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Howdy, New Readers! Thanks for reading Exiern!
Written by Scott T. Hicken with art by Antipus, the comic updates Mondays. Please check out the Archive to enjoy the earlier adventures of Typh and Peonie!
Exiern contains mature themes and is best for readers 18+.
Didn’t Alicia specifically want to talk to Tiff about where Denver is after this whole fiasco was done? Why is she seeing His Sneakiness instead? I think that I’ve missed something in the last 1-2 dozen strips.
I wonder whether His Majesty would enjoy an exotic partner.
If Peonie and Alicia are the two most powerful females in the Kingdom, then what of Tiffany? No longer seen as a woman or no longer actually in the kingdom?
Hmm, overall I like the new artwork, but I’m still not sold on Peonie suddenly looking 15 years older just because she’s supposed to be a badass now. Isn’t she only about 20 years old or so?
I see Peonie still doesn’t like thinking about people having sex with her father. And score one for the dragon-girl, getting one-up on the voices in her head.
People under 30 can have lines/eye bags/wrinkles/etc just like anyone else, especially if they’ve been stressed out or exposed to harsh climates. It’s just the first time the art style has conveyed that level of detail.
The “hardness” in P’s features may also be due to her exercising. If she’s studying swordplay, she’ll be losing body fat, which can appear to harden features. It may also be why her bust appears smaller to some…it may be intentional on the part of the artist to portray her more toned physique.
Likewise, her expression may seem more serious (“older”) now because of recent events, maturity, stress, responsibility, etc. It’s not that a number of years have been added, it’s what’s happened during that time.
@Dreygon: You are right that young people can acquire some of the markers of age with stress, but what we’re seeing is a change in Peonie’s appearance in a very short time (in-comic), which seems due to a change in art style. I confess I prefer her previous younger, softer, more feminine appearance.
I think Peonie’s last appearance is here: /2016/05/03/when-to-look-when-leaping/
Only a few days have passed since then, at most; not time enough for her to have aged this much, even with intense training. This is more than dark circles under her eyes.
@50srefugee I agree, it’s the change in art style that brings it out. I don’t think Peonie just recently collected those markers, I think this is the first time the art style has had enough facial detail to include them. It makes sense visually, as the art on a whole has become more realistic. Sorry if I wasn’t clear about that in my previous post.
Didn’t Alicia specifically want to talk to Tiff about where Denver is after this whole fiasco was done? Why is she seeing His Sneakiness instead? I think that I’ve missed something in the last 1-2 dozen strips.
Alicia Making the Dragon Collective Ill!
@Random Spectator: She was called to see the king a few strips ago.
YAY! More than one panel! Smartass! Peonie embarrassed!
Just like old times!
I wonder whether His Majesty would enjoy an exotic partner.
If Peonie and Alicia are the two most powerful females in the Kingdom, then what of Tiffany? No longer seen as a woman or no longer actually in the kingdom?
Hmm, overall I like the new artwork, but I’m still not sold on Peonie suddenly looking 15 years older just because she’s supposed to be a badass now. Isn’t she only about 20 years old or so?
@ Cerulean Lion. Typh’s been exiled. She’s no longer part of the kingdom.
Yup, I thought so. Peonie has aged about ten years and gotten a bit harder.
Pretty much concurring with Larathiel here.
@Cerulean Lion: both, as shown on http://www.exiern.com/2016/11/29/a-wise-decision-sir/
A missed moment of chortles if The Voice and Peonie both said “Gah!” at the end…
But I’m definitely happy to see more than a single frame.
I see Peonie still doesn’t like thinking about people having sex with her father. And score one for the dragon-girl, getting one-up on the voices in her head.
My take on Peonie’s appearance is that she’s spending less time on grooming and makeup.
more than 1 panel in an update… it’s amazing!
People under 30 can have lines/eye bags/wrinkles/etc just like anyone else, especially if they’ve been stressed out or exposed to harsh climates. It’s just the first time the art style has conveyed that level of detail.
Also, really love Urtica’s pose in the first panel and the “cameo” of (I assume) Peonie’s dear mum.
I don’t think the voices in Alicia’s head are the dragon collective. I think it’s the Decay: http://www.exiern.com/2013/10/22/the-snozberries-taste-like-snozberries/
That being said… I LOVE that Alicia is telling those voices things like that. I’d love it even more if she acted on it. ^.^
Peonie looks so much more mature…. I like it!
Well, that’s one way to get the voices to SHUT THE HAEL UP!!!! 😀
The “hardness” in P’s features may also be due to her exercising. If she’s studying swordplay, she’ll be losing body fat, which can appear to harden features. It may also be why her bust appears smaller to some…it may be intentional on the part of the artist to portray her more toned physique.
Likewise, her expression may seem more serious (“older”) now because of recent events, maturity, stress, responsibility, etc. It’s not that a number of years have been added, it’s what’s happened during that time.
But hasn’t it only been a couple days or weeks? Changes like that would take months if not years…
I take it that the portrait is of Peonie’s mother. I can see the king married her for her huge… experience in legal matters and diplomacy.
I can subvert my OWN tropes too, you know.
@Dreygon: You are right that young people can acquire some of the markers of age with stress, but what we’re seeing is a change in Peonie’s appearance in a very short time (in-comic), which seems due to a change in art style. I confess I prefer her previous younger, softer, more feminine appearance.
I think Peonie’s last appearance is here: /2016/05/03/when-to-look-when-leaping/
Only a few days have passed since then, at most; not time enough for her to have aged this much, even with intense training. This is more than dark circles under her eyes.
A good full-face view is here: /2016/02/16/literally-illogical/
Remember this whole world can shift and change due to the tides of the ether. That may have happened to Peonie as well.
Are we sure it’s only been a few days?
Besides…maybe the true beauty was inside Peonie all along! *bright smile and magical music*
@50srefugee I agree, it’s the change in art style that brings it out. I don’t think Peonie just recently collected those markers, I think this is the first time the art style has had enough facial detail to include them. It makes sense visually, as the art on a whole has become more realistic. Sorry if I wasn’t clear about that in my previous post.
To reinforce what Archone said. Why would she need to ask Tiff where Denver was if she was connected to the collective?
@Random,
The King can grant her access to Tiffany and Tiffany knows where Denver is.
Why,
Why him?