I’d agree. It doesn’t look like an attempt to blame Maddie – it’s clear that Dorilys has no problem with violence, and that nobody would believe such an attempt anyway. No, this is clearly her way of emphasizing to Derek that Maddie is still a bit broken at the moment…
But I *do* have to admire her style. Maddie might be master of unusual weapons, but we’ve never seen her take out an opponent with nothing more than a strategically-misplaced gateau…
OK, so it was option 2. Derek did not harm the troll – exact words. Dorylis did.
Although I’m not sure he planned/expected this.
I have been thinking about the vows he mentioned a bit earlier. His perpetual nonchalant approach – and his disapproval of Dorylis’ violence – makes me wonder if he took some non-violence vow. Something like the usual physician’s “do not harm” vow, but applying to everybody around him, not just to his patients.
Side note 1: I completely forgot the cake. Well, I expected it to have been disposed off. In this age of consumerism, I totally approve the author’s’ efforts to put food leftovers to good use.
Side note 2: whole panel without a single spoken word. Stylistic and effective.
Technically she didn’t hurt him, she just gave him a present of delicious desert. The fact that the floor immediately attacked him afterwards is a different issue.
Cakes don’t kill trolls. Floors don’t kill trolls. Trolls kill trolls. By banging their heads against the floor and by hitting themselves with their own hammers.
One of the recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor was a combat medic and conscientious objector who refused to carry a weapon, and treated under fire or carried to safety upwards of seventy soldiers. Never fired a shot, never raised a hand to the enemy.
Yes, I believe I read about him on the Cracked site, in an article about badass pacifists.
These guys – and this combat medic in particular – had more principles and courage in their little finger than I have in my whole body.
No Batman loophole for them.
This is unrelated to the current comic, but… the other day I was reading a review of the “Out of the Abyss” campaign for D&D5e, and I came across this (mild spoiler ahead):
“Finally, [Chapter 2] includes four small set piece encounters, with the intention that the PCs will run into one of the four before reaching each of the four destinations in chapters 3-6. My favorite is the oozing temple, a sealed room puzzle where the PCs can acquire as a companion a sentient, telepathic gelatinous cube.”
– http://www.strangeassembly.com/2015/review-out-of-the-abyss-dd
Golly-gosh-darn-it! Is Anti-Maddie the salt accent to the sugar? The little spark for the holy conflaguration? That when she ‘rebooted’ that’s when that missing line of code hurt most? Hm, i wonder what Anti-M’s reaction to Derek is.
I think Derek was hoping this situation would FORCE Maddie to take action; we was trying to cajole her out of her current…doldrums? stupor of inaction? funk of passivity?
Dory on the other hand, could see she wasn’t going to and had to sort the situation with some not-attacking-anyone resolution.
I think she insists Derek use divine means to aid/alter Maddie, and he’s hoping for ‘secular’ psychotherapy methods to sort things out…
I am just guessing Maddie has a different mindset when not in armor, it’s actually not that uncommon for people to get a huge confidence boost in the right attire.
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Okay, my reaction is the same as Dorylis’s in the last panel.
Hie thyself to a punnery, Mike.
Cakewalking – easy as pie 🙂
are you sure??? because i find pie a lot harder than cake
Depends on if it’s pecan.
Of course, poundcake is a thing. To say nothing of fruitcake (shudder).
Now /that/ was unexpected. [:P]
Not sure if green girl is going “See? She’s useless.” or “Well? Go comfort her already.” [:P]
Also, there just happened to be a cake? [:S] On the floor? [:S] [:S] Genius… [:P]
Maddie dropped it on Mimic when she came in and Mimic must have knocked it onto the floor by Dory.
Ah, that makes more sense. [:P]
Actually, I think she might be saying “She did it.”
My guess is, “I said there was a problem.”
I’d agree. It doesn’t look like an attempt to blame Maddie – it’s clear that Dorilys has no problem with violence, and that nobody would believe such an attempt anyway. No, this is clearly her way of emphasizing to Derek that Maddie is still a bit broken at the moment…
But I *do* have to admire her style. Maddie might be master of unusual weapons, but we’ve never seen her take out an opponent with nothing more than a strategically-misplaced gateau…
She would have normally stepped in to help, right? I’m a bit worried for her now.
Yes. She can kill a wyvern while doing backflips. She can decapitate a remorhaz. She can bust up a poker game played by slaads.
This is not normal.
It looks like she slid the cake under his foot. Troll Upside Down Cake! 😀
With a subtle little nudge of foot, she disposes of the troll without having to stop leaning on the wall. . . .
Oh, so THAT’s why it’s called an upside down cake.
OK, so it was option 2. Derek did not harm the troll – exact words. Dorylis did.
Although I’m not sure he planned/expected this.
I have been thinking about the vows he mentioned a bit earlier. His perpetual nonchalant approach – and his disapproval of Dorylis’ violence – makes me wonder if he took some non-violence vow. Something like the usual physician’s “do not harm” vow, but applying to everybody around him, not just to his patients.
Side note 1: I completely forgot the cake. Well, I expected it to have been disposed off. In this age of consumerism, I totally approve the author’s’ efforts to put food leftovers to good use.
Side note 2: whole panel without a single spoken word. Stylistic and effective.
I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that a doctor (not just in fantasy, I mean in general here) would be a pacifist.
Especially when it’s a cleric doctor.
Dorilys, OTOH, is also a cleric doctor, with the armband, so the oath is not necessary.
Perhaps different gods?
Derek: I wish you’d respect the oath
Dorilys: YOUR oath not mine, Luckily.
Technically she didn’t hurt him, she just gave him a present of delicious desert. The fact that the floor immediately attacked him afterwards is a different issue.
Cakes don’t kill trolls. Floors don’t kill trolls. Trolls kill trolls. By banging their heads against the floor and by hitting themselves with their own hammers.
That loophole is good enough for batman, it will suffice here as well!
Remember that she explicitly told Derek that it was HIS vow, not HERS.
he’s a troll, he’ll heal.
One of the recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor was a combat medic and conscientious objector who refused to carry a weapon, and treated under fire or carried to safety upwards of seventy soldiers. Never fired a shot, never raised a hand to the enemy.
Yes, I believe I read about him on the Cracked site, in an article about badass pacifists.
These guys – and this combat medic in particular – had more principles and courage in their little finger than I have in my whole body.
No Batman loophole for them.
Maddiiiiiiie
What’s happened to you?
I swear, I was hearing “The Animaniacs” theme troughout this entire episode.
In other news, hover text continues to hit hard like a hammer.
Haaaaaaaaaaa! Hahahahahahahahahahaha!
Did… Not… See… That… Coming!
This is unrelated to the current comic, but… the other day I was reading a review of the “Out of the Abyss” campaign for D&D5e, and I came across this (mild spoiler ahead):
“Finally, [Chapter 2] includes four small set piece encounters, with the intention that the PCs will run into one of the four before reaching each of the four destinations in chapters 3-6. My favorite is the oozing temple, a sealed room puzzle where the PCs can acquire as a companion a sentient, telepathic gelatinous cube.”
– http://www.strangeassembly.com/2015/review-out-of-the-abyss-dd
So know we know where Cube comes from. 😉
Now I’m really worried about Maddie. She HAS to get over this!
Dorilys, how is Maddie supposed to regain her awesomeness if you bail her out and do everything for her?
Golly-gosh-darn-it! Is Anti-Maddie the salt accent to the sugar? The little spark for the holy conflaguration? That when she ‘rebooted’ that’s when that missing line of code hurt most? Hm, i wonder what Anti-M’s reaction to Derek is.
My guess, a lewd comment on how she can make him see gods.
Since no one else has said it, I will:
“The Cake Is a Slide.”
I wonder if his name is Glados? If so, I wonder if he’ll be like a potato?
(And this is probably not half as funny as I think it is. My apologies.)
Hey, Maddie made Troll-upside-Down Cake!
Complete with squash!
Well that seem a lot bigger than losing some levels.
So thats a pineapple rightside down cake delivery then?
“See… she is broken… can you fix her?”
I think Derek was hoping this situation would FORCE Maddie to take action; we was trying to cajole her out of her current…doldrums? stupor of inaction? funk of passivity?
Dory on the other hand, could see she wasn’t going to and had to sort the situation with some not-attacking-anyone resolution.
I think she insists Derek use divine means to aid/alter Maddie, and he’s hoping for ‘secular’ psychotherapy methods to sort things out…
I am just guessing Maddie has a different mindset when not in armor, it’s actually not that uncommon for people to get a huge confidence boost in the right attire.
Something tells me this chapter’s alternate title is going to be “How Maddie Got Her Groove Back”
This, or the next one. I hope.