^ 45 Comments...

1. Landau
   March 20th, 2010 at 1:51 am

   I love looking foward to updates from a webcomic so much.

2. AdamZero
   March 20th, 2010 at 1:53 am

   I love Tula, she knows exactly what to say. No wonder she makes a good priestess.

   JD, I’m wondering if those ladies, and the gents, who serve the Goddess’ wills directly also act as sort of guidance counselors for the tribes inhabitants, and wanderers seeking consul. Part of me thinks that Tula’s wisdom isn’t JUST being such a brilliant redhead.

   Also, if I didn’t say it before. DAMN! that’s one big goblet. She aint feeling that battle wound tonight!

3. Qwerty_42
   March 20th, 2010 at 1:55 am

   I’ll blend… well I think it might be the other way around as it was the first time he played toegether with others since comming to Erogenia.

4. Local Yokel
   March 20th, 2010 at 2:07 am

   Blend. Uh huh.
   More like: …”YEeahhh! Thank you Erogenia, GOODNIGHT!!!

5. Sleepinin
   March 20th, 2010 at 2:18 am

   Oh man…she REALLY shouldn’t have said that. It’s like a stock phrase, like “Nothing can go wrong”, “Everything’ll be okay”, “It’ll take care of itself.”

   It’s like a jinx, seriously. Entropy and chaos are just listening for those words to be said and then….BOOM! No more Chinese laundry.

   (Bonus points to whoever gets the reference.)

6. The MacNut
   March 20th, 2010 at 3:32 am

   @Sleepinin; you’re RIGHT! It’s like asking “what can go wrong?” followed shortly after by chaos and catastrophe. Methinks Zona’s First Dance may NOT go quite according to plan….

   …assuming of course, that JED follows that trope we’re talking about. He could just surprise us all and have things go well in spite of the not-so subtle tempting of the Fates.

7. AdamZero
   March 20th, 2010 at 4:42 am

   I think the fact that both the ‘Morning After’ incentive pages depict both halves of our happy hero/heroine couple NOT in any sort of bad mood; Things tonight will go well.

   The AFTERNOON after, however, is fair game for the queen laying down the concerned mother/queen buisness. (Politically it’s probably a bad thing if your champion is enthralled. Even though she actually isn’t)

8. reddwarf
   March 20th, 2010 at 4:59 am

   Ha! “blend” Yeah, right — considering how other musicians react with Mentl playing, I expect the drums tonight to sound a lot like a performance by Kodo - hope all the ladies can keep up. I have a feeling that this First Dance will get added to the legends of the tribe. The High Priestess will be keeping an eye on things, and especially on Mentl and Zona — I don’t have any worries about her giving a good report to Ipola. Though I think Mentl will probably “leak” a lot more of his power tonight than he expects — there will probably be words of wisdom for him tomorrow from the High Priestess and High Priest.

9. Jean
   March 20th, 2010 at 5:22 am

   AdamZero, speaking as a card-carrying minister with a Ph.D. in Religions (yes, plural)…that IS what priests and priestesses, ministers, shamans, et al, are supposed to be trained to do. Most religions act as the repository of wisdom/guidance/advice for that particular culture/faith, and the people who minister that religion/faith are its deliverers/interpreters. (Please note the ‘interpreter’ part often gets a religion into trouble as the would-be interpreter often takes up the idea that their own interpretations of the messages are more important than the original messages of that belief system…)

   It’s no surprise to me that Tula is giving him good advice and reassurances on how he’s feeling right now, and how normal those feelings are.

10. Shyster
    March 20th, 2010 at 5:23 am

    It might not be all bad either though… personally I was hoping Mental would sing “Celebrate” by Kool and the Gang. Thus making it a party to remember that would ‘last through out the years’.

11. Peregrin
    March 20th, 2010 at 6:40 am

    Seems to me that, if Mentl’s magic is summoned, it will serve only to enhance what is going on anyway. Remembering that John told us that the ntent is what counts, if Mentl intends to blend, then so will his magic. If he forgets himself and starts his own drum riff, it could only be because he’s caught up in the moment - and he’s too much a musician to do that if it will clash with the other players.

    So I think Tula’s right, and there isn’t much to fear. Not to say that it won’t be interesting….

12. calisto
    March 20th, 2010 at 7:27 am

    any takers on what mentl will end up playing? I have been trying to think of a “feel good” song that mentl could pour his all into and not break the valley. “Born to be wild” as an instrumental comes to mind, he can hear the lyrics in his head and probably have the same effect as singing out loud.

    @ Jean we are still waiting for you to find your camera…

13. Aust
    March 20th, 2010 at 8:18 am

    Heh. I can’t wait to see if JED subverts the ‘This can’t possibly get any worse’ trope, or plays it straight. Honestly, I hope it gets subverted, with maybe a little lampshade hanging.

    Great comic as always, man!

14. Genevieve
    March 20th, 2010 at 10:20 am

    Mentl could sing the lion sleeps tonight.

15. Jinx
    March 20th, 2010 at 12:12 pm

    sleepinin —-Atlantis (disnippyland version) - i think the speaker was Vinny the explosive - now has visions of timon going off on weemuwah ahweemuwah ….gack

16. Sarge
    March 20th, 2010 at 12:34 pm

    Mentl no have to sing… Lion be sleepy… Lion had another nom…

    WE know that Tula and Mentl are just talking, but they are giving viewers an impression of intense gooeyness. Entwining fingers, soulful looks, What Will People Think?!

    JED, glad to see your con got nipped OK.

17. Fatuncle
    March 20th, 2010 at 1:48 pm

    Sleepinin - The ‘no more Chinese laundry’ reference brings to mind a story by David Weber, part of the Honorverse series … a couple of secret agents that decided to take a vacation on an enemy occupied planet. Sorta like a couple of British Commandos taken a totally unauthorized week of leave in German occupied Paris … I simply cannot remember the title.

18. erogenial
    March 20th, 2010 at 4:22 pm

    @aust: TVtroper much?

19. Sarge
    March 20th, 2010 at 6:53 pm

    On the next-to-latest Incentive (A Legend Is Born in the Incentive Archive) , Sheahla looks a lot more feminine and cuter than she did when she was being all womacho and dragging Yatta-ta off to be ravished.

    Maybe that’s her “Superlatively Rogered” expression?

20. Aust
    March 20th, 2010 at 9:11 pm

    @ erogenial: Yeah. TV Tropes ate my brain, but it felt so good. Of course, this one suspects you’ve been a-tropin’ yourself, if you noticed it. XD

21. warnie
    March 20th, 2010 at 11:39 pm

    Good catch sarge! thought the same thing.

    well on with the show!

22. Sleepinin
    March 21st, 2010 at 12:37 am

    TV Tropes are just addictive. Seriously. I must’ve blown 40+ hours just meandering through that site.

    I still say Mentl is asking for trouble here… >.<

    But eh, all in good time. Can I assume everyone here is cheering for Mr. Red-head to snag Tula?

23. Moox
    March 21st, 2010 at 1:24 am

    Heh heh.

    I also strongly doubt that Mentl’s drumming will “blend”….Sounds like the star guitarist of one band making a promise to blend when he’s jamming with buddies from another.

    This is also starting to make me wonder if Tula’s just a little TOO understanding…there’s going to be a darker side to these Erogenians, you mark my words. We’ve seen it a little with the Fire Tribe prince, but the ancient prejudices and self-serving attitude ain’t gone yet. Maybe things are hunky-dory here where Ipola reigns, but I bet the other tribes aren’t so enlightened.

    Great page. I can’t wait until we get more updates-per-week though.

    Moox

24. zangoules
    March 21st, 2010 at 2:43 am

    “I’ll blend,” XD EPIC saying #29 for Mentle lol

25. Gremalkin
    March 21st, 2010 at 3:50 am

    I do think that he will “go with the flow”, and if his intent is the same as everybody else then it will indeed blend and make it stronger. Then again, he might be to stunned by Zona to play the drums att all.

26. hans
    March 21st, 2010 at 4:11 am

    Great panel again, I´m actually looking forward to the “talky” panels. i find the fleshing out of your Erogenia background quite riveting.

    @Adam0 & Jean
    Though it is a bit unusual that the village “minister” is also the village magic-healer AND “whore”. At least for our oh so modern puritan(especially the US) feelings.

    But it´s not unheard of, just google “Babylonian Temple Whores” for something similar.
    Or even unreasonable, as every interview with prostitutes(NON-Crackwhores!) has them describing that the Johns most often talk and “decompress” with them in one way or another.

27. ICEKAT
    March 21st, 2010 at 10:13 am

    @hans even to our puritan ways she is no “whore” for shame. Tula does what she wants necause it feels right, not because she’s paid.
    JE Another awsome page, looking forward to the First Dance, and i am totally throw for a loop by the drums.

28. Hevaess
    March 21st, 2010 at 11:43 am

    *Squints*….HEY isn’t that Zona’s mother skulking in the last panel?

29. Billy Yank
    March 21st, 2010 at 2:11 pm

    @Fatuncle: The story you’re thinking of is “Let’s Go to Prague” by John Ringo from “The Service of the Sword” anthology.

30. Black Ethel
    March 21st, 2010 at 6:08 pm

    Hans…Puritan is the wrong term to use. The Puritans, believe it or not, liked sex and were no prudes. It’s the Victorians that were anti sex.

31. Lora
    March 21st, 2010 at 6:32 pm

    ‘Into the night’. At least if Mentl is going to start his own rhythm, that is what I think would fit in here.

    I like the easy flow between these two and now it’s time for Mentl to report back to Boric(?). After all he did said he would check whether she would dance or not.
    Hmm, and it could be Zona and Ipola coming in the background…

32. The Old Hack
    March 22nd, 2010 at 12:46 am

    I love the relationship between Mentl and Tula. Their friendship and trust ring so true to me.

33. Someguy
    March 22nd, 2010 at 1:16 am

    @sleepin could you possibly be refencing the Atrocity archives and other books by Charles Stross? In that one there is a british secret service agency of techno wizards(using modern technology to cast magic) that is basicly a cross of lovecraft and office politics. Pretty good read actually.

34. Someguy
    March 22nd, 2010 at 1:17 am

    Oh yeah they call the agency “the laundry”.

35. Lebbrin
    March 22nd, 2010 at 8:12 am

    @someguy Nope it’s a line from Disney’s Atlantis (I googled it.) I’ve never seen the movie. Now I may have to…

36. Mish_lady
    March 22nd, 2010 at 10:15 am

    I agree that Mentl will blend. However, if he is stunned by how Zona looks, and perhaps gets into her dance….if his hands follow the beat inside of his chest and head…..things could get interesting.

37. Kamatu
    March 22nd, 2010 at 12:02 pm

    I think we will get a blend, unless some emergency breaks the dance up. What kind of blend led by Mentl might be another story. I don’t think we get the obvious one with Mentl leading for one of the best First Dance’s ever, with a San Bernadino twist (although that would be fun for Ipola’s suspicious mind). We could get a sweet one with Tula’s young buck getting a “boost” from Mentl or a nice comedy one with Yatta. Of course, the fun is seeing which.

38. Fatuncle
    March 22nd, 2010 at 12:17 pm

    Billy Yank: Ah! that would be why I couldn’t recall the story - I was looking in the wrong place, and for the wrong author.

39. AdamZero
    March 22nd, 2010 at 5:17 pm

    I may be mixing genres, but Tula’s far less ‘whore’ and much more ‘Companion’ Ala the firefly genre. I mean, their guild had TEMPLES, and such. She took vows and studied the art of making people feel happy and good about themselves.

    But yeah hans: Not very much ‘whore’ so much as ‘care-giver’.

40. Pat
    March 22nd, 2010 at 5:29 pm

    Ya pffft, mentel blend? HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

41. SamuraiDemonPuppy
    March 22nd, 2010 at 6:22 pm

    OK, it it SO time to rock the joint. So, votes anyone?
    1. Mentl chokes.
    2. Mentl loses control and an orgy ensues.
    3. Zona and Mentl get so caught up in their dance they can’t stop without outside aid.
    4. The whole party devolves into a conga line.
    5. Other - (provide details)

42. The Macnut
    March 22nd, 2010 at 7:38 pm

    I vote for conga line.

43. Kaila
    March 22nd, 2010 at 8:44 pm

    “I don’t need to ask you if you know how to use that drum, do I?”
    “Pssh!”

    Awesome.

44. aPrincess
    March 22nd, 2010 at 9:58 pm

    I think it’s going to be a lovely, energetic drumming circle. If you’ve never been to a drumming circle, you have no clue as to how incongruous suggestions of modern rock songs are. I’m sure Mentl blends well–and brings the drummers to another, higher level.

45. Joe
    March 23rd, 2010 at 11:38 am

    Other. Mentl picks a rock song that truly blends, picking up on Tula’s inadvertent suggestion. The song has strong rhythm underneath, and acts to both vocalize the Erognian dream, and to heighten the natural magick of the ceremony, rather than overpowerng it.

    Mentl plays “It’s a Kind of Magic,” by Queen.

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