Things You Never Noticed VII: Wait, This Isnt the MitD Thread?

[Ruck]

Wow. And so the Greg Initiative (panel 4) is also a reference to Lost, and is, at the same time, a reference to Dharma and Greg.

I always thought The Greg Initiative was a reference to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Initiative from season 4.

Dang, I was going to drop the Dharma and Greg knowledge. But yeah, I don't think it makes sense to call it the Greg Initiative if it's a Buffy reference. More likely the Riley Initiative, or the Blandy McBlanderson Initiative, or whatever.

[Dr.Zero]

Probably noticed and discussed a bazzilion of times already by other people, but I just noticed Durkula slipping on his accent (the real Durkon always uses "me" instead of "my"), maybe for the first time.
https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0931.html

[Lord Torath]

Just noticed from that same comic that "If'n" is one word, at least as far as Sending's 25-word limit is concerned.

[Fyraltari]

Probably noticed and discussed a bazzilion of times already by other people, but I just noticed Durkula slipping on his accent (the real Durkon always uses "me" instead of "my"), maybe for the first time.
https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0931.html

He confesses it to Hel a few strips later.

[Schroeswald]

Redcloak is intentionally not shown in full for 699, so that when we first see Redcloak with the eyepatch, he’s looking in the mirror, so we see

Spoiler

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Right-Eye

first.

[Ionathus]

I just noticed that in #399, Vaarsuvius asks "what, exactly, would the problem with [binding someone's soul as punishment] be?"

I'm willing to bet that, by the time Rich wrote this, he already knew the future ABD's plans for V's children.

[Vinyadan]

I just noticed that in #399, Vaarsuvius asks "what, exactly, would the problem with [binding someone's soul as punishment] be?"

I'm willing to bet that, by the time Rich wrote this, he already knew the future ABD's plans for V's children.

I never noticed that this is one step closer to killing Kubota.

[Metastachydium]

I just noticed that in #399, Vaarsuvius asks "what, exactly, would the problem with [binding someone's soul as punishment] be?"

I'm willing to bet that, by the time Rich wrote this, he already knew the future ABD's plans for V's children.

Excellent catch.
(And just so that I can pretend I'm contributing to the thread, here's a somewhat contrived one: in strip no. 1052, panel no. 5 Haley says she's not sure they aren't high enough level to face evil high priest goblins without having to run away. As of strip no. 1212, Durkon's been busy not running away from one for nine strips.)

[Wildstag]

I only just saw this, but on 468, we see that Haley has a heart-and-something tattoo on her spine that is normally covered up by her armor. It's probably visible in a couple other pages, but I noticed it on that one.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Yeah, she mentioned that in one of her cryptograms.

[ByzantiumBhuka]

I just noticed that the runes in the Council meeting have a one-to-one correspondence with letters of the English alphabet, reading "only dwarves may pass" and "follow the law", and that an entirely different set of runes (presumably Gnomish) translates to "this spell blocks the heat". The Wall of Names of Very Rich Donors also uses dwarven script; the letters aren't very clear in the online comic, but I'd wager a quatloo that somebody with the Utterly Dwarfed book, an eye for detail, and some time on their hands could find a Sigdi Thundershield on it.

[Fyraltari]

I just noticed that the runes in the Council meeting have a one-to-one correspondence with letters of the English alphabet, reading "only dwarves may pass" and "follow the law", and that an entirely different set of runes (presumably Gnomish) translates to "this spell blocks the heat". The Wall of Names of Very Rich Donors also uses dwarven script; the letters aren't very clear in the online comic, but I'd wager a quatloo that somebody with the Utterly Dwarfed book, an eye for detail, and some time on their hands could find a Sigdi Thundershield on it.

Yup. People were discussing Sidgi’s donation in the strips’ discussion threads. I think it took a while for someone to notice, though.

[Rogar Demonblud]

The blonde haired woman who's Durkon's 'aunt' is also on the wall, IMS.

[Werbaer]

Yup. People were discussing Sidgi’s donation in the strips’ discussion threads. I think it took a while for someone to notice, though.

It was discussed in the #1121 thread.

Now's probably a good time to point out that one of those names is in fact:

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Sigdi Thundershield.

The one above it is Shirra Copperbottom, which may be Sigdi's friend.

Here's the font.

[snowblizz]

A moment of insight sparked by reading back the comment thread of #1213. While reading the discussion on various entities motivations and the Eastern Pantheon and World 1.0. We generally take for granted the crayon stuff is somehow valid, maybe biased, but at least information from someone who knows. But all the crayon depictions assume now is World 2.0 and the gods actually look like they do now, which knowing this is world 2^23456789 or something makes littel sense.

So either the World 1.0 was a generic fantasy D&D world or even more of the crayon information is suspect.


Or to put it another way, I just realised the Eastern gods probably didn't look like the ancient Greek gods they are shown as in the "backstory".

[danielxcutter]

A moment of insight sparked by reading back the comment thread of #1213. While reading the discussion on various entities motivations and the Eastern Pantheon and World 1.0. We generally take for granted the crayon stuff is somehow valid, maybe biased, but at least information from someone who knows. But all the crayon depictions assume now is World 2.0 and the gods actually look like they do now, which knowing this is world 2^23456789 or something makes littel sense.

So either the World 1.0 was a generic fantasy D&D world or even more of the crayon information is suspect.


Or to put it another way, I just realised the Eastern gods probably didn't look like the ancient Greek gods they are shown as in the "backstory".

I personally believe they might have just been represented like that for convenience's sake, plus it's possible that since they've looped back to "yet another cliched fantasy world" they just went with their "default" forms.

[The Linker]

I believe part of the reason the crayon strips are in crayon is to emphasize how it's just someone's explanation. It's Shojo's story of how the Snarl came to pass; it's limited by the extent of his knowledge. Even if he did know that the gods looked different eons ago, he probably didn't know what they looked like exactly. So he drew them as he knows them.

[snowblizz]

I believe part of the reason the crayon strips are in crayon is to emphasize how it's just someone's explanation. It's Shojo's story of how the Snarl came to pass; it's limited by the extent of his knowledge. Even if he did know that the gods looked different eons ago, he probably didn't know what they looked like exactly. So he drew them as he knows them.

I remember reading that was also a deliberate idea to present a more "primitive" stage of creation.


I doubt Shojo knows more than that there was an old world and that this is a new world. If he knew he would have told us so, but it is important that we didn't know it yet, so Shojo didn't know. Had Shojo known his paladins were actively contributing to the problem not being solved, ie antagonizing TDO's followers he likely woulda stopped it. The man was an ultimate pragmatist, he could hold back info if he thought it helped but in this case eg recruiting Roy more info on how vital his task was woulda been key.

Basically I think that moratorium on info from the gods about the gates has meant they only tell as little as is needed. Especially since this seems to be the first time ther's something to be done. So IMO Shojo works on the god's standard info package contigency for rifts. Tell them a little, hold it up for as long as you can and then tear it up without people knowing so they don't angst or ruin the world.

[b_jonas]

Had Shojo known his paladins were actively contributing to the problem not being solved, ie antagonizing TDO's followers he likely woulda stopped it.

Yes, that is explored a bit in "How the paladin got his scar" in the "Good Deeds Gone Unpunished" book.

[danielxcutter]

Yes, that is explored a bit in "How the paladin got his scar" in the "Good Deeds Gone Unpunished" book.

Was that mentioned? Huh. Shame I don't have the book.

[Quebbster]

I personally believe they might have just been represented like that for convenience's sake, plus it's possible that since they've looped back to "yet another cliched fantasy world" they just went with their "default" forms.

The eastern gods have a non-crayon appearance, admittedly as an image created by Thor but since he presumably met them he probably knew what they looked like.

[danielxcutter]

The eastern gods have a non-crayon appearance, admittedly as an image created by Thor but since he presumably met them he probably knew what they looked like.

Yeah, since they never got to the next world they never had different representations like the other gods might have in non-fantasy worlds.

[snowblizz]

Was that mentioned? Huh. Shame I don't have the book.

Indirectly. But basically the Sapphire Guard we see (saw) today is quite different in outlook to the one today. And Shojo had a much less direct role in guiding it previously. Played senility not withstanding. Quite literally it's more Hinjo and O'Chulo like than Miko-like. But this is probably not the thread for thinking abot that.



Thing is, Thor is likely shoving things in a way his mortal followers can process, they understand the world as a fantasy parody which means Thor would chose to explain things in the context of fantasy parody tropes.

[Quebbster]

Yeah, since they never got to the next world they never had different representations like the other gods might have in non-fantasy worlds.

We're getting into deep theoretical waters here. At the very least, I don't think the remaining pantheons would invent new names for the Eastern gods (as the names are meaningless in the Stickworld anyway), so it's reasonable to assume they were named Zeus, Poseidon, Athena and so on regardless of their appearance.

[Metastachydium]

In strip no. 365, Nale tells Sabine that his disguise won't work forever, except maybe for the halfling. Belkar is, however, the first member of the Order to notice he's not Elan.

[Lord Torath]

In strip no. 365, Nale tells Sabine that his disguise won't work forever, except maybe for the halfling. Belkar is, however, the first member of the Order to notice he's not Elan.

Belkar actually knows his party quite well, considering he's a socio/psychopath who claims he doesn't care. He's quite good at telling when someone's faking.

[Bilbo Baggins]

At the end of 1003, Durkula is saying "even if you can keep me from casting spells, I still have vampire powers and melee fighting prowess." For some reason, previously I'd always thought he was implying that Roy is unable to fight, which doesn't really make sense.

[Metastachydium]

Elan has met the bandit leader before the events of No Cure. He was present at the tavern where Sir Francoi wanted to Gather Information in Origin.

[Kornaki]

I just noticed that here:

https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1130.html

Durkon's speech about waking up and deciding to be a good person intentionally parallels Belkar waking up.

[Ionathus]

Seeing Xykon and Redcloak side-by-side in the new art style, I realized that Xykon's stick-hands actually look longer and skinnier than others' hands! Not sure if it's intentional or just an optical effect, but this would make sense for a skeleton and is a fun little touch in the new artwork.

Also, when I went back to re-read the Council of Clans scene (because I love it dearly), I noticed Crossbow Guy (in panel 8, bottom left corner). He only shows up in the very back corners of this page and also 1162. I wonder what his story is.

We demand a spinoff series!!