Three things to say.
1: I want a print of this without speach bubbles to hang in my bedroom.
2. This ties for the most hilarious thing Boneclaw Mother has ever said. I never thought anything would come close to paralleling “But he smells adorable.”
3. Don’t forget to VOTE! http://topwebcomics.com/vote/10180/default.aspx
Thing is, Boneclaw Mother doesn’t need to defeat Jhalm &co to achieve her goal. She just needs to stall.
And if she happens to make any of Jhalm’s people a little more uncomfortable with what he’s trying to get them to do along the way, that’d be a pretty good stall, too, for that matter… but yeah. Every moment he spends talking to her is another moment for Digger and Ed to do what they need to do, and another such moment that doesn’t come at Murai’s expense.
(Though I wouldn’t be entirely surprised to learn that some of Jhalm’s Veiled are already pretty uncomfortable. With a broken arm, all alone, Murai is facing them down – ready to die for what she believes in. How many of them could honestly say they’d do the same in her shoes? She’s got some major conviction going on there – can they be sure she’s wrong?)
There are no words for how much I’m loving this exchange between Boneclaw Mother and Jhalm. These not-even-slightly veiled threats in the politest of tones…they’re delicious and I love them both.
I want a Boneclaw Mother plush. I want it to say “Were I a crude old woman, [death threat]” when squeezed. This would protect me from bad dreams as I slept.
And perhaps also bring good fortune through sheer terrorism. Either’s good.
(I don’t really mean that. Truthe be told Digger is the best G.D thing I’ve read in a long time.
I literly burned through the arcives and each wate between Pages is tourture, but I was looking at all the well deserved praze that Mis Vernon has been getting and I was concerned that she would get cocky and as long as she doesent read this part we will be fine.)
Meanwhile, a D&D session, already in progress:
“My character makes a death threat and a revenge notation.”
“Roll a diplomacy check. You are at -5.”
“And a…nother ’20.'”
“Fifth this scene! Belfar is amused.”
“Okay Rick, you can’t attack yet. What do you do?”
“I make a brutally ironic comment noting what his character just said.”
“Roll Diplomacy. -5 for you. Again.”
“…20…”
“$#% #!$% I hate diplomatic combat!”
“Okay John, you can’t attack yet. Make a diplo-”
“Wait, I want to see how the old girl feels about this…18.”
“She is enjoying herself. Penalty reduced to -3. Roll diplomacy.”
“Sweet!”
Not to detract from Boneclaw Mother’s awesomeness, but I think Jhalm is acquitting himself rather well, too. If this were a standard fantasy novel, this is right about where the awesome old lady would do something brilliantly devious and leave the clueless male villain spluttering and stammering as he belatedly realises how thoroughly he’s been duped – but since it’s *not* a standard fantasy novel, I’m expecting the cliché to be subverted in some fashion.
I think she has stalling the opposition down to a fine art. And such polite vulgarity being thrown around by those two. Although, a part of me really wanted to see Jhalm losing his other eye…
…which means having to wait for updates, same as the folks that have been here all along.
Y’know, Jhalm thinks he’s trying to stop whatever nefarious deeds Digger might be up to, but if they let him go down the hole I’d bet he’d find himself up against the Cold Servants, first. I half-expect an alliance to be suggested with that in mind.
When I was a kid, not that I was in very many fights, but I remember we’d do this thing where your elbows would go back, almost like we were gun fighters. I think it was the idea of, “Make your move.” That’s kind of what I’m getting off of these two. “Whose going to throw the first swing? Has she let go of Jhalms arm. I’ll have to go back and check.
*blinks rapidly* Okay, maybe I’ve been overusing Jarate, but in my mind Boneclaw Mother’s voice just shifted from Judi Dench to the Sniper from Team Fortress 2 and back again.
“I’m not a crazed old pervert mum! I’m a plucky tribal elder! The diff’rence Being ’ one’s a job an’ the other mental sickness!”
Isn’t civilization WONDERFUL? Without civility there would be no awesomely snarky conversations like this. We’d just go to the “Grrr!” and clashing of swords/clubs/fists/whatever weapons happen to be available and totally miss out. Moments like this are when I really like politics.
Why can’t all wars go like this? Both leaders meet each other, each of them points on some very strong tactic advantage they have and they don’t actully fight because the other could wipe their side in a minute.
I want a plushie. So, so much.
And Tindi — I’m with you on the Discworld-witch-resemblance thing… Boneclaw Mother is a terrifying combination of Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg. Who would have believed it possible?
: “Although, a part of me really wanted to see Jhalm losing his other eye..”
I think Ursula’s got a little more discretion than that…… that sounds more like S. Clay Wilson’s specialty (especially the pissing in the socket bit)……. 7X=Q
So we all know boneclaw mother is awesome. The question is, is she building up to the real reason she’ll beat Jhalm, or is she building up to ‘We’ll lose, but we’ll hurt you, and we’ll do it for what we believe in’, except in a much more badass turn of phrase. Can’t wait to see.
I need to touch on something only one other person did. What will happen is an alliance. This posturing by Boneclaw Mother is to solidify the fact that, regardless of outcome, neither side would have enough numbers afterward to actually venture down the hole. Which is objectively true. This makes it the most rational course of action for all parties involved, including the storyteller.
pret·er·i·tion /ˌpretəˈriSHən/
“Noun: The action of passing over or disregarding a matter, esp. the rhetorical technique of making summary mention of something by professing to omit it.”
Note, Bone Claw Mother didn’t bother to claim she wasn’t crude. Jhalm may have said she wasn’t crude, but that was probably sarcasm.
I was thinking Ursula should have had a Boneclaw Mother doll when she was little, but then we probably wouldn’t have gotten Irrational Fears. So maybe it’s better she had to deal with the monsters under the bed herself.
Oh lord, the Battle of Crisp Politeness. *buries head in hands*
Three things to say.
1: I want a print of this without speach bubbles to hang in my bedroom.
2. This ties for the most hilarious thing Boneclaw Mother has ever said. I never thought anything would come close to paralleling “But he smells adorable.”
3. Don’t forget to VOTE! http://topwebcomics.com/vote/10180/default.aspx
The quality of the dialogue is what makes Digger the stand out best comic around but I’m buzzing for something to happen!
Thing is, Boneclaw Mother doesn’t need to defeat Jhalm &co to achieve her goal. She just needs to stall.
And if she happens to make any of Jhalm’s people a little more uncomfortable with what he’s trying to get them to do along the way, that’d be a pretty good stall, too, for that matter… but yeah. Every moment he spends talking to her is another moment for Digger and Ed to do what they need to do, and another such moment that doesn’t come at Murai’s expense.
(Though I wouldn’t be entirely surprised to learn that some of Jhalm’s Veiled are already pretty uncomfortable. With a broken arm, all alone, Murai is facing them down – ready to die for what she believes in. How many of them could honestly say they’d do the same in her shoes? She’s got some major conviction going on there – can they be sure she’s wrong?)
Good ol’ BCM… and woo! Troll cavalry! Graw!
I think the angle BCM is going for here is ‘If we get in a fight, a LOT of folks are gonna get hurt’, with the implied ‘one of them is gonna be you’.
There are no words for how much I’m loving this exchange between Boneclaw Mother and Jhalm. These not-even-slightly veiled threats in the politest of tones…they’re delicious and I love them both.
Methinks Boneclaw Mother is enjoying herself here. She even looks lovable in this panel.
Right now, I think they’re getting the obligatory posturing out of the way so they can get down to business.
I love the diplomacy going on here. 😀
I want a Boneclaw Mother plush. I want it to say “Were I a crude old woman, [death threat]” when squeezed. This would protect me from bad dreams as I slept.
And perhaps also bring good fortune through sheer terrorism. Either’s good.
I LIKE this old woman 😀
Ah, polite, subtle, hypothetical threats. How I missed them.
Boneclaw Mother is so awesome, I want a plushie, too!
I third the plushie request. Boneclaw Mother, Ed and Digger would all probably sell.
This Comic Sucks!
(I don’t really mean that. Truthe be told Digger is the best G.D thing I’ve read in a long time.
I literly burned through the arcives and each wate between Pages is tourture, but I was looking at all the well deserved praze that Mis Vernon has been getting and I was concerned that she would get cocky and as long as she doesent read this part we will be fine.)
I want to be Boneclaw Mother when I grow up.
parry; parry; thrust, ripose; Good!
Meanwhile, a D&D session, already in progress:
“My character makes a death threat and a revenge notation.”
“Roll a diplomacy check. You are at -5.”
“And a…nother ’20.'”
“Fifth this scene! Belfar is amused.”
“Okay Rick, you can’t attack yet. What do you do?”
“I make a brutally ironic comment noting what his character just said.”
“Roll Diplomacy. -5 for you. Again.”
“…20…”
“$#% #!$% I hate diplomatic combat!”
“Okay John, you can’t attack yet. Make a diplo-”
“Wait, I want to see how the old girl feels about this…18.”
“She is enjoying herself. Penalty reduced to -3. Roll diplomacy.”
“Sweet!”
Sage — that is a brilliant idea.
“were I crude”.. “piss in your socket”…
“how fortunate for both of us you are not so crude”
beautiful writing.
I think it was Teddy Roosevelt that said “Speak softly and carry a Boneclaw Mother.” or something like that . 😉
“How fortunate for both of us that you are not so crude, Madam.”
Captain Jhalm really doesn’t know Boneclaw Mother, does he?
Ah, Diplomacy. “Walk softly and carry a set of really big teeth.”
I’ll see you a Boneclaw Mother talking plush and raise you a line of “I want to be Boneclaw Mother when I grow up” merch!
natural teeth or Dentures Mark?
All in favor of making Digger into an animated series say, “Aye!” (Not kiddified, mind. Word for word, direct from the comic animated.)
Not to detract from Boneclaw Mother’s awesomeness, but I think Jhalm is acquitting himself rather well, too. If this were a standard fantasy novel, this is right about where the awesome old lady would do something brilliantly devious and leave the clueless male villain spluttering and stammering as he belatedly realises how thoroughly he’s been duped – but since it’s *not* a standard fantasy novel, I’m expecting the cliché to be subverted in some fashion.
OMG Sage that is an AWESOME idea – I, too, want a death-threat-Boneclaw Mother plushie!
“Diplomacy” is the art of telling someone to Go To Hell in such a fashion that they actually look forward to the trip…
The fine art of logomachy.
I think she has stalling the opposition down to a fine art. And such polite vulgarity being thrown around by those two. Although, a part of me really wanted to see Jhalm losing his other eye…
*sigh* Well, I’m caught up…
…which means having to wait for updates, same as the folks that have been here all along.
Y’know, Jhalm thinks he’s trying to stop whatever nefarious deeds Digger might be up to, but if they let him go down the hole I’d bet he’d find himself up against the Cold Servants, first. I half-expect an alliance to be suggested with that in mind.
This feels like a stall – maybe some of the warriors from the other hyena tribes are en route?
When I was a kid, not that I was in very many fights, but I remember we’d do this thing where your elbows would go back, almost like we were gun fighters. I think it was the idea of, “Make your move.” That’s kind of what I’m getting off of these two. “Whose going to throw the first swing? Has she let go of Jhalms arm. I’ll have to go back and check.
Nope she still has Jhalms arm.
*blinks rapidly* Okay, maybe I’ve been overusing Jarate, but in my mind Boneclaw Mother’s voice just shifted from Judi Dench to the Sniper from Team Fortress 2 and back again.
“I’m not a crazed old pervert mum! I’m a plucky tribal elder! The diff’rence Being ’ one’s a job an’ the other mental sickness!”
I love this woman more and more. xD
Isn’t civilization WONDERFUL? Without civility there would be no awesomely snarky conversations like this. We’d just go to the “Grrr!” and clashing of swords/clubs/fists/whatever weapons happen to be available and totally miss out. Moments like this are when I really like politics.
Why can’t all wars go like this? Both leaders meet each other, each of them points on some very strong tactic advantage they have and they don’t actully fight because the other could wipe their side in a minute.
>captainjack:
“Diplomacy” is the art of telling someone to Go To Hell in such a fashion that they actually look forward to the trip…
no, that’s politics.
…Oh my God. Judi Dench as Boneclaw Mother? I’m not sure if it’s horribly wrong or *perfect*.
perfect!!!
As is the idea of a boneclaw mother plushie – Ursula, any thoughts on the idea?
@Kisame: Where were you in the 1950s through 1980s? It was called the Cold War.
@BunnyRock: Which is which? 😉
She’s grinning. With ANY Discworld witch, that is not a good sign for the opposition. 😛
so awesome
I want a plushie. So, so much.
And Tindi — I’m with you on the Discworld-witch-resemblance thing… Boneclaw Mother is a terrifying combination of Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg. Who would have believed it possible?
: “Although, a part of me really wanted to see Jhalm losing his other eye..”
I think Ursula’s got a little more discretion than that…… that sounds more like S. Clay Wilson’s specialty (especially the pissing in the socket bit)……. 7X=Q
So we all know boneclaw mother is awesome. The question is, is she building up to the real reason she’ll beat Jhalm, or is she building up to ‘We’ll lose, but we’ll hurt you, and we’ll do it for what we believe in’, except in a much more badass turn of phrase. Can’t wait to see.
I need to touch on something only one other person did. What will happen is an alliance. This posturing by Boneclaw Mother is to solidify the fact that, regardless of outcome, neither side would have enough numbers afterward to actually venture down the hole. Which is objectively true. This makes it the most rational course of action for all parties involved, including the storyteller.
Off chance: Shadowchild shows up.
The amount of win in their conversation is all that’s keeping me from going mad with anticipation for something to actually occur.
pret·er·i·tion /ˌpretəˈriSHən/
“Noun: The action of passing over or disregarding a matter, esp. the rhetorical technique of making summary mention of something by professing to omit it.”
Note, Bone Claw Mother didn’t bother to claim she wasn’t crude. Jhalm may have said she wasn’t crude, but that was probably sarcasm.
I was thinking Ursula should have had a Boneclaw Mother doll when she was little, but then we probably wouldn’t have gotten Irrational Fears. So maybe it’s better she had to deal with the monsters under the bed herself.