Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire
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| Dominic Deegan: Oracle For Hire | |
|---|---|
 Dominic Deegan, as seen in Panel #3 of Strip #1 |
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| Author(s) | Michael "Mookie" Terracciano |
| Website | http://www.dominic-deegan.com/ |
| Current status / schedule | Daily |
| Launch date | 2002-05-21 [1] |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy, Humor |
Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire is a daily fantasy webcomic by Michael "Mookie" Terracciano that began in 2002.
The comic is a character-driven story, with individual arcs often lasting for months at a time. Its tone is generally upbeat. Attempts at humour are almost always present, and of particular note is Mookie's use of bad puns [2][3][4], from homonyms to alliteration. The strip has, however, utilized frequent graphic depictions of violence and adult storylines, including a controversial and oft-criticized subplot involving rape.
Starting in October 2005, Dominic Deegan is hosted on ZeStuff[5]. Formerly it was hosted for two years on Keenspot[6], moving up from free hosting at Keenspace. It is an extremely popular webcomic, by some accounts one of the top 20 most read. [7]
As of recently, the plot has turned to smaller-scale, more character driven storylines, in favor of the quasi-epic tone seen in previous plot arcs.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (June 2008) |
The plot of Dominic Deegan is divided into chapters. These chapters take place in sequence, one starting where the other left off, yet they are generally not directly related to each other. The chapters involving the day to day life of the characters are shorter, whereas the chapters involving longer adventures can run for months at a time.
[edit] World
[edit] Geopolitics
The world in which Dominic Deegan takes place in has not been named, nor has its geography been greatly explored. Magic is commonplace, while technology seems to be at roughly the level it was during the Renaissance although is roughly equal to the potential of our society through magical means. Mundane animals such as cats and squirrels exist, as do more fantastic monsters and sentient races.
The majority of the story takes place within the Kingdom of Callan. Other realms include the Semashi lands, the Plains of Maltak, and the Winter Archipelago. Currently the storyline is undergoing an exploration of the other realms, including Faria, home of the elves, and Nagastrali, home of the Nagasta. The Plains of Maltak are inhabited by the Orcs and the Winter Archipelago by the Were-Wolves.
Callan is a monarchy run by a King[8] that has been denounced by the main character as "run by a bunch of criminals"[9]. Until recently, Callanian law enforcement was provided by the now-disbanded Royal Knights, who themselves seemed to be well above the law. However, all of the towns yet explored in the storyline are at least semi-autonomous, with at least one having an elected mayor and most having local law enforcement.
[edit] Races
Humans appear to be the dominant sentient race. The Callanian humans are white, while the Semashi humans are darker skinned - there seems to be prejudice and little racial integration between the two. Few Semashi characters have appeared in the story as of yet, Ilario "Bumper" Ciarenni, Donella Luciani - one of Dominic's students, and Donovan's Ex-Girlfriend. All the others appear to be of Callanian heritage.
Orcs in the Dominic Deegan cosmology mainly stray from the traditional depiction of orcs as warlike savages. The orcs are herbivorous[10], and their government functions along tribal lines, each tribe with their own laws and customs. Many orcs practice Nature Magic. Many humans are highly prejudiced against orcs, frequently using the racial slur "piggart". Orcs for their part tend to be distrustful towards humans, although the extent of this level of distrust varies between tribes. Many different orcs have appeared in the comic strip, and have filled both hero and villain roles.
The Spellwolves are native to the Winter Archipelago. They are extremely territorial, with a government style that revolves around family hierarchy. Milov Danovich is a Spellwolf.
Elves appear in the comic, and come from the country of Faria. Some elves exist in Callan as well. Raf Maliksh, the founder of The Chosen, was an Elf, and Donovan was trained as a bard by the elves.
A race called the 'Nagasta' that appears vaguely similar to the Nāga exist. They hail from a country called Nagastrali. Nagasta are amphibious, building their cities half above and half below water. They are mentioned to have strong ties with Elves, Qualenti, and Elementals. The only one that has appeared reoccuringly in the strip is Fierla, a teacher at the School of Magic, while others have been seen in Dominic and Luna's cruise trip.
Halflings and Dwarves appear in Olde Tucklebruck Island. The two races are in constant conflict over the quality of their beers.
Qualenti are a waterbound race. Most of the population is either nomadic or settles in small villages. Only one city, Quastrilla, exists. The city has a building with a natural air pocket for surface-dwelling visitors, both diplomats and tourists. Religion is a vital part of Qualenti culture, revolving around the deity "Blessed Hydra." It is an ancient, gigantic five-headed hydra, whose appearance is believed to be prophetic.
Hobgoblins appear in the Wild Edge territories. A race of dog-like humanoids, they have well deserved reputation for being vicious and crazy. Hobgoblins have also been mentioned to live in tribes in Faria.
Recently, Dominic Deegan has introduced the Mongrelmen as a race. They also live in the Wild Edge territories, but are more reclusive. No two Mongrelmen look the same, as they are basically made of random parts of other races. Almost nothing is known of them other than their reclusive nature.
See also: Races of Dominic Deegan
[edit] Sociality
Social integration of other races into Callanian culture is incomplete. Orcs are often the victims of insulting taunts and other forms of discrimination; and some Callanians have demonstrated prejudice against the other currently known human race, the Semashi. Orcish attitudes vary between tribes, with some being xenophobic.
In most cases, however, the social attitudes are clearly that of the early twenty-first century. Characters are often seen in modern clothing up to and including fetish attire. Homosexuality is generally accepted, though retains a slight stigma, more present in certain areas and cultures than others, as in modern day. Almost all the heroes show strong modern progressive leanings, whereas most villains tend to be fiercely bigoted. The comic is often noted for its political progressiveness[citation needed]. Terracciano claims he "tries to keep politics and sexed-up overtones out of his stories" and "tailors the majority of the strips toward more wholesome plots" [11].
[edit] Characters
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[edit] Major Characters
- Dominic Deegan - An ex-professional seer with the power of Second Sight. He originally had a very cynical outlook on people in general, and tended to be grumpy and pessimistic. Later, he came to realize that although a lot of people are bad, there are also a lot of good people. Currently, Dominic has further gone into something of a savior-mode by trying to find the good in anyone and save villains who bring about their own demise in visions. Dominic is a former smoker; he was most upset when his brother Gregory accidentally healed his lungs, curing him of his pipe habit, but has since found solace in mavpel candy - an allusion to Terracciano's love of maple sugar candy. In the comic on Saturday, December 22, 2007 he proposed to Luna Travoria.
- Luna Travoria - A sorceress of great power but little self-esteem. Born with tusks, Luna suffered years of emotional abuse at the hands of her sisters and mother over her "tusks". She has, however, shown reluctance to have them magically fixed, claiming "Alterists" are "creepy". Fortunately, her relationship with Dominic is slowly helping her to see her own worth. She became a staff member at Miranda Deegan's school. She and Dominic are now living in Barthis in their recently constructed new house. She accepted Dominic's proposal and is now engaged to him.
- Gregory Deegan - Dominic's younger brother and a powerful white mage. For most of his life, he was crippled by a curse placed on him by a necromancer who attacked the Deegan home in the boys' youth. This curse, known as the Blight of the Undead, has since been removed. His chief ability is his incredible power of healing. Gregory has inherited both the light-hearted temperament and astounding musical ability of his father.
- Donovan Deegan - Donovan Deegan is Dominic's father. Donovan is a famous bard and master swordsman, known to have been trained in both arts by elves. He is also famous for wearing clothing that is mostly pink. He has significant ties to certain tribes of Orcs; though his mastery of the Orcish language is humorously insufficient, his strength of character (and a translator) allowed him to broker a peace treaty between two feuding clans, which earned him the trust and honor of the Orcish people. Donovan is a renowned musician and is exemplary with the guitar, as proven by his role in the band 'Oblivion Folder' as lead guitarist.
- Miranda Deegan - Miranda Deegan is Dominic's mother, who appears to be about the same age as her husband give or take a few years. Miranda is a talented archmage with a long history of adventures in the years before she founded what became an esteemed Magic School in Quiral. Miranda is rather withdrawn and sarcastic, like Dominic, while Donovan is light-hearted and humorous, like Gregory. However, Miranda and Donovan have demonstrated that Dominic inherited his love of puns from both of them.
[edit] Supporting Characters
[edit] Heroes
- Spark - Spark is Dominic's talking pet cat. He constantly complains that Dominic does not feed him enough. Despite his lack of physical or magical abilities, Spark possesses one ability: "Death From Above!" where he jumps in the air and lands on an opponent's head. Even though he is only a cat, Spark has the intelligence of any normal person, although it is almost always directed at feline goals; the acquisition of food chief among them. Spark also makes a wonderful therapist for Dominic and comforts him in any way he can.
- Lady Jayden - Jayden, a pure-hearted Luanian priestess, is naturally defined by her piety. Complementary to her gentle nature, she is also capable of a fair amount of white magic. Jayden became close friends with Luna Travoria years ago, while Jayden was attending a church near the Travoria estate for her studies. Later, she met the charming Lord Milov Danovich and the Royal Knight Lord Siegfried. The three, joined by friendship, banded together to form a group dedicated to justice. The trio split apart one year after Siegfried's death and subsequent enslavement by Karnak, and Milov learning of Jayden's tryst with Siegfried.
- Lord Milov Danovich - A young nobleman of great wisdom who hails from the Winter Archipelago. At Aberthast Cathedral, he encountered the aspiring priestess Lady Jayden, with whom he would soon fall in love. Milov is far from your typical aristocrat -- he was born a special breed of werewolf called a Spellwolf. Spellwolves can change form at will, and are able to cast devastating magic while in their transformed state. Milov uses this ability often to combine physical brunt with magical skill. In addition, Milov has demonstrated a degree of Second Sight, part of which was what brought him and Lady Jayden into contact with Dominic and Gregory. He broke up with Jayden after losing his temper and injuring an illusion of her. Recently he "kidnapped" Dominic and Luna from their airship cruise to feed them a nauseous amount of mavpel candy.
- Pamela Chayler - A former nurse, now the Mayor of Barthis. Although she does not know white/healing magic, she has demonstrated considerable skill with available non-magical medical practices and tools, including stitching, accupressure, herbalism, keeping tools sterile, and the use of rubber gloves. She fell in love with Gregory upon meeting him. After some advice from Rachel, and an altercation with Brett Taggerty and the Baccdair Brawlers, she managed to form a relationship with the youngest Deegan brother. Her dedication to the cause of healing the sick works well with her gentle nature. She was unanimously elected mayor by the citizens of Barthis after showing courage and charisma in standing up to Serk Brakkis during the Battle for Barthis story arc. As mayor, she distributes even-handed and poetic justice, even to Dominic himself.
- Szark Sturtz - Dominic Deegan's best friend, Szark Sturtz was wounded by the demon Karnak when he and Dominic were young. The wound never healed, and Szark soon discovered that by killing other people, he could lessen the pain. He began to grow rich through duels using his exceptional sword skills, and settled down for a life of sin with Amelia Travoria (henceforth known as Amelia Sturtz). He was saved from his personal darkness by Dominic, who (for a different reason) entered his mindscape and "opened his eyes". He redeemed himself when he defeated Arcangelo Scarlotti in a duel for the rights to the town of Barthis. Since then, Szark has become the most sought after teacher in the duelling academy in Prontus. He also realized his deep rooted love for Dominic and has since admitted to being homosexual, though it was previously mentioned in the strip he was bi-sexual. He has gone through mental rehab after realizing that his love for Dominic was causing hatred for Luna. He can disarm people from behind, despite the physical impossibility of such a thing. Szark's wound healed after the War in Hell.
- Quilt - The fruit of Jacob's necromantic labors, Quilt is a ghastly Frankenstein creation sewn together from parts of corpses; specifically, the remains of the Chosen after their defeat in Barthis. Jacob intended him to be a loyal servant, an unstoppable killer, and the key to the secrets of undeath. Quilt may very well be all these. Unfortunately for Jacob, he's also a really nice guy; full of vitality and with a strong appreciation for Donovan Deegan's comedy (that is to say, really, really bad puns), Quilt is not the soulless monster he was supposed to be. Jacob abandoned him in disgust, after which the Deegan family took him in. Quilt is a bit juvenile and naive at times, and has fancied himself to be both a dread pirate and a detective in turn. He has some ability with second sight, but it is notoriously ineffective.
- Stunt and Bumper - A pair of hapless thieves who constantly attempt to rob (and once, kill) Dominic Deegan. They've been tricked, coerced and bribed into helping him on more than one occasion, though, and recently have come to view him as less of an enemy. Lawrence "Stunt" Mondane is a misogynist, and the more violent of the two, while Ilario "Bumper" Ciarenni tends to avoid needless killing and makes an effort to be courteous to all women. Due to Stunt's actions in endangering Barthis, Stunt has been exiled from Barthis for one year by Mayor Pam; Bumper planned to go with him, but Stunt wanted him to stay, so Bumper remains in Barthis with his newfound friends, Dominic and co. Stunt is currently living in the Wild Edge territories, acting as a tour guide.
- Dex Garrit - Former Slaughterball Player, now Sherrif of Barthis. He befriended Dominic and Co. and has helped saved Barthis on several occasions. Honest and brave Dex possesses great physical abilities. He is also a resistant, meaning no magic, good or evil, can affect him. As noted by Gregory, this is extremely rare. It has been mentioned several times that he looks like Dominic, although Dominic himself can't see the resemblance.
- Klo Tark - Acibek's apprentice, Klo Tark was a powerful seer and magic user, guiding Dominic and his friends toward defeating the Storm of Souls. He first encountered Dominic hundreds of years ago when he sensed Dominic looking upon him in what Dominic thought was a flashback. In the battle with the Storm of Souls, Klo Tark sacrificed himself to save Dominic's life. Although dead, he continues to watch over Dominic and his friends, helping wherever he can. His species is unknown, but he is of extra-planar origin.
- Rachel Hart - Dominic's Ex-girlfriend, and Gregory's best friend; Rachel is a free spirit. A brawler of impressive strength, she has a mild obsession with body hardening; she prides herself on her ability to break things with her face. She is also constantly looking for a reason to give people makeovers. Though not a main character she has appeared in several chapters of Dominic Deegan: Oracle For Hire.
[edit] Villains
- Karnak - The Demon of Wounds, and arguably the arch-villain in Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire. He was originally a human, raised by orcs, and exiled by both human and orcish society. He fell in love with Miranda Deegan, but was turned down due to her pre-existing relationship with Donovan. He attempted to kill Donovan, but their duel was interrupted by Dar Balar, the Demon of War. Karnak forced Dar Balar back through the portal to Hell and defeated him, but his anger and jealousy caused him to rise as a demon lord to replace the one he killed. Karnak gave the Infernomancer his power, and was the demon who caused Szark Sturtz's infernal wound, causing Szark's slow spiral into darkness. Karnak ordered the Infernomancer to assassinate Miranda, and possessed Szark. He was exorcised by Dominic, though he was not damaged in any way. When the War in Hell broke out over the souls of The Chosen, Karnak decided to kill Tox'xel. He killed Tox'xel, Sirilleth, and afterwards, hurled his spear into the midst of The Chosen, causing a chain reaction that killed Baaleth, Helixia, and hundreds of other souls. He absorbed the powers of the demon lords he killed and somehow sealed the power of those he didn't [1], and claims for himself the title of King of Hell.
- The Infernomancer (TIM) - His exact name is unknown. He gave his eyes to the demon-lord Karnak to receive partial immortality. He first appeared searching for a magical dryad so he could kill her, drink her blood, and so free himself from further servitude to Karnak. Thanks to Gregory Deegan's talent for white magic, he was banished and the dryad was saved. Later, he reappeared, wielding Karnak's own demonic battle gauntlets. Under Karnak's orders, the Infernomancer attacked Miranda Deegan's school. He killed three students, then went to the city of Erossus to kill Miranda herself. Instead, Miranda banished him eternally to an unknown plane of Lovecraftian horror. The last time he was seen, prior the war in Hell, his body was undergoing some strange mutation caused by the nightmare world, specifically affecting his eyes. He has recently returned due to the explosion in Hell and has begun stealing power from Hell for himself. Fans of the comic have affectionately dubbed him "Tim" after Tim the Enchanter and the abbreviation of "The Infernomancer".
- Lord Siegfried Gunther Aern Damaske von Callan (a.k.a. "Siggy") - Lord Siegfried is a Royal Knight of Callan, and is more commonly known as Siggy. Though he is an honorable man, his temper and complete lack of diplomacy have caused him to harm many people far more than they deserved, all in the name of justice. Siggy suffers from deep-seated prejudice against the orc race, a hatred that had been deeply ingrained by his father, Warlord Damaske. Both his father and himself were killed as a direct result of the War in Hell. Karnak, now King of Hell, has claimed Siggy's soul for himself with the claim that he ought to make a fine lieutenant. He has taken to haunting his former friends, hence his placement in the villains section.
- Jacob Deegan - Ambitious and ruthless, the eldest Deegan brother is determined to master necromancy and attain his personal ideal of life-in-death, becoming "The Zombie Alive". Although the Deegan family cast him out, chiefly for his attempts to kill his younger brother Gregory, he does not seem to bear them any actual ill-will. Instead, his goal is to become "dead" to them and the rest of the world. The flesh of Jacob's left arm and lower face have self-inflictedly been removed down to the bone. He likes to make Dominic watch him rip his flesh off.
- Celesto Morgan - A citizen of Erossus and Dominic's equal as a seer. Celesto vowed revenge on Dominic for beginning a chain of events that, albeit unintentionally, led to the death of his lover, Amelia Sturtz. He carried a powerful hatred for Dominic, and was recruited by the Chosen, a group bent on destroying the world with the power of the Storm of Souls, to be the Champion of Chaos, battling against Dominic, the Champion of Balance. By the actions of Klo Tark's spirit, Celesto was banished to the same nightmare plane as the Infernomancer. He has, however, resurfaced recently, because of the blast from the explosion in hell, which breached the planes of existence and allowed him to return to the primary material world of the story. While still being primarily evil and chaotic in his methods, he seems to wish to make peace with Dominic.
[edit] Collected Editions
- Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Vol. One: Crystal Clear, ISBN 1-932775-23-4
- Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire Vol. One and a Half: Seer's Digest
- Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire Vol. Two: Ecstasy & Evil
- Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire Vol. Three: Storm of Souls
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Terracciano, Michael (2002-05-21). "Dominic Deegan: Oracle For Hire". Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
- ^ Terracciano, Michael (2002-05-25). "Dominic Deegan". Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
- ^ Terracciano, Michael (2002-07-17). "Dominic Deegan". Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
- ^ Terracciano, Michael (2002-07-19). "Dominic Deegan". Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
- ^ Terracciano, Michael (2005-10-27). "Dominic Deegan". Keenspot. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
- ^ Terracciano, Michael (2003-10-20). "Dominic Deegan". Keenspace. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
- ^ Campbell, T (2007-11-18). "What are the most popular comics?". Webcomics.com. Retrieved on 2008-04-10.
- ^ Terracciano, Michael (2006-03-23). "Dominic Deegan". Retrieved on 2008-01-25.
- ^ Terracciano, Michael (2005-11-15). "Dominic Deegan". Retrieved on 2008-01-25.
- ^ Terracciano, Michael (2007-04-11). "Dominic Deegan". Retrieved on 2008-01-28.
- ^ McEwen, Nicole (2005-05-07). "Somerville artist featured at Anime Boston", The Somerville News. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
