Girl Genius XXXII: The scientific method at work!

[Fyraltari]

By the way, do we know what lady Selnikov wanted from the vaults? It's one of the (many) story bits that are unclear to me.
(Of course, the Doylist reason is probably "To put the entire Corbettite story in motion", but did we get a Watsonian explanation yet?)

I think she thought Prende's Lantern was there.

[Shining Wrath]

I think she thought Prende's Lantern was there.

Concur. It think the Lady was after Prende's Lantern, for reasons of her own (probably having to do with creating a Storm King with her as a power behind the throne - guessing). Once she found The Winslow where she expected the lantern, she panicked and started opening doors randomly, which is very stupid thing to do in a dungeon full of vaults containing things known to be hazardous.

The three Dreen seem quite confident of their combat abilities, and in fact of their status in general. And confirmed (not that there was much doubt), these Dreen are the same Dreen we've seen before.

Thread title: "You're going to kill it? Heh heh. Ho ho. Hee Hee. Yes."

[MPHJack7]

Given that every time we've seen the Dreen before this volume, they were able to terrify just about anything, I don't doubt their abilities.

[Manga Shoggoth]

Thread title: "You're going to kill it? Heh heh. Ho ho. Hee Hee. Yes."

Noted. I had also added "Heh heh. Ho ho. Hee Hee. Yes." as I think it works better without the context (and I was planning to put it in anyway).

[Mechalich]

The three Dreen seem quite confident of their combat abilities, and in fact of their status in general.

Considering how dangerous Thotep 'a simple vozzler' manages to be, and how the Dreen seem to be similar high-dimensional entities only with a decidedly more 'combat-ready' setup, this seems reasonable.

[Kantaki]

New comic

Ah, yes. They are adventurers.

[Shining Wrath]

UNCOUTH MURDER HOBOES as a thread title.


Tarvek's pajamas indicates he's the Prince - the boy l'Roi, French for "the king". I wonder who gets to see them?

And now we learn that Dreen are professional monster hunters who don't care much about collateral damage. I wonder what level and class they are?

[Kardwill]

New comic

Ah, yes. They are adventurers.

Well, that tracks with their habit of going wherever they please, and ignoring the "NPCs" until they have a quest-related demand.

[Fyraltari]

l'Roi, French for "the king".

French for "th'king" rather.

[Manga Shoggoth]

UNCOUTH MURDER HOBOES as a thread title.

Duly noted.

In other news, we are at just under 60 titles - the Foglios have been particularly inspiring. I've had to extend the spreadsheet twice this round...

[PraetorDragoon]

UNCOUTH MURDER HOBOES as a thread title.

We have an impressive amount of good titles so far.

And no wonder Kjarl is dejected. He has to rely on uncouth murder hoboes to return to his own place. Years of DnD experience say it won't be that easy.

[Shining Wrath]

We have an impressive amount of good titles so far.

And no wonder Kjarl is dejected. He has to rely on uncouth murder hoboes to return to his own place. Years of DnD experience say it won't be that easy.

DM to U.M.H: "Your next quest is to escort an NPC named Kjarl to his home in the temporal wilds". U.M.H.: "What do we get if we kill Kjarl and loot him?"

My DMing solution to U.M.H. was that everyone always has someone who cares about them. Even LE barons care about their peasants as a source of tax revenue and fireball fodder. And you never know when a barmaid or merchant has a great-uncle who is a retired 20th level paladin who has been feeling the itch to get the band back together one last time before age makes it impossible.

[Radar]

DM to U.M.H: "Your next quest is to escort an NPC named Kjarl to his home in the temporal wilds". U.M.H.: "What do we get if we kill Kjarl and loot him?"

My DMing solution to U.M.H. was that everyone always has someone who cares about them. Even LE barons care about their peasants as a source of tax revenue and fireball fodder. And you never know when a barmaid or merchant has a great-uncle who is a retired 20th level paladin who has been feeling the itch to get the band back together one last time before age makes it impossible.

That is indeed a good method: actions have consequences. And that random guy riding a late bus? He might be the Nobody humming an old Sammy Davis Jr song:

Whether I'm right or whether I'm wrong
Whether I find a place in this world or never belong
I gotta be me, I've gotta be me
What else can I be but what I am

[St Fan]

I was wondering if the woman seen from the back in panel 2 was Seffie... until I realized this was Tarvek. Guy has long hair in the back...

And does Gil's underwear really to have "MAD" printed all over? We know he's a madboy already...

[Radar]

I was wondering if the woman seen from the back in panel 2 was Seffie... until I realized this was Tarvek. Guy has long hair in the back...

And does Gil's underwear really to have "MAD" printed all over? We know he's a madboy already...

Well... his hat had "Schmott guy" written in big letters, so why not another informative motive on other pieces of clothing?

[DaFlipp]

French for "th'king" rather.

So am I the only one whose high school french is just barely good enough to be vaguely annoyed by the fact that the rhyme only works if you ignore proper French pronunciation?

(For those who don't know, it would be pronounced more like "rwah" and not "roy").

[Shining Wrath]

So am I the only one whose high school french is just barely good enough to be vaguely annoyed by the fact that the rhyme only works if you ignore proper French pronunciation?

(For those who don't know, it would be pronounced more like "rwah" and not "roy").

The English name Leroy derives from Le Roi, but the pronunciation has changed.

As in LEROYYYYYYY JENKINSS!!!!!!

EDIT:

Due to site rules, I need to edit my last post rather than make a new one about today's strip.

It appears that Kjarl is very frightened of the Dreen - some of the mystique is back. And a "Vozzler" may be some sort of temporal bard / skald / reporter.

"Fine. We will do it the stupid boring way." nominated as a thread title, and depending on how this plays out, it may or may not be funny. Or tragic.

[lord_khaine]

This one was funny xD

[Ailurus]

Krosp has a very nice new crown.

[wingnutx]

Hey, leave Zeetha's dad out of this.

[Shining Wrath]

Actually, Krosp's title is more widely recognized than Martellus'. And possibly has greater dignity; just ask any cat. Anyway, it's always a pleasure to watch Tweedle be taken down a peg.

I think Agatha intends to free Mechanicsburg before talking to Martellus, which might be prudent.

Now, is the plan to let the Dreen fight the monster first?

[Anonymouswizard]

Actually, Krosp's title is more widely recognized than Martellus'. And possibly has greater dignity; just ask any cat. Anyway, it's always a pleasure to watch Tweedle be taken down a peg.

I think Agatha intends to free Mechanicsburg before talking to Martellus, which might be prudent.

Now, is the plan to let the Dreen fight the monster first?

I presume the plan, or at least someone's plan, is to let Martellus fight the monster first.

The poor boy is in so over his head.

[BRC]

I'm now curious, in terms of Europan Nobility, where exactly DOES Agatha stand.

Her title is "The Heterodyne", nobody has ever referred to her by any other rank or office (And they don't need to. She's The Heterodyne).

But we know the 50 familes are obsessed with such things. Martellus says that had Klaus gone by "Emperor" instead of "Baron" the 50 Families would have enthusiastically followed him, but Klaus refused to play their game and maintained his title of Baron.


Martellus was a Prince, his father held the same title, and IIRC we've seen several other high-ranking nobility go by "Prince", which seems to be the ceiling for 50 families nobility until somebody tries to call themselves the new Storm King. We know that Dukes, Barons, and Counts exist in droves.


The Sturmvarious family seems to control a large town/small city in the form of Sturmhalten plus, presumably, a decent amount of the surrounding lands.

That seems roughly comparable to Mechanisburg I guess? Which I guess would put The Heterodyne at roughly the same level as a Prince? Although the Heterodynes never seemed to be much for the trappings of royalty. I don't think we've heard any Heterodynes go by any titles besides The Heterodyne.

[Shining Wrath]

I'm now curious, in terms of Europan Nobility, where exactly DOES Agatha stand.

Her title is "The Heterodyne", nobody has ever referred to her by any other rank or office (And they don't need to. She's The Heterodyne).

But we know the 50 familes are obsessed with such things. Martellus says that had Klaus gone by "Emperor" instead of "Baron" the 50 Families would have enthusiastically followed him, but Klaus refused to play their game and maintained his title of Baron.


Martellus was a Prince, his father held the same title, and IIRC we've seen several other high-ranking nobility go by "Prince", which seems to be the ceiling for 50 families nobility until somebody tries to call themselves the new Storm King. We know that Dukes, Barons, and Counts exist in droves.


The Sturmvarious family seems to control a large town/small city in the form of Sturmhalten plus, presumably, a decent amount of the surrounding lands.

That seems roughly comparable to Mechanisburg I guess? Which I guess would put The Heterodyne at roughly the same level as a Prince? Although the Heterodynes never seemed to be much for the trappings of royalty. I don't think we've heard any Heterodynes go by any titles besides The Heterodyne.

I recall a quote from a British etiquette manual back in the 19th century, approximately:
"The Aga Khan is an absolute monarch revered as a god by his 10 million subjects. Nonetheless, his status is lower than that of an English Duke."

Peerage rankings are kind of weird, especially when different nations have different arrangements and politics. And we know that the original Storm King was going to marry the Heterodyne daughter, so she was viewed as being of suitable ranks to avoid the marriage being morganatic. I doubt that the laws of Mechanicsburg cared much for the etiquette of other nations, but going the other direction, the other nations recognized The Heterodyne as a form of royalty.

Prestige and power don't match perfectly, but I have to think that being the ruler of an impregnable fortress that had never fallen elevated The Heterodyne's status at least a little. Also, I think we know that the line is unbroken for a millennia, and that too would elevate their status.

Quite possibly The Heterodyne is second only to the Storm King among Europa's peerage.

[BRC]

I recall a quote from a British etiquette manual back in the 19th century, approximately:
"The Aga Khan is an absolute monarch revered as a god by his 10 million subjects. Nonetheless, his status is lower than that of an English Duke."

Peerage rankings are kind of weird, especially when different nations have different arrangements and politics. And we know that the original Storm King was going to marry the Heterodyne daughter, so she was viewed as being of suitable ranks to avoid the marriage being morganatic. I doubt that the laws of Mechanicsburg cared much for the etiquette of other nations, but going the other direction, the other nations recognized The Heterodyne as a form of royalty.

Prestige and power don't match perfectly, but I have to think that being the ruler of an impregnable fortress that had never fallen elevated The Heterodyne's status at least a little. Also, I think we know that the line is unbroken for a millennia, and that too would elevate their status.

Quite possibly The Heterodyne is second only to the Storm King among Europa's peerage.

While I could see them recognizing The Heterodyne as a royal title, I very much doubt they would ever classify it above the highest ranks of their own nobility.

I think that in the eyes of the Fifty Families, the Heterodyne is probably the "Prince of Mechanisburg". Prince appears to be the highest rank Europan nobility afford themselves. If the Heterodynes wanted to call themselves Kings, I doubt anybody would have objected, but I don't see the Fifty Families volunteering to give them such a distinction.

[Anonymouswizard]

I'm now curious, in terms of Europan Nobility, where exactly DOES Agatha stand.

I believe she's technically a commoner, at best a Baroness. There's been no implications that the Heterodynes were ever granted noble titles or claimed them for themselves, they're members if the Elite class but not a member of the aristocracy.

This is probably a consequence of them mostly isolating themselves from Europan society.

In some ways this might theoretically make her relationship with the heirs to the continent more socially acceptable than if she was actually Baroness Heterodyne.

[Mechalich]

The Heterodyne lineage has been referred to as 'the House of Heterodyne' on more than one occasion, suggesting the family has some level of official recognition within the Europa peerage system. At the same time, the Heterodynes are explicitly descended from Not!Mongol conquerors led by Ghengis Ht'rok-Din (who appeared in the Homecoming King story doing his best Conan impersonation), and therefore don't easily fit into Europan systems. Contextually it seems like 'The Heterodyne' is considered an official title - it's certainly heritable - and is at least equal to that of other city-state rulers, since Agatha has been welcomed into various royal court proceedings under it.

[Traab]

I believe The Heterodyne stands outside the list of peerage but carries a weight to match all but the highest of ranks. That is a title backed by power and history, more than by birthright. I would say, from a diplomatic standpoint, it doesnt matter if your title is The Master, The Undying Queen, or The Heterodyne. You are THE ruler of your domain and beholden to no one. And you must be respected as such. The 50 families are all tied together in one loose empire of sorts, constantly squabbling for power and connections, so their various ranks fluctuate with time. The powers I listed are outside those affairs and have held command for centuries unbroken. Even when the boys vanished and the baron nominally took command over mechanicsburg everyone involved knew it was a fiction. They were waiting for their ruler to arrive.

[Shining Wrath]

Since so far as we know there was only one Storm King, who gained the title by leading the Shining Coalition against The Heterodyne of that era, it is possible that Europa has never known a Holy Roman Emperor <insert standard joke> or equivalent. We know there are seven popes, IIRC, so that implies that the Catholic Church has fractured (and the Corborbite monks seem to recognize no authority higher than themselves).

That being said, the title "The Heterodyne", rulers of unconquered Mechanicsburg since antiquity, may stand outside the usual rankings entirely, since the Heterodynes of old were not known for their diplomatic relationships. They don't care about what other rulers say about them, and other rules don't invite them to parties or weddings.

Also, a lot of the rulers are Sparks, and Sparks seem to inherently form hierarchies based on the strength of the Spark within each of them. That's part of why Gil and Tarvek are willing to put up with Agatha not making a choice, I think; she's on her way to Queen status, she's a stronger Spark than either of them, and that drives them (whether or not they know it) towards subservience. In the context of "How respected is the title of The Heterodyne", the fact that they've been some of the most powerful Sparks in Europa for centuries again would tend to elevate their status.

Martellus certainly seems to think that Agatha's title is equivalent to his as Storm King.

I'm going to go with "There is no etiquette for The Heterodyne because they don't engage in diplomacy often enough for it to matter".

[Anonymouswizard]

Also, a lot of the rulers are Sparks, and Sparks seem to inherently form hierarchies based on the strength of the Spark within each of them. That's part of why Gil and Tarvek are willing to put up with Agatha not making a choice, I think; she's on her way to Queen status, she's a stronger Spark than either of them, and that drives them (whether or not they know it) towards subservience. In the context of "How respected is the title of The Heterodyne", the fact that they've been some of the most powerful Sparks in Europa for centuries again would tend to elevate their status.

Agatha's Spark is ridiculous, and seems to be what happens when a spark lineage is established for so long they can (conciously or subconciously) start selecting partners with it in mind. They're also unusual in that Sparks have held power for a lot longer than anywhere else*: the fifty families weren't originally spark houses and neither was the first Storm King.

The Wulfenbach spark is also unusual, in that it seems to bestow an incredibly high resilience to mania. To the point where Klaus seems to be outright immune, but he's also possibly got 'creation of mad science' going for him. It's possible that Gil also has some level of resistance to the spark heirachy, I'd argue out of the three he's probably the least sparky but certainly isn't subservient to Tarvek.

* Which is probably why they don't hold a standard noble title, by the time the aristocracy was forming itself they were too entrenched to care.