Why do people think Ian would Die?

[Burner28]

No. Really. Why:smallconfused::smallannoyed:

[Swordpriest]

For the drama, probably.

[Gnoman]

This whole arc has been a parody of dramatic conventions (much more so than typical even for this comic), so a lot of people have been looking at what would be the conventional "dramatic" outcome in order to predict what will happen, and how Rich will subvert/lampshade it.

[jidasfire]

Probably because, despite the length of time Haley's been into this sidequest, the relative ease with which she found her father might lead some readers to suspect that the other shoe is going to drop somehow, and since the mantra of the comic often seems to be "the heroes (except Belkar) must suffer," that would put Haley in a unique position to suffer greatly.

However, I intend to hold out hope Ian will live. It would probably break Haley more than is necessary to have her primary driving force be a complete failure. This is not to say I think things will be simple. I suspect Ian has his reasons for being where he is, and may either decide to stay in the dungeon or go off on another quest once he's freed. Still, considering that the current book will probably be a source of great woe, between Elan's inevitable conflict with his father and probably Nale, the impending death of either Belkar or Durkon, the also inevitable destruction of the gate, Xykon's retrieval of his phylactery, and the continuation of the horrible price V is going to pay for the Soul Splice, I suspect Haley's dad subplot will be the one thing that goes right. ::crosses fingers for luck::

[Swordpriest]

Yes, it is a good point that as V says, the universe seems to hate the PCs. :smallbiggrin: And the fact that things have been going easily on this rescue attempt increases the chances the +5 Shoe of Otherness is about to drop. :smallwink:

[Shoelessgdowar]

Probably because, despite the length of time Haley's been into this sidequest, the relative ease with which she found her father might lead some readers to suspect that the other shoe is going to drop somehow, and since the mantra of the comic often seems to be "the heroes (except Belkar) must suffer," that would put Haley in a unique position to suffer greatly.

However, I intend to hold out hope Ian will live. It would probably break Haley more than is necessary to have her primary driving force be a complete failure. This is not to say I think things will be simple. I suspect Ian has his reasons for being where he is, and may either decide to stay in the dungeon or go off on another quest once he's freed. Still, considering that the current book will probably be a source of great woe, between Elan's inevitable conflict with his father and probably Nale, the impending death of either Belkar or Durkon, the also inevitable destruction of the gate, Xykon's retrieval of his phylactery, and the continuation of the horrible price V is going to pay for the Soul Splice, I suspect Haley's dad subplot will be the one thing that goes right. ::crosses fingers for luck::

Since when was Belkar exempt from the suffering bit? I could use just two words to illustrate this:

EXPLOSIVE RUNES!







*BOOM!!!*

But there was also the Greater Mark of Justice, Kissing V, Being Imprisoned, being chased by Yokyok, Having to pass up on 10000gp for doing nothing... the list goes on.

[Lateral]

The rest of the OOTS have gotten a disproportionate amount of pain compared to Belkar when you factor in karma. They don't deserve half of what they get, whereas Belkar is a short, whiny little bastard who deserves to be whacked off of a cliff with a Dire Rhinocerelephant.

[Lemonus]

I don't think Ian will die, but we'll see.

[Gift Jeraff]

Because he's an old mentor and father to one of the main characters, plus is wanted in an incredibly hostile land which the characters are currently in. However, I could see Ian surviving and getting to be in charge of the Thieves' Guild in order to give them a happy ending.

If anything, I think Geoff is the one who's not going to make it out of this.

[Shoelessgdowar]

Because he's an old mentor and father to one of the main characters, plus is wanted in an incredibly hostile land which the characters are currently in. However, I could see Ian surviving and getting to be in charge of the Thieves' Guild in order to give them a happy ending.

If anything, I think Geoff is the one who's not going to make it out of this.

Ooooooo, good point... We've known about Ian since way back in the beginning (maybe not by name, but as Haley's father) but Geoff is already shown to not be as good at avoiding getting hurt and was dropped in our laps for this story arch, so he is the ideal one to die (we don't even know if he is Haley's mom's brother, or the spouse of one of Ian's siblings).

Though, did anyone notice that Geoff bares some resemblance to one of Tarquin's old adventuring group/co-conspirators (The Guy on the far left with the big sword and shield behind Malack as seen in panel 7 and with Miron encouraging violence with the Weeping King in Panel 9, here: http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0758.html)... I sort of doubt it is him, since he is probably still with Miron and the Weeping King, but there is a resemblance...

BTW, does anyone know the named of Tarquin's Group's Members besides Tarquin, Nale, Miron, and Malack?

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Oh, and Lateral... wouldn't that be a Dire Elephino?

[Nimrod's Son]

I sort of doubt it is him, since he is probably still with Miron and the Weeping King, but there is a resemblance...
They're both male. That is literally the only resemblance there. Not to mention that the cutaway to the Empire of Tears is present-day, and Geoff is visibly more wrinkled than the other guy.


BTW, does anyone know the named of Tarquin's Group's Members besides Tarquin, Nale, Miron, and Malack?
If anyone does, Rich does.

[Swordpriest]

I keep wondering exactly how far fetched the "person A looks exactly like person B" theories can get. :smallbiggrin: Next up: Belkar and Aarindarius are actually twins! :smallwink:

[Onyavar]

I don't think he'll die inside the Empire of Blood.

...

Of course he'll die sooner or later, and since he's quite old, sooner.

[dehro]

I keep wondering exactly how far fetched the "person A looks exactly like person B" theories can get. :smallbiggrin: Next up: Belkar and Aarindarius are actually twins! :smallwink:

also, girard is captain scoundrél's dad..yeah, they don't look the same at all, but since we're throwing out wild ideas

[Cizak]

I don't know if I think he'll die, but I certainly hope he'll die.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for dark stories. That's why I wwas so dissapointed with the last Harry Potter book and that's why I wished the Hunger Games would have ended with the first book. :xykon:

[Swordpriest]

I don't know if I think he'll die, but I certainly hope he'll die.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for dark stories. That's why I wwas so dissapointed with the last Harry Potter book and that's why I wished the Hunger Games would have ended with the first book. :xykon:

I've seen too many people close to me die to enjoy anything other an ultimately happy ending. After having enough dark stories in real life, you kind of want to get away from it after a while, and get some frickin' relief. That's just me, though. :smallwink:

[Cizak]

I've seen too many people close to me die to enjoy anything other an ultimately happy ending. After having enough dark stories in real life, you kind of want to get away from it after a while, and get some frickin' relief. That's just me, though. :smallwink:

Sorry to hear that. I have nothing against happy endings, after all I'm a big fan of the Disney classics :smalltongue: But the older I've gotten the more Ive found I like depressing stories.

[jidasfire]

I don't know if I think he'll die, but I certainly hope he'll die.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for dark stories. That's why I was so dissapointed with the last Harry Potter book and that's why I wished the Hunger Games would have ended with the first book. :xykon:

I guess the question to ask is what Ian's death would do for the story. For me, it just seems like it kills Haley's entire personal motivation and leaves her an unnecessary wreck. It turns her arc into what the tropers would call a Shaggy Dog Story. There's dark and then there's pointlessly dark. Let the heroes have a few moments of happiness and victory, considering how boned they are.

[Shoelessgdowar]

I don't know if I think he'll die, but I certainly hope he'll die.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for dark stories. That's why I wwas so dissapointed with the last Harry Potter book and that's why I wished the Hunger Games would have ended with the first book. :xykon:

How can you be disappointed in the last Harry Potter book?

In no particular order: Hedwig the Owl dies, Ted Tonks dies, Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin dies, Remus "Mooney" Lupin dies, Severus "Half-Blood Prince" Snape dies, Peter "Wormtail" Pettigrew dies, Bellatrix "Voldemort's Ho" Black-Lestrange dies, Nagini "Voldemort's Pet" the Giant Snake dies, Tom Marvelo "Lord Voldemort" Riddle Junior Dies, Harry "The Boy who lived" Potter Dies(briefly), Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody dies, Fred "Twin 2" Weasley dies, The Minister of Magic Rufus "Not George Carlin" Scrimgeour dies, Dobby "Must save Harry Potter" the House Elf dies, Charity "I teach Muggle Studies at Hogwarts" Burbage dies, Vincent "I'm Draco Malfoy's lackie turned Death Eater wannabe" Crabbe dies, Colin "Can I take your picture Harry?" Creevey dies, Bathilda Bagshot dies, Gornuk "I worked at Gringotts" the Goblin died, Dirk "I was a Slughorn Club member and Favorite" Cresswell died, Gregorovitch "I make best wands outside of England so good you could die" died, The Drak Wizard Gellert "I was Dumbledore's ex-boyfriend and more" Grindelwald died...

I mean with all that, how can you be disappointed?

[Cizak]

How can you be disappointed in the last Harry Potter book?

In no particular order: Hedwig the Owl dies, Ted Tonks dies, Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin dies, Remus "Mooney" Lupin dies, Severus "Half-Blood Prince" Snape dies, Peter "Wormtail" Pettigrew dies, Bellatrix "Voldemort's Ho" Black-Lestrange dies, Nagini "Voldemort's Pet" the Giant Snake dies, Tom Marvelo "Lord Voldemort" Riddle Junior Dies, Harry "The Boy who lived" Potter Dies(briefly), Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody dies, Fred "Twin 2" Weasley dies, The Minister of Magic Rufus "Not George Carlin" Scrimgeour dies, Dobby "Must save Harry Potter" the House Elf dies, Charity "I teach Muggle Studies at Hogwarts" Burbage dies, Vincent "I'm Draco Malfoy's lackie turned Death Eater wannabe" Crabbe dies, Colin "Can I take your picture Harry?" Creevey dies, Bathilda Bagshot dies, Gornuk "I worked at Gringotts" the Goblin died, Dirk "I was a Slughorn Club member and Favorite" Cresswell died, Gregorovitch "I make best wands outside of England so good you could die" died, The Drak Wizard Gellert "I was Dumbledore's ex-boyfriend and more" Grindelwald died...

I mean with all that, how can you be disappointed?

Those parts were awesome. What really made me wanna burn the book was the ending.
SUGAR. FRICKIN'. SWEET. ENDING. Everyone married everyone they wanted to marry, everyone got as many kids as they wanted and everyone got the job they wanted.
That, and the final battle was weeeeeeak. Overall though, it was a good book. I'd rank it somewhere in the middle of all seven.

[Flickerdart]

He's like a jillion years old, and unless the wild fan theories that Haley is secretly a half-whatever come true, he's scheduled for a meeting with one of those blue-skinned bureaucrats.

[Nimrod's Son]

He's like a jillion years old
According to Haley, he's only "over 60 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0766.html)".

...Which, to be fair, is much older than I expected him to be, given his previous appearances and the fact that Haley's only 25.

[Elfin]

I don't know if I think he'll die, but I certainly hope he'll die.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for dark stories. That's why I wwas so dissapointed with the last Harry Potter book and that's why I wished the Hunger Games would have ended with the first book. :xykon:

As for the Hunger Games? Mockingjay was pretty freakin' dark. And the ending, too, if hopeful, was pretty bittersweet.

On topic - I know I say this on a lot of speculation threads, but there's just no way to tell. Especially with an author like Rich, always ready to break expectations and conventions, we...well...won't know until we know.
Maybe I'm a bit boring, but it's true.

[Felixc-91]

According to Haley, he only "over 60 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0766.html)".

...Which, to be fair, is much older than I expected him to be, given his previous appearances and the fact that Haley's only 25....huh, i only just noticed that, thank you for pointing it out. Next though: WTF he's over 60?!?!?!?! that would mean he's around 50 years old here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0093.html)... i mean sure the art was still really low on detail but... i mean does he look 50 to you? it would also mean that someone who lived in a ruff and tumble sudo-medieval society waited till they were over 35 to reproduce (more believable but still weird)
on a completely unrelated note, people in D&D don't need to die of old age (and not do any thing massively evil). they could permanently turn them selves into warforged, abuse the life extension epic feat (if they kept gaining XP fairly steadily), use the reincarnation spell to generate a young body every time they hit the final age category, etc.