D&D Aangvanced (Avatar: The Last Airbender Screencap Comic)

[aurilee]

Also, there's a side story in GMs again. I think it's pretty relevant to the table!

http://crystalgms.thecomicseries.com/comics/484/

At this point I think I'm going to need to make some sort of timeline/diagram for when everyone met.

Stay tuned. :P

[Seerow]

At this point I think I'm going to need to make some sort of timeline/diagram for when everyone met.

Stay tuned. :P

I'll be honest, all of these side stories/other comics stepping into/out of this one is rapidly making me lose interest. I have no interest in picking up other comics just to try to follow what's going on here.

[DeadpanSal]

I think all the relevant content is gonna be in the main story. Though Steven and the Crystal GMs is a sister story with a lot of similar elements. The rest are just crossovers because crossovers and nothing important happened in them.

[aurilee]

I'll be honest, all of these side stories/other comics stepping into/out of this one is rapidly making me lose interest. I have no interest in picking up other comics just to try to follow what's going on here.

You don't actually need to follow any of the crossover strips. They just provide some added backstory/bonus content.

The main story is happening in the main comic and can stand on its own from what I can tell.

[Kantaki]

It seems something went wrong with Lex' game.
Seems fishy.
I really hope Damien's mother isn't involved. That could get... ugly.
Best case she's going to publish a new game. Worst case ugly is a understatement.
The only question is would Mrs. Weers go against her own daughter to get her hands on a new game?
Oh who am I kidding. Of course she would.
The real question is how ruined the company of Damien's sister is.

Wow. I didn't expect it would be that bad. Mary Weers is horrible.
There have been quite a few characters in various stories that I wanted to see dead.
She easily moved beyond that.
Death would be to good for her.
Mary Weers deserves to suffer.
This would be a good start:

Spoiler: Skulldugerry Pleasant: Last Stand of Dead Men

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"What mercy? But no, death is to good for someone like you. You know what isn't to good for you, though? You know what't just right? Pain. Lot's and lot's of pain."[...]
"Agony. Constant agony for twenty-three hours a day.No painkillers or sedatives will do anything to alleviate what you are feeling. If and when your body compensates, if and when you're starting to get used to it, the pain will increase. One hour a day, it'll stop. You can eat, drink - sleep if you can. But mostly you'll just dread the agony returning.

No, I'm not a very nice person.

[Cazero]

How lucky cest moi?

*twitch*
"c'est", not "cest". Just like "isnt" isn't correct. It's a spoken sentence, orthography ought to be correct in the transcript.
(the language mixing is an abomination on several levels, but making language mistakes can be in character so I'm fine with it)

[DeadpanSal]

Really? I didnt notice that.

[aurilee]

*twitch*
"c'est", not "cest". Just like "isnt" isn't correct. It's a spoken sentence, orthography ought to be correct in the transcript.
(the language mixing is an abomination on several levels, but making language mistakes can be in character so I'm fine with it)

I did that too, but figured it was just a literary way to display Allie's mangling of French. Or at least, that's what I was generously assuming.

And man, you know you're failing as a DM when the group is asking for Manny to take over. Time to step it up Rick!

[aurilee]

Yeah! Go confident-and-using-capitalisation Rube!

Mako's blue fire is legit scary. Watching Rube being a badass is awesome.

Spoiler: Spoiler-y thoughts

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So I've been thinking about how the season ends...specifically Korra/Katara interactions. Allie's just such a peppy little sweetheart I can't help but imagine her being the one trying to heal Mac.

Also about the ending...I feel like that would be a good time for Manny to come back since the Avatar state was basically his "imma take over your character now"
move.

[DeadpanSal]

C'est moi has been fixed! I wonder how long it'll be before Allie butchers French again!

And there was another crossover with Jutsu and Jinchuurichi for those of you who like the expanded plot. Lex makes a ninja!

[Kantaki]

I feel like that was a waste of the telephone joker.
Of course alignment takes a backseat when family is on the line.
I could have told you that. And I don't even like my family half of the time...

The only difference is that a Good person would feel a measure of regret afterwards while a Evil individual might relish in having a excuse to cut loose on someone.

[kreenlover]

I don't know if this has been suggested yet, but I'm just going to put my money on Amon/Destruction being conflated with Uanalaq/Vaatu in book 2, and becoming an ongoing BBEG. Unalaq saw the force of destruction while wandering, and took up the mantle of Amon. Now, the Church tries to free Vaatu/Destruction to herald that glorious judgement day that Tarlock is preaching about.
The spirit fog, the church of Amon, the whole thing seems to be heading that way, and would do a neater job of connecting the two books than the original series did (in my mind at least).

[aurilee]

I've missed the three-a-day updates!

They're great during these climaxes.

EDIT: Don't know if I've mentioned this already or not, but the fact that Shelby is playing Tenzin's entire family is beyond adorable.

Oh and Rube's the best.

[DeadpanSal]

Rube is everyone's favorite! I can't wait until Tenzin's siblings arrive - Shelby is gonna be unstoppable with Kya and Bumi in her hive mind army!

[aurilee]

Rube is everyone's favorite! I can't wait until Tenzin's siblings arrive - Shelby is gonna be unstoppable with Kya and Bumi in her hive mind army!

Oh my god I forgot about Kya and Bumi!

Shelby is going to be back to her badass self soon enough!

[aurilee]

This group needs a dedicated hug-giver.

Seriously.

Mac and Rube both need a big one right now (preferably from each other, but that's just crazy talk).

[Kantaki]

This group needs a dedicated hug-giver.

Seriously.

Mac and Rube both need a big one right now (preferably from each other, but that's just crazy talk).

What they really need is a different group.
All of them.
Well, maybe not Shelby and Lex, but as a whole?
This group shouldn't play together.
The only problem is that for most of them a different group- or more likely in some cases no group -would be worse.
Still, these guys together are like a powder keg with a burning fuse.

[Shogo]

I could see Rube needing a hug, but I don't see it with Mac. But that's mostly because I think she's kind of awful.

[Lizard Lord]

If Bonnie from the Crystal GMs is any indication I doubt Mac is good for any group she is in. (Same goes for Manny, but that's why he exiled himself.)

I mean I know Damien was in that group as well, but I somehow doubt he was the problem.

[aurilee]

What they really need is a different group.
All of them.
Well, maybe not Shelby and Lex, but as a whole?
This group shouldn't play together.
The only problem is that for most of them a different group- or more likely in some cases no group -would be worse.
Still, these guys together are like a powder keg with a burning fuse.

You know, I've thought about that a fair bit from time to time while reading the comic...but I always come back to this feeling that they somehow need each other.

Like a really dysfunctional family who could love each other, but they have too many problems.

There's something keeping these guys together, and it's not just the game.

I mean, look at that conversation we just had with Mac and Shelby. That was Mac's feeble attempt at friendship building, and she was disappointed that she couldn't hang out with Shelby. Remember that Shelby was the one who introduced Mac to RPGs, so she probably at the very least has a huge amount of respect for her. And they were likely friends.

And as for her interaction with Rube, that was Mac lashing out. If she were in a better mental space, she would have handled that in a way that probably would have resulted in a stronger friendship. But Mac was being defensive, especially after being shot down by Shelby.

I could see Rube needing a hug, but I don't see it with Mac. But that's mostly because I think she's kind of awful.

Mac's not awful, she just...has issues.

Maybe it's because I have some experience with the kind of stuff she's going through (and the behaviour that goes with it), but I feel bad for her more than I dislike her.

If Bonnie from the Crystal GMs is any indication I doubt Mac is good for any group she is in. (Same goes for Manny, but that's why he exiled himself.)

I mean I know Damien was in that group as well, but I somehow doubt he was the problem.

Mac right now is acting in a way that doesn't allow anyone to really get along with her. Allie and Rube are trying, but she's actively pushing them away.

Manny knows what he did and is trying to fix things.

I think now it's Mac's turn and I have a feeling it'll be Allie and Rube who help her.

Spoiler: Spoiler for the show

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And given what happens between Korra and Asami...how can that not be Allie helping Mac become a better person.

[Sapphire Guard]

Can I just say how much I love the fact that Lex seems to have a good relationship with his father? That's so, so rare in any fictional work.

[DeadpanSal]

Nobody asked, but 1442 is one of my favorite pages ever. That and the Mackenzie and Bonnie page from Dungeons and Danganronpa.

[Kantaki]

Nobody asked, but 1442 is one of my favorite pages ever. That and the Mackenzie and Bonnie page from Dungeons and Danganronpa.

It is heartwarming, aye.

Although I kinda prefer the Grandline 3.5 reference in 1440.

[JohanOfKitten]

Ice cream everyone!

Nice fight for the whole party. The season finale will be awesome.

[aurilee]

It is heartwarming, aye.

Although I kinda prefer the Grandline 3.5 reference in 1440.

What this comic does very well IMO, is going from incredibly heartbreaking to incredibly heartwarming.

Lex should also just get some ice cream for Rube. He did get his hopes up.

Also AWWWWWW BABY SHELBY

EDIT:
And a new strip, in which Allie confirms Rube's status as the group's Improbability Drive.

[Shogo]

Well, that's a phrase that's always been a steaming load.

When did being willing to sacrifice yourself so others could get away go from being something noble to being something you denigrate? (They're playing a game so it's not like this is serious, but still . . .)

[aurilee]

Well, that's a phrase that's always been a steaming load.

When did being willing to sacrifice yourself so others could get away go from being something noble to being something you denigrate? (They're playing a game so it's not like this is serious, but still . . .)

I took it to be a little tongue in cheek, but I think Allie might also be trying to subtly hint that perhaps Lex is being overprotective of the girl(s) in the group (namely Allie and Shelby in this case) and that he might be putting on a bit of extra bravado for Shelby's sake.

In other words, perhaps it was noble, and perhaps it was a bit of misplaced concern and perhaps it was a little overly showy.

Allie is also a teenaged girl of her time, so using that phrase might be something she just doesn't think twice about.

But yeah, in general that phrase itself is a lot of meaningless bluster that accomplishes very little.

[DeadpanSal]

That is exactly how Allie sees Lex. Cool uncle, wonderful protector, maybe a little overeager. And Allie's big arc is "I can keep up with you guys! Give me a chance!" So Tenzin making a sacrifice play is the last thing she wants.

[aurilee]

IC/OOC Is Blurry When You’re Crying

HOW DID YOU KNOW I WAS CRYING

Seriously though, Lex's reaction is fairly justified given what happened the last time an earthbender disembarked from a flying vessel he was on.

[aurilee]

Can I just say how much I love the fact that Lex seems to have a good relationship with his father? That's so, so rare in any fictional work.

For some reason I missed this post before.

And I wholeheartedly agree with you! It's nice to see positive father-son relationships.

Granted, the Ramirez and Weers families have more than enough dysfunction to make up for it. :/