Method Acting Gone Wrong?  (Patreon)

The famed Veracroix Theatre of the Orcish city of Mint (yes, one of the largest Orcish cities in the Seventh Realm is just named "Mint"), faces dire straights when one of the lead actors quits the day of the premiere of the latest and greatest play. The only one who can hope to fill in for her role is her much beleaguered understudy.

Unfortunately, the part is explicitly meant for a fine lady orc, and the understudy is human and although not particularly masculine (by choice), he is no fancy lady. Hoping to avoid disaster long enough to get back the main actor, they simply dolly the understudy up in some really good cosmetics to look the part. And somehow, the unique performance gets standing ovations and excellent reviews. Which the understudy finds... exciting...

As the season progresses, the theatre has no luck in convincing the original actress back. Thankfully, the understudy quickly adapts and improves in their acting skill. Soon theatre-goers are as in love with the new starlet as they were with the old one. And between afterparties, promotions, additional coaching and more convincing make-up, the new actress begins to adopt the position as the "Veracroix Diva" more convincingly than any acting role.

By the end of the production's run, the last diva is old news, and the theatre's new star actress draws in the crowds like never before. Reviewers rave about the Orc starlet as the Theatre's crown jewel, and behind the closed curtains, she makes sure that everyone knows it. Haughty, demanding and impatient as she is, the Theatre management does everything they can to appease her, lest they lose a star that they know this time that they can't replace.

[Seventh Realm, corruption themes, awkward AMAB Human understudy to flashy decadent female Orc diva]

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I hope you can see why this one took some time x)

Nonetheless, it was delightful to work on this comic. I also decided to make a soft retcon of how the Tieflings in the Seventh Realm work. While reality did change the Halflings into Nightfolk and the Nightfolk did change many Tieflings into Imps, several Tiefling clans were not changed by the Nightfolk. Rather the Gem of Reality Warping simply turned them into homely and lovely folk who just wanna do good things. Or something along those lines, I haven't decided quite yet, but the point is that a fair number of Tieflings were not turned into Imps.

A Dirty Paladin is a drink from the Gateworld, but I enjoy reusing concepts between worlds. It's a pale lager-based cocktail with various sweet syrups mixed in and a thick foam on top, decorated with an edible flower. I'll see if I can find the old picture I drew.

Next up, Superstork!