I'm kinda sure someone else has already asked it, but... (SPOILER)

[Gandariel]

in the introduction of OOtPCs...

Rich: ...And in at least one case, i wasn't ready to reveal a history that will, in part, be integral to the main plot of OOTS, so i chose a different scene from that charachter's previous life.


Since that came out in 2005, should we suppose it's about Elan and Nale?
or something we don't know about yet?

[TimelordSimone]

I think that refers to V's family.

[jidasfire]

Yeah, I got into a big debate about that a few months back, and the general consensus is that it's V's family. I'm not 100% convinced, but it is a reasonable assumption. I would say that if it isn't that, the revelation still has to do with Haley or Vaarsuvius, as the other characters are either open books (Roy, Durkon, Elan) or blank slates (Belkar) when it comes to their pasts.

[NerfTW]

It's not likely to be Haley, unless we learn that there's a lot more to her past. Her father's kidnapping and all the members of the thieves guild were introduced there.

I'd also rule out Elan, since any connection with his father was when he was still a baby. The comic could have gone all the way back to his first day of school without spoiling anything about Tarquin.

Roy, obviously, was pretty detailed, and I don't think Eric is going to be integral to the plot at any point.

Belkar has already been stated to just be a character who's backstory would just be too difficult to do in any satisfying way without ruining the comedy of the character.


The only two likely ones are Durkon and Varsuvius.

I say Durkon due to the fact that we really don't see much of his life in the Dwarven lands. We literally have no idea what he might have done before the morning of that prophecy. The only thing we know about his past is that he's not currently married, according to his dialogue with Hilgya.

Varsuvius's family might have been revealed far earlier, but I don't really see that as any different than revealing Julia's name hundreds of strips before she appeared. Although there might be more. Like WHY Varsuvius was really so far from elven lands.


edit- Although on second thought, I'm assuming nothing was changed over the course of five years. But I still rule out Elan, since in Nale's first appearance, it's established that the divorce happened when he and Nale were babies.

[Morgan Wick]

The "one" is probably V's family, and my guess is that it isn't done yet (fallout from divorce lack-of-proceedings, anyone?). As for the "at least"...


It's not likely to be Haley, unless we learn that there's a lot more to her past.
OMG THE CELESTIAL THEORY IS STILL ALIVE!!!!!!!1111!1!!111!!!eleven!


I'd also rule out Elan, since any connection with his father was when he was still a baby. The comic could have gone all the way back to his first day of school without spoiling anything about Tarquin. ... I still rule out Elan, since in Nale's first appearance, it's established that the divorce happened when he and Nale were babies.
And it's not like we'd have learned much from his time with his mother. Though how he came to be a bard, and reached the point we saw him at in Origins, is another matter...


Roy, obviously, was pretty detailed, and I don't think Eric is going to be integral to the plot at any point.
Origins only gave us a look at Roy starting when he was in college. But most of the rest has been filled in in the online comic (and a little in SoD).


The only two likely ones are Durkon and Varsuvius.

I say Durkon due to the fact that we really don't see much of his life in the Dwarven lands. We literally have no idea what he might have done before the morning of that prophecy. The only thing we know about his past is that he's not currently married, according to his dialogue with Hilgya.
That seems to me that, for the purposes of Origins, it wasn't as important as his character development during his post-prophecy exile. Durkon is a boring character, so his past is probably equally boring. Certainly people are less interested in his past than in V's.


Varsuvius's family might have been revealed far earlier, but I don't really see that as any different than revealing Julia's name hundreds of strips before she appeared.
See my first sentence (and this comic (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0223.html), for that matter)...

Although there might be more. Like WHY Varsuvius was really so far from elven lands.
...and this one (or how (s)he and Haley came to be friends, for that matter). I think we've seen a hint of what might come of this here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0679.html).

[grimbold]

while it probably is V or haley it is certainly possible that he is discussing Elan and Nale

[Gift Jeraff]

When I first read it, I assumed it had something to do with Mia's death, why Haley thought she wasn't good enough, and/or the big secret that even V doesn't know.

Then when Tarquin was revealed to know something about Girard, I figured it was Elan, but this thread has convinced me otherwise.

But V's family fits the bill, since they "in part" were indirectly involved in the main plot, and now Polozius might have something to do with V's past.

[Dr.Epic]

Could be Belkar considering we got nothing about his backstory except he was in jail at one point (yeah, big surprise there).

[Juggling Goth]

Unlikely, given the Giant has already given a reason for not telling us Belkar's past - anything that explained him would make him sad rather than funny.

[NerfTW]

while it probably is V or haley it is certainly possible that he is discussing Elan and Nale

As has been pointed out, not very likely, due to the fact that Tarquin left when Elan was a baby. For context, the book came out AFTER the strips in the dungeon of Durokon, so Nale and the fact that his father was a warlord on the western continent were already revealed. There is nothing in Elan's past that would have spoiled anything about that.



Could be Belkar considering we got nothing about his backstory except he was in jail at one point (yeah, big surprise there).

The commentary itself states the reason for not going into Belkar's past too much.

[olthar]

Unlikely, given the Giant has already given a reason for not telling us Belkar's past - anything that explained him would make him sad rather than funny.

Well that, and it would actually ruin Belkar. I've always been under the impression that Belkar was the Giant giving us an example of the player who rolls up a character without thinking about anything other than the character's ability to kill stuff. This would be the player who puts no effort whatsoever into the character's backstory. If that's the case, than Belkar literally cannot have a backstory because his player didn't make one.

[ThePhantasm]

Well that, and it would actually ruin Belkar. I've always been under the impression that Belkar was the Giant giving us an example of the player who rolls up a character without thinking about anything other than the character's ability to kill stuff. This would be the player who puts no effort whatsoever into the character's backstory. If that's the case, than Belkar literally cannot have a backstory because his player didn't make one.

But he didn't get to play throw the rock, or throw the stick, or throw the rock and then the stick shortly thereafter.

That's a bit of a backstory. Even if only for gameplay exp.

[Gandariel]

so to sum up:

ROY: 99% NO, we know about all of his backstory

Durkon: probably not, the only thing i can think of is something related to his prophecy

Elan: maybe? something about the connection between Tarquin and Girard?

Belkar: surely not

Haley: maybe? possible, maybe something related to his father being sent here (because of his traitor uncle and aunt?)

V: i don't know...
the strip in which we know V is married came out in 2005 too, so i don't know.

[LightsOnNo1Home]

It is Roy he is ralking about I think. When his dad shows up to talk to him at fighter college, the actual explanation of the history of the blood oath of vengeance is skipped over rather glaringly with a black panel showing only the text "two hours later".

This missing section is then filled in in SOD. Considering it to be V's family would be equally valid without direct word of god confirmation either way, but if I hadn't picked up SOD and OTOOPC's at the same time, (and read SOD first actually) that skip would've annoyed the hell out of me.

[Morgan Wick]

It is Roy he is ralking about I think. When his dad shows up to talk to him at fighter college, the actual explanation of the history of the blood oath of vengeance is skipped over rather glaringly with a black panel showing only the text "two hours later".

This missing section is then filled in in SOD. Considering it to be V's family would be equally valid without direct word of god confirmation either way, but if I hadn't picked up SOD and OTOOPC's at the same time, (and read SOD first actually) that skip would've annoyed the hell out of me.

Unlikely for a few reasons:

1) Even when Origins was published, we already knew most of the relevant details (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0078.html). The only thing I can think of that might be any further relevant would be Eugene being drunk at the time, but I can't imagine even that being relevant to later events, or needing to be withheld from Origins. (Same goes for Eugene forming his own adventuring party to take down "Xyklon".) I could see withholding from Origins Eugene visiting the Oracle, but I'm not sure Rich had even thought that far ahead yet, considering Origins also mentions the first time the Oracle is even mentioned and he's described as a "she" therein, which the memory charm eventually had to fix.

2) The place to put the major plot-relevant details you're not ready to reveal yet isn't another prequel. (Yes, I know this pretty much describes Redcloak's entire plot arc in SoD, but still.)

The purpose of that segment was primarily to further nail down Eugene's characterization.

[Felixaar]

Could be Belkar considering we got nothing about his backstory except he was in jail at one point (yeah, big surprise there).

Isn't making Belkar sad almost a necessary part of killing Belkar? At the moment I find it hard to see Belkar having a 'meaningful' death, just because he's not a meaningful character, more a live fast die young type, where his death is seen as a result of his lifestyle, and then everyone wonders if maybe they're not really living at all etc., which doesn't seem likely in oots.

[LightsOnNo1Home]

Unlikely for a few reasons:

1) Even when Origins was published, we already knew most of the relevant details (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0078.html). The only thing I can think of that might be any further relevant would be Eugene being drunk at the time, but I can't imagine even that being relevant to later events, or needing to be withheld from Origins. (Same goes for Eugene forming his own adventuring party to take down "Xyklon".) I could see withholding from Origins Eugene visiting the Oracle, but I'm not sure Rich had even thought that far ahead yet, considering Origins also mentions the first time the Oracle is even mentioned and he's described as a "she" therein, which the memory charm eventually had to fix.

2) The place to put the major plot-relevant details you're not ready to reveal yet isn't another prequel. (Yes, I know this pretty much describes Redcloak's entire plot arc in SoD, but still.)

The purpose of that segment was primarily to further nail down Eugene's characterization.

Fair enough, but I disagree. Roy's is the only one of the backgrounds that we can say for certain that something was deliberately missed out of. As I said before though, without WoG, we can't be certain.

[Dr.Epic]

Unlikely, given the Giant has already given a reason for not telling us Belkar's past - anything that explained him would make him sad rather than funny.

Who said it had to be sad? We know Xykon's past and he's still hilarious.

[Gandariel]

Who said it had to be sad? We know Xykon's past and he's still hilarious.

yeah, because we know Xykon is just evil.
and he is just evil because he is supposed to be the EVIL main boss.
Belkar is one of the protagonists...

oh, and by the way, Rich tells us exactly this in the introduction to OtOoPCs