No, I think this was just old-fashioned character development.
That’s just what Burlew wants you to think!
Bwahaha
OK, yeah, you’re probably right.
From the latest Kickstarter update for OOTS, roughly 17 hours ago:
So that’ll be nice, if it turns out.
I am disappointed at how easily Tarquin is handing the Order their ass. Doesn’t give one a lot of faith in their ability to handle Xykon, et al, if Tarquin is able to solo them (- V, but still).
Many questions have come to my mind in the last few strips. I wonder when and if Ian and Geoff will make an appearance in the tomb. Wasn’t Ian the head of the Thieves’ Guild in Greysky City? If so, another high level thief might help turn the tide for the Order. I also wonder if Tarquin is going to have to call on the rest of his party when Xykon shows up? If so, he’d have to teleport out or have some sort of bat-signal to teleport them in.
Still waiting for Kilkil to do something cheesy and Belkar-splattering. I also wonder who is going to discover V and Blackwing, and if so, whether there’ll be any additional plot fallout from Familicide? I wonder what the ultimate defense of this Gate will be, or if they all went away with the death of the Draketooth clan? I wonder if this will be it for Nale and Sabine, and if so, how the tension between her job as a succubus and working for the IFCC (?) and her love for Nale, will be resolved.
Finally, I wonder how Tarquin will resolve the conflict between Malack’s desire to kill/soulbind/eternally torture Nale and his own love for his son. After all, if they just wanted the info out of Nale’s head, I think an Evil Overlord and a high priest of Death can think of many ways to convince Nale to give it up. Quickly. So, Tarquin must be keeping Nale around for some other reason.
I think this poster’s comment at the OOTS boards makes a lot of sense. I agree with the poster in that I don’t think Tarquin can keep both people around much longer, but then again, T is a master manipulator and strategist.
Looking forward to the next comic. Hopefully it will be soon.
And as a spin-off on the previous: has anybody gotten their loot from the Kickstarter campaign yet? I know I won’t get mine for a few months yet, since I sprung for a lot of extras, but how about those who went for a basic package? Any arrived yet?
nothing yet, and I think mine should be ready to despatch.
I got the fridge magnet. It’s the only physical goodie I sprung for, so.
I got nuthin yet. (I did the basic $45 pledge, no additional stuff requested.)
I got the coloring book, hit point pad, fridge magnet, stickers and something else. I don’t remember what level I was at.
What I haven’t seen, and want more, is the PDFs of Dim Sun and the background stuff! Ah, well. Patience, virtue. Or something like that.
vislor
Burlew isn’t sending out partial orders so you have to wait until everything you’re getting is ready. (In my case, I’m waiting for the Sticky Shticks game expansion.)
I have downloaded the first set of Monster Minis, which are cool.
According to the updates, he’s working on the Dim Sun, Haleo and Julelan, and Belkar PDF’s. What’s surprising is that he doesn’t have any progress listed for the O-Chul PDF, “How the Paladin Got His Scar”. The reason I find this surprising is that it was the first bonus project he mentioned in the Kickstarter campaign. Burlew said he had originally thought of including the story in the Snips, Snails, and Dragon Tales book and already had it plotted out. So I would have expected that story to be the first one completed.
I’m still waiting for a couple of books, plus the assorted swag bits. But what I’m really waiting for is the PDF stories.
I know that my packet isn’t ready yet, because I’m getting a signed print, and he just said that he was getting ready to start signing things, like the signed print, which I will eventually be receiving, after it gets signed by Mr. Rich Burlew.
Did I mention that I’ll be getting a signed print?
Since I’m 1) overseas and 2) still waiting on Sticky Shticks, I doubt I’ll see my loot before July.
And I’m wondering when Nale will attempt to backstab Daddy (and/or Malack). Tarquin’s slight will not have gone unheeded by Nale and his monstrous ego. Or is this a deliberate ploy by Tarquin to provoke Nale into rash action? Aaaagh! I can’t keep up.
I haven’t even gotten an email saying it’s shipped yet. 
Same here – I think I was around $26 or so.
I got the level that got me all the swag but none of the books (I have them all). The only thing I’ve received so far is the PDF of the monster minis.
I got all the regular books (Already have the prequels and Dragon Tales) plus a magnet, so I think mine should be somewhere in the line to be shipped. But haven’t heard anything yet.
I’m on the same package from the sounds of it, but mine needs posting overseas, still only a matter of time now 
So, the shoes allowed me to outrun death, but they had, like, individual toes.
“Ooo, the thread has been bumped…I wonder if there’s a new comic? Yes! Sweet, there’s a link! All right, let’s see what’s happeHEEEEY! This is for OOTS, not XKCD!”