Jun 022012
 


Soadreqm wrote:
> Start with what you can handle. Get out of the rain.


Slinker wrote:
Katia, come on now, the chapel is just right beside you and you will get sick if you stand here naked in the rain. Take a deep breath or keep crying if you must, but stand up and go into the chapel. When you get inside ask to sleep somewhere. You need to rest now. Let’s think of a solution tomorrow. Just try forget what has been done to you today.

Wowie gee! As soon as you open the chapel doors Sigrid pops out with a freshly cleaned robe, pile of treasure, and your official Mages Guild membership certificate. She proclaims this was all just a big test to make sure you were ready to join the Guild.

And now that you’ve passed, everything is going to be okay. You curl up by the warm fireplace and relax. It turns out you just had to keep trying, keep believing in yourself, and everything finally came together. Everything finally worked out.


Scruffmeister wrote:
Katia: Don’t look at the bottle.

What, this bottle? Yeah, you’re not even sure why you picked it up.

You cooly toss the bottle to the ground and let it shatter to a million pieces. Katia Managan is brave and successful and doesn’t need to get plastered out of her mind to forget what a failure she is. When the going gets tough, she’s fine because she knows everything will get better eventually.

She knows everything will be okay.


BADEND wrote:
Katia: don’t be Katia Managan ever again. You are now USELESS CAT.

Useless Cat: get the bottle. Check to see if there is some sweet, sweet alcohol in there. Good ol’ alcohol. Alcohol never judges. Alcohol never lets you down. Alcohol never steals all your stuff and leaves you naked in the rain. You love alcohol, and you know what? Alcohol loves you! If there is indeed alcohol in there, drink it. You know it’s what you need right now.


Yes! You want to down this whole bottle and get wasted to bits. You want to stumble naked into the nearest building and do who-knows-what to what-knows-who and forget about it all the next morning. You want to wake up filled with regrets and ready to drown them out again. You found this bottle and it’s yours fair and square and pretending things will get better just isn’t working and after tonight you think you damn well deserve it! You feel sad, cheated, and just want this day to finish up on its own so you can pick up the pieces when you’re good and ready.

But you made yourself a promise and even if you wouldn’t have made it if you had known what was coming you don’t want to let everyone down again and it feels awful. Your mind is racing with at least three dozen pages worth of thoughts and feelings and plans and fantasies pulling you every which way and you don’t need that right now. You just want to feel better. You just want things to be okay.

You choke back a fresh wave of tears and take slow, deep breaths. You can still fix this. You’re stronger this time and don’t need to drink. This is a setback but you can still pull through. All the bad feelings, they’re just the prequel to something good. You’ll see.

But the more you think about it, the less true it feels. You just wanted to have one person believe in you by showing her you could do one simple job. Now, at best you’ll only be a slight disappointment. Just like every other time, you’ll have to go on knowing that no matter how hard you try, you’re still worth a little less than everyone else. If even that.

You tell yourself you just… have to shake that feeling. Find some way to make the future feel bright and giddy again, and quell that black claw gripping at your heart.

Clothes! You’ll go find some.


KathiWithAnI wrote:
KATIA! LISTEN TO ME!
This. Isn’t. Your. Fault.
NONE OF IT IS.
Even the bravest of heroes couldn’t stand up to Sigrid. She’s a master alchemist with the ability to charm anyone out of their pants. Literally, in your case. There was nothing you could have done. And snapping out of it as early as you did is a great feat all in itself. And we? The voices in your head? We were the ones that told you to go in, even when we shouldn’t have. This is our fault, not yours.
And as for the letter… you can’t control the rain.

Yeah, you can’t control the rain. You can’t control other people. But you damn well could’ve kept yourself from skipping starry-eyed into a creepy building because oooh, mages! You could’ve left at any point. Maybe if you weren’t so useless you could’ve even done something about it. Broken in through a window and stolen your stuff back, or found evidence to convict Sigrid of a crime. Even if the town guards aren’t under her control, they’re not going to believe the word of some dirty slutcat. You know they never did back home.

Or how about this: maybe you could’ve concentrated on your one, simple delivery task rather than getting lost in some dumb wizard fantasy. Maybe if you had gotten the stars out of your eyes long enough to actually listen to the mages you met you would’ve noticed no one was taking you seriously to begin with. Realized you’re a fucking Khajiit who can’t even make magicka, almost twenty years old and can barely start fires – something any fucking mage could do with the exception that you have to wear a goddamn leash to keep from accidentally burning the fucking town down. Maybe you could’ve had an uncharacteristic moment of lucidity and noticed mages are just another shitheap of uncaring bastards looking to fuck you over and throw you away like every other goddamn person you ever tried to care about.

THIS BARREL IS EMPTY WHY ARE YOU EVEN SEARCHING IT?

One thing. You wanted one thing and you were too much of a fucking idiot to realize it was hopeless and pointless and bound to ruin everything. Stuck on some childish idea that you could be anything, do anything, and just be some selfish bitch that’s never happy with what she has. Fuck, you don’t even know what you’re mad at anymore, you just hate yourself and everything you ever ruined for yourself and everyone and want to stop thinking about what a worthless mindless thoughtless imbecile you are. You just want to stop fucking thinking about it.


mysticalMechanic wrote:
Do you seriously have any real reason left to not get completely drunk? Hardly.


TheUrbanMoose wrote:
Alcohol may or may not be the only way out of this.

Right. Alright. You have to think about this logically. Alcohol is a potential solution here. An effective one! One bottle, everything feels better. The worries, the sadness, the self-loathing, even if just for a night, it goes away. You can feel good again.

But then you’re just running away. It will cause problems, and then in the morning these problems will still be there, and you’ll have to deal with them. But you will have had a good, care free night’s sleep and be totally ready to deal with all the problems ever, tomorrow. That sounds great! It’s booze time. Booooooze o’clock.

But… maybe you’re just saying that because you’re an alcoholic. Maybe you have a problem. I mean, you know you have a problem, but maybe things will actually get better if you quit. I mean, things probably would have gotten better if you had quit earlier. If you hadn’t spent years drinking nightmares away, you could’ve done something. Maybe you could’ve become a merchant, or an alchemist, or an armorer. You would’ve been scared at night, sure, but wake up to a happy life every morning. Maybe if you didn’t have the option to hide your face in a bottle you would’ve gotten over your phobias entirely. Maybe alcohol ruined everything!

THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!


Crafekster wrote:
Bottle: Just stand there…

You apologize to the bottle, you didn’t mean to hurt its feelings and you know it’s just looking out for you and

Fuck fuck FUCK you’re talking to a bottle! You need a drink. You need a not drink. You’re a mess.


KaeozCrimson wrote:
You know, there’s something I’ve got to come out and say: we all make these comments about what Katia should do, or shouldn’t. Sometimes the comments are constructive, and sometimes they are not. Sometimes they are contradictory to one another. Sometimes, they seem to be intended just to make the poor Khajit miserable. But there’s one thing I have to ask, that I don’t think anyone has asked. There’s one person whose opinion we’ve never really considered in the course of this adventure. So, I’ll go ahead and say it.

KATIA. QUIT DOING WHAT OTHERS TELL YOU THAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING. DECIDE FOR YOURSELF WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.


Right. Up to you. You decide your first course of action pretty quickly.

You drop onto the chapel floor and just cry. You cry and cry because you’re stupid and easy and can’t fix anything no matter how hard you try. You cry because your best is worse than everyone else’s average. You cry because your parents never loved you and you’re a disappointment to everyone, even yourself. You cry because all you wanted was to be someone and that’s never going to happen. And when that’s done, you cry a little more because you’re ashamed of being such a crybaby.

You try to get all the emotions out, try to clear your mind and maybe, just maybe feel ready to tackle the night ahead of you, feel as though this is the time you finally turn things around. But no matter how hard you try, how hard you weep and bawl and try to get it all out, you’re still just a fuckup. No matter what you try, that knowledge is still there, gripping onto your every thought and reminding you that things are never going to change.

You’re not strong. You’re not a hero. You’re not even worthy of the name Katia Managan. You’re sad and angry and nothing makes sense, but you know this is probably the clearest your head is going to get.

Someday, things are going to get better. Someday, you are going to fight and persevere and everything will feel great. You think.

But for now, you know what you have to do.

And at the very least, there is no way you could possibly make yourself feel any worse.

  • Kazerad

    Just a heads up: commands are still submitted in the MSPA forum thread (linked on the right), but due to the sheer number of commands I’m going to try something new and only open the Suggestion Box thread for a brief period immediately after an update.

    Right now it’s closed for a different reason though. In following with Crimson’s command, let’s just let Katia make the next choice on her own.

    • FlexySanders

      Avid follower here.

      I think it has to be said that you are really great at drawing emotions. You don’t just draw sad, happy, angry etc…. you draw a wide range of those emotions from “very” to “not at all” – like a million shades of gray. A great talent!

      Lots of good drawing in this update, but I like pic #10 the most. Feels like real emotions.

      Fuck, I wish I could draw like that!

  • Owenman91

    FIRST! I ACTUALLY DANCED SO HARD WHEN I REALIZED I WAS LOOKING AT AN UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

    I’M SO FUCKING HAPPY! i HAVEN’T EVEN READ IT YET!

    • King_Burgerking

      “I’M SO FUCKING HAPPY! i HAVEN’T EVEN READ IT YET!”
      Oh god

    • cake

      kill yourself.

      • Owenman91

        Wow, who put your panties in a bunch, kid? I’m just enthusiastic that my favorite webcomic updated with quality content after a whole month of suspense.

        IT’S LIKE I’M REALLY ON 4CHAN!

        • asfasf

          Yeah don’t even try to justify, you said first and even admitted it was before you even read the content, that doesn’t accomplish anything, and the responses have nothing to do with 4chan.

          • Owenman91

            …Dude.

            I don’t really need to justify against unprovoked hostility (hence why I made the 4chan reference), and I just wanted to express my joy as well as become the first commenter, I didn’t bother going through it at first because I wanted to savor every bit of content. Since when has it become a taboo to jump for joy? Anyway, I don’t want to start a flame war, so I’m declaring an end to this discussion.

            Thank you for your time.

          • Scott

            yeah man chill cut him some slack. I actually kind of danced when the update came as well.

          • cjkrythos

            to the two 4channers, I believe what he was saying with those messages that he was so happy about seeing an update, that he wanted to express his joy and happyness with dancing and singing(in this case, a post or two) even before reading. Its like saying Grace before you actually eat dinner. You dont thank God AFTER eating, its just rude. You stop, compose a thoughtful message and say it with heart toward the great provider.

            Yes, I just equated Kazerad with God, and with that in mind….

            Kaze is great, and Kaze is good, And we thank him for his comic; By his hand we all are amused ; Give us, Lord, her weekly abuse.

    • Ohki

      I’m smelling a lot of “you mad” in this thread.
      OP, you’re alright.

  • Kraknar

    DO NOT DRINK THE BOTTLE…

    Break the cycle!

    SMASH THE BOTTLE!

    If you want your life to improve, the answer is not in that bottle!

    FIGHT THE URGE, KATIA!

  • Gregory

    Katia….

  • Ocylith

    Wow. An update that was definitely worth the wait.

    So many feels.

  • I love this story. Dear author/artist, you do a fantastic job of making this emotional and I can’t wait to see where we go with this.
    We’re cheering for you Katia!

  • diablgro

    find a coin.
    flip a coin.
    drink/smash the bottle.

    • JJA

      Tails, I drink. Heads… I get so scared I have to drink.

      • Heads: I drink
        Tails: You smash the bottle
        Sound good?

    • MrSing

      That’s a pretty good suggestion, but I think it would be better if it was like this.
      find a coin.
      flip a coin.
      smash the bottle.

      • Dragon

        Heads you don’t drink; tails you don’t drink.
        Seems legitimate.
        It’d be awesome to see the Lovecraft King again… but not for Katia.

  • Leold

    Awesome update, hope you’re feeling better Kaz!

  • AlySkoomaPirate

    SHUT UP PEOPLE WHO ARE TELLING HER TO DRINK! ARGH!
    Also, love the comic!

  • KeyFox

    Even in these sorrows, Katia hasn’t nearly ever looked so beautiful.

    So, the choices now are- A: Throw the wild card, drink, and see what wild and crazy things happen; potentially end up waking up to a very… disappointed Quill-Weave, in a very un-presentable bedroom, with some strange guy. Again.
    Or, B: Not drink, have a guro-ass nightmare, wake up the next morning, and plan out the next move. Probably wake up with a priest or someone staring at you with disgust. But, that’s at least somewhat predictable.

    Sooooo, you’re pretty much just picking your poison. Difference is that one is more likely to be a complete failure from all perspectives. Then again, neither of the two outcomes are at all certain.

    Heh-heh-heh…

  • Mhyshka

    Katia, you still have your necklace, that’s better than nothing.
    If you drink that bottle you might lose that last thing you kinda own and woke up we-don’t-know-where once more, in someone else’s bed. That would be wrong.
    Not everyone are bitches, like Sigrid. You just got to grow somewhat less naive and start listen to others. That Guild Mage had a terrible reputation, if you had think about what people thought about it, you wouldn’t have been in.

    People won’t start believe in you if you just runaway and get drunk everynight.
    Your have no more to do so, you’ve got to start to act like someone strong, to even become one!

    PS : I’m so happy to see that update! THANK YOU !

  • Sometimes life just isn’t fair, or nice, or even remotely reasonably. Sometimes it’s just trying to dick you over. And sometimes, people like Sigrid make it dick you over. Yes, you should have been warier. No, it wasn’t your fault.

    When that happens, there’s only a few things you can do. If you’re the grim-faced determind type, yoyu can even more grim-facier and bull through. If you’re the brilliant type, you step back, come up with a cunning plan, and dodge around. For the rest of us, sometimes all you can do it cry.

    So, sit down and have a good cry. Nothing you do can fix things right now. So, stop trying to fix things. Have a good cry, curl up in the corner, and sleep. maybe the universe will take pity, maybe it won’t, but when you wake up you won’t have added to your problems. And honestly, rest will do a lot better than booze right now. Praying to the Akatosh (or whatever god they bed here) probably wouldn’t hurt, but they do tend to help those who helpd themselves.

    Also, find out if they’re offering a special on ironic divine revenge. You could use some of that right now.

  • FRICK FRICK FRICK FRICK FRICK FRICK FRICK FRICK FRICK FRICK FRICK FRICK FRICK

  • LiquidDinosaur

    She should beat her alcoholism Condemned style. Like, where her alcoholism manifests itself as a doppelganger of herself wearing a creepy mask, and then she beats the shit out of it with a pipe. Bam, addiction cured.

    • Zerithos

      Hell. Yes.
      But she needs a pipe first.

  • P. 5000

    Don’t drink the damn booze. Kick it against a wall and smash it into bits.

  • Trevor

    ‘Someday, things are going to get better. Someday, you are going to fight and persevere and everything will feel great. You think.

    But for now, you know what you have to do.’

    aka: “‘Someday, I will listen to your suggestions. Someday, I will choose the ones that are not negative. I think.

    But for now, you know what I have to do – repeat the entire comic from Gharug’s original appearance.”

    I was reading through the update, smiling at how well you’re digging through Katia’s mind

    and then that happened.

    • nope

      You do realize this is what recovering alcoholics go through, right?

      Did we miss that whole part where she hasn’t actually drank it yet?

      Virtually every time Kaz has left it here, instead of showing Katia drink in the same update, something’s interrupted her from drinking. It’s a cliffhanger meant to make people like you froth and rage because you assume it means she’ll drink it, making you run off screaming into the night with cries of “BAWW RAILROAD RAILROAD”.

      • Trevor

        yeah because a cliffhanger after a month of 0 updates is a great idea

        • patrick

          You are not paying for this are you? This is made free for all to enjoy. Please have some patience and just enjoy the story. If there happens to be a bit of a wait, then accept it and be that more excited when it finally gets updated.

        • Absolutely agree with patrick, Kazerad keeps a frankly amazing update schedule most of the time, and I’m more than happy to wait when life gets in the way of updating a webcomic/story. I was very happy to see the update and very impressed with its content, but if it’s a month before the next update, you won’t see me complaining!

        • nope

          Wow, you couldn’t possibly cry harder. Look at that update the next day, turns out you were wrong. Big surprise. Kindly take your overinflated sense of entitlement and whining, and relocate far away from the vicinity of this comic.

  • Ransom

    Wow, so glad to see this up! Hopefully, even if she can’t make herself feel worse, maybe finding the courage to not drink can make her feel a bit better.

    Hopefully.

  • Richter

    Sweetest Kitten,

    Filth overflows from your sweet lips. I would place one warning finger at the end of your meow, and silence it all with a ruby kiss–oh, if only I could! May I hear your cries of helplessness nevermore, thou felicitous feline–for I know you have fine, ladylike arms; those are the hands that hold my vessel; there are the lips that welcome my soul! There is one thing you can do! Oh, I drink in the thought of you my love; so I beg you, think on the drought of brew, my love, that rests in yonder shadow. Rescue me from this prison, and whence this cork is cast aside we shall enjoy a mutual opening.

    Love,
    Ancient Dagoth Brandy

    • Ocylith

      Get out of here, Ancient Dagoth Brandy. You’re not the right drink.

      She’s only got a bottle of Cheapest Mead.

  • Voice of Treason

    Well, Katia, I’m proud of you. You’ve done what you needed to do, getting through several emotional walls like that. And most importantly, you didn’t pull off any rash activities or do anything incredibly rushed while you were in this sensitive position. Kudos, girl!

    What you need is a foothold, a way to mark your territory and make sure noone can touch your stuff!

  • Ellert

    Well, looks like it’s back to hitting the reset button on her progress. Unless Kazerad is hoping to leave a lot of people dumbfounded when in the next update despite everyone expecting the gag and despite pulling it twice already he will surprise everyone by deviating from it. So I guess there is a chance she won’t drink it, and if not then perhaps 3 time’s a charm.

    Might be interesting to see if she drink it if she will teleport back to Anvil or stay in Kvatch.

  • Calzone

    Katia: Get your drink on. Not like the writer ain’t railroadin’ you in to being a gigantic sadsack anyhow. Maybe you’ll wake up somewhere interesting.

    (ha ha just kidding you’ll probably wake up naked in a ditch with a pineapple shoved in to your snatch or something else equally predictable because nothing progressive ever happens in this adventure. Status quo ‘n shit.)

    ALTERNATIVELY:

    Katia: Be Spades Slick

  • Bragd

    Katia! Throw that bottle out the window this instant, young khajit! You owe yourself not ever getting drunk again! You might have failed the hardest so far as KAtia Managan, but if you stay straight now you have at least kept that promise to yourself!

  • Some dude

    Okay, guess you really are just going with the reset button. Again. Fuck you Kaz.

    • Zerithos

      He’s totally messing with us.
      BTW this is totally cheating since this is after the next update 😛

  • ff7ivan

    “DO NOT DRINK” you need to get yourself back together.

    you are no less than what you used to be, your items do not make you who you are.

    show some strong willpower and just ignore the bottle.

    if you drink from it…….well you know
    wake up naked with complete strangers after doing god knows what.

    PS:DO NOT DRINK FROM THE BOTTLE!!!.

  • KTB

    Wow… I have got to say the wait was worth it. This update totaly made me acualy feel quite a bit more compassion than usual.

  • Peyton Lehew

    You’ve done an excellent job with the story. There aren’t many internet comics (or whatever this is) that have such raw emotion in them. You manage to capture our emotions, make us laugh, make us cry, and we feel for the characters in the story. This is really well-written, and I applaud you. I intend to keep reading this and look forward to reading more.

    • Some dude

      You no what most comics DO have though? A fucking plot. Progression towards an end.

      • Shoushin

        oh shut up. if you don’t like it, GTFO and let people who do enjoy the comic read it

      • Vanguard

        Even though I love the comic, I kinda think you have a point, it seems like this comic is going nowhere. Something finally happens and the story seems to be going somewhere, then BAM magic plot twist and she ends up back where she started. Although she doesn’t fall as far each time, she still basically ends up back at the beginning.

        • Vertria

          There IS an end somewhere down the road from the start of this comic!

          After all, it WAS raining in Kvatch the night the “Mega” Gate opened. 😀

      • Dan

        Why do you keep reading and commenting on the story if you hate it?

        • Some dude

          Because it was pretty good right up until the past few updates. Except for killing Dimitri off for no reason.

        • EndUser

          Hate isn’t the same thing as being annoyed by an element.

          Or do you think comment sections only exists to gargle authors’ balls?

          • Some dude

            I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he does

      • Peyton Lehew

        I agree that many of the plot points that have been brought up haven’t made a whole lot of sense thus far, but I also remember that the story isn’t over yet. Dmitri was killed off, yes, but didn’t we see Dmitri’s cat with a Welkynd stone on it’s back after the fact? That seems to imply to me that Dmitri isn’t quite out of the story just yet. And each of Katia’s failings have led her to the next stage of the adventure. Just because the plot is advancing very slowly doesn’t mean that the plot is nonexistent. Absolutely, I would love to see some plot progression, but I’m not going to nitpick at every tiny detail.

        Life’s too short to be pessimistic about it.

  • TB Tabby

    Katia: Don’t drink the alcohol. You have a much better use for that FLAMMABLE substance.

    • SteampunkLocket

      That’s EXACTLY (somewhat) what I suggested the last time X3
      Yay for pyromaniacs! We will one day rule the world! (Or what’s left of it)

      • OldSchoolRPGDude

        I don’t think mead has a high enough alcohol content to burn easily.

  • SteampunkLocket

    “All the bad feelings, they’re just the prequel to something good. You’ll see.”

    …Now you’re just trolling us.
    Aren’t you.

    But yeah, I’m going to join the chorus and say how well done this update is. t’was worth the wait.

    • Zerithos

      ‘Something good’: either getting torn to pieces by Daedra or running the F away and somehow winding up in the IC prison…
      Or running into the REAL main character?

  • SteampunkLocket

    haha, ironic divine revenge is a WIN X3

  • Tobi Wan Kenobi

    >Drink alcohol
    >Solve all your problems in a drunken furor

    And all the alternatives aren’t any worse than what you’re currently experiencing.

  • Carbon

    Don’t you do it.

    Don’t even think about it.

    Take that bottle, and smash it. Doesn’t matter where, just do it.

    You’d feel good for one night, but then everything will rush back to haunt you. If you run, then I suppose you ARE just a big scaredy-cat. Might as well act as one then, and run away, and live naked on the streets, in the gutter.

    You’ve cat to be kitten me right meow, putting my faith on such a stray..

  • Snowkitsune

    You now have a weapon in a couple hours your eye will once again work also your born under the sign of antoch you can eat magic to gain yours back. that stupid woman is a mage go and get your stuff back. and the next time you see a pile of gold pilfer it yes your a mage but by gods your a cat and it was shiney also as long as your not cought use your built in stealth Just dont drink that mead

    ps i love this comic so far im glad there was an update

  • Cor

    At the moment, fate is so pitted against you that you have no real way to win. You tried as best as fate allowed you to try and that got you stripped and stranded out in the rain. The only hope you have at this point of reversing your situation is to embrace the alcohol, since for you, alcohol is chaos. And you know the thing about chaos. It’s fair.

    • Vertria

      There is one other thing that could be chaotic in this particular city…

  • Somax

    WOW just wow, one of the best update so far it really worth the wait

  • Satan Satan Satan

    OH THANK GOD.

    It’s good to have Katia back.

    Even if she is being totally fucking depressing.

  • bokkun

    shlick furiously…

  • CM Punk

    NO KATIA DON’T DO IT

  • TheTurnipKing

    I’d post this in the topic, but it’s closed now.

    I almost hesitate to bring this up because I’m not sure it’ll lead anywhere good. But nonetheless I think it bears asking.

    “You cry because your parents never loved you”
    Are you sure?

    I mean, your family basically became farmers because of your crippling fear of royalty. That doesn’t sound like the act of /uncaring/ parents. Stupid ones, perhaps, but not uncaring. I mean, it seems like maybe one of your parents might have moved out of the castle to raise you in a royalty free environment, but I’m not entirely sure why they both did.

    • TheTurnipKing

      Also: Strictly speaking, we’re still not entirely sure what might be in that bottle.

  • Casewriter

    Kaz,

    For a story to remain interesting, good must happen next to the bad. Equal measure is unneeded, but it doesn’t hurt to take Katia beyond getting back up again every once in a while. I believe that being submitted into the guild and then being used by that enchantress unbeknowst would’ve given you much more opportunity to move the story along than you have now.

    Katia is story-telling gold and you have very staunch support. And as this is the Internet, I would say that both are quite unique. In my honest opinion, you’re squandering it.

    I’m a close follower of the story and the comments on the different platforms for Prequel enthusiasts and the discord on the previous page is not something that just came out of the thin air. You give your readers nothing but the stick, its about time you give them a carrot.

    • TheTurnipKing

      The entire journey to Kvatch was nothing but carrot.

      Katia is just feeling dis-proportionality upset in relation to the setback she just had (but perhaps understandably, it must be assumed, in relation to the actual life she had before stepping off the boat).

  • stupidjellyfish

    This is so beautiful and inspiring for how depressing it is.

  • SomerandomGuyOnACatTrain/Car/Backseat

    YOU ARE NOW THE BOTTLE.

    BORN AND RAISE IN A WINE CELLAR, YOU LIVE A GOOD LIFE AND HAD FOLKS DRINK OUT OF AND FILL YOUR VESSEL WITH ALL KINDS OF CONCOCTIONS. BUT RECENTLY SOME MAGE STARTED TO CRY INTO YOU. YOU NEED TO STOP HER WHINING AND GET ON WITH HER LIFE. BUT HOW >_

  • Tettix

    My sense of irony is making me wonder if anyone has said Bottle: Be vinegar, or something else that makes this entire inner debate entirely pointless. I imagine they must have, but I really can’t be bothered to look through the thread anymore.

    • SomerandomBOTTLE

      >”My sense of irony is making me wonder if anyone has said Bottle: Be vinegar, or something else that makes this entire inner debate entirely pointless. I imagine they must have, but I really can’t be bothered to look through the thread anymore.”

      (advice about the bottle) “the definination of insanity is reapeating an action and expeting a differnt reslut.”
      (for all that has happend) “Why do we fall?…. so we can learn to pick us back up.”

      Katia: Grab the bottle dramatically, smash it by the end, claim for fucking revenge.

      <THE CRYING MAGE STOP CRYING DURING YOUR INTERNAL MONOLOGUE ABOUT SANITY. SUCCESS YOU STOP HER WEEPING… BUT SHE QUICKLY GRAB YOUR NECK AND SWING YOUR BODY ON THE BOX. YOU TAKE -10 OF BLUNT DAMAGE, SLIGHTLY SCRAPED BUT STILL FINE. WHAT SHALL YOU DO.

  • foreshight(out-o-character)

    Kazerad, thank you for taking the time to update.

    I full-heartedly agree that katia needs to make the next choice by herself, but i feel that she also needs to hear these words be for she moves on.

    (advice about the bottle) “the definination of insanity is reapeating an action and expeting a differnt reslut.”
    (for all that has happend) “Why do we fall?…. so we can learn to pick us back up.”

    I know these are hamy and overused morals, but she needs them now more then ever

    • Prophet

      And
      “Everything will be okay in the end.
      If it’s not okay, then it’s not the end.”

      • Vertria

        Tell that to the children dying of cancer. 😀

    • foreshight(out-o-character)

      “Katia don’t you know that time keeps marching on,
      The coldist hour is the one that comes just before the dawn.
      The devil’s back in Georgia will … you…”

      ok, this is probabliy not the right song to sing.

      • Ch’marr

        Comment ID 10000 Get!

  • ScienceGuy

    Katia: Grab the bottle dramatically, smash it by the end, claim for fucking revenge.

    • Wolligepoes

      I agree. Slow – mo smash it. It’ll feel great to beat your addiction

  • Ryuujin

    Katia needs one of those pendants that the head of the Leyawiin mages guild uses to keep all those pesky voices from being distracting :p

  • The_Thief

    how wants to make bets on how katia sleeps with?

    10 Septim its the vampire.

    • KTB

      Whats up with the how’s?

      • The_Thief

        I meant how sorry.

        • The_Thief

          FUCK I meant who

          • KTB

            I thought so.

            I’ve got 20 on the closest person in town. (ie probably a guard or some late night jogger)

  • Zia

    God, this made me cry. Damn you for making such a great character. I’ve grown incredibly attached to her and hate it when she has her run of bad luck.

  • M

    I think there’s some genuine improvement here actually for Katia.

    She’s starting to get stronger in regards to that bottle. She’s seriously resisting drinking it now, unlike last time. Even if she DID drink it, if next time she shows even more resistance she probably wouldn’t again.

    I think Katia actually didn’t do half bad for being a grand total of what… less then a week in Cyrodiil? Already she improved in many ways over how she arrived from Hammerfell. And how would moving to another country magically make everything a-ok in a week?

    It might not feel that way for Katia, but she’s making progress.

    Although even so I do hope that either that bottle doesn’t contain alcohol but something else entirely. Or that if Katia does come close to drinking it she thinks of Quill-Weave and doesn’t, because as miserable as she is, she’d still prefer someone who has some amount of tolerance and concern for her.

    She really does have a friend I think in Quill-Weave, and I think if she just goes back to the bookshop elf when the day breaks and get another letter, that’s still decent. She got robbed, she didn’t rob herself. If I send someone out to do something for me, and they got robbed I wouldn’t be upset with them, even if they did let me down a few times.

    Katia needs someone to give her a break though, if she truly does know two spells now, she needs someone to give her an apprenticeship, so she can hone her talents in a safe environment without having to be concerned about other things then training.

    I don’t see why it’d be impossible for someone to see potential in Katia. With a little help and training from someone who has the resources to be able to afford giving her a break, I think she can become something.

    And I hope that if she ever does she doesn’t become ‘a selfish bitch concerned with herself.’ I rather hope her harsh roots would give her empathy with others who had tough luck, and that if she ever does get into a good position she’d help them out. I think it’s clear that Katia has a kind heart anyway.

    Although with all the crap she goes through, I could totally see her heart hardening, I hope it does not.

    • SomerandomBOTTLE

      >Although even so I do hope that either that bottle doesn’t contain alcohol but something else entirely.

      <YOU CHECK YOUR INVENTORY

      -Paper scribble with "CHEAPEST MEAD" on it
      -16.9 Oz of Painted Troll oil with small trace of alcohol.

      THE SMELL OF paint oil AND alcohol SENT THE MAGE IN A VIOLENT DEPRESSION HER MOOD TOWARDS YOU IS NOW 40

    • Shoushin

      I couldn’t agree more 🙂

      and
      >I think Katia actually didn’t do half bad for being a grand total of what… less then a week in Cyrodiil?
      this is only the 3rd day actually, so she’s actually doing very good!

      • Vertria

        I thought it was day 4… I mean, she passed out with that orc on Day 1. Woke up in Quill-Weave’s bed with aforementioned orc.

        Passed out with the necromancer on Day 2. Woke up in Quill-Weave’s bed with the whole room all voodoo-fied and shit and a skeleton cleaning the walls.

        Fell asleep on Day 3 with Quill-Weave with her permission! Had a very awful nightmare. Gave everybody here the finger about checking out Quill-Weave as she helped the Argonian back into a more comfortable position.

        And now we’re here. Day 4. In the town’s chapel. With a mysterious bottle of who-knows-what that just SAYS “cheapest mead”. Stendarr help her if it’s paint thinner or some such.

  • MSB

    And suddenly… OBLIVION GATES OPENED BY KATIA!

    … What? It could happen!

    • Zerithos

      The Mythic Dawn suddenly wasn’t formed until after the Siege? Holy hell!
      Yeah I know the last two words make NO sense.

  • Vins

    Halelujah, an update! And a thrilling one, way to go! Now it’s just wait and see if Katia makes the difference tonight.

  • SomerandomBOTTLE

    >(advice about the bottle) “the definination of insanity is reapeating an action and expeting a differnt reslut.”
    (for all that has happend) “Why do we fall?…. so we can learn to pick us back up.”

    <YOU SPENT ANOTHER HOUR QUESTIONING THE STATE OF THE MIND AND BOTTLEKIND. YOU GAIN 5 POINTS IN Mysticism.
    CURRENT STATS SO FAR

    SKILLS:
    Alteration: 31
    Alchemy: 20
    Mysticism: 15 +5
    Speechcraft: 50
    Block: 40
    Acrobatics: 20
    Restoration: 90

    ATTRIBUTES:
    Agility 10
    Endurance 30
    Intelligence 20
    Luck 20
    Personality 100
    Speed 50
    Strength 0
    Willpower 60

    Health 250
    Magicka 10/150
    Fatigue 110

    • stupidjellyfish

      SKILLS:
      Alteration: 0
      Alchemy: 5
      Mysticism: 0
      Speechcraft: 10
      Block: 0
      Acrobatics: 10
      Restoration: 0

      ATTRIBUTES:
      Agility 20
      Endurance 5
      Intelligence 0
      Luck 0
      Personality 60
      Speed 30
      Strength 0
      Willpower 40

      Health 10
      Magicka 10/150
      Fatigue 110

      /fixed

      • Shoushin

        SKILLS:
        Alteration: 10
        Alchemy: 5
        Mysticism: 0
        Speechcraft: 10
        Block: 0
        Acrobatics: 0
        destruction: 15 (20?)
        Restoration: 0

        ATTRIBUTES:
        Agility 15
        Endurance 15
        Intelligence 10
        Luck: – >9000
        Personality 60
        Speed 30
        Strength 10
        Willpower 30

        Health 50
        Magicka 10/150
        Fatigue 110

        /fixed /fixed

        • Some dude

          Why are you guys giving her a high personality? The only people who are nice to her feel sorry for her.

          • KTB

            They are probably doing that becouse all of the readers like Katia as a person.

            At least Ithink thats why.

          • KTB

            *I think

  • Itlazonix

    She can go on her own path.

    But I say get drunk and go to that dance competition would probably net a healthy handful of septiums.

    • kotekzot

      Hah, I’d totally forgotten about the dance competition. That’s going to be an interesting update.

  • cracked

    She hates herself, but she doesn’t let people walk all over her. The last time she got fucked over like this she faced her fear , enlisted an imperial guard and learned how to throw fireballs.

    She might not get Sigrid back, but I bet that she will at least give the Mage’s Guild the most baffling and retarded moment in their entire history. They are gonna make a big gay mural of her, she’s gonna be their Guy Fawkes.

    • tech

      1)Store massive ammounts of flammable booze underneath mage’s guild (no gunpowder in TES)
      2)get caught, imprisoned and executed
      3)???
      4)holiday named after you

  • /d/generate

    an/d/ then kazera/d/ /d/isregar/d/e/d/ every user submitte/d/ comment forever
    just like an/d/y /d/i/d/.

  • Koal

    I agree with everyone here, Katia will be less of a wreck if she avoids drinking that alcohol.

    Fight the urge, Katia, fight the urge.

  • Koal

    Huh, I just realized something. That bottle was found in a trash can, that bottle is probably empty, theres nothing in it.

    • Ryuujin

      I dunno, in Oblivion you routinely find entirely serviceable pieces of equipment, gold, gems, untouched food, crafting materials… and alcoholic beverages

      Though in Kvatch it’s mostly torch oil and fireworks.

    • SomerandomBOTTLE

      YOU REMEMBER THE ‘trash can’ WAS ONE OF THE MORE COZY SPOTS YOU FELL INTO. THOUGH REASONING ON HOW YOU GOT TOSS IN THE trash can MUST BE RELATED TO WITH painted troll oil spiked with alcohol.

  • dotrar

    Blah blah words words a whole page of nothing happening that we haven’t seen before.

    Can’t wait for the next five times we get to see this same update.

    • namegoeshere

      Yeah, nah youre a faggot.

      • Some dude

        But he’s exactly right.

        • ZackaryOkami

          but he’s not right…

        • Hurk

          You’re the same guy that keeps commenting negatively. Really, if you dislike the comic that much, you can leave. No one is stopping you. The exit is right there. You don’t have to come back, we won’t miss you, I promise.

  • It was a pain and a pleasure at the same time, watching Katia struggling with herself. I can’t wait to see how the story goes on.

  • Wolligepoes

    Dear Kazerad,

    We get updates once every while, which means we have to wait for a day or 5 regularly. Maybe you could submit smaller updates every day as an experiment. So lots of little puny small updates.

    • Wolligepoes

      Once a day*. Please note it is merely a request. I am not saying you owe any of us anything. But your efforts might be more appreciated

      • stupidjellyfish

        Kaz used to release more then three updates within a single day. It changed since the quality and animation of these updates have bettered throughout the months, so they’re taking a lot longer to make.

        Or I could be wrong.

  • Dagoth Odros

    Drink, pass out, wake up to a town thats been burnt to the ground.

    When you wake up, youre covered in a daedra silk blanket. Apparently a passing scamp took pity on you.

    • Shoushin

      I like this version ^^

    • Vertria

      I am me and I approve of this idea.

    • Zerithos

      …EEPY!

  • Crazedpivotguy1234

    Don’t give in! Remember: All the other times, things have gotten worse when you drank! Don’t give in, Katia!

  • Manveru

    1. Drink bottle

    2. Wake up in bed with the Count of Kvatch

    3. ????

    4. Profit!

  • dude

    not long enough for allotted
    time

  • Zanadu

    Don’t we know a Gharug gro-Upp? Whats that guy been up to lately?
    Also, isnt he like a total murder machine?
    Im pretty sure if you get your drink on you get like a magic portal to that guy.
    He seems like the type of person that could deal with a couple mages with more money and blood than they need.

  • person

    The narrative just isn’t compelling me much anymore. It was sad when she was a failure who had to start over with nothing, it was sad when she ruined it on day one, it was sad when she lost everything she’d earned… but now it’s kind of stale. Like, you can only pity someone so much before it’s like, “yeah, that was kind of a forgone conclusion” or “sorry lady but you just appear to suck at everything and your repeated failure to listen to reason is your constant undoing!”

    There’s just not much to feel bad about anymore. Compelling characters need ups and downs, not downs and pits and chasms and abysses.

    • SomerandomGuyOnACatTrain/Car/Backseat

      it’s best times to grab a life raft and sail over to the other character boats. Like Bottle or Pineapple, maybe side on katia’s depression. that a character or since she has so much of it that it would manifest into being fall in love with katia then get stabbed by Gharug gro-Upp.

      • foreshight(out-o-character)

        you just reminded me. Gharug gro-Upp has that ring that gives him resitance to fire. And the bastard got it stuck on his fat finger puting it on. Katia’s only combat spell is fire. If she meets with gro-Upp, even with basic flare and plenty of distance to cast it, gro-Upp still has the adventage.

  • Jake Deriousus

    Katia, starting new is hard. It’s hard and no one understands. I know you’re in a bad place right now, and I know you’ve been in bad places from the start, but I want, no, I IMPLORE you to listen to me for a few moments.

    I know how cliche it is going to sound, and I know I don’t actually exist, but I believe in you. No matter how hard things get, I know you can do it. Sure, you make mistakes, but we all do. Hell, I don’t exist and I’ve made more than I would like to admit. But it’s okay to make mistakes! Katia, please, if you take nothing else from this, take away that it is perfectly okay to make mistakes, even of the most incredibly destructive variety; but it’s foolish to make the SAME mistakes.

    Please don’t make the same mistakes, Katia.
    I believe in you too much to bare that.
    I know I don’t exist, and I’m just an idea, but…
    *tearful idea-hug*
    I believe in you, even if you don’t.

  • k9mouse

    The bottle in her is super-grand concentrate mixture potion of concentrate fortify magicka and concentrate magicka regen and if she drinks it, she going so much power, it will destroy the town in a fireball….. and that is going to start! After it wears off, she pass out….. for a while….

  • Jirekianu

    Hey Katia, if anything happened to that bottle wouldn’t it be a CATastrophe?

  • NoriMori

    Wow, this is an amazing update. Way longer and awesomer than I expected. I think it’s cool that Kaz closed the thread to follow Crimson’s command. That’s a pretty neat idea. Can’t wait to see what Katia does.

  • qlmaX5

    Never, EVER say things can’t possibly get any worse, because they always do.

    • Zerithos

      Hey look it didn’t.

  • Graknorke

    You know, I would like to say that even if she does drink, it IS character progression at most.
    Because Kaz is accepting no commands for this, Katia’s on her own. No incessant voices, always nagging not to drink or to take some course of action that seems illogical. For once she’s not having to fight for control of her actions.

    Go on Kaz, I am interested in how this will turn out.

    • TheTurnipKing

      Not well, I fear. Her default actions without the voices are what led her to Cyrodiil (and us) in the first place.

      But who knows. Maybe she’s learned something in all that time. Prove me wrong, Katia.

  • Mr. Dumbass

    I have a suggestion, if the author does decide that she’ll stop crawling into the bottle (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA).

    An overly dramatic flash video set to (original or mixed, partially or in whole) On Any Sunday’s “Theme for the Champions”. Fitting because A: it’s pretty fucking epic, perfect for an over-dramatized update, and B: it’d be her first step to actually being a champion. Even if it’s just in her own mind.

    No need to follow this, of course, but that would be pretty awesome. Unless of course legal reasons get in the way, or you already know what’ you’re going to do for whatever.

  • SomeRandomKhajiit

    Was that Katia’s version of the table flipping rage comic/meme face when she was looting that barrel? Good update though Kaz!

  • A Pink Poodle

    You know what you should do? …. You should set this whole fucking town on fire. There’s nothing wrong with you, there’s something wrong with this town. Why is it that Kvatch has the only shitty mages guild and every other city’s mages guild is normal and good?

    Rip a piece of that cloth, stiff it in the end of the open bottle to make a wick, light it and throw it through that stupid Sigrid’s stupid window. That’ll show her real good.

  • Jim

    FINALLY AFTER 1 MONTH.

    Katia…

    NO! Bad cat!

    No alcohol

    Noooooooooo,

    NO

  • The Nerevarine

    I….
    I have no advice for you, my dear.
    If only I were not so far away, for I have found that a hug is always welcome.

  • Lin

    OH GOD FEELS

  • Dumpsterrat

    Wow, 103 comments and it’s not even noon yet, that’s a whole lot of luvin’ or something. Welcome back, Kaz. I was really starting to think you’d decided, like Katia, to drop everything and flee to start a new life, one that doesn’t (in your case) involve drawing a webzine about kittehs.

    Katia: FIGHT THE POWAH.

  • Aleczander

    Fucking brilliant Kaz. The amount of happiness coursing through my veins is mathematically impossible to calculate. The last command having Katia choose a course is fucking BRILLIANT! I highly anticipate what course of action she choose, whether bad or good.
    I almost have to wonder something though. Wheres the grey fox when you need him? Katia looks the part of a homeless right now, especially crying as hard as she is half naked on a chapel floor. Isn’t he like a homeless guardian?
    I half expect him to steal a shit ton of stuff from Sigrid on Katia’s account.
    Keep it comin.

  • DOH99

    will this comic ever go in a straight path. As good as it is it’s getting a bit repetitive

  • Derp

    Funny how you updated on the same day that I bought Oblivion (my first Elder Scrolls game was Skyrim). Now I understand some of the references better.

    Anyways, your art is really starting to get good. Katia looks almost pretty in some of the pictures despite her being depressing. I really hope that she doesn’t get drunk again; I’m really starting to feel for her and I want her to start taking control of her life.

  • ChasingWagons

    First of all, WOW. Not even a day has this update been on and already, like, a BILLION comments (keeping in mind that not everyone who reads this comic is a commenter). Secondly, quit telling Katia what to do. She’s already decided that she’s not going to listen to you. Thirdly, she doesn’t even HAVE a coin to flip. Anyway, flipping coins is about as stupid as playing rock paper scissors with yourself.

  • Plush

    Open the bottle, drink the ENTIRE THING of CHEAPEST MEAD. Wake up and have wrought your terrible vengeance upon the mages guild. I’m sure the blackout violent vengeance would totally involve said bottle, loosing the necklace and burning half the town down in a drunken orgy of destruction. I’m sure there can be a orgy in the orgy of destruction, in fact I’m sure it’s pretty much guaranteed given your past history. You can just blame it on the now confirmed evil mages guild. Sure you have a history, but they have a WORSE history. Your pretty sure this is how the law works, with your many runs in with it. If anything Quill would have something AMAZING to write about to make up for your total inability to do the simplest of tasks for her, and make a quick buck off of you.

  • Falter

    Hot damn, it’s an update, and it’s sad! woo! D:

  • nic

    *hug*

  • Voice of Stendarr

    Go ahead. Drink that bottle of booze, mortal. See if you’re ever given anything amounting to pity by anyone ever again. In other words…

    Do it and I’ll fuckin’ spank you.

  • Dousiq

    Oh boy here we go again
    Maybe this time she’ll win some money at the dance competition while drunk

  • uplar

    Either this comic really is a neverending exercise in misery, or Katia’s accrued so much karma by this point that she’s going to end up SUPREME GODDESS OF HAPPINESS AND EVERYTHING.

    And yeah, I know I’m just a random voice on the internet, but I care about you, Katia. No matter what decisions you make. No matter what happens to you.

  • Mead Enthusiast

    You’d have to be crazy not to enjoy Cheapest ™ brand mead. True, the brand name is a bit unfortunate.

  • Prophet Lord

    Am I the only one who felt kinda filthy when looking at the panels of her drinking booze?

  • woundedkneecap

    I gotta say, the panels of Katia after she first walks in, her fur hang down, dripping wet, and the one when she falls down and cries are amazing.

  • Self-Loathing

    Yes, we know what we have to do.

    We smash the bottle, we cut our throat with it. It will sting for a few moments, but then, oh then, everything will be better. It will all be all better. No more pain. No more failure.

    It’s time to go, cat.

    • Maxwell

      OUCH.
      Thats a bit dark don’t you think?

  • Atari Ogen

    now she is in the temple, maybe the Gods descent from the heavens and at least give katia some clothes.i mean, they kinda own her for all the shitty life the poor thing had to endure.

  • Doggod101

    Damn the forum was totally full of comments to drink I can’t say I’m very happy at the sheer size of this “community” anymore.

  • Abbodon

    Honestly I’m beginning to get really annoyed with those people who keep claiming Katia isn’t moving forward, certainly she isn’t moving fast, but in the timeframe she’s only been here, what, three-four days tops, I doubt anyone, outside of fantasy-land, can turn themselves around so completely in such a short time.
    Her progress is undenyable, it’s not so much one step forward two steps back as it is two steps forward one step back, every time she’s been knocked down she’s come back stronger than before; she gained her magic, a friend (of sorts) in Quill-Weave, she’s fought against and somewhat overcome that crippling fear of Royalty in her dinner with the Countess, and now we’re seeing her really fighting her alcoholism, compare that to her actions after escaping the ruins, she turned to drink far quicker and with much less provocation than she has now; her character is progressing well and there is plenty of evidence to show for what she’s acheived.
    I can understand frustration and sadness for her plight but that’s a sign of good characterisation, you want Katia to suceed, you feel bad for her failures, if there was a magic; make-everything-better button she just wouldn’t be as human as she is now, honestly over my time reading this I’ve grown to really want Kaita to suceed but I can understand that she still has a long way to go until I can expect any concrete status upgrade, she’s climbing though, and that’s good enough for me.
    Ugh, sorry for the mini-rant I jsut get tired of people screaming about the alck of progress or the railroading on every single update; there needs to be aversity to overcome, it’s not a story about Katia’s rise so much as a story of her getting back up/

    • Some dude

      But we’re not moving forward. Not in the plot, or her personal progression. She is worse off now than she was last time. And we still have yet to see any semblance of an overarching plot.

    • Ransom

      Amen Abbodon, amen.

  • The Amazing d20

    Hey.

    It’s okay. You don’t have to try so damn hard. Just…sit back and watch, for now. Let things happen. Don’t try to meddle so much. Watch. Wait. You will see when the right time comes.

    You don’t have to keep trying to push your command, Anons.

  • That Guy

    Yeah, I know, no commands in the comments, but as there are no commands allowed for this update at all.

    Katia: Drink bottle – wake up next to sleeping Sigrid

    • KTB

      that would be fucking awsome! well in the fact that we could technicly steal all our shit back. not in the fact that we “did things” with sigrid we may not feel so great about about.

  • Uzi_Man

    Hey guys! Did you know that Katia got her ass kicked again?

    :slowpoke:

  • Hidden Strength

    Katia, I know you are still hurting… I know you want to end it all. But don’t. There is still hope. Those who suffer will be rewarded, remember that creepy door with blood coming from it? BREAK THAT DAMN THING DOWN HAMMERFELL STYLE. YOU ARE NOT WEAK! YOU ARE NOT TO BE PUSHED AROUND! YOU ARE KATIA FUCKING MANAGAN! YOU DON’T TAKE SHIT FROM ANYONE. YOU ARE A PROUD AND FAST KAJIT YOU DON’T LET OTHERS PUSH YOU AROUND! GET UP, STOP CRYING, BUST DOWN THAT FUCKING DOOR AND SEE WHAT IS BEHIND IT! Tak what is rightfully yours, don’t let ANYONE tell you who you aren’t and fight!

  • Dagoth Purr

    Shes safe in the chapel. Nothing bad can happen now. Especially in Kvatch with the scary priest Martin.

  • fancypants

    who throws perfectly good cheap mead away

    • fancypants

      what if someone pissed in there

  • Gavinfoxx

    Yea. It can *always* get worse… Like she could get drunk and wake up as a vampire (Kazerad, DON’T DO THAT! If you do that I will smite you!)!

    • fancypants

      what are you talking about?

      thatd be awesome

      then she could be a wizard and a vampire
      and hang out in strong holds attacking random passerby with magic for no reason

      i vote katia become a vampire

      • a wizard named… Tim?

        agreed.
        vampirism boosts many stats
        and replaces alchoholism with bloodlust
        also I dont think the orc has any silver weapons…maybe.
        but it might add to the fire problem

    • Dagoth Purr

      BRB putting this on he mspa forum.

  • Nilithius

    Katia: Wake up on the boat heading for Morrowind. Everything has been a dream.

  • Kathi With An I

    Katia.
    Katia, no.
    Bad kitty.
    Don’t make me get the spray bottle.

  • tronn

    Thank you for the update Kaz, it was well worth the wait.
    I like how you have started experimenting with more dramatic camera angles, they helped a lot in conveying the mood of the scene. Keep up the good work!

  • patrick

    It is great to see a new update! I wanted to say that the artwork, flow, and story just seem to get better and better, kaz. I have really been enjoying what you have created here. And i get a kick out of all the discussions, debates, arguments, compliments, and flames that this thing gets each update. People need to calm down. i strongly believe this will only get better and i can not wait.
    p.s. the newer katia style head (the more detailed look) is by far the best.

  • The Game

    IN BEFORE MARTIN

  • Me

    Eh, go ahead and drink. I feel nothing for this character. She’s sad and messed up and all. And it’s her damn fault.

  • aberrantChronologist

    You already have a slew of skills that you’re very adept at – distasteful as they may be. But you know what? Big deal. You play the cards you’re dealt with.

    So lets think here. Clearly you have a background in some sort of adult entertainment – be it prostitution, stripping, whatever. Do strip-clubs even exist? If not, invent them. Is prostitution outright illegal everywhere? If not, then shake what your mother gave you. What do you have to lose? You’re broke. You have nothing but a crappy amulet which prevents you from using magic you’re not even good at.

    Stop trying to be someone you’re not. Just be yourself. In all your screwed up glory.

  • Pogiforce

    What, you mean it’s not over?

    Glad for that, not glad for her going back to the bottle. she always does that, always wakes up in bed with something weird, always ends up even worse than where she started. It’s happened twice already, at this point the cycle is getting really dull and is a very transparent excuse to scene transition.

  • a wizard named… Tim?

    its a good thing the priests are very sympathetic (in oblivion)
    oh i know what would be good!

    martin: discover source of crying, be disgusted and sympatheticm, say something priesty to help

  • a wizard named… Tim?

    *sympathetic

  • tech

    I didn’t get a command through, but it came close. 🙂

  • Mao

    BRACING MYSELF FOR EPIC MARTIN APPEARANCE

  • Sizalia

    Wouldn’t it be funny if Katia realized that alcohol is flammable?

  • mah boi

    lol great mentality, why do something today when you can do it tomorrow. well at least it will be katia making the decisions now.also a whole update leading to the drinking? more than i expected. and… OMG AN UPDATE, felt like my heart skipped a beat after i saw a new command at the top of the page

  • Willhelm

    Yeeesss! MMOARRRR AALCHOOHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!fun times ahead

  • Soadreqm

    Katia is doing pretty damn well. On day one, she just gave up at the first sign of adversity and got hammered without a second thought. Day two, she faced not one but *several* adversities and finally spent several minutes staring at the bottle before she actually drank it. This time she has been sober for a full two days, and STILL HASN’T ACTUALLY DRANK ANY ALCOHOL. At this rate, she’ll be the Champion of Cyrodiil in no time.

  • Maxwell

    Self sorrow is such a sad part of human….or in this case Khajiit nature.

  • Armael

    Ow, my heart hurts :'(

  • Motherfuckers

    DO IT HIT THE RESET BUTTON GO GO GO

  • gwydion78

    Katia, this is a chapel, right? So the priest is likely in the rectory, and when you’re having a crisis of faith, identity, and self-confidence, a priest is a better confidante than a bottle of cheap mead. This is obviously a low point, hitting rock bottom, all that, so maybe you need to talk to someone who’s been actually helpful.
    That and find a non-asshole to give you a hug. You really need a hug right now and us voices in your head can’t give you the hug you so sorely need.

  • Z-Star

    Wait, there’s still one thing you can do. Every time you’ve drank you’ve gone to quill weave’s house(or at least in cyrodiil). Drink the bottle.

  • Pajaul

    While I commend the update, and think the saving of command space by shutting down the page is admirable, I hope to remind you that some of us don’t always see the comic when it updates, and in fact have to wait a bit. Or rather, we aren’t always aware when it updates, maybe if it had a regular update schedule or advanced warning, but for the most part this could lead to some people missing the boat as it were. I know I don’t check prequel everyday to prevent myself from becoming bored with seeing the same page over and over, but I don’t want to miss the chance to add my advice… minority as it may be… I still can hope it may reach the character. So, perhaps, if it is not to rude or presumptions, may I suggest leaving the commands open for the full week of an update? or at least, three days or so? I just don’t like the idea of people not being able to give “commands” when they feel really passionate about the story but can’t catch it in time. Thanks for your time.

    • Kazerad

      Don’t worry! I understand your concerns. Right now I guess the plan is to just leave the suggestion thread open long enough that most people should see it, though sadly I admit you may still miss it if you’re not quick. If it causes too many problems in practice, I might go back to the old way.

  • David Argall

    Now where did that blanket come from? and go to?

  • Holy crap, if she burns the church down in the next comic im deleting the bookmark -_-

    • Maxwell

      What makes you think she will burn it down?
      It does not say that she will burn it down.

      • Because thats just how things work out for her in this comic 😛 as much as it annoys me.

  • TechSmurf

    Your art is fantastic. That “hello? Hello?” panel about broke my heart.

  • bleg

    Wow, this update was really powerful. I had to read it a couple times, just to take it all in. The bright, desaturated fantasies that light up the screen in contrast to the darkened dankness of the chapel, her deciding to take matters into her own hands, the way you made her think and what you made her think itself. I’m really impressed, and it was beyond worth the wait. I think that actually helped the impact, perhaps a lot; but that makes it no less astounding on its own.

  • Zerithos

    In the space of 2 days, THIS MANY comments appear.

    Shit, son.

    Although this comic does actually hold enough respect in me that I do have to say, the number seems normal!

  • Tormuse

    This page is brilliant! Katia’s emotions are so vivid, they’re almost palpable! (Sorry for mixing metaphors) 😛 Watching her internal struggle really makes me feel for her character.

    Kudos, Kazerad! 🙂

  • TheAwesomeBrain

    I’m like

    Katia, get a job, find a bounty and complete it, You will get money, then try to get CLOTHES!
    Oh and you can use the blanket to make yourself some temp robes…
    But nope, now shes talking to A HUMP OF GLASS…
    -_-

  • Jameson

    I love the whole emotional struggle with the beer

  • Octane

    all of my sads

    ;_;

  • creeperbro

    18th panel= my skyrim argonian in a nutshell

  • ass

    The only reason I’m still reading Prequel is to see how much more Katia can fuck up. She’s lost all my sympathy. All I want to see her do is fail and suffer like the useless garbage she is.

  • creeperbro

    sad that some people have given up on this comic
    almost gave up on my series but nope
    character development time

  • AnonymousDragonWolf

    She better not… It’s… it’s… inconceivable! Horrible! She’ll ruin everything!

    Sure, it may be cheap mead, but she can still get a good couple of septims! Smashing it won’t get her richer, and neither will drinking it.

    Ah, no more lesbian influence.

  • TheUnbrokenKhajiit

    “you need a not drink” – grammar error

    • Kazerad

      That one is actually intentional!

  • me

    This sounds depressingly close to my life.

  • Tormuse

    “Maybe you could’ve… noticed mages are just another shitheap of uncaring bastards looking to fuck you over and throw you away like every other goddamn person you ever tried to care about.”

    This comment is very telling of just how much of a rough time Katia has had in her past life. I can just picture her, earnestly trying to please people she cared about, only to have them use and abuse her, and it makes me sad for her and makes me want to give her all of the hugs. 🙁

    *All* of them!

  • fatblackidd

    This part is pretty deep… 🙁

  • Dagda Mor

    Here’s hoping Sigrid dies a horrible death during the Siege of Kvatch.

  • Reharl

    There’s character development and comedy. It’s like MASH, only with a cat. Maybe a little less maudlin.

  • Dreadmaster231

    Funny thing, the song “addicted” by theory of a deadman came on when I flipped to this page… seems fitting.

  • Mzuark

    I love the character development. Her thoughts are telling her to go back to drinking, while she’s actually trying really fucking hard not to.

    Although, I kinda do want her to go back to her old ways, but this time being proud of her bad choices.

  • Shadowkey392

    *sniffle* awwwww, now I wanna hug her and comfort her and tell her it’ll all be okay.

  • An Explosion

    Feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee[worm hole]eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeels.

  • Peter Griffin

    “You’re just a prequel to something good”
    AH! AHH! She said it!