[SPOILER] Pretty wild, unlikely speculation

[Ronan]

Haerta + Xykon = BAD

Xykon believes it's a weakling thing to do, and she is likely to enjoy freedom outside live vessels. But... It could still happen, perhaps at a moment of need.

Any thoughts?

[Chameon]

Heh....Depends on your definition of "Living" vessel, as Xykon is undead. Also, for funs sake, if it were to happen, yes, it would be horrendously anticlimactic, as it requires enough willpower to hold it together, and Xykon is in it for Giggles. (Poor Giggles) He's not likely to be able to maintain control of the link for a long period of time, but I think if there's a different sort of linking (a sorta possession wannabe thing) maybe it would be horrifyingly scary combination of super fun doom time!

[Flickerdart]

Well, Haerta could...
Take refuge in Xykon's now vacant phylactery.

[Red XIV]

Why would she want to do that?

Well, I guess it might be a way to keep the IFCC from reclaiming her soul, but she'd still be unable to actually do anything.

[factotum]

Xykon considers Haerta to be a loser for allowing herself to die. Why would he want to link up with her? Besides, the IFCC made it pretty clear they'd be sending people out to "pick up" the free-floating souls...I doubt we're going to see Haerta again.

[David Argall]

At this point Xykon is insanely overpowered already. He doesn't need that splice to make a threat. Now if V had won the fight, we might need to give the villain a boost to remain a proper threat, but since he has shown himself about a half dozen levels higher than we had guessed up until now, he doesn't need the help.

[Optimystik]

I doubt we're going to see Haerta again.

Au contraire; I think the Fiends' statement, "Haerta can't cast spells without a mortal host" counts as foreshadowing, myself.

[Zanaril]

I don't see Xykon doing that, but maybe Tsukiko?

[Kaytara]

Au contraire; I think the Fiends' statement, "Haerta can't cast spells without a mortal host" counts as foreshadowing, myself.

I think it may have just as easily been Rich's attempt to silence any epileptic trees along the lines of "OMG! That soul got free and is now flying around! She's going to do something!" before they even appeared, by saying that no, relax, guys, she can't cast on her own, and she was able to cast with V because V is a mortal host.

Didn't work, obviously. XD Then again, maybe you're right. I just don't see what the story has to gain by having a freakishly powerful necromancer chime in to do chaos.

[DnDgeek13]

it would be an interesting twist if xykon got a soul splice

[adibobo]

when the fiends make their move they might need a little more manpower than the linear guild and(probably) V, so what better lackeys than three soulspliced wizards, each with one of the souls.

[Optimystik]

I think it may have just as easily been Rich's attempt to silence any epileptic trees along the lines of "OMG! That soul got free and is now flying around! She's going to do something!" before they even appeared, by saying that no, relax, guys, she can't cast on her own, and she was able to cast with V because V is a mortal host.

Didn't work, obviously. XD Then again, maybe you're right. I just don't see what the story has to gain by having a freakishly powerful necromancer chime in to do chaos.

But why bother having her roam free at all then? If there was no point to her escape, he could have just had her get yanked back to the lower planes as soon as the splice broke, not zipping around yelling "Freedom!" and needing recapture.

I don't see what she can contribute to the story either, and that's the beauty of it. If/when she shows up again, it'll be a bolt from the blue.

[SadisticFishing]

The reason to get rid of her could easily have been that she could have easily taken Xykon down, and V with her would make the fight easy.

Also, shows that they leave when force of will breaks. Makes sense in the story even if its never referenced again.

[factotum]

I agree with SadisticFishing there--if Rich had shown Haerta getting pulled straight back down to Hell then people would have been thinking that the fiends had deliberately recalled her, rather than her splice simply failing due to V missing a Will save.

[GSFB]

Haerta will come back spliced to Crystal. As Crystal has NO willpower or concentration, rather than escape, Haerta will dominate.

Now THAT would be unexpected and deadly!