Two random theories.

[magic9mushroom]

1) Vaarsuvius is still to gain CaTUAP, and will do so via opening a gate and harnessing the Snarl. She'll be conflicted about doing this, of course, given her previous stuffup, but will have to, presumably to defeat Xykon, the MitD, or the IFCC.

Vaarsuvius being the one to harness the Snarl (awesome demands that someone do it) would explain why the IFCC wants to have control over her soul.

2) Belkar will breathe no more because he'll get killed... and reanimated as an intelligent undead by Tsukiko. She's just about the only fulfilling partner he could possibly have in the comic, and we know she isn't fond of "warm meat".

So there you go, two utterly random theories of mine.

[fangthane]

I'm not entirely certain how likely either of those is, but you probably should put a (SPOILERS) in the title (or put the speculation itself inside spoiler tags) as a concession to the Giant's preferences. :)

I haven't seen people commenting on V-as-redeemer theories much; by way of defense of your theory, can you account for how V would be successfully able to reneg on the IFCC's contract should they elect to take control of V at the height of his arcane might? After all, they throw around epic soul-transactions with ease, even if it's not done commonly; there has to be some kind of iron-clad enforcement mechanism in such transactions.

[magic9mushroom]

I'm not entirely certain how likely either of those is, but you probably should put a (SPOILERS) in the title (or put the speculation itself inside spoiler tags) as a concession to the Giant's preferences. :)

I haven't seen people commenting on V-as-redeemer theories much; by way of defense of your theory, can you account for how V would be successfully able to reneg on the IFCC's contract should they elect to take control of V at the height of his arcane might? After all, they throw around epic soul-transactions with ease, even if it's not done commonly; there has to be some kind of iron-clad enforcement mechanism in such transactions.

No idea, maybe he/she can't.

[Kish]

Apparently, Rich spells out in Don't Split the Party that Vaarsuvius' prophecy is concluded, with the words having been, "I...I must succeed."

Intelligent undead are still in the world; Belkar will not be.

[Shining Sadist]

SoD spoiler
Well, V could be the powerful arcane caster needed to control the gate. Redcloakk could actually redeem himself and get help in his quest for goblin equality from the party. I suppose this could actually still happen, even if she has already achieved her arcane power, because the Snarl is not directly controlled. It is simply a threat.

Or maybe I have just spent too much time at the Crack Pairings Thread.

[magic9mushroom]

Apparently, Rich spells out in Don't Split the Party that Vaarsuvius' prophecy is concluded, with the words having been, "I...I must succeed."

Wait.

The Snarl is divine.

Hence, controlling the Snarl would not be CaTUAP.

However, the IFCC still need a reason to want control of Vaarsuvius, and her controlling the Snarl would fit perfectly. (EDIT: Something that takes less than an hour to pull off would certainly seem to indicate something more than your average mid-level wizard)

So ok, not CaTUAP, but certainly still a possibility in my book.

EDIT: Especially given all the stuff V's been going through with "what not to do with power", it'd be fitting for her to get it again.


Intelligent undead are still in the world; Belkar will not be.

"Not long for this world", I assume. Which is such an overused cliche it is completely dead. Pun intended. And hence does not necessarily mean "no longer on the Material Plane".

[Turkish Delight]

"Not long for this world", I assume. Which is such an overused cliche it is completely dead. Pun intended. And hence does not necessarily mean "no longer on the Material Plane".

Unfortunately, the 'Belkar will become undead' theory has been so widespread and overused here, I would wager starting from minutes or seconds after the Oracle's first prophecy about his upcoming demise, that if it actually happens the whole forum is likely to let out a collective groan at the predictability of it.

[magic9mushroom]

Unfortunately, the 'Belkar will become undead' theory has been so widespread and overused here, I would wager starting from minutes or seconds after the Oracle's first prophecy about his upcoming demise, that if it actually happens the whole forum is likely to let out a collective groan at the predictability of it.

Well, that's why Rich avoids reading the theory threads, now isn't it?

The other "likely" possibility, that Belkar gets the same fate as Kraagor, has also been done to death. There's substance to each. All I was theorising is that if it happens (him going undead), Tsukiko will have something to do with it.

[Asta Kask]

I prefer my theory that he will be turned into a cod on the Elemental Plane of Water.

[Tao the Ninja]

SoD spoiler
Well, V could be the powerful arcane caster needed to control the gate. Redcloakk could actually redeem himself and get help in his quest for goblin equality from the party. I suppose this could actually still happen, even if she has already achieved her arcane power, because the Snarl is not directly controlled. It is simply a threat.

Or maybe I have just spent too much time at the Crack Pairings Thread.

Any time there is too much. Quick, wash your eyes! :smalleek:

[The Dark Fiddler]

2) Belkar will breathe no more because he'll get killed... and reanimated as an intelligent undead by Tsukiko. She's just about the only fulfilling partner he could possibly have in the comic, and we know she isn't fond of "warm meat".

No. Just... no. He's dying. He'll be gone. We won't see him again.

I didn't want him to die when I read that part in the comic, but now I'm hoping he dies ASAP just to end all the loophole finding. It's fun to do, but there's a limit. :smallsigh:


SoD spoiler
Well, V could be the powerful arcane caster needed to control the gate. Redcloakk could actually redeem himself and get help in his quest for goblin equality from the party. I suppose this could actually still happen, even if she has already achieved her arcane power, because the Snarl is not directly controlled. It is simply a threat.

Or maybe I have just spent too much time at the Crack Pairings Thread.

No such thing as too much time there.

I feel my banner is especially awesome in this situation. :smalltongue:

[Hopeless]

Just a thought but what if Belkar is killed by the Snarl?

That would be quite an ending for him wouldn't it?

I was just wondering about that Holey Brotherhood mentioned in the scribble's quest to seal the rifts and had a rather odd thought... Holey Brotherhood, Haley?

We don't actually know what happened to her father yet do we?

Could he have been abducted with his daughter lured to rescue him under the guise of a ransom for some nefarious purpose, could Haley actually be related to Girard?

There does seem to be a slight resemblance between the two groups even if they've changed what career each had.

Serini's personality seems to be Elan's, Kraagor I suspect is Belkar, what do the rest of you think?

[Optimystik]

Any time there is too much. Quick, wash your eyes! :smalleek:

With bleach.

Boiling bleach.

[WildPyre]

Well if he's not long for THIS world... and there's a whole OTHER world inside the snarl... hmm I might have an idea about how our sexy shoeless god of war can fulfill his prophecy and not be completely written out of the story.

[magic9mushroom]

Well if he's not long for THIS world... and there's a whole OTHER world inside the snarl... hmm I might have an idea about how our sexy shoeless god of war can fulfill his prophecy and not be completely written out of the story.

He'd still be breathing there, and "will draw his last breath - ever" is just about the most ironclad bit we have on Belkar's fate.

Just mentioning.

[Forbiddenwar]

Right. So either
1) He will be undead in the snarl world, and won't eat, and be unable to save for retirement.
or
2) He'll die.

What does Occum's Razor say about this?

No, Belkar will die. It's even more certain than Durkon dying.
And how the Order handles Belkar's death may distinguish them from the Sribble order and how they handled Kraagor's death.

[magic9mushroom]

Right. So either
1) He will be undead in the snarl world, and won't eat, and be unable to save for retirement.
or
2) He'll die.

What does Occum's Razor say about this?

No, Belkar will die. It's even more certain than Durkon dying.
And how the Order handles Belkar's death may distinguish them from the Sribble order and how they handled Kraagor's death.

Well, the thing is, that we have the Oracle specifically saying that he'll return to his homeland posthumously, as in, after he dies. Whereas the Oracle avoids actually saying that Belkar will die. Such unnecessary playing around with words makes people suspicious.

[WildPyre]

What does Occum's Razor say about this?


Said logical reasoning has no place in literary twists... sometimes it actually turns out to be the zebra.

[Kish]

Well, the thing is, that we have the Oracle specifically saying that he'll return to his homeland posthumously, as in, after he dies. Whereas the Oracle avoids actually saying that Belkar will die.

"Posthumously" no more includes the word "die" than, "not long for the world" does.

Such unnecessary playing around with words makes people suspicious.
Predictions of things people don't want to believe make them look for ways around the predictions where none exist.

[WildPyre]

Posthumously is defined as "After death" where as all of Belkar's predictions were turns of phrases or innuendo, giving the sexy shoeless god of war much more wiggle room than the cleric of Thor.

[Dark Faun]

It's also entirely possible the Giant purposely made a prediction tempting people to find ways around it to fuel the suspense further more.

[WildPyre]

It's also entirely possible the Giant purposely made a prediction tempting people to find ways around it to fuel the suspense further more.

I highly doubt that seeing as how this forum has such a low level of wild speculation... wait... crap... okay I'm open to that possibility.

[One Skunk Todd]

Posthumously is defined as "After death" where as all of Belkar's predictions were turns of phrases or innuendo, giving the sexy shoeless god of war much more wiggle room than the cleric of Thor.

Yeah, I'm wondering if Belkar's "death" is going to be more like Anakin Skywalker's only going (or at least pretending to go) in the other direction. :)

[dps]

Well, the thing is, that we have the Oracle specifically saying that he'll return to his homeland posthumously, as in, after he dies. Whereas the Oracle avoids actually saying that Belkar will die. Such unnecessary playing around with words makes people suspicious.

The "not long for this world" phrasing makes it very likely that Belkar's death will happen soon, before the story is over.

Durkon returning to his homeland posthumously could happen many years after the end of the story; for dramatic reasons I consider that unlikely, but logically, it's entirely reasonable. Maybe in an epilogue?

[Kish]

And since, unlike for Belkar, the Oracle didn't specify him actually being gone from the world, Durkon could also die, go back to his homeland, and be resurrected. Or die, be resurrected, and go back to his homeland, as long as he dies at least once before going back.