%%Heads up! None of these links work at the moment. As the comic seems to be finished it might be a good idea to go in and fix the links; the noter can't do it at the time of writing this so help would be appreciated
'''As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff as per policy.]] Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned.'''
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* Si'lice telling Kau and Shala about the Nidraa'chal war and her part in it.
--> ''" I went back to my warriors... My children. Or what remained of them..."''
--> ''" So few came back."''
* [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=5384 Vaelia's backstory]], all of it.
* In [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=516 this scene]], Mel's anger at her situation, especially [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?order=chapters&id=677 here]], is really heartrending.
* Shinae, when Chrys'tel decides to leave, even handing her her crown. It's hard not to feel sorry for her in [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=7737 when it happens]], even though the situation is partly self-inflicted
-->'''Shinae:''' You are not to go on your own. I am supposed to be your shadow. We were finally getting back to the good days...
** Later, [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=7827 her despair]] upon accidentally breaking Chrys'tel's crown.
* [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=6685 This scene]] of Vaelia and Ariel, which really shows how deep their bond is.
-->'''Vaelia:''' I cannot become immortal, darkling. I only become dead, ghost. Same fate for children I can make.
* [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=6786 Naal'suul and Kiel'ndia]], especially since this is Naal's NotSoStoic moment when she shows fear of her eventual death.
* After [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=4703 being missing]] for ''years'' of comic time, Ariel finally finds Faen. [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=6587 And it is not pretty]].
* "[[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=7125 Farewell... my... friend]]" Naal's death and the ensuing pages are nothing short of heartrending, especially Kiel's [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=7137 scream of frustration]].
** Following that, Kiel's [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=7185 breakdown]] is just as bad, and probably the only time you'll ever see a BreakingTheFourthWall moment [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=7178 played for tragedy]].
* [[http://drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?order=chapters&id=1657 This. Page.]] As well as the [[http://drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?order=chapters&id=1658 next]] [[http://drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?order=chapters&id=1659 two]].
* [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=8017 The bottom panel]] combines this with heartwarming, as we see Ishii, the girl whose tongue was almost cut out, taking shelter from the rain with one of the drowussu slaves who only barely escaped having her head cut off. It really drives home how the civil war has shaken things up for these people.
* Nau'kheol [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=8582 asking where]] Yami'ni and Jiaan are right after they jump from the ancient ship, and WordOfGod confirms that at least Yami'ni is dead.
** My God, Yami'ni. Pretty much everyone (fans) disliked her. It's hinted that she didn't want to be tainted, felt she was impure and being reminded that she had a demon inside her was her BerserkButton the unfortunate painter pressed. Basically chapter 37 had her characterized then killed off. JerkassWoobie at its finest.
* Kery's [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=8963 expression]] as her mother rescues her, since her guilt at leaving her dragon behind to be killed by the Sarghress is quite clear. Turns into a SugarWiki/{{Heartwarming Moment|s}} when we find out in the [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=9056 post battle report]] that Oiloss'lin found a dragon plushie in a ruined shop that she left by her daughter's beside for when she woke up.
* The fate of Shinae's baby. Poor thing never even had a chance.
** The mothers reaction to the news. No crying or denial, she walks out, stands on a ledge of a balcony and [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=8811 lets off a pressure sorcery scream]] which tells us what she's really feeling.
* Poor Tsuris'lok [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=9222 in Chapter 41]]. After a lifetime of being a ButtMonkey and kicked out of every clan he's been part of he gets badly injured enough that his seed takes him over, and he stays behind to take on the Beldrobbaen troops after them. Especially poignant since he's a former Dutan'vir, which adds extra punch to him staying behind for a LastStand.
* The death of Shimi'lande in chapter 42, a prime example of FaceDeathWithDignity. Especially since it takes several pages for it to sink in since we were seeing it through Chiri's eyes and at first didn't realize just ''who'' had actually died. And then you realize that her [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=9291 last words]] were very likely "Goodbye D(aughter)."
* [[http://www.drowtales.com/wordpress/?p=6335 The second image]].
* [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=9385 Poor Petri'cho]]. She was tortured, made tainted and exiled from the Kyorl'solenurn clan, all because she was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Panel 6 shows her tears and knowing what she's been through, it's enough to make the reader cry as well.
* Mel [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=9457 doesn't want to get attached]] to her new baby daughter, to the point that she refuses to name her having been burned once on that before.
* Despite all of the ''terrible'' things she's done, [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=9803 the sight of Sarv'swati]] dragging her axe up the stairs while barely standing in the wake of Kyne's near fatal attack still manages to evoke pathos in the reader.
** Gets even more painful two pages later. She goes to the tunnel leading to Diva's throne room, the same corridor she destroyed thirty-one years ago. Tries to lift one or two fallen boulders, uses earth sorcery, all to no avail. She screams, collapses and whimpers for her mother, begging for forgiveness.
* Chiri's EpicFail at [[LethalChef cooking]] started out as just plain SugarWiki/{{Funny|Moments}}. Chiri herself, however, is genuinely upset about the utter mess she's made of things, and the squad's witty comments [[http://drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=9833 send her storming out of the room, crying]]. All she wanted to do was cook Shan a nice meal...
* The young Quain'tana [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=9874 sitting at the bottom of a pit with a broken arm]] after seeing her friend get cut down by a dragon knight, clearly crying. Especially depressing when you remember that she later does pretty much this exact same thing to Mel since her experiences have left her with little room for mercy or tolerance towards those who disobey her.
* It took 45 chapters and over 6 years of real time, but someone [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=9941 finally found]] Diva'ratrika's body and even though the audience knows she's still around via Liriel it's still a sad sight. Several readers commented that they had been expecting a skeleton and it would have been less upsetting than what we actually see, which is a brutal reminder of how Snadhya, Sarv and Zala intended for her to die alone and slowly of starvation and dehydration.
* Jiaan's fate. Weeks of MindRape make him willing to bow down to Snadhya'rune. "Mastering" his Taint makes it even worse, since it's pretty obvious that [[GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul he isn't himself anymore]]. In light of how much he and Yami'ni loved each other, seeing him reduced to being Snadhya's boytoy is just sad.
** Later, he seems to get [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=10332 unceremoniously crushed]] by Snadhya'rune's summon, who apparently doesn't even notice and/or care what just happened.
* Filfrae, one of the captured Sarghress, combines this with a CMOA. Besides [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=10028 barely reacting]] to her own hand dangling by a thread off her wrist after the first hit from Snadhya's ship, she's shown as being more concerned the gruesome sight of what's happened to her companions, and when she sees the ship powering up for round 2 her only reaction is to attempt to shield their youngest member, who's still alive, and manages to save her life at the cost of her own.
** In the same scene, Erelice's pained expression as she realizes just what Snadhya'rune actually intends. When she realizes that Vayas has survived she collapses out of the pain of her injury, grief and relief at seeing the girl alive.
** Much later, Erelice, lying broken on the ground and possibly paralyzed by Snadhya's counterattack, [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=10329 deliberately taunts Khaless]] to save Riz'riia from being absorbed as yet another face. Erelice's only comment as Khaless moves closer is that there's nothing they can do to hurt her anymore.
* It's all in the FacialDialogue with Ariel when she realizes that Kyo'nne has [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=10121 sold her out to Snadhya'rune]] speaks of the deep betrayal she feels over one of her oldest friends and "big sister" lying to her face. And Kyo'nne seems to realize what she's done, pointedly avoiding meeting Ariel's eyes as she moves off. It's obvious the relationship between them will never be the same after this, especially given what comes later.
* Although [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=10343 this]] is an obviously happy moment for Nau and Kiel, it takes a much sadder turn if you've been following the story for a while; Nau is tainted with a faulty seed, courtesy of Snadhya. He's going to suffer the same fate as Naal, ("that Beldrobbean girl" as he called her,) and there isn't any way to stop it. This makes the final panel all the more poignant.
* After all the strife in the chapter [[HopeSpot it looked like]] Shala would survive her Kalki-inflicted SlashedThroat, only to [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=10346 die peacefully]] while being carried by her brother and boyfriend, who don't even notice she's not breathing until they set her down. The aversion of DeathIsDramatic makes it all the sadder.
** For worse, imagine how Sarnel must feel about his "that'll stop her from wisecracking for a while" comment right before they realize what's happened.
** Or how Sil'lice will react when she finds out that she has lost another child to Kalki and one who was named for an older sibling that Kalki also killed.
* Considering how many of the above instances were caused by her, seeing Kalki say "Mom?" in disbelief, right before Snadhya'rune coldly kills her, suddenly makes her look like a scared little girl who just wanted to be appreciated by a mother who saw her as nothing but a disposable tool. Even people who had been cheering when Kalki lost her arm to Ariel pages earlier [[AlasPoorVillain felt sorry for her]].
* While it's not canon, [[http://www.drowtales.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/BestPartEver.png this]] picture is pretty heartwrenching because Waes is clearly conflicted about seeing Naal alive albeit demon possessed.
* In a society where even serious relationships drift apart after a few decades, Zala'ess and Sabrror share a unique bond, having remained together for centuries. With no practical or ulterior motives for doing so, and with Sabrror slowly losing his soul and personality as well, their dedication to one another is possibly the most genuine romance throughout the series. This makes the events of chapter 47 all the more tragic; while Zala'ess is being swarmed by a horde of Kharla-Controlled friends and family, the man she loves slowly strides toward her with his sword raised, ready to slice her head in half while she futilely begs him to stop. One can only imagine what Sabrror was thinking at that moment; Zala was heavily pregnant, probably with his own child.
** In the end, Sabrror did manage to break free of Kharla's influence... but at the cost of his soul. Even while he's being devoured from within by his own seed, Sabrror urges Zala to run. Yet even though she's completely helpless in a room full of people trying to kill her, it's clear that she doesn't want to go.
** Even little Suna is being controlled, and tries to bite her mother's fingers off.
* Given her immense power and her tendency to dole out [[FateWorseThanDeath fates]]-[[BodyHorror worse]]-[[AndIMustScream than]]-[[ForcedTransformation death]] at the drop of a hat, Kharla is a difficult person to sympathize with. Yet under the sinister façade [[PsychopathicManchild she has the mentality and vulnerabilities of a traumatized child]]. [[SelfMadeOrphan Her powers made it impossible for her to have a ordinary childhood]], she's been manipulated, indoctrinated, and used as a tool since she was a toddler, and she nearly starved to death once without anyone noticing. While the comic has no shortage of selfish or sadistic characters, [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Kharla is at her core a naive, mentally ill woman who will never have the chance to heal.]]
** In the chapter 47, Kharla finally loses it completely, and uses her powers to wreak havoc throughout the city. As Chel falls into chaos, there is almost no question that she needs to die. Yet when Kiel finally reaches Kharla in her throne room, she isn't laughing manically or lording over her power; she's huddled in a corner, weeping uncontrollably, and begging "sister Kiel" to make the pain stop. And worse, as Kiel's trying desperately to save her she uses "I" instead of "[[IAmLegion We]]" for the first time in the comic, making it even clearer that it's the core, original Kharla we're seeing.
** The Naal demon sacrifices itself bringing Kharla down with it. And it twist the knife further, it says Kiel's name right before it falls, proving that part of Naal was still there. In one fell swoop Kiel lost both her sister and her dearest friend (again).
* The look of [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=11202 sheer devastation]] on Sil'lice's face when she sees Kau, tainted, and his sister Shala nowhere in sight.
* The reaction Chrys has to [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=11294 realizing that Zala'ess doesn't remember her]] because of the flower poison Shinae gave her. As several members of the forums pointed out, it's eerily (and likely intentionally) conjuring up the nightmare of your own parents forgetting you because of something like Alzheimer's or dementia. It's incredibly hard to watch a MagnificentBitch like Zala'ess be reduced to [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=11418 this]].
* Diva DiscoveringYourOwnDeadBody, and while her reaction is [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=11298 pretty blase]] (it has been 30 years by now and she's had time to get over it) and somewhat humorous that she's at least glad she put on clothes before killing herself, right at the end she mentions her newly deceased daughter Sarv'swati, reminding us that despite all the latter did she was still someone's beloved child.
* Vene was given a deadly shave in front of his siblings. He didn't make it.
* Ariel and Koil [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=11602 looking at each other]] in the aftermath of Quain killing Suu'be and then succumbing to her wounds. The silence from the two of them as they struggle to process it is heartrending, and WordOfGod says it was the only way he felt he could do the scene.