Errant Story: Difference between revisions
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[[File:ESch37small.jpg|frame| You might want to stand back, [[Walking Disaster Area|bad things]] [[Doom Magnet|tend to happen around these three.]]]]
Character-specific tropes can be found on the [[Errant Story/Characters|character sheet]]. The comic also [http://www.errantstory.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page has a wiki].
{{tropelist}}▼
▲{{tropelist}}
* [[Absurdly Sharp Blade]]: The Durus Flamma blades.
* [[All-Encompassing Mantle]]: The regular elven military loves this trope.
* [[All There in the Manual]]: Extensive information regarding the world of Errant Story can be found on the comic's wiki.
* [[All Trolls Are Different]]: The trolls were one of the original species (possibly the second after the dwarves) to inhabit the world, though their civilization was destroyed and their numbers devastated once the various elven races got together and launched a long, though ultimately unsuccessful campaign to exterminate them. They were likely created by Anilis and Senilis, the elven creator gods and were tutored by the same demigods that taught the elves, though the elves believe that the trolls were failures and sought to wipe them from existence. From what has been seen of the trolls they are large, strong, matriarchal (as apparently only the women are able to use magic), and cannibalistic, though they see this as a sort of immortality as the consumed are believed to live on as a part of the tribe.
** They seem to mirror the Kroot of Warhammer 40k in this regard, though without the freaky genetics that make it actually true, and having your remains eaten after you die seems to be something of a compliment (they do it to humans only if suitably impressed). In fact, one of the punishments in their culture is [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501091930/http://www.errantstory.com/2009-07-08 "no one save the dirt and the worms shall eat of your meat."] Likewise, they consider it very offensive to cremate someone's remains and burning a troll's corpse will royally piss off their tribe.
** Interestingly, despite the aforementioned cannibalism they also seem to be the [[Only Sane Man|Only Sane Race]].
* [[Ancient Conspiracy]]: {{spoiler|The ruling elves concealing the resting places of their creator gods from humans, half-elves, and even the majority of elves.}}
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*** Of course, Ian gets [[Hoist by His Own Petard]] in an anti-magic sense, when {{spoiler|Meji finally makes it to Praenubilus Astu with the airship fleet}}.
* [[Anything That Moves]]: A faction of elves called the Rinkai have this as their hat.
* [[Applied Phlebotinum]]: Durus Flamma blades - basically fantasy lightsabers powered by [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501072122/http://www.errantstory.com/2007-03-26 "magic elf crystals."]
* [[Armor Is Useless]]: Primarily due to the fact that the current weapons (magic, guns, and Durus Flamma weapons) are well ahead of the armor technology. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501091845/http://www.errantstory.com/2006-04-28 Mentioned by Sarine] when thinking if she should repair her current suit of armor.
** Though note she's talking about her human armor. Elven armor is dismissed as too conspicuous, not useless. Elven reactive armor even dealt with unknown threats like time ninjas.
* [[Art Evolution]]: Gradually over the entire strip's run but most noticeable recently.
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* [[Asshole Victim]]: Good ''lord'', the elves. A lot of backstory is given about how they have pretty much attempted to exterminate or enslave every other sapient species they've come across. This is largely to show that their {{spoiler|near-}}destruction wrought by a power-crazed, revenge-driven half-elf was brought on themselves, but given this information it's easy to sympathize with the [[Big Bad]]'s motivations. See the Headscratchers tab for a lengthy discussion on this.
* [[Ass in Ambassador]]: And how! The first elven ambassador we see is Meji's illegitimate father, and is perfectly willing to have his daughter killed to avoid public embarrassment over his affair with a human. After he's removed due to the aforementioned embarrassment, his replacement isn't any better, calling Meji an [[Fantastic Slurs|errant]], and arrogantly referring to her as "it" to her ''[[Papa Wolf|grandfather]].''
* [[Attack Hello]]: Sarine is returning to the elven city of Paenubilus Astu when an old friend of hers - Misa - decides to [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501091403/http://www.errantstory.com/2006-04-12 sneak up on her for fun.] Unfortunately, Sarine is a bit jumpy after a crazy and/or obeying-the-[[Ancient Conspiracy]] elf attempted to assassinate her earlier, and nearly kills the girl before [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501091255/http://www.errantstory.com/2006-04-21 she realizes who she is.]
* [[Authority Equals Asskicking]]: Inverted with most of the Ensigerum. The older trainees and newly raised monks are generally ''more'' skilled than their seniors, since they have more recent experience practicing against opponents using the same kind of enhancements as they're using. Played straight with the leader, Anita, who is definitely the biggest badass in the order.
* [[Author Tract]]: No one has anything nice to say about the Veracian church, their god or religious people, ever.
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* [[Bad Dreams]]: Sarine has had at least one of {{spoiler|the [http://www.errantstory.com/2006-06-07 stillbirth of her child.]}} Considering that it happened two thousand years ago and is only part of the emotional baggage she has been carrying it was certainly not her only one.
* [[B-Side Comics]]: Fun With Familiars, featuring Rape-kun and Ellis mostly.
* [[Bald of Awesome]]: Paul. His lack of hair allows his brain to function properly, leading him to correctly conclude that {{spoiler|associating with Ian can only end badly for the Ensigerum.}} Also, giving a [[Physical God]] a well deserved [[What the Hell, Hero?]] speech and telling him that the Ensigerum [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501091025/http://www.errantstory.com/2008-11-26 are not his foot soldiers] to be ordered around.
** He later [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501070943/http://www.errantstory.com/2009-07-24 did himself one better,] bad-mouthing both his immediate superior and the aforementioned [[Physical God]] for their [[Idiot Ball|sheer stupidity.]] In the span of a single page.
** More recently, see his [[Only Sane Man]] moment [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501070234/http://www.errantstory.com/2011-06-23/5249 here]. ''Really? REALLY?!''
* [[Bald of Evil]]: Paul again, because after all he ''is'' the second in command of the Ensigerum.
* [[Bathroom Stall Graffiti]]: When Meji claims to still be a virgin one of her professors [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501070758/http://www.errantstory.com/2002-12-23 states that the graffiti disagrees.] Judging by Meji's response the graffiti is probably right.
* [[Barehanded Blade Block]]: {{spoiler|Ian [http://www.errantstory.com/2007-08-10 does this] on a gigantic axe wielded by Luminosita, an artificial god.}}
* [[Beat Panel]]: Along with [[Visible Silence]], used extensively.
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* [[Bittersweet Ending]]: A bit. But mostly just because the one narrating the epilogue is an immortal, many years later.
* [[Black and Grey Morality]]: It kinda says something about your setting when the one person who's the closest thing to an actual good guy also happens to be [[Career Killers|an assassin]] (one with [[Hitman with a Heart|a heart]], granted, but an assassin just the same).
* [[Black Best Friend]]: Bani, [[Lampshaded|mentioned by name]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501064857/http://www.errantstory.com/2009-03-05 here.]
* [[Blade on a Stick]]: The Lancea form of the Durus Flamma blade.
* [[Blood From the Mouth]]: Used periodically to denote serious injury. Also used in conjunction with an [[Incurable Cough of Death]] in Leah's case.
* [[Boomerang Comeback]]: A favorite tactic of Sarine's, in which she throws one of her short swords and uses magic to cause it to [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501065058/http://www.errantstory.com/2009-04-08 turn around and hit the opponent in the back.] One variation involves charging it with electricity in case the opponent is smart enough to block it anyway.
* [[Bowdlerize]]: Jon and Sarine's sex scene originally featured full frontal of Sarine. Poe later changed it to a [[Toplessness From the Back]].
* [[Breast Plate]]: Mostly averted, heavy armor (particularly the variety favored by the regular elven military) does a very good job at concealing a person's figure, even so far that [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501183316/http://www.errantstory.com/2008-06-06 in her early appearances] it was unclear if Commander Nisotta was a man or a woman. Even Sarine, who is actually rather well endowed, [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501091716/http://www.errantstory.com/2004-12-06 appears rather flat when in armor.] Played straight with [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501183201/http://www.errantstory.com/2003-06-25 early versions] of the Viradior armor. Interestingly, in other flash backs the same armor is a bit [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501070551/http://www.errantstory.com/2004-12-03 less flattering] and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501065052/http://www.errantstory.com/2008-02-27 modern version] is [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501070631/http://www.errantstory.com/2008-03-10 mentioned] to be essentially the same as the older one, so it is likely more a slight change in artistic style than an in-story change in armor design.
* [[Brick Joke]]: This punchline is coming eventually. Remember when Meji yelled out that she was going to become a God for her final project? Within a year? {{spoiler|Well, she freaking did it. Sure, it was all just a bizarre set of circumstances ''no one'' could have predicted, but by Jove she's done it! ...Although she still didn't quite manage to pass the class.}}
* [[Bullying a Dragon]]: Minor example, but several of the adults in Meji's life still talk down to her like a wayward child even after {{spoiler|she gains the powers of the creator-god Senilis}}.
** ''Major'' example: [[Physical God|Meji]] saves the elves from utter annihilation, and afterwards one of the elves arrogantly demands that she give up her powers, "generously" offering her amnesty if she does so, and promising to hunt her forever if she doesn't. One forum post compared Meji's saving of the elves {{spoiler|from Ian}} to a bunch of Jewish commandos parachuting into Berlin in 1945 to save German civilians from the depredations of the Red Army, so the elf's reaction is as [[Ungrateful Bastard|ungrateful]] as it is suicidal. The [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501064744/http://www.errantstory.com/2012-01-02/5340 page] is even called "Poking Bears With Sticks".
* [[Buy Them Off]]: A favorite tactic of Sarine when she needs to quickly get people to cooperate is to [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501065418/http://www.errantstory.com/2009-01-28 bribe them with an artifact] or a piece of [[Lost Technology]] she has on account of her position as an elven ranger. She even [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501072951/http://www.errantstory.com/2009-02-11 comments] that at the rate she's going she'll run out of stuff to buy people off with.
* [[Came Back Wrong]]: When {{spoiler|Ian [http://www.errantstory.com/2007-03-07 tries to resurrect his dead sister] she comes back as an empty shell.}}
* [[Can't Argue with Elves]]: Played straight in some cases, though just as often someone like [[Badass Normal|Jon]] [[Screw You, Elves|will tell them to get bent.]]
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** Inverted with the prologue. It opens with Sarine angsting over her human husband's mortality and the future prospects for their unborn child while the Errant War is picking up steam around them. Her husband tries to comfort her with limited success. Then it cuts to 2000 years later where Sarine kills a mentally unstable half-elf who had recently raped, murdered, and mutilated three girls. Right after the prologue it becomes lighthearted and comedic to the point of [[Mood Whiplash]].
* [[Charm Person]]: Sarine [http://errantstory.com/2005-07-18 uses this to control a bandit] they find in the woods in Farrel.
* [[Chekhov's Gun]]: The Inanire 312 grenades. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501071755/http://www.errantstory.com/2008-03-07 Sarine finds] that someone has already beaten her to cleaning out most of the stash of them in the elven vaults. {{spoiler|That someone turns out to have been Commander Nisotta, who uses them later against Ian when he attacks the city.}}
** See also [[Came Back Wrong]]. {{spoiler|[[Night of the Living Mooks|Zombie army]], anyone?}}
* [[Chronic Villainy]]: {{spoiler|Ian realized he was off his rocker and tried to calm down, only to turn around at the slightest hint of angst and go right back to his genocidal plans. Twice.}}
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* [[Clap Your Hands If You Believe]]: Luminosita is {{spoiler|or rather ''was''}} an artificial god, one created by the collective belief (and/or a lot of deliberate spell-casting and mana-charging) of the Veracian church.
* [[Combat by Champion]]: This was one of the Ensigerum's original purposes, to fight in the place of elves as champions in duels.
* [[Curse Cut Short]]: Used [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501072133/http://www.errantstory.com/2009-06-17 here], when Meji is calling out Sarine for a bit of hypocrisy.
{{quote|'''Meji:''' Well that seems like a mixed message, telling us not to kill anyone right after she kills the Queen Bi-
'''Jon:''' Not the time Meji. }}
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* [[Deadpan Snarker]]: Every main character (and plenty of supporting characters too) have their moments of this. Jon and Ellis are probably the biggest, however.
* [[Deflector Shields]]: Barrier spells are used extensively by magi on all sides.
* [[Deus Ex Machina]]: [[Invoked Trope|Invoked]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501183154/http://www.errantstory.com/2002-12-30 by name] by Meji in order to find a book she needed.
** It does indeed lead not only to the plot happening, but {{spoiler|achieves Meji's school project goal of attaining godlike power.}}
* [[Did the Earth Move For You, Too?]]: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501073457/http://www.errantstory.com/2007-02-26 This strip], using the [[I Always Wanted to Say That]] version.
* [[Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?]]: Chris, a pretty weak Ensigerum trainee, {{spoiler|reacts to Ian's confession of destroying Emerylon by punching him in the face. Ian proceeds to throw him off a building, but it was the thought that counts.}}
* [[Distant Finale]]: Sarine is the only one of the main cast left at the end, to the best of our knowledge. Meji may still be around, but {{spoiler|while we don't know about Sara, Jon is most definitely dead.}}
* [[Don't You Dare Pity Me!]]: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501064805/http://www.errantstory.com/2005-02-09 Sarine to Jon.]
{{quote|'''Jon:''' Honestly, what's wrong?
'''Sarine:''' Just bad memories.
'''Jon:''' Well, we all have plenty of tho-
'''Sarine:''' 'Plenty?!' No! No you don't! You have barely even a handful of moments worth. I have years, decades, ''centuries.'' }}
* [[Doomsday Device]]: Powered by human babies no less. Used as a throwaway line by Sarine in an angry tirade about why the elves really shouldn't keep some things [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501064632/http://www.errantstory.com/2008-08-15 secret.]
** Presumably doesn't actually exist.
* [[Dual-Wielding]]: Sarine fights with a pair of short swords as her preferred weapons.
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** [[The Big Guy]]: Sara
** [[The Chick]] / [[Team Pet]]: Ellis
* [[Flashback Nightmare]]: Seen in spades as Sarine [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501090849/http://www.errantstory.com/2006-06-05/518 dreams] of her {{spoiler|half-elven}} daughter who died at birth.
* [[Foreshadowing]]: WAY back, Meji [https://web.archive.org/web/20150327163618/http://www.errantstory.com/2003-08-27/138 mentioned] some insane conspiracy theories: {{spoiler|the races were created by acient super advanced alien life forms, Veracia and the elves are running [[Ancient Conspiracy|ancient conspiracies]], and northerners are using [[Lost Technology]]. Every single one's been proved true}}.
* [[Forever War]]: The Errant War dragged on for centuries, to the point where it stopped being about the events that kicked it off and degenerated into a war of genocide. It eventually "petered out" when there was no one left to fight simply because everyone was dead.
* [[From the Mouths of Babes]]: the reason for the [[Glamour Failure]] below.
* [[Gag Penis]]: According to artwork and comments from those in a position to know, Senilis had one last time he was [[Physical God|corporeal]].
* [[General Ripper]]: High Commander Yenhael.
* [[Glamour Failure]]: At one point Sarna utilizes a glamour in an attempt to remain undetected in a human city. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501073826/http://www.errantstory.com/2004-02-20 A child manages to see through it,] but the child's mother dismisses it.
* [[Papa Wolf|Grandpa Wolf]]: Quite the opposite of Meji's [[Jerkass]] father, do '''not''' [[Berserk Button|refer to Meji]] [[Fantastic Slurs|as an "Errant" or as an "it"]] in front of her grandfather. [[Stuff Blowing Up|It won't end well,]] [[Ass in Ambassador|diplomatic immunity or no]].
* [[Guest Strip]]: As with the filler there have been a few of these, though not quite as many.
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* [[Heroic Wannabe]]: Chris.
* [[Hidden Elf Village]]: The Ensigerum Village. Also the city of Praenubilus Astu, the last elven city left in the world after the Errant War, which is built inside a mountain and until recently was magically sealed off from the world. Tsuikarushiti as well, which until about 200 years before the main story was hidden behind a cloaking field. And Santuariel, the half-elf village in the middle of a wasteland where they're hiding from the elves that want to kill them off.
* [[Hold Me]]: Played as a joke when Jon and Sarine's banter starts [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501064346/http://www.errantstory.com/2007-12-14 getting to their traveling companion].
* [[Humans Are the Real Monsters]]: Applied to ''elves'', though there are several examples of more reasonable elves such as Sarine, Misa, and Nisotta.
* [[Human Shield]]: In his first appearance, [http://errantstory.com/2003-03-19 Jon attempts to use Meji as one.] Unfortunately the guards don't really care and try to kill him anyway.
* [[Ill Girl]]: Leah, who regularly coughs up blood.
* [[I'm a Humanitarian]]: The trolls, though they don't usually eat humans, just other trolls. To them it's something of a compliment, they believe it grants a sort of immortality as the spirit of the eaten is passed on to the eater.
* [[Immortal Immaturity]]: Misa is about 1,500 years old yet frequently [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501064627/http://www.errantstory.com/2006-04-24 acts like she's 15,] primarily because she has been doted on her entire life and was one of the few elves who did not take part in the Errant War.
{{quote|'''Misa:''' Being the youngest of a race that lives forever means being eternally treated as the baby.}}
* [[Incurable Cough of Death]]: Leah regularly coughs up blood due to a birth defect stemming from being a half-elf.
* [[Inertia Is a Cruel Mistress]]: Slightly subverted when Ensigerum speedster-monk Warrel is [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501065313/http://www.errantstory.com/2006-09-27 tricked into using a Slow Fall spell] [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501071638/http://www.errantstory.com/2006-09-29 with painful results].
* [[Interservice Rivalry]]: Between the ranger corps and the regular elven military. The former thinks the other is a bunch of backwards do-nothings who should leave matters of the outside world to those who know how to get around there, while the latter thinks the other is a pack of lunatics for volunteering to leave their [[Hidden Elf Village]] in the first place. Illustrated [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501065922/http://www.errantstory.com/2004-02-23 here.]
* [[In the Blood]]: Half-elves (reputedly) have a tendency to go violently insane. This is ultimately what led to the Errant War which devastated the old elven empire and the reason behind the elves' policy of killing half-elves wherever they are found.
* [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]]: Many of the characters, such as Jon, Sarine, and Meji, are all a bit dickish at first glance. In fact the only one who is nice on the surface {{spoiler|turns out to be a genocidal maniac.}}
* [[Jumping the Shark]]: Invoked by Sara and Bani [https://web.archive.org/web/20140723104757/http://www.errantstory.com/2010-05-28/4823 in a commentary strip], where they lament that the author has now done so after Chapter 45.
** And then reversed, [[Russian Reversal|Soviet style]], in [https://web.archive.org/web/20140723093108/http://www.errantstory.com/2010-05-31/4824 the next commentary strip].
* [[Kick the Son of a Bitch]]: Ian's genocidal campaign against the elves. With the exception of Sarine and Misa, they're all arrogant bastards who've been begging for that kind of smackdown the entire comic.
* [[Knight of Cerebus]]: {{spoiler|The goddess Anilis, in Ian's body. The mood, which had already been slowly shifting toward serious since the fight in Saus, dives into [[Ancient Conspiracy|Ancient Conspiracies]] and genocide with gusto.}}
* [[Lampshade Hanging]]: Happens left, right, and center.
* [[Laser-Guided Amnesia]]: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501183209/http://www.errantstory.com/2005-02-28 Sarine utilized this] to delete {{spoiler|the part of Jon's memory that contained the two of them having sex. Jon, however, [http://www.errantstory.com/2005-05-02 was well aware that his memories have been manipulated] even though he could not recall exactly what was deleted and became increasingly suspicious of Sarine as a result.}}
* [[Loners Are Freaks]]: Played with, though mostly averted. The elven rangers are mostly loners, and while the regular elven military seems to regard them as freaks the two rangers seen so far seem to be as well adjusted as any elf. The elf in Farrel who has been living there for the last two thousand years, {{spoiler|while arguably sane, is dismissed by the elven council as a madman, citing his long isolation as the reason.}}
* [[Look on My Works Ye Mighty and Despair]]: The elves can get very pretentious with their architecture. [[Lampshaded]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501183257/http://www.errantstory.com/2005-09-09 here.]
{{quote|(While looking for an elven warp gate the group stumbles on a simple, nondescript stone platform.)
'''Jon:''' Maybe that's what elven warpgates look like?
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* [[Mauve Shirt]]: Quite a few of them.
* [[May–December Romance]]: Ian and Meji {{spoiler|before the former went off the deep end}}, as he is 40 and she is 17. They're both half-elves though, so they [[Older Than They Look|don't appear to be very different in age]] on the surface.
* [[Mayfly-December Romance]]: [[Deconstructed Trope|Deconstructed]], if you can believe it. Any elf-human romantic relationship is necessarily of this nature, but for precisely this reason [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501073113/http://www.errantstory.com/2004-11-05 it becomes ''fashionable'' among the elves to engage in such relationships,] due to an aesthetic roughly equivalent to ''[[wikipedia:Mono no aware|mono no aware]]''. This has major, ''major'' unforeseen consequences.
* [[Meta Guy]]: Bani and Sara in the Chapter Commentary segments. Meta!Bani has even been known to reference
* [[Metamorphosis]]: In [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501183246/http://www.errantstory.com/2010-08-02/4913 these] [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501183217/http://www.errantstory.com/2010-08-05/4914 two] pages, Ellis wakes up to find that he's been transformed from a winged cat into a tiny, winged [[Petting Zoo People|catboy]]. So far, he is ''not'' taking it well.
* [[Mooks]]: [[Lampshaded]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501072728/http://www.errantstory.com/2005-03-23 here].
{{quote|'''Guard:''' Dude... it's a tall guy dressed in black, with a weird, [[Power Glows|glowy weapon thing]], and we're a couple of guards in matching, shiny armor... we're so fucking DEAD!}}
* [[Muscles Are Meaningless]]: Played with. The characters who are by far the strongest, the warrior-monks of the Ensigerum, are not particularly large people. Paul, who so far seems to be the largest of the Ensigerum, doesn't appear to be any bulkier than his fellow monks, with his size mainly coming simply from height. However, they do have [http://errantstory.com/2004-03-10 ridiculous] [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501070716/http://www.errantstory.com/2009-02-01 definition,] making them more like an army of Bruce Lee's than anything else.
** Hmm. The Ensigerum use magic like physical adepts, to fuel things like running up walls. By [[Word of God]] elves and lucky half-elves like Meji may be the strongest per mass; Meji beat up a couple of human guards twice her size. Trolls are probably strongest but they're big and not around much.
* [[Naughty Tentacles]]: A [[Shout-Out]] during the fillers with the little octopus Rape-kun.
* [[Neglectful Precursors]]: Although a comparatively mild example, {{spoiler|the Creator gods, Anilis and Senilis, basically abandon the elves and their other creations to take a several millennia long nap.}}
* [[Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot]]: The Ensigerum, an order of ninja/warrior-monk/time-mages.
* [[Noodle Implements]]: In [https://web.archive.org/web/20150907010450/http://www.errantstory.com/2010-05-17/4809 this strip]...
{{quote|'''Nookie:''' I think that's the second most effort I've ever had to go through just to get through a door...granted the first one involved a quantum singularity, Concussion, and a cheese and dragon on rye sandwich...so um, yeah...}}
* [[Off with His Head]]: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501072827/http://www.errantstory.com/2009-05-25 Sara to an elf named Rainae.]
* [[Only Sane Man]]: The trolls collectively look like they have this going for them.
** Paul, as part of his [[Bald of Awesome]].
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{{quote|'''Meji:''' We just stopped a group of bandits that were preying on a small town. Does that mean we've done one of those "Good deeds through multiple acts of violent murder" things that adventurers always do in books?}}
* [[Physical God]]: Several, including [[Clap Your Hands If You Believe|Luminosita,]] the elven creator gods [[Have You Seen My God?|Anilis and Senilis,]]
* [[Power Nullifier]]: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501183305/http://www.errantstory.com/2008-06-20 The Inanire grenades,] which [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501091516/http://www.errantstory.com/2008-06-23 neutralize magic] in a given area for a short period of time.
* [[Psychic Nosebleed]]: {{spoiler|Meji}} has gotten them most recently {{spoiler|as her body gets used to holding Senilis.}}
* [[Rape Is Ok When It Is Female On Male]]: Subverted with a vengeance, although it wasn't ''technically'' rape. {{spoiler|Sarine aggressively "resolves" the [[UST]] with Jon, then wipes his memory of it, so she doesn't have to deal with the consequences. He treats this as the violation it is when he finds out.}}
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* [[Red Shirt]]: Plenty of them, from Veracian guards to elven soldiers.
* [[Replacement Goldfish]]: Part of the reason {{spoiler|Meji is not killed by Sarine is because she is reminded of her stillborn child. Sarine still hasn't come clean about this, but it's become less of a motivation after Meji ran off with Ian}}
* [[Rousing Speech]]: Combined with [["The Reason You Suck" Speech]] when [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501183337/http://www.errantstory.com/2011-04-07/5178 Sarine addresses the elves] following {{spoiler|Ian launching his assault}}:
{{quote|'''Sarine:''' Because, make no mistake, all the pain and misery that is happening to us right now... is the direct result of us spending so many useless centuries shitting on the half elves and the humans of the Ensigerum whenever possible!}}
** [[Lampshaded]] by the [[Alt Text]] noting that she was never really good at the motivation pep talks.
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* [[Schizo-Tech]]: Revolvers and semi-automatic rifles in a setting that is otherwise lagging behind that level in (mundane) technology. Of course the prevalence of [[Magitek|magic based tech]] makes it very difficult to peg a time period.
** As does the prior existence of non-magical superintelligent dwarves, who probably had blasters and left behind a mecha. Tsuiraku is modern Japan via magic, the elves are probably that more so minus the silly culture, dwarves were supertech, non-Tsuiraku humans had to claw their way back up and are transitioning possibly with the help of dwarven ruins.
* [[Screw This, I'm Outta Here]]: Jon essentially says this when he [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501071501/http://www.errantstory.com/2006-09-26 runs into Warrel.]
** And later, the unnamed troll matriarch essentially says this to {{spoiler|Ian's attempts to recruit her clan for his Elven genocide campaign}}, only in this case, it's more "Screw this, we're packing up, tearing down our huts, and getting outta here!"
* [[Screw You, Elves]]: Jon tends to say this and often has the skill and firepower to [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501091617/http://www.errantstory.com/2007-10-24 back it up.]
** Literally says it (well, ''[[Intentional Engrish for Funny|tries to, anyway]]'') in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150906180527/http://www.errantstory.com/2009-10-09/4479 this strip].
** And Councilman Hinadori [https://web.archive.org/web/20140910050027/http://www.errantstory.com/2010-03-19/4687 gets in on the action] when the new elven [[Ass in Ambassador|ambassador]] flips out and starts making racist comments about Meji.
* [[Ship Tease]]: The [http://www.errantstory.com/2008-02-15 Valentine's Day filler strip] and another bit of filler [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501183223/http://www.errantstory.com/2009-05-01 here.] Both are non-canon, but that didn't stop them from drawing some rather amusing comments from the forums.
* [[Shoulders of Doom]]: These and [[All-Encompassing Mantle]] are pretty much standard in the regular elven military.
* [[Shout-Out]]: to [[Planet of the Apes]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501073012/http://www.errantstory.com/2011-03-03/5164 here].
* [[Super Speed]]: The Ensigerum use a combination of [[The Spartan Way]] and magic to grant their warrior-monks this ability.
* {{spoiler|[[Sufficiently Advanced Aliens]]}}: Senilis, Anilis, and Exitalis have now been identified as {{spoiler|alien collectives that attained corporeality.}} Exitialis, the Death God, is so identified because {{spoiler|said collective disappeared, perhaps dead.}} The intention of the elves (and perhaps, humans) was to create a {{spoiler|new collective to stabilize the other two. Who happen to be disintegrating.}} [[Mind Screw]] and [[Wham! Episode]] combined into one. Well played, Poe. Well. Played.
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* [[The Spartan Way]]: The Ensigerum use this to churn out some of the deadliest warriors in the land.
* [[Thieves' Guild]]: The basic social structure in Farrel.
* [[This Is Something He's Got to Do Himself]]: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501072022/http://www.errantstory.com/2005-08-01 Said by Sarine] about Jon gunning down a group of bandits in the woods of Farrel.
{{quote|'''Meji:''' Um... He did know that I could have just as easily blown up their entire camp for him instead?
'''Sarine:''' Quiet, he needs this I think... Or if nothing else at least it'll hopefully make him stop whining for a little while. }}
* [[
* [[Throwing Your Sword Always Works]]: Used, but only effective when [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501065058/http://www.errantstory.com/2009-04-08 paired with magic].
* [[Too Stupid to Live]]: The elves, full stop. See [[Ungrateful Bastard]] for the biggest example.
* [[Training from Hell]]: Endured by Sara and Chris en route to becoming Ensigerum monks, with the little extra detail that {{spoiler|the Powers That Be secretly hope that Chris won't survive it -- as Sara eventually tells him.}}
* [[Troperiffic]]: Proudly. Poe has been known to reference TV Tropes by name in some of his [[Filler]] strips.
* [[24-Hour Armor]]: Mostly averted, humans generally don't even wear armor at all let alone full plate (the only people who seem to are elves) and even those who wear more reasonable armor don't wear it when they don't need to. The regular elven military does use full plate, and the problems with it are [[Lampshaded|mentioned]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501091140/http://www.errantstory.com/2008-09-05 here.]
** And early Sarine is in century-old human armor most of the time, though she eventually gives it up as useless.
* [[Ungrateful Bastard]]: The elf in [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501064744/http://www.errantstory.com/2012-01-02/5340 this] comic. This was right after Meji had saved his race from ''extinction.''
* [[Visible Silence]]: Frequently used, often involving [[The Stoic|Sara]].
* [[Wall of Text]]: Though the dialogue is much of the appeal.
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* [[Wizarding School]]: The school that Meji attends.
* [[Wrong Genre Savvy]]: Minor character Chris thinks he's the protagonist of something between a JRPG and a Shonen fight manga. [[Captain Obvious|He isn't.]]
* [[You Have Outlived Your Usefulness]]: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150501183142/http://www.errantstory.com/2005-08-08 Said by Jon] of a bandit found in the woods of Farrel.
{{reflist}}
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