Chapter 45 – Page 3
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Annotations Every Day - Written by T Campbell & Flo Kahn - Illustrated by John & Jason Waltrip
Guilded Age
The Saga of the Working Class Adventurer – New comics every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
Shocking developments!
Oh please, I nearly guarantee there is a second, third, and fourth plot twist the in next one. Wh-why? Cause the expression on his face on not of glee. Also, he is not a human, he is a gnome! And he is also a she! Because it was Bandit all along! Or it could have also been the company head guy’s in-game clone. Which means that the boy is dead! Or still alive idk I’m not a wizard. OR AM I?
You’re certainly right, that’s not glee.
That’s smug superiority if I’ve ever seen it.
“Oh look at you father, wriggling on the floor like the worm you are.”
More of a Machiavellian calm approvement of the turning of things. He is indeed his father’s son.
‘I was paying attention.’
Maybe not. He hasn’t learned patience yet. His “kill them” thinking will backfire due to his inexperience.
Machiavelli would chuckle, say something about the impetuousness of youth and shake his head at that one.
Oh please, I can nearly guarantee that there will be at least a second and possibly third plot twist in the next slide/page/whatever. Wh-why? Because Taro’s expression is not of glee. And because Taro was not a human but a gnome! And also not a he but a she! Because it was Bandit all along. Or it could have also been the company head guy’s in-game clone, I don’t know, I’m not a wizard! OR AM I? (dun dun dun)
He is trying to imitate his father’s usual expression. Can’t you tell?
And another perfectly fitting gravatar
And what a name to go with it.
Very well-conveyed emotions with these Gravatars…
You damn kid!
There is a story, in which you had two races, humans and this weird sort of fae/goblin cross, and the humans win a war against the other race because the other race is much worse at planning and delayed gratification (hard to believe, I know, but the second race REALLY does suck at it that much). Near the end, the second race’s young queen kills off her advisor for being a jerk (mostly in the sense that parents are “jerks” because they don’t let you eat 4 pounds of candy and get violently ill), and the advisor is like “why did you do this?” – not because the advisor was upset about being killed – that was totally expected – but because the young queen killed her too soon, before the queen’s power was properly established and the advisor was still needed to keep all the balls in the air for the immediate conquest of humanity. It was a very interesting scene…and very reminiscent of this page.
Do you recall the name of the story?
Not off the top of my head…but I will look for it. I got it from the library 7 years ago, so, no promises
Not pictured: Sister Misa also falling over dead?
I mean we all know why tho. kid’s an impatient power hungry little shit. The joffrey is gonna try to declare himself ruler and it’ll go about as well as it did in a song of ice and fire.
I think she might be in on it. Or at least have convinced her brother that she is, as to avoid the same demise.
Joffrey? More like Ramsay Bolton. Unless Taro has someone backing him he’s a fool if he thinks he’ll have any power if he should inherit the throne. Either Jarvis or Miyamoto will be named regent.
Even both of those two were smarter than this kid is. He’s killing off his biggest patron right now and he’s doing it before taking on anyone that might actually be a legitimate threat to him. Even if he’s made deals behind the scenes with the other Heads of House because they think a kid would be easier to control, I don’t see how this actually helps his position at all.
But yeah, super impatient. He’s got literally nothing to lose, and much to gain, by keeping his father alive long enough to at least hit adulthood so other adults will actually take him somewhat seriously, let alone giving his much more experienced father time to solidify his reign. But this action risks everything, all so he can be the SECOND-most powerful person in Iwatania for a few years less than he might otherwise.
Unless the Heads really think they can get some good use outta Taro, I give him a week.
Maybe Brother Tom got into his head? Still spreading chaos, destabilizing both sides of the conflict to sow fear.
I think that’s basically the irony right there. His father was JUST talking about the importance of patience, and now he’s probably lost everything in his haste to gain everything RIGHT NOW.
“Not pictured: Sister Misa also falling over dead?”
I’m still not certain that she was ACTUALLY drinking from her cup. Based on her prior dialogue, she’s the only one who knew what a miserable little vermin her brother was.
In retrospect (2 pages back)… she had that glass to her lips (and nose) and a ‘what is that scent’ look on her face.
But yeah, if anybody knows what Taro is capable of, it would be his sister.
Even money she faked a sip of that lethal OJ…
I’m not sure that it’s deadly. I mean, yeah, it probably is, but, this could be “don’t ever fail to take me seriously” kind of deal…in a very kid-like “pay attention”/”be proud of me” sort of way. Which would be absurdly dumb, in a lot of respects, but I have seen kids do absurdly dumb things because they are trying to accomplish multiple things without the experience to set reasonable limits. Think “kid wrecks the kitchen to make a birthday “cake” (re: hunk of charcoal) for their parent” – except this family shows they care by teaching treachery, not making cakes.
I could definitely see this as a ‘paralysis’ poison as opposed to a ‘kill you’ poison. But it could go either way.
Little did he know he was inventing the new dance craze that would take Gastonia, and the savage lands beyond, by storm.
Soon, the Hokey Poison will sweep the nation!
It the poison kills by paralyzing the respiratory system, we can call it the hokey chokey.
Shocking :-)
*Snarfs*
Well, it’s definitely more active than the Flop, but “Everybody Do The Let’s Get Poisoned” just isn’t as catchy.
– Hello, and welcome to Stay Alive School…
– HURGHHH!
– Aaand you fail!
Not unexpected but I thought it would be later, after everything had a chance to consolidate. Still, it does illustrate how impatient he is….
The little punk does not know what he does not know. And it is going to hit him in the head. And “Iwatania” is going to have a very brief existence on the maps.
TheWreck
You’d think a powerhungry, backstabbing conspirator would do well to employ a poison tester, or something, in a household where he rears fellow powerhungry backstabbers. Pride goeth before the fall, I suppose.
At any rate, Taro’s unlikely to be handed any real power himself. Is this Jarvis’s true moment to shine? Will Miyamoto sieze power? Does Canaghem decide to step in for his own aims? Perhaps Annunziata will make a surprise appearance at this most portentous moment?
Find out next time, same Guilded Channel, same Guilded Age!
The one thing that Miyamoto values is family. He assumed the feeling was mutual.
Lethal mistake.
I wonder if Canaghem will be encouraging the sky elves to break ties with Iwatania on the grounds that humans are crazy.
What makes you think Caneghem was not behind this in the first place?
Taro looks to be about 10 years old, 12 max. Iwatani probably didn’t think he’d have to worry about this sort of thing until the boy was at least partway through puberty.
10-12 is partway though puberty… the beginning part to be sure. This is a problem of Itwanni’s starting. His son seems to have always gotten what he wanted and not faced real dicipline for being caught. Being told to wait is much harder for entitled people like that.
“It’ll flash fry a buffalo in 45 seconds!”
” But I want it now!”
This seems like a good place to drop this in…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wAlQf4WdiE
tip of the hat to Fo Ren G correctly predicting first.
En Taro Adun Iwatani.
But will he construct additional pylons?!
Not enough minerals.
This is a dream sequence right? Please tell me it’s a dream sequence.
Taro’s been dreaming of this for years.
“I encouraged him to be ruthless, vicious, and single-minded in the pursuit of power–WHERE DID I GO WRONG?”
To be fair, he also encouraged Taro to *wait* for the right time. Taro did not wait. He took the first chance he had.
Patzer sees a check, patzer plays a check.
Checkmate is coming your way, impatient little boy.
Evil!
Taro gives the long winded villain monologue for 20 minutes, then absentmindedly sips his poisoned orange juice.
This needs to happen. Because of the delicious irony and Misa, ever so nonchalantly, saying, “Well, damn, I suppose I’ll have to be the one to take over the empire.”
She turns out to be a just and steady ruler, guiding Gastonia through the troubled waters her father and brother led it into.
so, who’s betting he’s going to get himself killed but screw everything up in the process?
It’s a solid bet, sadly it’s so solid that only way it pays out is if you’re wrong. :P
Well, that face on the last panel needs to be a gravatar.
As for developments, not surprised the little brat did it. Hopefully the execution and power-hungy nature of it results in a catastrophic failure. Sadly, I know the kid has to be decently smart to do this now. If he plays it off right, he can claim his family was killed by the greatest rival currently, securing his power and forcing the few remaining players to lock down or bail, and the kingdom to unite behind him as a tragic hero overcoming betrayal.
then again, with his ego and impatience, he may go full Robespierre, try making a holiday of his own self-granted deification, and end up on the guillotine amid a crowd of angry peasantry.
I think the more likely outcome is that Misa goes to the other members of the Altruists, Taro is imprisoned or killed because they simply have no reason to go along with his nonsense, and Misa is installed with a Regent.
That’s the thing Taro never got. His father got away with many of his crimes because he had people willing to cover for him. Taro does not.
The person willing to cover for Taro’s crimes is the one writing on the floor. I don’t think it it was the drink. I think it more likely the spiced meat. On the last page there was that single panel shot of Itwanai taking a measured bite.
“He can’t get rid of me that easily! Why, I practically raised him myself!”
“You would think he’d have turned out better.”
“Yeah, go figure.”
Oh man that’s so familiar, where is that from?
Yzma, Kronk, and Yzma again, from the Emperor’s New Groove.
I conjure the powers of the Abominable Site of Time Stealing!
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StupidEvil
There bloody better be a clever second layer to this stupidity.
To be fair, kids pretty much define Stupid Evil.
Huh. You teach your child to be ruthless and unscrupulous in getting what he wants, and he actually applies what he learned.
That father should be proud. Y’know, when he’s done being poisoned to death.
So, who else thinks it would be ironic justice for His grace if taro keeps him alive with paralysis poison simply to use him for advice and wisdom? I mean, the kid is psychotic, but I’d like to think he’s gotten somewhat smarter since the beginning.
Nah, he’d only preserve his body, to be propped up at official occasions (viewed by the masses from afar) until he’s old enough to take over in his own name. If the “death” of his father can then be blamed on dissidents “assassinating” him, the better.
Put sunglasses on him and call that chapter “Weekend at Iwatani’s”
How about this: the brat thinks of it as pre-empite self-defence, since he reckons dead old dad is going to dispose of him in a fit of disappointment further on?
Not that that line of reasoning ensures his control or anything.
Taro has already had spectacular failures with the pirate airship and the gnome town tank. Yet he continues to believe that he is destined for greatness, that he has the skill, intelligence and temperament to rule a nation. His elders are aware of his narcissistic power hungry nature yet somehow believe that they will be safe from it. He is driven by revenge and lusts for power yet has the mind of a child.
It would all be patently too much to believe; if it wasn’t an election year and I can see him on TV right now….
The good thing about this is you don’t have to suspend your disbelief for this work of fiction.
Indeed…
Well, that was stupid. Taro thinks he’s ready, thinks he’s smart enough, but we all know he’s not. His dad was right: patience would have gotten him far.
I wouldn’t be surprised if no one listens to the kid even if he becomes the new… leader-whatever, because no one wants to take orders from a kid. He was way too impatient and now he lost his guidance to get him out of this mess.
I only want to know if sister dearest is still alive and will be helping him in his endeavors, either out of fear or lust for power herself. She does seem older, so maybe Taro has convinced her to be the placeholder ruler until he’s old enough so people might listen to her, but I kinda think she’s dead too. Or should be trying to run away right about now if she’s not.
It was in the meat not the juice. you see him eating the meat and then bam! He’s on the floor. and Taro’s mother didn’t fall over and twich like daddy. so I’m thinking he used 2 poisons. or maybe a poison for daddy and sleeping drug for mom. As more then one person pointed out he is going to need a regent. so for now at leaste he needs mom to keep breathing. more then likely mom’s dose also had a very slow acting poison so he can control her. ” I will give you small doses of the antidote to keep you alive.. Not enough to cure you but do as I say and we will see how things go. ” As for his sister I think a sleeping draft. He hates her but its always good for a ruler to have a pretty sister to marry off for an alliance later.
I was thinking that as another idea for the sister also. But He still would need to keep a close eye on her, I bet!
She definitely seems brighter than him.
Not a high bar to clear…
The difference in reaction is a bit questioning. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were multiple poisons used. Though how he could specify who got which piece of meat may be hard, without giving it away, unless there was a spice that only the father liked.
But Taro doesn’t strike me as a forward thinker, unlike his father.
Press communiqué from Hurricane
“Hurricane released yesterday its long-awaited, game-changing patch v1.45 for the World of Arkerra. New features include:
– a revamped geography, with a renaming of the countries to better match the main stories arc
– a streamlined cast of non-playable characters
– an exciting new story arc, House Iwatani: Downfall
As always, we are indebted to our players for keeping this world alive.”
Some player’s comments:
“I will regret that old schemer”
“Myself, I’m looking forward smashing the little git”
…
“I just wish they remove this cameo of Hurricane’s CEO from the NPC list. To start with, he is overpowered.”
Dev team: “Uh? What cameo? We didn’t put any.”
He will eventually be beaten by a group of 4 young grinders, but only with a little help from the devs themselves. As foretold by Satzman.
So who’s got the USB drive with the Sword of a Thousand Truths on it? Someone check the petty cash box!
– Removed Herobrine.
… we think.
And the prize for biggest non-surprise goes to…
Is it just me, or does the liquid in the goblets and carafe look like urine? Even if I didn’t know it was poisoned, I don’t think I’d drink it just for that reason.
I was thinking it looks like orange juice. Or even apple juice, but it’s too opaque.
I kind of expected more from Iwatani, he’s an obvious twat, but I like him for his wits, and this is just disappointing. I’m not going to believe he’s dead.
Oompa Loompa doompedee do!
I’ve got a perfect puzzle for you!
Oompa Loompa doompedee dee!
If you are wise you’ll listen to me!
What do you get when you raise an evil tyrant!
You thought you raised him right, but you really haven’t.
You taught him to murder to climb to the top,
But with you he Won’t. Quite. Stop.
You’re getting poisoned!
Oompa Loompa doompedee donger!
If you don’t teach murder you will live longer.
Your child won’t be maniac
And you will see that, too
Like the Oompa Loompa dompadee do!
Someone has to start the slow clap!
*slow clap*
If there are no further surprises, this could be the dumbest assassination ever. I have to assume there’s more, but if not, I look forward to this little psycho’s inevitable comeuppance.
The innocent young master
thoughts moving ever faster
has formed the plan to change the man he seems
Questions:
How is Taro supposed to explain this to everyone else in his government? Is Jarvis going to just follow him? Does succession actually work that way here? I mean, yes, we’re talking some sort of noble house, but Taro is just a child. Were the children of nobility seriously taken as leaders and successors when such happened?
And what about the people? Are they going to follow him? Based on panel 2 of http://guildedage.net/comic/chapter-45-cover-page-1/, control of the people was based on fear and the promise of security. It’s a really big stretch for people to feel secure in Taro, a spoiled child who had done his own… mischief… in the land.
And, whatever the case, with his father gone, does Taro think he’s somehow beyond getting a simple knife between the ribs or a club to the noggin? The only reason he could do and get away with all his shenanigans was because his popular father was around.
If it wasn’t for how vicious Taro was, I’d be laughing at how much he didn’t think things through.
Oh yeah, BTW, in the page I linked to, Misa may have taken a sip. If the poison was in the drink, she’s a goner too (barring a pre-emptive antidote or good acting).
Re: Taro lack of forethought.
I’m thinking of one way Taro may be sure it’s time to rid himself of his current protector: because he thinks he is about to get a better mentor/protector (better from his point-of-view, meaning promising him a quicker access to power).
By example, he may have been approached and enlisted by the cultists. After all, he already met one of their main leader face-to-face, while accompanying his father at the cultist convention.
Even so, Taro may quickly discover what happens to traitors who have outlived their usefulness.
Taro’s probably allied with the cultists. He doesn’t need his father’s name to inspire fear; he has a better way.
“Oh yeah, BTW, in the page I linked to, Misa may have taken a sip. If the poison was in the drink, she’s a goner too (barring a pre-emptive antidote or good acting).”
Actually, watch where the lips line up with the rims of glasses. For His Grace and Her Grace, the lips line up with the rim to drink. For Misa, her lips were distinctly ABOVE the rim. She was sniffing it, and looking over her shoulder… to the guards? The nearest exit?
One monologue later. Iwatani just stands up. “What, you didn’t think I knew what ixacotle poisoning looks like? You got played boy.”
I’m picturing Miyamoto rolling on the ground laughing at the rest of council at the next meeting.
Miyamoto: “Bwa Ha Ha Ha! Oh, you guys really backed a winner this time, huh? Feeling any safer under house Iwatani now? Bwa Ha Ha Ha!”
Holy cow he pulled a reverse Joffrey!
Eh, maybe. I’m not yet convinced the old asshole really is poisoned. His reaction was ridiculously over the top.
Yeah, nothing like bending your arms backwards to fake being poisoned. Everyone knows that’s how it’s done.
Looks like it’s just his shoulder angle as he falls sideways to me. The facing of his palm and the position of the thumb and all.
His glass does appear full…
Has anyone considered that it was the daughter that poisoned them and the kid is just coldly accessing events?
The daughter is old enough and apparently smart (based on her correct assessment of her brother) enough to to rule. And considering how much her father dotes on that dumb boy, she could have realize that this was her only chance.
“When you teach a child to devalue another person, they can devalue anyone…even their parents.”
I…saw this coming. That little arrogant shite. Hope he gets Joffreyed. Want to see him suffer while he is dieing.
“I mean, sure, it was all going to be mine ANYWAY, but, like, I want to have to sign paperwork, too!”
What goes around…
I can see his headstone now:
“Here lies His Grace Iwatani, and he’s bloody annoyed.”
So.. the kid thinks the remaining heads of houses will kowtow to a child? huh. For a little evil genius he’s a complete dunce.
Well. Guess we’ll see whether the sister was poisoned in the next few strips.
I think the kid pulled off two kinds of poisoning. One is the drink that is just a sleep inducer, and the other is Iwatani’s steak that’s full on “break your joints before you die” poison. Sister is possibly just asleep. Neither mother nor sister will have witnessed Iwatani’s death. Taro then drinks as well, and falls asleep along with everyone else. Upon waking Taro may already have a patsy lined up.
Come on, I was just joking! And even then, I thought daddy would be better prepared for this. :P
Sadly, this also means that Iwatani will never be hoist by his own Bedard.
Unless Gastonia has unusal burial rites and Bedard is the one doing the honors.
I think his Bedard is pretty well hoisted here.. all his plans where so his family…his son would rule after him. He got what he wanted.. sort of. The timing is just way different then he wanted.
i still prefer Fighters “Hoisted by his own Picard” for his unique take on Transformer/Star Trek fanfiction…..
of course, taro (being the jerk he is) also may have been listening to his dad. not so long ago he and his dad were ‘taking care of…’ an ailing councilmember who was ‘too sick to receive guests, but not so sick as to be dead’ maybe this is the situation here. a mystery ailment that struck down his mother but left his lordship too sick, but still capable of issuing ‘instructions’ via his son, to rule.
This will of course, make the other two suspicious, but i can see Iwatani sticking around just long enough to see Taro’s power consolidated, much like we saw in the previous situation. likewise too, you never know maybe HR has a hand in this as well?
“I am shocked! Shocked, I say. Well, maybe not THAT shocked.”
Why? Because he has all of your ambition with none of your brains. Although not realizing the potential problem in advance does call into question how smart you actually are (or were).
So all your carefully crafted plans destroyed by an entitled little shit.
Well done…
As I stated before the poison was in the meat not the drink. you know this because of the close up of him eating the meat just before he catches a clue something is very wrong and then he hits the floor twitching.
Seriously, who DIDN’T see this coming? Still, too soon little man. Too soon!
“Because I’ve continued to question you at every turn despite watching you essentially win. I am a complete moron, father.”
Hooo yes, this will work out nicely. This new empire imploded before it startet.
I see it now; the reason the 5 were all very astounded by the news from Weo that a nameless “someone” will be ruling Gastonia by himself. I did not connect these same dots a year ago, not that it’s all that huge a significance, but I thought it was cool when went back and I noticed it.