Ok, I'm making a prediction. It's very stupid and unsupported.

[EmeraldPhoenix]

Don't yell at me and leave a reply if you want some kind of real, soon, in-the-next-5-comics kind of speculation. Everyone left? Get ready.

The Linear Guild is going to have to come back into the plot at some point. Their escape, here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0458.html), leaves a lot of room for future plans and schemes. I think it's going to come up soon, maybe in the next 50 or so comics. So, theories, anyone?

[Mystic Muse]

they're going to take Roy and hold him hostage saying "do what we want or he gets it!"

what? Nale's plans haven't exactly been original.

[DBJack]

Well, there are so many current cliffhangers, including whether the MiTD will act (he was also on strip 658, to remind us he's watching) what the bird is looking at, how the explosive runes will act, what's up with the rift (and is the snarl...) what the fiends need V alive for, what strip 666 will be (likely Roy's rezz I think) and where Redcloak is, if Tszukio will come back up (I doubt it) and a few more, that there just isn't room for the linear guild to show up in the next few strips and still have the story wrap up in time and convienent space for what will be the fourth book.

Although it would be interesting, I'll give you that

[The Blackbird]

Next 50 strips or so? Maybe, I think they'll be back when the Order moves on to Girand's Gate.

[Almaseti]

They're not going to appear just now for the same reason they didn't do anything during the battle for Azure City: too much other stuff going on. They need their own spotlight. They're not going to try to steal it from Xykon. That would be kinda suicidal.

But once this little Vaarsuvius arc is done (which I would think would mean V either dying or rejoining the Order) there is a good chance we'll see Nale and co again. They've had plenty of time to find allies and come up with a plan, and it's been a LONG time since they've done anything, both in real-world and comic time.

[[TS] Shadow]

We need to know what they're doing. I'm going to assume that we'll get a little cut-away to them when the IFCC starts talking about Sabine, but I doubt it'll be more than 4 strips long.

[Animefunkmaster]

I will say that they are paid for as assassins to hunt down and kill one miss Hailey Starshine after he recent tiff with the thieves guild... although I can't really say why they are out sourcing.

[badam104172]

well, lets see... from their last appearance in dungeon of dorukan, to the filler arc where they meet Pompey, its exactly 132 strips. so, their next appearance should be in... negative 69 strips.

[littlequietguy]

They have probably made it to one of the gates by now I bet. They will probably release the snarl in exactly one comic.

[Atcote]

They'll appear once everything else interesting stops, or there's a decent chance for a break from the main plot - up to now, they basically have been a pure B-Story catalyst.

[xyzzy]

If the theory that Elan and Nale's dad is the same guy who kidnapped Haley's father, who is on the same continent as the next gateis correct, then it's very plausible to cut to them.

[Kaytara]

Well, since they're last seen going off to capture one of the other two Gates... I can easily imagine why they wouldn't be willing to trudge all the way into the snowy dwarf Northlands where Kraagor's Gate is located, so it's probably Girard's Gate, instead. On the Western Continent. And Haley's father and Nale's father are apparently also on the Western Continent. Oh yeah, this should come together nicely. :)

[Ellye]

I always saw the Linear Guild as a kind of joke-villains. But now that we know about the IFCC and that Sabine is related to them, I predict that the next Linear Guild appearance will be a bit more serious.

[Dagren]

I always saw the Linear Guild as a kind of joke-villains. But now that we know about the IFCC and that Sabine is related to them, I predict that the next Linear Guild appearance will be a bit more serious.I'm not so sure about that. In their first appearance, Nale almost killed Elan. That's pretty serious. Same goes for their little plot in Cliffport.

[Dr. Cthulwho]

they're going to take Roy and hold him hostage saying "do what we want or he gets it!"

what? Nale's plans haven't exactly been original.

True, though that is a bit straight forward and uncomplicated.

Now if they captured Roy and injected him with a poison that would kill him in 20 hours unless he did what Nale told him to in order to get the antidote and... oh, well Durkon would probably cure it I guess. Or Elan for that matter.

Back to the drawing board Nale!


I always saw the Linear Guild as a kind of joke-villains. But now that we know about the IFCC and that Sabine is related to them, I predict that the next Linear Guild appearance will be a bit more serious.

I'm actually interested in what I assume will be some Linear Guild conflict in future.

Say will Sabine betray Nale if the IFCC asked her? What would Nale do if he found out he and the Guild were being manipulated through Sabine by the IFCC? Something along those lines, there is some opportunity for some serious drama there I think.

[Optimystik]

I don't think they'll be back until the next book. This one is too close to ending for them to both reappear and do anything meaningful.

The question is, which gate have they gone after? Kraagor/Serini's, or Girard's?

[factotum]

The question is, which gate have they gone after? Kraagor/Serini's, or Girard's?

I think the rules of Dramatic Necessity mean that Nale would have to be on the Western Continent if it is, indeed, his and Elan's father who has Haley's father prisoner there. If that isn't the case, it's a crap shoot as to which one he's gone after.

Having said that, Kraagor's Gate is in an icy waste up near the North Pole somewhere, so for simple "comfort" reasons Nale might decide Girard's is a better choice.

[Morgan Wick]

What happens for the rest of the book will determine what the Linear Guild are doing. We need a look-in at them soon. If it comes in this book they'll play a major role in the next one. If it doesn't they'll get a look-in at the next one at best and will actually play a role in the one after it at the earliest.

Then again, we got no Thieves Guild look-ins in War and XPs...

[Crazeemeel]

now that 660 is up I think that maybe we will have some sort of way that Xykon dies soon. Then there will be a mad hunt for the phylactery by the goog guys to destroy it before he regenerates again. He probably will.

BTW: could someone please tell me how to do spoiler tags in the next post?

[David Argall]

now that 660 is up I think that maybe we will have some sort of way that Xykon dies soon. Then there will be a mad hunt for the phylactery by the goog guys to destroy it before he regenerates again. He probably will.

Nope. Xykon is staying "healthy" for the foreseeable future.


BTW: could someone please tell me how to do spoiler tags in the next post?

To spoiler, type [ spoiler], followed by your text and [ /spoiler], removing the blanks in both cases, just as you quote by [ quote=xxx] text [ /quote]