April 14, 2015: The Warded Power of Two

[Aegis J Hyena]

Don't try to outwit Forgath. It ain't gonna work.

Ward on the other hand sounds like a pseudodragon I had as one of my earliest online RP familiars... good times.

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

You mean Twogath, don't you?

[spiderwrangler]

As he said, Minmax has given him lots of practice at this...

[Patdragon]

All two one and one two all.

[jakesdad]

You mean Twogath, don't you?

Speaking of "Twogath", I wonder if this 'name change' means the conclusion of Forgath's part of the prophesy?

"You will die in a great battle with another dwarf"

I don't expect a repeat performance from Kore and Forgath.

The remainder of the prophesy:

"When the serpent becomes your prey, friends will become enemies and love will fuel hate."

Maybe this was fulfilled with the breakup of MinMax and Kin, maybe not. The talking wall of Brassmoon did say this would happen if (implying after) meeting the GAP again.

[RocketScientist]

Thunt said it will be obvious when the prophecy is fulfilled.

[Krulle]

Wonderful surprise!
New comic's up!
:D

[Edit]
Preliminary "perma"link: http://www.goblinscomic.org/04142015/
New permalink (after full shading): http://www.goblinscomic.org/04192015/


And this comic update really made me laugh.
I have to explain some people now why... ;)


But why and when has Forgath heard of "Ward the sword" before? (At least I assume that's Forgath who is asking "Ward the sword? Seriously?")

Edit: the transcription:

► Show Spoiler

Forgath: So, what do you mean, you're "trapped" here?
Idle: Well Bowst ended up with a cursed sword from the cursewalk. It was one of those talking swords. A really rude one. Part of the curse dictated that if Bowst were separated too far away from the sword, he'd start taking damage.
Ward the sword (flashback): You suck.

Idle: When we got here, one of those metallic Kliks ate the sword and accidentally adopted all of its magical qualities, so now Bowst can't go too far away from that Klik.

Ward: And I'm not about to abandon my species just so Mr. Moron can go off and do...
Ward: well, whatever morons made of meat, do.

Forgath: Hey! You were the one talking to me earlier!
Ward: Wow, you pieced that together all by yourself, Dwarf? Yu figured out that the only Klik in existance who can talk, must have been the one talking. You're a genius.

Forgath: Well you're kind of a jerk, aren't you.
Ward: Aw, is the blob of hairy flesh not enjoying the cursed item? That's so weird, since cursed items are known for always being so fun and cuddly. Hey, remember the story of that cursed rig that gave Bilbo and Frodo free ice cream and back rubs?

Idle: Forgath, meet Ward.
Forgath: Ward the sword? Seriously?
Ward: Listen, if you're going to keep talking, is there any way you can do it without that wet hunk of flesh in your mouth squirming about like that?
Forgath: You mean my tongue?
Ward: Yeah. It's going to make me puke. And Kliks can't puke, so that shows how gross you are.

Forgath: Wow. Ward is the worst cursed item, ever.
Bowst: Alright, listen up. As leader of this group,
Bowst: I've decided that the number four will now be called the number two.

Forgath: What? Why?
Bowst: Don't worry why. Just do as I say.

Bowst: Now tell me your level.
Forgath: I'm level fo...
Twogath: Oh, I see what you're doing.
Bowst: Ha! That's right! You're now level two and I'm level three! Therefore, I'm superior!

Twogath: You mean theretwo you're superior.
Bowst: Huh? No. You don't get it, stupid. I switched the numbers, so henceforth...
Twogath: Hencetwoth...

Bowst: Stop it! You're ruining it!
Twogath: Oh, I've dealt with a guy like you betwo. So I can do this twoever.

Bowst: Aaah! Just forget it!
Twogath: Sure Bowst, if that's what you want. I can twoget it. Consider it twogotten.
Bowst: Shut-up Forgath!

Idle: "Shut-up Twogath".
Bowst: Aaahh!

Forgath: Aw, ya ninja'd me.
Idle: hee
Idle: I like you.

Yup, Idle is a main character.

@Thunt_Goblins can I just say I really like that woman....seriously man make her a main character now, she and Forgath are good together

[JaceDraccus]

But why and when has Forgath heard of "Ward the sword" before? (At least I assume that's Forgath who is asking "Ward the sword? Seriously?")

I would say it's definitely Forgath, but I don't think he's asking because he's heard of Ward before. He's asking because 'Ward' rhymes with 'sword', so it sounds like a kinda stupid name. Hence, "Seriously?"

[Orzahn]

I like this, I like this a lot XD Bowst is in for a rough time if he doesn't act a bit nicer.

[Guus]

I thought it was because a Ward is part of a defensive construct. Calling something that's mainly used for something offensive and calling it after something that is mainly used for something defensive is silly. I don't know if it would be a magical ward, like you see in Skyrim and other rpg's, or a ward as in part of a castle's defenses.

[nikohl]

I figured it was more like "His name is Bog... Bog the Dog?" or "My dog is called Deefer. You know, Deefer Dog" or something. Just an awful rhyme or an awful pun, hence "...Seriously?'

[Guus]

It probably is, I have a bad habit of immediately thinking of something convoluted and just skipping the more logical possibilities.

[mustache_man]

But why and when has Forgath heard of "Ward the sword" before? (At least I assume that's Forgath who is asking "Ward the sword? Seriously?")

I just assumed his surprise comes from ward being some form of protection, while a sword is the opposite.

It made me smile somewhat, but Forgath seems to be in a much better mood for someone who has narrowly escaped death, is surrounded by strange creatures that saved his life with weird mettalic patches (I wonder if those are permanent), but ate his armor and got separated from his best friend (who is keeping company to his sworn enemy and probably thinking him dead).

I know these last strips are presenting new characters, so they are important to the story, but I'm not really enjoyng them.

On an unrelated note, I thought klik was just what dies called the original klik because of the sounds he made. I didn't think they would call themselves that.

[lingrem]

I think the name Ward is probably meant both ways - even if it's not, it's cool to have the double-meaning.

While Forgath has just had a near-death experience, I think he's probably a bit in shock and is just rolling with the punches now. Sometimes when you have the option to laugh or cry, people will choose to laugh. Either he goes with the flow or has a total meltdown. And I'd assume that the surprise of both still being alive, finding he's part-klik, and then meeting this pair... and now a talking klik... is more than enough for someone to go towards the "laugh until I'm insane because this is crazy" reaction.

[Wolfie]

He's also dealt with enough crazy by this point to be able to shrug it off. It may be more of a "I'm alive? I'm alive! ... I'm alive. Alright, what's next." Three rounds to assimilate, which he did on the ground and while the kliks were eating his armor. It also helps that now dealing with an overbearing moron liking Bowst is familiar territory, making it easier to slip back into old mental patterns that don't require breaking down, throwing your hands into the hair, and running screaming into the sunset.

[Krulle]

I forgot to put up this tweet all the time, and now lingrem's mentioning of Twogath's near-death experience I remembered:

.@Samy_05 Forgath's patches will be fully explained a little later on in the comic.

[spiderwrangler]

He's also being played by a player. At a table. Being run by Herbert. The end of the fight with Kore was probably the end of a gaming session.

Forgath's Player: "No way am I letting him just take Forgath's soul. He rolls over the end into the chasm below."
Herbert: "The wind whips through his beard as he plummets into darkness as he slips into negative HP. That'll have to be it for this week, guys."
FP: "Awww... Well, I guess I need to roll up a new character anyway... Finally fulfilled the prophecy. Which is bullshit, by the way."
H:"Nope. You didn't fulfill it. And you don't need a new character yet. "
FP:"WHAT!? Why, what happens? "
H:"You'll find out next session. But it gets weird."

If you're getting bummed out by how little Forgath is bummed out, it makes for boring gaming, if more accurate RPing, if characters are moping about. How many rounds would you really put towards being super bummed?

[mustache_man]

He's also being played by a player. At a table. Being run by Herbert. The end of the fight with Kore was probably the end of a gaming session.

Forgath's Player: "No way am I letting him just take Forgath's soul. He rolls over the end into the chasm below."
Herbert: "The wind whips through his beard as he plummets into darkness as he slips into negative HP. That'll have to be it for this week, guys."
FP: "Awww... Well, I guess I need to roll up a new character anyway... Finally fulfilled the prophecy. Which is bullshit, by the way."
H:"Nope. You didn't fulfill it. And you don't need a new character yet. "
FP:"WHAT!? Why, what happens? "
H:"You'll find out next session. But it gets weird."

If you're getting bummed out by how little Forgath is bummed out, it makes for boring gaming, if more accurate RPing, if characters are moping about. How many rounds would you really put towards being super bummed?

Well, I'm not playing a game. I am reading a story and characters in stories get bummed out from time to time and most people don't stop reading books or watching movies or TV shows because a character that nearly died and (possibly) believe his best friend may be dead or at least in dire straights may be dead. Also, I doubt this entire sequence has lasted more than 5 minutes (not counting whatever amount of time Forgath was unconscious for) and finally there's a middle ground between having a meltdown, running around pulling his hair out or what have you and fall into a routine of making jokes at the expense of someone he just met.

[wyrmbear]

My guess about Ward's name is a reference to medieval swordplay as much as it is to his (its?) overly defensive irrascibility.

A "ward" is a position in which the sword is held at a specific angle for defense, but still able to execute offensive strikes. High and Low ward, for example.

Ward the Sword just happens to also rhyme, which no doubt tickles Thunt's funny bone in tying meanings together.

[Guus]

Well, Forgath is probably under the impression that MinMax is alive and well, since he escaped through a gate. I doubt he assumes that the goblins killed him, because of the whole situation beforehand. Still, being a bit more worried would be more realistic.

It is a good way to get to know your new party though, cracking some jokes gives you the opportunity to get to learn your teammates. Now he is in a situation they can move forward, and possibly go up there and meet up with MinMax, although time is ticking with Kore still on the loose.

[Hadza]

But there is no such place as "Japan", how would Forgath know what "ninja'd" means?

[Wolfie]

But there is no such place as "Japan", how would Forgath know what "ninja'd" means?

Players don't always play by the vocabulary rules.

[wyrmbear]

Same reason there are ninjas in the Complete Adventurer - they are wanted and desired by enough people.

Of course, there's also a pirate in there as well.

Thought...Warforged Ninja/Pirate...

[Glemp]

But there is no such place as "Japan", how would Forgath know what "ninja'd" means?

Same reason that everyone uses European weaponry, I guess - somewhere in the realm there's a Japan expy that happens to have ninjas and samuri.

[hypothetical]

I figured it was more like "His name is Bog... Bog the Dog?" or "My dog is called Deefer. You know, Deefer Dog" or something. Just an awful rhyme or an awful pun, hence "...Seriously?'

Some people think they're funny. I had a buddy named Daniel, who named his dog Jack. He did it so that when people asked " Who's dog is that", he could say "That's Jack, Daniel's dog". Another named his dog Deeogie ( D O G).

Randy Hu married Susan Le He.. As progressive people they took the surname Le He-Hu. Both Randy and Susan are Star Wars fans, and so they saw nothing odd about naming their first-born son Yoda. Yes, there is truly a person alive on Earth today who's name is Yoda Le He-Hu.

That is one of the best party intros I've ever seen. If you have good role players, the first meeting of the party can be hilarious.

In the Outer World, I'm guessing that the kid who played the female Drow came over, and wanted to play. MinMax's player didn't want to sit out while the party was split, so he created her companion Big&Dimb, and The Giant just kind of went with it. ( I'm thinking that Twogath going over the cliff was probably the Session Ending Cliffhanger.)

I know, Thunt has said that this is not a game, but is a world controlled by game style physics. But, game style physics implies that there is someone outside of the characters we see that is controlling those characters. ( See, logic can be used to prove just about anything, if you use the correct sheaf of facts.)