Wait! You know what this means right?

[Silverraptor]

It means that the 4th story arc has concluded.

Though I'm pretty sure most people have figured it out as well. I'm just stating it so that it's on the record.

[Heroic]

Nice.. that means that a 4th storyline book may be close in the future.

[Xesirin]

I also suspect that the conclusion might be near. (At least 3 digits of strips to go, but probably only 1 or 2 more story arcs)

It's a rule of writing that when the series is starting its last arc to the finish, something involving the original goal will be revealed, something that has the potential to alter the entire dynamic of the story.

[BatRobin]

I also suspect that the conclusion might be near. (At least 3 digits of strips to go, but probably only 1 or 2 more story arcs)

It's a rule of writing that when the series is starting its last arc to the finish, something involving the original goal will be revealed, something that has the potential to alter the entire dynamic of the story.

Rich has stated he want to go to 1000, IIRC, in an interview.

I'm not sure what you mean by 3 digits, so I might have just repeated you.

But we still have Girard's Gate (Haley's Dad/Tyrinia/Elan and Nale's Dad most likely there), Kraagor's Gate, Final Battle (which could be at Kaagor's Gate), and something else will surely pop up with O-Chul and Lien, of course.

[Felixaar]

I'd say the story will probably go through seven arcs. Seven, is, generally, a nice round number, and Rich seems to have an appreciation for nice round numbers.

There's also the fact that as so far it's gone in a general pattern - A gate is destroyed, drama and plot, a gate is destroyed, drama and plot. Since Girards gate will almost undoubtedly consume the next plot arc - and then another arc dealing with the after affects of that and leading up to the next, the final gate and the final battle would suitably work out for the seventh.

That would also put the story at well over 1000 pages.

O'course, this be all just heresy and conjecture.

[Gift Jeraff]

I'd say the story will probably go through seven arcs. Seven, is, generally, a nice round number, and Rich seems to have an appreciation for nice round numbers.

There's also the fact that as so far it's gone in a general pattern - A gate is destroyed, drama and plot, a gate is destroyed, drama and plot. Since Girards gate will almost undoubtedly consume the next plot arc - and then another arc dealing with the after affects of that and leading up to the next, the final gate and the final battle would suitably work out for the seventh.

That would also put the story at well over 1000 pages.

O'course, this be all just heresy and conjecture.
My personal guess is that that pattern will be broken, and the events of the next arc will conveniently write out/kill off most side (and possibly even some main) characters and have the arc after that be a rush to Kraagor's Gate.

[Sanguine]

O'course, this be all just heresy and conjecture.

Isn't that a little redundant?:smalltongue:

[David Argall]

Nice.. that means that a 4th storyline book may be close in the future.

"Close" in this case means within a year, and maybe only barely.



I also suspect that the conclusion might be near. (At least 3 digits of strips to go, but probably only 1 or 2 more story arcs)

It's a rule of writing that when the series is starting its last arc to the finish, something involving the original goal will be revealed, something that has the potential to alter the entire dynamic of the story.

My bet...
There are 3 books to go, each of about 180 pages. [we have had 120, 180, 184, and now 188.] Book 5 will be about the Western continent. In book 6, they will visit the world of the snarl [Why show a world the party won't visit?], and then in book 7, they will battle in the North.]

[Shhalahr Windrider]

My bet...
There are 3 books to go, each of about 180 pages. [we have had 120, 180, 184, and now 188.] Book 5 will be about the Western continent. In book 6, they will visit the world of the snarl [Why show a world the party won't visit?], and then in book 7, they will battle in the North.]
I'd say visiting the Snarl's world makes better sense for book seven. Seems to me thats where all the final revelations would take place.

[factotum]

I don't see that they need to visit it at all. Scry on it and see what's there, maybe.

[Corwin Weber]

I'd say the story will probably go through seven arcs. Seven, is, generally, a nice round number, and Rich seems to have an appreciation for nice round numbers.

There's also the fact that as so far it's gone in a general pattern - A gate is destroyed, drama and plot, a gate is destroyed, drama and plot. Since Girards gate will almost undoubtedly consume the next plot arc - and then another arc dealing with the after affects of that and leading up to the next, the final gate and the final battle would suitably work out for the seventh.

That would also put the story at well over 1000 pages.

O'course, this be all just heresy and conjecture.

Slight nitpick.....

Hearsay. Heresy is reinterpreting religious beliefs to suit your own ends. Hearsay is recounting rumors.

[daggaz]

Actually, heresy is stating beliefs that go against the religious status-quo, nothing more, nothing less.

When Copernicus announced that the Earth revolved around the Sun, the Church had him imprisoned for heresy. Copernicus didn't announce this belief because it suited his ends better in any means, it was just the truth. The universe could care less about his ends as well, the Earth would continue to revolve around the Sun, regardless of whether or not he could profit from saying so. Indeed, it was much to his harm to announce such a scientific fact, as he got to rot in prison for it. But it was the truth, just too bad it shook the foundations of religious belief at the time, man is the center of the universe and all that yadda yadda.

[kpenguin]

You're thinking of someone else. Copernicus was never imprisoned or tried for heresy. He published his book from his deathbed.

[paddyfool]

You're thinking of someone else. Copernicus was never imprisoned or tried for heresy. He published his book from his deathbed.

Probably Galileo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo) (placed under house arrest for proposing a heliocentric model as a real description of how things were, rather than other Copernicans, who more diplomatically said, effectively "this works mathematically and is therefore useful").

[kpenguin]

Also, for being an a-hole and putting the words of the Pope into the mouth of a character named Simplicio

[Jagos]

I don't see that they need to visit it at all. Scry on it and see what's there, maybe.


Remember how the Dark One tried to scry and it was blocked? Seems to me that it's more an antimagic world. Roy's revelation on the difference of the OotS world and the imaginings of a far different world may be a HUGE foreshadowing...

[pflare]

I agree with the Roy's forshadowing idea. I mentioned on another thread the possibility of it being like Eberron or something; same basic principle but everyine is like "skill points? What are they?"

[Corwin Weber]

Also, for being an a-hole and putting the words of the Pope into the mouth of a character named Simplicio

Yeah, contrary to popular belief.... if Galileo hadn't been such a twit the Church probably would have just swept stuff under the rug and mostly ignored it until they felt ready to accept it. (The man was brilliant, but let's face it.... he wasn't the most personable guy in Europe.... although I thought the character in question was meant to be one of the Pope's cousins.... I forget.)

That having been said, heresy is more than just going against religious beliefs. It's going against religious beliefs and challenging existing ones, generally along with claiming to be the original. Pagans weren't heretics, and the Inquisition had no legal authority over them. An example of heretics would be the Carthars, who gave people the impression that they were the true Church. That brought the Inquisition (and eventually the army) into the affair.

[rangermania]

I personally can't wait to read the part which Haley and other's went to take Roy's golem over...

[KillianHawkeye]

I'd say the story will probably go through seven arcs. Seven, is, generally, a nice round number, and Rich seems to have an appreciation for nice round numbers.

I'm just gonna say, don't bet on it. :smallwink:

I remember reading Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series and waiting for Book 7 to come out. We had a high expectation because we anticipated it being the final part in the series, because the Wheel of Time has 7 spokes, each spoke being an age in the history of the world. As the Wheel turns, the ages pass, until history begins to repeat itself.

We naturally reasoned that if the Wheel of Time had 7 spokes, the Wheel of Time series would have 7 books. As it currently stands, the author died almost a year ago and the 12th book is STILL IN PROGRESS! (Somebody else is finishing it.) It was supposedly going to be the last one even before Jordan died, but who really knows? :smallsigh:

[David Argall]

I don't see that they need to visit it at all. Scry on it and see what's there, maybe.


The rules of drama require they visit it. It is just too big a thing not to be foreshadowing. And only V can scry. This should involve the whole party. Just how they end up there, and how they get back again, are unclear. But they will do both.

[lothos]

The rules of drama require they visit it. It is just too big a thing not to be foreshadowing. And only V can scry. This should involve the whole party. Just how they end up there, and how they get back again, are unclear. But they will do both.

How do you know the same rules of drama apply in this other world ? :-)
It might be an "anti-elan" world where laws of drama work in a completely different way. Really boring and mundane stuff might happen all the time and be the focus of everything......

OK, yes, kidding. I take your point, they might well visit the other world. I personally don't think it's a foregone conclusion since the mere existence of this planet within a planet has deep enough ramifications for the story. Just knowing it's there offers a LOT of plot hooks. I mean look at how much speculation it's spawned on the threads. Rich might decide that actually going to this world is one too many elements to have in the story.

[Mordokai]

Remember how the Dark One tried to scry and it was blocked? Seems to me that it's more an antimagic world. Roy's revelation on the difference of the OotS world and the imaginings of a far different world may be a HUGE foreshadowing...

Which revelation are we talking about? I can't seem to recall the exact comic, so if you'd be kind enough to point me in the right direction, that'd be swell.

[Herald Alberich]

Which revelation are we talking about? I can't seem to recall the exact comic, so if you'd be kind enough to point me in the right direction, that'd be swell.

Here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0669.html). I wouldn't call it a revelation so much as "idle musing pillow talk".

[lothos]

I think Jagos is talking about something from Start of Darkness:
In some of the colour pages in the middle of Start of Darkness, Redcloak is explaining about the rifts/gates for the first time to Xykon. One of the panels seems to show the Dark one peering through the rift. Also there is some comment about how the Dark one tried to find out more about the rift. He only started getting answers when he approached his "fellow" gods.

If that revelation is what you are referring to, I guess it could be that the reason he didn't get anywhere is that the "inner" world is anti magic. But I'd tend to think there are lots of other plausible explanations that might have better storytelling options than a world devoid of magic. Could be though.

[kabbes]

Seven is a round number? In what universe is seven a round number? One in which they use a heptal counting system?

[Mordokai]

Here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0669.html). I wouldn't call it a revelation so much as "idle musing pillow talk".

Hm, that might be so. Thanks!


I think Jagos is talking about something from Start of Darkness:
In some of the colour pages in the middle of Start of Darkness, Redcloak is explaining about the rifts/gates for the first time to Xykon. One of the panels seems to show the Dark one peering through the rift. Also there is some comment about how the Dark one tried to find out more about the rift. He only started getting answers when he approached his "fellow" gods.

If that revelation is what you are referring to, I guess it could be that the reason he didn't get anywhere is that the "inner" world is anti magic. But I'd tend to think there are lots of other plausible explanations that might have better storytelling options than a world devoid of magic. Could be though.

Looks like I need to pull my SoD copy out again. Thanks to you as well.

[Charity322]

Yay. New book!

[Xesirin]

My bet...
There are 3 books to go, each of about 180 pages. [we have had 120, 180, 184, and now 188.] Book 5 will be about the Western continent. In book 6, they will visit the world of the snarl [Why show a world the party won't visit?], and then in book 7, they will battle in the North.]

Another rule of writing: Unless you want the final battle to be anticlimatic, end it in an icy wasteland. On top of a mountain. With several scenes where the hero is dangling off the edge. While the villain seeks the ultimate artifact of doom that will allow him to complete his diabolical plans. :smalltongue:

[theinsulabot]

i think so brain, but how are we going to get the zebras into the long pants?

[Spiky]

Isn't that a little redundant?:smalltongue:

No, not exactly. Hearsay is repeating someone else's conjecture. Conjecture is your own.

[Hann]

What if the Snarl's world... Is OUR WORLD? :smalleek:

[Puns de León]

I'm just gonna say, don't bet on it. :smallwink:

I remember reading Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series and waiting for Book 7 to come out. We had a high expectation because we anticipated it being the final part in the series, because the Wheel of Time has 7 spokes, each spoke being an age in the history of the world. As the Wheel turns, the ages pass, until history begins to repeat itself.

We naturally reasoned that if the Wheel of Time had 7 spokes, the Wheel of Time series would have 7 books. As it currently stands, the author died almost a year ago and the 12th book is STILL IN PROGRESS! (Somebody else is finishing it.) It was supposedly going to be the last one even before Jordan died, but who really knows? :smallsigh:

I was SHOCKED when Harry Potter 7 wasn't released on 7/7/7. The circumstances were so perfect, the symbolism of the number seven in Harry Potter rivals that in the Wheel of Time, and the fact that it was released just 2 weeks later is even more puzzling. It means Rowling was still writing it nearly up to the end, or in any case hadn't left her editors enough time to get the book ready for that date, or wasn't pressing her editors properly! You can't miss stuff like this! It makes the end result all the more disappointing too; if she didn't make 7/7/7, I would have liked to see her take as long as was necessary to write a really good end to the series, even if it took months and hundreds of pages more.
(I'm not going to dignify the above post with a response. Besides, do we have ice caps that big?)

[Mystic Muse]

What if the Snarl's world... Is OUR WORLD? :smalleek:

well seeing as how most of our world isn't in an ice age and our world would only be good for like a one time joke, not an entire plot point, no it's not going to be our world.