Preparations - Prologue Y0 and chapters 1&2

[Róisín]

I think Tuuri was a linguist?

[Lazerbird]

She seems like more of a jack of all trades, but maybe a scholar is more someone who seeks education and knowledge outside of required schooling

[dmeck7755]

Tuuri could just be a genius, a savant.  Able to pick up many skills.

Onni and Lalli are very skilled mages.  That is their talent

Tuuri talent was intelligence.  Her magic power

[Lazerbird]

some say that knowledge is the greatest power

[Róisín]

Yep, knowledge tempered by wisdom. Says the old person who as a very small child set out with the fixed intention of ‘learning everything in the world’. I was about four when I realised that this was impossible to do because new things were being discovered so fast that I couldn’t keep up, and because the old people from whom I was beginning to learn things were dying off before they could tell me all they knew. I was shattered, cried for a week, then picked myself up and decided that if I couldn’t learn everything in the world, I was still going to learn all I could, and pass it on. I’m still happily busy doing that.

[tehta]

Side-question: do we think Emil theoretically had a scholar specialization? (It would be tempting to say something fire-related, but I don't think that was the case. But hmm, I actually do have an idea for what it was SUPPOSED to be...)

The mystery of why all the Swedes met the ferry remains.

I like the idea that Siv and Torb came by boat, from some other location. Maybe they were picking up some small, specific supplies on the cheap, like the uniforms (or just part of them, like the boots?) or medicines. Or maps! With potential targets on them! That would be something they would be suited to, rather than Trond or Taru. (Incidentally, if boat travel to Denmark is possible, then why do people even take the murder train? I guess it's usually less murder-y,  and a 9/10 danger rating doesn't mean a full-on giant attack?)

As for Emil, however, we know that he arrived by train, and from his confused behaviour it seems like he wasn't familiar with the town. So, er. Maybe he had been cleansing somewhere near there? I am sure that cleansers work all along the main railway lines.

[dmeck7755]

Yep, knowledge tempered by wisdom. Says the old person who as a very small child set out with the fixed intention of ‘learning everything in the world’. I was about four when I realised that this was impossible to do because new things were being discovered so fast that I couldn’t keep up, and because the old people from whom I was beginning to learn things were dying off before they could tell me all they knew. I was shattered, cried for a week, then picked myself up and decided that if I couldn’t learn everything in the world, I was still going to learn all I could, and pass it on. I’m still happily busy doing that.

I agree, learning keeps you alive!!

[Róisín]

True that, dmeck. Most people my age are dead, and I haven’t time for that at present. Too much to do.

[dmeck7755]

I got behind in reading, so I am catching up.  On page 82 Taru says you won't die from being seasick.  She neglects to mention you wish you did.

On page 96 panel 2 it look like a smiley face between the two buildings (cute)

(it also looks like the amazon logo if you are a bit more cynical    🔥 )

[Lazerbird]

the scene where they see the viking liner rising from the river mist still takes my breath away

[wavewright62]

In this dream, Emil isn't eating cake, he's eating spaghetti. (Probably not cat-spit tainted.)

Most of what we actually saw skalds *doing* (in other parts of the comic) was keeping records. But Tuuri had mechanical skills, could operate a film camera (not that we ever saw her truly do so), and could type.  Learning Swedish was something she did for herself, on the side.  (There would certainly English and German materials around as well, but the topic never came up in canon.) 

[JoB]

(There would certainly English and German materials around as well, but the topic never came up in canon.)

Weeeeeeelllllll, sorta-kinda:
"Some skalds also retain the ability to decipher various other Old World languages."
What do they retain that ability for, if not for the sake of sources in those languages. And while these language trees merely point out in passing that West Germanic languages - including the two heavyweights - are the closest relatives to the Scandinavian ones, the previous page singles out "related" English "for comparison's sake".

[Jitter]

Lazerbird, mine too! The Viking Line (and Silja Line, nowadays Tallink Silja) cruise ships to Sweden are very well known basically to all Finns. When I was a kid, they represented so many exciting things, luxury, travel, exotic foods… Note that I’m talking about the 1980’s here. By the time I started university in 1994, I had been to a holiday abroad four times, and that was probably more than average at the time. But we had the ships to Sweden, and we went a few times (these are not included in the four I mentioned). I find it hard to put it to words, but these ships were a Thing. Something both very familiar and very exotic at the same time. They still are, but less so, as travel in general has become so much more common and cheaper.

I was really hyped when I saw that panel for the first time, and I still love it. It really gives me immersion into this world.

[Suominoita]

Oh yes, the cruise ships! My first trip was back in 1983 or so on Silja Line. I remember mainly because we left my little sister behind and bought her a stuffed seal toy. She was just a little toddler at the time, two or so. We took pictures too...

[Jitter]

A couple of points from the comments on 99. Firstly, in the author comment Minna clearly states there will be a backstory about why the Västerströms are not wealthy anymore. Sigh.

A tidbit from her in the discussion - the station guard has a radio thing, and she confirms not only that it works but also that they are able to manufacture more of them. They are just very expensive.

There’s also a question from someone about whether there will be only white people in the comic. In his one there are several people giving reasonable explanation, and some telling the person who asked to chill. Minna herself just comments that she draws what she prefers to draw. No particular points about whether she might prefer to draw some non-white characters or not in the future. But she also steps in very forcefully to forbid arguing about the issue while she’s sleeping. There is no indication about any messages having been removed so it looks like everyone obliged.

A funnier thing is a long discussion whether a spade is the same thing as a shovel (apparently not). And some discussion about how the team appears to actually be made up of idiots.