What I Think Will Happen Next

[MoonCat]

I think the Champ is a red herring. Things have been gladiator point of view centered, ever since #777, so I think that the next strip will be on the Imperial Balcony. It'll be Elan flipping out big time on his dad, and Haley will be there too. Ian will see this as well, and be convinced that Elan is good, and Belkar might die in the action.

[EmperorSarda]

Alternate theory: Rocks fall, everybody dies.

[MoonCat]

Alternate theory: Rocks fall, everybody dies.

That is extremely likely due to precedents, and certainly not something Rich would never stoop to. :smallannoyed:

Seriously, I'm actually thinking this is likely to happen.

[ThePhantasm]

That is extremely likely due to precedents, and certainly not something Rich would never stoop to. :smallannoyed:


Huh?

What-the-frackincrack is with everyone knocking on Rich lately?

[Vectner]

I think Enor will survive due to damage reduction and then Roy will have to fight Scruffy imn the final match.

I'm probably only half right.

[Timberboar]

Huh?

What-the-frackincrack is with everyone knocking on Rich lately?

Either your sarcasm detector is malfunctioning...

... or mine is.

[Jay R]

If you predicted that Vermilius and Cerulaeus would be eaten by an allosaur,
if you predicted that Mr. Scruffy would kill a commoner in the arena,
if you predicted that Belkar would be an innocent bystander when somebody else was doing the killing,
if you predicted that Enor would fight Gannji,
and if you predicted that Tarquin would have Enor and Gannji shot, ...

... then, and only then, are you ready to predict what will come next.

Sit back and enjoy the trip. Rich is driving.

[ThePhantasm]

Either your sarcasm detector is malfunctioning...

... or mine is.

I thought MoonCat was joking / being sarcastic until I read the word "seriously."

Its the internet, folks. I see no way to read the post as anything but what MoonCat said it was . . . serious.

[cuckadoodledoo]

When people say "seriously", even that word can be part of the sarcasm as well. The best way is to read anything you see as too nonsensicle to be sarcasm, if it's sarcasm you're right, if it's not it's a better way of whacking the poster to the head than to post a straight reply.
I predicted enor vs gannji though considering Tarquin having a hand in it and his sadistic tendency, but not the part about the crossbow because that seems a bit too merciful.

[NegativeFifteen]

Well, something involving Enor and Gannji will happen next strip, or else Rich would have shown them dying in this one. I think. He HAS managed to keep us guessing so far.

[Lord Bingo]

Well, I think that Enor will protect Gannji with his bulk but I shan't say how that pans out as Tarquin obviously has it in for the smaller of the two lizards...

[Jay R]

I thought MoonCat was joking / being sarcastic until I read the word "seriously."

Its the internet, folks. I see no way to read the post as anything but what MoonCat said it was . . . serious.

It's been said that the internet causes so much misunderstanding because it takes away the two biggest clues for determining what people mean:
1. tone of voice, and
2. the assumption that the other person is sane.

[MoonCat]

If you predicted that Vermilius and Cerulaeus would be eaten by an allosaur,
if you predicted that Mr. Scruffy would kill a commoner in the arena,
if you predicted that Belkar would be an innocent bystander when somebody else was doing the killing,
if you predicted that Enor would fight Gannji,
and if you predicted that Tarquin would have Enor and Gannji shot, ...

... then, and only then, are you ready to predict what will come next.

Sit back and enjoy the trip. Rich is driving.

Typically I don't do much guessing and "Giant, if you do this I'll cry, don't do that", but I thought I'd just show a theory that makes sense. I'm interested what other people think will happen, and how it differs. What do you think may happen?





Huh?

What-the-frackincrack is with everyone knocking on Rich lately?
Either your sarcasm detector is malfunctioning...

... or mine is.
I thought MoonCat was joking / being sarcastic until I read the word "seriously."

Its the internet, folks. I see no way to read the post as anything but what MoonCat said it was . . . serious.It's been said that the internet causes so much misunderstanding because it takes away the two biggest clues for determining what people mean:
1. tone of voice, and
2. the assumption that the other person is sane.

These were extremely amusing to read :smallbiggrin:

[ThePhantasm]

Typically I don't do much guessing and "Giant, if you do this I'll cry, don't do that", but I thought I'd just show a theory that makes sense. I'm interested what other people think will happen, and how it differs. What do you think may happen?

These were extremely amusing to read :smallbiggrin:

If I misinterpreted your post I apologize. :smallsmile: Another poster was critiquing (quite harshly and unfairly, I thought) Rich's writing style and choices in another thread, and this other poster was completely serious, which is probably why I didn't think it to be crazy that you were being serious too.

Unfortunately, seeing so many crazy things posted on the internet have made me rather tone deaf to sarcasm in this medium, and without a /sarcasm tag or something I'm often at a loss.

[Kal Ironfresh]

I think that somehow the crossbow bolts will break the restraints on Enor's wings and he will grab Gannji and fly away.

[MoonCat]

I think that somehow the crossbow bolts will break the restraints on Enor's wings and he will grab Gannji and fly away.

This is fantasy, not fairy-tale. When you get hit by hundreds of crossbow bolts you will not live.

[Kal Ironfresh]

This is fantasy, not fairy-tale. When you get hit by hundreds of crossbow bolts you will not live.

Yes, but we don't know how many guards there actually are. I count 12 (EDIT: 13, there is the tip of another guards helmet barely showing) that are shown. (Plus three without crossbows in the arena.) Assuming that each the crossbows is a heavy crossbow, and that the first wave does not kill Enor and Gannji, they have 6 seconds (1 round) while the guards reload to get away.

[Wonton]

I think that the last panel wouldn't have been a cliffhanger if something unexpected wasn't about to happen. Such as V creating a shield that blocks the arrows, or something.

Then again, it might just be a set-up for a full-page spread of Enor and Gannji being pincushioned by 30 arrows.

[ThePhantasm]

I think that the last panel wouldn't have been a cliffhanger if something unexpected wasn't about to happen. Such as V creating a shield that blocks the arrows, or something.

Then again, it might just be a set-up for a full-page spread of Enor and Gannji being pincushioned by 30 arrows.

Or the next panel may be their dead bodies being dragged out. Or a scene switch and reference to their death. It doesn't have to happen on panel now - if it is referenced it will be pretty obvious what happened. Anything could happen, really.

[Dvandemon]

If you predicted that Vermilius and Cerulaeus would be eaten by an allosaur,
if you predicted that Mr. Scruffy would kill a commoner in the arena,
if you predicted that Belkar would be an innocent bystander when somebody else was doing the killing,
if you predicted that Enor would fight Gannji,
and if you predicted that Tarquin would have Enor and Gannji shot, ...

... then, and only then, are you ready to predict what will come next.

Sit back and enjoy the trip. Rich is driving.

Eh, you can't expect no back-seat drivers
Yes, but we don't know how many guards there actually are. I count 12 (EDIT: 13, there is the tip of another guards helmet barely showing) that are shown. (Plus three without crossbows in the arena.) Assuming that each the crossbows is a heavy crossbow, and that the first wave does not kill Enor and Gannji, they have 6 seconds (1 round) while the guards reload to get away.You forget that we aren't shown the whole wall of guards there, there could be more off panel.

I expect an emotional scene that shows them both dying tragically struggling to live. The OoTS sees this and is horrified.

[redcodekevin]

...or we can have the Champion jump into action, deflect all bolts Jet Li's Hero-style, to show what Roy's up for.

[elliott20]

...or we can have the Champion jump into action, deflect all bolts Jet Li's Hero-style, to show what Roy's up for.

are you saying the champion is using the ToB supplement? :smallbiggrin:

[Snails]

This is fantasy, not fairy-tale. When you get hit by hundreds of crossbow bolts you will not live.

Yes, but Tarquin asks for 30 bolts to put down the half-dragon. In this universe, it is quite plausible for a creature of its prowess to survive that. By the wording used, Tarquin himself is quite aware of this possibility, and he is willing to take a guess that the guards on hand will be sufficient.

We do not really know.

[Goosefeather]

If you predicted that Vermilius and Cerulaeus would be eaten by an allosaur,
if you predicted that Mr. Scruffy would kill a commoner in the arena,
if you predicted that Belkar would be an innocent bystander when somebody else was doing the killing,
if you predicted that Enor would fight Gannji,
and if you predicted that Tarquin would have Enor and Gannji shot, ...

... then, and only then, are you ready to predict what will come next.

Sit back and enjoy the trip. Rich is driving.

I'm sorry, sir, you are not only far too reasonable for these forums, but you appear to be additionally displaying an unhealthy amount of common sense; I have to request that you get out of here as soon as possible, for the sake of your own mental well-being.

[Fish]

Sit back and enjoy the trip. Rich is driving.
I'm sorry to say this, but some things in the plot have been susceptible to prediction. Not all of them, certainly — not even most of them. Some.

[runekiri]

The arrows won't hit the target.
At least the archers in the last panel are shooting in a straight line forward, whereas their targets are sitting on the ground, and in the middle of the ring.

Id be surprised if a single arrow hit.:smalltongue:

Besides, do we even know how much hit chance the guards have, not to mention the tumble skill.

Note that - except for the final sentence (In the spoiler) - I was using sarcasm (So don't start another discussion about sarcasm, please).

[Fish]

I was going to try to work the thing backward — that is, assume Tarquin is correct about 30 arrows, and then work out how much damage they'd have to do apiece in order to kill those guys. But there's just way too many guesses you'd have to make.

[ThePhantasm]

I was going to try to work the thing backward — that is, assume Tarquin is correct about 30 arrows, and then work out how much damage they'd have to do apiece in order to kill those guys. But there's just way too many guesses you'd have to make.

Nowhere does the strip say only 30 bolts are being fired. The order is "kill them," not "fire 30 bolts."



Note that - except for the final sentence (In the spoiler) - I was using sarcasm (So don't start another discussion about sarcasm, please).

Hardy Har Har.

[JSSheridan]

I could see the next page only being two panels.

One of the party on the balcony, V (and Blackwing) with his eyes closed and head bowed, Haley and Elan holding hands with remorseful looks toward the arena and maybe a bit teary-eyed, and Tarquin smiling with an evil glare.

Then a shot of the catacombs with Ian sighing and sad, Mr. Flopsy is indignant, and Belkar...I have no idea. He probably wouldn't care, but maybe he'd be confused or thoughtful.

[MesiDoomstalker]

I could see the next page only being two panels.

One of the party on the balcony, V (and Blackwing) with his eyes closed and head bowed, Haley and Elan holding hands with remorseful looks toward the arena and maybe a bit teary-eyed, and Tarquin smiling with an evil glare.

Then a shot of the catacombs with Ian sighing and sad, Mr. Flopsy is indignant, and Belkar...I have no idea. He probably wouldn't care, but maybe he'd be confused or thoughtful.

I agree that this is a likely possiblity, I don't think Elan and Haley will not act. Even if they are too late to save them, I expect they would confront Tarquin anyways.

Your predictions for Ian and V are spot on but I believe :roy: won't be indignant. I'd say more angry at Tarquin than before. He didn't like Gannji but he already expressed that Tarquin was being unsually cruel and even Gannji didn't deserve it.

I also expect Tarquin to be complete blank. What I mean is he wanted this to happen to please Elan but it didn't. So he shifts to auto-evil mode completly without emotion. I'd say he entered it when he said "Kill them."

[JSSheridan]

I also expect Tarquin to be complete blank. What I mean is he wanted this to happen to please Elan but it didn't. So he shifts to auto-evil mode completly without emotion. I'd say he entered it when he said "Kill them."

He may have said he was doing this for Elan, but I don't believe him. Based on 735, I think he's just doing it for himself, and calling it a gift is just his excuse.

[electricbee]

I think the champion gladiator will sport a certain tatoo on his face.

[Dalek-K]

Elan, Haley, and V will all do something to try and stop this from happening/react hastily to this.

Elan: Pray to Banjo

Haley: Sneak Attack Tarquin

V: Wind wall and then disintegrate the wing bindings thus allowing the two to escape.

Then a huge fight scene will occur... Tarquin/Champion (and "friends") versus OoTS/Starshine and family/ Bounty Hunters.

Then Tarquin exposes himself as Girald and this was all an epic illusion to test the OoTS.

[Fish]

Nowhere does the strip say only 30 bolts are being fired. The order is "kill them," not "fire 30 bolts."
I'm well aware of what he said: 30 crossbow bolts should take down a half-dragon. He didn't say how many were to be fired, how many would hit, how many rounds it would take, etc. That's what I mean about assumptions.

Everybody who objects to the number 30 has assumed Tarquin must be wrong, because of the assumptions they made (30 shots fired by 30 commoners, 30 shots fired at both targets together, etc). If you start with the assumption that Tarquin is right, how powerful do those warriors have to be?

Assume heavy crossbows (1d10 damage, crit x2 on 19-20). If guards had to roll an 11 to hit, they probably shot 60 bolts total; each of the 30 that hit would have rolled at least an 11. Assume even distribution of die rolls from 11-20, you'd have 6 critical hits. Average damage of heavy crossbow is 5.5. That's 24x5.5 + 6x11 = 198 damage. (If you assume 1d8 damage, that total is 162.). If you assume the archers had a 50% chance to hit, what level are they likely to be? Would that be a reasonable level?

You can fiddle with the assumptions and get different results, but the thing is, the higher you assume Enor's AC is, the more bolts they must fire to reach 30 hits ... but more of those 30 will proportionately be criticals.

[Dvandemon]

Yes, but Tarquin asks* for 30 bolts to put down the half-dragon. In this universe, it is quite plausible for a creature of its prowess to survive that. By the wording used, Tarquin himself is quite aware of this possibility, and he is willing to take a guess that the guards on hand will be sufficient.

We do not really know.

Yeah, if you take Tarquin by his exact wording:smallsigh:@.@
*Uh, NO he doesn't, he just made a general estimate, he didn't "ask" for anything. Not everything everyone says has to be an exact measure of what they want @.@

[redcodekevin]

Elan: Pray to Banjo

I freaking love you.

We could also get the opposite of what Ganji wanted: Enor will cover him and take all bolts for him.

I still believe this is teh Champ's entrance cue.

[Dalek-K]

Sweet, I feel the love!

Hmmmm so maybe the champion will save them to show his strength and then kill them both>? Hmmmm

[suszterpatt]

Then Tarquin exposes himself as Girald and this was all an epic illusion to test the OoTS.
No no no. You see, the explosion in #695 also released a massive illusion, and everything in the last 90 comics has been a dream on the Order's part. They're gonna break out of it soon, and find that the gate actually is there.

Elan will be totally bummed out by not actually having met his father, and Haley will be pissed because she'll have her short hair back.

I mean, it's so obvious.

[Le Piaf]

Alternate theory: Rocks fall, everybody dies.

Roy falls, Roy dies. (again)

[veti]

You can fiddle with the assumptions and get different results, but the thing is, the higher you assume Enor's AC is, the more bolts they must fire to reach 30 hits ... but more of those 30 will proportionately be criticals.

Today's mathematical tidbit: no, they won't. The "confirmation" mechanism ensures that the proportion of hits that end up as criticals will always be the same, regardless of the target's AC.

Examples:
Assume attacker needs 15+ to hit, weapon has a threat range of 20. Out of 400 attacks, there will be (on average) 120 hits, of which 20 will be rolled 20s, but only 6 of those will be "confirmed". So critical ratio = 6/120 = 1/20.

Assume same attacker, same weapon, but AC of target is 9 lower, so now he only needs a 6+ to hit. Out of 400 attacks, now there will be 300 hits. Again there are 20 rolled criticals, of which 15 will be confirmed. Critical ratio = 15/300 = 1/20.

[Dalek-K]

No no no. You see, the explosion in #695 also released a massive illusion, and everything in the last 90 comics has been a dream on the Order's part. They're gonna break out of it soon, and find that the gate actually is there.

Elan will be totally bummed out by not actually having met his father, and Haley will be pissed because she'll have her short hair back.

I mean, it's so obvious.

So how does your awesome theory contradict mine? :smallamused:

[twinkletoes]

I think that somehow the crossbow bolts will break the restraints on Enor's wings and he will grab Gannji and fly away.

congrats.:smallwink: