OOTS #991 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

If you're noticing any "off" colors in this one, it's because I had to save it at a lower color depth than I've been using since the art upgrade, as the crayon page ballooned the file size up to 3.6 MB after using PNG optimization.

[YossarianLives]

Great comic! I like it. The art style is really growing on me.

[Uniqueorn]

Young Durkon has a neckbeard? I am shocked!

[Bubble]

I sense lies...

[lonewolf1210]

yeah, half dragon trolls are nasty.

but the REAL bane of dwarves are half dragon treants! THE TREES!

[Jurai]

Right in the feels, man. Critical hit!

More crayon is always fun, though.

[Psyren]

I get the impression Squeaky is leaving some details out. Nothing in that story indicates how she lost her arm.
I think the only true parts of that were Durkon's father causing a cave-in, and Durkon's mother trying to save him.

EDIT: I wonder what Hel considers "her due?" Every dwarven soul? A specific one? Or just having a seat at the table with the rest of the pantheon, who do have high priests?

[BenjCano]

Hmm. Previous comics have shown that Durkon's mother is missing her right arm. But panel 17 of this one shows that it's reversed; right arm present, left arm missing. Then panel 18 goes and reverses it.

[The Giant]

Hmm. Previous comics have shown that Durkon's mother is missing her right arm. But panel 17 of this one shows that it's reversed; right arm present, left arm missing. Then panel 18 goes and reverses it.

Both her arms are present in Panel 17, one is just partly behind the other dwarf.

[Agnostik]

Unless that fungus actually was a friend of the family, I think there's a typo in "deep friend".

[BenjCano]

Oh, I misunderstood. I thought Uncle Thirden was telling the story of how Durkon's father died AND how his mother lost an arm. I had assumed, even though it wasn't shown, that she'd lost an arm in the battle with the troll.

[The Giant]

Oh, I misunderstood. I thought Uncle Thirden was telling the story of how Durkon's father died AND how his mother lost an arm. I had assumed, even though it wasn't shown, that she'd lost an arm in the battle with the troll.

He is. She lost her arm due to it getting crushed by the rocks. I did not show it explicitly because that's a bit too graphic for the comic. The narration covers it when Squeaky says that "some were injured" in the cave-in.

[FallenFallcrest]

Huh. So do you think maybe that he wasn't Durkon's father? That might be a reason why the story was kept secret. I don't know.

Edit: Or perhaps the story was a total lie and Squeaky avoided the truth because it is too horrible, instead telling a story Durkon would believe and hopefully not question his mother about further. He is a Bard after all, Bards can make up stories just as well as they can speak the truth.

[AbuSpud]

yeah, half dragon trolls are nasty.

but the REAL bane of dwarves are half dragon treants! THE TREES!

Half-dragon entstreants! They're their own bane. Sort of like water elemental-sponges.

[BenjCano]

He is. She lost her arm due to it getting crushed by the rocks. I did not show it explicitly because that's a bit too graphic for the comic. The narration covers it when Squeaky says that "some were injured" in the cave-in.

Roger that, Giant. And I agree, though it does beg the question why the elite monster hunting squad of the army didn't have clerical support or healing potions or what have you.

[endiku]

Woot!

Huh. So do you think maybe that he wasn't Durkon's father? That might be a reason why the story was kept secret. I don't know.

Clearly the story isn't true - otherwise mum wouldn't mind telling it.

Thanks giant!

[Lheticus]

"Fine, I get it. Evil, evil, evil." Imma have to steal that one. ;)

[lonewolf1210]

Oh, I misunderstood. I thought Uncle Thirden was telling the story of how Durkon's father died AND how his mother lost an arm. I had assumed, even though it wasn't shown, that she'd lost an arm in the battle with the troll.

I believe she did. I assume the arm got wounded and got infected so that the arm had to be amputated

EDIT: ninja´d by the giant with a better explanation

[LuisDantas]

Young Durkon is right - there is no good reason for his mother to keep that tale away from him.

Thirden is either lying or hiding something. Perhaps his biological father isn't his mother's late husband?

I feel that the reference to "the five of us" will become significant soon. I assume he means himself, Hoskin and three others. Since Hoskin wants to marry Durkon's mother, they are is probably not related by blood to Sigdi. But then it sounds a bit unlikely that they have no direct opinion about Tenrin.

Maybe they are not related to Tenrin either, and Durkon calls them "uncles" out of consideration?

[D.One]

Great comic!

We've got to learn more about Tenrin and Sidgi Thundershield (even though I believe there's some part about it that Thirden is leaving out or doesn't know).

What I don't figure yet is what information Durkula wanted (even though he called it "idle curiosity").

But...

halfling pipeweed... (I sense a tribute to Saruman here...)
"please not about sex" / "how about that sex?"
itching mustaches

Hylarious!

[LuisDantas]

Roger that, Giant. And I agree, though it does beg the question why the elite monster hunting squad of the army didn't have clerical support or healing potions or what have you.

Wasn't it established not long ago that Durkon's home village does not have easy access to accomplished clerics? That is why Sigdi's arm was never regenerated, IIRC.

[Legato Endless]

I get the impression Squeaky is leaving some details out. Nothing in that story indicates how she lost her arm.
I think the only true parts of that were Durkon's father causing a cave-in, and Durkon's mother trying to save him.

EDIT: I wonder what Hel considers "her due?" Every dwarven soul? A specific one? Or just having a seat at the table with the rest of the pantheon, who do have high priests?

A seat seems to small an ambition considering her long humiliation. Based on her last speech, Thor crippled/subservient for all the dead that were 'rightfully' her's is at least a part of it.

[Hopeless]

How about some wild speculation?

Spoiler

Show

1) Tenrin's body was never found which was why he only has a marker meaning he may have survived,
2) They went in against a Troll that turned out to be half red dragon... that kind of misinformation is deadly so was it on purpose?
Did whoever reported this in refrain from divulging that details?
3) Why no cleric?

Durkon surely would have sought out what happened to his father and something led to him becoming a cleric.

I suspect this might cover a few episodes before we reach the Godsmoot.

Still great work making us curious enough to want to know more about it!

[Rakoa]

Should "Deep Friend Fungus" read "Deep Fried Fungus?

[Ashtagon]

Spoiler: Speculation

Show

Speculation: Durkon's father was part of the order of the crayon.

[ti'esar]

Whoa, the return of crayons. That was unexpected.

...And also casts some serious doubt on Thirden's story - not that the narrative didn't already. I don't think that he made the whole thing up, but I'm also pretty dubious that he told Durkon the whole truth.

I feel that the reference to "the five of us" will become significant soon. I assume he means himself, Hoskin and three others. Since Hoskin wants to marry Durkon's mother, they are is probably not related by blood to Sigdi. But then it sounds a bit unlikely that they have no direct opinion about Tenrin.

Maybe they are not related to Tenrin either, and Durkon calls them "uncles" out of consideration?

I'm pretty sure that refers to the group of friends we've seen visiting Sigdi in some of Durkon's other memories. They're probably all honorary aunts and uncles.

[Escapist]

Yay! More crayon drawings!


Also I love Uncle Squeeky. I wonder if he'll show up and have a part to play when they go to the dwarven lands?

[Kantaki]

A tragic backstory shouldn't be told that funny. Thats evil. Uncle Thirden is a great character. The worst part is that his reactions are normal for this situation.
I'm not sure if the flashback or the interaction between Durkon and the HPoH is funnier.

I'm pretty sure if Thirden is "hiding" something its the grimmer details of the fight. Or Durkons parents weren't married in a legal sense. Think the wedding if Pirates of the Carribean 3. Sure technical speaking its valid but its hardly a offical thing.

@ Ashtagon: Do you mean the Order of the Scribble? It seems unlikely. Kragor and Durkons father don't look very similar and I don't think the timeline would match.

[Toper]

Assorted thoughts:

Aw. I wonder how accurate this rendition is, though. I feel like crayon is frequently unreliable narration.

One of the soldiers lost his hair color in panel 2 of the crayon.

There's a whole panel spent just establishing an item that could be used to resurrect Tenrin, if the story is indeed accurate.

From his accent, Thirden is clearly not local, but he does have what I imagine is a Home Sweet Home sign.

I wonder what it says about dwarven culture that soldiers are allowed to be married to their own direct commanders.

Roger that, Giant. And I agree, though it does beg the question why the elite monster hunting squad of the army didn't have clerical support or healing potions or what have you.

No reason to suppose they didn't have potions. A lot of dwarven clerics tend to be stay-at-home types, from what we've seen, and maybe are under-represented in the army.

[Lord Raziere]

Guys. Remember.

Subtext.

why does Uncle Hoskin keep asking her to marry him, HM?

why, after all was Hoskin even there? if this was merely just a comic about Durkon's father's story, Hoskin wouldn't be here and mentioned twice, wouldn't be shown.

furthermore, Hoskin acted fatherly to Durkon in that scene, in the gruff "you keeping out of trouble?" kind of way that dwarves would probably subscribe to.

lastly, red hair is a recessive trait. its perfectly possible for Durkon to inherit his mother's hair color over Hoskins.

Hoskins is very likely to be Durkon's real father. In fact, I bet on it. calling it now: Hoskins is Durkon's real father.