Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire

[Occasional Sage]

Do it. You shall only prolong your pitiful fate. Cthulu is like a warm, happy puppy compared to the madness that is ME!

Ia Ia, C'Fe'ag I'th'c'a! Look upon my face and despair, while the heads of even lesser beings explode in a ball of blood! Hahahahaha!

Ahem.

Back to your regularly scheduled Dominic Deegan. *grin*

Man, now I need to go listen to "A Shoggoth on the Roof" again.

[/faux-grumbling]

[Occasional Sage]

I was actually surprised when I read the first panel of Wednesday's strip, and becoming hopeful by the third. Has Mookie actually been reading this thread (or one like it) and pondering the criticism? Is he really poking fun at himself? Will the overblown ego perhaps deflate, just a tad?

Why, why, WHY don't I learn?!

Not that Mookie wrecked Dominic's self-doubt (in fact, it was honestly a decent gag in spite of being obvious). Just... those panels with Nimmel were like having somebody auger my temple, and not any of the good ways. Dominic was plenty heavy-handed, but survivable; did we really need the dramatic, masculine pose of confidence and conviction? It drug the whole post down!

Wait, that's not a bad idea: Mookie if you really ARE reading this, move the last three panels to the beginning before anybody else reads it. The day will triple its quality!

[ElfLad]

Those are bedroom eyes in panel 8.

P.S. Mookie: Nimmel is not, has never been, and never will be within ten light-years of even the remotest possibility of approaching badass. To insinuate otherwise is an insult to anything more badass than a turnip. And the turnip is none too pleased either.

edit: Nimmel's reflection, wtf.

[Occasional Sage]

Those are bedroom eyes in panel 8.

P.S. Mookie: Nimmel is not, has never been, and never will be within ten light-years of even the remotest possibility of approaching badass. To insinuate otherwise is an insult to anything more badass than a turnip. And the turnip is none too pleased either.

edit: Nimmel's reflection, wtf.

Oof. Hadn't noticed the reflection. Or maybe... somebody else is using the mirror to scrye on Nimmel (don't ask me why), and that's really THEIR face?

On the positive side of the ledger, these are much more trivial complaints than normal. Hope the improvement continues!

Now, off to bed. Hopefully the image of Nimmel admiring his manly pose won't keep me awake!

[Winterwind]

My God, what have I done?!

You... you remember?
Yes, fight it! Fight the Deegan control! Shake loose of his shackles, don't let him hold you in thrall! Come back to us! Come back to the Mocking Side!

Do it. You shall only prolong your pitiful fate. Cthulu is like a warm, happy puppy compared to the madness that is ME!

No, the puppy is much worse.

Ia Ia, C'Fe'ag I'th'c'a! Look upon my face and despair, while the heads of even lesser beings explode in a ball of blood! Hahahahaha!

Dude, I'm a Call of Cthulhu gamemaster (er, Keeper of Lore). Do you really think there is something that could frighten me? Me? I have dreamt up horrible plots, creatures beyond anyone's understanding, happy puppies and ancient cults long before the dawn of... today! You cannot make me fall to insanity, for how do you kill that which does not live?

Man, now I need to go listen to "A Shoggoth on the Roof" again.

[/faux-grumbling]

You might be interested in this site, then. Enjoy and fall to madness!

Regarding today's strip: Why the hell does Dominic pretend that Nimmel is all alone with his tasks? That contacting Miranda (I'm assuming it's her) part, for instance, could just as well have been taken by Luna. And since when is a "simple scry" something that requires confidence-building speeches and inane posing? Was Nimmel cheating on his homework and doesn't know how to use a crystal ball, or what? (See, children, that's why you hurt yourself the most by cheating!)

[averagejoe]

Those are bedroom eyes in panel 8.

P.S. Mookie: Nimmel is not, has never been, and never will be within ten light-years of even the remotest possibility of approaching badass. To insinuate otherwise is an insult to anything more badass than a turnip. And the turnip is none too pleased either.

edit: Nimmel's reflection, wtf.

Quoted for truth. Except for the stuff about bedroom eyes.

At least Dominic is starting to realize that he has a problem with needing to control people. Although, he's the hero so it will never really be portrayed as a bad thing.

[Humbug]

I just noticed that the mirror is not 'mirroring' Nimmel. Tut tut Mookie, I'm surprised you made a simple mistake like that. Guess he doesn't know how mirrors work?

[Winterwind]

I just noticed that the mirror is not 'mirroring' Nimmel. Tut tut Mookie, I'm surprised you made a simple mistake like that. Guess he doesn't know how mirrors work?

You know, that gives me an idea... *off for strip slaying*

[rubakhin]

P.S. Mookie: Nimmel is not, has never been, and never will be within ten light-years of even the remotest possibility of approaching badass. To insinuate otherwise is an insult to anything more badass than a turnip. And the turnip is none too pleased either.

Indeed. We're looking at "slightly less nebbish" at best here.

[Oracle_Hunter]

I stand corrected: this is much worse than the faux arc closure when it looked like Siggy had been redeemed by ass-kicking.

Mookie really has been working hard to make Nimmel badass - I mean, look here and here. But, as has been pointed out, this characterization is completely unbelievable. I think this is because Mookie makes all his Tier II characters into Woobies (exception: Milov - he may be set up for a fall or further Spikeification).

What this means is the rest of the arc is going to be another SuperGreg - filled with stupid costumes, silly characterizations, and unbelievable superpowers.

I just hope I'm wrong... it will be painful watching Nimmel "save the day."

[Winterwind]

I think this is because Mookie makes all his characters into Woobies

Fixed that for you.

(exception: Milov - he may be set up for a fall or further Spikeification).

I had thought that might happen, but right now I rather doubt it. Actually, if I understand the concept of a Woobie correctly, I think he's woobiefying Milov right now - a proud and noble warrior who must tragically suffer in silence.
No, with Dominic and Nimmel out to help Milov, the broken heart and the love that lives on, I don't think Milov's Second Caste status is endangered.

[Nerd-o-rama]

I just noticed that the mirror is not 'mirroring' Nimmel. Tut tut Mookie, I'm surprised you made a simple mistake like that. Guess he doesn't know how mirrors work?

This surprises you? The man doesn't know how basic anatomy or perspective work, either.

[Winterwind]

This surprises you? The man doesn't know how basic anatomy or perspective work, either.

Still, to get a mirror wrong...

Anyway, I like my shapeshifter imposter explanation better.

[Oracle_Hunter]

I had thought that might happen, but right now I rather doubt it. Actually, if I understand the concept of a Woobie correctly, I think he's woobiefying Milov right now - a proud and noble warrior who must tragically suffer in silence.
No, with Dominic and Nimmel out to help Milov, the broken heart and the love that lives on, I don't think Milov's Second Caste status is endangered.

As a matter of terminology, Spikeification generally leads to Woobies, though Spikeification is typically only applied to badasses.

~ And Knowing is Half the Battle ~

The thing is that Mookie doesn't Woobiefy all his characters - all Tier IV villains aren't Woobiefied (naturally) but also many of his Tier I's (the Deegan parents, Spark, etc.) are genuinely heroic/strong characters. Heck, even Dom isn't a Woobie (though that may be unsurprising). Generally it's the Tier II who require the love and attention of the Tier I's to make it through the day. Luna, ever since she went Tier I, is much less the Woobie than she was. I think Nimmel is on a similar path, 'cause his suicidal impulses were nipped in the bud.

Ew... that means Nimmel is going to be Tier I, the Distaff Counterpart to Luna.

[Winterwind]

(sorry, got caught up in the TVTropes trap again)

As a matter of terminology, Spikeification generally leads to Woobies, though Spikeification is typically only applied to badasses.

Right, right... okay, spikeification it would be for Milov, then.

The thing is that Mookie doesn't Woobiefy all his characters - all Tier IV villains aren't Woobiefied (naturally) but also many of his Tier I's (the Deegan parents, Spark, etc.) are genuinely heroic/strong characters. Heck, even Dom isn't a Woobie (though that may be unsurprising). Generally it's the Tier II who require the love and attention of the Tier I's to make it through the day. Luna, ever since she went Tier I, is much less the Woobie than she was. I think Nimmel is on a similar path, 'cause his suicidal impulses were nipped in the bud.

I'd argue that Dominic is a Woobie to a not insignificant degree - or at least, he is quite prone to doubt, guilt and/or despair. But otherwise, you're right - Second and, especially, Third Caste members seem to suffer from Wooblitis much more often than First Caste heroes. And Fourth Caste is completely safe from Woobiefication.

Ew... that means Nimmel is going to be Tier I, the Distaff Counterpart to Luna.

Interestingly, since he is also trained as a seer, he wouldn't even require a Dominic counterpart on his side... though I can't decide whether this would be a good or a bad thing.
You know, it actually might seem as if Nimmel was being trained to star in his own spin-off series.

Though, frankly, I do not share the antipathy so many people here display towards Nimmel. And I don't think he's all that much emo, either.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Could this arc be a Poorly Disguised Pilot for Nimmel's Very Own Comic?

If nothing else, it would get him to stop writing Deegan for a little while...

[Myrdhale]

I'm sure I'm not gonna make any friends here by saying this, but I don't see anything particularly wrong with the Mirror in today's strip. It's about the same level of inattention I've come to expect from Mookie, so I don't really see any need to harp on it in particular.

What I want is Nimmel's Magic hair. Gotta love the way the bangs jump behind his ear whenever he needs to show off his scar. Damn, that would be useful for getting the hair out of my eyes when I'm reading.

PS. Oh, and wow, I guess Dominic is loosing his touch. Didn't he go toe to toe with the A full fledged demon without breaking a sweat, but now, being on the sidelines of a fight he did nothing in gives him a hangover?

Although I love that Siggy's hauntings cause dreadful nosebleeds. That's a better curse than the fish thing.

[qube]

in the last pic, why does Nimmel remind me of Mortal Kombat's Kano ?

[Winterwind]

What I want is Nimmel's Magic hair. Gotta love the way the bangs jump behind his ear whenever he needs to show off his scar. Damn, that would be useful for getting the hair out of my eyes when I'm reading.

Damn, me too. With that kind of magical hair control, I wouldn't need a hair tie anymore to prevent my sight from getting obscured.

[Telonius]

So, Nimmel has to "help" Mr. Super-powerful Spellwolf. It's obviously a master plan of Dominic's that will prove to the big bad spellwolves that Callanians aren't all that bad, and want to help out.

Oh, don't give me that look. I'm not playing puppet master with Nimmel. I'm only having him do what I was going to do myself, but now I can't because my head is killing me.

Right, Dom. So that's why you gave it to your barely-tested student, instead of Luna.

It's just a message spell and a simple scry. Nimmel can handle a crystal ball, he's an excellent student.

Uh huh. I think you're worried that the furries will do something weird to Luna. The name makes sense there, too, werewolves and the moon... What exactly did you see about the Moon Dance? You're setting him up for some weird furry fanfic, aren't you?

I had nothing to do with the moon dance. I had a vision of Milov's invitation while they were out talking. I was just giving him advice.

Advice. Right.

I do not need judgment from you.

[Jerthanis]

I don't really mind Nimmel at all, but I have NO IDEA who he is every time he comes up... then eventually I remember he was in the background in one scene a really long time ago, and then cried a lot.

Also, I don't mind the poor mirror mechanics, because honestly, I don't think I could draw objects reflected in mirrors without a model to look at.

Though honestly, if I were drawing a webcomic that people looked at, I'd GET a model.

[sihnfahl]

I don't really mind Nimmel at all, but I have NO IDEA who he is every time he comes up... then eventually I remember he was in the background in one scene a really long time ago, and then cried a lot.

Hey, there's a reason we're thinking of him as the Wes Crusher of DDVerse...

Also, I don't mind the poor mirror mechanics, because honestly, I don't think I could draw objects reflected in mirrors without a model to look at. Though honestly, if I were drawing a webcomic that people looked at, I'd GET a model.

Who needs a model? All he has to do is look in a mirror...

Right, Dom. So that's why you gave it to your barely-tested student, instead of Luna.

See above Wes Crusher comment.

[TigerHunter]

Although I love that Siggy's hauntings cause dreadful nosebleeds. That's a better curse than the fish thing.

You're kidding, right? The fish thing was the funniest thing to happen in the comic.

[Jack Mann]

No, Mookie's insistence that he has talent is the funniest thing in the comic. The fish thing was just the funniest intentional thing in the comic.

[Myrdhale]

I find seeing dominic subjected to horrible migrains and nosebleeds much much funnier ^^

The fish thing used to be funniest. Till I started loathing Dominic so much.

Now? I laugh most at his pain, muwahahaha.

Schadenfreude!!!

[Occasional Sage]

One of the sad things is that I was encouraged to start DD to see how a diviner could be played in D&D. It sounded interesting, like a nice change from my non-optimized, low-kill-rate fighter.

Thanks Mookie, you fixed that for me real fast!

[16bitperformanc]

ok, i went away for a bit and it apears that a lot happend. Some1 give me an update

[Turcano]

FURR-IIIIIES!

Schadenfreude!!!

That's it. I'm finally going to get off my ass and do the "Schadenfreude" slay I keep meaning to do.

[Winterwind]

Who needs a model? All he has to do is look in a mirror...

Not to mention that one can figure it out with a few seconds thought - and since everyone knows mirrors reverse everything they reflect, it should be obvious one would take that time to figure it out, too!

See above Wes Crusher comment.

Nimmel's not nearly as bad as Wesley yet. When he starts coming up with Deus Ex Machina solutions noone with more wisdom and experience could come up with we can talk about it.

Schadenfreude!!!

Usually, I find the very concept of Schadenfreude repulsive... but in the case of DD, I fully condone and embrace it!

One of the sad things is that I was encouraged to start DD to see how a diviner could be played in D&D. It sounded interesting, like a nice change from my non-optimized, low-kill-rate fighter.

1. Be Manipulative Evil.
2. Mind-rape your friends until they do whatever you want them to.
3. ????
4. Profit.


Today's strip: Anyone who hasn't read the strip yet, watch out! Furry Alert! Furry Alert!

Other than that, hey, the Moon Dance looks fun. Who wants to bet that the very first panel of tomorrow's strip will contain the question why the hell Milov brought a treacherous Callanian to the holy werewolf site?

[Humbug]

Other than that, hey, the Moon Dance looks fun. Who wants to bet that the very first panel of tomorrow's strip will contain the question why the hell Milov brought a treacherous Callanian to the holy werewolf site?

Didn't you know? Mookie's off to a con, again. The next three days are gonna be full of useless filler.