Likely Plot Direction?

[blueblade]

I realise we all love a good crackpot theory, with loopholes, twists and turns, isn't this sequence by far the most likely course of the main story plot?


Party has adventures and arrives at Girard's Gate.
Struggle between the party, Xykon and other elements. Have to assume Xykon/Redcloak don't win here. Maybe the IFCC play their hand?
Durkon dies at Girard's gate
Last stand time: Kraagor's gate. Location? Dwarven homelands (in the north, in the snow). Likely final antagonists: IFCC
Durkon resurrected for the final battle in the dwarven homelands (prophecy fulfilled with no loopholes). Death and Destruction follows, with a victory (of some sort) at the end.


The End?

[Nimrod's Son]

isn't this sequence by far the most likely course of the main story plot?
No. Everything you wrote there is perfectly plausible, sure. But I'd put quite a significant sum of money on things NOT turning out exactly as you describe.

We don't have enough information to know what the most likely outcome of this story is yet, and I'd be amazed if things went as simply as you predict.

[FujinAkari]

I actually consider Girand's Gate to be a battle between the Linear Guild and the OOTS, with Xykon not showing up until much later.

We know the LG were planning on investigating the gates 3 months ago, when they fled Azure City, so may already be entrenched, while Xykon hasn't even LEFT AC yet, has an ocean in the way, and has to track down his Phylactory.

I also don't see the IFCC as a final antagonist. They have a part to play, but they simply showed up too late to be the 'final' bad. Xykon is and has always been the ultimate challenge to the OOTS, so he needs to be the final challenge for them (or, at least, Roy)

[Rad]

Agreed. This has these hints about it:
Haley's father
Elan and Nale's father (assuming the popular theory about his identity is true)
The Linear Guild looking for the gates (cause it's been a long time and Xykon id busy)
The LG is described as IFCC's pawns.
all of these lead me to think that the main bad for this arc will be the LG/IFCC, with assorted dads in as side plots. I also expect V's divorce to be elaborated on too.

As for later, it is plausible that Durkon will die and his corpse being carried by the OotS to the dwarven homelands on their way to the fourth gate. Another big battle with armies might happen there but what I expect is
the Snarl to actually break free and bring destruction to the dwarven homelands and the OotS having to fight it. This would actually provide a fit end for Readcloak (unmade by the Snarl rather than killed by the heroes)

since we already had one big battle at AC (yes, we could have another, I just think it is slightly more likely that we won't).
If I have to express myself on the point, I also think that Durkon ill be raised by the high priest of Thor and take part in the final confrontation. It would fit for him to retire and say in the dwarven homelands forever too (maybe become High Priest of Thor himself?), so fulfilling even the contested "final" clause in his oracle prophecy.

[Larkspur]

The other reason to think they're not about to run into Xykon anytime soon is that they're not nearly strong enough to beat him. After another gate battle they'll all level up, and V might get something out of the big confrontation with the IFCC that would let V have a chance in a duel.

Right now it's hopelessly unbalanced. Even Xykon does capture the final gate- and I think the chances of that are pretty good, actually- the Order can't just show up and get thrashed, they need to do something heroic. So they've got to get more firepower before they next meet him, somehow.