How Could This Happen?

Panel 1

A human man [Xavros] and Veronica stand framed by the open stone archway of a door against a grey stone wall. All that can be seen beyond the door is pale yellowish light emanating from whatever is on the other side. Veronica and Xavros are looking out over a stone railing.

Xavros has light pale skin, with freckles on his cheeks, green eyes, a red goatee, and short, curly, bushy red hair. He is wearing a long black sleeved undershirt, and red tunic, with a red and gold robe. He is looking at the ground beyond the railing, his hands are grasping at his hair, panicked by what he is seeing. To the right, Veronica is standing, with less concerned body language, as she seems to be rolling her eyes, with one eyebrow raised.

“Horbin!” shouts Xavros.

“Eh” says Veronica, he left hand raised in a shrugging/dismissive gesture. “He’s probably fine.”

Panel 2

A zoomed out view of a stone lighthouse, standing on a grassy hill littered with large stone builders, silhouetted against a starless night time sky. The lighthouse is in a state of disrepair and neglect, with visible cracks on its surface. A pink light emanates from a crystal in the lantern room. On the floor below, there is an observational balcony that goes around the entire circumference of the lighthouse. In the center, a dark stone archway reveals the yellow light of the interior of the lighthouse, highlighting the figures Veronica and Xavros. At the foot of the tower to the right is a derelict, off-white building with a red roof and dark windows.

Veronica and Xavros are looking at a shadowed figure of Horbin lying on the grass at the foot of the lighthouse. To the right of Veronica, peaking around the side of the lighthouse is a humanoid form with horns, watching what is occurring.

“Does this look fine to you?!” Horbin yells to the others in the lighthouse.

Panel 3

Veronica stands in front of an all black panel, outlined in white to help contrast her from the background. She is facing to the left, her eyes closed, and her arms out to either side in a shrugging gesture.

“If he wasn’t fine, he wouldn’t be talking,” she says.

Panel 4

Xavros stands in front of the left side of the stone archway that leads into the interior of the lighthouse.

“What happened!?” Xavros shouts below him, eyes wide and brows raised.

“I can see my life flashing before my eyes!” shouts Horbin from below and off panel.

Panel 5

Veronica stands in front of the right side of the stone archway that leads into the interior of the lighthouse. She has her arms crossed, and is looking upwards with an annoyed expression, as Horbin describes scenes from his life from below the balcony.

“Virginal Elvin Maidens!” yells Horbin. “Busty Tavern Wenches!” A pause. “All just begging for some hot halfling loving!

Panel 6

At the lighthouse’s entrance from the balcony, another figure [Thog] joins Horbin and Veronica. Thog is a green skinned half-orc male, with dark brown busy eyebrows, the only hair visible on his face, and is otherwise clean shaven and bald. He has two horns protruding from his skull, the right horn is shorter than the left, having been shaved to be half the length at some point. Thog has light blue eyes, larger lower tusk-like teeth, green face markings that could be makeup or tattoos, and multiple gold stud earrings. He is not wearing a top, but his wearing a leather kilt that is currently obscured behind the bottom of the panel.

“Halfling slipped,” says Thog in an observational manner, his arms clasped behind his back, as he stares down at Horbin off panel below.

Xavros seems unaware of this observation, as he still stares open mouth at the scene below. Veronica seems surprised by either Thog’s appearance, or by what he said, and is looking at him with eyebrows raised. “Uh,” she says. “What he said,” indicating her agreement with Thog.