Last panel: BIG NOSE COLLUSION! Just look at that prodigious collection of prominent probosci! All we need is Shanna! Can anyone sniff out where she is?
But he also isn’t thinking from Adric’s point. Their forces got wrecked, one of their secret weapons knocked down. I’d figure to bring proof that even Adriac couldn’t deny.Heck he coulda even gone nuts, somehow blame Grave for the loss.
He’s tired, everyone’s tired.But it makes for good drama
Sad thing is, here, Ardiac is probably in the right. they’re in open war with the worlds rebellion, and the latter are willing to be the agressors. turning their entire forces to look for a possible threat and leaving their civilians unprotected etc could very eaisly result in a massacare that may, in the end, be fruitless
Ardaic isn’t probably in the right, he’s definitely in the right, though it’s not for sure if that’s because he fully understands the situation or not; Gravedust isn’t approaching the question rationally. Not only can Ardaic not afford to use the army to fight the Cult, the army would be of dubious usefulness against the Cult anyway, being that the Cult is a covert organization–and also possesses mind-affecting magic.
This is a job for your top agents, not for massed troops, and if Gravedust had asked for leave to address the problem in that fashion, he would’ve been much more likely to secure approval (noting that Ardaic did in fact approve his investigation of the Cult site with E-merl and Sundar).
Where did Gravvy say to use the army to fight the cultists? He was just bringing them information that the cultists are someone they should be taking seriously
Ignore the Cultists, and even if the Empire wins, they will be weakened and not be able to stand against a force that will have pretty much infiltrated everywhere (just look at how much trouble an organized standing army has against insurgents who look like the general population until they stick a sharp pointy object in your spleen)
Perhaps, but that’s still a dubious approach, especially since the rebellion just won a major engagement. They wouldn’t be willing to back down now, and most likely wouldn’t even believe them.
Rules Lawyering HAS to be a legit profession, especially in Erfworld where the whole point is the Hampster knows how to bend them to the point of breaking. And Charlie, well, F charlie.
I didn’t mean mancers dedicated to Rule manipulation, but mancers dedicated to producing/manipulating those contracts that Sides voluntarily enter into, e.g. the ones Charlie uses all the time. When I wrote this post, I was also thinking of ordinary laws within a Side, thinking a Side is like a kingdom, and each must have its own set of Laws that govern its citizens, yes? But today I remembered that Sides don’t really have citizens, they have armies. And they don’t seem to have any use for laws like we do. Good behaviour among persons is presumably enforced by Loyalty to the Side. But now I’m getting way off topic.
You’re forgetting Signamancy. Like a lot of Erf magic disciplines, it follows two meanings. Contract law is Signamancy, though rulers and chief warlords and barbarians can enter into contracts via a form of natural Signamancy.
Now I’m curious how much of the ‘base’ humans powering these other selves is reflecting through and how much bitterness and regret is based on their own understand of the world around them. Like, if Gravedust’s guy woke up, would he feel this same way about his life in general, or would he have separation between ‘The Game’ and “Reality’ ?
Great graphic work, it could tell the tale sans dialogue.
The lawyers in many African cultures were storytellers. In a dispute each lawyer/storyteller would tell a traditional tale that had precedents favoring their respective clients.
A good storyteller/lawyer would win by presenting the “set facts” in a new and unexpected way through a story that would win over the elders/jury.
It is appropriate that storyteller E-Merl is the one to put a new spin on the situation.
Interesting! I wonder if there’s a European parallel to this in the bards of the ancient Celts / Gauls? They were the storytellers of their clans & thus preserving their clan’s history.
The thing that nags at me is that the familiar trope — and arguably a plausible one — is that adventurers are less disciplined than regular military, but sometimes more highly skilled. So, they’re not much use on the battlefield, but more useful as special forces, deployed to handle small-scale but high-risk problems, i.e., quests.
So I’m kind of finding this situation contrived, since it actually makes sense for Ardaic to send the Peacekeepers to investigate this Cult business, while Gastonia’s regular forces deal with the Rebellion, at least by the conventions of the genre.
Last panel: BIG NOSE COLLUSION! Just look at that prodigious collection of prominent probosci! All we need is Shanna! Can anyone sniff out where she is?
Smells like a summit is in order.
I wonder who else is gonna poke their snoot into this scene.
I’m sure the writer nose, but ‘snout likely that they’ll tell us anything.
Don’t booger up the scene, I like where this point is looking.
The only one missing is Jimmy Durante.
Theory: Shanna is E-Merl’s player.
You know I love Gravedust.He always gets a pass.
But he also isn’t thinking from Adric’s point. Their forces got wrecked, one of their secret weapons knocked down. I’d figure to bring proof that even Adriac couldn’t deny.Heck he coulda even gone nuts, somehow blame Grave for the loss.
He’s tired, everyone’s tired.But it makes for good drama
Sad thing is, here, Ardiac is probably in the right. they’re in open war with the worlds rebellion, and the latter are willing to be the agressors. turning their entire forces to look for a possible threat and leaving their civilians unprotected etc could very eaisly result in a massacare that may, in the end, be fruitless
Ardaic isn’t probably in the right, he’s definitely in the right, though it’s not for sure if that’s because he fully understands the situation or not; Gravedust isn’t approaching the question rationally. Not only can Ardaic not afford to use the army to fight the Cult, the army would be of dubious usefulness against the Cult anyway, being that the Cult is a covert organization–and also possesses mind-affecting magic.
This is a job for your top agents, not for massed troops, and if Gravedust had asked for leave to address the problem in that fashion, he would’ve been much more likely to secure approval (noting that Ardaic did in fact approve his investigation of the Cult site with E-merl and Sundar).
Where did Gravvy say to use the army to fight the cultists? He was just bringing them information that the cultists are someone they should be taking seriously
Ignore the Cultists, and even if the Empire wins, they will be weakened and not be able to stand against a force that will have pretty much infiltrated everywhere (just look at how much trouble an organized standing army has against insurgents who look like the general population until they stick a sharp pointy object in your spleen)
What exactly do you think Gravedust means when he says, “all our resources?”
Finding a way to push for peace so they can all stand together to face the greater threat?
Perhaps, but that’s still a dubious approach, especially since the rebellion just won a major engagement. They wouldn’t be willing to back down now, and most likely wouldn’t even believe them.
Umm, fairly sure they have more resources than just the army
Now I’m surprised Erfworld doesn’t have lawmancers or legalmancers or something. Though I guess carnymancers are similar….
P.S. How did I know it would be Byron who would find and talk to Gravy?
Because rabies.
Because gophers.
Because baby ropers.
I’m… pretty sure that’s exactly what Carnymancers and Luckamancers together can accomplish.
Rules Lawyering HAS to be a legit profession, especially in Erfworld where the whole point is the Hampster knows how to bend them to the point of breaking. And Charlie, well, F charlie.
I didn’t mean mancers dedicated to Rule manipulation, but mancers dedicated to producing/manipulating those contracts that Sides voluntarily enter into, e.g. the ones Charlie uses all the time. When I wrote this post, I was also thinking of ordinary laws within a Side, thinking a Side is like a kingdom, and each must have its own set of Laws that govern its citizens, yes? But today I remembered that Sides don’t really have citizens, they have armies. And they don’t seem to have any use for laws like we do. Good behaviour among persons is presumably enforced by Loyalty to the Side. But now I’m getting way off topic.
You’re forgetting Signamancy. Like a lot of Erf magic disciplines, it follows two meanings. Contract law is Signamancy, though rulers and chief warlords and barbarians can enter into contracts via a form of natural Signamancy.
Oh right. Thanks!
Loopholes: Present only when the plot demands them.
I believe the proper term in-universe is Sky Elf Portal.
Now I’m curious how much of the ‘base’ humans powering these other selves is reflecting through and how much bitterness and regret is based on their own understand of the world around them. Like, if Gravedust’s guy woke up, would he feel this same way about his life in general, or would he have separation between ‘The Game’ and “Reality’ ?
Good question, it does seem Gravvy the character is heavily influenced by the tubed player, as it should be, and probably the rest of the tubies
So the answer here is “a wizard did it” (will do it rather)?
You’re referring to the will-they-or-won’t-they that’s going on between him & Rachel, don’t you?
Great graphic work, it could tell the tale sans dialogue.
The lawyers in many African cultures were storytellers. In a dispute each lawyer/storyteller would tell a traditional tale that had precedents favoring their respective clients.
A good storyteller/lawyer would win by presenting the “set facts” in a new and unexpected way through a story that would win over the elders/jury.
It is appropriate that storyteller E-Merl is the one to put a new spin on the situation.
Interesting! I wonder if there’s a European parallel to this in the bards of the ancient Celts / Gauls? They were the storytellers of their clans & thus preserving their clan’s history.
They seem to have had the role of judge, but examples are scarce according to this source:
http://www.libraryireland.com/Brehon-Laws/Bards.php
More like adjudicators seeing how they were (mostly) impartial
Aww… who’s a sad panda?
I really love the background work in panel 3. Great job!
“I have lived too long.”
Yeah, that statement is a real punch in the gut. Don’t worry, Gravy, things are gonna start looking, if not up, at least sideways pretty soon.
The thing that nags at me is that the familiar trope — and arguably a plausible one — is that adventurers are less disciplined than regular military, but sometimes more highly skilled. So, they’re not much use on the battlefield, but more useful as special forces, deployed to handle small-scale but high-risk problems, i.e., quests.
So I’m kind of finding this situation contrived, since it actually makes sense for Ardaic to send the Peacekeepers to investigate this Cult business, while Gastonia’s regular forces deal with the Rebellion, at least by the conventions of the genre.
Wouldn’t say they were ‘less disciplined’, ‘less prone to following orders’ sure, but that doesn’t mean they are undisciplined
That’s **exactly** what ‘less disciplined’ means in this context.
If one says special forces are less prone to folow orders then isn’t one gravely, very gravely mistaken ?