Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXV: DJ Callan Turns the Tables

[Fangly]

Reference for Great Justice

I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS GAWD.

Spoiler

Show

Actually apparently I didn't. I thought Yu Gi Oh the Abridged Series was the originator when SNL was first oh crap I'm ignorant.

So anyways. What the hell is alternate scrying. Is it like alternate rock or something? Because this seems silly and like a lazy way to be all: "I HAVE EXTRA STRENGTH MAGICAL POWERS LOL."

Eff you alternate scrying. Go fall off a cliff kthnx.

[T-O-E]

I just had a horrible thought.

This "alternate scrying" will be uncannily close to Quilt's bubble-scries. We will get exposition on how much better this form of scrying is and how it was lost forever for some reason. Quilt turns out to be a magic genius and pioneer. Dom uses this superior, ancient and arcane magick to outdo Celesto, DJ and the Battlecasters

[Glass Mouse]

I just had a horrible thought.

This "alternate scrying" will be uncannily close to Quilt's bubble-scries. We will get exposition on how much better this form of scrying is and how it was lost forever for some reason. Quilt turns out to be a magic genius and pioneer. Dom uses this superior, ancient and arcane magick to outdo Celesto, DJ and the Battlecasters

Huh? What other options are there?

[Nerd-o-rama]

As a random drive-by Mookie defense, I'm not sure if Alternate Scrying means anything specific, just "anything that doesn't use a crystal ball". Plenty of people have done that in the comic (the Sylvan oracle, Orcs, that guy who keeps getting killed, Quilt), it's just that as a traditionally educated seer, balls are Dominic's specialty. Therefore, he wants to read up on other scrying media so he can get a better picture with no balls, because the battlecasters are, of course, only closely studying peoples' balls and not any other kind of scrying focus.

[random11]

As a random drive-by Mookie defense, I'm not sure if Alternate Scrying means anything specific, just "anything that doesn't use a crystal ball". Plenty of people have done that in the comic (the Sylvan oracle, Orcs, that guy who keeps getting killed, Quilt), it's just that as a traditionally educated seer, balls are Dominic's specialty. Therefore, he wants to read up on other scrying media so he can get a better picture with no balls, because the battlecasters are, of course, only closely studying peoples' balls and not any other kind of scrying focus.

The only problem is, if it is a commonly used system that just isn't Dominic's specialty, why is it so obvious that the battle casters watch only the crystal balls and not the other methods as well?
After all, they are not looking for Dominic.

[Oracle_Hunter]

If you position your eye just right, yes it does. It's more that they're almost always drawn like that. It makes them look like flat 2D props. I don't know why he keeps doing that. It's not as if drawing a glass is that time consuming or difficult.

Actually, I'm surprised you can see the glass top in panel 4.

For reference:





This is how tumblers look in reality. Compare that to Mookie's tumblers in panel 1.

News Flash: Mookie can't do perspective!

[Glass Mouse]

The only problem is, if it is a commonly used system that just isn't Dominic's specialty, why is it so obvious that the battle casters watch only the crystal balls and not the other methods as well?
After all, they are not looking for Dominic.

This.

I mean, they're looking for Celesto, aren't they? A master seer? Who probably knows a thousand weird and intricate ways of scrying? Surely they aren't hoping to catch him like this.

[TheArsenal]

If anybody can find the Mmm Mmmm mmmmm sound effect from Phelouses "Ghost Ship" review I will be FOREVER grateful.

Wood In A Cup, (Also available in Pine Flavour)
Mmm Mmmm Mmmmmmm

[Darkmyst]

The only problem is, if it is a commonly used system that just isn't Dominic's specialty, why is it so obvious that the battle casters watch only the crystal balls and not the other methods as well?
After all, they are not looking for Dominic.

It would be nice if the answer was "They are watching other common methods. Luna and Quilt didn't notice this because they're unaware of any of these other scrying techniques, not being professional seers themselves. Dominic doesn't know because he didn't check for himself, relying instead on Luna's flawed observations."

Doubly so if it winds up getting Dom in trouble.

[Traab]

This.

I mean, they're looking for Celesto, aren't they? A master seer? Who probably knows a thousand weird and intricate ways of scrying? Surely they aren't hoping to catch him like this.

And dominic is ALSO an expert seer. I mean my god thats his entire lifes WORK! Why the HELL does he need to do research into alternative scrying methods NOW, when he should have covered that while he was in school? He should be able to recite dozens of different methods of scrying in his frigging sleep. It would be like an american history professor needing to go back and research the american revolution. Its just something you should already KNOW about!

[Welf]

Come on, it's not like Dominic was some kind of bookworm who spend his studies researching even the most obscure facts about anything scrying related. I think we can expect the name-giving character of the comic to have a consistent characterization, especially when it comes to his single most defining attribute.

[Hiro Protagonest]

And dominic is ALSO an expert seer. I mean my god thats his entire lifes WORK! Why the HELL does he need to do research into alternative scrying methods NOW, when he should have covered that while he was in school? He should be able to recite dozens of different methods of scrying in his frigging sleep. It would be like an american history professor needing to go back and research the american revolution. Its just something you should already KNOW about!

Come on, it's not like Dominic was some kind of bookworm who spend his studies researching even the most obscure facts about anything scrying related. I think we can expect the name-giving character of the comic to have a consistent characterization, especially when it comes to his single most defining attribute.

Yes, he should know about alternate methods of scrying already. But if he did, you guys would be complaining about him never using it before.

[TheArsenal]

Yes, he should know about alternate methods of scrying already. But if he did, you guys would be complaining about him never using it before.

Strained Plot Patch Principle: Plot holes SO deep that no patch can fix them without ruining the pants.

[Garland]

DD has achieved paradox plot holes, in which even if you go back to fix/retcon the issue, they become plot holes for different reasons.

IT KEEPS HAPPENING

[Nerd-o-rama]

Well, I was mostly using crystal balls specifically just so I could repeatedly talk about balls and not break any board rules. If this turns out to be a case where Mookie's actually thought things through, Dominic's going to go look up something obscure enough that even he doesn't do it regularly, and the Battlecasters (being pawns of The Man) wouldn't even think of it, and yet it's something obviously connected to what we've seen some of the non-regular-Callanian-magic-establishment characters do.

That's a pretty insanely big if, I must admit.

[mwchase]

Given the overall anemic quality of the anti-seer counter-measures, at least in terms of their deployment (what reason did Vilrath have for getting his glyph, that nobody else bothered with?), it's likely that Dominic wouldn't have needed to do anything fancy, given that the only state-sanctioned wards we've heard about are the absolutely unbeatable ones on the royal palace. (I was going to link to that one strip from Class Action that everyone loves to bring up, but for some reason, the DD site has slowed to a crawl for me. A slow crawl.)

Also, I'm still not entirely clear on his plan. Is he going to try to sneak into the castle, blast Snuggly, and then collect evidence against DJ Callan after the fact?

[Welf]

Yes, he should know about alternate methods of scrying already. But if he did, you guys would be complaining about him never using it before.

And it would be equally adequate. It's a retcon or an asspull (YMMV), and that is bad writing. And it was badly introduced. Dominic not knowing is against his established characterization (his nerdiness was hammered into us repeatedly), him knowing and not using would make his past decisions look stupid.
Although there might be a reason why Dominic didn't learn these techniques before. Let's see if that is ever brought up.

[Fangly]

As a random drive-by Mookie defense, I'm not sure if Alternate Scrying means anything specific, just "anything that doesn't use a crystal ball".

I'm thinking Alternative Scrying is scrying you do after growing your hair out and wearing thick frame glasses and a giant scarf.


Wait a tick.

Yes, he should know about alternate methods of scrying already. But if he did, you guys would be complaining about him never using it before.

Okay. So I'll give you that I'm complaining somewhat prematurely. But here's the thing. This comic is silly. Chances are this will be silly. The fact is there very well could be an obscure scrying method Dommy hasn't heard of/studied. Anyone who specializes in anything understands you can't know everything. HOWEVER. Mookie has lost my trust. Therefore, I have no faith that alternative scrying will be presented well. It's just now being introduced because Mookie needed it to advance the story the way he wants. There is a wall in the story right now, and instead of figuring out a way to go around it using the tools already established in the story, Mookie is just giving his main character a laser beam to explode through it.

It's lazy story telling, and that annoys me more than anything else.


EDIT= Dammit Welf, how dare you make such an excellent argument, totally making mine redundant. Gawd damn ninjas.

[Nerd-o-rama]

I'm thinking Alternative Scrying is scrying you do after growing your hair out and wearing thick frame glasses and a giant scarf.


Wait a tick.

No, that's Hipster Scrying. Hey, no wonder only Dominic's ever heard of it.

[Fangly]

No, that's Hipster Scrying. Hey, no wonder only Dominic's ever heard of it.

Well, he does like things that are... underground.

[random11]

There are still ways he can get away with these plot holes.

For example, the other scrying method is old, inefficient, drains your strength faster, and requires a special slow ritual.
This method is so old and useless compared to the ones like the crystal ball, that no one bothers to learn, teach or use them any more, except maybe for people who are just curious or geeks in this field.

Expecting the battle mages to think that someone will use this, is like expecting the police to expect and look for mail pigeons as a way of communication.
Possible, but unlikely, especially for a government organization.


Another option is simply that battle mages do not specialize in scrying, so they know only the most common ways to "tap".
The king sent them to block the most obvious ways, while he himself, maybe with a couple of other trained seers, look for Celesto in other ways.
While they are more trained and DO know other ways to scry, they still have less manpower, so they can't watch everywhere at once.

[Bobikus]

obscure facts

Even his compliments towards other people are just veiled self-praise.

[Deme]

Well, if we're going to be fair to Mookie, Dominic doesn't say he's going to learn them, only "brush up on them." Presumably, he knows them already, but needs to refresh his knowledge because he doesn't use them as a matter of course, which is why we've never seen them.
Sounds alright so far.

No, the question for Mookie will be "Ok, why doesn't he normally use them? Is there a reason his preffered method is his preference?" If Mookie wants this sequence to hold firm -- I mean, firmer, anyway. Less infirm, you know -- he'll have to answer that.

Also, does using the paw of a cat that touched stuff as a scrying focus to scry about things via the stuff count as "alternative"? Because that's the only situation where I could see alternative scrying as being useful to the the comic so far.

Edit:
A major infirmity of this sequence is that this isn't Szark: This is Pam with her lower eyeliner gone all smudged.

[Trazoi]

A major infirmity of this sequence is that this isn't Szark: This is Pam with her lower eyeliner gone all smudged.

Has Szark and Pam ever appeared in the same scene together?

Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn....

[Garland]

Even his compliments towards other people are just veiled self-praise.

Seriously, Dominic just can' get enough of himself. That wasn't even veiled, he was openly daydreaming about wanting to have himself as a teacher, and how seeing intelligent people reminds him of how intelligent he is. He is just so damn wonderful.

[Darkmyst]

Seriously, Dominic just can' get enough of himself. That wasn't even veiled, he was openly daydreaming about wanting to have himself as a teacher, and how seeing intelligent people reminds him of how intelligent he is. He is just so damn wonderful.

I'm going to assume that, at some point in his overzealous studies, Dom accidentally exposed himself to the truth: that his entire universe is titled "Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire", and exists soley to tell his story.

A realisation of that magnitude would understandably have a bit of an impact on ones ego.

[Palmer]

A sneaky gate full of terrible faces.

Dom looks like a straight up muppet in the last panel.

A future link.


And thus Mookie forgets that the reasons Quilt's scry was so "covert" was because he was scrying from a bunch of different angles.

[Castel]

Say, how come Szark still has that "sickly" perma-blush? Wasn't he finally completely healed back in... War in Hell, was it?

[TheLaughingMan]

Y'know, if Mookie's trying to quash the whole DomXSzark thing, he's doing a terrible job. The Dominus has more chemistry with Szark than his wife.

[Garland]

NOOOOO NOT SWORDOPOLIS