Author Topic: Mountain Leopards: An Adventuring Story  (Read 81413 times)

Jubal

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Mountain Leopards: An Adventuring Story
« on: August 01, 2018, 04:24:55 PM »


An Introduction

Welcome to Mountain Leopards! This is a webcomic written and arted (taking the term art loosely) by James 'Jubal' Baillie. It is based on a mix of classic D&D and fantasy gaming tropes, with obvious heavy inspiration from Rich Burlew's Order of the Stick in style and presentation, and also on the folklore, literature and legends of the Caucasus region. It follows a cleric and a group of misfit acquaintances he makes. The comic will probably never be 'finished' and updates on an as-and-when basis, though haranguing me to make more of it might actually work as a persuasion tactic and comments are very welcome.

Note that whilst this comic is largely funny (and always punny) it does include the sort of levels of violence normal for a fantasy adventuring tale and does also handle some serious and heavier topics, most notably unfreedom & slavery and their impact on some of the characters.



Episode List:



1. Narrative Voice
« Last Edit: March 05, 2023, 10:06:27 PM by Jubal »
The duke, the wanderer, the philosopher, the mariner, the warrior, the strategist, the storyteller, the wizard, the wayfarer...

Silver Wolf

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2018, 12:44:06 AM »
I guess he should have invested in his passive perception a bit. :P
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Jubal

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2018, 01:16:55 AM »
I guess in gaming terms Botso would be some kind of cross-class cleric/bard, considering he has enough plot sense to converse with the narrative voice. :)

I've also worked out plans for two more strips of this story, if anyone wants to hear what happens next?
The duke, the wanderer, the philosopher, the mariner, the warrior, the strategist, the storyteller, the wizard, the wayfarer...

comrade_general

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2018, 01:34:16 AM »
Do the thing.

Tusky

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #4 on: August 02, 2018, 06:17:03 AM »
It's good! Made me chuckle too. I'm not precious about my fourth walls

Would definitely read the others :)
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beebug_nic

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2018, 11:33:55 AM »
Very much raised a smirk :-) Keen to see another!

Jubal

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #6 on: August 02, 2018, 05:48:01 PM »
Thanks guys! :) OK, as requested...

Ep 2: I Shot The Cleric (But I Didn't Shoot the Ordinary):


Feedback welcome as ever :) I'll start a list of episodes in the OP.
« Last Edit: September 02, 2018, 04:04:46 PM by Jubal »
The duke, the wanderer, the philosopher, the mariner, the warrior, the strategist, the storyteller, the wizard, the wayfarer...

beebug_nic

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #7 on: August 02, 2018, 06:11:10 PM »
Enjoying Botso's dialogue - and loving the detail on the clergy/cleric :-)

Tusky

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #8 on: August 03, 2018, 08:20:01 AM »
Interesting! I like it.

So you've only got one more to conclude? I'm sure you could probably spin the story out if you wanted :]
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Jubal

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #9 on: August 03, 2018, 10:47:28 AM »
I've only got one more planned - it certainly doesn't conclude the story at all, I just haven't had any ideas for where to go after that!

I've got a lot of general thoughts on some kind of a plot, and three other characters drawn up who I want to flesh out and introduce, but it's keeping the dialogue light/humourous enough that I'm struggling with. I can't just make D&D punchline gags because they're all 200% overdone and I don't even know the rules well enough, and I need to build up a fair bunch more comics/characterisation before I can start making internally referential humour within the comic world either.
The duke, the wanderer, the philosopher, the mariner, the warrior, the strategist, the storyteller, the wizard, the wayfarer...

SLiV

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #10 on: August 04, 2018, 01:34:53 PM »
Ooh, this is neat.  :D

As a point of critique, I think the fonts could be clearer, maybe by using fonts with anti-aliasing.

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #11 on: August 04, 2018, 09:13:36 PM »
Ep 3: The Man Upstairs



Another one out! :) In which Botso has some troubles with authority.

I now have an idea for another five or so strips, and I've basically finished #4. I'm wondering if I should actually slow down from this point and make this (initially) a weekly-ish thing? There's no way that in the long run I'm going to produce these things faster than once a week on average, and I think keeping to a regular-ish routine is more likely to get me to keep going than just doing them when I feel like it and ending up with something that always gets bumped down the queue or has a short burst every quarter of a year or something. Thoughts on that?


Ooh, this is neat.  :D

As a point of critique, I think the fonts could be clearer, maybe by using fonts with anti-aliasing.
Hm, I'll have a think about that - I've tried messing with other fonts but none of them seemed to improve it really. Does the font still look unclear to you if you look at the image in full-size? (Click on it in a web browser to enlarge).
« Last Edit: September 02, 2018, 05:49:20 PM by Jubal »
The duke, the wanderer, the philosopher, the mariner, the warrior, the strategist, the storyteller, the wizard, the wayfarer...

Caradìlis

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #12 on: August 04, 2018, 09:43:00 PM »
Hihi, that guy just made favourite god of the week... Sarcasm and bookworminess, Caradìlis approves... :)
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Tusky

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #13 on: August 05, 2018, 08:20:45 AM »
haha Otarid has some sass
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Glaurung

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Re: In which Jubal decides to find out how hard writing comics is
« Reply #14 on: August 05, 2018, 10:28:45 PM »
I like this very much, and would enjoy more of it.

Also I feel the comic deserves a name of its own, not just "In which Jubal...", but I'm not sure what it should be.