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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Aaargh this one annoys me.
First: Macharomancy. Basically: if it exists, someone's tried to tell fortunes with it. Especially if it's something as iconic as a knife or sword. They're like a whole entire suit in Tarot.
Second: Polished metal is a mirror and you just discarded that as being old and predictable. Gaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Help me, Dominikudigan, you're my only hope!
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Crystal Balls. Bubbles. Mirrors. Swords.
They're all functionally the same damn scrying method.
Each and every one of them is just a reflective surface, that when used as a scrying focus, shows you the image of something you're trying to find instead of a mere reflection.
If the Battlemages can see people scrying with crystal balls, in principle they should just as easily take notice you if you're using a sword.
In the end, as someone just recently noted, the only damn reason Quilt's scrying "worked" was because he basically relied on scry spamming. (Even then, it failed. They just got oh so lucky in that Celesto noticed them before any of the actual Battlemages.)
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TL;DR . . . Mookie is a complete and total moron.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
waaaaa.... CRAAAASH
That was the sound of my hopes.
There WERE good way to go around that, and we're left with "everything that is shiny"?!
Please tell me there will be a good explanation for that.
Lie if you have to...
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
I just don't want to read the comic currently. I just hate Dom so MUCH!
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
I just remembered about a bad series of books I read, "The sword of truth" / Terry Goodkind.
It started ok.
Nothing great or unique, but likable heroes, good world, nice ideas for magic and a believable villain.
At some point in the series, the hero got WAY overpowered (seriously, he goes from a woodsman, to a wizard and then to a freaking emperor in less than 3 books!)
He also got preachy, and was obviously the author's avatar instead of a fantasy character in a book.
The hero turned perfect, and everything he did was considered to be good even if it contradicted previous moral lessons.
The world turned into a complete crap, rules of magic constantly changed between book (and even within the same book).
In story telling, it was somewhere changed to hammering down morals that the author believed in by lectures from the hero instead of actual actions in different situations. The text got long and tedious, and reached a point where one of the books had a three pages description (!) of the hero drawing a sword.
Sounds familiar to anyone? :smallamused:
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Also, water. That's covert as ****. And obviously totally different from a crystal ball. That distinction's been there forever, yup.
At this point I honestly wonder if Mookie is still in any way trying to look like he's making a conscious effort in regards to one day, with a bit of luck, perhaps making a bit of something that at first glance maybe appears like it's almost sense to the untrained eye.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Oracle_Hunter
The interesting bit is that it's the opposite of how little kids draw, where the top is an ellipse and the bottom is flat.
Also, panel 4 of today's strip is the comic in a nutshell.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
So today marks the 2500th strip of this comic. And even though Mookie thought this was worth mentioning, he didn't think it was worth it to do something for it. Like, I dunno, color todays page? Make a splash page out of it. At least SOMETHING to show that he tries to put in some effort. Now he just claims bragging rights but does no work whatsoever in my eyes. Really how did the comic last this long with this kind of behavior? :smallannoyed:
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lillith
So today marks the 2500th strip of this comic. And even though Mookie thought this was worth mentioning, he didn't think it was worth it to do something for it. Like, I dunno, color todays page? Make a splash page out of it. At least SOMETHING to show that he tries to put in some effort. Now he just claims bragging rights but does no work whatsoever in my eyes. Really how did the comic last this long with this kind of behavior? :smallannoyed:
That's... that's kind of sad, really.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
random11, the Sword of Truth series comes up now and then. And I suppose an attraction is to be expected: It hits all the same nerves that DD does. the SoT bashing threads on another forum are older, larger, and more accomplished than the snark threads here. We are their shadow; they are what we may become.
They're also a a warning about losing our way and turning from snark to hatred. Dominic Deegan is goofy, remarkably badly thought out fantasy fun, and the author seems like he'd be a nice guy to know. Sword of Truth seems vile, it's-not-torture-when-we-do-it vile, and the author - I have to quote.
Quote:
Question: What, if anything do you have to say to the people that voice the opinion that you're latest four books haven't been as good as the previous four and call them "too preachy"?
Answer: Don't be fooled. The assertion made by these detractors is a note wrapped around a brick thrown through the window. These people are not fans. There are hundreds if not thousands of fantasy books that fulfill their professed taste in books. Why would they continue to read books they claim are bad? Because they hate that my novels exists. Values arouse hatred in these people. Their goal is not to enjoy life, but to destroy that which is good -much like a school child who does not wish to study for a test and instead beats up a classmate who does well. These people hate what is good because it is good. Their lives are limited to loathing and indifference. It isn't that they want to read a good book, what they want is to make sure that you do not. Ignore them.
The Goodkind bashing threads have an abundance of material to work with, and it's interesting work in the sense that a car accident is interesting, but at the end of the day, it doesn't seem worth it to spend so much time an energy on a series not worth the time of day. It's much better to stay on Maltak.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
When it cam to the SoT, it wasn't as much hate toward the book or author as much as disappointment and hate toward myself that I kept buying the series till the merciful end.
Pity I didn't know about the SoT threads before.
If I'd seen this author's quote 5 books ago, it might have been the last straw that would convince me to dump the series...
Anyway, I don't think I'll ever truly HATE DD even if it gets worse.
Especially since it doesn't cost any space, money and time. In the worst case, just frequent feelings of annoyance.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
So first I was going to say "Hey you know who might have some insight into this, YOUR ARCHMAGE MOTHER," but then I remembered that the good king was also an archmage, so they probably took the same "Survey of Divination" class in magic college or whatever. So that was a good call on Dominic's part, assuming you get to be an archmage by filling a list of prerequisites.
Second, the question - what kind of mass-media distribution system is there in Dominion? A library could actually be pretty useful for Dominic if it had a bunch of idiosyncratic tomes, because books have to be copied out by hand by monks or something. There could be information there that the king doesn't have access to, simply because there are only five copies of this book.
If on the other hand there's a mass distribution in place, then it's kind of absurd for Dominic to be looking at books hoping for a technique that is simultaneously established, reliable, and unheard of.
p.s. would it be totally rad if Dominic tried to invent a new scrying technique only to be plagued by experimental errors because if it was so simple, somebody would have developed it already?
"So, Dominic, what's the king doing?"
"I'm not sure. All I can hear is a bagpipe, and I think the vision's going backwards."
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Quote:
Originally Posted by
random11
When it cam to the SoT, it wasn't as much hate toward the book or author as much as disappointment and hate toward myself that I kept buying the series till the merciful end.
Pity I didn't know about the SoT threads before.
If I'd seen this author's quote 5 books ago, it might have been the last straw that would convince me to dump the series...
I stopped before the book with the pacifist slaughter. This is by the way a SoT spork in a wiki I found some time ago.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
I wonder if dominic will bother to explain to us plebeians exactly how scrying through a swords reflection is different from scrying through a crystal balls reflection.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rocketpony
If on the other hand there's a mass distribution in place
The apparent existence of comic books heavily imply that this is the case.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
btw this comic confirms that Dominic is holding the idiot ball, in this case creating a massive out-of-character moment. He wasn't researching how to use this techniques, he researched what they are and what they can do. I don't expect Dominic to master every kind of scrying, but I expect him to know at least about them and their possible uses and advantages. He is a ultra nerd. Or at least we were told so.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Traab
I wonder if dominic will bother to explain to us plebeians exactly how scrying through a swords reflection is different from scrying through a crystal balls reflection.
One's a crystal ball. The other's a sword.
Whoops, I just spoiled a week's worth of comics.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bobikus
The apparent existence of comic books heavily imply that this is the case.
The image of a monk illustrating a MegaMage comic book makes me laugh.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Quote:
Originally Posted by
T-O-E
The image of a monk illustrating a MegaMage comic book makes me laugh.
Me too. Thanks for the Image.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rocketpony
So first I was going to say "Hey you know who might have some insight into this, YOUR ARCHMAGE MOTHER," but then I remembered that the good king was also an archmage, so they probably took the same "Survey of Divination" class in magic college or whatever. So that was a good call on Dominic's part, assuming you get to be an archmage by filling a list of prerequisites.
Actually, that's an excellent reason to consult with his mother.
Knowing what types of divination an archmage doesn't know sounds like crucial information at their situation.
Maybe even more important that going through the books. After all, if the method is already known by the enemy, it's not safe.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Welf
I stopped before the book with the pacifist slaughter.
So you still had time to enjoy the wonders of anti-communist straw men :smallamused:
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bobikus
The apparent existence of comic books heavily imply that this is the case.
As well as newspapers and let's not forget the commercial leaflets for a rock concert.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Quote:
Originally Posted by
T-O-E
One's a crystal ball. The other's a sword.
Whoops, I just spoiled a week's worth of comics.
The image of a monk illustrating a MegaMage comic book makes me laugh.
Great, now I have no reason to read the comic until june. But seriously, I could see a justification for the bubble thing, its like activating a huge swarm of scrys all at once, too much information to easily trace and follow, too many false leads in the pile to find the right one without a LOT of effort. But staring into a shiny sword blade? Only thing I can think of is its a very narrow image, like hiding a sheet of paper in the middle of an avalanche of cinder blocks.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
$10 says that using a sword will be better at penetrating wards, and that Mookie will imply it's a call back to when Scarletti said Dom looked good holding a sword. :smallamused:
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Almost a full panel's worth of information to be had of this one.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Maybe his idea isn't "a metal surface is totally different than all the other stuff", maybe he remembered the age old divination technique where you cut open a tusk mouth and read the future out of their innards, nobody would expect it from him, it's perfect. Or he plans to hire assassins who just stab the battlecasters in the back while they are preoccupied by watching every scry.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Just to make sure I remember this right, Sword of Truth was that terrible crap that's kind of like what Ayn Rand would have written if she'd been
1. a stereotypical neckbearded neard that never touched a boob,
2. obsessed with BDSM,
3. more insane,
right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Traab
I wonder if dominic will bother to explain to us plebeians exactly how scrying through a swords reflection is different from scrying through a crystal balls reflection.
It obviously creates a whole new internet plane that isn't watched. Because that's how it works and always worked.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Welf
btw this comic confirms that Dominic is holding the idiot ball, in this case creating a massive out-of-character moment.
Hey, it's not like Dominic's that interested in history, right?
So there's really no reason for him to know his field's history.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
So you can use any shiny reflective surface hmmm?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Oracle_Hunter
This is what I use for scrying. Surprisingly effective: I always find myself seeing something.
So um. If the magical wards are so incredibly effective, what with the scrying and the battlecasters and whatnot, it has to be taking up a lot of resources. And attention. Why not take advantage of that by trying to spy on the King in a more old fashioned way? Just sneak in his castle. He'll never suspect it.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Might I suggest inverting mouths in future dominikudigans? It makes strips so much better, they would be improving plot AND art!
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Kris Strife
$10 says that using a sword will be better at penetrating wards, and that Mookie will imply it's a call back to when Scarletti said Dom looked good holding a sword. :smallamused:
I'll add another 10$ and say it will take more than 3 weeks to actually see ANY wards that needs to be penetrated.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Quote:
Originally Posted by
random11
I'll add another 10$ and say it will take more than 3 weeks to actually see ANY wards that needs to be penetrated.
Ill see that and raise it another 5$ that says when he DOES penetrate the wards, he will be spotted after he learns what he needs to know.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
What if Dom scries on Scarlatti's sword? Will the scry magic allow him to see through magic wards because the sword is resistant to magic? And also logic.
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables
Quote:
Originally Posted by
T-O-E
What if Dom scries on
Scarlatti's sword? Will the scry magic allow him to see through magic wards because the sword is resistant to magic?
And also logic.
Scarlattis sword is made of people! PEEEEEPOLLLLLLEEE!