Soup the Comic Strip by Alun Clewe
Comic strip for December 9 2023.
PANEL ONE: Erlak approaches Nizini sitting at a bench on the Mountains of the Gods. NIZINI: Hey, Erlak. So how did the “exploration” go? PANEL TWO: Erlak sits down beside Nizini. ERLAK: Well, uh... I guess you could say it was a learning experience. NIZINI: How so? PANEL THREE: Close on Erlak, 3/4 view. ERLAK: It's given me new respect for those mortal heroes who go out and risk their lives. I mean, as a god, I'd never really realized what that was like. PANEL FOUR: Close on Erlak, front view. ERLAK: But now I know, and I know what they go through. There, in those caverns, I finally got a taste of what they go through every day. I was in actual physical danger for the first time. PANEL FIVE: Erlak and Nizini face each other on the bench, although Erlak is looking away from Nizini. NIZINI: And, given that you won't even go back to the Dive Divine for fear of a little ribbing, I'm guessing you turned and ran. ERLAK: Uh, I walked. Quickly.
December 9 2023

I was going to write something here about why didn't Erlak just teleport, since it had already been established that he (and presumably other gods) can do that, but then I remembered that Tagaidin said in the previous strip that their proxinity to the Pit of Abrogation nullified the gods' powers, so... okay, fine, that actually makes sense. One point for twenty-two-years-ago me.