Do Split the Party

[Ancalagon]

So, how long will the party-split last this time? Give your estimation: 10, 20, 50, or rather 200 strips? ;)

[waterpenguin43]

So, how long will the party-split last this time? Give your estimation: 10, 20, 50, or rather 200 strips? ;)

I estimate around 50.

[Capt Spanner]

I get the feeling it won't be long this time.

5-10 strips.

[factotum]

Approximately 1337 strips, expanding to 2012 in the printed book. :smallbiggrin:

[jlvm4]

I'm praying not too long, say 5-10 strips. While I respect the plotting that required the previous split, it worked far better in 'compliation' form rather than waiting for strip by strip progress. They also just got back together, relatively speaking. It would be a shame to split them again.

[dps]

I estimate around 50.

This whole thread probably should have been spoilered, but anyway, I doubt that it will be that long. This will probably be closer to the "Durkon left behind" or "Elan in the bandit camp" plotlines than the whole affair after the battle for Azure City.

[licoot]

I'd say around 20-30 strips, unless they are immediately intercepted by the rest of the party, in that case 5 at most.

On the other hand they could spend the next 300 strips apart.

[Magicyop]

I don't think this is a real 'party split'. I doubt very long, I estimate a maximum of 20 strips.

[OITS]

Over 9000.






I'm sorry -.-

[Ancalagon]

I'm sorry -.-

Don't say you are sorry. Either do a joke like that or don't. If you do it, stand behind it. Just don't make it and then say you are sorry. We all know you liked it. ;)

[Kurald Galain]

42, of course.

[Mystic Muse]

42, of course.

aww. I was going to do this joke.:smallfrown:

[Dr.Epic]

Since no one in the party can teleport, Roy, Durkon, and Belkar have to get there on foot and rescue Elan, V, and Haley so who knows. 30-40 I guess. Still, the whole split party thing is kind of annoying.

[RMcMurtry]

Since no one in the party can teleport, Roy, Durkon, and Belkar have to get there on foot and rescue Elan, V, and Haley so who knows. 30-40 I guess. Still, the whole split party thing is kind of annoying.

No they don't. Durkon has already stated he has access to Windwalk. 60 mph for a number of hours equal to his level. They might be a few hours behind, but they'll be on the way.

[DSCrankshaw]

No they don't. Durkon has already stated he has access to Windwalk. 60 mph for a number of hours equal to his level. They might be a few hours behind, but they'll be on the way.

Reference (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0647.html), because it's fun. Another reference (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0673.html), on why he hasn't been using it before. And why (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0698.html) he can use it now.

[Katana_Geldar]

Roy, Durkon and Belkar may come across someone who can teleport anyway.

[DSCrankshaw]

Roy, Durkon and Belkar may come across someone who can teleport anyway.

Eh, it's more interesting if it takes them a couple of days to get there. That way they get to rescue the others in the nick of time, instead of walking in before anything happens.

[Solara]

Since no one in the party can teleport, Roy, Durkon, and Belkar have to get there on foot and rescue Elan, V, and Haley so who knows. 30-40 I guess. Still, the whole split party thing is kind of annoying.

If they have to walk, they have to walk. I don't see how that's necessarily going to affect the number of strips though, as long as nothing plot-relevant happens along the way. It's not like this comic takes place in real time.

[Danne]

Over 9000.


42, of course.

You guys win. :smallbiggrin:

I'm figuring somewhere in the 10-15 range, myself. This will probably be more like the "rescue Elan from the bandits" sidequest (party fully reunited after 12 strips) than the DStP arc.

And sure, they might have to walk, but there's no reason for that to take extra comics (unless there's plot and/or for the funny). They can always just use a montage sequence (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0692.html) or other narrative devices (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0155.html) to skip those parts.

[Dr.Epic]

No they don't. Durkon has already stated he has access to Windwalk. 60 mph for a number of hours equal to his level. They might be a few hours behind, but they'll be on the way.

Durkon doesn't like to use that spell in the desert because of the winds.

[Cealocanth]

It will be a long, long, long, time, like 10,000,000 strips! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

But seriously, I expect it to be a short time, like 20 strips, if it overshoots that, it'll be long enough for Belkar to die while being captured. That is my blind guess.

[Skios]

Man, for some reason the thread title brought back flashbacks of a voice from the heavens booming: "You must gather your party before venturing forth!" :smalleek:

[Herald Alberich]

Durkon doesn't like to use that spell in the desert because of the winds.

Not in the Great Barren Desert itself, but he was planning to use it to get to the cities around the desert. As long as they don't cut across the big sandy area (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0698.html) they'll be fine.

[RMcMurtry]

Durkon doesn't like to use that spell in the desert because of the winds.

As just a travel spell, sure. To rescue Haley, Elan, and Vaarsuvius? Different story.

[DSCrankshaw]

Durkon doesn't like to use that spell in the desert because of the winds.

To quote Durkon (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0698.html), "Once we leave tha desert, I can use me Wind Walk spell to move us from one to tha next quickly."

"Tha next" being the next major city on the continent, one being located in the Empire of Blood, so he was apparently planning on using Wind Walk to get there anyway.

[Secris]

Anyone else thinking the Empress of Blood is going to be a dainty, classy lady in a big poofy dress who just happens to rule the land with an iron fist? Assuming of course we meet her. She strikes me as the next Shojo, a leader who is nothing at all like you'd expect from the build up in the comic.

[Garwain]

If you ask me the plot is fairly obvious:

This story arc is about Girard's Gate, the death of Belkar and some unraveling of Haley's father being held by Elan/Nale's father.

Now that's a lot of male characters, time to throw in some dramatic love story (an ex, a rejected love, a long lost mother... ) by introducing some females: The Empress and (wild guess) her daughter (sooo classic to be a beauty but pain in the ass).

So this kidnapping sequence is just an excuse to move the party to the right setting (empire). I'd say no more than 6 strips both parties meet again and no more than 13 strips before they are reunited.

Disclaimer: Not including any narrative cutscenes, they tend to spoil your theories.

[waterpenguin43]

I, as I said before, guess about 20 or so strips. Sort of like in the Dungeon of Dorukan when Haley was kidnapped.

[Needle]

20~50, depending on what the plot would be about. A simple misunderstanding goes to the minimum, Linear showing up in some point however...

And we don't know how the Empress of Blood will act either.

[Kurald Galain]

Roy, Durkon and Belkar may come across someone who can teleport anyway.

Yes, they can simply ask Shojo's best wizard...

...oh yeah. :smallannoyed:

[Herald Alberich]

I'm going to agree with the many who say around 20 strips; this won't be a huge problem like the previous split was. And although it may seem like a roadblock, with the Order desperate for leads right now, something will probably happen in the EoB that will put them back on the trail.

My question is, will we follow Elan, Haley, and V to their destination, or stay with Roy and company to watch them figure it out? My guess is the former, and we won't see Roy again until they pull off either an exquisitely timed rescue, or a hilariously awkward rescue attempt after Haley and co. have already turned the situation to their advantage.


If you ask me the plot is fairly obvious:

Seems that way, but watch something totally unexpected happen.


This story arc is about Girard's Gate, the death of Belkar and some unraveling of Haley's father being held by Elan/Nale's father.

Rather, being held by Lord Tyrinar, who may or may not be Elan and Nale's father. It seems more and more likely with every hint dropped (the latest being that Nale was at some point active on the Western Continent), but it's not certain at all yet.

[ThePhantasm]

I bet it will take not much more than 10 strips for the party to reuinite. This looks like a little mini-adventure / mini-arc, not something too huge.

[Dr.Epic]

To quote Durkon (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0698.html), "Once we leave tha desert, I can use me Wind Walk spell to move us from one to tha next quickly."

"Tha next" being the next major city on the continent, one being located in the Empire of Blood, so he was apparently planning on using Wind Walk to get there anyway.

Okay, fine. Still, we just had an entire book were the party was split up. And now they're split up again. It's kind of annoying. I just hope this leads to the development of the plot and them getting to the next Gate.

[Magicyop]

Okay, fine. Still, we just had an entire book were the party was split up. And now they're split up again. It's kind of annoying. I just hope this leads to the development of the plot and them getting to the next Gate.

I hate to break it to you, but DstP WAS plot development. Most characters got tons of character development over the whole arc. V was humbled, Belkar got... um... sort-of-somewhat-character-development, Haley had the whole thieves guild thing, Roy came to an equilibrium with his father and worked off some issues, etc. Just because they weren't directly tussling with Xykon doesn't mean it wasn't a great part of the plot. Were you upset when they kidnapped Elan and Roy left on his own in Wooden Forest? Or when Haley was kidnapped by goblins? Or when Elan got left in jail? Or when V ended up on the southern wall breach?

Every time that it's not all 6 of the order together does not make it an official 'party split'. And just because they aren't Xykon smashing or standing around a gate doesn't mean that the plot is not developing.

[Shatteredtower]

This will last until they meet another kobold.

They are overdue, you know. Besides, it could be "worse".

We could cut away to the Linear Guild next strip.

[Ichneumon]

I'm not sure. I surely don't think it will last 40-50 pages. More likely 20-30 or so, could be a bit more if another party is involved or gets the focus, like Team Evil or Linear Guild.