OOTS #719 - The Discussion Thread [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

SPoD

2010-05-04, 05:40 AM

Hmm. I'm wondering: why is Elan not tied up, while Haley is? Isn't he the main criminal?

Crippling rope shortages.

Plus, Haley was tied up for the walk over here by Gannji. Malack is not really afraid of Elan defeating them in their palace with a few hundred guards around.

glowface

2010-05-04, 05:40 AM

Nice Empress. I like her.

Elder Tsofu

2010-05-04, 05:41 AM

Huh, well that's not exactly what I was expecting for the empress of blood...

I think you might not have been the only one surprised. :smalltongue:
For some reason I can't figure out the first image of her - it is unsettling.

Aethir

2010-05-04, 05:43 AM

Y'know, I can honestly say beyond a shadow of a doubt I did not see that empress coming.

Which is probably about the only way she's ever heard that line before.

lothos

2010-05-04, 05:43 AM

Hmm. I'm wondering: why is Elan not tied up, while Haley is? Isn't he the main criminal?

Chronic rope shortages not withstanding, this does seem odd.... maybe there's a plot point there. Nice update and interesting.

CoffeeIncluded

2010-05-04, 05:46 AM

Wow. I am very glad I checked again this morning.

And wow...Yeah.......Hah...Wow.

Nice one, Rich.

pluizig

2010-05-04, 05:48 AM

Fat jokes? Really, Rich? :smallconfused:

Kumo

2010-05-04, 05:48 AM

i cry for that poor little chair... and i think i know who that is. Thank you, origin of pcs. ^^

JeminiZero

2010-05-04, 05:48 AM

Is the Empress a dragon?

If yes, her wing in panel 7 doesn't seem to be shaded. :smalltongue:

Bale Fire

2010-05-04, 05:48 AM

Well that sure has hell was not what most people were expecting, seat sacrifice joke is best part, Nale backstory is nice too.

geekwraith

2010-05-04, 05:49 AM

A sad example of what happens when dragons fail to achieve basic literacy skills. It's "hoard", Empress, not "herd".

Embdmnt of Leet

2010-05-04, 05:50 AM

"I weep bitter tears for that seat, which dies a little each day so so that other chairs may live"

lol!:)

Grodoro

2010-05-04, 05:53 AM

Wow. I think that comic just subverted every expectation I had for it. Also, I that was the hardest I have laughed at an update in a very long time.:smallbiggrin:

Goldfly

2010-05-04, 05:53 AM

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. She's what, Wyrm? Great Wyrm? Excellent, either way.

SPoD

2010-05-04, 05:55 AM

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. She's what, Wyrm? Great Wyrm? Excellent, either way.

She seems a bit dim for that. I'm betting much much younger, but living the good life for two years has fattened her up way beyond her normal size category.

Kobold-Bard

2010-05-04, 05:59 AM

Well I'll be honest, I didn't expect that.

Though V making a joke that wasn't 4th Wall shattering or mocking of another member? V making an actual joke for no other reason than to tell a joke?

I approve of this.

LordShotGun

2010-05-04, 06:00 AM

J.Gellert

2010-05-04, 06:00 AM

Heh, tiny wings...

Kastanok

2010-05-04, 06:01 AM

My, my, Hilga's changed a bit hasn't she. ;) Who could have possibly guessed that the empress of the lizard people would be a dragon! Gasp, shock, horror.

Kobold-Bard

2010-05-04, 06:03 AM

Wow, if anyone has read the 3.5 dragon focused handbook ( Im not even gonna try and spell it) then they would know that it is INSANLY hard for a dragon to become obese (going by the book here). Not that its impossible (once again going by the book here) but a dragon would have to eat almost CONSTANTLY to grow to such a size.

Although its perfectly logical that rich just used the rule...of...cool? :smallconfused:

Who says she generally doesn't eat constantly? If she is a figurehead then she has nothing to do with her time but enjoy the luxuries of being the empress.

Olorin Maia

2010-05-04, 06:04 AM

...why does V still have an arrow insider her?

Adventurer

2010-05-04, 06:04 AM

Ugh! Elan's puns need a bit more work.

John Cribati

2010-05-04, 06:04 AM

I love it when V closes out a scene.

Surfing HalfOrc

2010-05-04, 06:06 AM

Were the cows a veiled reference to Keith Baker? :smallconfused:

But yeah, nice scewering of everybody's theories on who or what the Empress of Blood would be! And now I'm even more interested in how Nale ended up working with/against the Empress...

Edhelras

2010-05-04, 06:08 AM

Uha. This gives me another Star Wars association. Firstly, Boba Fett. Now Jabba the Hutt...

Khatoblepas

2010-05-04, 06:09 AM

Wow, if anyone has read the 3.5 dragon focused handbook ( Im not even gonna try and spell it) then they would know that it is INSANLY hard for a dragon to become obese (going by the book here). Not that its impossible (once again going by the book here) but a dragon would have to eat almost CONSTANTLY to grow to such a size.

Although its perfectly logical that rich just used the rule...of...cool? :smallconfused:

Well it IS possible (She's the Empress, and she's being placated), and there is another such dragon in Dragons of Ebberon, I believe. It has a special quality where it counts as one size larger (Gargantuan, not Huge) and it has trouble flying. :P I can't remember what it was called, but it's main schtick was sloth and apathy. So, I guess it's all up to the lifestyle, really.

Totally Guy

2010-05-04, 06:10 AM

Uh oh! The last time a throne was damaged a castle exploded. If we extrapolate... :smalltongue:

Kumo

2010-05-04, 06:12 AM

Uha. This gives me another Star Wars association. Firstly, Boba Fett. Now Jabba the Hutt...

Except Jabba the Hutt would have been considered attractive by his own race was in power and nobody questioned it :smalltongue:

Phoenix Xul

2010-05-04, 06:12 AM

"And, uh, you have cow on your face."

Excellent strip. :smallbiggrin:

SPoD

2010-05-04, 06:13 AM

Ugh! Elan's puns need a bit more work.

There are no puns in this entire strip.

Deca

2010-05-04, 06:14 AM

Well, I have to say I expected the Empress to be a reptilian creature. This still came completely out of the left field though.

When did Vaarsuvius boost his Charisma?

Hironomus

2010-05-04, 06:20 AM

Actually that's more or less what I was expecting. Except minus the crippling obesity and puppetness. Dunno why everyone is surprised that the emporess of a city predominantly inhabited by reptilian folk is a giant lizard.

Gez

2010-05-04, 06:20 AM

Elan's literal interpretations are spot-on.

Were the cows a veiled reference to Keith Baker? :smallconfused:

If it was, then the door guard's reply was a reference to British TV series. There is something as reading too much into it. :smallwink:

The Pilgrim

2010-05-04, 06:21 AM

Well, either Haley is right, or we have finally meet this comic's version of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.

I said she'll be a lizard... so, well, a bit bigger than expected, but a lizard of some sort, isn't her?

But something concerns me... is she is a dragon, and a dragon empress, why isn't she standing over the traditional HUGE pile of Gold?

Maybe she is a fake dragon?

Hjorth

2010-05-04, 06:23 AM

Well. I did not see that coming.

Still hilarious, though. I wonder if that dragon empress is somehow tied to the whole familicide-incident. Probably not.

TheYoungKing

2010-05-04, 06:23 AM

Were the cows a veiled reference to Keith Baker? :smallconfused:

Question 1: What do cows have to do with Keith Baker?

Question 2: Why does everyone think the Giant is embittered over Eberron?

Kobold-Bard

2010-05-04, 06:24 AM

Question 1: What do cows have to do with Keith Baker?

Question 2: Why does everyone think the Giant is embittered over Eberron?

Not sure about embittered, but IIRC he also submitted a campaign setting for the same thing that got Eberron printed.

DrGonzo

2010-05-04, 06:27 AM

Nice one! It's a big fat red!

Raging Gene Ray

2010-05-04, 06:30 AM

Question 1: What do cows have to do with Keith Baker?

Question 2: Why does everyone think the Giant is embittered over Eberron?

At the bottom of this page (http://www.giantitp.com/articles/gk7uKJeF296jRcx1NJw.html), it is revealed that Keith has a bizarre cow fixation.

And Rich not only submitted a campaign setting at the same time Keith Baker submitted Eberron, but his came in second. Just one behind.

Furthermore, it is now the property of Wizards and Rich legally can't publish it himself. Now, that's not proof positive he's bitter over Eberron, but it seems like a very common, human response to that kind of thing.

He and Keith seem to have a friendly rivalry going on. Rich did write for an Eberron boook (I think the Explorer's Guide) and Rich hosted that Gleaner article and illustrated it (providing some intentional irony to Keith's comment at the end).

As for the comic...I wonder if Closak will find THIS dragon shmexy. And those cows...just sitting there...no :smalleek: expressions...just gazing off into space while one of them gets devoured. They either have no idea they're about to get eaten or just don't care.

I had a burger for breakfast, by the way.

Drolyt

2010-05-04, 06:30 AM

Yay new comic! Thanks Giant!

It was a funny comic too, though I'm starting to worry if this sidequest is distracting too much from the main plotline.

paddyfool

2010-05-04, 06:32 AM

I like how this subverts the frequent trope of a dragon as the power behind the throne.

binyamin20

2010-05-04, 06:36 AM

Uha. This gives me another Star Wars association. Firstly, Boba Fett. Now Jabba the Hutt...

If (The empress of blood)=(Jabba the hut)
Then (Haley)=(Liea)
Which means that Haley will choke The empress of blood to death!!

YAY MATH!

SPoD

2010-05-04, 06:36 AM

At the bottom of this page (http://www.giantitp.com/articles/gk7uKJeF296jRcx1NJw.html), it is revealed that Keith has a bizarre cow fixation.

And Rich not only submitted a campaign setting at the same time Keith Baker submitted Eberron, but his came in second. Just one behind.

Furthermore, it is now the property of Wizards and Rich legally can't publish it himself. Now, that's not proof positive he's bitter over Eberron, but it seems like a very common, human response to that kind of thing.

He and Keith seem to have a friendly rivalry going on. Rich did write for an Eberron boook (I think the Explorer's Guide) and Rich hosted that Gleaner article and illustrated it (providing some intentional irony to Keith's comment at the end).

They're actually friends now. Somewhere there's a quote from Rich saying so, plus I think he's also said that he's happier having lost than having won the contest.

And that comment at the end of the Gleaner is Rich's own, it's his self-supplied "artist's bio" for the article.

I don't think there's any Baker reference here, just cows. Rich put Baker in Start of Darkness, so if he wanted to reference him, he just would.

Garwain

2010-05-04, 06:37 AM

TheYoungKing

2010-05-04, 06:38 AM

His website is pretty nice. Funny enough, he did three sections on a creature called the Hellcow.

And he poked fun at Rich here (http://www.bossythecow.com/bakersdozen.htm)

12. Iconic characters from PHB replaced by the PCs from Order of the Stick

Which I think we can all agree would be awesome.

I only saw the friendly rivalry between the two.

hamishspence

2010-05-04, 06:39 AM

This does surprise me a bit.

Though given the earlier half-dragons- maybe we should have been expecting something dragon-related.

tassaron

2010-05-04, 06:40 AM

The Empress is a polymorphed Hilgya. :smallamused:

(You heard it here first!)

Raging Gene Ray

2010-05-04, 06:43 AM

I don't think there's any Baker reference here, just cows. Rich put Baker in Start of Darkness, so if he wanted to reference him, he just would.

Yeah, I thought that was a stretch the other poster was making. But still, COWS!!! :smallbiggrin::smalltongue::smallsmile:

COWS :smallconfused::smalleek: ?!?!?

COOOOOOOOOOWSSS!!!!! :smallfurious::smallfurious::smallfurious:

Assassin89

2010-05-04, 06:45 AM

I agree with Haley that the so called Empress of Blood is just a puppet controlled by someone else. Unlike the Kingpin, there is not really a reason to assume that most of her mass is muscle rather than fat built up during several months of complacent feasts.

Daibhid C

2010-05-04, 06:46 AM

Well it IS possible (She's the Empress, and she's being placated), and there is another such dragon in Dragons of Ebberon, I believe. It has a special quality where it counts as one size larger (Gargantuan, not Huge) and it has trouble flying. :P I can't remember what it was called, but it's main schtick was sloth and apathy. So, I guess it's all up to the lifestyle, really.

There's also the Elyesian Dragon who appeared in an issue of Dragon Magazine. It's described as having rolls of fat that push its scales apart, since its schtick was basically that it's a party dragon. (And its breath weapon was "inebriation gas". It was a drunken, overweight dragon that fought by breathing ale fumes at you.)

Kish

2010-05-04, 06:56 AM

She seems a bit dim for that. I'm betting much much younger, but living the good life for two years has fattened her up way beyond her normal size category.
She might turn out to be smarter than she appears to be. But then, Rich already did that once (Shojo).

Edric O

2010-05-04, 06:57 AM

Well, so much for the theories about this Empress being some highly important (and/or previously known) character.

Lissou

2010-05-04, 06:57 AM

Hmm. I'm wondering: why is Elan not tied up, while Haley is? Isn't he the main criminal?

Think about it: between Sabine and Nale, which would you rather restrain? Which is more dangerous? They think she's Sabine, after all.

RickDaily12

2010-05-04, 07:00 AM

When I saw the empress, I think I barfed a little inside.:smalleek:

If Malack is the one who runs the show "behind the counter" though... then Haley and the others are in trouble. He's already perfectly convinced that this IS Nale, and that he's just acting stupid to avoid conviction. So if he doesn't even allow them a fair trial and truth detection spells... a simple execution for them to be planned ahead is inevitable...

Which means Roy and the others must find them sometime before this happens.

Also, given all the Linear Guild background this entire arc, the third prequel book is DEFINITELY going to be about Nale, Sabine, Thog, and the others. I bet some of that book might even dip into the present- as to where they have been since the battle of Azure City. (Maybe, maybe not.):smallbiggrin:

Either way, I LOVE being able to look my brother in the eye and tell him "Told you so.":smallamused::smalltongue:

Great strip, Giant.

Blaznak

2010-05-04, 07:00 AM

V gets a punch line. Hahahaha!

Twitchel

2010-05-04, 07:05 AM

I was scrolling along. Then I saw the empress.

:elan:With boats that big, their navy must be unstoppable!

Also, why does V still have an arrow in him?

hihidude

2010-05-04, 07:06 AM

Aw, no gate embedded in the throne?

Also, I bet in 100 strips, Xykon has traded his crown into a larger one.

Still no clue why it is called the Empire of Blood. If it was the Empire of Fat, it'd be more clear now.

Because she is red? And... Vaarsuvius rocks. "I weep bitter tears for that seat, which dies a little each day so so that other chairs may live"

Jagos

2010-05-04, 07:07 AM

I can honestly say...

This is far left field for me. I would think she'd be some slim blood monger, not a rotund lazy wench.

Kobold-Bard

2010-05-04, 07:08 AM

...

Either way, I LOVE being able to look my brother in the eye and tell him "Told you so.":smallamused::smalltongue:

Great strip, Giant.

Your brother only has 1 eye?

:smalleek: RD is Redcloak's long lot other sibling. It must be true.

:smalltongue:

Closak

2010-05-04, 07:08 AM

As for the comic...I wonder if Closak will find THIS dragon shmexy

...Fetish...overload...EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN COMMENCING!!!

Twenty gold says Malack is an associate of Girard.
He did cast Heal, and that is a pretty high level spell...

...*Pokes the empress*
*Offers an elephant*
Hello there...

Shatteredtower

2010-05-04, 07:12 AM

Amassing graze,
How sweet the cows,
My servants brought to me...

Werbaer

2010-05-04, 07:18 AM

Hmm. I'm wondering: why is Elan not tied up, while Haley is? Isn't he the main criminal?
He was unconscious until he got healed just a moment ago.

Teddy

2010-05-04, 07:21 AM

Uh-oh. If tha Minister is the power behind the throne, he's probably made sure that there are no spellcasters of high enough power to rival him, and thus no way of sorting this mess out spell-wise (not that I expected it anyway). I wonder if the Minister is the sort of manipulator who plays both sides of the Chess-board...

...Fetish...overload...EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN COMMENCING!!!

Twenty gold says Malack is an associate of Girard.
He did cast Heal, and that is a pretty high level spell...

...*Pokes the empress*
*Offers an elephant*
Hello there...

How does it feel to have found an even more gluttonous dragon than yourself? *nods at signature*

luxgladius

2010-05-04, 07:24 AM

If he's a cleric, can't he just cast Detect Evil (or conversely Detect Good)?

Daen

2010-05-04, 07:27 AM

Hm... fat jokes. Disappointing, really.

Surfing HalfOrc

2010-05-04, 07:28 AM

I don't think Rich maintains any hostility towards Keith Baker: Rich referenced Keith in Start of Darkness (drew him into the strip, as one of Xykon's fellow interns for a demon or devil).

Keith has or had a comic strip called Hellcow, with similar spotting pattern to its hide as the two cows in today's strip.

I thought it might be a subtle joke, one of those "Rich says this, Keith says that" they slip into their writing from time to time. I remember seeing pics of both of them at a convention back when Rich was still able to go to conventions. They seemed to be enjoying each others' company...

Closak

2010-05-04, 07:29 AM

How does it feel to have found an even more gluttonous dragon than yourself? *nods at signature*

It feels...good.

(Is keeping a VERY close eye on that Malack guy)

Teddy

2010-05-04, 07:31 AM

Hm... fat jokes. Disappointing, really.

Not as much "fat jokes" as how it tends to look when there is a power behind the throne, i.e. the throne itself is filled with some spoiled and rather dim-witted guy who spends his time eating, basking among his luxuaries and waving to the the masses who just LOOOOOOOVE him.

SmaugTheYounger

2010-05-04, 07:32 AM

Had to laugh really hard. I'd hate to be a cow there.

Closak

2010-05-04, 07:37 AM

Fat for the fat throne! Give the empress more food!

*Marches a long line of people i really hate into the empresses mouth*

SlyGuyMcFly

2010-05-04, 07:44 AM

EDIT: Where'd Blackwing go? I can't see him.

:elan: Who?

Blas_de_Lezo

2010-05-04, 07:48 AM

Thank you Giant! :smallsmile:

martinkou

2010-05-04, 07:58 AM

Does anyone notice the empress is in a rather uncomfortable pose? Her neck is twisted 180 degrees in relation to her body.

Killer Angel

2010-05-04, 08:01 AM

More than the Empress of blood, she seems more the Queen of sofa... :smallbiggrin:

(anyway, it was unexpected!)

ref

2010-05-04, 08:08 AM

OK, that was new. This Giant can sure surprise us.

Is the Empress of Blood related to Xyklon the Consequential?

Leliel

2010-05-04, 08:13 AM

You know, I'm fat...

...And I approve this fat joke. :smallbiggrin:

Seriously, it's not offensive when it's the stereotype of the lazy-ass glutton who can't be bothered with other people.

Frankly, in that case, it's deserving of mockery, since it's more an unhealthy lifestyle then the fat that's being mocked.

Raging Gene Ray

2010-05-04, 08:17 AM

More than the Empress of blood, she seems more the Queen of sofa... :smallbiggrin:

Does she have two husbands named Todd and Ed?

Tundar

2010-05-04, 08:19 AM

A sad example of what happens when dragons fail to achieve basic literacy skills. It's "hoard", Empress, not "herd".

Bwa hahahahaha. Very nice one :smallbiggrin:

willpell

2010-05-04, 08:22 AM

Oi. I'm always glad to get a new comic, and the Empress being a dragon is cool by me (normally for an evil queen in a fantasy story I'd be rooting for "psycho-hot evil chick", but, well, stick figures kinda take out the point of sex appeal)...but did we really have to go the "yo momma so fat joke" route? (Presumably "yo" refers to the heir apparent to the imperial throne, who probably still has eggshell behind the ears.)

Kobold-Bard

2010-05-04, 08:30 AM

Obviously the Empress will make enemies with Haley and attack her whilst flying.

Shale

2010-05-04, 08:36 AM

Somehow I don't quite see the Empress achieving lift...

valce

2010-05-04, 08:36 AM

I wonder what they're really after. This seems like a very high price to pay just for revenge. Maybe Nale took something with him when he left?

k_bukie

2010-05-04, 08:40 AM

After now seeing the empress, I have a hunch Nale's involvement had more to do with the kingdom they overthrew 2 years ago than this one.

martinkou

2010-05-04, 08:46 AM

Somehow I don't quite see the Empress achieving lift...

That, I suspect, is why Elan made the comment about the Empire of Blood's navy - their empress can lift a whole army up, on water.

zimmerwald1915

2010-05-04, 08:47 AM

ScottishDragon

2010-05-04, 08:49 AM

Hehe I do indeed feel sorry for that chair.Suprised it does not have more cracks in it from all that weight.

Kobold-Bard

2010-05-04, 08:50 AM

Somehow I don't quite see the Empress achieving lift...

Bah size of wings mean nothing. All that matters is that they're present. She may be overweight and possibly a bit dim, but she's a Dragon dammit, and all dragons can fly :smalltongue:

\/--- Of course she can. The rules don't say that being overweight inhibits your ability to do stuff, and we know how careful Rich is to stck to RAW :smallwink:

zimmerwald1915

2010-05-04, 08:52 AM

Bah size of wings mean nothing. All that matters is that they're present. She may be overweight and possibly a bit dim, but she's a Dragon dammit, and all dragons can fly :smalltongue:
Can she do a Full Attack with those wings though?

pendell

2010-05-04, 09:07 AM

Amassing graze,
How sweet the cows,
My servants brought to me...

GAHHH! MY EYES! IT BURNS!

Painfully,

Brian P.

Neopolis

2010-05-04, 09:12 AM

Obviously the Empress will make enemies with Haley and attack her whilst flying.
Ahahaha, nice catch. :smallbiggrin:

Silverraptor

2010-05-04, 09:19 AM

I should have known you'd pull a new character out for the Empress of blood.:smallamused: Nice job, Giant.

shylocxs

2010-05-04, 09:33 AM

Garwain

2010-05-04, 09:46 AM

Not as much "fat jokes" as how it tends to look when there is a power behind the throne, i.e. the throne itself is filled with some spoiled and rather dim-witted guy who spends his time eating, basking among his luxuaries and waving to the the masses who just LOOOOOOOVE him.
So she makes sure there is a lot of Empress to love? I tried that strategy once, but somehow I lost the love of my liver.

I bet one Sneak Attack between the scales and the Empire will be renamed as: "Empire of Blood (and Guts) all over the Carpet".

herrhauptmann

2010-05-04, 09:48 AM

Maybe she's a hugely obese dragonwrought kobold? The payment guy seems to be one.
Perhaps got hit with an engorgement spell because 'enlarge person' wouldn't work on dragons. Shame the spell was flawed,

Murdim

2010-05-04, 09:57 AM

warmachine

2010-05-04, 09:57 AM

What has been seen cannot be unseen.

Big Hungry Joe

2010-05-04, 10:03 AM

Great comic; particularly enjoyed the cow bits and the figurehead joke. And V has been pretty calm what with that crossbow bolt sticking out of er chest all this time.

Darkroot

2010-05-04, 10:05 AM

Uhm, does the Empress on her throne look odd to anyone else? I mean, shes lying on her back with her arms/legs dangling uselessly, and unless there is quite a bit of neck hidden between the first bit and her head thats quite an abrupt twist (or the colours suddenly swap, which I doubt).... Actually, to reach the Minister without moving, which seems unlikely for her, that neck has to be ridiculously long compared to, say, Momma Black Dragon's - longer than her body at least.

Unless I'm just really bad at interpreting stick art, suddenly. Which is possible =)

DukeGod

2010-05-04, 10:07 AM

Great comic; particularly enjoyed the cow bits and the figurehead joke. And V has been pretty calm what with that crossbow bolt sticking out of er chest all this time.
she already took the damage,suffered the poison and all that
I think she is still unable to move,and aniway,crossbows don't cause damage over time for being stuck on your chest of course,you fire one and that's it,it causes damage and stops being useful

Shale

2010-05-04, 10:12 AM

Even in real life, unless somebody is standing by to administer treatment, you leave the arrow in. Pulling it out can cause more damage and will cause more bleeding, since as long as it's stuck in the wound the arrowhead is plugging the hole.

Murdim

2010-05-04, 10:14 AM

Kobold-Bard

2010-05-04, 10:17 AM

Not if the arrow is poisoned :smalltongue:

Single dose. The poison is already in V, leavng the arrow in won't release any more poison.

The Pilgrim

2010-05-04, 10:21 AM

I'm sure I'm not the only one to think be certain by now that Tyrinaria was conquered by the Empress of Blood, helped (and then unsuccessfully backstabbed) by Lord Tyrinar's own treacherous son Nale ?

The Giant's words in No Cure for Paladin Blues seem to suggest otherwise:

Nale is just crazy. He is simply out to make everyone pay for slighting him. Even his one true attempt at a villainous plot- the seizure of the Talisman of Dorukan, was merely an attempt to get back at his father for some (probably imagined) insult.

NerfTW

2010-05-04, 10:26 AM

I should have known you'd pull a new character out for the Empress of blood.:smallamused: Nice job, Giant.

Given that the options for a recurring character were extremely limited and didn't make much sense, a new character was pretty much a given. Sabine wouldn't feel the need to put a bounty on Nale, and neither would Hilgya.

Sijo

2010-05-04, 10:28 AM

Well, how about that, the theory that the Empress was a dragon (or at least part dragon) turned out to be correct! Then again, it logically fits a D&D Lawful Evil realm where reptiles have such a presence. As does the idea that the Minister is the real power behind the throne.

The fat jokes were terrible, however. :smalltongue:

NerfTW

2010-05-04, 10:34 AM

If he's a cleric, can't he just cast Detect Evil (or conversely Detect Good)?

He probably will now that Elan is continuing to not recognize him. He probably doesn't know that Nale has a twin brother, so the immediate response is disbelief. Haley is correct, they should wait and ask for a spell to confirm his identity. Given Elan's strange behavior, Malack will probably want to verify his identity, especially if they tell him the real Nale is back in Azure City.

Or, more importantly, maybe he does suspect it isn't Nale and is planning on using them for a quest.

DabblerWizard

2010-05-04, 10:35 AM

I love political intrigue. :smallbiggrin:

FoE

2010-05-04, 10:38 AM

Let's see ...

Ruler of a decadent evil kingdom out in the middle of a desert, grotesquely fat, works with bounty hunters, has horrible table manners, pale-skinned advisor? Remind you of anyone?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/66/JabbatheHuttROTJ.jpg

YOUR MIND TRICKS WILL NOT WORK ON ME, JEDI ELAN

On the plus side, she might force Haley to dress in a metal bikini.

Enkai

2010-05-04, 10:39 AM

Registering to say this:

The structural engineer in me highly approves of this comic. Adamantine cross braces. *snorts*

Not that cross-braces would help because the load is caused by gravity and not lateral forces. And adamantine would probably make a horrible material for lateral resistance of all but the smallest of loads as I'm presuming its ductility is near non-existent. [/huge nerd]

...I'm going to shut up now...

You know you're an engineer when you take jokes far too literally.

NerfTW

2010-05-04, 10:40 AM

You know you're an engineer when you take jokes far too literally.

You'll fit in well here. :smalltongue:

Martok

2010-05-04, 10:43 AM

I love it when V closes out a scene.
Ditto that. :smallbiggrin:

Also, I have to say that's the funniest damn line V has had in a while! It's been a couple months since I laughed this hard at an OOTS strip.

Arrowstorm122

2010-05-04, 10:47 AM

darn, my theory is dead. but my other is revived from dead. a new villian/side in the fight for the gates is comeing up :smallamused:

Scarlet Knight

2010-05-04, 10:49 AM

taltamir

2010-05-04, 10:52 AM

does the empress have any children? because yo momma is ..

Aaron

2010-05-04, 10:53 AM

:elan: Dun dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!

My guess: The Malack minister has fattened the Empress over the last two years. This has made her huge and lazy.

Also, nice details of the cracks in the throne.

k_bukie

2010-05-04, 10:55 AM

The empress is obviously Girard in disguise.

HandofShadows

2010-05-04, 11:01 AM

I really didn't think dragons could get that fat without some sort of magical alteration helping them out. Looks like as the size increased the IQ decreased. And V gets the last word in. :smallcool:

Pronounceable

2010-05-04, 11:04 AM

Yep, the Giant still has it.

SaintRidley

2010-05-04, 11:06 AM

The empress is obviously Girard in disguise.

Girard is obviously Girard in disguise.

Miklus

2010-05-04, 11:08 AM

Well, my money was on a vampire....But it can still happen! Vampire red dragon FTW!

Scarlet Knight

2010-05-04, 11:10 AM

Ugh! Elan's puns need a bit more work.

:elan: "Oh, those poor cows! The udder destructiion! "

Barlen

2010-05-04, 11:11 AM

Draconi Redfir

2010-05-04, 11:20 AM

So Nale fought for them during the take over 2 years ago. Where are we in the timeline? At least a year if not more has past since the comic began. Would that put his betrayal against this "empire" just before he went to work for Xykon and tried to steal the talisman?

that seems to be the case considering he still had yikyik and Zz'drti at the time. (hyilga hadent joined them yet)

also: why has no one bothered to remove the arrow from V's chest?

edit: and i thought that was a claw-shaped arm cast. man im dumb XD

Tyrmatt

2010-05-04, 11:26 AM

Methinks that Rich has been reading the 4E Draconomicon. It gives stats for a dragon that has been so demanding of food based tributes, it's scales haven't been able to keep up with the growth of the the flesh inside.

She's a little dim too but only for a dragon. Relative to a human, she's probably still pretty Einsteinian.

P238 of Draconomicon 1: Chromatic Dragons "Gulgol" for the interested.

Also the ssssnakey lizardy style of Malack's speech bubbles just caught my attention. Very nice :D

wrybread

2010-05-04, 11:34 AM

...And we're done with the whole "the Empress is Hilgya" theory.

Unless Hilgya was actually a dragon that assumed dwarf form, and she's connected to Girard Draketooth (who's obviously also a dragon, of course)...it could happen.

plasma ball

2010-05-04, 11:36 AM

Great comic

What's with all the different eye colors? we've only seen black untill strip #688, and then it was only belker until the bounty hunter. now where seeing pink and purple eyes. I wonder if we'll be seeing more inconsequential deatales like that.:smallbiggrin:

Kobold-Bard

2010-05-04, 11:36 AM

the_tick_rules

2010-05-04, 11:51 AM

V was funnier than Elan.

brionl

2010-05-04, 11:52 AM

/helenlovejoy

Won't somebody think of the Chairs?!!

Oh, ain't it grand
To have an empress so fat that
When you go to hug her you don't know where you're at
You have to talk a piece of chalk in your hand
And hug a bit and make a mark to see where you began

One Day I was a huggin' and a chalkin' and a huggin' away
I met another fellow with a piece of chalk in his hand
Coming around the other side across the mountain
Across the continental divide.

Closak

2010-05-04, 11:55 AM

Who cares about the chairs, the empress is hungry, feed the empress! *Herds a bunch of bullies into the empresses bloated belly*
Here, have a snack!

zql

2010-05-04, 12:01 PM

A friggin' obese red dragon!!!!! :smallbiggrin:
Amazing!

"you have cow on your face" LOL

thumbprince

2010-05-04, 12:10 PM

Still no clue why it is called the Empire of Blood. If it was the Empire of Fat, it'd be more clear now.

There are three empires on the map: Blood, Sweat and Tears (see #698). They are part of a speech by Winston Churchill and the name of a band from the late 60s.

deuxhero

2010-05-04, 12:16 PM

So that is how you draw a cow in OotS. Would like to see it a little bigger.

DukeGod

2010-05-04, 12:17 PM

Girard is obviously Girard in disguise.
Wrong too
Girard is the couch throne behind the man(well woman/dragon/something)

factotum

2010-05-04, 12:18 PM

So Nale fought for them during the take over 2 years ago. Where are we in the timeline? At least a year if not more has past since the comic began. Would that put his betrayal against this "empire" just before he went to work for Xykon and tried to steal the talisman?

Seems almost certain. In fact, chances are that he fled to the Eastern Continent to escape the retribution of the Empress.

Although, if the Empire of Blood has been intact for two years, that makes it one of the more long-lived countries around, if what the woman in the map tent said is accurate!

RdMarquis

2010-05-04, 12:34 PM

I love it V makes a snarky comment. I'm guessing the empress used a treasure horde before she squashed it flat.

Let's see ...

Ruler of a decadent evil kingdom out in the middle of a desert, grotesquely fat, works with bounty hunters, has horrible table manners, pale-skinned advisor? Remind you of anyone?

YOUR MIND TRICKS WILL NOT WORK ON ME, JEDI ELAN

On the plus side, she might force Haley to dress in a metal bikini.

Heh, glad I'm not the only one who thought of Jabba the Hutt. If only she spoke a non-common language and needed a warforged or golem to translate.

"nomeno ui vi zarachii persvek Vs'shtak, Nale! Mwahaha!!"

Nighthawk4

2010-05-04, 12:38 PM

Poor cows :smallfrown:

Kobold-Bard

2010-05-04, 12:41 PM

Poor cows :smallfrown:

Them's royal cows. They probably had a better life than any others.

Ya know, before they were munched alive by the obese dragon queen

NerfTW

2010-05-04, 12:54 PM

So Nale fought for them during the take over 2 years ago. Where are we in the timeline? At least a year if not more has past since the comic began. Would that put his betrayal against this "empire" just before he went to work for Xykon and tried to steal the talisman?

Yes. Most likely, his betrayal might have had something to do with finding the location of the Talisman, tying Nale's entire story together neatly.

This gives a good motive for going after the Talisman in the first place, to have an army to make a second attempt at seizing the crown. Then Hilgya joins under orders from Loki to steal it when they enter the Northern lands.

JonestheSpy

2010-05-04, 12:55 PM

You know, at first glance I thought the Empress was a giant rat. Now THAT would be surreal.

I wonder if tis will put a damper on the tendency of some folks to assume every new story element has to incorporate some old element...

BTW, Elan isn't tied up because he was unconscious til a few minutes ago in the last strip.

Mordokai

2010-05-04, 12:58 PM

On the plus side, she might force Haley to dress in a metal bikini.

I approve of this idea.

Bongos

2010-05-04, 01:00 PM

Thats gnarly!

SmaugTheYounger

2010-05-04, 01:06 PM

Yeah, the cows get the short side of the stick...:smalltongue:
I wonder wether the empress and Malack have some sort of work agreement: He identifies their enemies (especially his), and she eats them. People seem to be rather nervous around Malack...

DBear

2010-05-04, 01:15 PM

What's with all the different eye colors? we've only seen black untill strip #688, and then it was only belker until the bounty hunter. now where seeing pink and purple eyes. I wonder if we'll be seeing more inconsequential deatales like that.:smallbiggrin:

The pink eyes for Malack, along with bone-white skin, are necessary to establish that he is an albino. I have no idea of what purple eyes for the Empress could signify.

The Pilgrim

2010-05-04, 01:16 PM

Yes. Most likely, his betrayal might have had something to do with finding the location of the Talisman, tying Nale's entire story together neatly.

This gives a good motive for going after the Talisman in the first place, to have an army to make a second attempt at seizing the crown. Then Hilgya joins under orders from Loki to steal it when they enter the Northern lands.

We know by Word of God that Nale seek the Talisman in order to have an army to conquer Tyrinaria. So, most likely, after Nale felt denied by his father, seizing the Empire of Blood was his first attemp to get an Army to fight Dad.

Closak

2010-05-04, 01:25 PM

Dr Bwaa

2010-05-04, 01:36 PM

This is the Elan I love, with an awful joke/mistaken line in every panel. :smallbiggrin: V's line at the end and Elan's "introducing new characters is everyone's responsibility" were priceless, though.

One Skunk Todd

2010-05-04, 01:40 PM

I have no idea of what purple eyes for the Empress could signify.

Purple contacts? :P

Kobold-Bard

2010-05-04, 01:42 PM

Tsukiko has a purple eye. Maybe it signifies talent in one brand of magic.

NerfTW

2010-05-04, 01:46 PM

We know by Word of God that Nale seek the Talisman in order to have an army to conquer Tyrinaria. So, most likely, after Nale felt denied by his father, seizing the Empire of Blood was his first attemp to get an Army to fight Dad.

You're assuming the Empire of Blood wasn't Tyrinaria, though. If Nale fought alongside the Empress, it's very likely it was against his father with the intention of seizing the crown from the Empress afterwards. Upon failing, he went after the talisman for a new army.

hamishspence

2010-05-04, 01:46 PM

Maybe OoTS dragons are just more variable:

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0639.html

The black dragons here exhibit great variety in horn shape, eye colour, and even wing colour.

Yuven

2010-05-04, 02:05 PM

Is it not a possibility that colored eyes are purely artistic?

Scarlet Knight

2010-05-04, 02:12 PM

The pink eyes for Malack, along with bone-white skin, are necessary to establish that he is an albino. I have no idea of what purple eyes for the Empress could signify.

High spice diet?

hamishspence

2010-05-04, 02:13 PM

Given the sheer variety of eye colours in black dragons, I would tend to go with the eye colour not really meaning anything.

Ichneumon

2010-05-04, 02:15 PM

Is it not a possibility that colored eyes are purely artistic?

Of course not.:smallannoyed:

(:smallwink:)

Woodsman

2010-05-04, 02:25 PM

Sheesh, there have been so many truly high quality comics lately I've lost count.

Sebastian

2010-05-04, 02:29 PM

If (The empress of blood)=(Jabba the hut)
Then (Haley)=(Liea)
Which means that Haley will choke The empress of blood to death!!

YAY MATH!

More important,It means that Haley will soon dress a golden chainmail bikini. :smalltongue:

dps

2010-05-04, 02:29 PM

Chronic rope shortages not withstanding, this does seem odd.... maybe there's a plot point there. Nice update and interesting.

When they brought them in, Elan was unconscious and V was paralyzed (still is, I guess). Haley was the only one in condition to either fight or run away.

JonestheSpy

2010-05-04, 02:35 PM

I wonder wether the empress and Malack have some sort of work agreement: He identifies their enemies (especially his), and she eats them. People seem to be rather nervous around Malack...

Those cows were enemies of the state! They were part of a secret resistance mooovement.

Breakfast will consist of chickens that attempted a coup.

The Pilgrim

2010-05-04, 02:38 PM

You're assuming the Empire of Blood wasn't Tyrinaria, though. If Nale fought alongside the Empress, it's very likely it was against his father with the intention of seizing the crown from the Empress afterwards. Upon failing, he went after the talisman for a new army.

The Giant wrote in No Cure for the Paladin Blues:
Nale is just crazy. He is simply out to make everyone pay for slighting him. Even his one true attempt at a villainous plot- the seizure of the Talisman of Dorukan, was merely an attempt to get back at his father for some (probably imagined) insult.

So, if the Empire of Blood was Tyrinaria, and they managed to unseat Nale's father... why would Nale quest for the Talisman to get an army to get back at his father, then? He already would have.

It makes more sense that after being "insulted" by Dad, Nale went out to raise his own army, end up working for Fatty&Albino, helped to raise the Empire with the plan to seize it, failed to stage a coup, had to flee, and got another plan.

Mr._Blinky

2010-05-04, 02:39 PM

While I rarely comment on the OotS threads, I must say this: V's closing joke was pure gold.:smallbiggrin:

Sebastian

2010-05-04, 02:50 PM

If he's a cleric, can't he just cast Detect Evil (or conversely Detect Good)?

It is not so easy, there is a number of spells, items, feats and class features than can hide or confuse alignment, and you can be sure than someone tricky as Nale would have something like that always on.

NerfTW

2010-05-04, 02:53 PM

Is it not a possibility that colored eyes are purely artistic?

I'm pretty sure they're just artistic. The lizards have different colored eyes to look lizardy, and the guards have white to be more visible on gray helmets. I doubt there's any hidden meaning other than "Hey, maybe I should do more variety on the eye colors."

ThePhantasm

2010-05-04, 03:09 PM

Anyone notice that the ropes around Haley look kinda... loose? Her arms aren't tightly bound to her sides.

bubba0077

2010-05-04, 03:21 PM

6 pages and no one has commented how the Empress being a dragon may be important given V's recent "transgression"? Even if she is normally a figurehead, there may be some amount of animosity from the Empress when they figure out Elan is not Nale but V is responsible for so many dragon deaths. I imagine something like "we've got the wrong people, you're free to go... wait a minute."

Pokonic

2010-05-04, 03:25 PM

One of V's best lines to date.:smallbiggrin:

Draconi Redfir

2010-05-04, 03:27 PM

Scarlet Knight

2010-05-04, 03:28 PM

Breakfast will consist of chickens that attempted a coup.

Groooooooan!

brionl

2010-05-04, 03:44 PM

More important,It means that Haley will soon dress a golden chainmail bikini. :smalltongue:

I think the Emperess will have Elan dressing in a golden chainmail Speedo.

Hopeless

2010-05-04, 03:53 PM

I was just wondering if the next part invovles the following:

"Mom?" whispers Haley.
"Hello Sweetie!" says the Empress.
"How is your father? I haven't seen him since that nasty former dictator kidnapped him, so I conquered his nation still can't find your dad though, so whose your boyfriend?" the Empress asks very interested.
"This is Nale your majesty," the lizard henchman adds.
"Don't be silly, Nale has a goatee, you know how he likes those villain tropes!" she quips back revealing red dragons are that smart.

Okay not going to happen, but what else could happen?

Inhuman Bot

2010-05-04, 03:55 PM

Well, my third guess was sort of right. Giant Dragon in a different fashion, that is. :smalltongue:

Snake-Aes

2010-05-04, 03:56 PM

Well, the likelihood of pulling Haley's plot up is large now. We do know Nale worked towards the rise of the empire of blood and then tried to thwart it. Guess goes this used to be Tyrinaria.

Crystalline

2010-05-04, 03:57 PM

Yay! They finally got to the empress of blood :). I can say I wasn't expecting that at all. I love it when V gets to make a joke- this makes me very happy. ( demands more V in the upcoming comic)

Funny, I thought in a kingdom with lizards and human guards that the empress would be human. Silly me.

Xavon

2010-05-04, 04:10 PM

Well, this certainly gives new meaning to 'Great Wyrm'...

The Bushranger

2010-05-04, 04:24 PM

"...Yes, Minister. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes,_Minister)"

Priceless.

:smallbiggrin:

KeybladePalidin

2010-05-04, 04:28 PM

I agree that his would be a good time to clear the Haley's Dad plot and possibly the Ealn's dad plot (if Burlew doen't Joss that particular guess.)

Sonar009

2010-05-04, 04:31 PM

COWS!!! :smallbiggrin::smalltongue::smallsmile:

COWS :smallconfused::smalleek: ?!?!?

COOOOOOOOOOWSSS!!!!! :smallfurious::smallfurious::smallfurious:

Can I add this to my signature?

EDIT: Thanks. I had to cut out a couple smilies due to image limits. I know it's bad form to edit your response responding to something ahead of it, but making a whole new post seemed kinda of wasteful, somehow. :smalltongue:

amuletts

2010-05-04, 04:35 PM

Hey, everyone, lay off the Empress of Blood. She's not fat, she's just big boned!

Teleporker

2010-05-04, 04:36 PM

Going back one strip, this confirms the golden statues in the chapel were not of the empress and her husband.

If they are representations of their gods like I suspect, that certainly explains how lizards and humans seem to get along so well in this continent (and how that poor lizardfolk girl from strip 676 accepted the idea of implants so easily). Interspecies gods for the win!

thepsyker

2010-05-04, 04:41 PM

That, I suspect, is why Elan made the comment about the Empire of Blood's navy - their empress can lift a whole army up, on water.I'm pretty positive that that quip was in response to the reference that the Empress is a figurehead. A figurehead is a statue that use to be placed on the front of ships. So Elan was saying that if the Empress is a figurehead with how big she is the ship she would go with would have to be ginormous.

HempRope

2010-05-04, 04:57 PM

I was sad a moment ago, so I came over here and re-read the comic, and am now smiling. It's the little things in life! :smallwink:

ThePhantasm

2010-05-04, 05:01 PM

cc_kizz

2010-05-04, 05:19 PM

I have no idea where this is going. This is my first time reading only one comic with a cliff hanger. I'm so used to continuing on to get the complete story. Just wanted to share that with whomever.

My heart goes out to Vaarsuvius who is able to crack a dead pan joke with an arrow in her (yes, I've been in that school since the beginning) chest.

DaveMcW

2010-05-04, 05:24 PM

So is this ruler smarter than we think, or is the Empress just a figurehead like Haley thinks?

Miss I-have-ranks-in-Sense-Motive (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0171.html) is usually right.

DSCrankshaw

2010-05-04, 05:31 PM

Miss I-have-ranks-in-Sense-Motive (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0171.html) is usually right.

Well, she was the only one to see through Shojo (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0288.html).

NerfTW

2010-05-04, 06:37 PM

I agree that his would be a good time to clear the Haley's Dad plot and possibly the Ealn's dad plot (if Burlew doen't Joss that particular guess.)

I think it's a little late in the story for major changes to the plot. I don't think the "If we guess it he'll change it" worry is really valid anymore.

Kelvin360

2010-05-04, 06:50 PM

The comments in this thread? Waaaaaay funnier than the comic. (Girard is Girard, heh)

Raging Gene Ray

2010-05-04, 06:51 PM

Can I add this to my signature?

Sure, why not? It's just cows.

just becuse a dragon exists, dosent mean it's out to kill V.

seriusly pepole, get it through your heads.

How would any living dragon even know it was V?

Teleporker

2010-05-04, 07:11 PM

How would any living dragon even know it was V?

We know Tiamat is pissed about the death of all those black dragons, and I seriously doubt she ignores V was behind it. Director Lee looked like she got him to spill most of the beans about their operation, plus, she's a goddess, so if she wants to know who did it, she has all the necessary means at her disposal.

I don't think every dragon out there is out for V's slender elven neck, I don't think "her royal fatness" is involved in that plot at all, but I wouldn't put it past Tiamat to set her dragons and clerics after him (koff-koff *oracle* koff-koff).

Knaight

2010-05-04, 07:20 PM

Last time we were introduced to a ruler, we thought he was being manipulated and just a figurehead (i.e. Shojo) but in reality he was a really crafty old man. So is this ruler smarter than we think, or is the Empress just a figurehead like Haley thinks?

As awesome as telepathic orders to the minister to ask questions portraying her as a figurehead would be, I doubt the same thing will be used twice, and Shojo appeared to be mad, and made it so that his people, not the audience, thought he was a figurehead.

shadowkiller

2010-05-04, 08:02 PM

As awesome as telepathic orders to the minister to ask questions portraying her as a figurehead would be, I doubt the same thing will be used twice, and Shojo appeared to be mad, and made it so that his people, not the audience, thought he was a figurehead.

Although in this case the telepathic orders could be real.

MonkeyBusiness

2010-05-04, 08:04 PM

I have not read it yet. If "Seat of Power" refers to what I think it does, I might scream... :smallconfused:

DaggerPen

2010-05-04, 08:13 PM

I have not read it yet. If "Seat of Power" refers to what I think it does, I might scream... :smallconfused:

I would be very surprised if it did.

I'm curious as to what you think it refers to, though.

Acero

2010-05-04, 09:20 PM

I'm curious as to what you think it refers to, though.

Toilet seat?

Wolfram

2010-05-04, 09:45 PM

I'm wondering: why is Elan not tied up, while Haley is?

She knows the safeword.

Wolfram

2010-05-04, 09:46 PM

She's what, Wyrm? Great Wyrm?

Not enough tequila in the world!

Cealocanth

2010-05-04, 10:10 PM

That's the Queen?!!?!
Sure got me, I expected her to be human. My mistake.

MonkeyBusiness

2010-05-04, 11:03 PM

:smallamused: No screaming here, just laughing! (The nickname for the WC in my home was "the throne of thought" ... which the throne in this episode most certainly is *not* by any definition!)

There are so many quoteable lines in this one! "I think the real power behind the throne is something more like reinforced concrete pylons ..." "Introducing new characters is everybody's responsibility." And my favorite: "And, uh, you have cow on your face."

:smalltongue: And V seems to have such concern for the welfare of the furnishings of this world: wanting to apologize to tables everywhere; now mourning for the fate of the valiant throne ...:smallwink:

Thanks for another fun one, Giant!

MBiz

MonkeyBusiness

2010-05-04, 11:13 PM

This just in ...

If the Empress' chair is not the seat of power (nor the throne of thought) then where is the head of state?

heh heh heh ... sorry ... it was too awful not to share ...

Larspcus2

2010-05-04, 11:14 PM

We know Tiamat is pissed about the death of all those black dragons, and I seriously doubt she ignores V was behind it. Director Lee looked like she got him to spill most of the beans about their operation, plus, she's a goddess, so if she wants to know who did it, she has all the necessary means at her disposal.

I don't think every dragon out there is out for V's slender elven neck, I don't think "her royal fatness" is involved in that plot at all, but I wouldn't put it past Tiamat to set her dragons and clerics after him (koff-koff *oracle* koff-koff).

Except for the fact that the fiends cut a deal with Tiamat, and since they have plans for V, we can assume that the deal includes not killing him.

MonkeyBusiness

2010-05-04, 11:44 PM

Somehow I don't quite see the Empress achieving lift...

The Empress doesn't need much lift. Red dragons produce hot air. She's a zeppelin!

The wings are more for preventing roll, not for exerting force against gravity.

MBiz

Nimrod's Son

2010-05-04, 11:53 PM

What's with all the different eye colors? we've only seen black untill strip #688, and then it was only belker until the bounty hunter. now where seeing pink and purple eyes.
:smallconfused: Goblins have had yellow eyes since the first strip. Then there's the monster in the darkness, Tsukiko & her wights, the IFCC, Samantha (when spellcasting), all the kobolds, Grubwiggler and friends, Qarr, Blackwing, Celia (on occasion), most of the western lizardfolk... the list goes on. This isn't anything new.

Hallavast

2010-05-05, 01:32 AM

After reading the comic a few times over, I've become aware that it's rather text-heavy (I don't mind this at all). I appreciate the difficult line between character development/introduction and the need for brevity at this point, but it makes me question the reason for this little side-quest in the first place. It is certainly entertaining, but it is rather unnecessary to the story from what we can tell.

I'm familiar with the difficulties of tying exposition into the story smoothly, but the decision behind this joke-explanation doesn't do much for the story (amusing as it may be). I would love to see some "deleted scenes" material to see what other methods of introducing these new antagonists that the Giant might have toyed with and discarded, but I doubt I ever will.

I especially enjoyed panel 7.

DSCrankshaw

2010-05-05, 02:02 AM

snikrept

2010-05-05, 02:22 AM

The fact that Malak recognized Nale's appearance instantly, while he had to remind the Empress who Nale was at all, IMO to me seems like the vendetta is personal between Malak and Nale for some other reason than he's letting on.

Also interesting, the Empress leaves orders with the guards but they disobey at Malak's command.

Garwain

2010-05-05, 03:34 AM

If Nale fought alongside the Empress, it's very likely it was against his father with the intention of seizing the crown from the Empress afterwards. Upon failing, he went after the talisman for a new army.
Would Nale still be on a vengeance quest when his father is dead? Doesn't seem likely to me.

So if Nale's father is still alive, then Tyrania cannot be replaced by the Empire of Blood because Nale's father is/was the Head of Tyrania and we know what happens (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0680.html)with former leaders.

electricbee

2010-05-05, 06:01 AM

I think the Emperess will have Elan dressing in a golden chainmail Speedo.

Ummm . .. OUCH! . . . that is all.

DigoDragon

2010-05-05, 07:05 AM

Ah, so that's why they're expanding the palace... because their empress did.

plasma ball

2010-05-05, 07:47 AM

V was funnier than Elan.

:smalleek: Is that posible!!? Did I fall into a different dimention or something?

Snake-Aes

2010-05-05, 07:53 AM

:smalleek: Is that posible!!? Did I fall into a different dimention or something?

You think that's impossible?
May I add to, V's defense, that she did solve the Twins problem excellently? Or that he also never cast that spell?

The Pilgrim

2010-05-05, 08:09 AM

Except for the fact that the fiends cut a deal with Tiamat, and since they have plans for V, we can assume that the deal includes not killing him.

Pretty much.

Through the "deal" with the IFCC might have been limited to "you promise to kill 5 good dragons for each black one slain, and I promise not to eat all three of you RIGHT NOW, YOU FRIGGIN' MORONS", leaving V out of the deal.

You know, she is a default D&D godess, with a bad actitude, five heads, not forgiving, and scores of her children slain by a powermonger little elf fueled by some freak made-up-for-the-campaign-setting fiends running a lame experimental department barely backed by the high-brass fiendish powers.

Just a possibility, as unlikely as it may be.

Closak

2010-05-05, 08:13 AM

Pretty much.

Through the "deal" with the IFCC might have been limited to "you promise to kill 5 good dragons for each black one slain, and I promise not to eat all three of you RIGHT NOW, YOU FRIGGIN' MORONS", leaving V out of the deal.

Just a possibility, as unlikely as it may be.

Actually, i'm pretty certain that's exactly what happened.

...Why do i keep staring at the empress?

Kish

2010-05-05, 08:15 AM

I doubt very much that Vaarsuvius will die before the IFCC reveals the rest of their plan.

Kobold-Bard

2010-05-05, 08:16 AM

Actually, i'm pretty certain that's exactly what happened.

...Why do i keep staring at the empress?

Maybe it's love.

The Pilgrim

2010-05-05, 08:19 AM

I doubt very much that Vaarsuvius will die before the IFCC reveals the rest of their plan.

100% agreed, but doesn't prevent Tiamat from giving a shot at it.

binyamin20

2010-05-05, 08:20 AM

More important,It means that Haley will soon dress a golden chainmail bikini. :smalltongue:

Look in the fanservice thread s for that.:smallwink:

BillyJimBoBob

2010-05-05, 09:38 AM

And once again, everyone's theories are shot down in flames. Yay!Oh, we can surely do much better now, given this new information!

The Blood Empress is clearly an associate of Gerard, since she is a dragon and since he has the word "drake" in his last name. And the "power behind the throne" Haley and the others were speaking of? Not Malack at all, but Gerard.

This means that Gerard's gate is rather well defended, since he has managed to build an entire empire, complete with a dragon queen, a clearly magical throne of Power, and many monsters with high levels of character classes to support him in its defense.

NerfTW

2010-05-05, 09:40 AM

Kobold-Bard

2010-05-05, 09:44 AM

Oh, we can surely do much better now, given this new information!

The Blood Empress is clearly an associate of Gerard, since she is a dragon and since he has the word "drake" in his last name. And the "power behind the throne" Haley and the others were speaking of? Not Malack at all, but Gerard.

This means that Gerard's gate is rather well defended, since he has managed to build an entire empire, complete with a dragon queen, a clearly magical throne of Power, and many monsters with high levels of character classes to support him in its defense.

Close, but no cigar. Take everything you just said, and make it all an Epic Illusion (which we know he used). Everyone and everything the Order has seen is all one big Phantasm. Maybe some of them are even Half-Illusions: one of their parents came to trade, fell in love with one of the illusionary people and had a "child" (which would be a sort of Living Spell creature) who would be able to continue the defence even if the Illusion was defeated.

Have we seen anyone try a Dispel since we got to this continent?

It all makes sense now :smallcool:

Memplejemple

2010-05-05, 09:45 AM

You know, she is a default D&D godess, with a bad actitude, five heads, not forgiving, and scores of her children slain by a powermonger little elf fueled by some freak made-up-for-the-campaign-setting fiends running a lame experimental department barely backed by the high-brass fiendish powers.

I'm not the biggest fan of Drizz't Do'urden or the Forgotten Realms campaign designers, either, but aren't you being a little harsh, here?

zimmerwald1915

2010-05-05, 09:54 AM

Have we seen anyone try a Dispel since we got to this continent?
No, but we do hear Durkon talk about trying (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0697.html[/url).

The Pilgrim

2010-05-05, 09:58 AM

I'm not the biggest fan of Drizz't Do'urden or the Forgotten Realms campaign designers, either, but aren't you being a little harsh, here?

Well, I'm proud member of the "People who has killed a Drizz't-Clone fellow party member out of boredom at the lack of originality" Club. But by "powermonger little elf" I was refering to V. :smallbiggrin:

And by "freak made-up-for-the-campaign-setting fiends" I was refering to the three IFCC fiends, explicitly. Characters who, unless I'm missing the reference, have been created for this comic.

Also, trying to reflect Tiamat point of view on the matter. I mean, the IFCC are nothing compared to her, she could easly introduce them to her dinning table, as the main course. And would certainly do if she realized they are tampering with the Snarl thing.

theredrussian

2010-05-05, 10:53 AM

BFDQ = Big Fat Dragon Queen :smallbiggrin:

BillyJimBoBob

2010-05-05, 10:57 AM

If (The empress of blood)=(Jabba the hut)
Then (Haley)=(Liea)
Which means that Haley will choke The empress of blood to death!!

YAY MATH!And then math also proves that Roy will come rescue Liea Haley, and will have mastered the use of a mysterious life force power that pervades the universe some bugs that are in his bloodstream.

binyamin20

2010-05-05, 11:23 AM

And then math also proves that Roy will come rescue Liea Haley, and will have mastered the use of a mysterious life force power that pervades the universe some bugs that are in his bloodstream.

Nonononono...

We are taking about star wars, not your latest bowel movment!

plasma ball

2010-05-05, 11:36 AM

aren't red dragons chaotic evil? this one seemes to be chaotic obese.:smallbiggrin:

JonestheSpy

2010-05-05, 12:12 PM

We are taking about star wars, not your latest bowel movment!

Let's face it, there was a strong resemblance between the two after Lucas decided that the force came from hyperactive bacteria...

We now return to your regularly scheduled thread.

Maelstrom

2010-05-05, 12:15 PM

Fat jokes? Really, Rich? :smallconfused:

Yay for people interjecting their perceived offenses!

:insert yomama joke here:

Kish

2010-05-05, 12:38 PM

Yay for people interjecting their perceived offenses!

:insert yomama joke here:
Wait, I'm confused. Are you suggesting there weren't fat jokes in the latest strip?

Optimystik

2010-05-05, 12:39 PM

:eek:

That is all.

Joerg

2010-05-05, 12:57 PM

I've got a feeling that the Empress is not merely a figurehead.

If she was, why was Nale 'flagged to go to the Empress', and not to Malack? Why would Malack need her to authorize payment? Such a regulation would be understandable if there was a tradition or earlier law that all financial transactions have to be approved by the emperor, but that seems unlikely considering that the nations are very unstable and that this particular empress ascended just two years ago.

So I'm thinking she still retains some control. Perhaps she leaves most matters to Malack and probably she's too concerned with eating; but I wouldn't put it past her yet to take an interest in some important matters.

Nevertheless, I doubt Nale / Elan will be such a matter if nothing else happens. She doesn't even remember him, so she won't find him important even after she has been reminded.

She might want to eat him, though.

Shale

2010-05-05, 01:01 PM

It might also be a consequence of the extreme Lawful nature of the government. If the laws say the Empress needs to sign off on high-level prisoners, then dammit, that's what she has to do, even if she stopped bothering to do any actual governing six months into her reign.

Closak

2010-05-05, 01:43 PM

Or she might take a look at his 18 charisma, and decide she wants to breed him.

:elan: AHHHH!
:haley: HEY! Leave my boyfriend alone!
Empress: *Glares at Haley and licks mouth*
:haley: :smalleek:
Malack: ...I just leave now *Makes a quick exit*

Girard: Exactly as planned hehehe *Rubs hands*

snikrept

2010-05-05, 01:50 PM

Also of note in this strip: Elan suggests a Chaotic plan (daring escape) while Haley decides to go with the Lawful response (stand for the charges and prove they're not the right people). Unexpected, given her usual modus.

NerfTW

2010-05-05, 01:57 PM

I've got a feeling that the Empress is not merely a figurehead.

If she was, why was Nale 'flagged to go to the Empress', and not to Malack? Why would Malack need her to authorize payment? Such a regulation would be understandable if there was a tradition or earlier law that all financial transactions have to be approved by the emperor, but that seems unlikely considering that the nations are very unstable and that this particular empress ascended just two years ago.

Uh, because when you make someone a figurehead, you want them to look like they're leading? What's the point of a figurehead if you're just going to let everyone know you're the real power? It defeats the whole point of hiding behind a puppet. It would be like Shojo telling everyone he was just faking senility. The ruse doesn't work if you tell everyone about it.

Malack probably prefers not being assassinated.

Joerg

2010-05-05, 02:02 PM

Even in an extremely lawful state, the laws can be changed.

If the empress was just a figurehead, Malack would have her pass a law saying that he can deal with these bothersome financial issues on his own without having to interrupt her dinner.

That he hasn't indicates to me that she still does want to know what happens with the money.

Hmm, after all, she is some kind of dragon.

Edit: about the figurehead: there's not much difference between Malack lawfully deciding to pay the bounty hunter and Malack asking the empress whether he may pay the bounty hunter when the empress always says "yes". After all, Haley made the figurehead-assumption after just a few seconds.

The important thing would be that people outside the palace still think the empress makes important decisions. Paying a bounty is not that important.

NerfTW

2010-05-05, 02:14 PM

If the empress was just a figurehead, Malack would have her pass a law saying that he can deal with these bothersome financial issues on his own without having to interrupt her dinner.

That he hasn't indicates to me that she still does want to know what happens with the money.

Again, why would he do that? It would make people suspicious that he's the real power behind the throne. The WHOLE POINT of having a puppet is that you don't take their powers away.

Scarlet Knight

2010-05-05, 02:41 PM

Yay for people interjecting their perceived offenses!

:insert yomama joke here:

" Yo Empress so fat , her tail is like salsa: red & chunky! " :smallwink:

Scribble

2010-05-05, 05:17 PM

Oh dear gods, V's line at the end made me laugh so hard my sides hurt!

Optimystik

2010-05-05, 06:03 PM

" Yo Empress so fat , her tail is like salsa: red & chunky! " :smallwink:

"Yo empress so fat, when she sits around the throne room, she sits AROUND the throne room."

"Yo empress so fat, she ate the Snarl."

"Yo empress so fat, she had to take the Obese flaw to lose weight."

"Yo empress so fat, her Con score is Graham's number" <--- xkcd-ish

Lycan 01

2010-05-05, 06:22 PM

That... I... ur... ehhh......

Okay, I'm at a loss. All I can say is this - that was one of the best V lines to date that I can remember. :smallamused:

kusje

2010-05-05, 08:25 PM

Again, why would he do that? It would make people suspicious that he's the real power behind the throne. The WHOLE POINT of having a puppet is that you don't take their powers away.

But if, for all purposes, no one knows that you're the real power behind the throne, then how do you lay claim to it?

If the empress can wake up one day and decide to eat you alive, then you aren't really a power are you?

Scarlet Knight

2010-05-05, 09:22 PM

"Yo empress so fat, when she sits around the throne room, she sits AROUND the throne room."

"Yo empress so fat, she ate the Snarl."

"Yo empress so fat, she had to take the Obese flaw to lose weight."

"Yo empress so fat, her Con score is Graham's number" <--- xkcd-ish

"Yo Empress so fat, they couldn't find the power behind the throne 'cause he was wedged under a roll"

Kumo

2010-05-05, 10:00 PM

"Yo Empress so fat, they couldn't find the power behind the throne 'cause he was wedged under a roll"

"Yo Empress' so fat the consort got lost in her belly button."

Conuly

2010-05-05, 10:31 PM

But if, for all purposes, no one knows that you're the real power behind the throne, then how do you lay claim to it?

If the empress can wake up one day and decide to eat you alive, then you aren't really a power are you?

I'm sure he'll cross that bridge when he comes to it, and not a moment before.

The whole point of being the power BEHIND the throne is that you're still there when the throne gets overturned. I wouldn't be surprised if I found out that this same guy had been the power behind the throne for the past three governments. Why? Because while you're busy throwing parties celebrating how awesome your army is, somebody still has to make the sacrifices and count the taxes. Why not use that guy, there, he knows how it runs, right?

But if you let people know you're the power behind the throne, then you no longer are the power behind the throne. You're just the throne. And when they take over, they kill you first.