Oh noes, dear elven gods, WHY?!?! (Semi-Spoiler)

[Dagonet]

I doth quote from the book War and XPs: "Rest assured that bringing the team back together will have a cost-a heavy toll paid by one member of the Order that could change them forever."

I mean heavy toll?? I always thought it would be someone becoming a martyr, like Elan, but THE DEATH OF V's CHILDREN?!?:smallfurious::smallfurious::smallfurio us::smallfurious::smallfurious:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OO!
./sob :smalleek:

Mourn and Discuss

[Ulrichomega]

Hmm, I don't remember reading that. I better go back and reread those things.

I'm ambivalent towards the whole thing. I think it would really be a powerful comic if, when V finally gets to his/her house, all we see is the ashes and crumbling remains. I'm not saying I would be happy about this, I simply say that it would be a very powerful comic.

[Helanna]

Wow, I hadn't even thought of that. That's probably one of the most probable V-related theories I've ever heard on this board.



I'm ambivalent towards the whole thing. I think it would really be a powerful comic if, when V finally gets to his/her house, all we see is the ashes and crumbling remains. I'm not saying I would be happy about this, I simply say that it would be a very powerful comic.

Same here. I want V's kids and mate to live, but above all I want whatever would make the best story. For some reason though people always interpret this as me WANTING the worst to happen. I just want the drama of a good story!

[Silverraptor]

Wow, I hadn't even thought of that. That's probably one of the most probable V-related theories I've ever heard on this board.



Same here. I want V's kids and mate to live, but above all I want whatever would make the best story. For some reason though people always interpret this as me WANTING the worst to happen. I just want the drama of a good story!

Don't worry, I was yelled at for my opinions as well. I too think it would be a powerful story and knowing Rich, he'd do it. After all, Miko never got the chance to redeem herself before Rich got her. He said that he made that as a point that we need to thorughly examine our choices before acting.

[Hectonkhyres]

If that isn't a sufficient reason to sell your soul to the infernal powers, I don't know what is. But I foresee that, whether V saves his family or not, they will no longer be a part of his life. If they are butchered, they are lost to him. If he annihilates the dragon using all the powers of hell, his family will never want anything to do with the twisted abomination their loved one has become.

Seriously, what does a pastoral elf family think when the black dragon about to butcher them is torn to tiny, still screaming pieces and pulled chunk by chunk into the netherrealms as V unleashes every single spell from The Book of Vile Darkness sequentially? Nothing good, I am willing to bet.

[Warren Dew]

I think the loss of Haley's hair will concern the average reader far longer than the loss of Vaarsuvius' children. If the children die, we'll have known them for only a couple of strips; Haley's hair has been with us far longer.

[Hectonkhyres]

I think the loss of Haley's hair will concern the average reader far longer than the loss of Vaarsuvius' children. If the children die, we'll have known them for only a couple of strips; Haley's hair has been with us far longer.
I'm sure that, as long as Haley's cleavage is left untouched, few will mourn the loss.

[Starwaster]

Wow, I hadn't even thought of that. That's probably one of the most probable V-related theories I've ever heard on this board.



Same here. I want V's kids and mate to live, but above all I want whatever would make the best story. For some reason though people always interpret this as me WANTING the worst to happen. I just want the drama of a good story!

You know, I remember when Infocom was around and I played a lot of their games and there were a few that were more than just entertaining, they had good stories and drama. And I felt tempted to write to the company and authors about them. But I never did.

And then I played Stationfall... and was forced to kill Floyd. I tried everything to change that ending, I started over from various saved games that I thought I could take a different path, like turning Floyd off early on and leaving him behind.

Finally I wrote to Steve Meretzky actually a bit angry and upset and begging to know if there were some way to save Floyd. He replied to me that it was the only good ending to the story. I think his exact words were "Sorry, Floyd's gotta die." :smalleek:

I think I still have that letter.... written on Stellar Patrol Issue Stationary.

[Shadowbane]

I feel this will be price. I don't like it, but this does make one good story.

[GSFB]

10,000 innocent civilians died in the battle of Azure City and no one reading flinched much.

Kill two kids we've never seen until just now (or a small cuddly puppy), and everyone will bawl for weeks.

It's not you. It's not the Giant. It's human nature with story telling. The more outrageous the loss, the easier it is to compartmentalize it because we aren't able to process that level of suffering and loss in our minds. The more small scale the loss, the more we are able to focus on the severity of it, as it relates to the few who are affected.

Makes me think of every disaster movie ever made. All of Los Angeles can be reduced to ashes, and we in the audience go "that's awesome!" But when we think the dog won't make it out before the explosion, we sit on the edge of our seats, and exhale with a cheer when the dog comes running out safely.

Likewise, when the dog dies, that's what pushes us over the edge wanting revenge. The evil overlord can vaporize New York. Oh well. But if he kicks a kitten, then by golly, it's time for James Bond/Superman/The Marines etc to storm in and kick ass!

Hence, V's kids will probably die, because that is the sort of jolt the readers might need to get them to appreciate the real losses that have taken place throughout the story so far.

[Felixaar]

I must agree that I will be saddened if the price of V's recent behaviour is the lives of two innocent children, however I find it more likely that

Qarr will do something to stop the senior black dragon.

[Haggis]

10,000 innocent civilians died in the battle of Azure City and no one reading flinched much.

Kill two kids we've never seen until just now (or a small cuddly puppy), and everyone will bawl for weeks.

It's not you. It's not the Giant. It's human nature with story telling. The more outrageous the loss, the easier it is to compartmentalize it because we aren't able to process that level of suffering and loss in our minds. The more small scale the loss, the more we are able to focus on the severity of it, as it relates to the few who are affected.

Makes me think of every disaster movie ever made. All of Los Angeles can be reduced to ashes, and we in the audience go "that's awesome!" But when we think the dog won't make it out before the explosion, we sit on the edge of our seats, and exhale with a cheer when the dog comes running out safely.

Likewise, when the dog dies, that's what pushes us over the edge wanting revenge. The evil overlord can vaporize New York. Oh well. But if he kicks a kitten, then by golly, it's time for James Bond/Superman/The Marines etc to storm in and kick ass!

Hence, V's kids will probably die, because that is the sort of jolt the readers might need to get them to appreciate the real losses that have taken place throughout the story so far.

There's also the defenseless factor, a small animal or child can't defend themselves or stand much of chance of escaping. in this case those 10,000 civlians had some kind of training, armor, and weapons and were willing to fight. And even if they were killed took their fair share of gobbos with them. V's kids while proberly older then most of those civilans can spell cat.

Plus I be enranged if they die without finding out one of their genders.

[Shadowbane]

@GSFB: I'm not like that. I can't watch movies like that, because I get massive nightmares about the scale of life loss. It's not normal, but it's me. I have a nasty habit of empathizing with everything.

[Starwaster]

I must agree that I will be saddened if the price of V's recent behaviour is the lives of two innocent children, however I find it more likely that

Qarr will do something to stop the senior black dragon.

I find it far more likely that

Quarr will glue his lips to her ass.

[lothos]

I doth quote from the book War and XPs:


"Rest assured that bringing the team back together will have a cost-a heavy toll paid by one member of the Order that could change them forever."


Mourn and Discuss

I know it's a bit late since War and XPs was quoted earlier on, but since some people don't have the book yet, it might be best to spoiler any quotes from the book's extras. Not complaining, just a suggestion :-)

Certainly the idea has occurred to me too that the quote from War and Xps might be relating to some kind of sacrifice V might have to make relating to his family.

I have a slightly different theory, I'm going to spoiler tag it just in case:


We know from strip 340 that V can’t cast teleport because in a school of magic that’s one of his two barred schools (conjuration). So there is definitely no way he can teleport to get to his children.

Hence Qarr can offer to teleport (either just himself, or perhaps V too, I don’t know what capabilities an average Imp has). Either way, a warning to V’s mate and children or perhaps some other assistance might be what he tempts V with.

It wouldn’t surprise me if in the same strip that Qarr makes this offer that Elan and Durkon show up from the fleet, telling V that they received Hayley’s message from the Cleric of Loki prior to strip 610.

Now V has a choice - does he Get Qarr to teleport to his family and warn them..... or teleport to Hayley who currently is “in Greysky City. In danger”... who does V go to help ? His/her family or the rest of the party ?
They don’t know the danger in Greysky city has passed now.

So V will make pay a heavy toll (sacrificing his/her best chance to warn his/her family) to bring the rest of the party together and save Hayley.



Of course I’m pretty sure the next strip will prove me wrong, but it’s always fun to speculate.

Cheers.

[GSFB]

not everyone who died in AC was a soldier. think about the number of innocent civilian casualties. not all the sick, old, kids, etc would have escaped by boat. many probably became hobgoblin chow or have been killed and reanimated just for amusement.