Tarquin Bonus Material

[suzaliscious]

I'm not sure whether or not this has already been discussed, but who here would love to see Tarquin's story as bonus material?

An exquisite tale of love, conquest, parenthood, loss, growth, consolidation ... I know we got the gist in the EoB storyline but man that sounds epic.

Plus, it would be fun to see Tarquin's other companions, especially Malack, in their younger adventuring days, kicking ass in their prime.

An obvious pitfall is of course misplaying it. A lot of the awesomeness of a character comes from an incomplete backstory that each reader fills in according to his or her own preferences - but that's what I would have said about XyCloak. And then I read Start of Darkness, which depressed me for an entire evening and damn near made me cry. If there's one person who can pull off amazing backstory, it's Rich Burlew.

Over to you, folks.

[ti'esar]

This has been discussed a lot, and as far as prequels go is probably one of the most likely possibilities, but it's not coming anytime soon.

(Not sure what you mean by "bonus material").

[Bulldog Psion]

I'm not sure whether or not this has already been discussed, but who here would love to see Tarquin's story as bonus material?

This is probably the most discussed idea for a prequel book/extra story on the forums.

[thisisnotspam]

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0816.html

despite the spoiler in the last panel, i'd like to know how they did

[suzaliscious]

"Bonus material" = prequel book, a la Start of Darkness or On the Origin of PCs.

[Kish]

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0816.html

despite the spoiler in the last panel, i'd like to know how they did

That Tarquin, always spoilering the ends of stories.

[DoctorIllithid]

I'd definitely want to see Tarquin's first campaign on the Western Continent. Eleven nations conquered in eight months, and then a final battle between Tarquin and a coalition of twenty six other nations?

A must see by most standards, right?

[Flame of Anor]

That Tarquin, always spoilering the ends of stories.

I see what you mean:

Once upon a time, blah blah blah. Hero, conflict, initial victory, reverse of fortune, triumphal climax, denouement.

Spoiler

Show

The end.

[The Dark Fiddler]

but that's what I would have said about XyCloak.

Start of Darkness makes Xykon and Redloack a celebrity couple?

[ThePhantasm]

I can't wait to see Xykon / Tarquin interact since the Linear Guild is going to try to team up with Team Evil.

[suzaliscious]

Start of Darkness makes Xykon and Redloack a celebrity couple?

Oh dear, I amalgamated the names of two antagonists who have been working together since decades before the comic's main timeline. May the Twelve Gods forgive my heinous transgression.

Portmanteaus aren't reserved exclusively for celebrity couples, you know

[ThePhantasm]

Oh dear, I amalgamated the names of two antagonists who have been working together since decades before the comic's main timeline. May the Twelve Gods forgive my heinous transgression.

Portmanteaus aren't reserved exclusively for celebrity couples, you know

Whoa, pretty sure Fiddler was making a joke. Don't overreact.

[suzaliscious]

... I'm just snippy that way. You tend to get used to it.

You know, Tarquin's exploits seem to be enough to fill *two* prequel books ... the material is all there: Initial conquest of the western continent, loss in large-scale war, the adventures of Tarquin's party ... Rich would probably be able to finely tune what to leave out and what not to, but the full awesomeness cannot be contained in a single tome, I feel.

[ti'esar]

Portmanteaus aren't reserved exclusively for celebrity couples, you know

Of course not - they're also used all the time in fandom 'shipping circles

I don't know what makes me feel worse - the fact that I know that, or the image that follows from it.

[Emulgator]

Meh, I'd prefer to see Tarquin telling Nale a bedtime story, then we'd see how they interacted back in the day, what Nale thought of Tarquin etc. Or the creation of a Linear Guild, and their eventual betrayal. I could imagine Tarquin winning, while I coudn't imagine how Zz'dtri met Nale.

Of course I'd enjoy any story from Rich, so yeah. But woudn't we all?

[Omergideon]

I myself have no massive desire to see a full book about Tarquins backstory. Not a full book anyways. not that it would not be entertaining (I do trust the Giant), but because we already know how the story goes.

Personally I think we already know enough about the history, the motivations and the fallout of Tarquin's life story. We know how and why he is doing everything, and many of the main roadmaps in his life. There is no real.......character to explore there in the same way as there was with Xykon and redcloak who we knew little about besides some tantalising hints of them having a plan and knowing each other well.

That being said a short story, or anthology, including some of the keynote events of Tarquin's life (no more then 30-40 strips worth total in my mind).....that I could enjoy. Throw in the story of Nale, Sabine and the IFCC and you could get much more material, maybe even a full book.



However I add a caveat, that includes a comment on Reddy. I made a statement I now see as silly a while ago when the topic first came up. Back then I called Redcloak a major but unexplored character. I see now that I was coloring my views somewhat. I think that Redcloak really only became properly significant after SoD was concieved of. Before then he was a flunky to the big bad Xykon and not important in is own right.

The point is, Redcloak was not once someone I would have seen supporting a prequel book, before the story was written. I would have been wrong. I could be wrong in saying I do not think Tarquin's story alone as enough to demand a whole book. But considering that there is much less room to invent, and much less new character to explore (Tarquin is already pretty well explained to us).......no. Not a full book.

So to explain, a short story about Tarquin, Nale, their history and so on......bring it on. It would be fun and could explore the source of Nale's obsession with Elan well. A full 200+ page book about Tarquin's band......not for me.

[Castamir]

Too bad the Giant is currently committed to an insane amount of drawing. The Kickstarter bonus PDF has grown from a ten page gimmick to a thick book, and it won't draw itself -- and there are slobbering fans waiting for it (be sure you're among them!).

So it's pretty certain we won't see a prequel book soon. But when we do, Tarquin is a damn strong candidate: his party and the Linear Guild are the only current group that's both well fleshed out and has significant blank spots.

[JoseB]

Of course not - they're also used all the time in fandom 'shipping circles

I don't know what makes me feel worse - the fact that I know that, or the image that follows from it.

Well, remember that, according to Xykon (in his magnificent "Hannibal Lecture" at the end of SotD...)

Spoiler

Show

...he is the butch and Redcloak is the bitch...

[rbetieh]

How the Dictator Lost His Bar: A story of messy divorces, forced conquests, and the raising of children alone in the desert. Told by the protagonist, and definately not by those ruffians claiming to know "The Other Half of the Story"...

[Clertar]

It could happen sooner than we think if one of the supporters of the KS drive that got the short story thing asked for it to be about Tarquin (and if Rich accepted, naturally :P).

[Kish]

Please, Twelve Gods...Gods of the North...Gods of the West...Dark One...Elven gods...

Let no one have asked for any of the stories to be about Tarquin, most overrated villain in OotS history!

[ThePhantasm]

Please, Twelve Gods...Gods of the North...Gods of the West...Dark One...Elven gods...

Let no one have asked for any of the stories to be about Tarquin, most overrated villain in OotS history!

Overrated, no doubt, but certainly more entertaining than some. Like Nale, for instance.

[Gift Jeraff]

Please, Twelve Gods...Gods of the North...Gods of the West...Dark One...Elven gods...

Let no one have asked for any of the stories to be about Tarquin, most overrated villain in OotS history!

It's going to happen...






...because you forgot to pray to Giggles.

Overrated, no doubt, but certainly more entertaining than some. Like Nale, for instance.

Am I the only person who likes Nale more than Tarquin?

[ThePhantasm]

Am I the only person who likes Nale more than Tarquin?

I'm sure you aren't, but why do you like Nale more?

It may just be that I'm a bit tired of Nale. Perhaps he'll get some character development now that he is with his father, but thus far he's been pretty one-note. He's kinda gotten a bit tedious. Sabine at least has character development of some sort. I'm starting to feel like it is time for Nale to die, as I suspect he (and Tarquin) will at Girard's Gate.

[Gift Jeraff]

Hard to place my finger on why, other than the fact that I just find him slightly funnier. On my personal ranking of OOTS antagonists they'd probably be right next to each other.

Though upon re-thinking it, I'd definitely say that Tarquin is more interesting than Nale, in the same way that Redcloak is far more interesting than Xykon, but I vastly prefer X.

[Kish]

Am I the only person who likes Nale more than Tarquin?

Do negative numbers count?

That is, if I dislike Nale -20,000 worth, and dislike Tarquin -50,000 worth, does that make the answer to your question "No, I do, too"?

[suzaliscious]

Do negative numbers count?

That is, if I dislike Nale -20,000 worth, and dislike Tarquin -50,000 worth, does that make the answer to your question "No, I do, too"?

I suppose this thread doesn't cater to your preferences, then.

[Bulldog Psion]

It could happen sooner than we think if one of the supporters of the KS drive that got the short story thing asked for it to be about Tarquin (and if Rich accepted, naturally :P).

Yes, that is an interesting thought. Indeed, to judge by Tarquin's popularity, there's probably a fairly good chance that something about him will be one of the Kickstarter PDF requests.

[Omergideon]

Am I the only person who likes Nale more than Tarquin?

I understand the appeal of Tarquin, who is Genre Savvy, smart, funny and so on. But I still think he is a lesser villain compared to Nale, Xykon and Redcloak. And the love lavished over him by some, calling for prequels etc, is misplaced in my opinion. I just don't see enough new material there to justify it.

In my mind a Prequel needs to tell a story in it's own right. It assumes you know the main tale, and so to have value as a story there must be something new to explore. It should not be simply a how to of setting up the pieces for the main story. In short, a prequel is not simply fleshed out backstory and flashbacks.

For instance, X-men first class works as a prequel because it tells it's own unique story about the Professor and Magneto. It has a powerful villain to play off of, creates sympathy for Magneto's views and has a lot of unique points to expand our vision, such as the Prox/Mystique relationship. It told it's own story.

X-men wolverine.......did not. It was simply the tale of "this is how Wolverine got his metal and lost his memory". Little else. There were some original elements I grant, but the only real new thing (wolverine/sabretooth relationship) was so misused and out of focus.......grrrr. Also, the memory loss means that the events add nothing to the main original story.

The biggest flaw in the Star Wars prequels thematically (which I like as films btw) is how much of it needed to be simple stage setting for the OT, and not just telling it's own story. In some ways I think TPM is the best of the 3 as a prequel as much of it's story is original, while still showing us where things will go. The focus was it's own story, but still the "how it affects the future" is there.

And again, with Tarquin......what would we have but stage setting? It may be fun of course but that is most of what it would be. We can account for essentially all of his life so all we would get would be lots of, probably fun, backstory. There are better ways to do this than with a prequel tale.


Remember, a good prequel is not the same as a fleshed out backstory flashback. SoD is more than a flashback.