The Underlords
Today we get a bit of background on the dwarves of Karthun.
Short version: They’re tyrants
You did read it correctly though, halflings existed but were driven to extinction by the dwarves. When they drove the last halfling into the ground, they turned their eyes toward the elves (but more on that later).
I could probably do comics on the lore of Karthun for the rest of my life but on Monday we’ll get to the meat of this adventure. I promise.
Update: Since the debut of Brett’s character in this arc (Jeda), I’ve received a few comments and emails on how he looks similar to Varric from the Dragon Age franchise. I’ll be honest, I’ve played all of the Dragon Age games and I love them. This may be a case of subconscious creep as I never ever intended to be a bottom-feeding hack but this hit home and I am going to take action. Some of the comments have been passing observations noting his lack of beard, being a rogue/thief, etc. while some of the comments have been horrible and deliberately hurtful. Such is the internet. I’m not going to ban or delete comments or post snarky emails. I opened up comments on this site and dammit, people speak their minds. What I AM going to do is make some changes to Jeda’s design during the arc (which will happen in continuity) to distance him from the Varric comparisons and get the focus back to where I would like for it to be: the story, the group, and Karthun.
I’m not changing the lore. Karthun is my world and trolls will pry it from my cold dead hands. However, a characters hairstyle or clothing? Well, I can change that (and if you’ve read for a while you know I tend to do that anyway).
I haven’t had many hiccups with public opinion on a character or arc since beginning d20Monkey (for which I am grateful) as 99% you who read this comic are genuinely awesome folks who articulate their points and speak their minds in the best ways possible. I hope this realization and minor shift in Brett’s character does not come across as shitty and sour you on me or this comic. I’d hate for that to happen.
Mouseover text is disturbing. I will never look at Brett the same way now.
I could probably do comics on the lore of Karthun for the rest of my life
I wouldn’t complain.
I’m with Lowly Minion on this one. That is a hell of an introduction for the Dwarf race. I get the feeling that Brett’s going to have as much fun as Trevor’s character when it comes to dealing with the townsfolk.
Two questions, if I may. One, what kind of roll mechanic are they using (d20, d10, d100, etc)? And two, you mentioned “reroll” in an earlier comic for this arc. I have no idea what that means, and I’m wondering if it’s relevant to my first question.
I can’t answer for the dice system, but in the context, “reroll” just means “create a new character” (instead of carrying over the old ones from their regular D&D game)
Bingo!
Yeah, realized what reroll meant over morning coffee. I had managed to get my mind stuck on the means to get to the new universe. Wonder if it’s obvious I roll a lot of fighters?…
Yeah, to “roll” a character is to create a character, somehow that got changed somewhere along the way to “play” a character (which I still despise), I’m guessing in MMO-slang crossover, so “reroll” is to make a new character (usually in the context of replacing a PC, such as roll-> character death -> reroll)
“Short version” <- Please tell me this pun was intended. 😀
I do love a pun.
Screw the adventure, tell us more about Karthun. This seems like one off the most interesting world’s I enjoy seen in a fair while. It’s a good spin on what you would expect from a classic fantasy setting.
Keep up the great work.
Take your time getting there I am loving the lore. As a fellow DM I love watching new worlds unfurl and damn what I wouldn’t give to see this whole setting fleshed out.
Meh. Any D&D is fun – we’re all running and playing games based on the some of our influences, but the minute I saw the shorn dwarf, I thought, “Dragon Age.” This strip’s description of the Dwarf Underlords just makes me think, “Nazi Dwarfs of Dragon Age.”
Not that I don’t dig it. There was a Dungeon Magazine some time ago with clean shaven dwarfs who tattooed their skin with the clan histories of their lost world. It was a Spelljammer issue from when Paizo was doing the flipped format with Polyhedron on the back side.
Based on your choice of screen name and use of “meh” I’ll simply say this:
Ouch.
How perfectly Brett of him.
I have to say, from what I’ve seen so far of the backstory (both what’s been told and what’s just been hinted at), this is a campaign world I want to play in. Excellent stuff, sir!
I, for one, would love to see the campaign guide of this setting. Loving what you’ve shown us so far!
They better have Mel’s character do all the talking in town. Between a mage(who I gather aren’t liked), and a Dwarf(ditto), that may make things difficult.
If you want to learn more about Karthun, visit the Obsidian Portal page, at http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/karthun-land-of-conflict. Not sure how up to date it is, but I’m sure Brian will be updating it as the world grows. Also, if you don’t know about Obsidian Portal, and you game, you should take a look, and think about using the awesome resources there for tracking and growing your campaign!
Oh that thing is HORRRRRRIBLY out of date. I need to clean it up and get it in line with what I’m doing in the comic.
I can second that recommendation. Obsidian Portal is an amazingly useful tool for gaming.
I just like the idea of Halflings being extinct. After all, they’e just the D&D version of Ewoks minus the testosterone and weapons proficiency.
Thank you Jeff, you read my mind. Minus the ewok bit…for some reason I kept equating them to those prairie people form Bravestar..but less useful.
I like the idea of the Halflings being extinct because in the AD&D game I’m playing, they are vicious little connivers, and my main character (and now the rest of the party) has a deep seated hatred of the murderous little .
Especially after our GM introduced feral Halflings into the game! You wouldn’t believe the horror!
Actually, i don´t like them to be extinct (at least completely extint). Is just that there is so much potential adventuring with the “last of their kin” thread that completely extinct them eliminate the posibility. That and i have to say, i´m baised toward halflings, as i think they do quite entertaining characters (i´m currently starting a campaign playing as a halfling illusionist wizard, curious as hell, an ex court jester).
I read the entirety of the series about a week ago and just found out there’s mouseover comments.
😐
goodbye productivity.
(also, does the dwarf remind anyone else of varric?)
Hey Silas!
The mouseover comments do not go back to the early days. Just about the last year or so. I’m going to update all of the old posts with the re-lettered comics from the book soon and I may add such things but if I do I will let everyone know.
As for the Varric thing: Yep. People have been on my ass about it since he first appeared and I am planning changes for next week to get away from it and hopefully end the hate mail. Seriously, some folks are just being rude about it.
Seriously, Brian. You’ve got my support. At this point, pretty much everything anyone creates LOOKS derivative of something. I love what you’re doing. Not so much into D&D (starwars geek here), but Karthun sounds fascinating, and I desire to know MORE!!!.
TLDR version? F— the trolls and press on with pride!
MTFBWY
What Cathryn said but with 20% more gusto! It’s your world Damnit!
“At this point, pretty much everything anyone creates LOOKS derivative of something.”
Total agreement. It would almost HAVE to be, considering the huge output in this industry. Seriously, how many ways can you make a dragon, dwarf, or elf that wouldn’t look like somebody else’s somewhere out there? Maybe chicken feathers on the dragon?
Honestly, it isn’t a criticism as much as an observation. I loved Varric and it would seem to be consistent of Brett to have a character pay homage to our lovable rogue while still maintaining a unique character, especially with such eccentric needs. Rather than succumbing to the hate mail, I’d say address it is head-on as part of the accompanying blog.
Here, here! Your reason for why his beard is shorn is excellent! Varric has no such backstory (that I’m aware of).
Even if he does favor Varick, the lore is super interesting. And Bret’s a gamer so it’s possible he would have played DA. When he first showed up I noticed the similarity, but didn’t give it a thought.
That being said, I can’t wait to hear more about how this superior dwarf race takes down these horrible interlopers.
Why is it always the Halflings that are targeted for enslavement or extinction?
Is it because they broke into your families centuries old vault with nothing more than a hairpin and the manacles you chained them up with?
Why not the Gnome who will not shut up about the skeletal dragon and why it shouldn’t be able to fly?
HAHA!
It’s because the Gnome buys you a beer for listening to his Totally-True-And-Not-At-All-Made-Up Tale of heroism, and bravado, whereas the Halfing buys you a beer with gold from your wallet.
One word. Kinder. Also the ones from Athas eat people.
You say “eat people” like it’s a BAD thing…
And the ones from Khorvair ride dinosaurs.
Brian,
As a long time follower of your comic and part-time internet troll, I can attest to the douchebaggery that happens with comparisons and name calling like “Dragon Age Knockoff” etc. But I ask that at no point, at no moment, at no second in your life let your work, your passion as an artist, and your creative wit as a humor-endowed writer ever suffer for the sake of some indistinct voice from far away. if you look at the stats and see the visits to your page and your kickstarter then you can see that one voice drowned in an ocean of silent approval. By nature people rarely compliment as it seems like butt-kissing, but complaints splatter the news, the web, and conversations like a tornado on a manure farm.
You are a very talented DM and artist. I commend you sir.
I completely agree.
Plus, I love Varric, so seeing a “new” version of him, without him actually being him (Brett has never sounded like Varric – totally different personality), is perfectly amusing. Then again, I could be considered a little bit warped in my thinking. 🙂
I am seriously hoping that you put out a setting book based on this story line. It just keeps getting better and better.
WHAT!? You designed a character with a select few likenesses to a character from a videogame!? OMGWTFBBQWAFFLES!?
Jumping on the “make this for realsies” bandwagon and saying that I’d love to be able to work with a published Karthun campaign setting. Preferably one that’s Pathfinder-friendly, but hell, based on the strips so far and what I read on Sam’s Wall-O’-Karthun back in November I’d be happy even if you just published a novel based on Karthun’s lore and world. It’s just that friggin’ cool to me.
Shiny, sparkly needs.
a world where Dwarves are a cruel enslaving underrace thats pretty cool most fantasy settings are to tolkin with the elves and dwarves so far this world with its mage-bound and the enslaving dwarves is pretty awesome
feel free to take as long as you like explaining the lore of the dwarves and the rest of karthun hell but this arc on hold and go through its entire history
dont worry about us we’ll wait patiently eating it all up
plz tell me that thiers Philosophical orcs
If he had a beard or any other appearance, he would undoubtedly resemble some other dwarf in some other franchise, since everyone knows that if a character in a story has a trait in common with another character in another story then it must be a rip-off since no one ever has ideas anymore. Or at least that’s what the trolls want to believe. Because trolls are only happy when they’re trying to destroy someone else’s work, since they can’t actually create anything themselves.
I, for one, commend you on working outside the typical dwarven stereotype and going your own direction. I seriously doubt that Dragon Age was the first to depict a beardless dwarf, and even if they were I doubt they’re the only ones since. Pony-tails are common in all fantasy settings, and I wear one often. Those who would be so crass and sub-human as to direct hate mail to someone who provides awesome and FREE entertainment to them which they VOLUNTARILY consume just because they don’t like something about it are worthy only of being ignored.
And who cares? Beard or no beard, pony-tail or no pony-tail, he’s your dwarf. Draw him how you want, and I’ll still read every page and marvel at your talent. Thank you for doing what you do and continuing to inspire people like me who are just working their way into doing what you do. I see your success and your enjoyment and just want to do it even more.
Ditto
Brian, I don’t think you should feel the need to change anything if you don’t want to. Hell, I mean… even if aspects of it did have elements of Dragon Age (which, well, I’ve never played it, so I have no idea), is that REALLY unheard of? Both Sam and Brett, as characters, exist in a world where the same games and other media forms as the real world exist… so couldn’t they theoretically have gotten their inspiration (conscious or subconscious), in-character, from the very same sources?
That all being said, excellent work, and I’ll still be reading regardless of what you do in regards to this “Dragon Age” stuff. Mainly because I won’t know the difference anyhow, and I needs me my comics.
Mmm… reminds me of many a Dwarf Fortress discussion on how to exterminate the elves, goblins, unicorns, giant owls, owlmen, badgers, badgermen, giant badgers,, sponges (actually very dangerous), and all other manner of things which walk, swim, or fly.
Wow, most of the webcomics that I actively read have been trolled lately. I think it’s a conspiracy. I propose a reverse-troll conspiracy: The Cyan Man Group.
I’m of the opinion that Brett liked DA, and happily made the likeness. He probably just pulled it off the bargain bin (tbh I’m plotting doing the same, had too much time on the fence about it) and figured he may as well go for broke in the campaign.
How difficult is it for anyone to have the mental capability of foreseeing such a thought?
Time and again the strip’s made real-world references, not so hard to believe that these guys may as well be that group you find in ye olde gamestop or somesuch dragging the blondie off the salesman for calling “the horde” a bunch of wussies.
Anyone who thinks Dragon Age consists of wholly original material is a dunce. There’s nothing wrong with borrowing ideas from fantasy worlds which appeal to you, it’s a long standing tradition in the fantasy fiction genre. Otherwise, Tolkien’s estate would sue the pants off every fantasy writer ever. Howard Tayler wrote a good blog post about it on his webcomic, Schlock Mercenary (http://www.schlockmercenary.com/blog/space-marine-water-war-uplift)
People like the idea of “catching” someone trying to scam them in some way. Point is, they’re idiots, and ignore them. If you change the character, they’ll just find something else to complain about anyway…
Well said!
Hey, he just said he’s not a slaver, he never denied being a thief.
That third panel is fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. I will catch up to present day strips eventually…
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