Belkar's going to be in trouble now

[Ron Miel]

Now that the reunion is almost complete, it occurs to me that Belkar is going to be in a lot of trouble from all sides.

1) Roy will be angry with him for the whole "betting on his death" thing.
2) O-Chul will be angry for abandoning him.
3) Hinjo will probably want to arrest him so he can serve his year in prison.
4) V still remembers "The incident" and will resume the explosive runes.

If Belkar wore boots, I wouldn't like to be in them right now.

[hamishspence]

Hinjo may commute sentence further (especially if Belkar gets round to pointing out Hinjo would be dead if he hadn't intervened)

Some people said the deal was unfair when it was made- and that it should have been a pardon and not a commutation anyway.

V may appreciate Belkar's "V's not evil" comments. Though I'm a little doubtful.

The betting thing will probably not come up.

[Poppy Appletree]

1) Roy will be angry with him for the whole "betting on his death" thing.

I'm sure he's used to that sort of thing by now. I mean, this is Belkar we're talking about, after all.


2) O-Chul will be angry for abandoning him.

He doesn't seem the type to hold a grudge like that, not after what he's accomplished due to his captivity.


3) Hinjo will probably want to arrest him so he can serve his year in prison.

A valid concern.


4) V still remembers "The incident" and will resume the explosive runes.

Didn't V already settle that? Not that it'd stop the elf continuing anything for simple amusement.

[Zerg Cookie]

If Roy will remember that Belkar killed the oracle... He's in HUGE trouble.
Remember how Haley acted about it? Roy will probably do the same, only this time, there won't be a memory charm to save the shoeless god's ass

[Zevox]

1) Roy will be angry with him for the whole "betting on his death" thing.
Roy doesn't know about that. And why would he care, anyway? He knows Belkar doesn't place any value on his life already.


2) O-Chul will be angry for abandoning him.
I seriously doubt O-Chul would carry such a grudge. Especially given he has to know that the alternative was for Belkar to get captured as well - or eaten by the MitD, even.


3) Hinjo will probably want to arrest him so he can serve his year in prison.
Vaguely possible, but I suspect Hinjo is a little more practical than that. With Azure City fallen and the Paladins having oaths preventing them from acting to defend the remaining Gates from Xykon, he can't do a damn thing to save the world himself now, and has to rely on the Order to stop Xykon. And he knows Belkar is a valuable member of the Order, whether he likes him or not.

Plus Belkar is faking having reformed, which may make Hinjo think he was right in the view he expressed at the end of this (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0420.html) comic, which could lead to him pardoning Belkar of that remaining one-year sentence.


4) V still remembers "The incident" and will resume the explosive runes.
Extremely doubtful. She was upset with herself for wasting her time on him over that back on the boat, and after all that has happened to her recently, has a lot more important things to think about than him.

Zevox

[Snake-Aes]

Vaguely possible, but I suspect Hinjo is a little more practical than that. With Azure City fallen and the Paladins having oaths preventing them from acting to defend the remaining Gates from Xykon, he can't do a damn thing to save the world himself now, and has to rely on the Order to stop Xykon. And he knows Belkar is a valuable member of the Order, whether he likes him or not.
The Sapphire Guard oath is void now, since there's no gate left to protect. I believe Hinjo should reform it. Probably after possibly remaking the gate.

[Ron Miel]

Roy doesn't know about that. And why would he care, anyway?

Yes he does. See here
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0567.html

[Zevox]

Yes he does. See here
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0567.html
Okay, so he knows. But he doesn't seem to care that much. His expression merely indicates a bit of confusion, not anger.

Zevox

[Steward]

Hinjo and O-Chul have always struck me as reasonable, kind, and pragmatic people. I doubt they would hold their (relatively petty) grudges against Belkar. I'm not sure that O-Chul even remembers that. I certainly wouldn't hold it against him; it's not like Belkar had been a model of stolid loyalty before that.

[Snake-Aes]

Hinjo and O-Chul have always struck me as reasonable, kind, and pragmatic people. I doubt they would hold their (relatively petty) grudges against Belkar. I'm not sure that O-Chul even remembers that. I certainly wouldn't hold it against him; it's not like Belkar had been a model of stolid loyalty before that.

Belkar's still a criminal, he killed at least one guard in azure city, and used his blood as paint.

[hamishspence]

And he's been sentenced (6 years, with an outstanding 5 year reduction if he helps out in The Battle of Azure City)

If hinjo considers diving off the wall of the city with a would be-assasin, just to save his life, to be going "above and beyond the call of duty" he might even get that 1 year reduced.

[Dork Lord]

If Roy will remember that Belkar killed the oracle... He's in HUGE trouble.
Remember how Haley acted about it? Roy will probably do the same, only this time, there won't be a memory charm to save the shoeless god's ass

I don't think he cares, considering he witnessed the oracle get resurrected like it was nothing. Murder is killing for keeps. What Belkar did was a minor (albeit painful) inconvenience to the oracle, and one he was promptly punished for via the mark of justice.

[Moglorosh]

Okay, so he knows. But he doesn't seem to care that much. His expression merely indicates a bit of confusion, not anger.

ZevoxGiven Roy's obvious animosity towards the oracle, he might've actually enjoyed seeing the little bugger get what was coming to him.

[Steward]

Belkar's still a criminal, he killed at least one guard in azure city, and used his blood as paint.

If I remember correctly, his loot went towards paying for a Raise Dead spell or something like that for the guard, so the year penalty can be stayed temporarily until after he kills Xykon, right? I mean, really, Belkar will always be around (as far they know!) but the world won't be if they spend more time on this nonsense instead of the more interesting nonsense involving the gates.

[Zevox]

Given Roy's obvious animosity towards the oracle, he might've actually enjoyed seeing the little bugger get what was coming to him.
I think you quoted the wrong person. I was talking about Belkar's bet on Roy's life in that quote, not Belkar's killing of the Oracle.

Zevox

[hamishspence]

Strictly, it wasn't betting on his death, it was betting he'd be stupid enough to make the jump onto the dragon's back.

Not something to object to that much.

Roy seemed much angrier when Belkar bluntly explained his death to Celia "Gonna KILL you!"

[Steward]

I think you quoted the wrong person. I was talking about Belkar's bet on Roy's life in that quote, not Belkar's killing of the Oracle.

Zevox

Yeah, Belkar's bet isn't even the top 256 worst things he did in that particular strip, much less in the comic's continuity.

[hamishspence]

Seeing as Haley and Celia both know about the Gnome killing, its possible they might report it to Roy (Roy did not appear to be watching at the time), and Roy will give him an "attacking harmless NPCs is not on- do it again and you're out of the party- and life." speech.

We'll have to wait and see.

[Superglucose]

It's possible, though unlikely, that we are about to witness Belkar's 'last breath' if you will. A situation that will show that the Mark of Justice was removed may pop up, and I'm not sure if Azure City has a death penalty or not. Something in the nagging portion of my mind says "no" but I don't quite remember.

[fangthane]

Now that the reunion is almost complete, it occurs to me that Belkar is going to be in a lot of trouble from all sides.

1) Roy will be angry with him for the whole "betting on his death" thing.
2) O-Chul will be angry for abandoning him.
3) Hinjo will probably want to arrest him so he can serve his year in prison.
4) V still remembers "The incident" and will resume the explosive runes.

If Belkar wore boots, I wouldn't like to be in them right now.

1. Roy will likely be far too happy about finally being alive and able to progress with things to hold something as stupid as that bet against Belkar. After all, he's the sort to take personal responsibility for his stupid decision, not blame Belkar for having enabled his stupidity. He might be annoyed about the Oracle or he might be pleased, but that seems unlikely to be a game-breaker in any case.
2. O-Chul doesn't seem the sort to hold a grudge. I believe he sees his incarceration and mistreatment as a necessary part of the 12 Gods' plan for him to be in the right place to speak to the MitD, and to participate in V's well-intentioned but poorly-realised attack. I think he'll be philosophical about the whole thing - who knows but that he might confuse the hell out of our (socio- and) psychopathic little pal and actually thank him? :) In any case, O-Chul has been portrayed as a character who will stoically bear unfair circumstances. If he seeks personal justice, it won't be until that pursuit can no longer adversely affect his other responsibilities.
3. I could see Hinjo commuting Belkar's remaining sentence based on a) saving his life, b) service with the Resistance, c) apparent new 'team player' status and d) efforts, however unsuccessful, to rescue Roy's corpse and O-Chul. Alternatively, e) jurisdiction might play a part.
4. V will probably be more concerned with his soul's jeopardy, his supreme arcane failure and (hopefully) a bit of personal development than about continuing the sparring with Belkar. Especially given the latter's commitment to apparent reform, and even moreso if it's made clear that the Belkster is no longer constrained by the MoJ and can retaliate lethally.

No, as long as Belkar can convincingly fake his sincere reformation - and Durkon's the only one who could credibly see through it - he's got relatively little to worry about from his allies.

[Ron Miel]

I'm not sure if Azure City has a death penalty or not.

treason is a capital crime.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0420.html

[hamishspence]

But second degree murder, typically, isn't (War & XPs bonus strip- Roy says to Belkar that he will be jailed for 20 to 30 years.)

[Superglucose]

But second degree murder, typically, isn't (War & XPs bonus strip- Roy says to Belkar that he will be jailed for 20 to 30 years.)
Yeah, but my point was he could do something that indicates that the MoJ isn't there anymore, which means he's got 1) something else, and 2) manslaughter (remember that's what he was forced to serve) on his record.

Wasn't saying it was likely, was saying it was possible :smallwink:

[Random832]

Yeah, but my point was he could do something that indicates that the MoJ isn't there anymore, which means he's got 1) something else

What's the something else? Breaking the MoJ isn't itself a crime, since it wasn't a legal punishment. And he doesn't have to do anything illegal by Azure City law to do something that would have triggered it - being separated from Roy would do it, so would stabbing a goblin.

[Morgan Wick]

Okay, so he knows. But he doesn't seem to care that much. His expression merely indicates a bit of confusion, not anger.

Zevox

You're just rationalizing being wrong.

[Spiky]

Now that the reunion is almost complete, it occurs to me that Belkar is going to be in a lot of trouble from all sides.

1) Roy will be angry with him for the whole "betting on his death" thing.
2) O-Chul will be angry for abandoning him.
3) Hinjo will probably want to arrest him so he can serve his year in prison.
4) V still remembers "The incident" and will resume the explosive runes.

If Belkar wore boots, I wouldn't like to be in them right now.

But Belkar will simply laugh it off. So, I guess you and he don't see eye to eye.

Hinjo and O-Chul have always struck me as reasonable, kind, and pragmatic people. I doubt they would hold their (relatively petty) grudges against Belkar. I'm not sure that O-Chul even remembers that. I certainly wouldn't hold it against him; it's not like Belkar had been a model of stolid loyalty before that.

Reasonable? In relation to an evil individual? You do recall that they are....paladins.

[TheYoungKing]

Reasonable? In relation to an evil individual? You do recall that they are....paladins.

And they aren't going to be adventuring with him, correct?

No problem. They had to deal with the goings-on in an entire city, and beyond just Kubota and his assassins, I'm certain there were other evils in Azure City.

Paladins aren't unreasonable to a man.

[SPoD]

Roy knows Belkar is going to die, soon. He is unlikely to care about details of things like betting on his death if he knows that Belkar is going to be punished in the Afterlife forever inside of a few months.

[Sanguine]

Roy knows Belkar is going to die, soon. He is unlikely to care about details of things like betting on his death if he knows that Belkar is going to be punished in the Afterlife forever inside of a few months.

Come on be serious. Belkar won't be punished for all eternity. He will make the demons of the abyss his bitches.

Edit: Seriously that wasn't censored:smallconfused:

[Dagren]

Come on be serious. Belkar won't be punished for all eternity. He will make the demons of the abyss his bitches.

Edit: Seriously that wasn't censored:smallconfused:Well, it would be a bit stupid to censor a word frequently used in the comic, now wouldn't it?

[Spiky]

Actually, there are words, and even more definitely topics, that are in the comic and not allowed in this forum. Like one that starts with an A.

[Red XIV]

Roy knows Belkar is going to die, soon. He is unlikely to care about details of things like betting on his death if he knows that Belkar is going to be punished in the Afterlife forever inside of a few months.
Punished? Belkar will probably enjoy the Chaotic Evil afterlife.

[Crazeemeel]

Haven't read this whole strip but I don't think that Roy will be very angry about Belkar having killed the Oracle because he saw that
a) the oracle knew that it was going to happen
b)he was rezzed right away anyways.

[Sanguine]

Well, it would be a bit stupid to censor a word frequently used in the comic, now wouldn't it?

True enough.

[abishur]

Now that the reunion is almost complete, it occurs to me that Belkar is going to be in a lot of trouble from all sides.

1) Roy will be angry with him for the whole "betting on his death" thing.
2) O-Chul will be angry for abandoning him.
3) Hinjo will probably want to arrest him so he can serve his year in prison.
4) V still remembers "The incident" and will resume the explosive runes.

If Belkar wore boots, I wouldn't like to be in them right now.

If this were real life, I'd agree with your assesment of the situation. But since this is a narrative, I don't see more than 3 strips adressing ALL of this (and 3 will be pushing it). There's no way we're gonna have yet another trial scene. O-Chul might be pissed, but he's too stable to kill Belkar so it's not like they're gonna fight. The plot needs to move foward to Hinjo is going to let him go free


Hinjo doesn't yet know that Belkar doesn't have the mark removed so it's possible that he'll let him go with the promist to remove it in a year and let that be his jail time. Since they gotta get a move on, it's not like Roy is going to object.


and finally, V and the new year's "incident"... well I wouldn't mind seeing Belkar getting a face full of runes once more to reestablish V's return to the land of the sane :smallbiggrin:

[veti]

Punished? Belkar will probably enjoy the Chaotic Evil afterlife.

Nah, the CE afterlife, whatever it is, isn't something you 'enjoy'. Look at Xykon's attitude: "Anything to avoid the Big Fire below"

My bet is that when Belkar eventually draws his last breath, it will be in circumstances that keep him out of that afterlife. Maybe he'll die heroically and be booted, to his own disgust, into CN or TN. Maybe he'll become some kind of earthbound spirit, either undead or like Soon's paladins. Or just maybe, "last breath" doesn't imply death at all - it might mean he's exiled to some other plane, or whatever, where "breathing" doesn't happen.

[Cracklord]

Belkar is a minor, wussy evil. Yes he kills people, but on a minor scale. He can feel genuine human emotions, and connections. Xykon will make the demons his bitches. Belkar will be the demons bitch.

[jamroar]

Belkar is a minor, wussy evil. Yes he kills people, but on a minor scale. He can feel genuine human emotions, and connections. Xykon will make the demons his bitches. Belkar will be the demons bitch.

Knowing that the vast majority of people who have ever lived in the multiverse are long dead and the vile nature of those who wind up in the evil afterlives, it's pretty much guaranteed any new arrivals will be _someone's_ bitches in short order.

[Trizap]

Now that the reunion is almost complete, it occurs to me that Belkar is going to be in a lot of trouble from all sides.

1) Roy will be angry with him for the whole "betting on his death" thing.
2) O-Chul will be angry for abandoning him.
3) Hinjo will probably want to arrest him so he can serve his year in prison.
4) V still remembers "The incident" and will resume the explosive runes.

If Belkar wore boots, I wouldn't like to be in them right now.

1: how would he know? that and Roy has more important things to worry about

2: O-Chul knows that Belkar is a bad person and is wise enough to figure out that if Belkar got captured as well, he would just defect to Xykon's side and get him to remove the mark of justice, remember how close Belkar got to joining from Tsukiko's offer? the only prevented that was the urge to hurl a cat in someones face.

3: Hinjo is smarter than that, plus what prison? I'm sure the current boats they have now would hold him for a good three minutes. (that and remember how Belkar got out of solitary confinement? all he needed to do was
hide his ring of jumping in a place where no one would reasonably look)

4: Belkar isn't that smart or has that good of a memory, and V just got force-fed a big dish of humility and humble pie, she has more important things to think about, plus remember her rants about "instead of obtaining more arcane power, I spent my time playing pranks with a psychopathic halfling!" yea, I doubt V is going to renew that again.

[ABB]

You're forgetting something: The Belkster doesn't have a MoJ crimping his style anymore, and hinjo doesn't have as many paladins to call on anymore.

Hinjo: So, halfling, once all is done you can begin serving your year in prison.

Belkar: And just who's going to make me, pretty boy?

Hinjo: Insolent northerner, I shall personally beat you into submission!

Belkar: Bring it, blueboy.

[ABB]

Actually, there are words, and even more definitely topics, that are in the comic and not allowed in this forum. Like one that starts with an A.

Censoring a word on the forum that's used in the comic is a little more BS that I can stand, actually, 's why I used the space in "ass hole" to beat the censor.

[Snake-Aes]

You're forgetting something: The Belkster doesn't have a MoJ crimping his style anymore, and hinjo doesn't have as many paladins to call on anymore.

Hinjo: So, halfling, once all is done you can begin serving your year in prison.

Belkar: And just who's going to make me, pretty boy?

Hinjo: Insolent northerner, I shall personally beat you into submission!

Belkar: Bring it, blueboy.

The order will side with Hinjo on this one.

[dps]

No, as long as Belkar can convincingly fake his sincere reformation - and Durkon's the only one who could credibly see through it - he's got relatively little to worry about from his allies.

Why would you think that Durkon would be the only one capable of seeing through it? The paladins can Detect Evil, Elan's genre savviness could let him figure it out, Haley has a cynical enough nature to distrust it on the face of it, and Roy has a good bit of common sense.

[ABB]

The order will side with Hinjo on this one.

Belkar has saved other Order members lives, I don't think they'd attack him to help hinjo, and anyway, hinjo would likely be too conceited to ask for their help.

Also don't forget that Mr. Scruffy is on belkar's side now, it seems. We've seen how much that matters to the AC folk, well, until belkar wanted them to deathsport for him entertainment...

[Optimystik]

The order will side with Hinjo on this one.

Durkon and Celia? Definitely. Haley and Vaarsuvius? Definitely not. Roy and Elan would be on the fence.

No, I doubt Belkar is going to jail anytime soon. As part of his "reformation," he might offer a remorseful apology, however.

[Spiky]

Durkon and Celia? Definitely. Haley and Vaarsuvius? Definitely not. Roy and Elan would be on the fence.

No, I doubt Belkar is going to jail anytime soon. As part of his "reformation," he might offer a remorseful apology, however.

He's not heading to jail. It'll be a grave. Did we forget?

Well, maybe a makeshift grave.

[Chameon]

3) Hinjo will probably want to arrest him so he can serve his year in prison.
4) V still remembers "The incident" and will resume the explosive runes.

Err...Not to be stupid or anything, somebody else has PROBABLY mentioned these responses but:

1: While yes, it is imaginable that Hinjo will want to arrest Belkar, it's also imaginable that Belkar'd be able to GTFO of there and cause some massive damage to the remaining paladins, considering he could've escaped when he lead Miko on.
2: V isn't completely moronic, and probably won't be using such unoriginal pranks. Of course, if the halfling requests V sew his name in his underwear....well, explosive runes is the only appropriate response....

Honestly, I expected V to just kill Belkar back in the Thieves Guild while under the splice, since that didn't happen I kinda presume V's not the Belksters murderer/transferer to a different plane/remover from existence etc etc....