OOTS #751 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

[pendell]

See? SEE??? This is why I don't give up on this comic strip. Ominous foreshadowing and dimmer lights WIN! I certify this strip as being made of 100% win.

Interesting ... so Elan DOESN'T know their parents split over alignment differences. Mom kept Elan away from dad because she knew that her husband was a monster.

Why is it so surprising that mom would lie to you, Elan? Chaotic good, remember. You haven't always been totally forthright yourself.

Strange how they can be so close yet so far apart. Elan still hasn't figure out dad is evil. Tarquin still hasn't figured out that his son is as dumb as a box of chocolates.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Hatevah]

Yay for ominous forshadowing implying that Elan's dad isn't quite as nice as Elan thinks he is? /Is the ignoring of the nature v. nurture argument intentional? Hmm...

[DwarvenExodus]

Yay! Updates are speeding up again, and as always the quality is of an unquestionable brilliance. Great work! /advertising :smalltongue:

[El Dorado]

It itched, Dad. It itched.

[Cicciograna]

Dun Dun Dunnnn!!!

[HUMVEE Driver]

First of all, they should take a page out of Roy's book!

[ThePhantasm]

Dimmers. Awesome.

One of my rooms at home has dimmers. I will have to go do some foreshadowing now.

[Mordae]

Epic stage whisper.

[ThreadKiller]

Wow, we finally get to see Tarquin's evil face. The plot thickens...

[OldFart]

Bounty or no, the Linear Guild desperately need to show up. Well, them and a daytime talk show host.

[Coidzor]

Tarquin you magnificent, magnificent man!

You know, I bet he's the kind of guy, that if he knew he had BBEG duties to attend to, he'd get a full orchestral and choral accompaniment for the boss fight.

Oh, and the Mustache line!

And the... oh man. I just love today's strip. The Dialogue. It just... YES!

:biggrin:

[Kobold-Bard]

Trying to turn Elan against his mum? That's low.

Didn't like him calling her Mommy though, the child-like naivety is endearing/funny. That was just a bit weird for a grown man.

[deuxhero]

Did The Giant just imply that he kills his wifes because they are pregnant or am I just evil thinking?

[tcrudisi]

I know Tarquin is Lawful, but it seems to me that he was lieing in this strip. It just ... felt wrong. I know he probably wasn't... I just can't shake the feeling that he was.

Elan is also getting on my nerves. He used to be my favorite character, but he's just getting dumber and dumber. "Is that why the lights went down back there?" Elan - you are supposed to be good at drama. That was obviously a dramatization. I enjoy you being ignorant with other things - but not with that!

/edit I also agree with the Kobold-Bard. Elan saying "Mommy" was just a bit too far.

I'm liking the plot and characters involved with this current arch except for Elan. Elan, why? WHY?

[Mordaenor]

Interesting ... so Elan DOESN'T know their parents split over alignment differences. Mom kept Elan away from dad because she knew that her husband was a monster.

Why is it so surprising that mom would lie to you, Elan? Chaotic good, remember. You haven't always been totally forthright yourself.


When exactly has Elan not been forthright? I believe being straight forward and honest is exactly what gets Elan into 85% of his problems. The other 15% being his tenuous grasp of reality. Or maybe that's backwards.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Or maybe Elan's bardic training is telling him to go along with it? Regardless, loved the strip. :smallbiggrin:

[dps]

Interesting.

Best strip in a while, IMO.

[Saph]

I know Tarquin is Lawful, but it seems to me that he was lieing in this strip. It just ... felt wrong. I know he probably wasn't... I just can't shake the feeling that he was.

I suspect he might have been telling the truth here. Good characters can do bad things on occasion, and Evil ones can still love their family. And it would be good character development for Elan to realise that neither of his parents is perfect.

Really liked the strip, by the way. I don't know what Tarquin's leading up to, but I bet it's going to make for a great story. :smallbiggrin:

[JoeSkull]

you know, I really wanted Tarquin to be good.:smallfrown:

[Lkctgo]

But sadly, he isn't. Heartbreak time.

[Kastanok]

Dun Dun Dunnnn!!!

I was hoping no-one would have got to that one yet :p

[Kobold-Bard]

I know Tarquin is Lawful, but it seems to me that he was lieing in this strip. It just ... felt wrong. I know he probably wasn't... I just can't shake the feeling that he was.

Elan is also getting on my nerves. He used to be my favorite character, but he's just getting dumber and dumber. "Is that why the lights went down back there?" Elan - you are supposed to be good at drama. That was obviously a dramatization. I enjoy you being ignorant with other things - but not with that!

/edit I also agree with the Kobold-Bard. Elan saying "Mommy" was just a bit too far.

I'm liking the plot and characters involved with this current arch except for Elan. Elan, why? WHY?

Glad I'm not the only one. I still love Elan and until this I was fine with how he acted. That was just a step too far and he went from "awwwww the little dimwit, how cute" to "wierdo, he probably breast-fed until he was 10".

It's the Giant's world, but here's hoping he tones it down a bit coz I really do like Elan and I hate disliking Order members. Makes me feel guilty for some weird reason.

[Morph Bark]

My house shall now require some dimmers in strategic rooms, command-activated of course!

[JonestheSpy]

It itched, Dad. It itched.

I was so totally going to post exactly that.

[faustin]

Now I´m intrigued with Tarquin´s Evil Master Plan involving the Blood Empire, Elan (and, i hope, Girard and the Gate).

[Faramir]

I've been loving this whole storyline. As I've said before, while death might seem like an attractive alternative to spending any length of time with Elan I love the character. And by extension his father.

Cluelessness rules!

[MammonAzrael]

Hilarious strip. First and foremost, hilarious strip.

But I do agree with the previous posters that Elan seems to be regressing a little. We saw some serious development for him during the party split and when they were reunited. I get that he has the same intelligence score and whatnot, but it felt a little pushed in the strip. I'm inclined to agree that the issue is Elean calling her "Mommy," as that seems a bit too dependent for Elan, who has never seemed to have mommy issues.

As for Tarquin being honest or lying...well Nale can muddy up the waters a bit more for us. In Elan/Nale's origin story (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0050.html) it is shown quite clearly that Tarquin is suing for divorce, not visitation rights. Additionally the current strip implies that the mom was the one that pushed for divorce, which would make Tarquin suing for divorce rather odd. Granted this is being told be Nale, but Nale would only know the story from his father so....let the debate commence!

Of course, it could just be a minor accident too. :smalltongue:

[Knaight]

Interesting development here. Unlike many, I actually like Elan's regression, the idea of him heading back towards childhood due to unstable growth and the sudden presentation of a parent is a good one, and shown well.

[Katana_Geldar]

I suspect he might have been telling the truth here. Good characters can do bad things on occasion, and Evil ones can still love their family. And it would be good character development for Elan to realise that neither of his parents is perfect.

Really liked the strip, by the way. I don't know what Tarquin's leading up to, but I bet it's going to make for a great story. :smallbiggrin:

How about an epic swordfight between them that ends with Elan at his Dad's mercy and then Tarquin tempts him with power?
"Join me and we can rule as father and son!"

And then Haley, Roy or V knocks Tarquin out to save Elan's life.

[Warren Dew]

Why is it so surprising that mom would lie to you, Elan? Chaotic good, remember. You haven't always been totally forthright yourself.

This is of course assuming mom was the one lying. It's quite possible, but it's also possible that dad is making things up.


Didn't like him calling her Mommy though, the child-like naivety is endearing/funny. That was just a bit weird for a grown man.

Isn't the whole point of childlike naievete that he doesn't act like a grown man? I thought it was cute.

[Shale]

Of course Tarquin's lying. He was the complaining party in the divorce.

[Marnath]

Kind of sounds like Tarquin regrets the choices he's made. I almost got the sense that he's in denial about being evil, too. He seems to have missed the fact that maybe Elan grew up the way he did because his father wasn't around to influence him.

[Kobold-Bard]

...

Isn't the whole point of childlike naievete that he doesn't act like a grown man? I thought it was cute.

Obviously you're entitled to disagree, but I personally think this strip found the line between funny/sweet and just plain weird/pathetic.

[Teddy]

Nice comic. Tarquin's intentions remains a mystery, I see. A bit more mysterious mystery, at that. :smallcool:

[Knaight]

Obviously you're entitled to disagree, but I personally think this strip found the line between funny/sweet and just plain weird/pathetic.

Sure, but calling that flawed works of the assumption that good storytelling involves characters who aren't pathetic, or improve their situation. There are plenty of good stories about characters who decay, and many tragic heroes are pretty pathetic, with Elan functioning as a character like that in this case.

[Zerg Cookie]

I think Tarquin knows more about the gates than you'd want him to.
Also, Girard's gate is in his domain.

Let the specualtion begin!

[Asthix]

*Official request for an explanation of the title.

How is Elan any more childlike than he's been throughout the comic? Except for the rare flash of insight, (which even all the characters in the comic agree is rare) I submit that Elan is as childlike as he's always been. There's just not dinosaurs and ball pits in every comic, which Elan would ALWAYS want to play with. Perhaps it's latent frustration at one's own lost childhood?

Also the first concrete clue as to how Tarquin will make trouble for the Order:smalleek:

[Shale]

It's a reference to the old saying that "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree", meaning that children turn out to be more like their parents than not.

[PsychoticPanda]

I think Elan's dad does not know how child-like Elan really is, and thinks he is trying to make up for lost time. :smallwink:

[Katana_Geldar]

This only further confirms my theory on Elan.

[Nilan8888]

I'm inclined to agree that the issue is Elean calling her "Mommy," as that seems a bit too dependent for Elan, who has never seemed to have mommy issues.

When Elan calls her "Mommy" you know, it might not have been in the immediately endearing sense. He might have been using it in terms of how he was thinking at the time.

Like I might say:

"When I was ten I thought Mommy was really great".

In that sentence to someone, I'm not saying 'Mommy' in the present term of reference and endearment, but how I would have referred to her at the time.

It might be that many of you would think that a bit too... complex for Elan-speak. Well, maybe not so if he's supposed to have come a fair ways. He actually could be doing just this, even if he enjoys being a kid again.


EDIT: Wait, never mind... I was looking at the second time he says "Mommy". The first time he says it is a panel earlier ('Couldn't you have just taken Mommy and me with you?'). I don't think my theory works in that context like it does in the following panel.

Theory withdrawn.

[Silverblaze]

How about an epic swordfight between them that ends with Elan at his Dad's mercy and then Tarquin tempts him with power?
"Join me and we can rule as father and son!"

And then Haley, Roy or V knocks Tarquin out to save Elan's life.

Damn it... I KNOW that plotline - WHY CAN'T I PLACE IT ?? :smallbiggrin:

Freud would've had a fieldday with you, Elan *g*

And as have been said - Great dialogue :smallsmile: - Why do I have a sudden urge to see an update with a Tarrantinesque dialogue with a couple of Xykon's henchmen - "Do you know what they call an undead in Azure City? - An evil, unholy abomination; They're all wrapped up in the alignmentsystem" *g*

[Squark]

If you ask me, Elan's Regression is probably a temporary thing involving him finally getting the opportunity to meet his dad, and he will eventually snap out of it. I think Elan has, at some level, wanted this sort of thing to happen his whole life, and he's trying to live out his idylistic life with his dad. Unfortunately, this strip makes it rather clear that while Tarquin may care about Elan, he's still evil. And I can't help feeling Elan isn't going to take this well. At All. I wonder how he'll handle it.

[Marnath]

For the people asking why Elan would call his mother mommy: what the heck else is he supposed to call her? It's what he's probably always called her, and it's not like he really matured past that or anything. In case you guys have forgotten Elan is severely brain-damaged, he's probably not capable of the kind of maturity you think he has achieved over the last few hundred strips. It just looked that way.

[Gift Jeraff]

Well, I guess there goes my idea that Thog is Elan and Nale's half-brother. :smallfrown:

But all in all, probably one of my favorite strips of this arc (as in book 5) thus far.

And I guess Tarquin intends for the Empire to be a permanent power in the west? Given that he tried to kill Nale for attempted usurpation, when he could have just let him be their "client" for a year or so and just let him die. Obviously, control over Girard's Gate probably comes into play.


When exactly has Elan not been forthright? I believe being straight forward and honest is exactly what gets Elan into 85% of his problems. The other 15% being his tenuous grasp of reality. Or maybe that's backwards.
I think it's 100% both. :smallamused:

But yeah, Elan may be about as Chaotic as Durkon is Lawful, but he's the second most honest member of the Order. (And now that I think about it, Belkar is probably #4 in terms of honesty and realizing that was his true character development: He showed off his Evil acts expecting to be rewarded and was confused as to why society kept trying to punish him. Of course, he still fails to comprehend why they try, but he knows how to avoid it. :smalltongue:)

[Arrowstorm122]

dundunDUUUN!!!
oh well, Elans Dad KNOWS Elan doesnt know his evil i guess. i wonder how he is going to react when he finds out Elans dumb. and the foreshadowing, hmm... :smallconfused:

[RMS Oceanic]

Interesting development here. Unlike many, I actually like Elan's regression, the idea of him heading back towards childhood due to unstable growth and the sudden presentation of a parent is a good one, and shown well.

Ooh, I like this theory. As vaguely hinted in a gag inside Elan's imagination three hundred and fifty strips ago (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0388.html), I think Elan always wanted a father figure, and now he's got one in the form of his actual father. He's ignoring the warning signs because he's currently getting emotional satisfaction out of what's going on.

[Asthix]

It's a reference to the old saying that "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree", meaning that children turn out to be more like their parents than not.
That's why Tarquin can't figure out his son is 'Special'! thank you.

I think Elan's dad does not know how child-like Elan really is, and thinks he is trying to make up for lost time. :smallwink:
It works on so many levels!

[Calmness]

Man that was an awesome strip. :smallbiggrin:

[pendell]

When exactly has Elan not been forthright?

strip 599 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0599.html). Witness his contortions as he tries to fabricate a story explaining away Kubota's absence.

Elan is not a paladin. He will lie and kill if absolutely necessary, but he avoids it if he can. And at least in terms of lying, he's bad at it. You'd think that as a bard he'd know how to make a more convincing story than that.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Elf Ranger]

Maybe Tarquin is lying, and Nale was right. I don't think Tarquin though elan would be talking with Nale, so he made something up to make Nale like him.

[Arrowstorm122]

Did The Giant just imply that he kills his wifes because they are pregnant or am I just evil thinking?

could be... but guess he would kill them anyway, he wants different kinds of women :smallwink:

[AMJ]

It's a reference to the old saying that "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree", meaning that children turn out to be more like their parents than not.

Thanks. I didn't get it either. I actually tried to scroll further down to see if there was indeed a page two involving trees.... (sometimes I do not impress myself:smallbiggrin:

[Arrowstorm122]

It's a reference to the old saying that "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree", meaning that children turn out to be more like their parents than not.

as my eyes skimmed the side and saw the pretty evil picture of Elans Dad, i figured that out :smallwink:

[Faldrath]

Maybe Tarquin is lying, and Nale was right. I don't think Tarquin though elan would be talking with Nale, so he made something up to make Nale like him.

Tarquin knows Elan knows Nale, as per #724 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0724.html).

[pasko77]

*Official request for an explanation of the title.


It is a proverb, apples fall near the tree, meaning that father and son cannot be too different.

[kojar]

Correct me if i am wrong:
Tarquin said that he went to the court to have the right to visit them but Nales story was that he sued her for divorce. she fought him all the time and then they decided to each keep a child.

Anyway, about the plotline: Elan might of got that his dad is Evil and when he returns to Haley
then...
:elan: Haley, Haley!!! my dad really IS evil you were right all along.


or something like that.

[Grommen]

Elan frowned in that one box. He knows. He is just trying to deny reality because he wants his dad to be good guy.

Elan is dumb as moose poop but he eventually gets it. He might have to be cubed over the head to get their but he will figure it out.

[MrRigger]

kojar, I don't think the panel where Tarquin is suing for Divorce due to Alignment Differences was actually part of Nale's story. It was just a cutaway panel, just like the panel where Baby Nale was smacking Baby Elan in the head repeatedly.

MrRigger

[Yendor]

kojar, I don't think the panel where Tarquin is suing for Divorce due to Alignment Differences was actually part of Nale's story. It was just a cutaway panel, just like the panel where Baby Nale was smacking Baby Elan in the head repeatedly.

This. It's quite clear that Nale doesn't know. And if he had said that, Elan would know that part of the story already.

[silvadel]

I would have had ONE of the three balloons pop during the mother tirade scene.

T is definitely giving Elan way too much credit...

---

Oh and knowing the existence of the letter, is there any way Elan could get it magically?

[dsavereide]

Lawful doesn't mean truthful. I don't belive Tarquin at all.

I can't wait to find out how he intends to use Elan.

P.S. I think that "mommy" was him speaking as the child that resented his father absence. And "it itched" - classic.

[The Pilgrim]

So, Tarquin sistematically murders his wifes when they get pregnant in order to avoid having any more children?

[Cerlis]

IMO being suprised at elan acting like a child seems to imply a lack of paying attention to how elan acts throught the whole story.

Bed time story, Thog and Elan's adventures. When he acts like an adult is when its suprising

[Jaffo]

Interesting ... so Elan DOESN'T know their parents split over alignment differences.

I LOVE the phrase "split over alignment differences." Pity this isn't accepted as grounds for divorce in Texas. "I'm sorry, your honor, it turns out my wife was Chaotic Evil, only PRETENDING to be Neutral Good until she got the ring..."

Looks like Tarquin may be setting his son up to destroy this kingdom, in suitable heroic fashion. No simplistic solutions on the horizon, Rich is going to make us work for it.

[Acero]

Have to admit, Tarquin had me going there for a bit. Caught on once he 'wrote Elan a letter' though. Had me convinced for a moment.

[Dr.Epic]

The fate of the nation is in Elan's hands?:smalleek:

[Belsirk]

The fate of the nation is in Elan's hands?:smalleek:

Maybe... Daddy want Elan to kill Nale ? a twisted plot where the "evil" foe of the Empress return to kill her .... Just the big idea for any twins... too bad the joke was used before...

EDIT: Great comic, and finally no doubt: The red and black mean : Evil (And drop girls by the windows too)

[Hardcore]

Now I understand the title of the previous strip ( I had suspected that name was about Rich being late...).

[Damon_Caskey]

Tarquin must have one crazy Charisma score. Good thing he's (presumably) a sword and board fighter and not a Sorcerer.

Otherwise he'd probably make a certain lich his bitch inside of two rounds.

DC

[tcrudisi]

For the people asking why Elan would call his mother mommy: what the heck else is he supposed to call her? It's what he's probably always called her, and it's not like he really matured past that or anything. In case you guys have forgotten Elan is severely brain-damaged, he's probably not capable of the kind of maturity you think he has achieved over the last few hundred strips. It just looked that way.

I'm not expecting maturity from Elan... well, certainly not much. But saying "mommy" is something I expect from someone who is very young. I expect to hear "mom" or even "mother" from an older child or adult. And when I say older, I mean someone who's ... I dunno, age 8+?



IMO being suprised at elan acting like a child seems to imply a lack of paying attention to how elan acts throught the whole story.

Bed time story, Thog and Elan's adventures. When he acts like an adult is when its suprising

I don't think anyone here expects Elan to act like anything other than a child most of the time. What we expect is Elan to act like an older child... not a 5 year old, but maybe a 10 year old. That, to me, is the difference.

(Okay, I made those ages up, but I think it still gets my point across.)

[silvadel]

T reminds me of one of those players who get all good rolls when making a character.

[Zea mays]

Good comic this. Loved the title too.



Did The Giant just imply that he kills his wifes because they are pregnant or am I just evil thinking?
Does the D&D setting allow for any kind of birth-control measures?
(Allright, that might be an awkward subject to crop up in a fantasy role-playing game, but surely, a Cleric that can bring a decayed corpse back to healthy life can manage a "don't get pregnant" talisman or something of that sort :smallconfused: )

[Vectner]

Elan looked actually mad there for a second!

[MonkeyBusiness]

I hope our Elan apple is not about to be the recipient of an attack of opportunity from the Tarquin tree. :smallmad:

:durkon: 'tis alright, lass, ah've prepared for this. Just wait ... one Mississppi, two Mississippi ...


Thanks, Durkon! :smallamused:

[Maryring]

Yeah. I don't trust T for a second. That explanation is much too practiced. Much too cliche. A perfect story for an evil father who wants to use his kid to his own advantage.

[Azukar]

Foreshowing, woo! Ominousnessness, double-woo!

Cannot wait to see what T's grand design is.

[Cerlis]

I'm not expecting maturity from Elan... well, certainly not much. But saying "mommy" is something I expect from someone who is very young. I expect to hear "mom" or even "mother" from an older child or adult. And when I say older, I mean someone who's ... I dunno, age 8+?




I don't think anyone here expects Elan to act like anything other than a child most of the time. What we expect is Elan to act like an older child... not a 5 year old, but maybe a 10 year old. That, to me, is the difference.

(Okay, I made those ages up, but I think it still gets my point across.)

Well i've met plenty of 10 year olds who act like 4 year olds, 2 year olds that act like 5 year olds and 40 year olds who act like 13 year olds. Elan is elan and he acts like Elan. People are only mad at him because of Tarquin. If he was slidding down dinosaurs with Thogg or telling haley a great story about his mommy from when he was a child I dont think anyone would even notice.


strip 599 . Witness his contortions as he tries to fabricate a story explaining away Kubota's absence.

Elan is not a paladin. He will lie and kill if absolutely necessary, but he avoids it if he can. And at least in terms of lying, he's bad at it. You'd think that as a bard he'd know how to make a more convincing story than that.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

True you prove Elan as lied before. But lying does not make one a Liar.

it makes more sense that the horribly evil, if extremely civil, Evil Overlord is lying to get a Son who has talent but wont betray him on his side, than...well anything else. Really I think the idea of believing Elan's mom lied with the only souce being Tarquin...is grasping at straws.

[The MunchKING]

/edit I also agree with the Kobold-Bard. Elan saying "Mommy" was just a bit too far.

He's said it almost every time he talks about her...

[JonestheSpy]

Does the D&D setting allow for any kind of birth-control measures?
(Allright, that might be an awkward subject to crop up in a fantasy role-playing game, but surely, a Cleric that can bring a decayed corpse back to healthy life can manage a "don't get pregnant" talisman or something of that sort :smallconfused: )

Let's put it this way: Haley ain't pregnant. Neither is a certain sylph.

[zyborg]

Let's put it this way: Haley ain't pregnant. Neither is a certain sylph.

How do you know?

(Plot twist? :P)

[Crisis21]

Let's put it this way: Haley ain't pregnant. Neither is a certain sylph.

Roy himself is the product of a contraceptive charm (or protection spell) failing, as stated in On the Origin of PCs page 33 panel 5.

So, yes, there are clearly magical ways of preventing pregnancy, and it is also clear that they are not perfect.

[Blaznak]

Hee hee :)

[slayerx]

I don't think Tarquin's lying, but i do think that he's leaving out details. For instance he probably does know why Elan's mother wanted to divorce and keep traquin away; that whole being Evil thing... If i had to guess Elan's mother might have like Tarquin for being a bad boy when she was younger, but when she was about to have kids material instincts kicked and realized that Tarquin would be a bad father for her kids... and in hindsight she was probably right considering how Nale turned out vs how Elan turned out.

[The MunchKING]

Does the D&D setting allow for any kind of birth-control measures?

Both S/W and Cleric spells, IIRC.

But as Roy's Dad pointed out, they have a small but significant chance of failure.

[Zea mays]

Both S/W and Cleric spells, IIRC.

But as Roy's Dad pointed out, they have a small but significant chance of failure.

OK. Thanks for answering my question guys. It means Tarquin has reasonable options.
He doesn't need to resort to murdering his wives because they get pregnant.

He has them killed for other reasons.

[Math_Mage]

I thought the title signified Tarquin's similarity to Nale, not Elan. Nale is Tarquin's apple, after all. And the reference point in the title is the apple, not the tree--reversing the traditional statement. This strip also mirrors Nale's internal monologue in strip 46 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0046.html).

[EMichael]

When Tarquin says "for later" in the second to last panel, do the words seem a little blurred?

What tone of voice is that supposed to represent?

[MarkusWolfe]

Well played, Monsieur Tarquin.


Lawful doesn't mean truthful. I don't believe Tarquin at all.

Lawful Evil is bending the truth slightly, usually through the manipulating of words.....I suspect both him and Elan's mother wanted a divorce. She asked HIM because as Lawful Evil, he'd be the one who would know how to manage the courts.

[Gd8908]

The moustache thing was funnier than the punchline. Nice comic. It also revealed that Elan doesn't know that his parents split up over alignment differences, which, come to think about it, I'm surprised I didn't think of that earlier, as it would explain the fact he doesn't know, or won't accept that his dad is evil. . And a healthy dose of foreshadowing. Mmm.... :smallamused:

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

My interpretation: Tarquin pitched his scheme to his first wife one day intending to bring the whole family along, but she wouldn't hear of it and didn't want to let him involve the kids either. In the end, each probably thought it was the other who threw the relationship away.

If he is being deliberately dishonest, he's very good at it. Better than Haley, anyway. He actually emotes in accordance with the message he wants to convey.

[Capt Spanner]

Didn't like him calling her Mommy though, the child-like naivety is endearing/funny. That was just a bit weird for a grown man.

Eh. I know plenty of grown men who still refer to "Mummy". Yes, they're British, yes they play croquet for fun.

[Dr.Epic]

Maybe... Daddy want Elan to kill Nale ? a twisted plot where the "evil" foe of the Empress return to kill her .... Just the big idea for any twins... too bad the joke was used before...

Based on past experiences, do you think Elan can actually do such a task? Although, who knows. Maybe he'll give into the laws of drama and slay his brother in a climactic manner.

[Nilan8888]

Lawful doesn't mean truthful. I don't believe Tarquin at all.

Yeah, but there's no reason to presume he's lying at this point. From everything we've seen, Elan's Mom could have had some very GOOD reasons for insisting Tarquin leave and never see their sons again, and then lie to Elan about it.

I don't see why Tarquin wouldn't have sued for joint custody: why not? That doesn't make him 'good' in the alignment sense.

Something tells me a prequel book is in the works where we will find out the answer to all these questions. It's likely a situation where Elan's Mom finds out that Tarquin is a cold blooded and selfish murderer.



I don't think Tarquin's lying, but i do think that he's leaving out details.

This is it exactly. Elan's Mom lying is more like Obi-Wan lying.

Hey, maybe Obi-Wan prevented you from seeing your kid so that's not fair, but at the end of the day... you're still Darth Vader, man.



I actually think it works out much better if Tarquin didn't want a divorce at all. If he actually had feelings towards his family and everything. It's just that outside his circle of friends, he's a stone-cold evil monster. It might be that he does these grand schemes in the south continent as compensation for losing what he had, even though if he still had it, he'd be no less the evil SOB.

He's like Mark Zuckerberg... in D&D... with better people skills, secretly unable to forget the family he used to have. Almost makes you feel bad until you realize that's exactly how he deserves to live, at a bare minimum punishment.

[Baidas Kebante]

Tarquin is telling the truth, but he's doing it from his perspective. The only objective facts (assuming it's true) is that she asked him to leave and she fought against visitation rights until he gave up. It could very well be that from his perspective, he doesn't understand why she would do such things, particularly if he truly believes his way is the "right" way of doing things.

As an example, Elan seduced the daughter of the bandit king because it was dramatically the "right" thing to do, so he didn't understand why others would be so insulted at it. It could be that after seeing just how lawfully evil Tarquin was, she wanted him out of her life - even though he probably believes that being Lawful Evil is the best way to rule the world.

[Ellen]

Oh, my. That ominous foreshadowing was . . . ominious, wasn't it?

I'm betting Elan's father is only telling half the truth, maybe leaving out things like, "Your mother asked me to leave -AFTER I killed all the other children in my sons' daycare because they had trouble sharing the toys," and "I sent you a letter explaining this when you were fifteen. It was properly shielded from all the explosives in the box addressed to your mother, too, so I thought for sure you'd find it after she was blown to bits. Pity she threw it in the fountain, first. I forgot to use waterproof ink."

[Nightfall]

Trying to turn Elan against his mum? That's low.

Didn't like him calling her Mommy though, the child-like naivety is endearing/funny. That was just a bit weird for a grown man.

Well.....depends on how he said it. My grown son still calls me "Mommy" (especially when he wants something really bad), but it's endearing, not weird. You'd have to be a Mom to understand, I guess.

[Marnath]

I'm not expecting maturity from Elan... well, certainly not much. But saying "mommy" is something I expect from someone who is very young. I expect to hear "mom" or even "mother" from an older child or adult. And when I say older, I mean someone who's ... I dunno, age 8+?


This is the same guy who calls people "meaney mean-head", and yet "mommy" is the one you have trouble accepting? Really? O.o

[Xykeb Zraliv]

This is hardly the first time Elan has used the term "Mommy". He's called her that for pretty much the (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0050.html) whole (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0141.html) comic (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0333.html).

[Messenger]

Ulterior motive sense- tingling!


Yeah, but there's no reason to presume he's lying at this point. From everything we've seen, Elan's Mom could have had some very GOOD reasons for insisting Tarquin leave and never see their sons again, and then lie to Elan about it.Tarquin has a reason: to further cement Elan's trust in him, especially given his knowledge of Girard, that he knows his son is looking for him, and that he has his own plots. Prior to this "revelation", all Elan knew is that Tarquin left him and his mom behind. No matter how you cut it, that will always feel like some sort of betrayal for a child.

I believe Elan's mom's story more, but I admit your reasoning remains sound. I think it's 50/50 between the two possibilities: Elan's mom lied (for good reason), or Tarquin's lying (for his own Evil reasons).

Being Lawful Evil means being capable of benefiting yourself by both truths and lies.


I don't see why Tarquin wouldn't have sued for joint custody: why not? That doesn't make him 'good' in the alignment sense.Especially if he can use his kids to further his schemes.


Something tells me a prequel book is in the works where we will find out the answer to all these questions. It's likely a situation where Elan's Mom finds out that Tarquin is a cold blooded and selfish murderer.

This is it exactly. Elan's Mom lying is more like Obi-Wan lying.

Hey, maybe Obi-Wan prevented you from seeing your kid so that's not fair, but at the end of the day... you're still Darth Vader, man.I agree with this. On the possibility that Elan's mom lied, she most likely (if not obviously, given her husband at the time) had a very good reason.

Truth and disclosure is better than letting someone live a lie, but you have to be careful when and how you reveal it. The wrong time and/or the wrong way and you end up breaking someone's heart. Elan is certainly the sensitive type, and his mom was probably trying to prevent him from getting hurt. If it was a lie, even the cover story of them getting divorced and Tarquin leaving them behind is hard enough to deal with.

I'm still going to believe Nale's version more, that Tarquin sued and left Elan's half of the family behind. IMHO, Nale had more reason to tell the truth (he didn't have to contend with any feelings of rejection and resentment as a long-lost twin brother) than Tarquin has to do the same (he has to overcome any feelings of distrust and resentment from Elan). Also, as the story progresses, no matter how cool and affably evil (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AffablyEvil) he is, he's still Evil and he's looking out for Numero Uno.

[silvadel]

Actually, what did Nale have to gain by mending any fences between Elan and Tarq? I mean Nale had just betrayed his father a very short time before he encountered Elan.

The last thing Nale wants is Elan seeking out their father and bringing Tarq down on Nale.

Plus who is to say that Nale got the truth? Tarq doesnt seem like one who would admit that his wife sued for divorce and really wanted Nale also. I mean T didnt want N seeking out mommy either.

---

At any rate while T's story may be not entirely true, Nale's could be WAY out there.

[mindsword]

okay, after reading this I have one thing to say:

The destiny of the nation is in Elan's hands. They are all doomed.

[MarkusWolfe]

okay, after reading this I have one thing to say:

The destiny of the nation is in Elan's hands. They are all doomed.


DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!

[Coidzor]

Did The Giant just imply that he kills his wifes because they are pregnant or am I just evil thinking?

Most roundabout route of infanticide due to his crippling fear of how bad of a father he is, evar?

[Agi Hammerthief]

Did The Giant just imply that he kills his wifes because they are pregnant or am I just evil thinking?
maybe he starts earlier and kills them when they say they want a child



Elan totally doesn't get that he was doing kid's activities
and T doesn't get that Elan isn't just pretending being child like.

[factotum]

Lawful Evil is bending the truth slightly, usually through the manipulating of words.....I suspect both him and Elan's mother wanted a divorce. She asked HIM because as Lawful Evil, he'd be the one who would know how to manage the courts.

There's nothing in the Lawful Evil alignment that would prevent a character with it lying. LE characters follow a personal code, but that code does not have to include "be truthful", and it especially does not have to include "be truthful even if lying would be to my benefit at this moment.". I think Tarquin wants Elan to stay around--Nale is lost to him, and he wants to have a son around again; he will do whatever it takes to achieve that end, even lying to Elan about the reasons for splitting up with his mother.

[kojar]

kojar, I don't think the panel where Tarquin is suing for Divorce due to Alignment Differences was actually part of Nale's story. It was just a cutaway panel, just like the panel where Baby Nale was smacking Baby Elan in the head repeatedly.

MrRigger

Thought as much. I heard someone else say it was Nale`s story.
and I was asking to correct me if I was wrong about what happened in there and what you said

[bue52]

I don't get what's the big deal about Elan calling his mother mummy. I still do that even for my age. Granted I don't do that in a very public setting,, such as introducing my mother to anyone, but when I'm conversing with her, or anyone else in my family, 'mummy' is still the term I use. Elan was with his father, in a one-on-one conversation, I don't see how Elan, who probably considers his father part of the family, would see any need to use formal terms with his father with regards to his mother. So I'd say its more of Elan having an immediate sense of closeness with his father rather than him being immature.

[TheBlackShadow]

Regardless whether (and if so, to what extent) Tarquin is lying to Elan in this strip, what could his evil plans for him be?

Maybe he intends to manipulate Elan into killing the Empress of Blood, putting Elan on the throne instead, thus gaining a likeable, charismatic monarch who will also always listen to what his more... practical ministers like Tarquin and Malack have to say, and who is extremely unlikely to rebel against them.

[derfenrirwolv]

So tarquin's going to break out the body swap machine?

[snikrept]

So... why have all of Tarquin's other wives perished, but Elan's mother survived? Tarquin was only a sorta-kinda-evil guy back then or what?

[Sijo]

Hmm. This has been the first strip in a while that I felt motivated to comment on... I was starting to fear that I had lost interest in OOTS (or worse, that it had declined in quality.)

Anyway, I'm not sure if I trust Elan's dad's claims that it was his wife's fault that they separated. If he truly is evil, he might just be saying that to manipulate Elan (he's obviously setting him up for something, but it might be something else... probably a "will you let your friends die?" situation at the Arena.) Of course this being OOTS his story might actually be true. Still, I expect Elan and him to have a showdown at some point (of words or swords... both if possible. :smallsmile:)

[MarkusWolfe]

So... why have all of Tarquin's other wives perished, but Elan's mother survived? Tarquin was only a sorta-kinda-evil guy back then or what?

Perhaps he actually married her for love, and all the following wives were just status symbols/a means to forget the painful memories of his lost love?

[the_tick_rules]

Elan holds the fate of a nation? They're already doomed.

[Burner28]

Perhaps he actually married her for love, and all the following wives were just status symbols/a means to forget the painful memories of his lost love?

What!??!!

No, actually on second thoughts that might be sort of possible though I kinda doubt it.

[FlawedParadigm]

It's funny. Tarquin mentioned going out of his way to prevent other pregnancies and I assumed abstinence and everyone else assumes murder. I feel so much better about myself. Then again...

I still cling to the idea that the Giant is going to such great and awesome lengths to show us TARQUIN = EVIL EVIL EVIL that I suspect we're going to find out that he's either not as bad as we're being led to believe, or the least of many other evils. It's not like Rich's writing style to be this blatant with anyone but Xykon. Most of his other characters are shades of grey and barring Xykon, most of the evil characters have either been evil for good reason (Redcloak), had a very good excuse (Sabine; she's literally made that way), or more misguided than malicious (Tsukiko). Tarquin's been built up as a complete monster with good publicity, and I'm not buying it.

[faustin]

Perhaps he actually married her for love, and all the following wives were just status symbols/a means to forget the painful memories of his lost love?


What!??!!

Actually, it´s possible. Even a ruthless conquerer like Tarquin can (in his own way) love his family, like happening in real life. When Elan´s mom couldn´t bear his husband atrocities, Tarquin agreeded divorcing her instead of killing her.

[Burner28]

I still cling to the idea that the Giant is going to such great and awesome lengths to show us TARQUIN = EVIL EVIL EVIL that I suspect we're going to find out that he's either not as bad as we're being led to believe, or the least of many other evils. It's not like Rich's writing style to be this blatant with anyone but Xykon. Most of his other characters are shades of grey and barring Xykon, most of the evil characters have either been evil for good reason (Redcloak), had a very good excuse (Sabine; she's literally made that way), or more misguided than malicious (Tsukiko). Tarquin's been built up as a complete monster with good publicity, and I'm not buying it.

No offense but in what way is Tsukiko and Sabine shades of grey? they are clearly evil people, it just that there is more to them than just being evil people. Villains can love someone. Villains can be loyal friends to certain people. They can be optimistic,nice (nice does not mean good) people. Villains can have standards. Heck they might even be able to believe that what they are doing is the right thing whilst being completely and utterly wrong (Tsukiko). Some of these traits alone will not turn villains like Tsukiko into AntiVillains, just not as Evil as Xykon

In the same breath, heroes may be cynical. They may not be nice people. They may be loners who has no friends. They may even hate someone who was particularly nasty to them in the past. these traits alone won't turn heroes into antiheroes, just not pure good guys.

On a different topic... so why would Tarquin want the destiny of the country to be in Elan's hands:smallconfused:I mean, he is an idiot

[Tobimaro]

Ominous foreshadowing is ominous. :smallwink:


The fate of the nation is in Elan's hands?:smalleek:

I suspect that Tarquin may be plotting against the Queen (who I feel is a bigger idiot than Elan), so that T wants Elan at his side to set up his successor to the throne.

[Kish]

On a different topic... so why would Tarquin want the destiny of the country to be in Elan's hands:smallconfused:I mean, he is an idiot
Aside from the fact that Tarquin thinks Elan's interest in childish things is a put-on, as he expressed in the latest strip?

Telling Tarquin that his currently-favorite son is an idiot sounds like an excellent way to commit suicide, if one wanted one's death to be particularly excruciating.

[Burner28]

Aside from the fact that Tarquin thinks Elan's interest in childish things is a put-on, as he expressed in the latest strip?

Telling Tarquin that his currently-favorite son is an idiot sounds like an excellent way to commit suicide, if one wanted one's death to be particularly excruciating.

O yeah, good point.:smallredface: Of course, he doesn't realise how intelligent Elan really is

[Prospekt]

Ominous foreshadowing is ominous. :smallwink:



I suspect that Tarquin may be plotting against the Queen (who I feel is a bigger idiot than Elan), so that T wants Elan at his side to set up his successor to the throne.

I actually agree with this. And yes,
considering that Elan actually knows how to obtain arcane spells (through multiclassing), I think that actually makes him a smidgen smarter. Granted, he'd need another belt (maybe more powerful than his current one), but of intelligence.

[halaryel]

Nice comic. Tarquin's intentions remains a mystery, I see. A bit more mysterious mystery, at that. :smallcool:

i'm pretty much sure as a lawfull character tarquin doesn't act toward the destruction of the world. thus be him evil or good (we know he is evil), he will protect this door.

Lawfull evil mentaly is to get to their goal by ANY mean, which include murder, or even build a massive dreadfull empire.

Therefore i do think that a door belong to tarquin;

One fact remain, door can not be opened or controlled by EVIL people; maybe tarquin does want to acquire some power from it(the snarl) through his own son; maybe he plotted from the start to let his wife (good) raise a son (good) and then later use it.

is that evil enough?

[Kish]

I actually agree with this. And yes,
considering that Elan actually knows how to obtain arcane spells (through multiclassing), I think that actually makes him a smidgen smarter.
Actually, the parallel is very impressive now that you point it out by arguing against it. :smalltongue: Elan thought he'd get wizard spells if he simply multiclassed to wizard; he was as wrong as the Empress is to think she can do so by stuffing herself. (And yes, Rich did mention on the board a long time ago that Elan has an actual Intelligence penalty, so he would get no spells if he took a level of wizard and didn't adjust his equipment, which he didn't indicate planning to do.)

Edit: Dorukan's ward on his gate prevented someone who wasn't pure of heart from accessing it. This has nothing to do with any gate except Dorukan's; Dorukan is the only one whose chosen method to protect his gate was "the most powerful arcane wards."

[faustin]

And yes, Rich did mention on the board a long time ago that Elan has an actual Intelligence penalty


Well, at least we can say in Elan´s favor he takes "Ignorance " as class souce power.:smallbiggrin:

[Holy_Knight]

I'm posting for the first time in months just to say how awesome this strip was. Loved the ominous foreshadowing! :smallsmile:

[Ted The Bug]

you know, I really wanted Tarquin to be good.:smallfrown:

Well he isn't. He's bad. Badass. :smallamused:

[JoeSkull]

Well he isn't. He's bad. Badass. :smallamused:

which is why i wanted him to be on the good side, if not in the good alignment

[Conuly]

I don't understand why calling his mother "Mommy" is suddenly so wrong.

I call my own mother and deceased father "Mommy" and "Daddy" and I've never considered calling them anything else. Why would I? Switching terms just for the heck of it doesn't make any sense to me.


So... why have all of Tarquin's other wives perished, but Elan's mother survived? Tarquin was only a sorta-kinda-evil guy back then or what?

Maybe they were murdered by other people. A powerful guy like that has to have some enemies, right?

[The MunchKING]

It's funny. Tarquin mentioned going out of his way to prevent other pregnancies and I assumed abstinence and everyone else assumes murder. I feel so much better about myself. Then again...

Well concidering he's clearly boinking Diplomat lady, abstinace is obviously incorrect. Birth control of varying natures isn't out of the question though.

[thepsyker]

Maybe they were murdered by other people. A powerful guy like that has to have some enemies, right?Exactly. I've been wondering why everyone seems to assume he has murdered all of his wives since Elan's mommy. He just said that the last one died of "mysterious circumstances" that doesn't mean that all of his wives died that way or even that all of his wives are dead. Heck he might not even have been the one that "mysterious circumstanced" the last wife she might have just been caught in the crossfire from someone else trying to "mysterious circumstance" him. After all he is one of the lead figures of an Evil Empire, if he wanted her dead why would he have to "Mysterious Circumstance" her as opposed to just "Henry the Eighthing" her?

[Ranylyn]

My parents split when I was 14 and I've known them both long enough to know the telltale signs of when they're lying. Mom's story is how I remember it, but dad's story is stupidly varying. Yet, despite it conflicting with everything I know to be the truth of what happened, he doesn't seem like he's lying. I firmly believe it's possible to be so upset by an event that ypu convince yourself it happened differently so it's the world's fault, and not yours.

Tarquin could very well be in the same boat. My father tried to turn me against my mom too, but he did so believing that he was right and that mom was wrong. So who knows.

[MarkusWolfe]

Elan holds the fate of a nation? They're already doomed.

]DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!

[Pyron]

Elan holds the fate of a nation? They're already doomed.

Only if it's Amun-Zora's country. Actually, her country is doomed with or without Elan.

[MarkusWolfe]

Only if it's Amun-Zora's country. Actually, her country is doomed with or without Elan.

{scrubbed}


Alright, I better stop now before this gets REALLY annoying.

[MarkusWolfe]

Actually, it´s possible. Even a ruthless conqueror like Tarquin can (in his own way) love his family, like happening in real life. When Elan´s mom couldn't bear his husband atrocities, Tarquin agreed divorcing her instead of killing her.

Well of course evil things can fall in love. Would there be so many evil things around if they didn't? :biggrin:

We've already seen Nale and Sabine. However twisted their love is, it is still genuine.

Furthermore, we have to consider that Tarquin is Lawful Evil.

Of the 3 Evil alignments, Lawful Evil is the most likely to feel familial love. It's very likely that a LE character wants their family to have the best in the world. A LE father blackmails the principle to give his child good marks at school, while keeping his kid's nose to the grindstone to make sure he earns those marks. Every tyrant wants their offspring to do well.

Tarquin may never have done anything horrible before he met Elan's mother. He may have conducted a few dastardly schemes to win over the fair lady, but nothing truly evil. But the birth of twin sons must have inspired him. Now he had 2 heirs! 2 mouths to feed! 2 young boys looking up to him! And he would not let them down, no! He would make them princes, himself a king, his wife a queen.....but Elan's mother could never stand for such tyranny. Hence, the divorce.

Damn, I just made Tarquin sound like a tragic hero, didn't I?

[Boogastreehouse]

Alright, I better stop now before this gets REALLY annoying.

...Too late.

[PopcornMage]

So how much does Continual Light (Dimmable) cost?

Also, perhaps Tarquin made the mistake of swearing marriage vows that stated "til death do us part" instead of allowing for divorce? Is it his fault if they didn't plan for being raised in the event of untimely death?

[Killer Angel]

the ominous foreshadowing! :smallsmile:

That, and the dimmers.
The title of the strip is perfect: decisely, Elan's sense of drama, comes from his father. :smallsmile:

[kojar]

No offense but in what way is Tsukiko and Sabine shades of grey? they are clearly evil people, it just that there is more to them than just being evil people. Villains can love someone. Villains can be loyal friends to certain people. They can be optimistic,nice (nice does not mean good) people. Villains can have standards. Heck they might even be able to believe that what they are doing is the right thing whilst being completely and utterly wrong (Tsukiko). Some of these traits alone will not turn villains like Tsukiko into AntiVillains, just not as Evil as Xykon

In the same breath, heroes may be cynical. They may not be nice people. They may be loners who has no friends. They may even hate someone who was particularly nasty to them in the past. these traits alone won't turn heroes into antiheroes, just not pure good guys.

On a different topic... so why would Tarquin want the destiny of the country to be in Elan's hands:smallconfused:I mean, he is an idiot

You should not of removed the spoiler tags.

[Arancaytar]

How about an epic swordfight between them that ends with Elan at his Dad's mercy and then Tarquin tempts him with power?
"Join me and we can rule as father and son!"

And then Haley, Roy or V knocks Tarquin out to save Elan's life.

I only just realized how much Tarquin sounds like Tarkin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Moff_Tarkin). :smallsigh:

[Nimrod's Son]

You should not of removed the spoiler tags.
Considering that a) spoiler tags are annoying as hell and b) in this case they didn't contain any spoilers anyway, why not remove them? I'd rather just scroll down and read the page than have to keep clicking on pointless little boxes first.

[Adeptus]

Giant, you are a genius and I have a raging man-crush on you. Todays strip seems all quiet and sedentary, but it's full of just the right sort of character insight and cleverness that whets my appetite for more. :smallamused:

[mjames]

Is anyone else hoping that if/when Elan and his father swordfight, that his father chops off his hand?

Then he gets a new hand fro a miester or artificer?

[TheNerdMiester]

Well of course evil things can fall in love. Would there be so many evil things around if they didn't?

Yes, but evil can be infectious. You can make someone believe that evil is really good.


Furthermore, we have to consider that Tarquin is Lawful Evil.

Of the 3 Evil alignments, Lawful Evil is the most likely to feel familial love....Every tyrant wants their offspring to do well.

Yes, but he wants them to do well in being evil. If the the child becomes evil but does what he says then he's happy, Nale didn't do what Tarquin wanted so he doesn't like Nale.


Tarquin may never have done anything horrible before he met Elan's mother. He may have conducted a few dastardly schemes to win over the fair lady, but nothing truly evil.

But after..... 'mysterious circumstances (http://http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0727.html)'? Suspicious.



But the birth of twin sons must have inspired him. Now he had 2 heirs! 2 mouths to feed! 2 young boys looking up to him!

And 2 chances to raise evil sons that will do what he says. Talk about inspiring.



And he would not let them down, no! He would make them princes, himself a king, his wife a queen.....but Elan's mother could never stand for such tyranny. Hence, the divorce.

But.....well that's true.

[Lemur Bear]

Damn it feels good to be a[n evil overlord].

Voice activated dimmers, worth every penny. I believe Tarquin's side of the divorce story. I don't know why, but it just feels genuine. I also doubt that Tarquin has any plan to usurp the empress for the empire. Heads of state get overthrown and violently assassinated, advisers and generals get passed on to the next regime if they don't make too much of a fuss. I think Tarquin is going to continuing puppetting the empress and take over the continent. Raze the land until the only thing standing is an ominously glowing gate.

[tomandtish]

Trying to turn Elan against his mum? That's low.

Didn't like him calling her Mommy though, the child-like naivety is endearing/funny. That was just a bit weird for a grown man.

Actually, based on a quick scan, he's always called her "Mommy", including here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0050.html).

Great comic. Can't wait to see what "Daddy" is planning.

[Juggling Goth]

Yes, but he wants them to do well in being evil. If the the child becomes evil but does what he says then he's happy, Nale didn't do what Tarquin wanted so he doesn't like Nale.

I dunno; he specifically said he was proud of Elan for being a protagonist, and asked if he'd thwarted any villains yet. While I think he's got plans for Elan that Elan won't like (or wouldn't if he had any sense), I also think he was sincere when they had that conversation. It kind of interests me how both Eugene and Tarquin are using their sons for their own ends, but at least Tarquin, the Evil one of the two, isn't being a huge jerk about it.

[Rotipher]

It's funny. Tarquin mentioned going out of his way to prevent other pregnancies and I assumed abstinence and everyone else assumes murder. I feel so much better about myself.

Funny, I was thinking that lots of people were assuming birth-control magic, whereas I was assuming the mundane kind. Condoms did exist in pre-industrial times, they just weren't made of rubber.

[faustin]

Is anyone else hoping that if/when Elan and his father swordfight, that his father chops off his hand?

Actually (i love this word), i was hoping since Tarquin is capable of order instaling dimmer lights ONLY for ominous foreshadowing scenes, he would have his personal orchesta ONLY for epic confrontations against his sons.

[Kish]

It's funny. Tarquin mentioned going out of his way to prevent other pregnancies and I assumed abstinence and everyone else assumes murder. I feel so much better about myself.
Considering his number of wives and his attitude toward the ambassador, I'd say one of those two assumptions is insupportable, and it's not "murder."

[maxon]

Wait, what do you mean by that?

Dammit, Rich.

[lost_my_NHL]

Awesome, Rich. Cranking one out during the weekend - I really appreciate it. And all the foreshadowy stuff.

[crumbpants]

Sorry, I'm a little new to this series so forgive me if I'm wrong. I found out about it Thursday and read all 751 in 3 days, I loved it so much. I have no idea how it has slipped by me so long but I am so glad I stumbled upon it.

That being said....
... I can not wait for the next strip. I think that Elan's regression is totally acceptable in the presence of the father he never had. (Especially since there is a fantasy of a world where Roy will be adopted and they will have puppies :D IM(very)HO it's par for the course for Elan. The Elan in my head anyway)

... and of course the father of Nale would be a totally "let's play nice" evil guy in disguise muahahahaha!

Can't wait to see Belkar stab someone in the jugular with a splintered piece of wood either. Keep up the good work! Wish there was some way I could support other than massive merch purchases :)

[DougTheHead]

Sorry, I'm a little new to this series so forgive me if I'm wrong. I found out about it Thursday and read all 751 in 3 days, I loved it so much. I have no idea how it has slipped by me so long but I am so glad I stumbled upon it.

That being said....
... I can not wait for the next strip. I think that Elan's regression is totally acceptable in the presence of the father he never had. (Especially since there is a fantasy of a world where Roy will be adopted and they will have puppies :D IM(very)HO it's par for the course for Elan. The Elan in my head anyway)

... and of course the father of Nale would be a totally "let's play nice" evil guy in disguise muahahahaha!

Can't wait to see Belkar stab someone in the jugular with a splintered piece of wood either. Keep up the good work! Wish there was some way I could support other than massive merch purchases :)

Welcome to the forum! Also, welcome to waiting days at a time for Rich to crank out a new strip! You will soon wish you didn't burn through the archive so fast.

If you want to have even more strips to read while supporting the strip, the best way to go is to buy a book. There's 2 books in the store- On the Origin of PCs and Start of Darkness- that are 100% all-new content that doesn't appear on the website- both are prequels, and add a whole new dimension to many of the characters. And Rich has started adding extra strips to the collections of comics that do appear here- I think Volume 4 is the first one to have extra strips, but I could be wrong.

[JonestheSpy]

I'm pretty sure all the collections have extra strips. I only own the prequels though, so can't verify.

[Juggling Goth]

Dungeon Crawling Fools has a whole new introductory sequence. It's awesome.

[Nimrod's Son]

I think Volume 4 is the first one to have extra strips, but I could be wrong.
Volume 4 is the first to have deleted scenes reintroduced to the main narrative. All the books have bonus strips, but they were added during the production of the book rather than the original writing process (and as such are usually joke strips that don't add anything to the plot).

[Nilan8888]

Sorry, I'm a little new to this series so forgive me if I'm wrong. I found out about it Thursday and read all 751 in 3 days, I loved it so much. I have no idea how it has slipped by me so long but I am so glad I stumbled upon it.

As someone else already said, welcome to the forum.

The unfortunate part is that, if my experience is any judge, the same visceral thrill might be over becuase now you're caught up and waiting with the rest of us. At least it was that case for me. I came in just after the start of the current book a little over a year ago and kept eyeing that last strip at the time, dreading its approach since you only need to look at the years copyrighted on the first strips to realize it took 7 years to get this far. Even if Rich was pumping these out one per day on an impossible schedule, it wouldn't match the great feeling of just diving in one comic after the next.

In a strange way I keep wishing I had never come upon this stip until it was done so I could get it all at once in a complete story. I just finished the first part of Zelazny's Amber chronicles and I've looked back and said "Thank God I wasn't waiting around for these year after year in the 1970s, the anticipation would have been unbearable".

[FlawedParadigm]

I'm not so sure the overtones with the ambassador are precisely what you're thinking. I have every ounce of belief that Tarquin is being written to misdirect us somehow or other and he's made a plethora of ambiguous statements to date. Yes, he mentioned sealing an alliance in an entertaining fashion but without getting too graphic it doesn't necessarily need to involve anything which might result in pregnancy. He could still manage technical abstinence without being totally adverse to certain...monkey-bathing activities. As someone who has reasons to avoid impregnating anyone at this point in my life, I can vouch for there being ways and means for his suggestion to be carried out.

It at least sounds more like "going out of his way" than (magical) contraception.

[PopcornMage]

I'd refrain from suggesting where he wears his Ring of Infertility +5 but well, it's not like Belkar hasn't done it.

[plasma ball]

What about the spot light that he obviously had instaled? He was lit up while everything else went dark. Don't they get a say in all this? Are they just so unimportant that they are ignored?

[crumbpants]

Ty so much for the warm welcome, and the support ideas! My birthday is next tuesday... I now know what I will be buying myself :D