King of Swords 4-35 (HOME)
Chapter: 4
There are thirty or so homes of this kind in the god’s corpse. Allison and her compatriots managed to acquire it by spending the last of their guilders robbed from the bank of Mammon. The merchant who they bought it from was understandably furious when the value of the guilder crashed not a few days later due to an enormous, never-ending fountain of them pouring out from Mammon’s ruptured vault. His fury was subsided somewhat when Princess german suplexed one of his bodyguards into a sludge canal.
THE GODHEAD, REDUX
The Mandatory Vending Machine brings a smile to my face
Is the she-imp camped atop the vending machine a member of the guild?
I’m happy to see another gods’-corpses-standing-above-ambiguous-teal-fog part of town. Not that I don’t like the other areas of the city we’ve seen, but book 1 chapter 2 took place in a place that looks like this, so I’ve been nostalgic for it.
Dream apartment
That is some seriously prime real estate, too. Allison et al. were savvy to grab it, before the price of Mammon coins tanked.
I’m surprised there isn’t a shrine set aside for Un-Gorun himself. If I were living in the head of a god – even a dead one – I’d think it prudent to pay due respect. Then again, maybe the “apartment” itself counts as a shrine, given that it’s literally his corpse.
They’re not using it anymore and have made it rather clear they’re not coming back. Don’t bother them with prayers.
Well it also depends if the god was held in high esteem, was especially famous, or was a part of active worship. And of course it is dependent upon the resident. I’ve been in a number of abodes carved from the corpses of the divine myself. Some of my masters did erect small house-shrines, some did not either because they felt unnecessary, or just were not that attached to the god in question. Considering the things my 16th master did, there are worse ways to pay homage than living in his skull.
Thirty kinds of tea you say. 6 Juggernaut Star would love it, you know, in a tongue-in-cheek(or claw-in-eyesocket) kinda way.
Now if 6 Juggernaut Star shows up it’s going to have to pull a Worf:
“Mmn. Nice house. Good tea.”
30 kinds of tea you say?
Those are rookie numbers. She needs to pump those numbers up!
Ideally, you shouldn’t have more than 30 kinds of tea.
There are more than thirty kinds of distinct tea just in China alone, and that’s just varieties of the tea plant processed in one of a handful of ways. If we’re getting into mixes, blends and herbal stuff… well…
And that’s only on one small world. Imagine the varieties of tea available in the city at the center of the multiverse!
All at once.
For myself, only a few kinds of tea are sufficient. It is pleasant to know that there are others, many others, while enjoying the one that delights the senses most.
Not that there is anything wrong with the promiscuous savoring of cup after steaming cup of tea of many kinds and flavors.
Nothing wrong, ‘cept you’re gonna run out of stomach space. Or lifespan.
Those seem most proper concerns for one who is subject to the unfortunate limitations of flesh. Set down your burden of clay and enter joyfully into paradise.
Nice digs.
Well, I hope there’s more than one bathroom. All those people in one abode could create quite a queue, otherwise.
I bet everything dumps into the formerly pure and mystically healing waters of throne to be whisked over the edge into nothingness. So much more hygienic and efficient that those offal sludge canals in throne proper.
Well, only Allison and Nyave actually need to use it. Cio is probably just bathing to relax.
It is my experience that the scent of sulfur that many (but certainly not all!) devils emit is essentially akin to the body odor of servants and humans. It is not, therefore, surprising that many of them appreciate taking a bath for the same reason- even if they need not worry about hygiene in quite the same way as us mortals.
I can also testify to the Baths of Seiketsu-sa being packed at all hours of the day by all manners of demons seeking a soak. They had so many different rooms and pools each designed for different demons. If you were especially brave or foolhardy, you could ask entry to some of the Red pools, but I am neither of those things. That was one canny Kappa, let me tell you. Worth every penny if you’re out in the Shallows.
Cio and Princess surely bathe, at least for the pleasure of it, and White Chain’s armor is bound to get dirty and bloody from whooping people’s asses in the street. I’m sure she’ll need to…rinse from time to time.
Plus, I mean, Devils poop. They have flesh and blood and they eat and drink, so they definitely poop. Even ones that don’t, strictly speaking, NEED to, frequently still do it for their own amusement.
Ah, to call a dwelling home…
One day, I will find my way home and to the open arms of my family.
Oh for the love of mike, you live at 24th and 3rd, right? Two up and one over! Sheesh!
Snazzy time living in the head of a dead god.
While I find the open floorplan of the third level quite to my liking, I cannot believe that those stairways are up to code! Moreover, I doubt I would enjoy having to shimmy up the fire-pole every time I wanted to come back from the bathroom.
So no, I will not be coming over for tea and ox tartare, Most Esteemed Princess Jack Moonshine.
Actually, it’s a spiral staircase. you can see the steps to the lower left.
Also, there’s a wall that’s cut away in this illustration that would be on Allison’s left (our right.) She’s actually in a narrow stairwell, not an open staircase.
Well now I’m just disappointed. If you’re going to turn a God into a condos, you ought to be at least a little enterprising with your design!
this is the best fucking thing I’ve ever seen
This page and the big map of Throne are just genius, along with the battle of Mammon’s vault and other such. I love the story line and the characters, but I would devour K6BD even if it was in a language I couldn’t read!
Yet another lovely demonstration of many voices in one head. (Hush you, I was going to explain anyway.) We have Alison as the ego, the devils as the id, and white chain as the superego.
for a small fee I would be happy to help anyone sort out and dust their mind, or facilitate a conversation between your inner demons. Everything strictly confidential of course.
I find that my mind works best unsorted, filled with dust, and with the demons gagged and unable to shout things to each other. YMMV
How marvelous to have your unique psyche and point of view here in this place where we model the speaking houses of the gods whose heads we now inhabit. Something new is created every time our ideas meet.
I see that Princess has already made it’s way to a red mask. If that sort of growth continues Allison could have issues…
That happened way back in Mammons vault. Since that evolution was out of desperation of not wanting to die ‘so diminished’, it’s probably not going to develop further anytime soon.
Vladdok lives!
What of the Yamga, what became of that beautiful ship
I also want to know this. This house is lovely but to live aboard a sky-ship is the ultimate goal. I expect it was just too conspicuous since it was part of the fleet of a god they pissed off, but who knows. Maybe this skull has a garage.
Delicacy forbids us to speak of the location of the so-called garage.
Only thirty kinds of tea? How quaint.
Given that they seem to be growing their own tea, I wouldn’t judge too harshly. There’s only so much space for plant growing. And one must consider volume of tea, in addition to variety. Having trace amounts of more kinds is hardly appealing, when you can get more tea of a given kind by limiting your selection.
As my old master used to say, “‘Tis better to commit time to mastering a few spells, rather than spreading your attention out over many. The jack of all Arts is master of none.”
I really do hope you enjoy making this world for us as much as we enjoy our glimpses into it.
One can only imagine how terrifying it is for a devil to lurk in an armchair. Truly, it must be a horrible sight.
i love this design so much. i want to explore this world.
Snazzy digs
The gods imagined the many universes into existence. My universe, and me with it, were once contained in the mind of a god. Now that they are dead and gone, their dreams made manifest, I find my self back where I started.
spelling error: “God of Watchemn” – Watchmen
Once again, what an absolutely stunning page! So beautifully busy <3
PS: Love the Dolo Monkeys and hope we‘ll see them again.
Cosy.
(Where’s BMO, though?)
Needs more tea!
Thirty dwellings in a god’s corpse. Not quite eight hundred thousand gods. That’s a maximum of just over twenty million dwellings? For something the size of Throne?
That’s a very expensive condo.
Dwelling within one of the remnants of the Creator gods must be a status symbol. I’d think it would make for a good distinct address. “Send my enchanted Glaive to Apartment One at Un-Gorun !” This does raise the question of where the other many denizens of Throne make their abodes. Where does building material come from, what guilds control the building and maintenance trades, and which neighborhoods are most and least desirable for residences.
We’ve seen maps. There’s everything from shanty-towns to skyscrapers, especially in Ashton, which seems to approximate an inner city area.
The number of worlds and the number of gods is equal, so for every world, there’s only one god skull.
I imagine that the value of a world and the value of a dwelling within a giant stone head aren’t the same for many reasons, but they are of the exact same rarity.
I wonder if we’ll ever find out which god dreamed up our earth. And more importantly, how much it would cost to live in her skull.
You assume that a single god is limited to a single body. Alas, the gods of the old knew the Art of Division, and were not bound by space-time.
Princess needs a TV to go with that recliner.
Ol’ grandpa Princess.
Ah the Vast fields of Dead gods across Throne.
A scene at once Awesome and Terrifying. The denizens who dwell there show both reverence and irreverence towards those inert husks. Does one sleep soundly within the bodies and skulls of those gods ? Would their thoughts, dreams, echo into mine ? If those spirits were totally consumed in the throes of Universe Creating – then should I not worry about absorbing godly essences ? ? * Look – before I buy into the neighborhood, I’m going to need to consult with both a shaman and an estate agent.
oh no I want to live here <3
What a wonderful scene of domestic bliss.
I USED TO BE FOND OF TEA AS WELL, WHITE CHAIN. THEN I WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE ONE WHO IS UNDYING AND SUBJECTED TO HIS TRUTH, AND NOW THE BLOOD OF SINNERS IS ALL THAT I NEED.
Ah, the enthusiasm of youths. Think of it as no more than a passing phase. In latter days one may get past the hot joy of blood and broken bodies, and become contented with contemplating the total absence of sinners in the cold light of the stars hung in the black emptiness of the absolute void. Although, to be fair, first there must be blood. And crushing.
Un-Hanza has much to answer for.
The Judgement of Un reduced to a gray goo that optimizes for the repression of a people with no True King.
Careful, that truth has a cost in joy. Absolute truth leads to an existence devoid of happiness or hope.
It is better to abandon the truth, and enjoy the tea while you can.
DO MISTAKE MY RICTUS GRIN FOR A JOY. THERE IS NO JOY IN THE THORN KNIGHTS. IT IS NOT SOMETHING ONE CONSIDERS WHEN PURGING THE MULTIVERSE OF THE FILTHY SINS OF THE MISBEGOTTEN PRETENDERS TO ITS THRONE.
ALTHOUGH OCCASIONALLY… DOING SO CAN MAKE MY SMILE FEEL GENUINE.
It’s a Domehome!
I find myself perplexed and slightly annoyed that the god’s eyes were not replaced with windows. Considering the current state of Throne, seeing such a motley assortment of mortals, angels, and devils inhabiting the wreck of a divine mind well-reflects the current state of the city’s soul. Or perhaps the guilds that retrofit dead gods into lofts have an aversion to puns?
Awww, magnificent. I’m completely fond of this kind of KSBD pages.
Minor tasks for teasing critters
bags of nuts and wooden hitters
wings are known to make one prettier
That’s the cosiest skull I’ve ever seen.
Time was, long ago, every Angel, Demon, Devil, mendicant, Demi-god, harlot, bard, master, or servant knew of the Watchemn.
The world is dimmer now and much has been lost.
Only the truest of those keeping the faith know it is not a typo.
I love the detail that goes into these drawings and I’m grateful that we are allowed a glimpse into this world. Thank you Abbadon!
PRINCESS! My queen!
In my father’s mansion there are many rooms. So many rooms. All of them tastefully furnished.
If the bones of the gods are indeed laced with black glass, one questions the wisdom of using it as a water pipe.
Or are we white gods excluded from the whole, black glass mining issue?
You assume that the guilds haven’t mined UN-Gorun of all his narcotics by now.
^This. Absolutely.
It is well that the dead gods do not return to the their skeletons like the angels return to their armor – that would result in a quick eviction indeed!
I was previously unfamiliar with the God of Watchemn. Beautiful dwelling for a rising king though!
what a quaint little hovel. I have often found that living within the bodies of deceased deities, while an interesting novelty at first, quickly become rather cramped and decrepit. Its much grander to live in a palace you built yourself, and you feel a lot less like a squatter.
The value of the Guilder did WHAT NOW?
What a turn of events!
Why dear Draco, don’t tell me that you never thought to keep other currencies in reserve. For shame! What would your creditors think? What will they say? What will they do in response?
I do not want to know any of those three things, noble Pontifex. I must octuple my wealth in a matter of hours before I learn the answers. Half of my revolving manors have been sold, I’ve mortgaged all of my private luxury planets, and the legendary Pearl Necklace of Indefinite Length and Mass is being hauled out of my closet as we speak, but even that won’t be enough.
At this rate, I may even have to donate some of my molten gold blood. Surely it must be worth something?
You should consider poverty. You might learn something.
How many beggars do you see with blood consisting entirely of precious metals at extremely high temperatures? None! My wealth is who I am! I must maintain my extravagant lifestyle, or else I will lose my purpose in this world!
I have found a solution to your financial woes: Figure out where Alison is going next, and short-sell it to kingdom come.
Dang, that is one sweet and well-equipped kitchen.
The more she fills with foreign teachings from the numbered and the demons, the more space she has for herself.
The more teachings from the numbered divines and the friendly demons she fills her heart with, the more space she has for herself.
These ultra-detailed panels are always staggeringly beautiful.
Also, Throne’s consistent aversion to guard rails makes me so uncomfortable lmao.
Agreed. The attention to details is superb.
But methinks guard rails are overrated. Throne is too daring to need such things.
Guardrails are only a way to give mortals an illusion of safety.
Guard rails are for the weak. The weak do not survive long in Throne.
Wise words, my fellow. Wise words.
For in Throne you should be wary, because those you call friends might be fiends after all.
I wonder how her family and friends feel about her suddenly disapparing from the face of the earth? I don’t think we’ve EVER seen Alison think about them, or am I mistaken?
She did think about them.
Right after waking up “post-theft”.
She was talking about how Zaid has a family and a life and shouldn’t be going through all of this shit. And it’s the first time she realizes how little she had been thinking of herself and of her own family and friends. Then she finally sheds some tears over that realization. 🙁
I don’t get something (as usual). How does a character claim to be a law enforcer, be involved in stealing a ship, steal money from an addled dragon, fraudulently buy a penthouse apartment using stolen worthless money, enforce the “sale” with violence, and still have lawful good alignment?
It’s the spirit of the law, rather than the letter of the law.
Because whether White Chain admits it openly or not, she serves the Rising King who will surely do more good than the whole of the New Law.
Wait, why is Allison’s room the coldest? Shouldn’t it be the warmest place in the apartment? Top floors get have all the heat from below them rising to the top, not to mention she’s right above the colossal kitchen that I’m sure generates a lot of rising heat plus all the warm air rising from Cio’s hot baths. Arguably the cold room would be White Chains.
Well… That happens in countries with heating systems…
I can tell from my own life experience (since I was born and live in a hot af region) that when you live in higher apartments, you usually get the most wind (when you don’t have other buildings blocking the wind) and colder temperatures.
The higher up, the colder your apartment is.
The air conditioner is our salvation (when we have that luxury) when it’s the hotter season and closed windows are our heating system when the days are colder. :V
I would find that missing exterior wall next to the bathtub to be… well, challenging, sometimes, or at least drafty, but to each her own.
Ohh… I wonder what flavours I could achieve by mixing those mysterious 30 kinds of tea…
Ahh I freaking love this world so much.
A delightful domicile, but “can’t find another place to do my chinups” my left mandible. Those protruding stairs! That lamp-post with the monkeys on it! Perhaps she just enjoys nettling that priest.
WHo knew that living in a God’s skull would look so … comfy?
I just realized that an angel, two humans and two devils living in an apartment together sounds basically like a sitcom premise.
Newlywed humans move into their delightful new home in Throne, but when they find themselves right next door to the Skull of Un-Gorun, they straightaway want out of their one-year lease (especially after Princess Mamoru Moonshine Jagermeister’s surprise “Welcome to the Neighborhood” visit through their living room floor). Unfortunately for them, the owner is none other than AL-YS-UN, whom they must grin and bear for as long as it takes to be released (if ever).
Didn’t you hear? Abaddon decided to forget the plot and focus on wacky hijinks of these five roomates.
I wasn’t sold until I recognized there were thirty kinds of tea in the house.
Best house ever.
I cannot say how glad I am that you too are passionate about scenes like this.
Can I live here please
I also definitely read “there are THIRSTY kinds of tea”
Glad to see Het, my favorite lore character, is recognized as a divinity. She is a bastion of virtue, even when afraid or in doubt.
On the page where it shows a bunch of avatars of Yis and Un (or demigods or whatever), Het is one of the ones on Yis’ side. It says so in the alt-text.
Goals.
Hoo- ahem. We at the Black Bank are terribly troubled to hear of our friends at the Grand Dragon Bank’s difficulty. Needless to say, we’ll be all too happy to help them by takin- er, assisting any customers they are unable to service during these trying times.
That out of the way, anyone else put off by Cio’s book handling? I get a lack of stand, but she’s not even holding it! You’re begging for soggy pages, there.
these comments are so fucking bad, how do you put up with this?
Every single page I whisper to myself “this is the greatest shit ever.” I want to make sweet sweet love to your brain
I am reminded of a joke with my family. My mother couldn’t remember the name of a monster Godzilla fought. All she could come up with is “starts with a P.” I said I didn’t think there were any monsters named P-something Godzilla fought and maybe she was thinking of a Gamera monster when she said, “Predator! Is that a thing, Godzilla vs. Predator?” I laughed and said, “The Predator is a lot smaller and got beat by Ahnuld and Danny Glover. He has never fought Godzilla and that is with out a doubt the dumbest….no, wait, that’s brilliant!” Really, what Yautja wouldn’t want to come back with a skull big enough to live in? Then that brings up whether or not using tanks or aircraft would be sporting.