Blackwing

[Org]

Has v's familiar been killed and replaced by the snarl?
Since the others can't see her?

[The Dark Fiddler]

No. It is a joke on how players forget they have familiars in real games, and how V did the same thing for forever. No more.

Edit: Also, IIRC, the rest of the Order could see Blackwing, but just thought he was an illusion V cast.

[Kish]

How I wish there was a spell that would eradicate memes.

[Starscream]

How I wish there was a spell that would eradicate memes.

There is, but you wouldn't like the somatic components: doing the Hare Hare Yukai dance in its entirety. Material components include a copy of Zero Wing and a "bukkit".

There's also one that brings memes back after they have been uncool for a while. To cast that one you do Caramelldansen while singing "Never Gonna Give You Up", and must consume a number of Cheezburgers equal to the HD of the meme.

[Cizak]

Edit: Also, IIRC, the rest of the Order could see Blackwing, but just thought he was an illusion V cast.

What, you mena this (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0674.html) comic? I always thought they were just f*cking with V...

[ThePhantasm]

Its a recurring joke. Everyone keeps forgetting that V even has a familiar, so that even when they see it they think it is an illusion.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

How I wish there was a spell that would eradicate memes.

From the current Iron Avatarist contest.

Funniest OotS Scene

Order of the Meme

http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/092/a/1/Order_of_the_Meme_by_Thormag.png

[Cizak]

:eek::eek::eek:

I think I'm gonna have nightmares...

[sneakattak]

Didn't they used to be able to see the bird but in the newer comics don't they think V is crazy now?

[Kish]

Roy spelled out that he could still see Blackwing, he just assumed the bird was an illusion Vaarsuvius had created, remember?

[factotum]

It never made much sense that Haley (who named the bird in the first place) would suddenly forget V had a familiar, though. While the OP's theory doesn't make much sense to me (Blackwing remembered why he didn't speak in Common to V, after all) I'm unconvinced the Giant is a poor enough writer to introduce such a plot hole for the sake of a joke.

[sneakattak]

You know what I think? I thnk this is part f a big joke. A joke conspiracy if you will.

[Gift Jeraff]

It never made much sense that Haley (who named the bird in the first place) would suddenly forget V had a familiar, though. While the OP's theory doesn't make much sense to me (Blackwing remembered why he didn't speak in Common to V, after all) I'm unconvinced the Giant is a poor enough writer to introduce such a plot hole for the sake of a joke.
It makes sense to me. It has been around an in-comic year since she named him, and it's realistic for someone with so much other things on her mind (the fate of the world, her father, Elan, her dead leader, the Resistance, a psychopath under her leadership, day-to-day adventures, etc.) to forget something so trivial. Really, I was always bothered by the fact that Haley remembered Hilgya and Zz'dtri's exact names (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0399.html).

[Morquard]

I think its a joke on how players forget familiars. Not only their own, but also those of thier fellow players.
Each time Blackwing was around since the camp where it was named, V was alone. ok technically he wasn't alone when he was tunred into a lizard but none of the others were sure it was V, and they probably didn't associate the bird that was trying to eat him with his own familiar - even though haley mentioned him. But ok after that noone saw Blackwing again. And Roy never saw the bird in the first place. Ever.

So think about a really long game. The wizard uses his familiar once, probably while a few people aren't there that day, then only again in private sessions with the GM, and sometimes 3 years later he pulls it out of the hat again. How many players would go "Wow really, since when do you have a familiar?"?

[Nimrod's Son]

Has v's familiar been killed and replaced by the snarl?
Since the others can't see her?
While V's sex is open to interpretation, it's been established that Blackwing is male.

[snikrept]

My take on that scene in the desert was that they were jerking V around. In the past the order has explicitly asked V to scout with the bird (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0154.html), something that would be impossible with an illusion.

[ThePhantasm]

The meme order picture is downright disturbing.

[NerfTW]

It never made much sense that Haley (who named the bird in the first place) would suddenly forget V had a familiar, though. While the OP's theory doesn't make much sense to me (Blackwing remembered why he didn't speak in Common to V, after all) I'm unconvinced the Giant is a poor enough writer to introduce such a plot hole for the sake of a joke.

That's not even remotely a plot hole. Haley just happened to remember that Wizards had familiars, not that V's was Blackwing V had a familiar. (Whoops, it's actually Belkar that first points out the familiar in the third strip). It's not a plot hole to assume that upon not seeing this familiar for a year, she forgot about it as well.

Keep in mind that Roy and Elan were not around when Blackwing appeared the first and second times. So they don't even know he exists. Belkar doesn't pay attention to things, and it's not unreasonable to think that Haley and Durkon simply forgot about it.


You not agreeing with something doesn't make it a "plot hole".

[Optimystik]

From the current Iron Avatarist contest.

Win
That is all

[slayerx]

My take on that scene in the desert was that they were jerking V around. In the past the order has explicitly asked V to scout with the bird (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0154.html), something that would be impossible with an illusion.

No, they just plain forgot... i mean that only happened like once and it was about a year ago. Without blackwing making constant appearances it's easy to forget him...

[Shale]

I'm unconvinced the Giant is a poor enough writer to introduce such a plot hole for the sake of a joke.

The Giant disagrees.


I'll go where the humor takes me, and if that happens to create gross inconsistencies, then so be it.

[ThePhantasm]

It may be a character inconsistency, but it isn't a plot hole. Its been a recurring joke since the beginning. Plot holes occur because of lazy or poorly-thought-out plotting. This is intentional, funny, and consistent.

[veti]

It may be a character inconsistency, but it isn't a plot hole. Its been a recurring joke since the beginning. Plot holes occur because of lazy or poorly-thought-out plotting. This is intentional, funny, and consistent.

No. The "recurring joke" was how the familiar popped into existence when someone remembered it. Blackwing is no longer doing that, so whatever this is, it's not the same joke.

Personally I don't think it's a joke, because it's just not funny. I don't think it's credible that all five of V's teammates would simultaneously forget Blackwing, while remembering previous episodes where he played a part. I think there's a plot point being set up here, which will be unveiled at the right time.

[Starscream]

I think we're reading too much into this. The old joke was that V could not remember that (s)he had a familiar. Now (s)he does, and nobody else remembers. Har har.

I mean, it's been a few hundred strips (and at least a year of in comic time) since any of the other characters last saw Blackwing. And V almost never used him even before this. Is it really any wonder they don't recall V walking around with a bird on his/her shoulder? Didn't one of them keep forgetting that Belkar is a ranger and not a rogue?

[NerfTW]

No. The "recurring joke" was how the familiar popped into existence when someone remembered it. Blackwing is no longer doing that, so whatever this is, it's not the same joke.

Personally I don't think it's a joke, because it's just not funny. I don't think it's credible that all five of V's teammates would simultaneously forget Blackwing, while remembering previous episodes where he played a part. I think there's a plot point being set up here, which will be unveiled at the right time.

Again, Elan never even heard of Blackwing EVER. Roy didn't find out about him until Haley mentioned him while V was polymorphed. It's not a stretch to think that he just didn't remember it. Durkon's only seen Blackwing once, and it was referred to as a "class feature".

It's entirely believable, and funny, to think that since V's familiar has only been brought up three times (and only once with any relevance to the mission) in over a year (comic time) that they have long since forgotten about it.

Or do you seriously remember every person you've ever met, no matter how briefly?

[veti]

Again, Elan never even heard of Blackwing EVER. Roy didn't find out about him until Haley mentioned him while V was polymorphed. It's not a stretch to think that he just didn't remember it. Durkon's only seen Blackwing once, and it was referred to as a "class feature".

It's entirely believable, and funny, to think that since V's familiar has only been brought up three times (and only once with any relevance to the mission) in over a year (comic time) that they have long since forgotten about it.

Or do you seriously remember every person you've ever met, no matter how briefly?

No, I don't remember everyone I've ever met. I do, however, remember everyone I've ever cast "Heal (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0155.html)" on. And when someone reintroduces me and tells me "you met him at so-and-so's party", I can generally cast my mind back far enough. It's only a year (ish) ago.

Okay, so Elan has never seen Blackwing. And I can see Belkar putting on an act of forgetting just to annoy V - that would be entirely in character. But Haley and Durkon? No. And Roy has heard of Blackwing, although the evidence is inconclusive that he's ever seen him.

If it were a joke, if Haley had forgotten, then when V reminds her she'd - well, be reminded. But she isn't: instead she's utterly convinced (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0674.html) that she's never heard of this "familiar". That's not a joke, that's a plot point. Bet you 10 gp it gets explained before the end of the present book.

[Shale]

You're on. The entire gag is that when the familiar isn't needed, it doesn't exist. V is the only one who's not obeying that rule.

[Kish]

If it were a joke, if Haley had forgotten, then when V reminds her she'd - well, be reminded. But she isn't: instead she's utterly convinced (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0674.html) that she's never heard of this "familiar". That's not a joke, that's a plot point. Bet you 10 gp it gets explained before the end of the present book.
I'll take that bet.

[Jagos]

You're on. The entire gag is that when the familiar isn't needed, it doesn't exist. V is the only one who's not obeying that rule.

Not to really argue, but he may have a point. Maybe something to do with the Snarl and small creatures, maybe something to do with negative space. My money is on Blackwing has something that interrupts other's perception of him.

[Shale]

That's possible, yes. It's also possible that Redcloak's sister polymorphed herself into a human and became Lord Tyrinar, also known as Nale and Elan's father, but they strike me as about equally likely.

[Kish]

Not to really argue, but he may have a point. Maybe something to do with the Snarl and small creatures, maybe something to do with negative space. My money is on Blackwing has something that interrupts other's perception of him.
Blackwing bought the diamond dust, remember? You'd need to come up with an explanation for why the Order can't see Blackwing (except for Roy, who thinks he's an illusion), but the shopkeeper could.

[Jack of Spades]

Okay, so Elan has never seen Blackwing. And I can see Belkar putting on an act of forgetting just to annoy V - that would be entirely in character. But Haley and Durkon? No. And Roy has heard of Blackwing, although the evidence is inconclusive that he's ever seen him.

Since when are Haley and Durkon incapable of sarcasm? Haley's a lighthearted rogue, and Durkon seems generally willing to go along with a joke.

[Gift Jeraff]

Again, Elan never even heard of Blackwing EVER. Roy didn't find out about him until Haley mentioned him while V was polymorphed. It's not a stretch to think that he just didn't remember it. Durkon's only seen Blackwing once, and it was referred to as a "class feature".

It's entirely believable, and funny, to think that since V's familiar has only been brought up three times (and only once with any relevance to the mission) in over a year (comic time) that they have long since forgotten about it.

Or do you seriously remember every person you've ever met, no matter how briefly?
Well, he also appeared during the Trial (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0271.html), which presumably everyone present (i.e. not Belkar) was paying attention to, except maybe Elan. But count me in the "It's just a gag" camp.


If it were a joke, if Haley had forgotten, then when V reminds her she'd - well, be reminded.
So you have never met someone who has completely forgotten about one thing that did the previous day, let alone around a year ago?

Really, I think the whole "I can't believe they all forgot about Blackwing!" thing comes from the fact that we aren't seeing this from the OOTS's perspective: they can't read the archives when they want to (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0528.html), they aren't constantly memorizing minor details to speculate on for each strip that comes out, and they have better things to do than remember a bird that refused to speak Common and failed to do anything useful for the party.