– Mermaids love to smoke, and theres a reason. When The Deep created Mermaids to fight its wars against the Prince, the Prince responded with all kinds of devious tactics, including cigarettes. The Prince included cigarettes in his soldier’s rations. Mermaids were quickly hooked, and addiction was one of many reasons so many Mermaids defected and came to live in Yeld. After all, the domain of The Deep is a poor place for farming tobacco. Some of you may remember that the Prince has his own brand of “Prince” cigarettes that are sold all through Yeld, and marketed directly to Mermaids. Deb and Jenny both smoke them, and back in Season 5 when Deb said she had given up cigarettes made by evil people, thats what she was talking about. Sarensang (Pirate Bay) also makes cigarettes, and as a free city they’re the only real competitor to the Prince’s brand. They’re not actually better at all, but they’re not specifically manufactured by an evil vampire to weaponize addiction, so many Mermaids prefer them.
All of this background was developed when Truth.org commissioned me to do a series of anti-smoking Modest Medusa strips. This was years and years ago, and the project fell through before it really got started.
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Doesn’t sound too just to me.
Right, now the mermaids are just thieves and bandits, they ain’t guarding ****.
I was going to say that cigarettes would be a particularly valuable (rare) asset if most visitors to Yeld are children, but if they are making their own there then that’s different.
Hmm, the biggest local cigarette brand here in Denmark is in fact named Prince. Does that mean the Prince has been spreading his tentacles beyond Yeld?
He may just be from Denmark.
I also had to think of that brand, since it’s one of the best selling in north Germany.
I assume it’s coincidence. But since in universe the Prince and his merchandise cigarette brand may be older than the Real life Danish Brand he may sue though.
Maybe a legal battle is the next story arch?
You forgot the armor in the first panel.