Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLIV: Stunt Bro and Hella Jayden

[M84]

Rilian is like the anti-Miranda. While Miranda is basically a lazy method to resolve a plot via killing/banishing villains, Rilian is a lazy method to kickstart a plot since he's the one stuck telling everyone what to do to avert disaster. One big difference is that Rilian is actually interesting, since he doesn't just rely on uber-magic power. It also helps that he's detached enough from the cast that he puts the tasks they need to do over their personal angst.

It's kind of jarring that Miranda doesn't seem to be aware that one of her colleagues is running amok after centuries of doing nothing. It's never a good sign when an incredibly powerful but passive entity suddenly stops being passive.

[Imgran]

Rilian is like the anti-Miranda. While Miranda is basically a lazy method to resolve a plot via killing/banishing villains, Rilian is a lazy method to kickstart a plot since he's the one stuck telling everyone what to do to avert disaster. One big difference is that Rilian is actually interesting, since he doesn't just rely on uber-magic power. It also helps that he's detached enough from the cast that he puts the tasks they need to do over their personal angst.

It's kind of jarring that Miranda doesn't seem to be aware that one of her colleagues is running amok after centuries of doing nothing. It's never a good sign when an incredibly powerful but passive entity suddenly stops being passive.

Refresh my memory -- was it Masutel that scanned The Dom for evidence of the Beast? As in, has had some sort of contact with that thing and its power?

[TamerBill]

Refresh my memory -- was it Masutel that scanned The Dom for evidence of the Beast? As in, has had some sort of contact with that thing and its power?

It was going to be, but then they had the air elemental do it instead.

[BlackDragonKing]

I'm still not convinced that the other Archmages aren't in on it, too, but it's possible the air elemental doing the scan is the only reason there was any evidence at all and Dominic wasn't left a broken husk from any psychic "accidents".

Also, I agree that Rilian really does seem to be the only one that understands reflecting on their pasts and wandering around to resolve private emotional issues requires time that they really don't have. It's really inexcusable that none of the characters Rilian turns to to get things moving seem willing to put aside their own desires for just a while to save existence, and every second they drag their feet like this gives DJ Callan more time to act against Rilian's plans and thwart the ONLY PERSON WORKING TO STOP HIM while Dominic and Luna plan their wedding and Jayden concludes she shouldn't hate herself for cheating on Milov.

[M84]

Honestly, are Stunt's questions so pressing that he can't look for answers AFTER getting the necklace of ultimate power safely away from the flying manta ray archmage?

I would understand if Stunt didn't have any other options. BUT HE KNOWS A SEER. He's not even on particularly horrible terms with Dominic anymore, so that's not an excuse either.

[Mephit]

Inbetween this and today's comic, I really like the idea of Rillian being the only competent hero and puppetmaster in this comic who has to deal with all the others' stupidity.

[M84]

Inbetween this and today's comic, I really like the idea of Rillian being the only competent hero and puppetmaster in this comic who has to deal with all the others' stupidity.

Didn't Rilian also mastermind the victory against the Storm of Souls from behind the scenes too? He helped at any rate.

The one time Rilian's plans backfired was when he tricked Helixa into attacking Miranda's kids to trigger her mama bear instincts. Gregory was crippled, Dominic was traumatized and developed a phobia of the undead, Jacob became obsessed with death, and Helixa managed to revive herself because Miranda didn't know the full extent of Helixa's power. That was pretty much epic fail all around for Rilian.

[WyvernLord]

Didn't Rilian also mastermind the victory against the Storm of Souls from behind the scenes too? He helped at any rate.

The one time Rilian's plans backfired was when he tricked Helixa into attacking Miranda's kids to trigger her mama bear instincts. Gregory was crippled, Dominic was traumatized and developed a phobia of the undead, Jacob became obsessed with death, and Helixa managed to revive herself because Miranda didn't know the full extent of Helixa's power. That was pretty much epic fail all around for Rilian.

Actually taking up that line of thought it really wasn't. Think about it. The aftermath of the attack put all the deegans on the path to their powers. Those powers have saved the world. Gregory has healed many people who were to important to die. Everyone knows about lord Dominous. And who knows what Jacob is going to do now. Rilian is the ultimate puppet master. Til he's ruined.

[Acanous]

Rillian's prolly saved the world hundreds of times by now. For him, this is tuesday.
With STUNT BRO AND HELLA JAYDEN!

[Gez]

Way to make assumptions, Rilian and Jayden!

[random11]

Stunt doesn't know it's a scrying pool, he's just waiting for them to look away so he can use the weird looking toilet.

[T-O-E]

Stunt will try to scry on himself but will only see Pam.

Because it was so funny the first two times.

[Gez]

Stunt will try to scry on himself but will only see Pam.

Because it was so funny the first two times.

Complete with super-old spoonerism: "I'm trying to see the cunning Stunt, but what I see is a stunning --" interrupted because teehee, people exploding violently in a shower of strangely-redundant organs is METAL ROCK ON but naughty words are a big no-no only used by non-vegan bad boy jocks.

Alternatively, he'll try to catch up with his family, see that his mom has lived happily ever since Celesto chaosploded his dad, and he'll feel serene and in peace with this satisfying denouement. The readership will still consider him (and by extension Mookie) a complete psychopath.

[Traab]

Complete with super-old spoonerism: "I'm trying to see the cunning Stunt, but what I see is a stunning --" interrupted because teehee, people exploding violently in a shower of strangely-redundant organs is METAL ROCK ON but naughty words are a big no-no only used by non-vegan bad boy jocks.

Alternatively, he'll try to catch up with his family, see that his mom has lived happily ever since Celesto chaosploded his dad, and he'll feel serene and in peace with this satisfying denouement. The readership will still consider him (and by extension Mookie) a complete psychopath.

Yeah this is the thing that is most likely to happen. he wants to learn about momma stunt and her bard lover and see whats happened in her life.

[MReav]

I'm guessing he's either going to scry on his mother or on what's her face, the noble lesbian cheating lover lady. I really hope he finds out Jayden was lying to him, AGAIN, and stabs her for her constant treachery.

[Arakune]

I think the only twist we can expect here is for Stunt to actually turn it down. Usually it isn't made, but mookie is random enough to do it. The premise is good, but I'm not sure how he could fail that.

[Traab]

I'm guessing he's either going to scry on his mother or on what's her face, the noble lesbian cheating lover lady. I really hope he finds out Jayden was lying to him, AGAIN, and stabs her for her constant treachery.

I honestly think itll be something like, he sees his mother who is inexplicably talking to herself about how much she misses her son and wishes she could find him so she could forgive him for accidentally stabbing her.

Either that, or he will find a way to make those 5 minutes REALLY significant, by trying to spy on, I dunno, the king, TIM, the giant archmage, or some other threat, that will result in them being exposed.

[Trazoi]

Sneaky Gate
Future Link

Silly Stunt, you should have scried on the result of the big slaughterball game. You could have totally doubled the amount of money you're going to get from that sweet necklace.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Sneaky Gate
Future Link

Silly Stunt, you should have scried on the result of the big slaughterball game. You could have totally doubled the amount of money you're going to get from that sweet necklace.

Yes... you totally need to use the Ancient Artifact to see a mundane event in the past. This is totally a unique circumstance and that sort of power is not at all common, let alone taught in schools.



I'm ready for a month of Rillian just slapping folks upside the head for dithering when the world is ending. Or maybe just getting Punchy to work-over Dominic for awhile; it's not like he's even using those testicles.

[Trazoi]

Yes... you totally need to use the Ancient Artifact to see a mundane event in the past. This is totally a unique circumstance and that sort of power is not at all common, let alone taught in schools.

I think this is the first time we've seen a scrying pool that any muggle could use, even if it is through Rilian's intervention. There's no way anyone would want to seek Dominic for their fortunes if they could access one of these.

Although it's curious how Rilian fits the bill of Oracle right now far, far better than Dominic.

I'm ready for a month of Rillian just slapping folks upside the head for dithering when the world is ending.

Has anyone bothered to tell Stunt what's going on yet? Or have they just shoved a necklace on him and told him to hop it to that crazy magic lady he briefly met in Erossus that one time?

[AgentofOdd]

I'm ready for a month of Rillian just slapping folks upside the head for dithering when the world is ending. Or maybe just getting Punchy to work-over Dominic for awhile; it's not like he's even using those testicles.

Rillian probably did do that in the beginning, but after the world was nearly destroyed for the umpteenth time because his champions preferred to pout in a corner because the scary man was mean to them instead of saving the known realities, he decided it'd be better to indulge the Mookie creatures.

Rillian, first necromancer and babysitter of the universe. I pity him...

[random11]

I wonder, Rillian does act as a puppet master here, giving tasks to both Jayden and Stunt.
But since he didn't know they are on the way to see him, what was his "plan A"? Just wait for a hundred years until someones wonders to the general area?

[Veridis Quo]

Here's My first attempt at altering the strip from yesterday. Sorry I cut out the first half, I honestly didn't know what to do with them.

Spoiler

Show

Instead of just having Rilian just push the plot forward, let's give some insight into his head as well. A little development couldn't hurt, and we can add some tension leading up to today's "cliffhanger".

[Coidzor]

Found this gem for Monday, November 25, 2002 bit of The Annotated Dominic Deegan describing Dominic and Stunt's interactions during the whole Sylvan Oracle storyline introducing TIM.

The patented "Deegan is hot ****, Stunt is a moron" dichotomy is back in full force. Despite being the strip's protagonist, Deegan manages to come across as being far less likable than a self-proclaimed misogynist ******.

Just felt like sharing it for some reason.

[guttering flame]

Sneaky Gate
Future Link

Silly Stunt, you should have scried on the result of the big slaughterball game. You could have totally doubled the amount of money you're going to get from that sweet necklace.

[Acanous]

You know, if it were my DM, and one of my characters asked to see what happened between "My parents" and "Someone one of my parents had an affair with" "Around ten years ago"... My character would be getting an eyefull of squick.

[rocketpony]

So, uh.

On one hand, how urgent can this possibly be, since Rillian himself was just kind of waiting for somebody to show up and do this for him?
Also, we don't know anything about Space Ray's motivation. Maybe he's looking for the necklace because he's actually a Luanaian and he wants these agnostics to take their damn dirty paws off of the relic. Are we meant to understand that Space Ray is fixing to kill Stunt for this? Once again, why?
Why?

Why?

[Arakune]

Yes... you totally need to use the Ancient Artifact to see a mundane event in the past. This is totally a unique circumstance and that sort of power is not at all common, let alone taught in schools.



I'm ready for a month of Rillian just slapping folks upside the head for dithering when the world is ending. Or maybe just getting Punchy to work-over Dominic for awhile; it's not like he's even using those testicles.

No wonder Rillian want nothing to do with mortals. He is only doing his job because he is protecting his old friends home. For all he care, creation can die a horrible death and he won't give a damn.

[MReav]

Stunt's father, who is made of straw and whose religion is made of more straw, went on to become a rapist. Stunt's mother, had she lived, could have produced white magic potion had she been allowed to lesbian happy sex.

[Myrdhale]

Here's My first attempt at altering the strip from yesterday. Sorry I cut out the first half, I honestly didn't know what to do with them.

Spoiler

Show

Instead of just having Rilian just push the plot forward, let's give some insight into his head as well. A little development couldn't hurt, and we can add some tension leading up to today's "cliffhanger".

That was a really good re-work. I applaud your ability to make something interesting out of crap.

Don't worry about cutting parts of this comic, it's badly in need of some pruning.