What I can’t stand waiting for is to find out is if Byron’s *player* is gonna wake up in the tube or just die in there. The suspense alone is thick enough to cut with a knife.
Had to go back and check; I had entirely forgotten that he got a spear through his chest before going batshit. Yeah, that should have killed him. Though I don’t think he technically died until he was barraged with arrows — I’m guessing The Madness kept him going on pure adrenaline or something.
I kinda think that might be it, or at the very least a magic-enhanced Berzerker Byron. Like he gains massive boosts to Armor Class, some Damage Resistance, and maybe his axes de-rezz his foes?
Exactly. But now it’s kind of difficult to tell what it is he’s going after. My best guess? Cultist victory = total dissolution of the game world = tube people waking up in Sepia.
But if that’s the case, I don’t see how that would serve his business interests.
He’s long since blown off his business interests. It’s strongly implied that Carol’s really running everything, and that he never leaves the basement anymore.
Could be, although I kind of assumed he’s still got a hold on the corporate side of things.
His main concern, obviously, is assuming direct control (Shepard) over what he still views as his creation. The Five have noticeably diminished that control, and he’s obsessively trying to get it back. The insane part is that he would rather destroy his world than let it slip from his grasp.
Well, virtual godhood. And not so much achieving it (he’s done the Demiurge bit already) as regaining it (he’s not doing so well in the omnipotence department).
Considering what we saw the first time he went full Beserk… I’m assuming that death is actually the trigger – you stop his heart, and then he comes back going all crazy.
Knife to know you trust our punning abilities.
Pretty soon it’s gonna be no more mister knife guy.
Dagger-nab it, son, we’re already past that point.
Oh no, Byron’s blading to death!
You guys need to cult this out. Everyone’s on edge as it is.
I don’t know about you guys, But this is starting to get bloody interesting after all.
Razor sharp wit… some of us are so sharp, we could just cut ourselves.
We are all so eager to pun, nobody would have had to gash.
Speak for yourself. Personally I’m tired of all these cutting remarks.
Damn, looks like I’m blade to the party. No point in commenting anymore, really.
Don’t-a worry, we’ll stiletto you in!
Sorry to cut in but it was knife to meat you all…
No one likes to arrive at the rat-tail end of a discussion, but don’t be so quick to presume there isn’t some tang left to be said.
Brother Tom is certainly carving himself into history with this.
Oh, those kukri cultists … soon they’ll all be out of their miseri(corde).
What I can’t stand waiting for is to find out is if Byron’s *player* is gonna wake up in the tube or just die in there. The suspense alone is thick enough to cut with a knife.
This rite is the cultists’ version of a kris-tening.
Knife through the heart, and we’re to blame! Darling, we give cuUuuUuuults a bad name!
Mkay… More a parody than a pun, but with this avatar? Couldn’t resist. ;)
very nice;)
Thank you! :)
Either way, you cultists know how to get to the heart of the matter.
Yeah, shanks for the vote of confidence.
Us punsters, we play our role to the hilt.
Yes, even at a kris-tical moment like this.
Aaaaah!!!! How long until Monday?
Also…second to last panel is great.
Monday will never come, because we’ll all be dead by then.
Guys, it’s okay, that attack only did maybe 300 damage at the–
Wait, is this a cut scene?
Shit. I think this might be a cut scene. Sorry. He’s dead guys.
Darn cut scenes!
Even with an Epic AC class preventing %90 of all damage the cut scene always wins!
“You kill me… there’s nothing that’ll be able to hold me back after.”
I don’t get this at all. Why does Byron expect to be able to do anything after being killed?
“You kill me!” could be coming from my avatar.
eyyyyy
He goes into Berzerker rage when he dies. c: Happened during the Harky fight.
Had to go back and check; I had entirely forgotten that he got a spear through his chest before going batshit. Yeah, that should have killed him. Though I don’t think he technically died until he was barraged with arrows — I’m guessing The Madness kept him going on pure adrenaline or something.
I don’t think he died there. I think he was just badly injured.
If he’s stricken down Byron will become more zerky than Tom can ever imagine. He will also grow a beard.
A very frothy beard.
Zombie Berzerker Byron?
I kinda think that might be it, or at the very least a magic-enhanced Berzerker Byron. Like he gains massive boosts to Armor Class, some Damage Resistance, and maybe his axes de-rezz his foes?
Byrzomberker!
Well, we know for a fact that ghosts are a thing…
It could be that Byron’s the only one of the “five” aware that he’s not just Byron.
Unless maybe HR is trying to kill his character thereby waking him up in sepia world.
Kinda tried that already, though. Gravedust’s friends on the other side weren’t having it.
Exactly. But now it’s kind of difficult to tell what it is he’s going after. My best guess? Cultist victory = total dissolution of the game world = tube people waking up in Sepia.
But if that’s the case, I don’t see how that would serve his business interests.
You mean like they feel cheated and bored? That the game is fixed?
Yeeeaaahhhh… could work!
I doubt very much that H.R. has any such noble goal.
I’m not entirely sure H.R. himself knows what he’s trying to do anymore.
Agreed.
He’s long since blown off his business interests. It’s strongly implied that Carol’s really running everything, and that he never leaves the basement anymore.
Could be, although I kind of assumed he’s still got a hold on the corporate side of things.
His main concern, obviously, is assuming direct control (Shepard) over what he still views as his creation. The Five have noticeably diminished that control, and he’s obsessively trying to get it back. The insane part is that he would rather destroy his world than let it slip from his grasp.
I thought it was pretty clear that H.R. was trying to achieve godhood.
Well, virtual godhood. And not so much achieving it (he’s done the Demiurge bit already) as regaining it (he’s not doing so well in the omnipotence department).
Yeah… I was wondering that…but then if he wakes up what could happen? Will the person playing him go Berzerker and kill everyone?
Ya know, that celebrant – not the guy with the knife, the guy with the book – looks kinda familiar…
Something about that purple by his neck just now make it apparent to you?
Gonna be messy if Sepia Byron wakes into a frenzy of murderous rage.
Or, as Byron might probably quote from Herman Melville (https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/hermanmelv390294.html):
“From Hell’s heart, I stab at thee”
stab at it I see what you did their.
Ouch.
For once, someone yelling “First!” by itself as a comment would actually be topical.
OK, no puns, but I really like the visual layout here, especially the way the last panel is askew.
Things are about to get shaken up big time!
The structural integrity of the comic is failing! What can it mean??
Puns?! I’m not that heartless.
Aw, by not punning, you cut us all to the quick.
Don’t worry about it. Byron will be heartless enough for all of us.
I feel like Byron just does not understand the way that cultists think
No last second heroics? Bummer
This… is Brother Tom’s endgame. He’s not expecting that he’ll be needed anymore.
But there’s still more than a third left of the story, assuming that the creators’ prediction of 60 chapters holds.
So either his boasting here will seem a lot less impressive in retrospect… or the story is about to be shaken up.
Anyone else think that the ring/portal/whatsamawhosit on the altar looks like a stargate? (a’la Stargate, SG-1, Atlantis, & SGU)
The Chevrons are aligning!
Or at least the Texacos are. The ExxonMobiles haven’t even gotten started.
Exxon and BP are supplying the crude magic.
OGLETHORPE: I believe you mean it looks like the FARGATE!
https://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Fargate_6e1809_119495.jpg
“If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.”
All those puns I will not survive *does a Vegeta style self-destruct* AHHHHHHHHHH!
Rats – I’ve a-parry-ently missed all the good jokes. Ah well – just have to steel myself and be flexible about it
Well. It took Byron long enough to get the point.
How does Byron not understand this by now?
Considering what we saw the first time he went full Beserk… I’m assuming that death is actually the trigger – you stop his heart, and then he comes back going all crazy.