The Harbinger’s Path: Ch3 Updates & Previews Archive | September 29, 2025

Scroll down to see more recent updates and preview images.

Partial comic page crop from "The Harbinger's Path" Guild Wars 2 Trahearne & Malyck fan comic. Shows Trahearne laying upside-down surrounded by cyan ley energy. Text reads as follows: 1) "The renowned Pact Marshal could save none of them!" 2) The Jungle Dragon is grateful - even in your futile attempt to resist- 3) -you have already helped him the most of all his children.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 1, page crop

September 28, 2025: Chapter 3 Launch

Chapter 3: Mordremoth’s Favor begins updating today! Starting with page 1, which is this chapter’s title page.

Posting a little earlier today since I’ll be out(side) for most of tomorrow, and unsure I’d have time to update the site upon returning.


Chapter 3, page 1 preview crop! 

Here I’ll begin logging all of chapter 3’s page previews!  This is mostly for myself, because it was convenient having a single post with all of chapter 2’s page previews I ended up posting to socials. It saved a lot of time having that post to reference for posts to more than one platform (because I am still stubborn about not using bulk posting tools). I also wouldn’t have been able to be as diligent with alt text otherwise. 

It always surprises me how much time these small posts to socials sometimes end up taking me – having this sketchblog to reference this year has made it so much more manageable. One of the reasons why I’ve been able to be more active this year, compared to some years prior. 

Plus, I think it’s sorta nifty seeing the chapter at a glance, after the chapter finishes and all the previews will be below. 


Comic page crop showing a glimpse of Caladbolg, the mythical sylvari blade. Text reads: "... And the success of your Wyld Hunt." "Firstborn-"
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 2, page crop

October 1, 2025: Chapter 3, page 2

Ch3, Page 2 now up!

The second half of this two-page chapter-opener spread!

Next Monday’s page has a mild advisory for violence. It is nothing graphic, and doesn’t go beyond what you’d see in a Star Wars movie.

I’ll mention this again for page 3’s update, but wanted to give a heads-up viewer discretion advisory. I’ve also added content descriptions for “fantasy violence” and “suggestive themes” to the comic’s existing PG-13 rating (at the top of this index page). It’s important to me that you have a general sense of what to expect in the comic, and are not unpleasantly surprised by something unexpected (of course, I do aspire to pleasantly surprise you!).

Thanks as always for being here, and I hope you’re enjoying Chapter 3!

Next page on Monday. Enjoy your week and weekend, and the first day of October!


Panel crop showing a close-up of Malyck's face looking down toward the viewer. Text read: "-why do you still resist?"
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 3, panel crop

October 6, 2025: Chapter 3, page 3

Ch3, Page 3 now up.

Malyck seems upset!

As mentioned in the previous update, mild advisory for violence for this page. Again, nothing graphic or beyond what you’d see in a Star Wars movie. But please use your discretion, as it might be considered a little more intense than previous pages.

Next page on Wednesday!


Malyck from Guild Wars 2 looking furiously toward the camera.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 4, panel crop

October 8, 2025: Chapter 3, page 4

Ch3, Page 4 now up!

How considerate of Trahearne! Hopefully, his words aren’t wasted effort.

Next page on Monday, enjoy yourself in the meantime!


Comic panel crop of Malyck from Guild Wars 2. Portrait crop. As he smirks toward Trahearne off-camera, text reads: "....Have you wondered - why I remain in this form?"
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 5, panel crop

October 13, 2025: Chapter 3, page 5

Ch3, Page 5 now up!

I’ve been anticipating when I could finally show this page! Malyck brings up a few points here that I was eager to portray in the comic.

I suspect the point he mentions in panel 3 might be a smaller detail within the wider scope of things – but it’s one that’s important to me within the comic’s context. I always knew I wanted him to address it somewhere.

Malyck’s choice words for “Nightmare Commanders” is also one of the more overt indicators this is a headcanon story – it’s a very old callback to the original concept art Caryln Lim created during Heart of Thorns development! In those artworks, what we know as the “Mordrem Guard Commanders” in the canon story, were described as “Nightmare Court Commanders” in those earlier concepts.

Next page on Wednesday!

*Edit: Made slight touch-ups to this page later during the same day. 


Comic panel crop showing Malyck from Guild Wars 2 holding the tip of his "Crying Thorn" dagger to Trahearne's throat.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 6, panel crop

October 15, 2025: Chapter 3, page 6

Ch3, Page 6 now up!

This page touches upon one of my favorite fan interpretations/speculations – the one involving Trahearne’s “last order.”

The way the canon story treats this event always left me wanting more exposition. Possibly because, during the lead-up to Heart of Thorns’ original release, a few fan theories were floated around. A certain one lit up my imagination, and has remained my headcanon ever since!

There have been a few hints this chapter about which theory it is. I’ll be curious if you can predict it!

Next page on Monday, enjoy your week/end! 

*Edit: Made slight touch-ups to this page later during the same day. 


Comic panel crop showing Malyck from Guild Wars 2 holding his "Crying Thorn" dagger as he sneers down toward the viewer.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 7, panel crop

October 20, 2025: Chapter 3, page 7

Ch3, Page 7 now up!

The fourth panel of this page is a callback from quite a while ago! I hope it’s recognizable.

Next page on Wednesday!

Did you know this Thursday is Heart of Thorn’s 10-year anniversary?


Comic panel crop showing the sylvari Malyck from Guild Wars 2. He's in an active pose looking off-camera. We see a glimpse of the back of Trahearne's arm in the background, in a separate panel.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 8, panel crop

October 22, 2025: Chapter 3, page 8

Ch3, Page 8 now up!

With this page, I have to remind you to please trust me that I admire these characters – whatever I put them through, there is intent behind it that will have payoff later. This will (hopefully) be clear when reading the pages together. I really only have to note this now because you can’t yet turn to the next page.

Speaking of, next page on Monday! Enjoy contemplating what the next page might be until then. ;D

Tomorrow is Heart of Thorn’s 10-year anniversary! 10 years we’ve had to wonder what happened to Malyck! When I began the comic early this year, I did not realize 2025 was HoT’s 10-year anniversary. I realized after starting. As I continued drawing, it felt quite fitting. This comic, among other things, is an expression of the fondness I feel toward that original expansion, and all involved in its development – and drawing it during its 10-year anniversary year seems an appropriate way to celebrate this!

*Edit: Added edits to this page later during the same day. I had forgotten to add Trahearne’s thorns! I was enjoying drawing his pose too much, perhaps. ;p 


Comic panel crop showing the sylvari Malyck from Guild Wars 2. He's in the distance, a massive nest of vined thorns behind him. Wisps of smoke - the color of ley-line energy - billows from his pistol's muzzle.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 9, panel crop

October 27, 2025: Chapter 3, page 9

Ch3, Page 9 now up!

What a relief! Trahearne seems okay – or does he?

Advisory for sylvari “sap blood” this page. If you saw the previous page, this likely isn’t surprising. In my opinion, the depiction leans more “artistic” than “violent” – but as this is subjective, please use your discretion for your personal comfort level.

Next page on Wednesday!


For Heart of Thorns’ 10th anniversary last Thursday, I also made two things to celebrate – both related to this comic! A Trahearne and Malyck 2D animation, and a small addition to an earlier page of the comic, which I remarked I might do back over the summer. I haven’t mentioned I added this addition anywhere yet – a little mystery, but I’ll mention it soon. I applaud your diligence if you find it earlier!

*Edit: Touched-up this page later during the same day – I had less time this weekend than expected. I also had trouble cropping this one in a way that worked for socials, while also not spoiling the page. I ended up taking some extra time to clean-up parts of the art underneath the speech balloons hidden in this crop. I normally don’t do this, because thinking of the speech balloons as part of the page helps me to think of the page as a “comic page” and not an “illustration,” if this makes sense. 

But I’m pretty proud of this page, and I think it’s an important one for the comic, especially after page 8. I think it warranted a little special treatment! 


Comic panel crop showing the sylvari Trahearne from Guild Wars 2. He's reclined on the ground with luminous, amber-colored "sap-blood" surrounding him. His smirk is both vaguely threatening and somewhat inscrutable.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 10, panel crop

October 29, 2025: Chapter 3, page 10

Ch3, Page 10 now up!

Are you certain your mind is clear, Pact Marshal?

Next page on Monday, enjoy your time in Castora in the meantime!

*Edit: Added slight touch-ups to this page the same day. 


Comic panel crop showing the sylvari Malyck from Guild Wars 2. He glares moodily off-camera.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 11, panel crop

November 2, 2025: Chapter 3, page 11

Ch3, Page 11 now up!

Oh dear, Malyck seems agitated.

Next page on Wednesday. Hope you enjoyed your Halloween!


Comic panel crop showing a background with large, thorned vines in the environment. The small figure of Malyck can be seen viewing the scene, overlooking the thorny vines.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 12, panel crop

November 5, 2025: Chapter 3, page 12

Ch3, Page 12 now up!

Poor Malyck!

Next page on Monday! Enjoy your week/ends!


Comic panel crop showing a defiant Trahearne clutching his chest, which glows with amber sylvari "sap" blood.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 13, panel crop

November 9, 2025: Chapter 3, page 13

Ch3, Page 13 now up!

Always the scholar, Pact Marshal.

If you need a reminder for what the first line on this page is referring to, flip back to the previous page (pg 12)!

Next page on Wednesday!


November 12, 2025: Chapter 3, page 14

Ch3, Page 14 now up!

Why do you think so, Malyck?

Next page on Monday, enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!

Two preview crops to archive here. I’m a bit between the two, but I’ll probably go with the Trahearne version. 


Comic panel crop showing Trahearne staring fiercely at the camera.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 15, panel crop

November 17, 2025: Chapter 3, page 15

Ch3, Page 15 now up!

I was between glint or glimmer there in early drafts – but the choice was obvious, wasn’t it?

Next page on Wednesday!


November 19, 2025: Chapter 3, page 16

Ch3, Page 16 now up!

Aha, the return of the “fan speculation/theory” mentioned way back on page 6 ‘s update for this chapter, last month on Oct 15! (The link there goes to the archive for that page’s update, if you’re curious to read it and compare with today’s page.)

Next page on Monday! I hope this slightly longer chapter has been pleasant to read compared to the two earlier chapters – it’s certainly a pleasure having an excuse to draw even more Trahearne and Malyck this year. :D

Similar to the November 12 update, two preview crops to archive here. The version featuring both of them would probably be more ideal, but I was shorter on time for this week’s pages, and don’t think this panel is refined enough to show on its own as a preview crop. 


Comic panel crop showing Malyck placing his hand against Trahearne's chest. Trahearne looks displeased as he glows at the physical contact.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 17, panel crop

November 24, 2025: Chapter 3, page 17

Ch3, Page 17 now up!

A question I’ve always wondered, and that I like to think Trahearne wondered, as well. I wish we could have seen him learn the answer.

The potential for what was teased in Heart of Thorns’ launch trailer seems to live rent-free in my mind at this point. :p (If you’re not clear on what I’m referring to, watch the opening lines of that 10-year(!) old trailer after reading to the final line of this page, especially coupled with the previous page 16.)

Next page on Wednesday!


Comic panel crop showing Malyck placing his hand against Trahearne's jawline.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 18, panel crop

November 26, 2025: Chapter 3, page 18

Ch3, Page 18 now up!

How insidious of Mordremoth!

Next page on Monday! Have a wonderful rest of your week and weekend!


Comic panel crop showing Cadeyrn smirking down toward the viewer.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 19, panel crop

December 1, 2025: Chapter 3, page 19

Ch3, Page 19 now up!

This page references one of my absolute favorite quotes from the game – said by Cadeyrn to the Pale Tree:

“Let me destroy the tablet, and we will see what it truly means to be sylvari.” (Source: “Dream and Nightmare”)

I tried with the original “destroy,” but “smash” seemed to read more naturally for this page when I read it back to myself. But let me know if the difference distracts you. I was between the two, and am open to changing it if the difference detracts!

Next page on Wednesday. Happy December!

*Edit: Added slight touch-ups to this page the same day. I couldn’t resist adding a little more to Cadeyrn. :p 


Comic panel crop showing the sylvari Malyck from Guild Wars 2 surrounded by many twisting, thorned vines.
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 20, panel crop

December 3, 2025: Chapter 3, page 20

Ch3, Page 20 now up!

“He is my first.”

Next page on Monday, have a good first week of December!

*Edit: Adjusted Malyck’s pose in the final panel the next day. 

*Edit 12/4/2025: Adjusted the “maw” in panel “3” to be more of a callback to the comic’s cover art! 


Comic panel crop showing the sylvari Malyck from Guild Wars 2 smirking slyly at the camera. Malyck's dialogue reads, "Does this surprise you, Firstborn?"
The Harbinger’s Path | Chapter 3, page 21, panel crop

December 8, 2025: Chapter 3, page 21

Ch3, Page 21 now up!

Look who’s back!

I have a different announcement today. I was hoping I’d be able to continue the update schedule until Chapter 3’s conclusion, but I unfortunately have to put The Harbinger’s Path on a short hiatus until January 2026.

You can read more in the full announcement post here, but I’ll list the main points below.

  • Updates are tentatively planned to resume January 19, 2026.
  • This hiatus is for page updates, not page progress. I will be drawing the remaining pages during this hiatus. These next pages are more complex for me to draw, and they need more time than I unfortunately have available this month.
  • I’m very sorry about this hiatus, but I’m confident this additional time is the best decision for the comic to maintain its quality (and hopefully, your enjoyment!).

Thank you so much for reading The Harbinger’s Path this year! Truly, it means the world to me.

Please look forward to Janaury 2026 to find out what happens next with Trahearne & Malyck!

In the meantime, enjoy your holidays, Wintersday, and New Year’s! I’ll still be around on my sketchblog and socials during this time, and you are also welcome to email me about the comic if you have questions or feedback!

*Edit: Added various touch-ups the same day. 

*Edit December 10, 2025: First-pass touch-ups (added Malyck’s beard). 

“Fly, Oxidecimus!” Sketch | September 25, 2025

Digital drawing of a sylvari reaper sending off his "carrier raven," Oxidecimus the Shadow Raven, from Guild Wars 2. A tiny roll of parchment is tied to Oxideciumus's leg with a red ribbon. I’ve been meaning to send out a mailing list email this week for this upcoming chapter (planning to sometime today), and I also had the random idea last night (or this morning?) to try drawing a small graphic for the mailing list, in general. This would need a lot of refinement, but jotted down the quick concept – it’s my sylvari reaper, Landis, sending off his “Mini Oxidecimus the Shadow Raven” with a tiny letter affixed to its leg, carrier-pigeon style. Maybe I will try to finish this sketch for Halloween – this is my favorite mini from the game, and it’s part of the annual Halloween festival starting next month. 

I also feel like sending a few work-in-progress images for chapter 3 of the comic to the mailing list today – these will just be for the mailing list for now. And, like Landis sending out Oxidecimus, this email to the mailing list will go out later today! 

Malyck WIP Crop | September 24, 2025

Cropped work-in-progress portrait drawing of the sylvari Malyck from Guild Wars 2. Text reads: "Mordremoth beckons, Pact Marshal."

I have this sketch of Malyck I drew last year, which I thought the composition might look interesting, and which I just haven’t had a chance to get around to doing more with it since. Largely because I since decided to draw a comic with him instead of doing more paintings, haha.

I would still like to finish this drawing at some point, though – indulged myself a bit this week and worked on it a little more. Just a portrait crop, for now. 

I might not have posted the original sketch here – I wasn’t using this blog last year – just in case, here’s the original sketch below: 

A messy "ink-like" drawing of the sylvari Malyck from Guild Wars 2. Black and white with a light blue accent color for the eyes and bioluminescent glow.

The Harbinger’s Path: Ch3 Launch Date, Process Crops + Thoughts about Censorship | September 22, 2025

Page crop showing the title for Chapter 3 of "The Harbinger's Path" Guild Wars 2 fan comic. It shows the title overlayed a work-in-progress drawing of Trahearne's torso, who we see from an inverted perspective. Text reads: "Chapter 3: Mordremoth's Favor"
Chapter 3: Mordremoth’s Favor Title Page crop (in-progress / art not final)

The Harbinger’s Path: Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Mordremoth’s Favor is set to start updating next Monday, September 29th! 

I will also show 2 bonus crops at the end of this post – one that I posted yesterday on Bluesky, and a bonus version here with color flats added. 

Bluesky Censorship

Though before showing the images, I want to briefly mention the widening scope of censorship currently going over on Bluesky. This isn’t something that has only happened on there – it’s been a recent occurrence across several platforms in recent years. Most notably, for this year, are the Itchi.io and Steam bans. But before then, it was Patreon and Gumroad, as well as others. Bluesky, however, is a little unique in it is one of the most far-reaching among these recent censorship pushes. 

These are important topics to me, but (at least, for now) too wide in scope to broach entirely in this post. I’d want more time to word everything properly, as it’d likely be an essay’s-worth of words, if I tried and tackled it now. 

But what I want to note about Bluesky for the time being, is something I thought about posting there – and maybe I still will, depending on how this week goes, and if the admins there react to the backlash or not. 

What I want to say is this: 

General thoughts on the widening scope of censorship in recent years

Some years ago, it used to be widely understood that if you wished to protect the art you like, you must also defend the existence of the art you dislike – or even find repulsive. You are free to be disgusted by anything, not look at and filter it, and move on. 

It was when people began forcing everyone to censor anything uncomfortable that lead to where we are now. Where multiple platforms are widening their scope of censoring artistic expression, which used to be widely understood as a key aspect of what it even means to be human.

Social platforms have spent years inciting the dehumanization of their own users toward themselves and each other. These recent censorship crackdowns are a reflection of this. Platforms would prefer censoring expressions of sincere humanity, in favor of the most banal visual products, aka “content”

Bluesky specifically

With that, I’ll just write what I posted there, with some expanded thoughts since I am not limited to a wordcount here (I’ll link to the social post itself afterward, if you’d like to see the original, much shorter thread): 

Continue Reading

“Avatar of Mordremoth” Concept (GW2 Fan Art) | September 14, 2025

Concept drawing of a fan-design for the "Avatar of Mordremoth" from Guild Wars 2.I meant to post this at some point, and why not now. This is one of the concept drawings I did for the “Avatar of Mordremoth” we see in Chapter 1 of “The Harbinger’s Path” GW2 fan comic, seen most prominently on page 13 in Chapter 1: The Firstborn’s Stand. I drew one or two concept designs before this, and remember not being satisfied with those earlier attempts, until drawing this one. 

I sketched the pages for chapter 1 first, and did placeholder drawings for my fan-version of the “Avatar of Mordremoth” in the early drafts. I believe I tried to figure out a design on the page initially, but wasn’t pleased with the results I was drawing. This caused me to try concepting some ideas for how this “mind-avatar” for Mordremoth might look like in the comic. 

I knew I wanted him to be a foil for the Pale Tree – who Mordremoth initially impersonates during his infiltration into Trahearne’s mind in my comic. I am also partial to the idea – inspired by the Mordremoth canon design that Mordremoth “is the jungle” – that Mordremoth might take different forms for his “mind-avatar.” This is why I wanted him to first appear to Trahearne as the “Pale Tree” – as a way to try and weaken Trahearne’s resolve, by wearing the image of what is almost a deity figure for the sylvari people. This is also why, to me, my design for this version of the “Avatar of Mordremoth” is not necessarily the “final” or “true” form of him (within the lore of my fan comic). 

This form, since I wanted to try a version which is more directly opposed to the Pale Tree design-wise, clearly takes much of its inspiration from the Pale Tree’s design herself. Many aspects are similar. I tried to add more malevolent features, influenced from Carlyn Lim’s Mordrem Commander concept designs, as well (mentioned in this post from last month). I will admit some of my drive to try this design is also because I found the canon design for the “Avatar of Mordremoth” in-game to be somewhat comical, haha, and always thought it would be fun to see different takes on this design that are a bit less goofy, and have a bit more of that dark fantasy visual flavor that I love so much in Carlyn’s Mordrem concepts.