3/1/07- YEEEG!

[Stig Hemmer]

See now, I'd just want one on general principles. It's a spider whose bite has random effects and quotes Shakespear! That trumps any other awesome pet since anything, ever.

A Pet of Many Things!

So much for the other foot.  Either that, or Dan's fresh start with Abel is turning out pretty much like the last time.

I wouldn't say so.. it seems Dan has started following the old adage "Don't get mad, get even."

[superluser]

The Arachspearians are due to get a Demonology 101 article soon, so I'll let a few tidbits slip.

Schweet... do I sense recurring characters? Those little guys are hilarious... 

Shakespeare(Shakesbeare?)

There are actually 16 different ways to spell his name (yours is not one of them).  I recall that a public library demanded that an artist change a mosaic she made for the library with the name spelt `Shakespere.'  Interestingly, this was the spelling that the bard used when signing his name.  Doesn't explain the bit about ``(Albert) Eistein'' and ``(Vincent) Van Gough,'' though.

I'm told the bard himself signed his name in multiple different ways....

Yup. There were definitely more than 16 variants, as well, though the general consensus is that they were all pronounced the same way. For linguistics and accent buffs like myself, historical spelling and rhymes give us a fascinating insight into the times... 

Well, I'm citing the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica:

The name Shakespeare is extremely widespread, and is spelt in an astonishing variety of ways. That of John Shakespeare occurs 166 times in the Council Book of the Stratford corporation, and appears to take 16 different forms. The verdict, not altogether unanimous, of competent palaeographers is to the effect that Shakespeare himself, in the extant examples of his signature, always wrote " Shakspere."

In addition, there are only 16 variants that appear more than once.

I do apologize for the diversion.

Back a little closer to the topic, are there Pope or Butler spiders?  And will Arachspearians ever quote from the bad quartos?

``To be, or not to be, I there's the point, To Die, to sleepe, is that all? I all: No, to sleepe, to dreame, I mary there it goes,''

Since everybody's suggesting monologues, I'll suggest this one:

Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.
Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths;
Our bruised arms hung up for monuments;
Our stern alarums chang'd to merry meetings,
Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.

(mainly because I hate people quoting the first line without the second)

[Akisohida]

They are too dang cute! I mean, who would not want a spider the size of your fist that quotes the works of great writers AND scares the fur off your friends?

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

They are too dang cute! I mean, who would not want a spider the size of your fist that quotes the works of great writers AND scares the fur off your friends?

Oh, come on. They're bigger than that....

I figure around 2-3 feet across. Who's a cute liddle spider, den...?

[Brunhidden]

the evolutionary path to get something like this must be very similar to how we got the counting pine...not the best self defense but its a good shot, after all who would crush something that reproduces classic theater?

the limerick scorpion and the knock knock slug fared less well, and are now extinct.

You have just discovered completely untapped reservoirs of grade A weird just now.

[Azraelle]

*smokes from a chocolate ciggaritte* So your saying you dont the big hair bugs on yourself? *the huskie looked at the racoon with a smirk*

*tightens her grip on her shovel* that's right, just go ahead and try something.  I know 324 ways to use this shovel for pain.  325 if the method involves digging.  We'll see how long that smirk lasts.

[AndersW]

If Abel does sleep in the nude, I think Dan is about to get a view he doesn't want to see.  Adding more proof that the universe hates his eyes.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

*tightens her grip on her shovel* that's right, just go ahead and try something.  I know 324 ways to use this shovel for pain.  325 if the method involves digging.  We'll see how long that smirk lasts.

Speaking of which...

"Get spade" strikes me as a much better catch-phrase than "Time to take out the trash". Failing that, you could always try "Your name is Doug!" or one of the classics - "You hold him down, I'll hit him with the shovel!"....

... and that's just with 5 minutes thought. :-)

[Xss]

I hate spiders! 
Now, Dan's expression is priceless, brilliant, fantastic, so eeeeebil! Love it! XD

[Nekomancer]

Yay for ebil Dan, I wonder if this count as somrthing Abel did not expect.

As for the Arachspearians, I wonder if parents would complain less about their kids collecting spiders if the spiders quote classic literature?

Does the venom effect alway the same with one spider or are do they vary with every bite/

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Vary with every bite, I think Amber was trying to say.

Bite, now you're a fish, bite, that one does nothing, bite, now you're dead, bite, now you're alive....

[Turnsky]

I hate spiders! 
Now, Dan's expression is priceless, brilliant, fantastic, so eeeeebil! Love it! XD

the 'demon horns' look of dan's ear's was a nice touch, i agree.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

the 'demon horns' look of dan's ear's was a nice touch, i agree.

That and his fangs. :-)

[Zedd]

Worry miss...I wont put nothing on lady...Unless the lady is charline that is...I may be a cubi and evil...But I am not cruel to women..At times....

[iownpants]

That is the coolest, species, ever.   You earn a million cookies, Amber.
Also, much agreement to the love of Dan's expression.

[ShiningShadow]

Dan you evil, evil boy you you got a gold star for that trick. I think Dan is hanging out too long with Mabs. 

[Angel]

Some curiosity about the species still, and some speculation. I can only assume that Arachspearians aren't very common, because neither Dan nor Abel seems to have ever seen one before (or at least, they never spoke before). So how did they get in the basement to begin with? Abel mentions spiders in the basement as early as #607... do they accumulate around magic creatures?

[Siirenias]

They could be pets of the MTV rat...

[ShiningShadow]

That could be a logical conclusion on the rats having pet spiders. If those spiders where messed around with some kind of magic my question is why? What purpose those spiders quoting Shakespear they have no other kind of offensive spells like ice, fire etc. But I like if they are bitten by those spiders you get those spells cool i like that. Anyway I like how Amber drew those big spiders kind of a reminder of that movie 8 legged freaks.

[Siirenias]

Actually, I was thinking it'd be likely a twitchy kid like that might have a tarantula or a dozen, give or take, as pets.

[Akisohida]

Spiders are mentioned even earlier in http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_274.php

[Shadowcatcher]

I hate spiders! 
Now, Dan's expression is priceless, brilliant, fantastic, so eeeeebil! Love it! XD

the 'demon horns' look of dan's ear's was a nice touch, i agree.

Of course with Dan, we don't really know if his ears are "artistic rendition" or if he's using his cubi capabilities (consciously or subconsciously) to make his ears look like that. 

[Akisohida]

I hate spiders! 
Now, Dan's expression is priceless, brilliant, fantastic, so eeeeebil! Love it! XD

the 'demon horns' look of dan's ear's was a nice touch, i agree.

Of course with Dan, we don't really know if his ears are "artistic rendition" or if he's using his cubi capabilities (consciously or subconsciously) to make his ears look like that. 

I think he just semiphored them in on eachother to make it

[The LizardKing]

P|-|34R 73|-| 381| D4|\|.
Love the ears. and the teeth. and the spiders.
they recite shakespeare, seriously, how can you not love that?

[Damaris]

okay, seriously, can the leet.  I was hoping it was a phase, but since it seems to not be, I suggest you go read the rules.

[Caswin]

Pwnage.

Glorious, glorious pwnage.

That is all.

[superluser]

the evolutionary path to get something like this must be very similar to how we got the counting pine...not the best self defense but its a good shot, after all who would crush something that reproduces classic theater?

There's a species of crab native to Japan known (in English) as the Samurai Crab.  It is called this because it has the likeness of the face of a Samurai warrior on its shell.

Why does it have the likeness of a Samurai warrior on its shell?  Because crab fishermen were more likely to toss crabs back that had shells like that.  Those crabs were the ones that survived, and bred more Samurai crabs.

[terrycloth]

I wouldn't say well-prepared so much as desparate or foolish.  10-1 the odds are you are going to have a negative reaction (even insta-death) before you get anything remotely good.          And odds are the only good thing you'd get is the ability to see in the dark.  There isn't any real way one can "prepare" themselves. 

So, it's like a deck of many things, the bane of adventuring groups everywhere. I've yet to see a group all agree to just let it be and not draw cards... and of course once one person gets something good, everyone is doomed. 

If the creatures were smart, they'd just breed arachnaspearians and release them into adventuring halls all over furrae. Adventurers would be extinct in a week.

[Aridas]

If the cubi were smart, they'd just breed arachnaspearians and release them into dragons' lairs all over furrae. Dragons would be extinct in a week.

Fixed.

[Anri]

I can't help but look at the title bar and think... Fire in the disco! Fire in the Taco Bell. Fire in the disco! Fire in the.. gates of hell!

Dont'cha wanna know why we keep starting fires. It's my desire! It's my desire!