commander-malla

[commander-malla]

The other races have fascinating parallels with Aurene too and I think we should all talk about them more.

A charr's sense of duty, trained into them since birth, and now being around Aurene who they have raised to have a specific duty. Conflicting with their own upbringing, their dedication to the cause, and only wanting Aurene to have good things... but knowing in your heart she has a duty too, and she can't run from it. Neither can you.

The norn and the weight of building their legend. Being greater than those before and leaving a story that will be sung for generations. But is it worth it to put Aurene through this, who never had a choice? A norn may choose to be a farmer, a noble calling. Or to serve the spirits. But Aurene has no choice. Is her legend fair? Does it matter?

Asura and the background radiation of the expectation to climb to ever greater heights. The expectation of brilliance, of success, of being smarter and more clever than anyone else. Aurene has expectations too, but now that you aren't surrounded by the voices of your people, do you want that weight for her? Could you stop it?

Humans and their persistence. Their refusal to die, to quit, to back down. You are strangers in a strange land, one that is often hostile, but you persevere. Aurene must do the same. She must persist in the face of doubt, never stop or it could mean the end for everyone. What kind of world were you brought into? What kind of world is it for her?

Every race's story is so important and so tied to the world around it. It's fun and fascinating and I wanna see more of it.

[commander-malla]

retired war hero and my scrapper valary

[commander-malla]

Yitu is having a great and wonderful time in RP land! Tia is having a marginally better time!

[commander-malla]

Do you think certain scented sylvari have to combat the pavlovian reaction to their scent?

Like lavender sylvari adapting shouting and wearing the most noisy, obnoxious jewellery cuz they walk into a room and half the people in there start to drift from using lavender sleep aids?

[commander-malla]

The Commander Says Goodbye

I’m not going to lie, I’m extremely anxious as i’m writing this, out of what these news could mean to a lot of people, and my heart feels heavy enough it could drop down my ribcage any minute from now and squish all my other organs. But I’ve been dancing around this topic for a long time now, and I think i’ve finally reached a point where i can’t ignore it anymore, for my own sake.

I hereby announce Commander Yes has come to an end.

As I’ve mentioned plenty of times before, here and to many other people, when I began this comic all the way back in 2018 I was in a really bad, really low place in my life in every sense of the word, and it was a spur-of-the moment decision to cheer myself up, because Path of Fire had just released and my enjoyment of the game had reached fever pitch and I had been playing Guild Wars 2 alone since as far as launch, and none of my other friends had ever really gotten into it. I guess I just, dunno, cried out into the big maelstrom of the community, one voice amidst millions, because i wanted SOMEBODY to look at what i did and revel in the nerdery with me.

And somehow the snowball began to roll and people wanted more and more of what I could do, and I was being actively reached out to, and, well, some time after that I landed my first ever job, I discovered a lot of things about myself, and I found myself in communities that welcomed me with open arms, and many of the people in there have since become among the best friends I could’ve possibly encountered, kindred souls who i’ve shared joys and sorrows for many years and who I can’t imagine living without anymore.

And all the while I kept making the comics, and with every entry posted every week I’d keep having people stopping to comment on them, and whether they were dumb jokes or personal takes on the story, they’d all share how much what I do kept hitting them in the kokoro, and to this day whenever I play anywhere in the game I still get people who recognize me and thank me for doing what I do. It was wonderful, it IS wonderful, and seeing that response motivated me to keep going, because what did still mattered to people, out there.

But I did always say I planned to keep doing these comics until I ran out of energy for them, and I think i’ve finally reached that point.

Because ever since I actually landed that job I’m exhausted and sleep-deprived every other day, so much so that I only have time to work on the comic on saturdays and sundays, and it gets harder and harder to just sit and draw, and at that point it was just more work, and while I still enjoy and play Guild Wars 2 a lot, it no longer consumes my time and attention like I’ve used to and i’ve been having fun with more personal projects, and honestly the direction the story is taking these days does not sit right with me and it’s hard to find inspiration in that, and this might be borderline selfish but every year I find people care less and less about the comics and it really takes a hit to you motivation when hardly anybody responds after you’ve spent a whole weekend trying to squeeze a five-page comic out.

And, well, I have been doing these for six years straight, and I think that’s a good run. I’m tired, and ready to move on, at long last. Let it be someone else’s turn.

But that’s the beautiful thing about this community, isn’t it? Even if I’m hanging up the hat, there are a whole lot of fantastic artists out there, as we speak, still cranking out works of art, deserving of all the attention they can get. And think of all the artists yet to come! For every story that ends, another story is just about to begin!

The world keeps on spinning, one way or another.

I’ll be closing my patreon shortly after this, but the reddit archives and tumblr blog shall remain for people to browse whenever they feel like (or until they both go in flames, i guess, what social media isn’t about to these days)

I still don’t think I ever was that much of a big deal, but all the same, to everyone who’s ever supported me and helped me be the person I am right now, to everyone who’s been there from the beginning, to all the devs of this game that has captured us for nearly a decade now, to all my fellow players and artists out there

Thank you.

See you out there, fellow commanders. Still the stars find their way.

#guild wars 2 #i loved seeing your take on the different events that effect the commander’s life #big and small #I’m so glad you’ve found yourself in a better place #may you have a ling and happy retirement

[commander-malla]

Shout out to all the commanders who accidentally dunked Navan on that one mission

[commander-malla]

all in one place! these are [not in order]: @lackluster-draws @sunbat-commander @flower-crow @wilsons-journey @gooseplumes

[commander-malla]

ryland if he looked a little bit more like his mom too. this isnt a fix it design i was just curious. and i made him into a horse. it's fine.

[commander-malla]

When Aurene was little, I played games with her. Taught her how to hunt…

I'm so happy SoTO canonised the Commander spending time with Aurene outside of story chapters. This line made me feel so many things

[commander-malla]

btw the new helm in the wizard vault also gives a skin for just the glasses separately, in case you don't like the hat but do want a new glasses skin

[commander-malla]

my part of the CoYH zine ✨

Hazel completes the collection for the Skyscale of Courage.

[commander-malla]

@dotmander Rad teaches Iaxe how to scourge eat.. sand.. ?

(in Iaxe's defense... I don't think scourges really get sand in their mouths that often... it's just that Rad can't close his mouth all the way bc he doesn't really have lips anymore 💀) (also tbh he probly shouldn't be doing that - the only reason Rad hasn't died from eating too much sand is cuz he's already dead lol)

[commander-malla]

abandoning my flesh golem on top of a mountain

[commander-malla]

A friend send me this, saying: “How to explain the essential gameplay of Guild Wars 2 to someone who never played it.”

Lmao.

[commander-malla]

Jhavi Jorasdottir and Ember Doomforge enjoying a much deserved break after kicking ass in drizzlewood all day

do not use my art

[commander-malla]

yall dont know enemies to rivals to lovers until you meet these two

[commander-malla]

*dangles them precariously over a cliffside*