Why is Xykon going to Girard's Gate?

[Sgeo]

What's the reason for Xykon heading to Girard's Gate? Was it mentioned in a strip?

[kusje]

...... Which comic have you been reading?

[Kish]

I'm going to guess you mean, "Have we been given a reason why Xykon chose Girard's Gate over Kraagor's Gate?"

To which the answer is, "No, we haven't. Rich may or may not ever address this. Redcloak may have determined that the weakest monsters at Kraagor's Gate still have a higher CR than Xykon himself, or Xykon may have flipped a coin."

If, as Kusje seems to be guessing, you're instead asking a much more fundamental question about Xykon's motives, (re)reading from the beginning would probably be a good idea...but the arc that starts here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0190.html) might help more specifically.

[Ozymandias9]

o_O Do you mean why does he want to get to a gate in general? Or why does he need to go to a new one? Or why is he going to that one rather than Kraagor's(sp?) gate?

If it's the first, read "Start of Darkness."
If it's the second, then it's because he needs a functional one and they can't make one on their own to replace the one in Azure City.

If its the third, then the only thing we definitively know is that the Oracle said that it's the next of the two that he will go to.

I can however make a plausible guess. It's likely that the Hobo army isn't as strong as it was before the siege: they would have had to go through 4 nations to get to Kraagor's gate from the Hobo Army's initial position and only one to get to Azure City. Securing the locale of that gate through military force may no longer be an option, and the fact that it was an option gives some indication that it might be necessary.

Girard's Gate, in contrast, is in a sparsely populated desert and protected by epic illusions. Thus their presence is unlikely to be noticed while they secure and use the sight. They can attack that gate without a military force and still judge their chances of success to be good.

[General Valter]

Um. You guys are forgetting the oracle quest that Roy went on.

The oracle told Roy that Xykon would first be nearing Girard's gate, between Girard and Kraagor.

Of course, then Xykon went to Azure city and screwed everything up, but the oracles prediction still stands :smalltongue:

[Kish]

I don't know that anyone in this thread forgot that. The thing is, that has nothing to do with any possible interpretation of the OP's question. Whatever Xykon's reason for going to Girard's Gate, it's not "because the Oracle said so, to Roy, and Xykon doesn't even know who the Oracle is."

Now, if the thread title was, "How do the members of the Order know Xykon is going to Girard's Gate?" the Oracle's prediction would be the answer.

[FoE]

Back in Strip #300, Redcloak and Xykon debated which of the three Gates they would go after. They picked the Azure City Gate because they weren't sure how they would get the hobgoblin army across the ocean and they didn't go after Kraagor's Gate because it would involve marching through eight human nations.

The problem with Kraagor's Gate still stands, but now that they control Azure City, they can probably build ships to transport the hobgoblins, or at least a large contingent of them.

Of course, Xykon might not be planning to bring his army of hobgoblin minions along for the journey. In that case, I don't know why they're still set on Girard's Gate; the Oracle did say that Xykon would go there before Kraagor's Gate, but he didn't say why.

And it really doesn't matter, since both gates will be well-guarded. There's no real difference if Xykon isn't bringing his minions along for the ride. If that's the case, maybe Xykon and Redcloak just decided on Girard's Gate with a coin toss in between torture sessions with O'Chul.

[Thanatosia]

I get the impession that both of the remaining gates are on the western continent, wich makes moving the army of Hobgoblins more complicated then just setting them on the March. Now, maybe Xykon has some means of magicaly transporting an army, but he didn't seem to have access to any when he made his move against Soon's Gate and just let the Goblins March.

As said above, Girards is in the desert so an army wont be needed to chase down that one, but I think Kraagor's is in Dwarven Held Lands (not 100% of that), so an Army would probably be helpful to pursue that option. Since Xykon would probably not have to mess with the logistics of moving his current army or take the time to build a new one, Girards gate makes more sense.

I think Redcloak also was planning on Girards Gate because he was hoping to discern a way to bypass its defense by Interogating the Sapphire Guard Survivors. The fact that he failed to get anything useful from O-chul however, is probably not sufficient reason to change his plans now.

[General Valter]

Strip #300 does have Xykon and Redcloak discussing which gate to go to next.

Unfortunately, it's hard to know which gate is which from the simple description given by Redcloak. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say Girard's gate is the gate "situated beyond several human nations", as that would be the more enticing target for Xykon and his friends.

I expect Kraagor's gate is "across the ocean", as the wintry setting probably indicates it's located near the dwarves. On the other hand, The OotS has just passed through a human village, which might be part of the "human nations" that Xykon needs to get through.

All conjecture, of course. It'll probably be revealed to us in a few strips, though.

EDIT: Oh, dung Face of Evil beat me to it. Is there a map of the OotS world out there?

[FoE]

But the Order of the Stick just went "across the ocean," so I think Redcloak was referring to Girard's Gate when discussing the first "location" in Strip #300.

[Darius1020]

Actually, Girard's is probably across the ocean, they mention that it's on the western continent, and the island V brings the azurites to is just off the western continent, and the order takes a seemingly short boat ride to sandsedge

Edit: Ah damn the ninjas

[General Valter]

Oh, I didn't hear that V stated explicitly that the teleportation was to the Western Continent.

All that teleporting brouhaha really messed up my sense of direction. :smalleek:

Xykon's decision might be explained by his new attitude. In strip 300, he had more of a "I have an army now, I can take as much time as I want" attitude. He's much more impatient about getting to a new gate now, so I presume the exact reason he would have picked Kraagor's gate before (taking the time to conquer all the nations on the way) becomes the reason for picking Girard's gate now (having to take the time to conquer all the nations on the way).

[FoE]

EDIT: Oh, dang Face of Evil beat me to it.


Edit: Ah damn the ninjas

I'm on a roll! :smallbiggrin:

[Herald Alberich]

Is there a map of the OotS world out there?

The Familicide spell (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0639.html) provides us with the closest thing we have to a map (unless the books have one; I haven't read them). We see that the Elven forest, the epicenter for the Familicide, is on the Western Continent, north of a big tan blob that's probably the Great Barren Desert the Order just arrived at. The Western Continent doesn't reach far enough north to have icy climes, making the eastern one the only possible location for Kraagor's Gate. No idea where the three major cities (Azure, Greysky, and Cliffport) are, though someone with the books mentioned on here that Azure City is somewhere on the western coast.

[Boaromir]

I'm going to guess that the OP meant 'What are the motives for choosing Girard's Gate over Kraagor's?' interpretation, and echo what some others have said with 'We don't actually know.'

[Shale]

Well, Redcloak did manage to convince Xykon that it's in their best interests to get to a Gate as quickly as possible, without stopping to conquer every country they see along the way. Geographically, the only obstacle between them and Girard's Gate was the ocean, and now they control a port, effectively dealing with that problem, while the other nations are still in their way if they try to go to Kraagor's Gate.

[Katana_Geldar]

As far as I recall, going to Kraagor's Gate requires them to march through eight human nations and only "far to the north" and not worth the time to be conquered.

Also, Redcloak did not see how they would get a lot of minions across the water. But he will probably reconsider. I think I remember something about leaving with some minions and leaving the rest in the city, not really caring.

[Bogardan_Mage]

someone with the books mentioned on here that Azure City is somewhere on the western coast.
I don't know what book that's supposed to be in but every relevant piece of dialogue online contradicts it.

To wit: the Western Continent is always described as being separate from the main areas. Familicide shows us that's it's small compared to the other continent, the northern and southern regions (with the appropriate pantheons) are likely located mostly or entirely on the eastern continent. Azure City is on the same continent as any number of other locations, including Dorukan's and Kraagor's gates. Azure City, as well as the main action of the comic up until quite recently, is on the Eastern Continent.

[Ancalagon]

though someone with the books mentioned on here that Azure City is somewhere on the western coast.

There are only two possibilities here:
A) Whoever said that was wrong.
B) You misunderstood him/mis-remember it.

The written material states nowhere (or anywhere or even someplace else) that Azure City would be on the western continent. Everything online as well as offline makes clear that "the western continent" is not where the events so far have taken place.

[Kurald Galain]

The Familicide spell (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0639.html) provides us with the closest thing we have to a map (unless the books have one; I haven't read them). We see that the Elven forest, the epicenter for the Familicide, is on the Western Continent,

We can't actually be sure of that. Because the planet is spherical, the Elven forest could be on the same contintent as the Dungeon of Dorukan, and anything further to the west of that would be behind the sphere and not visible in the picture.

(edit) and to the above two posters? He said "west coast", not "west continent". It would indeed make sense for Azure City to be on the west coast.

[Ancalagon]

Ah, west coast... yeah, that's true. ;)

Being able to actually read is an advantage, no? ;)

[Raenir Salazar]

No Cure for Paladin Blues has a left adjusted map.

[shadzar]

Cause he is pissed and wants to find those that stole his kills.

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0661.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0662.html

[Herald Alberich]

We can't actually be sure of that. Because the planet is spherical, the Elven forest could be on the same contintent as the Dungeon of Dorukan, and anything further to the west of that would be behind the sphere and not visible in the picture.

True. I consider that possibility unlikely, though, because I see no area in the north on that continent that would correspond to the Redmountain Hills, and because during the trip with Miko, V was 4374 miles (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0220.html) from his homeland. I also don't think the Giant would devote the majority of the map to a huge continent that doesn't have anything to do with the story.

Hmm, on second thought, there is a brown blob below the forest that could be the Redmountain Hills, but it's just above that giant desert-looking area that the Order definitely did not travel through on the way to Azure City. Meanwhile, there's a big brown blotch in the north of the eastern continent that could easily be the Hills, and mostly green areas between there and the southwestern area where Azure City might be.

Edit: And thanks for clarifying about the coast. I brought that up because before I read that, I always assumed Azure City's coastline was to the south of the city, simply because the Order had to travel south to get there. It does make more sense, based on the Familicide picture, for the coast to be on the west.

[Kish]

Ah, west coast... yeah, that's true. ;)

Being able to actually read is an advantage, no? ;)
That depends on what you're trying to read.

For, "I prepared Explosive Runes this morning," no, it's not. :smalltongue:

[Berserk Monk]

It said in one strip they'd have to cross an ocean to get to Girard's gate and they'd have to pass 8 (I think :smallconfused:) kingdoms to get Kraggor's.

[Ancalagon]

That depends on what you're trying to read.

For, "I prepared Explosive Runes this morning," no, it's not. :smalltongue:

For now, I'd settle for posts in this forum. ;)

[Silverraptor]

I think he's heading to that particular gate because he doesn't have to go through so many different nations, which would probably be faster.

[Forbiddenwar]

What's the reason for Xykon heading to Girard's Gate? Was it mentioned in a strip?

Gate? what gate? Sorry, but it had to be done.

[Nimrod's Son]

And thanks for clarifying about the coast. I brought that up because before I read that, I always assumed Azure City's coastline was to the south of the city, simply because the Order had to travel south to get there. It does make more sense, based on the Familicide picture, for the coast to be on the west.
The map at the back of W&XPs actually matches up quite nicely with the online strip. It's not possible to be 100% certain, but it looks very much like Azure City can be pinpointed on strip #639 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0639.html). Only one of the pink lines heading for the southern hemisphere terminates somewhere visible; the others disappear round the back of the planet or off-panel. At the point where that one line bisects the coast just before its end: that's Azure City. Probably.