OOTS #947 - The Discussion Thread

[Terbovus]

Have to say, wasn't a big fan of the art upgrade, and particularly the font, but I'm sorta getting used to it already. Giant knows best. And yes, it is a shock looking back at edition 1!

Good work Giant!

[GAAD]

Durkon's Mom Thundershield has been content lately. She talked with her child recently. She rescued someone recently. She was nauseated by the sun lately.
She has one child, Durkon Thundershield.
She is a worshipper of Thor.
She is a citizen of the Northern Dwarven Lands.
She has the appearance of someone who is thirty years old.
Her eyes are black. Her short, brown hair hangs loosely. She is fat. Her right upper arm is missing.
She is tough.
Durkon's Mom Thundershield likes hammers, grilled cheese, low boots, steel, shields, the color cobalt and clouds for their fluffiness. She absolutely detests trees.
She has a lot of willpower and a good sense for the position of her own body.

A short, sturdy creature fond of drink and industry.

Urist McLadderguy cancels Smooth Wall, interrupted by perilous drop
Durkon's Mom Thundershield cancels Attend Infant, interrupted by Urist McLadderguy
There is nothing to find in the southeastern swamps.
Durkon Thundershield cancels Walk: too insane

[DeliaP]

So: new art style? Thumbs up from me. Love the greater detail, perspective etc. Noodle-pitchfork-hands don't seem much different to the previous stick-pitchfork-hands, as far as art and stuff goes (maybe because I'd already noticed the stick-pitchfork-hands and how they occasionally looked odd when holding things such as other hands...). Strangely, I find the existence of sleeves and pants legs the thing I'm most needing to get used to!

Durkon's mum? Interesting things: lots of people have noticed already that she clearly isn't telling Durkon to bottle up feelings of love. So that can't be what Durkon means when he rejects Hilgya. We're not seeing an emotionally repressed, damaging mother-son relationship here that was occasionally speculated on (for which I am glad!). On the contrary, so far she seems to be a strong, positive role model embodying an lot of the virtues that Durkon respects and emulates as an adult. Instinctively going to help others, even at great risk to herself; strength and determination; humility and not hogging the spotlight.

Caveats: it's only one strip, a lot can change; and, as this is Durkon's memory, it is possibly highly idealised?

Other interesting things: Durkon's dad. Clearly died when Durkon was young, but also liked the outside and would sit staring at the sky. Durkon's mum first tells Durkon about this in a positive way, but then at the end tells Durkon that the outside is pretty, but no place for a dwarf. Rampant speculation: Durkon's dad's death was related to his liking the outside? Durkon's mum then has complex feelings about it, and passes on to Durkon her negative feelings, blaming the outside for the loss of her husband....

I believe when Durkon got exiled in OotS, he asked to go home to visit his grandparents. Not his mother. That seems ominous. I suspect Durkon's mum is, alas, not around anymore, and we are going to find out, in flashbacks, how that happened. And that's going to be a big part of understanding Durkon on a much deeper level.

Also, am I the only one that finds it interesting that spirit-Durkon, and spirit-Unnamed-HPoH both are still carrying a shield on their backs?

I am also brain-hurt from trying to figure out how many negatives are redundant in the phrase:

"I dinnae do nuthin' no one else 'ere wouldnae've done"

Finally: Yay! Thank you Giant! Good to have you back!

[WindStruck]

Well, if we learn that he once loved Durkon's mother and in truth seeks to protect Durkon...

So that sounds like... the "negative energy Durkon" is really the soul of his father? Wow, what a twist!

[jere7my]

I am not joking or exaggerating when I say that this is the most visually unsettling thing I have ever experienced in my entire life.

Best wishes on your upcoming fourth birthday!

They are no longer stick figures. No part of their body even remotely resembles a stick. Their hands are PITCHFORKS MADE OF FLESH!!!

If you think any part of their bodies looked like sticks before, you need to get outside more.

[DaggerPen]

You know, I wasn't 100% sure on the new hands at first - love the rest, but wasn't sure about the hands - but after letting it set for a bit and coming back to it? I really, really like it.

(Though I do find it a little weird that Durkon is bare-handed. For some reason I always pictured him with some type of armored gloves.)

[Rogar Demonblud]

I believe when Durkon got exiled in OotS, he asked to go home to visit his grandparents. Not his mother. That seems ominous. I suspect Durkon's mum is, alas, not around anymore, and we are going to find out, in flashbacks, how that happened. And that's going to be a big part of understanding Durkon on a much deeper level.

He wanted to be going to his grandfather's birthday, if memory serves. I think there was also mention of an uncle, but I haven't reread OTOOPCs for a bit.

[Bulldog Psion]

suddenly turning into a comic with characters with noodly legs, arms and flesh pitchforks for hands is very unsettling. I am not joking or exaggerating when I say that this is the most visually unsettling thing I have ever experienced in my entire life. I almost "Yarfed" when I first saw this.

This is either one of the most successful uses of hyperbole yet seen on these forums (quite an accomplishment), or your life has been incredibly sheltered. Either way, I have an odd -- and quite sincere, I'm not being snarky here though I can't explain my reaction -- urge to congratulate you.

[Cuthalion]

(Though I do find it a little weird that Durkon is bare-handed. For some reason I always pictured him with some type of armored gloves.)

Some have suggested that it helps healing magic or something.

[Keltest]

Some have suggested that it helps healing magic or something.

I like the explanation that "gauntlets are uncomfortable, so he doesn't wear them if he doesn't have to." explanation myself.

And I know from experience that its true. Even leather gloves get hot and sweaty quite fast, let alone thick leather gauntlets backed with steel.

[riaierb]

Nine Year old Durkon!!!

[Cuthalion]

Nine Year old Durkon!!!

Nine year old and just now sees the sky? I'm going with five, maybe.

[hoplathemightly]

What was Durkon's Pa going to say?!

[Cuthalion]

What was Durkon's Pa going to say?!

I believe I can fly....!

[Tobimaro]

Gotta love this look at Durkon's history. And our evil shade is not helping here.

[tnessfftto]

(Not reading all 10 pgs to see if someone already said this lol.)

The characters are literally becoming more fleshed out! They're no longer really stick characters! They've *sniffs, wipes tear away* graduated, after 947 strips!

I agree Durkon's mom is awesome. Is it wrong that I kind of want to write a fanfic about her? Lol.

I also think the art upgrade makes it clearer what happens when she's grabbing the dude and will ultimately make for greater narrative ease. I'm less sure about the font, but then again, I didn't even notice it until someone else pointed it out here. :-/

[The Smallest]

go back to the first page in the comic ever. Hands are exactly the same. They just arent brown.

I realize that, but in the pages before this one, the hands are not fleshed out or colored, making it far easier (at least for me) to interpret them as a stick figure interpretation of hands. However, the hands now resemble flesh pitchforks, which I find deeply unsettling.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

I realize that, but in the pages before this one, the hands are not fleshed out or colored, making it far easier (at least for me) to interpret them as a stick figure interpretation of hands. However, the hands now resemble flesh pitchforks, which I find deeply unsettling.

This is possibly due to the uncanny valley. The uncanny valley is basically a hypothesis that at a certain point on the resemblance to humanity spectrum, specifically when something looks close to a normal human but not quite, it can cause revulsion in the viewer. I find it interesting that you are so unsettled by the art upgrade, as I do not find it that odd myself. The hands are a little weird, but I didn't think they were that much odder than before.

[The Smallest]

This is possibly due to the uncanny valley. The uncanny valley is basically a hypothesis that at a certain point on the resemblance to humanity spectrum, specifically when something looks close to a normal human but not quite, it can cause revulsion in the viewer. I find it interesting that you are so unsettled by the art upgrade, as I do not find it that odd myself. The hands are a little weird, but I didn't think they were that much odder than before.

It's not a resemblance to humanity on any level that repulses me, just the fact that my mind interprets the new "hands" as pitchforks made of flesh. Now, imagine a real pitchfork constructed entirely out of flesh and see how viewing that mental image makes you feel.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

It's not a resemblance to humanity on any level that repulses me, just the fact that my mind interprets the new "hands" as pitchforks made of flesh. Now, imagine a real pitchfork constructed entirely out of flesh and see how viewing that mental image makes you feel.

I don't think you could make a pitchfork out of flesh, since it wouldn't be stable enough to stay together.

I think what I was trying to say is that it's how the hands are closer to resembling human hands than before that causes you to feel the revulsion. Before now, when the hands looked less like human hands, you wouldn't have seen pitchforks of flesh. Now that they look more human-like you make the connection to the fleshy pitchforks, and that repulses you.

[The Smallest]

I don't think you could make a pitchfork out of flesh, since it wouldn't be stable enough to stay together.

I think what I was trying to say is that it's how the hands are closer to resembling human hands than before that causes you to feel the revulsion. Before now, when the hands looked less like human hands, you wouldn't have seen pitchforks of flesh. Now that they look more human-like you make the connection to the fleshy pitchforks, and that repulses you.

Actually, fleshy pitchforks feel less human-like to me than the previous hands, which I could interpret as a stick figure representation of hands.

[The Smallest]

This is either one of the most successful uses of hyperbole yet seen on these forums (quite an accomplishment), or your life has been incredibly sheltered. Either way, I have an odd -- and quite sincere, I'm not being snarky here though I can't explain my reaction -- urge to congratulate you.

Thank you! However the real reason for my disgust is the fact that when I see these new hands, I imagine pitchforks made of living flesh. If that's not disturbing, then maybe my life really is too sheltered.

[Orc Warrior]

So the vampire's spirit is made of negative energy? This reminds me of when Redcloak destroyed the Ghost Martyrs(Positive Energy Spirits) with negative energy. I wonder if Durkon can use positive energy to kill the HPoH?

[The Smallest]

So the vampire's spirit is made of negative energy? This reminds me of when Redcloak destroyed the Ghost Martyrs(Positive Energy Spirits) with negative energy. I wonder if Durkon can use positive energy to kill the HPoH?

Unlikely, as it is probable that Durkon needs his physical body to do so, and even if he could without it, he probably couldn't muster enough positive energy to destroy a spirit created especially by Hel to trap his soul and replace him.

[Kish]

So the vampire's spirit is made of negative energy? This reminds me of when Redcloak destroyed the Ghost Martyrs(Positive Energy Spirits) with negative energy. I wonder if Durkon can use positive energy to kill the HPoH?

If he 1) had control of his body, 2) was confronting the vampire from a position other than "trapped inside the vampire's mind," and 3) was twice the vampire's level, sure, that's how Turn Undead works.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Actually, fleshy pitchforks feel less human-like to me than the previous hands, which I could interpret as a stick figure representation of hands.

Really? Well, I see them as more realistic and more human-like, actually, even if they're not as iconic.

[JSSheridan]

I like the explanation that "gauntlets are uncomfortable, so he doesn't wear them if he doesn't have to." explanation myself.

And I know from experience that its true. Even leather gloves get hot and sweaty quite fast, let alone thick leather gauntlets backed with steel.

I could see the Azurites wearing Tekkou. It covers the back of the hand and could be armoured.

[elros]

I"m a little late to the discussion, but I can see that the Giant was hard at work during the hiatus! Although I think it is pretty funny that people have strong opinions about the artwork of a webcomic based on stick figures!
Also, love the more background Durkon, especially the scruff on his chin.

[DeliaP]

I"m a little late to the discussion, but I can see that the Giant was hard at work during the hiatus! Although I think it is pretty funny that people have strong opinions about the artwork of a webcomic based on stick figures!
Also, love the more background Durkon, especially the scruff on his chin.

Ahh, the forums have strong opinions about everything related to a certain webcomic based on stick figures (I cite in evidence a thread debating whether the title of the webcomic was "Order of the Stick" or "The Order of the Stick").

But I find it funny that people are discussing whether the noodley-appendages are too close to realistic depictions of humanoid limbs, compared to stick-appendages, which are apparently just iconic abstract representations. I seriously doubt that if anyone had seen comic #947, without having first seen #1-#946, they would have regarded the noodley-appendages as remotely close to realistic, as opposed to an iconic comic abstract representation of a hand!

(ps. Not that I'm trying to put down your reaction, The Smallest. If I'd looked at the panel and thought: OMG, that's literally a pitchfork made of living flesh, I probably would have been quite repulsed too! )

[Orc Warrior]

Ahh, the forums have strong opinions about everything related to a certain webcomic based on stick figures (I cite in evidence a thread debating whether the title of the webcomic was "Order of the Stick" or "The Order of the Stick").

So which is it?