This summit of Midirian Briguild representatives is an homage to a scene from Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
Briguilds represented, counterclockwise from lower left in panel 9: Currancer, Cursivere, Estimen, Fisherwit, Geareater, Minery, Panegandee, Resinati, Sortlec, Totsuvosto, Uluwestern
Is the Estimen rep Riv’s father?
Tiscinivel mentions “The Debt”; if you need or desire something strongly enough, the Midirian Empire will grant it to you, at the cost of your identity and freedom
The Geareater rep is a clockwork automaton, much like Waywardo
The Sortlec rep is a Similarian
All Briguilds are represented… except, of course, the Hatmender Briguild, which is clandestine
Codefathers Subliminus and Zardoza have taken refuge in what has turned out to be some form of ship
Zardoza’s equipment displays the following images: Gargrudgen towering over the shore of Midiria (2); Refusaleth at the Tournament (3); Holocough obliterating Inway (5); Imperial Pendulords in Creepwood (8)
The Questioneer speaks a Dread Conundrum to his doppelgänger, revealed to be Daemir Daggerbite
Dread Conundrums are questions or revelations that break the integrity of the Narrative; Daemir was able to see and breathe in the Questioneer mask until questioned about it, like a cartoon character that runs off a cliff and only falls after realizing they’re in mid-air
The real Quondrian Questioneer jumps out of the airship with the fourth Prime Resinate fragment in panel 5
Essul recognizes Daemir, and Daemir can see the Gargrudgen on the Midirian shore from the airship, because they are insanely big
First appearance of Nefaria the Red Queen; visually, she is inspired by Xayide (Clarissa Burt), the evil sorceress from The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter (1990)
First appearance of Crybdeth, commander of Bonehenge, and Marrowort, his subordinate, panel 2 (right to left, respectively)
Crybdeth refers to Nefaria as “prisoner number one”, to avoid giving her power by speaking her name aloud
Nefaria is probably the only prisoner in Bonehenge