I think Ms Black was killed by the fever, and Mr hunter brought her back the only way he knows how. And she is a little pissed. I am willing to bet it was Black’s town that put the bounty on Hunter.
Why would bringing Vane Black back to life piss her off? Wouldn’t she be sort of happy you’re “alive” again? Or at least pretty understanding? She seems to be a techie, and so I don’t think she’d be religious enough to hate anyone for messing up her shot at Heaven. And Vane clearly HATES Hunter with powerful, unremitting, intelligent force. Merely being raised from the dead shouldn’t inspire an obsessive vendetta.
Also, I doubt Hunter would have gotten a bounty on his head for bringing somebody back to life. Both Vane and Hunter have been both witnessing and wielding magical and mechanical devices (the necklace, the field of flowers, fireballs, Vane’s horse and guns, etc), but none of our bit players has been utterly shocked or yelled anything about sorcery and evil. In fact the cyborg horse seems to be treated with acceptance. Awed acceptance, yes, but clearly this is a world where stuff like this happens. I’d be willing to bet that magic and mechanics are much more common in the civilized “East” or whatever the equivalent is here. Remember, we are currently in the “wild west,” and these frontier towns may be aware of technology that we as readers haven’t seen, because the towns are too small and too new to have it yet.
It’s a mistake to try to rope this story together so quickly, fellow readers. It’s clear that this is a big world, with wars and plagues and cultures we’ve only glimpsed. Read. Wait. Watch.
Well, if you had died and gone to Heaven/Paradise/ReallyGoodAfterDeathPlace and someone brought you back to life, you might be a tad miffed, or even might riled…
If this world shares a similar historic pattern to ours, it’s more likely something like the British Empire, or perhaps one of the Native American empires.
Questions, questions! The appearance of the wedding ring is yet another clue that just leads to more questions than answers.
1) Is that Hunter calling Vane “darlin’?” If it IS him, he’s since removed his wedding ring. Why? If he had married Vane, he would still wear it– she’s clearly still around– unless some sort of betrayal had been involved later. If Hunter had been married to someone else, how did that marriage end?
2) In the scenes where Vane and Hunter are together, they are away from others, i.e. riding in the countryside, not dancing or holding hands in public.
4) Does all this add up to an extramarital affair? Something like that could trigger the passion/hate we’ve seen so far.
5) Branding someone or something effectively says “MINE.” Does Hunter branding Vane have more significance than a magic ritual, and is it related to claiming or even re-claiming Vane after this affair?
6) Vane can cure paralysis?? So she’s a chemist, an artificer and a doctor too. What the Hell is she doing out West, fifty miles from the outskirts of Bumfuck, Nowhere?
7) The “official” end of the war? I take it hostilities are still prevalent. If Imperials = Asians, was Hunter having a bath in the house of someone that would normally be considered his enemy?
Now I’m stretching too far. I give up. NEED MORE STORY RRAAWWR
I’m starting to think that maybe branding her was just a way of bringing her back. Now hear me out, what if Vane was dying of scarlet fever, and couldn’t (or refused to) figure out how to cure it, and Hunter branded her so that she’d com back to life afterwards. It’s also quite possible that Vane didn’t want to be brought back and wants to get revenge on him for doing so
I am reading this in 2021 and I have to say it’s striking a particular note…
I’m really enjoying this comic. Beautiful artwork, an immensely satisfying amount of internally consistent research clear in the design and dialogue, great pacing, and a clearly well-thought-out setting and world-building effort.
Um. “Imperial”? “Engineering”?
Methinks the world just got a little skew.
I was wondering about that.
possible undead steampunker and fire bullshit wizard didn’t hint at that?
I think it was said “This world is LIKE ours”
I think Ms Black was killed by the fever, and Mr hunter brought her back the only way he knows how. And she is a little pissed. I am willing to bet it was Black’s town that put the bounty on Hunter.
*applauds* I support this theory.
I’m also on board with this theory. It seems that our favorite Pyromancer may have truly given up everything and looks like he regrets it too.
Why would bringing Vane Black back to life piss her off? Wouldn’t she be sort of happy you’re “alive” again? Or at least pretty understanding? She seems to be a techie, and so I don’t think she’d be religious enough to hate anyone for messing up her shot at Heaven. And Vane clearly HATES Hunter with powerful, unremitting, intelligent force. Merely being raised from the dead shouldn’t inspire an obsessive vendetta.
Also, I doubt Hunter would have gotten a bounty on his head for bringing somebody back to life. Both Vane and Hunter have been both witnessing and wielding magical and mechanical devices (the necklace, the field of flowers, fireballs, Vane’s horse and guns, etc), but none of our bit players has been utterly shocked or yelled anything about sorcery and evil. In fact the cyborg horse seems to be treated with acceptance. Awed acceptance, yes, but clearly this is a world where stuff like this happens. I’d be willing to bet that magic and mechanics are much more common in the civilized “East” or whatever the equivalent is here. Remember, we are currently in the “wild west,” and these frontier towns may be aware of technology that we as readers haven’t seen, because the towns are too small and too new to have it yet.
It’s a mistake to try to rope this story together so quickly, fellow readers. It’s clear that this is a big world, with wars and plagues and cultures we’ve only glimpsed. Read. Wait. Watch.
Well, if you had died and gone to Heaven/Paradise/ReallyGoodAfterDeathPlace and someone brought you back to life, you might be a tad miffed, or even might riled…
“mite” not “might”.
her appearance, nature, and personality suggest she is a revanant (the deeply wronged risen from the grave for the sole purpose of revenge.
maybe they’re referring to Japanese/Chinese people
If this world shares a similar historic pattern to ours, it’s more likely something like the British Empire, or perhaps one of the Native American empires.
The plot thickens.
If that’s Miss Black, then I’m guessin’ she died from said fever.
So the violet fever is bioengineered — nasty.
Questions, questions! The appearance of the wedding ring is yet another clue that just leads to more questions than answers.
1) Is that Hunter calling Vane “darlin’?” If it IS him, he’s since removed his wedding ring. Why? If he had married Vane, he would still wear it– she’s clearly still around– unless some sort of betrayal had been involved later. If Hunter had been married to someone else, how did that marriage end?
2) In the scenes where Vane and Hunter are together, they are away from others, i.e. riding in the countryside, not dancing or holding hands in public.
4) Does all this add up to an extramarital affair? Something like that could trigger the passion/hate we’ve seen so far.
5) Branding someone or something effectively says “MINE.” Does Hunter branding Vane have more significance than a magic ritual, and is it related to claiming or even re-claiming Vane after this affair?
6) Vane can cure paralysis?? So she’s a chemist, an artificer and a doctor too. What the Hell is she doing out West, fifty miles from the outskirts of Bumfuck, Nowhere?
7) The “official” end of the war? I take it hostilities are still prevalent. If Imperials = Asians, was Hunter having a bath in the house of someone that would normally be considered his enemy?
Now I’m stretching too far. I give up. NEED MORE STORY RRAAWWR
Actually, Hunter didn’t remove his ‘weddin’ ring’, as he wore gloves in Wayward, which hid the ring.
You’re right. I went back and looked 🙂
Seems to be still wearing a ring here:
https://www.nexttownover.net/?p=699
I’m starting to think that maybe branding her was just a way of bringing her back. Now hear me out, what if Vane was dying of scarlet fever, and couldn’t (or refused to) figure out how to cure it, and Hunter branded her so that she’d com back to life afterwards. It’s also quite possible that Vane didn’t want to be brought back and wants to get revenge on him for doing so
Looking at all this assumption & speculation about NTO’s larger world has me wondering if maybe I should start an almanac like Snow By Night’s.
… but then, what would I fill the backmatter of the books with to con you guys into paying for otherwise free material? 🙂
Nooo, use any spare time for more story pllleeeaaase!
Personally I like the way you only give us vague hints about the past, trying to guess it is more fun than knowing 🙂
Seconded! 😮
I would be willing to pay any and all story material. D&D stories are hard to come by these days 😀
WAIT. I think I’ve got it. Hunter was the one paralyzed? Vane made him better but left him with the spine-length scar?
Oo… that would make sense!
I like how you think 🙂
I am reading this in 2021 and I have to say it’s striking a particular note…
I’m really enjoying this comic. Beautiful artwork, an immensely satisfying amount of internally consistent research clear in the design and dialogue, great pacing, and a clearly well-thought-out setting and world-building effort.