the oracle and not getting involved in world politics

[King of Nowhere]

here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0737.html) Malack states that Tiamat's followers don't like to get involved in world politics, and we have a cutaway panel to Xykon visiting the oracle and not finding him. It should reinforce the idea that the oracle, doing Tiamat's bidding, don't want to get involved with the struggle for the gates.
But on the other hand he received the oots, and even tried to tell Roy that he left out Azure city's gate. Not getting involved would mean giving the slip to both Xykon and the oots, so how is that going with the "not getting involved" part? Is it some clue about some secret plan? Maybe Tiamat parts for the oots because she's afraid the snarl migth be released? But if so, why not being more helpful than that?

it is also to mention that Xykon, on account of being a lich and thus immune to mind affecting spells, may be able to resist the memory charm. Maybe the oracle didn't want to talk to Xykon because he knew Xykon would remember everything? But how would that matter?
Will I ever stop making pointless questions:smallbiggrin:?

[derfenrirwolv]

I think its more likely that the oracle simply wanted to live. The oracle DOES get involved in politics but apparently he doesn't LIKE it.. Thats why he has questguard tm security keeping everyone out.

[Kish]

The Oracle may consider "helping would-be world-conqueror" getting involved in politics in a way "helping group-of-adventurers-out-to-kill-lich" isn't. Although, Malack's words aside, I would have predicted (...did, actually predict... (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7745616&postcount=6)) the Oracle dodging Xykon anyway. Malack's words may be just to establish that the Xykon-dodging should not be taken as indicative of having "sided with the Order."

[TheMac04]

The Oracle is obviously neutral, if a bit of a jerk. He's not siding with anyone any time soon.

[DaveMcW]

The oracle knew what would happen (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0567.html) if Roy found Xykon. Leading Roy to his death is not politics. :smallbiggrin:

[Bongos]

Malack says "too involved". So probably giving answers to the Oot's with only Roy's question having any connection to world politics is not "too involved", whereas answering the question of the really powerful and scary would be conqueror of the world is. Also knowing the Oracle he might have seen something horrible happening to him meeting with Xykon.

[Ron Miel]

I think the Oracle is, in his own way, trying to stop Xykon, cause he doesn't want the world to end. I think that Belkar's fake character growth will be key to success in the final battle, somehow. I think that The Oracle deliberatly provoked Belkar into killing him, in order to set off the Mark, knowing it would lead to the fake character growth.

[JonestheSpy]

The Oracle may consider "helping would-be world-conqueror" getting involved in politics in a way "helping group-of-adventurers-out-to-kill-lich" isn't.

I think this. Helping adventurers preserve the status quo is no big deal - pretty standard for this world of endless campaigns, really. Helping out a lich who actually has a good chance of taking over or destroying the world is another matter entirely.

[Dr.Epic]

Maybe the Oracle thinks that one small band of adventurers isn't enough to stop Xykon and all the forces he commands.

[TheMac04]

Maybe the Oracle thinks that one small band of adventurers isn't enough to stop Xykon and all the forces he commands.
He seems like the type to be cynical about something like that.

[Gift Jeraff]

"Dude is frickin' scary."

'nuff said.

[Dr.Epic]

"Dude is frickin' scary."

'nuff said.

Still, he's an oracle that can see when he is going to die and can tell is associates when he needs to be resurrected.

[Southern Cross]

Yes,but Xykon can cast Soul Bind, which would prevent the Oracle being resurrected.

[King of Nowhere]

Also knowing the Oracle he might have seen something horrible happening to him meeting with Xykon.

I was going to say that knowing a client was going to kill him didn't stop him from receiving said client, but the last comment on soul bind changes that.
Which in turn calls the matter of how much the oracle can change things after having seen them. Which raises a number of other questions.

[TheMac04]

And just because he knows he'll be resurrected doesn't mean he wants to be killed. I mean, it's gotta hurt! Why would he want that?

[veti]

You could argue that the Order isn't engaged in "politics", as such - they're on a basically personal quest to destroy Xykon. The fact that X is making a move on the whole world is mostly coincidental. (Okay, so that's not entirely true, but it's close enough for an Oracle who's not too sticky about precise rules.)

Or Malack could be lying, or at least not telling the whole truth.

I think there are too many possibilities here to make a call.

[rewinn]

I was going to say that knowing a client was going to kill him didn't stop him from receiving said client, but the last comment on soul bind changes that.
Which in turn calls the matter of how much the oracle can change things after having seen them. Which raises a number of other questions.
There's some sort of quantum-physics observation-causation question here, but since I don't really understand quantum physics, I don't think I can ask it.

If I were an oracle and knew that whatever I forsaw was going to happen, and I started forseeing X knocking on my door, I most definitely would STOP forseeing and make sure I wasn't anywhere near the door.

[suszterpatt]

I was going to say that knowing a client was going to kill him didn't stop him from receiving said client, but the last comment on soul bind changes that.
Which in turn calls the matter of how much the oracle can change things after having seen them. Which raises a number of other questions.Well, if the future he saw didn't eventually come true, then it wouldn't actually be the future, now would it?

[TheMac04]

Well, if the future he saw didn't eventually come true, then it wouldn't actually be the future, now would it?

That sound you heard was everyone's heads exploding.

[Steward]

Well, if the future he saw didn't eventually come true, then it wouldn't actually be the future, now would it?

Prophecies that don't actually come true are called "hallucinations".

Hey, maybe that's the secret. Maybe Tiamat doesn't send this guy visions at all; maybe she's just his LSD contact.

[TheMac04]

Prophecies that don't actually come true are called "hallucinations".

Hey, maybe that's the secret. Maybe Tiamat doesn't send this guy visions at all; maybe she's just his LSD contact.
Maybe the oracle is just stoned out of his mind and all of his "predictions" were just right by chance.

[LuPuWei]

Well, if the future he saw didn't eventually come true, then it wouldn't actually be the future, now would it?

Perhaps the only thing he foresaw was Xykon heading his way at a certain time, and everything after that, being fuzzy, was in his hands. Its not like he necessarily recieves full video coverage of everything that's going to happen, maybe just certain things that are too late to change or something like that.

This would work well with the Kobold village incident. Suppose he foresaw his death at the hands of Belkar, this time he really couldn't make an active change, but he Could alter the consequences of his death as they were not part of his premonition. (Or maybe screwing Belkar over was just worth it)

So he sees Xykon coming, realises a meeting itself isn't pre-ordained and decides to skip town.

[Killer Angel]

Maybe Tiamat parts for the oots because she's afraid the snarl migth be released?

Don't know 'bout "OotS Vs Xikon", but I'm pretty sure that, in the scenario "Xikon Vs Vaarsuvius", Tiamat was clearly on Xikon's side...

[Bongos]

"Dude is frickin' scary."

'nuff said.

Yeah, see, I wouldn't want to meet with Xykon either. The Oracle probably saw his future meeting with Xykon and decided it was either not in his best interest or quite possibly the world's interest.

I mean why would you want to help Xykon conquer the world when you are living in it? Especially when you can look ahead and see how it turns out for you?

If nothing else, Xykon would probably make him change the name of his village.

[Dr.Epic]

Yes,but Xykon can cast Soul Bind, which would prevent the Oracle being resurrected.

Xykon doesn't Soul Bind everyone he kills.

[archon_huskie]

Or it could be that as Xykon is a part of Goblintopia in theory, the Oracle will not talk to him now and thus avoid politics. Whereas he would have recieved Xykon before the battle for Azure City.

[Dr.Epic]

Or it could be that as Xykon is a part of Goblintopia in theory, the Oracle will not talk to him now and thus avoid politics. Whereas he would have recieved Xykon before the battle for Azure City.

The Order could have been considered to have been part of Azure City (from a certain point of view) after Shojo hired them to inspect the other Gates.

[TheMac04]

Xykon doesn't Soul Bind everyone he kills.
The question is whether or not he'd be feeling particularly dickish at the time.

[Kish]

He does, however, animate practically everybody he kills, and accompanying Xykon back to Gobbotopia as a zombie would be almost as bad from the Oracle's perspective as getting Soul Bound.

[archon_huskie]

The Order could have been considered to have been part of Azure City (from a certain point of view) after Shojo hired them to inspect the other Gates.

The Order would not be equal to Xykon in this case. They were not offical parts of Azure City the way Goblintopia's government is linked to Xykon.

Xykon = big hitter in Goblintopia's army and Acrane advisor to its founder.
OoTS = hired mercenaries who work for free.

[Vonotar]

Personally if I was an evil lich sorcerer who knew a way of finding an answer to (mostly) any question, I'd want that firmly under my control. Or if that's not possible I'd work towards preventing anyone else being able to use it, quite possibly via soul bind.

On the other hand if I was a mortal oracle who people of varying alignments came to ask questions of then I'd consider it perfectly justifiable to see the (mostly) good adventurers and dodge the evil lich.

Just sayin'.