One of the issues with combat in Beyond the Tree is that it generally has a higher degree of lethality than World of Warcraft – being cut with a sword will most likely in the very least slow the recepient down, and has a high chance of either crippling or outright killing them. As a result.. I realized that if I wanted anything other than a string of misses, dodges and parries.. I needed both parties to fight with more than their weapons – punches, kicks, elbows.. as an effect of that, I concluded I needed to separate Edwin from one of his swords rather quickly on.
Pitting Hani Foonmall versus Edwin VanCleef is something I’ve ended up finding more interesting than initially expected for several reasons, one of which being that while Hani generally prefers her enemies to just shut up and die.. the Beyond the Tree incarnation of Edwin loves to talk. The VanCleef encounter was actually one I found rather fun to work with for this very reason – where most battles are paced around the fighting, VanCleef is paced around the dialogue.
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Beyond the Tree, the Misadventures of Hani and Tiny 
I love how “Oh I have only just begun” here implies “I have only just begun talking” instead of the cliche “only just begun fighting” :) Lovely touch. Also, I may add that some of the constructs you use to get the flow of combat correct, actually still contribute to the sense of character building for the cast. It’s good reading.
Kinda love the last one, VanCleef cast Blind, haha. I’ve noticed this a couple times on him, what is that metal thing hanging from his belt? Doesnt really look like a dagger or sword
pistol it would seem. or perhaps a hammer the last frame gives the best view of it
It is a knife, it is most viable on the third frame as you can see its back.
i think most of what you are seeing there is the swirly designs on his pants.
Go Van Cleef!
I love this, Go Van Cleef from me too! :P ofc I dont want hani and co to die as that would end the story, but the other way I dont want him dying either :P
He’s entertaining but also a very bad man: I think one way or another he can’t be allowed to escape :)
The last Panel is very well composed imo ^^
Awesome dirty fighting!
I hope it sitll be epic in a way of the fight and all so… he have a kid shold you konw
I’m in love with this iteration of VanCleef, I have to say.
Still, I need to ask if your outcome is going to fall in line with canon with what develops in Cata.
To be honest, I don’t think there’s really that much to fall in line with; VanCleef dies by group of adventurers, he’s survived by an expansion pack daughter, and in rough terms.. that’s about it. And that much you’ll likely be able to weave in without problems.
That said, events in Beyond the Tree are already not quite the same as we know them – Theodore and Verna Furlbrow (along with old Blanchy) should already be in Stormwind by now, there was never any actual gnoll named Hogger, just an enduring legend; and that’s just some of the things different.
Ultimately, Beyond the Tree and Cataclysm should play fairly nice together, but don’t be to surprised if they might disagree regarding a few details here and there ;)
“expansion pack daughter” just became my phrase of the day.
too bad they an’t going for “Gonomes pallys* If you konw what i mean eh eh? :P