History Webcomic / Exiern

* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership, mixed with AuthorityGrantsAsskicking. King Urtica can lay a smack down just as well as his hulking 8-foot-tall bodyguards. Although he's certainly not the conquering warlord archetype, and he does have a great talent for subtlety and chessmastery, King Urtica expressly says that this sort of thing is why he ''stays'' on the throne:

* ActionInsuranceGag: Overlaps with ImpossibleInsurance [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=160 here]] as the inn owner haggles with a demonic lawyer as to whether the battle in his inn qualifies for payout; even when he gets the best of that demonic lawyer, [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=172 just trying to cash in that policy]] has further issues. When it comes to insurance companies, FailureIsTheOnlyOption.

* ImpossibleInsurance: Occurs [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=160 here]]; even when you get the best of that demonic lawyer, [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=172 just try cashing in that policy]]. When it comes to insurance companies, FailureIsTheOnlyOption.

* AttractiveBentGender: Tiffany, not that it helps her mood any.

* WhamEpisode: Set up by [[http://www.exiern.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Exiern-2013-09-05-06.jpg this]] two-pager and discussed by the author [[http://www.exiern.com/2013/11/28/on-sexuality-and-cop-outs/ here]], which begins the revelation that [[spoiler: Typhan-knee was homosexual.]]
* WhatMeasureIsAMook: Pip and Ce; Ctyx and Mira. In general, Drowemos doesn't seem keen on throwing away incidental characters.

%%* WorldOfBuxom

Originally written by Drowemos (despite the obvious connections to [[Webcomic/{{Drowtales}} dark elves]] and [[{{Emo}} whiny teenagers]], it's actually [[SdrawkcabName "some word" spelled backwards]]) and illustrated initially by Drowemos (2005), then by Studio Boom (2005 - 2010) and currently by Shipeng Lee of ''Webcomic/{{Drowtales}}'' (2010 -). Later, the comic was sold to Dan Standing, as Drowemos got tired of working on it. The writing duties have since been handed off to Thomas Knapp, the writer for Webcomic/MegaTokyo's Endgames light novels. The writer duties then changed again to current owner Scott T. Hicken.

-->'''King:''' I have ordered men to their deaths and entire villages burned...but that, my friend, is the hardest thing I have ever done.\\

* BaitAndSwitch: the facts that Tiffany's mother was a southerner and Niels' sister was taken about twenty years ago seem to set up Tiffany being Neils' niece (which, considering that they're the two most capable hand to hand fighters in the setting and the fact that Neils' is blonde under his helmet, would make sense), but it's ultimately averted.
* BearsAreBadNews: Mainly because it triggered a HurricaneOfPuns, it was an Un-bear-able, and grizzly situation. Fortunately Bhors didn't paw-s for thought.

'''Bhors:''' Wait, we're friends? Would you be interested in joining our bowling team? We could really use a fourth.\\

* DressHitsFloor: Amalia the assassin matriarch [[https://exiern.thecomicseries.com/comics/402#content-start does this for King Utrica]].

* TheRival: Tiffany and Teresa eventually evolve into this relationship, especially where Denver is concerned.Later, they move past this once Denver is out of the picture.

* ThoseTwoGuys: The king's Guardsmen Neils and Bhors.

* AccidentalTruth At one point, when [[spoiler: discussing the life cycle of dragons]], Tiffany says that she never sees baby squirrels and she figured dragons were the same, Fayden remarks, sarcastically, "that they reproduce by magical cloning and that there's really only one all powerful "all squirrel?" we see a squirrel on a nearby branch thinking "They know!" This is referenced a number of times later in the series, though it never directly impacts the plot....yet.

* ChessWithDeath: Played straight, but with a "twist" on how Death [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=76 plays to win (NSFW!)]] in a filler strip, [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=75 here]].

* CueTheSun: Tiffany's identity crisis arc starts during an evening dance, and follows the stages of night, with her slowly realising she is losing her grip on her identity, to a complete breakdown into a fragile little girl around midnight, and a massive set piece battle where she saves the day and acknowledges her new identity, just as dawn breaks over the [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=1791 battlements of the castle]].

* DressHitsFloor: Amalia the assassin matriarch [[http://exiern.com/comic/to-the-fly/ does this for King Utrica]].

* FingerMuzzle: Tiffany uses this on Denver after the latter's [[http://www.exiern.com/2013/08/08/harsh-memories/ despairing speech]], followed by their FirstKiss.
* FirstLawOfGenderBending: Not only is Tiffany unable to transform back to a male, but her condition is contagious, as a male water sprite, an itinerant young wizard, and a crew of priests attempting to reverse her condition find out. PlayedForLaughs when one of the priests, newly transformed back into a (younger and significantly more attractive) man sneezes... and reverts to female -- implying, perhaps, that the "curse" can be suppressed but not dispelled. In fact, the condition is quite virulent -- Tiffany accidentally converts a male water spirit, who uses his/her new femininity as a lure to capture travelers -- including one powerful young spellsinger who is captured and transformed by the water spirit as a divine sacrifice [[note]]The exact situation is somewhat complex and rooted in the strip's backstory, but the water spirit is a follower of one of two sets of gods, neither of whom is believed to be around anymore.[[/note]], and after escaping, wonders what's going to become of her (foreshadowing the later matter of Sister Theresa). [[note]]And also possibly carrying the now-dead water spirit's soul within her.[[/note]]
* FracturedFairytale: gets a nod [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=1611 here:]]

** Tiffany's "[[http://www.exiern.com/?p=51 Battle Shirt]]" which declares her to be a "wanton wench", proving if you can't read then you should be careful about whose translation you accept.

** Happens again with [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=2309 Typhan-Knee's brother Melan-Knee]], "He who chases the northern ice stars."

* GoofyPrintUnderwear: Captain Phi of the Royal Guard has [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=1915 some nice ones]] of the love hearts variety.
* GreatBigBookOfEverything: Faden's spellbook. It isn't evil ''per se'', but it does seem to dislike Tiffany and delivers information in the most [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=1020 insulting manner]] possible.

* HeManWomanHater: Tiffany -- even direct experience as a woman can't shake his prejudices.

** Later Teresa gets one as well, after Typhan-Knee explains the root of his animosity he has for her. Specifically, that Teresa having been a transwoman even before the curse, he was hoping she'd be more supportive of his current situation (Him basically being a transman now), but he didn't get that from her. As seen [[http://www.exiern.com/2015/08/13/syllabus/ here]] and [[http://www.exiern.com/2015/08/18/careful-wording/ here]]. Also continuing Typhan-Knee's own heel realization from above, she does admit that most of his anger towards Teresa were unfounded.

* KickingAssInAllHerFinery: [[ClothingDamage or what's left of it]] in [[http://www.exiern.com/2011/12/13/wordless/ this panel.]] It also signifies when she's over the {{Chickification}} problem (as signified by her [[AmazonianBeauty impressive physique returning]])

* LensFlare: In the discussion with the "[[http://www.exiern.com/2014/01/14/stitched/ new narrator]]" at the top of the world, the glare from the sunbeam gradually takes over.
* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: Peonie [[http://www.exiern.com/2012/09/04/lifes-little-ironies/ asks about virgins being able to ride unicorns]], and how a conquering barbarian can ride one.

* ManIFeelLikeAWoman: Referenced but subverted in [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=48 this comic]], when Tiffany looks down at her new equipment and says, "You know, this really should turn me on." [[spoiler:It turned out later Typhan-Knee was an ArmoredClosetGay.]]

* MissingMom: Princess Peonie's mother has [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=1830 significant pause]] disappeared. It's one of the reasons King Urtica wants to wed Tiffany as she makes an excellent replacement mother figure for Peonie.

-->'''Tiffany:''' But [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=1255 mass murder would solve the problem]], right?

* OnlyTheChosenMayRide: Tiffany's unicorn. It will only allow Tiffany to ride it, whether this is due to her status as TheChosenOne (although chosen for what, [[VaguenessIsComing no one quite knows]]) -- as revealed in The Wild North story-arc -- or whether it is due to the traditional qualification for unicorns (something that would definitely disqualify [[ReallyGetsAround Princess Peonie]]), we just do not know. Tiff and Peonie [[http://www.exiern.com/2012/09/04/lifes-little-ironies/ bring it up.]]

* PunnyName: Neils and Bhors, as ThoseTwoGuys.

** Cytx, when his EvilHand takes over.

* ScaryShinyGlasses: Denver breaks them out [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=1422 here]], as he transitions from nerdish bookworm, to guy who makes the laws of magic his bitch..

* SetSwordsToStun: The King's PraetorianGuard actually ''can'' do this, their {{BFS}} are [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=907 shown crackling with magic]] and the next comic has Tiff waking up in a cell with a headache. [[spoiler:Turns out Tiffany's sword can be unknowingly non-lethal despite her attempts if that'd be better off for her.]]
* ShamefulStrip: Turns up too many times to count, but always PlayedForLaughs. Wyll-Line attempts to invoke this when trying to [[http://www.exiern.com/2014/02/11/da-rules/ avoid a duel]] with Tiff by saying honor duels are to be done bare-chested... but Tiff has none of it, doffs her armor and undergarment, and calls him out on his chauvinism anyway.

** The king's bodyguards are named [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niels_Bohr Niels and Bohrs]].

** [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=1309 Neils]] finds out that saying your luck is getting better is just the cue for a more painful next encounter.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Tiff lets the so-called southern "civilizations" and their convoluted laws have it [[http://www.exiern.com/2016/03/08/boot-to-the-throat/ here.]]

* TomatoSurprise: [[spoiler:Denver is actually a larval dragon, a fact that Tiffany found out when she found Denver's half-transformed sister. Denver does not yet know.]]

* WoundedGazelleWarcry: Mira [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=1304 saves her boyfriend Ctyx by letting him save her]]. A big scary guard is threatening to kill him, but his fear does not trigger his SuperpoweredEvilSide. And thus she draw the guard's attention to herself, sobbing for mercy and everything - turning Ctyx's fear into the rage he need to activate his powers.

* AssShove: Referrenced when [[http://www.exiern.com/2015/03/10/hardened-spy/ Isabel is turned to stone]], while clasping a rune that will allow her to turn back. Peonie looks at Isabel's butt and asks where she's clasping the rune.

** Also squirrels "[[http://www.exiern.com/?p=104 reproduce by magical cloning and there is but one all-squirrel connected through a collective psychic consciousness]]".

** [[http://www.exiern.com/2005/10/23/ok-with-it/ In 2005]], Tiffany notes that while her name in the southern tongue sounds feminine (that is, "Tiffany" verses "Typhan-knee"), in her native tongue it's masculine and means, "He who hunts by the light of the northern ice stars." Faden, being himself, comments that Tiffany means, "She who hunts diamond charm bracelets with her daddy's money." The joke doesn't come up again until [[http://www.exiern.com/2015/04/21/simple-description/ ten years later,]] when someone shows up at King Urtica's gate demanding an audience with She Who Hunts Diamond Charm Bracelets With Her Daddy's Money.

* CallBack: In [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=121 an early strip]], Peonie tries to deal with a witch by showing off her breasts to her. She thinks why her plans have to be so slutty. [[http://www.exiern.com/2011/04/29/plans-and-pitchforks/ Much later]], she has the same thought regarding her father escorting Tiffany to a ball.
* CatFolk: What looks like a tiger person turns up as a [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=43 background character]] in a spoof of the YouAllMeetInAnInn trope.

* ChunkyUpdraft: in this strip when [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=1304 Cytx kinda loses it]] a little.

* CoffeeShopAUFic: As a [[OverlyLongGag Overly Long April Fools Gag]] in 2010 when it was suddenly re-tooled as a group of [[http://www.exiern.com/2010/04/01/pt1/ trendy twentysomethings hanging out at a coffee shop]].

''[[http://www.exiern.com/ Exiern]]'' is a fantasy webcomic about a reluctantly female barbarian. The plot, which began as a riff off of [[https://www.thewotch.com/?comic=angelique-17 an early storyline of]] ''Webcomic/TheWotch'', is relatively simple: Evil wizard Faden, about to fall to the sword of hulking barbarian warrior Typhan-knee, tries to [[ForcedTransformation transform the hero into an animal]] and somehow transforms him into [[GenderBender a woman]] instead. [[FirstLawOfGenderbending Since it can't be undone]], the barbarian, now going by the name of Tiffany, goes on a variety of adventures.

* AccidentalMarriage: Tiffany managed to get herself engaged to Peonie's father the King, but no one told ''her''. Part of the reward for rescuing Peonie was '''''[[ExactWords A]]''''' Royal Hand in marriage and since [[GenderBender she]] no longer qualifies for Peonie's and has [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=979 insisted]] on the ''full'' reward...[[Film/HistoryOfTheWorldPartI It's good to be the king]]. [[spoiler:She beats the truth out of Peonie offscreen after the identity crisis arc and she and King Urtica agree to call it off.]]

** Tiffany finds [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=993 the King punching her]] to be a pretty funny joke, well, she had punched him earlier too[[note]] what had happened was that when Tiffany had briefly fallen into an UnstoppableRage she punched him, her planned defence was that "it's a gesture of respect in my culture", after the King returns the favour he responds that he'd heard it was a gesture of respect[[/note]].

** Dragons leave their young in the still smouldering embers of burnt out buildings, the baby dragons resemble normal ''human'' infants and grow up looking like (and thinking they are) humans until they reach their late teens when some sort of homing instinct draws them towards other dragons. They spend some time in a half-human/half-dragon state while they [[LossOfIdentity gradually lose their human identities]], before growing into their final dragon form.
*** [[spoiler: Though this is partially RetCon'ed later, when revealed that the former happens as a result of the adult dragons being driven mad by an ancient power and trying to roast their own mates and offspring.]]

* GenderBender: The curse Faden uses on Tiffany is contagious when its existence is threatened so this happens more than once.
** FirstLawOfGenderBending: Not only is Tiffany unable to transform back to a male, but her condition is contagious, as a male water sprite, an itinerant young wizard, and a crew of priests attempting to reverse her condition find out. PlayedForLaughs when one of the priests, newly transformed back into a (younger and significantly more attractive) man sneezes... and reverts to female -- implying, perhaps, that the "curse" can be suppressed but not dispelled. In fact, the condition is quite virulent -- Tiffany accidentally converts a male water spirit, who uses his/her new femininity as a lure to capture travelers -- including one powerful young spellsinger who is captured and transformed by the water spirit as a divine sacrifice [[note]]The exact situation is somewhat complex and rooted in the strip's backstory, but the water spirit is a follower of one of two sets of gods, neither of whom is believed to be around anymore.[[/note]], and after escaping, wonders what's going to become of her (foreshadowing the later matter of Sister Theresa). [[note]]And also possibly carrying the now-dead water spirit's soul within her.[[/note]]
** SecondLawOfGenderBending: One (but just one) of the gender bent priests
** ThirdLawOfGenderBending; One word: Corsets
* GenderBlenderName: Typhan-Knee/Tiffany.
-->'''Typhan-Knee/Tiffany''' Typhan-Knee, it means "He who hunts by the piercing light of the northern ice stars".\\

-->'''Tiffany:''' It keeps calling me a [[DumbBlonde bimbo]].
-->'''Peonie:''' It's not calling... Hey this picture kind of looks like you. Right next to the definition of a bim... Never mind.

* HeelRealization: Tiffany hates Teresa for several reasons: They are both under a GenderBender spell but Teresa actually seems happy about it, the guy Tiffany tries to tell herself she's not in love with seems interested in Teresa, and both Tiffany & Teresa are equally bigoted against each other's culture. After [[LoveInterest Denver]] gives her the appropriate WhatTheHellHero, Tiffany finally realizes what a Jerk she has been to Teresa.

-->'''Denver''': "Well, at least now that you're a woman, that sorts out your other issues...right?"
-->'''Tiffany''': "You think it's that simple, do you?"
-->(The rest find his/her reaction to be ''extremely'' annoying.)

* ArtEvolution: Though it likely has at least part to do with the comic's change in management, but compare Tiffany [[http://www.exiern.com/2005/10/10/kzaatt/ as she first appeared]] to how [[http://www.exiern.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Exiern-2013-09-05-06.jpg she does in a later story arc.]]
** Happens again, due to getting a new artist, just look at [[http://www.exiern.com/2016/07/19/deposed/ Tiffany now!]]

* CerebusSyndrome: What started as a parody of a typical fantasy setting with Transgender themes became a much more serious tale about Tiffany learning to get comfortable in her own skin. Most explicit in ''The Wild North'' storyline, which has several WhamEpisodes and much less humor.

* WorldOfBuxom
* WorldOfMuscleMen

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority, mixed with AuthorityEqualsAsskicking. King Urtica can lay a smack down just as well as his hulking 8-foot-tall bodyguards. Although he's certainly not the conquering warlord archetype, and he does have a great talent for subtlety and chessmastery, King Urtica expressly says that this sort of thing is why he ''stays'' on the throne:

''[[http://www.exiern.com/ Exiern]]'' is a fantasy webcomic about a reluctantly female barbarian. The plot, which began as a riff off of [[https://www.thewotch.com/?comic=angelique-17 an early storyline of]] ''Webcomic/TheWotch'', is relatively simple: Evil wizard Faden, about to fall to the sword of hulking barbarian warrior Typhan-knee, tries to [[BalefulPolymorph transform the hero into an animal]] and somehow transforms him into [[GenderBender a woman]] instead. [[FirstLawOfGenderbending Since it can't be undone]], the barbarian, now going by the name of Tiffany, goes on a variety of adventures.

-->"[[http://www.exiern.com/?p=1484 I know where your eyes are]]".

** In [[http://exiern.com/comic/a-link-to-the-past/ one strip]] titled "[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]" has Typh say [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda "Excuse me, Princess"]] to Peonie.

->''"InAWorld where [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=8 Unicorns purr...]] ''\\

'' - Shopping for an outfit that [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=27 isn't slutty!]] ''\\

* LongHairIsFeminine: Because Tiffany's curse can further transform its victim based on their view of what femininity means, her extreme sexism causes her to temporarily become a thin, weak girl with [[RapunzelHair extremely long hair]]. Though CharacterDevelopment restores her fighting skills (and her [[AmazonianBeauty physique]]), her hair remains hip-length from that point forward.

* RapunzelHair: Seems to happen to all the victims of Tiffany's curse, likely because LongHairIsFeminine.

* ShamefulStrip: Turns up too many times to count, but always PlayedForLaughs. Wyll-Line attempts to invoke this when trying to [[http://www.exiern.com/2014/02/11/da-rules/ avoid a duel]] with [[TheDreaded Tiff]] by saying honor duels are to be done bare-chested... but Tiff has none of it, doffs her armor and undergarment, and calls him out on his chauvinism anyway.

(The rest find his/her reaction to be ''extremely'' annoying.)

--> '''Tiffany''': "Did you just hit me? In the hall? With a candlestick? [[Film/{{Clue}} YOU COULD KILL SOMEONE DOING THAT!!!"]]

* {{Transgender}}:
** Typhan-Knee/Tiffany, DependingOnTheWriter. Drowemos wrote her as quite literally a straight woman who merely remembers being a straight man. Dan Standing changed this to Typhan-Knee having been either a gay man or a trans woman, who was then transformed into a cis woman. Scott Hicken seems to have gone the other direction, treating him/her as a trans man.
** One (but just one) of the Gender Bent priests seems quite thrilled by the prospects of his newfound femininity. (The rest find his/her reaction to be ''extremely'' annoying.)

* DressHitsTheFloor: Amalia the assassin matriarch [[http://exiern.com/comic/to-the-fly/ does this for King Utrica]].