It’s okay, this is all just a big misunderstanding. I’m sure Hammerhead can be bribed back to their side with a plate of fava beans and a nice Chianti ^^
To be honest, I don’t think HAMMERHEAD is a berserker… at least not in the sense that Byron (and now Braggadocio and several others) are berserkers. He doesn’t appear to have “the madness”. He is just… naturally enthusiastic about killing and eating.
HH is looking a mite Hannibal Lecter-ish.
“A goblin tried to restrain me once. I ate his torso with some orc gonads and a nice pint of troll blood.
SLURPSLURPSLURPSLURPSLURP.”
More intelligent thank the other Landsharks yes, but still works on something of an instinctual level. Keep in mind, he is trying to wrap his head around the concept of ‘war’ as some sort of decision to designate a group as prey which you must then attack until they are eaten. The nuances of tactics and such may be a bit over his learning curve.
By Landshark standards he’s probably a genius. The issue is that he’s coming from such a different mindset and culture (I assume) from any of the other named characters that what might seem obvious to us is utterly foreign to him.
I’d presume that his world view is quite proper, from his perspective. There is Food, there is Not Food. If you can eat it, do so.
The trick for him is that he’s had to teach his people to put certain sorts of Food on the Do Not Eat list. Under the normal run of things, I’m sure they’d be chowing down on gnolls and trolls and any avians they could catch.
That reminds me of an episode of RPPR I listened to not long ago.
“Consider the fish. He lives in darkness. The ceiling to his house is soft, yet impenetrable. He knows nothing of the sun, trees, grass, or air. He knows food, and food only, until one day, he sees the lure. He does not know the ways of weaving line, the plants used for colorful dyes, nor the strange science of lure-making. He cannot suspect the patient deceptions of men, or their predatory motives. He knows food only, and knows it well. And so, though the lure seemed alien, offensive to his eyes, the fish sees food, and bites, and dies a death beyond his imagining.”
I once read an SF story based on this conceit, but I can’t remember the name or author. See that food item, with a spelling mistake on the label, or whose colors aren’t quite right? Leave it alone, it’s a fishing lure for extradimensional aliens.
“You did everything to make this private war happen. You’ve done enough damage. This mission is over, Hammer. Do you understand me? This mission is over! Look at them out there! Look at them! If you won’t end this now, they will eat you. Is that what you want? It’s over Hammy. It’s over!”
NOTHING IS OVER. NOTHING. YOU DON’T JUST NOT EAT PREY! IT WAS MY WAR! YOU ASKE ME, I DIDN’T ASK YOU! AND I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO TO EAT! BUT SOMEBODY WOULDN’T LET ME EAT. AND I COME BACK TO THE FIGHT AND I SEE ALL THOSE MAGGOTS IN FRONT OF THE BEAST, DOING THINGS, SMELLING GOOD. BEING DELICIOUS AND ALL KINDS OF YUMMY MEAT! WHO ARE THEY TO NOT BE EATEN? WHO ARE THEY? UNLESS THEY ARE THINGS ON THE DO NOT EAT LIST AND THEY AREN’T, I MEMORIZED THE LIST!
To have such restraint, such boundless acknowledgement of circumstance and still be so tempered as to have unwavering devotion to the original goal for which your pact was made…
The Shark does not broker deals, not bow to any opponent under any circumstance. Fortune would have Penk keep this ally, but Fate is another maiden altogether…
His is a race of mindless hunger.
He is not mindless.
He has learned what hatred is.
Prey you simply hunt what you need to eat.
War you eat those you hate. Your enemy. And you never give up that hatred. Otherwise you have given up the war. The only thing unifying your people.
He will not give up his war.
Its a civilized thing Hammie. See, sometimes we fatten up our favorite prey animals a bit before we eat them. And if we can get them to do the odd chore for us first all the better!
Seeing it from his side of perspective…i think he is Kind of right.
Its just that his Timing sucks. It would be better if he considered “Allies Now.Food Later”
But if it came to life and offered to do my chores for me for a day I’d probably grant it a stay of execution in favor of eating lazier sandwiches while I watched it work.
Harky basically retired as War Leader (though is staying on as a kind of internal-unity elder statement leader, as I recall) and handed everything military over to Penk, yes.
I imagine the other tribe leaders are still in their positions, but Penk is the highest ranking leader just as Harky was before him. So, he can overshadow them in situations like this.
Penk is certainly the undisputed leader of the party of savage “adventurers”, of which Hammerhead is one member.
I was thinking the same thing: I miss Gondo and Harky. That was definitely a neat story twist that just kinda disappeared for a bit. I suppose we haven’t had a big reason for the two to be in the picture the last couple of chapters.
That’s not really up to Penk, though. Penk’s still just a guy that Harky appointed as his replacement as warleader. The actual “political” leadership is elsewhere and does not (yet) include Penk.
Even if he had the power, it wouldn’t be wise. Managing to collaborate on ONE battle against a third party is not grounds to call off a entire war. The Peacemakers weren’t even stated to be there on Gastonia’s behalf, so their intervention couldn’t even be considered a gesture of Gastonian goodwill/diplomacy.
Not to mention that cutting the Land Sharks from the World’s Rebellion would be disastrous for its long-term cohesion. The whole appeal of the rebellion was that it welcomed the marginalized and outcast. To then ostracize the land sharks would send a message to the other elements that it could happen to them too, and create division and mistrust (well, more than there already is in the high command). And considering what we have seen of the Land Sharks mindset, they would probably need to be wiped out to a man to prevent them from attacking the World’s Rebellion the second the alliance ended.
Enemies in war can show respect and call off the battle for a day, but at the end of it keep your enemies your enemies and your allies your allies.
Can’t disagree with HAMMERHEAD here. In the context of the war that the World’s Rebellion is fighting, everything going on outside right now is distinctly wrong.
I think we’re seeing a bit more how a few are able to distinguish it as a war against Gastonia, but the World’s Rebellion as a whole simply sees it as a war against humans, ALL humans, that will not end until all humans are gone.
In retrospect with the rest of his race, I’d say yes. The don’t have enough intellect to understand the rules “food or not food,” and HH said that it’s only his strength is what keeps that rule in their heads long enough to be a part of this war.
Discussion (69) ¬
Stone hands and chains not withstanding, I’m not sure I’d really want to be that close to the mouth of a hungry Landshark berserker, Penk.
Penk is not the enemy so is not Prey.
Also do I also get a little Superman 2 vibe going on? He seems like a Zod, bred to be one thing.
Kneel before HAMMERHEAD!
…it makes it easier to eat you in fewer bites.
It’s okay, this is all just a big misunderstanding. I’m sure Hammerhead can be bribed back to their side with a plate of fava beans and a nice Chianti ^^
To be honest, I don’t think HAMMERHEAD is a berserker… at least not in the sense that Byron (and now Braggadocio and several others) are berserkers. He doesn’t appear to have “the madness”. He is just… naturally enthusiastic about killing and eating.
In which we learn that the kingpin of a race of berserkers is difficult to control in situations that require a modicum of restraint.
…Which is why they’ve obviously added so many more restraints.
“Tell me Clarice, would you ever say to me “Stop. If you loved me, you’d stop”?”
! Great minds think alike, but greater ones think quicker. I bow to you, sir. You are Picard as always; I am just a Wesley Crusher in your shadow.
HH is looking a mite Hannibal Lecter-ish.
“A goblin tried to restrain me once. I ate his torso with some orc gonads and a nice pint of troll blood.
SLURPSLURPSLURPSLURPSLURP.”
I’d say HH sophistication level would be that he’d eat them with some baked beans and a bottle of Fanta…
i think biggmac has a closer guess; his meal is all meat based.
Nah, he’d forgo Fanta for having Red Bull.He could form a sharknado because he’d have wings.
Damn, I still believed HAMMERHEAD was somewhat of an intelligent person…
More intelligent thank the other Landsharks yes, but still works on something of an instinctual level. Keep in mind, he is trying to wrap his head around the concept of ‘war’ as some sort of decision to designate a group as prey which you must then attack until they are eaten. The nuances of tactics and such may be a bit over his learning curve.
By Landshark standards he’s probably a genius. The issue is that he’s coming from such a different mindset and culture (I assume) from any of the other named characters that what might seem obvious to us is utterly foreign to him.
He is intelligent, he just has a really screwy world view. Because he is a shark with legs.
I’d presume that his world view is quite proper, from his perspective. There is Food, there is Not Food. If you can eat it, do so.
The trick for him is that he’s had to teach his people to put certain sorts of Food on the Do Not Eat list. Under the normal run of things, I’m sure they’d be chowing down on gnolls and trolls and any avians they could catch.
They usually eat each other when it gets right down to it, so he’s already flipped the landshark world on its head.
They do eat each other while in the uterus in fact.
That’s not a uterus. It’s the inside of a landshark egg.
That reminds me of an episode of RPPR I listened to not long ago.
“Consider the fish. He lives in darkness. The ceiling to his house is soft, yet impenetrable. He knows nothing of the sun, trees, grass, or air. He knows food, and food only, until one day, he sees the lure. He does not know the ways of weaving line, the plants used for colorful dyes, nor the strange science of lure-making. He cannot suspect the patient deceptions of men, or their predatory motives. He knows food only, and knows it well. And so, though the lure seemed alien, offensive to his eyes, the fish sees food, and bites, and dies a death beyond his imagining.”
I once read an SF story based on this conceit, but I can’t remember the name or author. See that food item, with a spelling mistake on the label, or whose colors aren’t quite right? Leave it alone, it’s a fishing lure for extradimensional aliens.
Or how about the book, “To Serve Man?”
IT’S A COOKBOOK!
I’d like to see HH as Rambo in First Blood.
“You did everything to make this private war happen. You’ve done enough damage. This mission is over, Hammer. Do you understand me? This mission is over! Look at them out there! Look at them! If you won’t end this now, they will eat you. Is that what you want? It’s over Hammy. It’s over!”
NOTHING IS OVER. NOTHING. YOU DON’T JUST NOT EAT PREY! IT WAS MY WAR! YOU ASKE ME, I DIDN’T ASK YOU! AND I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO TO EAT! BUT SOMEBODY WOULDN’T LET ME EAT. AND I COME BACK TO THE FIGHT AND I SEE ALL THOSE MAGGOTS IN FRONT OF THE BEAST, DOING THINGS, SMELLING GOOD. BEING DELICIOUS AND ALL KINDS OF YUMMY MEAT! WHO ARE THEY TO NOT BE EATEN? WHO ARE THEY? UNLESS THEY ARE THINGS ON THE DO NOT EAT LIST AND THEY AREN’T, I MEMORIZED THE LIST!
FISH ARE OUR FRIENDS! NOT FOOD!
Way back in the dawny mists of time, fish are our ancestors…
To have such restraint, such boundless acknowledgement of circumstance and still be so tempered as to have unwavering devotion to the original goal for which your pact was made…
The Shark does not broker deals, not bow to any opponent under any circumstance. Fortune would have Penk keep this ally, but Fate is another maiden altogether…
Also, can’t believe this hasn’t been posted yet:
Friends, not Food!
His is a race of mindless hunger.
He is not mindless.
He has learned what hatred is.
Prey you simply hunt what you need to eat.
War you eat those you hate. Your enemy. And you never give up that hatred. Otherwise you have given up the war. The only thing unifying your people.
He will not give up his war.
Hey, nice grill.
He’s a grilled fish!
The way Penk is giving him the third degree, HH is getting grilled as well as wearing one.
You don’t know the power of the Shark Side. I must obey my hunger!
Come to the Shark Side. Have a cookie.
HAMMERHEAD, have a Snickers.
Its a civilized thing Hammie. See, sometimes we fatten up our favorite prey animals a bit before we eat them. And if we can get them to do the odd chore for us first all the better!
Hammerhead: “Perverts…”
Well, what did you expect ? He´s a smart shark. Doing shark sience. The sharky way.
Seeing it from his side of perspective…i think he is Kind of right.
Its just that his Timing sucks. It would be better if he considered “Allies Now.Food Later”
No. Food now.
Food is food. A sandwich doesn’t just stop being a sandwich.
But if it came to life and offered to do my chores for me for a day I’d probably grant it a stay of execution in favor of eating lazier sandwiches while I watched it work.
Hey, whatever happened to Harky, and his avian lover, and the fat goblin guy, and the beardless dwarf? Is literally everything in Penk’s hands now?
The champions are visiting an outlying quarrying village; the other leaders are still at the Savage Races’ HQ proper.
Harky basically retired as War Leader (though is staying on as a kind of internal-unity elder statement leader, as I recall) and handed everything military over to Penk, yes.
I imagine the other tribe leaders are still in their positions, but Penk is the highest ranking leader just as Harky was before him. So, he can overshadow them in situations like this.
Penk is certainly the undisputed leader of the party of savage “adventurers”, of which Hammerhead is one member.
I was thinking the same thing: I miss Gondo and Harky. That was definitely a neat story twist that just kinda disappeared for a bit. I suppose we haven’t had a big reason for the two to be in the picture the last couple of chapters.
Well Penk’s the highest ranking dude in the vicinity…
I’m loving the view into Landshark “Philosophy”.
He looks… Different without the helmet…
You know, Penk…. I think you might need to rethink this war.
I think Penk might be on the verge of ending his landshark treaty…
That’s not really up to Penk, though. Penk’s still just a guy that Harky appointed as his replacement as warleader. The actual “political” leadership is elsewhere and does not (yet) include Penk.
Even if he had the power, it wouldn’t be wise. Managing to collaborate on ONE battle against a third party is not grounds to call off a entire war. The Peacemakers weren’t even stated to be there on Gastonia’s behalf, so their intervention couldn’t even be considered a gesture of Gastonian goodwill/diplomacy.
Not to mention that cutting the Land Sharks from the World’s Rebellion would be disastrous for its long-term cohesion. The whole appeal of the rebellion was that it welcomed the marginalized and outcast. To then ostracize the land sharks would send a message to the other elements that it could happen to them too, and create division and mistrust (well, more than there already is in the high command). And considering what we have seen of the Land Sharks mindset, they would probably need to be wiped out to a man to prevent them from attacking the World’s Rebellion the second the alliance ended.
Enemies in war can show respect and call off the battle for a day, but at the end of it keep your enemies your enemies and your allies your allies.
Can’t disagree with HAMMERHEAD here. In the context of the war that the World’s Rebellion is fighting, everything going on outside right now is distinctly wrong.
I think we’re seeing a bit more how a few are able to distinguish it as a war against Gastonia, but the World’s Rebellion as a whole simply sees it as a war against humans, ALL humans, that will not end until all humans are gone.
After not having seen him for a while, it strikes me again how much Penk has grown.
I just love how well spoken HAMMERHEAD is as a landshark.
The shark does not jump on command. Much less ask how high.
Hammerhead has been jumped. This does not bode well. For him?
In Savage Arkerra, shark jumps you. And makes soup out of your weird-looking fins.
so based on the last panel, does that mean HAMMERHEAD’s alignment is “lawful hungry”?
YASSS.
In retrospect with the rest of his race, I’d say yes. The don’t have enough intellect to understand the rules “food or not food,” and HH said that it’s only his strength is what keeps that rule in their heads long enough to be a part of this war.
The rest of his race would be Neutral Hungry.
Eating with the prey…saaayyy…we still haven´t tried out that new shark fin soup recipe…
“They are food, like your bread! I will BREAK BREAD!”
ZOOMING INTENSIFIES
“They saved all of us.”
“It matters not.”
Yeah, better all die because the one who saved us is the enemy. Better chop off the branch we’re sitting on, right.