Cursed, of Course: A Fantasy Comic

[IntelectPaladin]

As I anxiously await the next comic, shoreward, I also felt it's high time someone said it.
"It" being...Congratulations!
You've now got what looks like the most popular Fan Comic on the forums!
If that's wrong, someone will be sure to point it out. In either case, well done!
{Edit: Gah! My old curse of starting a new page on a multiplication of 4 is back!}

[Shoreward]

Thank you for saying, though I'm pretty sure the subforum is pretty sparse all things considered, and anything that's still up is doing well enough to mention.

Coming in today to say there's unlikely to be an update this week, as I've been embroiled in side projects and didn't give myself enough time to work on some details I need. Apologies for all the interruptions lately! I've taken on a bit of a workload of personal things and I haven't been able to tend to the buffer like I usually would.

That said, we'll be back on track next week. I don't like missing more than one before I get back to it!

[V'icternus]

Sending newbies to their death is an even better prank then jut sending them on a wild goose chase! That academy sounds like great fun. I wonder what their survival rate is?

[Shoreward]

To be fair, it was supposed to be the second one, not the first.

Update!

Page 107 - Ruined.

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[EldritchWeaver]

For some reason, the current comic doesn't show up for me. The older ones still do, even if I delete the cache.

[V'icternus]

Shows up fine for me. Have you tried a different computer, a different browser, and a different user?

[EldritchWeaver]

Shows up fine for me. Have you tried a different computer, a different browser, and a different user?

Same computer, different browser and not logged in, didn't help. Using my phone though does.

[danielxcutter]

Ooh, killed the slateshell with a log. Noice.

[ti'esar]

So now we've got glowy people with storm powers and giant monsters with stone carapaces. This kinda tickles me.

[danielxcutter]

So now we've got glowy people with storm powers and giant monsters with stone carapaces. This kinda tickles me.

Not to mention talking skeletons and fire elemental-like... y'know, I'm not sure what it was.

[Honest Tiefling]

Not to mention talking skeletons and fire elemental-like... y'know, I'm not sure what it was.

To be fair, the skeleton has been captured repeatedly, usually by his own mistake. Sorta unimpressive for your typical undead.

Fire-Guy and Stoney do imply some sort of elemental theme going on, however.

[V'icternus]

To be fair, the skeleton has been captured repeatedly, usually by his own mistake. Sorta unimpressive for your typical undead.

Fire-Guy and Stoney do imply some sort of elemental theme going on, however.

Really? I don't know about you, but most typical undead I've seen have a shelf life of maybe three rounds of combat.

[ti'esar]

It actually just made me smile because another fantasy series I like has both the things I mentioned; I don't really see the slateshell as being 'elemental' in the same way as the emberhead or Stormfallen are. It really looks like just an animal.

[Fyraltari]

Really? I don't know about you, but most typical undead I've seen have a shelf life of maybe three rounds of combat.

Right but then you have the Nazgûl and liches who reaaaaaally push the average upward.

[Honest Tiefling]

Really? I don't know about you, but most typical undead I've seen have a shelf life of maybe three rounds of combat.

Well, he's also an intelligent undead with class levels. So I think that raises the bar for him a bit.

[IntelectPaladin]

Right but then you have the Nazgûl and liches who reaaaaaally push the average upward.

No kidding. The nazgul were incredibly dangerous in both the books and films, as well as powerful.
They weren't idolized across multiple platforms for no reason.
(Say what you like, but I'll always hold the armored nazghûl scene as a favorite.)
Overall, yes, I imagine pellan can go quite far.

[Shoreward]

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Page 108 - Flashbacks

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[ti'esar]

Okay, so that is definitely the magic box and whatever is left of Queen Kyren from the story about the fall of the Kal-At, right?

[V'icternus]

Pfft, no. That would be crazy. That's probably a totally different unrelated box.

[danielxcutter]

Uhhh... not showing up for me.

Edit: Never mind... and hoo boi.

[Honest Tiefling]

Pfft, no. That would be crazy. That's probably a totally different unrelated box.

I know you're being sarcastic, but this would be fantastic. Why have one cursed box capable of calamity on a massive scale instead of just one? Everyone can get in on the fun!

Through I wonder what happened to Pellan's flesh. Did he just...Drop it in bits?

[Shoreward]

Update!

Page 109 - Leave Me Be.

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[danielxcutter]

This... explains a bit.

[ti'esar]

I'm not at all surprised by this particular characterization revelation about Cat.

[danielxcutter]

I'm not at all surprised by this particular characterization revelation about Cat.

It is nice of her to say that, though.

[Honest Tiefling]

It is nice of her to say that, though.

Oh yes, nice of her to say that she'll never abandon her trusted, skilled, loyal attendant that she extorted into service. Comparing not himself, but herself to the hero and delegating him to a side character in her story. How nice of her to completely disregard his own sorrow and feelings with simple insistance that she'll make everything better! Well, as long as he follows her.

Lord Sorebutt is looking like a better and better character.

[IntelectPaladin]

Oh yes, nice of her to say that she'll never abandon her trusted, skilled, loyal attendant that she extorted into service. Comparing not himself, but herself to the hero and delegating him to a side character in her story. How nice of her to completely disregard his own sorrow and feelings with simple insistance that she'll make everything better! Well, as long as he follows her.

First of all, I had never expected to see such cyncal dialouge outside of a newspaper.

Second of all, Kat hasn't exactly had much more frame of reference than novels written by people more experienced with books than the world.
She's not seeing it as her story, or anyone elses, right now it's about Pellan, and what's causing his distress.
Complete disregard of his pain would amount to her not mentioning or caring about it, which isn't the case here. Why not?
Because Kat isn't devious, not in the slightest. No actor could fake that sort of wake-up reaction a couple comics back, for a start.

As for insisting on making everything better?
Because they actually want things to be better for them. Pellan said it themselves, Kat didn't need them, not for the mere drudgery of a servant. Other servants could be found easily, but she wants to go back for him, and to understand him.
Why care? Because it matters.
Why make an apology for lying, or explain yourself to a mere servant? Unless they aren't one.
Overall, I sincerely doubt this explanation of yours, Tiefling, though neither of us know what will happen.

Thank you for reading that wall, and I hope a nice day happens to you.
(Looking forward to the next one, shoreward, wonderful comic.)

[ti'esar]

...your automatic go-to pinnacle of cynicism was newspapers?

[Honest Tiefling]

First of all, I had never expected to see such cyncal dialouge outside of a newspaper.

Oh, you do not know what is in store for you, my sweet summer paladin, amongst the wonders of the internet.

Second of all, Kat hasn't exactly had much more frame of reference than novels written by people more experienced with books than the world.

Being incompetent and naive should not be grounds to excuse kidnapping, else I will be pissed that I missed my window for free labor!

She's not seeing it as her story, or anyone elses, right now it's about Pellan, and what's causing his distress.
Complete disregard of his pain would amount to her not mentioning or caring about it, which isn't the case here. Why not?
Because Kat isn't devious, not in the slightest. No actor could fake that sort of wake-up reaction a couple comics back, for a start.

But is it? She mentions wanting to help Pellan not because he asked for it. Not because he wanted it. But because her narrative demands it. She does not listen, she insists that her way is the best and only way despite his repeated requests to be left alone. Mentioning another's pain does not indicate care about it, not if it is twisted to serve another. Expressing concern does not mean kindness, if that expression is ultimately selfish.

One doesn't even need to be devious to exhibit such behavior, just raised among it. Which does give us an interesting look at the ways in which a Stormfallen might have been brought up...

Admittedly, I think she's more bullheaded than malicious, but we shall see. Excellent comic as always, Shoreward!

[Shoreward]

Always interesting to see how what I put down is interpreted. I try to make sure the comic is enough for people to come to their own conclusions on things, but that doesn't mean I don't want to start talking about what I'm doing sometimes!

Update!

Page 110 - Here We Go.

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