight... I mean, who wears armor when they don't need to? Even if the horse is carryin' all the weight, you're stuck inside a tin can; it's gonna get HOT.

...Well, unless the temperature is pretty cool there. There ARE a lot of evergreens where Quentyn's comin' out near... Might be a cool-weather place.

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:12 pm
by Dapple
Yeah RH is in the zone. He may not that insparation bat for awhile.

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:18 pm
by AYBABTU
Yay Ralph.

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:32 pm
by Squeaky Bunny
Dapple wrote:Well if its a French model society, then he's just a knight, but if we go with a more English moddel then he's a lord of prince.
OMG! Prince Albert in a can!

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 8:51 pm
by Earl McClaw
J4N1 wrote:what i want to know is why is this guy in armor, nobody wears armor like that full time, it's just too heavy/hot/uncomfortable to be worn without reason.
Kerry Skydancer wrote:
RHJunior wrote:probably a roaming knight-errant, loitering around the edges of the "Dire Swamp of Mists," hoping for a stray monster to vanquish.
Probably? Probably??? You're the writer for pity sake! Stop toying with us! :wink:
I'd say the knight reinforces the idea that this is a fantasy world.

On Earth, such armor was developed later, and used most commonly in jousts. (Forget Hollywood, folks. They do it just for looks.) Sure, there were some battles with such armor, and it was lighter and better balanced than mail, but it had to be custom fit and was arfing expensive! Someone who could afford such armor would travel with servants, retainers, and pages / squires, not alone.

So our "knight" is in a fantasy world, where Earth's history doesn't have to be followed. What can we conclude from what we see? (And let's assume that's a human in there - the proportions seem reasonable, even if the horse may be a little small. Armored knights rode big horses like Clydesdales. Drafts. The "Mac trucks" of horsedom.)

1) Humans have reliable access to metals - particularly iron - and can make steel.

2) Since the Mistwall is a fixed position, and there are no visible signs of habitation, we can assume (until we see "behind the viewer") he's there for a reason. "Looking for monsters" is good enough for me, although he might also be on "patrol". (Alone? Maybe. Besides, the two might be the same thing.)

3) Except for a white plume on his helmet and a cyan caparison with blue trim on his horse, we see no heraldry or markings to identify the warrior, so he's there on his own. "Looking for monsters" is sounding more and more likely.

4) He's carrying no lance, which was one of the most potent weapons a mounted knight could use. I'd say he's not expecting anything big, at least. That suggest a semi-tame region at least.

5) We don't see a shield or personal weapon. Okay, either this guy's completely left-handed (shield on the right, sword sheath on the right for a cross-draw) and blocking any visibility of it, or it's an artist's oversight.

How will this guy react? The problem for him is Questor's Promise is plainly not living - it looks too much like a boat. It's also so far up in the air (and probably moving so fast) that he'll never reach it. "Conquering" it and claiming it as a prize isn't practical. So unless there is a nearby community / person that wants to know what goes in / comes out of the Mistwall, all he's got is a good tavern story.

"I tell you, it came right out of the Wall of Fog - about two-thirds of the way up - without making a sound. Had to be the 'Flying Dutchman'." :roll:

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:40 pm
by Straw
Earl McClaw wrote:4) He's carrying no lance, which was one of the most potent weapons a mounted knight could use. I'd say he's not expecting anything big, at least. That suggest a semi-tame region at least.

5) We don't see a shield or personal weapon. Okay, either this guy's completely left-handed (shield on the right, sword sheath on the right for a cross-draw) and blocking any visibility of it, or it's an artist's oversight.
Or his squire is busting his ass off trying to carry all that stuff and is taking a much needed break off panel while the knight is on the look out.

Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:54 am
by TGIF
Let's just hope he doesn't have a crossbow handy, or Quentyn's journey will have an abrupt detour.

TGIF

Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 5:18 am
by Lee M
TGIF wrote:Let's just hope he doesn't have a crossbow handy, or Quentyn's journey will have an abrupt detour.

TGIF
Not unless he hits one of the crew. Hitting the ballon would only cause a slow leak, remember?

Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:28 am
by Narnian
Squeaky Bunny wrote:
Dapple wrote:Well if its a French model society, then he's just a knight, but if we go with a more English moddel then he's a lord of prince.
OMG! Prince Albert in a can!
At least it wasn't Prince Albert going to the can ...

Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:09 pm
by Rokas
Narnian wrote:
Squeaky Bunny wrote:
Dapple wrote:Well if its a French model society, then he's just a knight, but if we go with a more English moddel then he's a lord of prince.
OMG! Prince Albert in a can!
At least it wasn't Prince Albert going to the can ...
*Writes Narnian a Pun citation.*

Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:35 pm
by Squeaky Bunny
Narnian wrote:
Squeaky Bunny wrote:
Dapple wrote:Well if its a French model society, then he's just a knight, but if we go with a more English moddel then he's a lord of prince.
OMG! Prince Albert in a can!
At least it wasn't Prince Albert going to the can ...
Or Prince Albert doing the can-can.

Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:47 pm
by Tbolt
Squeaky Bunny wrote:
Narnian wrote:
Squeaky Bunny wrote: OMG! Prince Albert in a can!
At least it wasn't Prince Albert going to the can ...
Or Prince Albert doing the can-can.
In Cannes?