I thought the potion vendor was a reference to the Mechane having vast stocks of healing potions, due to Julio’s endorsement deal with the potion brewer. I’d forgotten all about the “one last vendor who only sells basic potions” joke, and wasn’t sure why he popped in suddenly.
As it happens, neither did I, but someone on OOTS forum explained.
Someone more cold-blooded than Roy might try to use them as a distraction, but that’s a bit darker than a LG character would want to play it. Even if the stakes are for everything. Good on Roy.
See, I got the potion vendor joke right away, but couldn’t figure out the “basic potion” part of the punchline. (EDIT, Until you guys thoughtfully linked to the callback. Thanks.) Just about every classic CRPG has something similar. The one in Baldur’s Gate even has the only copy of a particular stat-raising Tome, though I think you have to pickpocket her or steal it from a chest near her.
Framework’s laid. Let’s get on with learning something new about the plot.
Gray Goose, me too. I immediately understood why a vendor would appear. But not the ‘basic potions’ joke.
Burlew’s at least hinting that it’s Final Boss time. Your party gets a small assist right before the end of the journey.
Not that I think it’ll be that easy and I’m willing to bet - and go along for the ride - that there’ll be some twists and turns along the way.
And yeah, I considered how useful the Mechane would be as a distraction. You’re right that Roy wouldn’t want them there as sacrificial lambs. He’d only ask them to stay if he thought they could really assist in taking down Xykon and the fact is…they can’t. They could distract him exactly as long as it took him to notice them. Then they’d be falling out of the sky already dead.
Of course…Julio Scoundrel can only show up again by surprise and at the last second to provide an assist that tips the balance and gives the apparently defeated good guys a sudden new opportunity for victory.
There are rules to these things, you know.
“I think we can handle one little skeleton…” Still, action economy is a thing, and a round where Xykon et al is face rolling the Mechane, is an extra round where the Order can do their stuff. Not the kind of story where that kind of strategy helps the heroes though. The Elf Commander infiltrating Azure City probably would have done something like that though, and see where that kind of thinking led him…
I think we see Julio when we see Tarquin again. Probably never, though I do wonder what happened with Lauren the Psion.
Way too early in the book for this to be it. (Unless Burlew’s REALLY tired of writing this strip) I can see this going either as a rollover win for the Order, with RC and the MITD helping things, and then the real meat of the book deals with the Snarl, the Gods, the World in the Rift, and all that drama. Or, we get to meet the Invisible Duo and learn there’s something else going on we currently have no idea about. I’m excited to read about it. Pity he’s not faster, oh well.
There’s definitely something going on with the Snarl that needs to be resolved, and something going on with the paladins’ abductors that needs to be resolved, which may or may not be the same something.
But karmic justice would be for Tarquin to be never mentioned again, as a C-list side villain who’s now become irrelevant.
I agree and I feel this is Burlew’s intent. He made a point that Tarquin was acting on the false premise that he was the central figure of “the story” and everyone else was just a supporting character in a narrative that centered around him. Burlew was saying that everyone is the central figure in their own story and you can’t act as if the universe revolves around you alone. As far as the universe is concerned, it doesn’t matter if you’re Roy Greenhilt or the fifth goblin on the left in a single panel in one strip.
Well, Fifth Goblin On The Left has a much harder time becoming prime minister. 
Yes, it’s a theme that’s run throughout the story.
In case anyone else is looking for it, the last time they used Wind Walk. The visuals were less monochromatic then.
…And, looking back and forth between the old and new comics there, I just noticed that the size of the pages has increased significantly, too. When did that happen?
…And, looking back and forth between the old and new comics there, I just noticed that the size of the pages has increased significantly, too. When did that happen?
Since book 6 started, with the revised art style.
Did it change with the change in art style at the start of Book 6? Pretty strip, and Wind Walk was neat to see.
Nearly three weeks though…ugh. Oh well, bitching about it won’t get Burlew to draw any faster. It would be nice though if he’d drop a tweet or something once a week: “Hey! Still alive and haven’t gotten in any more car wrecks!”
So, they’re visible, but look like clouds. True Seeing would reveal their true form, I imagine. Any Detect Good type spell available without a laughably short range?
Still think Lien & O-Chul are stuffed behind one of the doors. If Serini was really tricky, one of the doors to the tomb isn’t a visible door, like the rest, but is something like a slab of that stone on rollers in a track, so it looks like an ordinary slope of the side of the tomb.
Wait. There was a car wreck, too? I thought it was simply assault by hobby knife. Damn this ever more intermittent memory of mine.
Thought during the big hiatus in the middle of BRITF, that he got in a car wreck, and had his hand and or thumb really jacked up by auto glass? Jacked up to the point of, 'We’re not sure how much function you’ll still have in this hand, sir." Which is a bad thing for a graphic artist.
(After some Googling) Turns out there wasn’t a wreck that caused this particular thumb injury. Per CNN Money, he was washing some glass vessel which broke, and sliced up his hand, severing more than one tendon. Plus nerves and an artery. I’m surprised he was able to return to drawing. The picture in the link is rough.
I, too, would appreciate the occasional note that he’s still alive, and isn’t in the ICU with corona or something.
The ootslatest.html shortcut doesn’t work again. It didn’t for a time after the last strip was updated, too. I use that to tell if a new strip is up if I don’t see this thread updated.
That was eight years ago??? I cannot believe that Kickstarter was eight years ago.
And yes that picture gives me shivers just looking at it! Wow.