Milhamah: Fighting Words
When a war of words goes hot
“Refresher Course,” the manga’s Chapter 1, Page 26, is out today. And from here on, I’ll be announcing the release of new comic pages in the blog news section too. That’s because I’ve been releasing color panels on Instagram every time there’s a new page, but I haven’t posted them here yet! Here is another recent cover, to mark the release of the Japanese translation of Page 19:
In Update #21, “Mother, May I? Part 2”, we learn that while Shem ‘Etzem’s holy form may easily defeat the Bavel Macrostructure’s minions, it’s no match for Em Qeriah’s lack of seriousness. Will Shem’s hair-trigger temper prevent him from becoming the Evaluator of Names?
Check out the comic here!
While this update mostly continues the arguments and power struggles between the Holy Tongue Society’s rising generation and the old, it also shows how Shem can revert from his powerful, holy שום form back to his still-powerful, but baser עצם form.
Adam comes up for a good reason at the end of this update. Get ready to learn more in the next update!
(By the way, this webcomic will discontinue the numerical “Episode” system where some episodes last for multiple updates. While the next update would technically be Episode 16, this website’s formatting plus ones like Webtoon and Tapas make the old system archaic. We’ll just stick to numbering according to updates.)
Although it’s not fully implemented, we updated the WordPress theme to Toocheke Premium, which will allow us to use more Patreon and WooCommerce integration. If you’ve noticed that the site was slower recently, it’s because we were trying to integrate those features, and there were some technical glitches with slow image loading.
I’ll ask around to find out how to have the site run reasonably quickly with those features so we can still have our own online store and bonus webpages for Patreon subscribers. By the way, please sign up for my Patreon! Even a dollar a month adds up…
Also, keep checking our wiki for updates. I’ve been adding beta sections to the Milhamah RPG storytelling game, plus there are all sorts of details about the comic there.
Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope to bring more updates soon!
For the first time since last summer, the Milhamah: Fighting Words saga finally progresses as we get the 20th comic update, “Mother, May I?”
This latest update will be the start to Milhamah Issue #3, and it picks up right after the battle against Deli, which starts at Update #5. Much to Shem’s dismay, Tiqwah decides to meet up with Em Qeriah, a sort of mother figure in the Holy Tongue Society. But what sort of secrets does Qeriah know, and what is she hiding in her underground library?
This is the first time we all get to see the Arqah Archives. Arqah is mainly based off the ארק shoresh root, which deals with the ground and earth. And while it’s not a Hebrew pun, it’s sort of a coincidental play on words with the “Ark” of the Covenant, a precious vessel hidden in a holy sanctuary. And Em Qeriah naturally spends time down there since her shoresh is קרא, an anagram of ארק.
Putting the next scene in the archives is no coincidence. Expect to get a little backstory on Shem and the world’s background in the next few updates. But more than anything, my goal for the Issue #3 arc is to show readers a tangible Milhamah fantasy world, and not just refer to it in exposition.
So the hiatus is over, and soon you’ll be seeing many more updates to the story in the coming months, with some new character concepts interspersed. But here’s the thing — we need more readers! So if you’re reading this and think this series should take off (and acquire more resources to do so), we have a favor to ask:
So help me keep fighting to get the word out!
Armed with priestly robes, garlic grass and the dalet, a newly transformed Shem ‘Etzem sees growth in Episode 14: “The Grass is Greener.”
Shem’s new priestly form is related to the word HaShem, a Hebrew title for God. His holy transformation is more commonly recognized among the Holy Tongue Society’s members, though the reasons why haven’t been revealed yet.
Unlike Shem’s exoskeleton form, which uses the עצם root, his holy form uses the שום root. The latter root has garlic superpowers and evaluation powers that increase accuracy.
Shem quickly shatters Deli (once again) by filling him with garlic grass. Deli flees into his Bavel gate portal, and Etgar follows just before the portal closes. While the party has split up once more, Tiqwah now plans to visit the mysterious Em Qeriah. Soon we’ll find out who she is!
As the writer, it feels good to finally close this yearlong “Milhamah” arc. This also finishes print Issue #2, which will be printed shortly.
I’m now feeling more confident in my writing abilities and plan to plot out Issue #3 more carefully. New characters, memorable locations and worldbuilding will be top priorities and show how the Bavel Macrostructure oppresses the populace.
Also, I will overhaul the website in the next couple of months. I plan to add a forum where people can discuss “Milhamah” as well as languages, comics, games and other entertainment. The goal is to build a fun fan community outside the usual social media sites, though new Instagram, Facebook or Twitter followers are still welcome!
This episode is an important one. It marks the first time Shem is seen in the holy form he is supposed to have. Up until now, Shem’s appearance has been based on the “‘Etzem” part of his name, which largely deals with bones and tangible objects.
His new form is based on the “Shem” portion, which mean “name.” Associated words include, nothing “there” and nothing. The title HaShem is associated with God, which is why Shem is wearing an outfit inspired by the ancient Israelites’ high priest. Name tags are fastened to his belt, and location markers are atop his crown.
In “Milhamah,” Shem ‘Etzem’s holy form lumped in with the Shin-Waw-Mem (שום) root. This root is tied to words such as garlic, evaluation, estimate and warts. The Sin version of Shin also includes words involving placement. Shem’s balance scales, magnifying glass, epaulets, and garlic fringes convey some of those traits.
So to summarize, Shem’s faith brought the Dalet to him, and through his transformation he is able to grow garlic plants from the earth. The plants drained the grotto’s water, and now the villainous Deli faces a more powerful hero.
I’m looking forward to explaining more, but this arc will soon wrap up Issue #2. More worldbuilding and lore will appear over the next few months in Issue #3. Don’t miss it!
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