[1760] From behind

[Daedalus]

Finally Parley makes good use of her abilities!

Parley's still striking non-lethally (which explains why she isn't using Coyote's tooth).

We'll have to see whether she regrets this in time.


It does make me worried, in case Jeanne figures out what Parley's up to and counterattacks at close range.

[zbeeblebrox]

LIttle Miss Bips is gettin' pretty bippy.
I assume either Jeanne's about to work out a decent counter-attack, or we're at enough of a stalemate to go back to the arrow.

...and I should point out that we're still not on the other shore yet.

[Epsilon Rose]

I feel like I should point out that her hand seems to be facing the wrong dirrection in panel 6, at least for the implied speed of the attack and the way she was facing in panel 5.

[arf]

What can Jeanne do? Watch George and be prepared for that strike from behind just as George vanishes?

Yeah. I think it's time to go back to Annie's pov, and see how the lock picking's going.

[CGAdam]

I'm not complaining, but I still think it's funny that she can just plain punch a ghost.

[philman]

Nov 30, 2016 8:28:16 GMT arf said:

What can Jeanne do? Watch George and be prepared for that strike from behind just as George vanishes?

Yeah. I think it's time to go back to Annie's pov, and see how the lock picking's going.

Yeah I'm guessing cut back to Annie and Kat, then cut back to Parley just in time to see Jeanne work out a counter-attack to the bipping.

[rafk]

I reckon Parley should be damn careful about doing that again immediately. Jeanne was already looking the right way for that bip.

[fish]

Nov 30, 2016 8:36:23 GMT rafk said:

I reckon Parley should be damn careful about doing that again immediately. Jeanne was already looking the right way for that bip.

What do you mean? She's just standing there like a derp. Parley came from the front this time.

I expect to see Jeanne's scary face, indicating her getting more serious, before we skip back to the arrow.

[foresterr]

Nov 30, 2016 8:00:32 GMT Daedalus said:

Parley's still striking non-lethally (which explains why she isn't using Coyote's tooth).

Do we know she has it with her, or is it assumed?
About the pommel strikes, I wonder if the point here is non-lethality (c'mon Jeanne's pretty dead already), or simply better maneuverability at very close range. A proper swing could take too long.

[bicarbonat]

She's going to try it a third time and get hit with a harsh setdown, I can feel it

[noone3]

Nov 30, 2016 8:26:00 GMT Epsilon Rose said:

I feel like I should point out that her hand seems to be facing the wrong dirrection in panel 6, at least for the implied speed of the attack and the way she was facing in panel 5.

Looks like she hit one handed, with her back turned. Not very fencing-wise. But this is Gunnerfencing where strange moves are valid.

[Fen]

Nov 30, 2016 8:00:32 GMT Daedalus said:

Finally Parley makes good use of her abilities!

Parley's still striking non-lethally (which explains why she isn't using Coyote's tooth).

We'll have to see whether she regrets this in time.


It does make me worried, in case Jeanne figures out what Parley's up to and counterattacks at close range.

Nov 30, 2016 9:43:15 GMT foresterr said:

Do we know she has it with her, or is it assumed?
About the pommel strikes, I wonder if the point here is non-lethality (c'mon Jeanne's pretty dead already), or simply better maneuverability at very close range. A proper swing could take too long.

I do feel compelled to point out that walloping someone in the back of the head with a blunt object hard enough to throw them off their feet is really not within the realms of "striking non-lethally".

[fish]

Nov 30, 2016 9:43:15 GMT foresterr said:

Nov 30, 2016 8:00:32 GMT Daedalus said:

Parley's still striking non-lethally (which explains why she isn't using Coyote's tooth).

Do we know she has it with her, or is it assumed?

At this point it's just assumed, but given panel two of this page (my gosh, Parley looks so young!) I'd say the probability for it to show up is pretty high.

Nov 30, 2016 8:33:23 GMT CGAdam said:

I'm not complaining, but I still think it's funny that she can just plain punch a ghost.

I just remembered this page and the last panel of this page (and a lot of other panels in that chapter). It seems ghosts in Gunnerkrigg are more... corporeal than ghosts in other works of fiction.

[fish]

A question for all the people here who seem to know stuff about sword combat:

As somebody already pointed out, the way Parley is facing in panel five doesn't seem to match up with the way she strikes Jeanne in panel six. It looks as though she would have to make a 180° turn to the left in order for her right arm to be in the correct position. Buuut could she have... turned a bit to the right instead... to swing the pommel backwards over her shoulder while still standing with her back facing Jeanne? I have the motion clear in my head but I have no idea how to properly describe it, sorry! orz... So if anyone knows what I mean, would such a move be feasible/viable in a sword fight?

[snowflake]

Nov 30, 2016 10:40:31 GMT fish said:

It seems ghosts in Gunnerkrigg are more... corporeal than ghosts in other works of fiction.

Since being visible and audible to physical, mortal eyes and ears requires being corporeal every bit as much as punching a mortal in the neck does, I would rather say Gunnerkrigg ghosts are more consistently corporeal than ghosts in other works of fiction.

[download]

I think Parley might die.

Overconfidence with her teleporting and Jeanne's understanding of Smitty's luck ability will kill her.

[csj]

The real question regarding corporeality is this; is the sword also a ghost?

If parley disarms Jeanne, would anyone be able to wield her ghost-sword?

I for one, would pay plenty of dollarydoos for the privilege.

[darlos9d]

And now she struck you from befront.

[ctso74]

Nov 30, 2016 11:06:59 GMT fish said:

A question for all the people here who seem to know stuff about sword combat:

As somebody already pointed out, the way Parley is facing in panel five doesn't seem to match up with the way she strikes Jeanne in panel six. It looks as though she would have to make a 180° turn to the left in order for her right arm to be in the correct position. Buuut could she have... turned a bit to the right instead... to swing the pommel backwards over her shoulder while still standing with her back facing Jeanne? I have the motion clear in my head but I have no idea how to properly describe it, sorry! orz... So if anyone knows what I mean, would such a move be feasible/viable in a sword fight?

During her latest bips, it seems she's repositioning her body mid-bip (or we're missing a frame of action). I wonder if she's learned to, as an example, bip away while seated but appear at the destination standing. If so, with practice, she could be bipping into range ready to strike unpredictably.

[puntino]

Nov 30, 2016 11:06:59 GMT fish said:

A question for all the people here who seem to know stuff about sword combat:

As somebody already pointed out, the way Parley is facing in panel five doesn't seem to match up with the way she strikes Jeanne in panel six. It looks as though she would have to make a 180° turn to the left in order for her right arm to be in the correct position. Buuut could she have... turned a bit to the right instead... to swing the pommel backwards over her shoulder while still standing with her back facing Jeanne? I have the motion clear in my head but I have no idea how to properly describe it, sorry! orz... So if anyone knows what I mean, would such a move be feasible/viable in a sword fight?

The only way I see that transition working is if she either grabbed the handle with her two hands and thrusted, even though that might cut her side even more by accident, or do as you said yourself, turning clockwise and smashing the pommel in her face using only her right hand to hold the sword..

This raises problems, though. If the first was to happen, her bastard sword would most likely cut her side, as I stated. The latter option is what is called a telephone strike, as in it's easily telegraphed and responded to.

So, we're either missing some panels or she bipped with such momentum that the speed of the strike would be far greater than any reaction Jeanne could have put up. Still, if the momentum/speed was that great, I feel like her motion could have been better represented in the pic panel, the way it is right now she looks quite... stagnant for it to be that quick.

Also, I laughed at jeanne getting her ass handed to her, even though she'll probably engage absolutely madmode after this strike.

[cb3]

Nov 30, 2016 14:56:39 GMT ctso74 said:

Nov 30, 2016 11:06:59 GMT fish said:

A question for all the people here who seem to know stuff about sword combat:

As somebody already pointed out, the way Parley is facing in panel five doesn't seem to match up with the way she strikes Jeanne in panel six. It looks as though she would have to make a 180° turn to the left in order for her right arm to be in the correct position. Buuut could she have... turned a bit to the right instead... to swing the pommel backwards over her shoulder while still standing with her back facing Jeanne? I have the motion clear in my head but I have no idea how to properly describe it, sorry! orz... So if anyone knows what I mean, would such a move be feasible/viable in a sword fight?

During her latest bips, it seems she's repositioning her body mid-bip (or we're missing a frame of action). I wonder if she's learned to, as an example, bip away while seated but appear at the destination standing. If so, with practice, she could be bipping into range ready to strike unpredictably.

I can't see what the problem is, the sword is in her right hand in panel 5, it's still in the right in panel 6. The grip hasn't changed and she can swing the pommel across her chest.

The problem with this though is that she won't generate much power doing it. An open hand strike with the left would be a recognised Karate strike and would argueably do more damage. I suspect Parley is tryng to be non-lethal.

[warrl]

Nov 30, 2016 9:43:15 GMT foresterr said:

Nov 30, 2016 8:00:32 GMT Daedalus said:

Parley's still striking non-lethally (which explains why she isn't using Coyote's tooth).

Do we know she has it with her, or is it assumed?
About the pommel strikes, I wonder if the point here is non-lethality (c'mon Jeanne's pretty dead already), or simply better maneuverability at very close range. A proper swing could take too long.

What do you mean, take too long? Parley can begin the swing thirty yards away, and then teleport to where Jeanne's right in the path of the blade - hitting her a millisecond later from the front, back, or either side; there's NO place the proper distance from Jeanne that would NOT work, so Jeanne needs to defend from EVERY angle simultaneously.

[vanzetti]

I'm starting to think what Parley does qualifies as abuse of the elderly...

[arf]

I think George is smart enough not to try repeating the same success twice in a row, hence the front bip. Between panels 5 and 6, I'd say George spun around clockwise after bipping in. It would allow George to keep her guard up against Jeanne's sword, although she's risking being caught off-balance. Might have looked better if panel 5 showed Jeanne mid-turn, but we're probably over-analyzing this enough as is.

Ooh! I wonder if Jeanne has 'strike 3' rule that makes her cede the fight?

[fish]

Nov 30, 2016 22:05:09 GMT arf said:

but we're probably over-analyzing this enough as is.

Never!

[todd]

Nov 30, 2016 13:40:50 GMT csj said:

The real question regarding corporeality is this; is the sword also a ghost?

Can an inanimate object that was never alive be a ghost?

[imaginaryfriend]

Dec 1, 2016 0:04:42 GMT todd said:

Nov 30, 2016 13:40:50 GMT csj said:

The real question regarding corporeality is this; is the sword also a ghost?

Can an inanimate object that was never alive be a ghost?

In some cultures they'd say yes but I guess in this case the sword is part of the ghost. And I am sad that George isn't using the tooth to parry, since that would lead to part of Jeanne's sword being cut off the rest of it/her. And that bit of ghost-sword blade would be interesting for later study.

[arf]

Dec 1, 2016 0:19:59 GMT imaginaryfriend said:

Dec 1, 2016 0:04:42 GMT todd said:

Can an inanimate object that was never alive be a ghost?

In some cultures they'd say yes but I guess in this case the sword is part of the ghost. And I am sad that George isn't using the tooth to parry, since that would lead to part of Jeanne's sword being cut off the rest of it/her. And that bit of ghost-sword blade would be interesting for later study.

You don't want to be waving subtle knives around indiscriminately. It can lead to worse things than rage ghosts, as you'd know from your Philip Pullman.

[stclair]

Nov 30, 2016 9:56:19 GMT bicarbonat said:

She's going to try it a third time and get hit with a harsh setdown, I can feel it

Almost guaranteed.

[TBeholder]

If it works, do it again?
But maybe she continued too soon - in that Parley is trying to win time, and would Jeanne be any more ready a second or three later?

Nov 30, 2016 11:06:59 GMT fish said:

As somebody already pointed out, the way Parley is facing in panel five doesn't seem to match up with the way she strikes Jeanne in panel six. It looks as though she would have to make a 180° turn to the left in order for her right arm to be in the correct position. Buuut could she have... turned a bit to the right instead... to swing the pommel backwards over her shoulder while still standing with her back facing Jeanne? I have the motion clear in my head but I have no idea how to properly describe it, sorry!

Not a fencer, but it looks like she spun clockwise, perhaps to keep eyes on the sword first, Jeanne second, and be ready to block if necessary. In the last panel she is moving clockwise, so it just makes sense.