Ok; that's two down, more than one to go?

[Geordnet]

For the past couple of months I was wondering when Rich was going to tie back in several key groups which had been absent without closure for quite a while. In fact, there were three in particular I was thinking about: (in ascending order of importance)

IFCC. (The Three Feinds)
The Linear Guild. (Nale, Thog, Sabine)
Team Evil. (Redclock, Xykon & co.)

Well, with the last few strips that's two off the list, but I was wondering if there was anyone else I've forgotten... So I've decided to come up with a list. (In fact, I've already come up with a few more while I was writing this!)

I've started off with a few ideas for inclusion, and have left regions blank for anyone who wants to do the research. If this turns out well, I might repost it as a database thread. (Or let someone who's more active than I am repost it!)


Groups/Characters Database:
{table=head]Group/Character*|Last seen**|Probability of Appearance/Most Recent Status
Team Evil|662-709|Certain Reappearance
Xykon|662(737)|Certain Reappearance
IFCC|###|Recently Confirmed Reappearance
Linear Guild|###|Recently Confirmed Reappearance
Hilgya|84|Subplots Concluded -Subject of Wild Speculation
YikYik|63(69)|Dead
Pompey & Leekey|356/360(399)|Subplots Concluded
Saphire Gaurd***|###|Certain Reappearance
Azure City Resistance|###|Untied Loose End
Tarquin's Gang|n/a|Partially Active
Tarquin|789|Currently Active
Girard|###|Foreshadowed
Girard's Group|n/a|Vaugly Foreshadowed
The Oracle|###|Passive Character
The Lawers|###|Gag Character
[/table]
*For thoroughness, the members of important groups may be listed seperately.
**"Last Seen" refers to strip number, and can have two parts; the first number refers to the last [u]story[u] appearence, the second number (in parentheses) is for appearences in one-panel throwaway gags etc. Groups may have their last seen dates in terms of a range of dates which their members were last seen in. Secondary number is for the last seen throwaway appearence of any member.
***Does not include Thranh.


If you want to help, post your research in the following manner: (remember to include the noparse)

{group/character_name}|{###}|{quote the OP and paste an appropriate label here}

Or, you can always just suggest a character/group and let someone else format the entry.

[TimelordSimone]

Well the IFCC haven't been absent for that long. They were only really introduced towards the end of the last book.
And they're kind of tied with the Linear Guild somewhat, especially now Qaar is Zz'dtri's familiar.

That's really all I wanted to say.

[ORione]

On your Sapphire Guard entry: I don't think that it's certain we'll see them again. We may, but the Azurites have found a new home, and Soon's Gate was destroyed, so that subplot may be over.

[hamishspence]

O-Chul and Lien are shown setting off for Kraagor's Gate here:

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0672.html

and a later strip shows them in passing:

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0709.html

So- may be another plot thread that's likely to be picked up on.

[Blisstake]

How about the shadowdancer and dwarf? They managed to escape the exploding hotel.

[MoonCat]

The commentary for a book said we wouldn't be seeing much of the Azurites, if at all.

[Thanatosia]

The commentary for a book said we wouldn't be seeing much of the Azurites, if at all.
I could be wrong, but I believe the context of that quote was only for the scope of the new book which is being formed now... so once this current book is concluded, there could still be a chance of the Azurites having an active role in the story again.

[MoonCat]

I could be wrong, but I believe the context of that quote was only for the scope of the new book which is being formed now... so once this current book is concluded, there could still be a chance of the Azurites having an active role in the story again.

I thought we were discussing who we'd be seeing in this forming book, since there's evidently plenty of loose threads there, of course we'll see them later on.

[Joerg]

The Sapphire Guard would not have a "certain reappearance" for this book.

The database could also include Celia, Eugene and Roy's Archon.

[NerfTW]

And they're kind of tied with the Linear Guild somewhat, especially now Qaar is Zz'dtri's familiar.


Also, Sabine has been working for them ever since she was sent to help Nale, as shown during Quarr's recruitment. This is just one more thread connecting them. In fact, I wouldn't put it past Zz'drti to have been the cause of Nale's original introduction to Sabine at this point. (otherwise he'd be wondering why just now he gets a familiar that knows V)


Also, the OP left off Serini the halfling. While most comments in the story point to her being dead, there's a chance she's alive or has some sort of group the way Girard does. And they've just been alerted to not only the previous three gate's destruction, but to a current incursion on the fourth.

My rationale for why Serini is still alive is that nobody has been shown to have left a gate undefended somehow. A dungeon of monsters still needs someone to restock it. Soon left the Sapphire guard, Girard is either still alive or left a team behind,

SOD Spoilers!
Lirian had an army and was still very young when she died. And finally Girard probably was planning something to protect the gate after his death, but was killed by someone he underestimated.

[Ancalagon]

And they're kind of tied with the Linear Guild somewhat, especially now Qaar is Zz'dtri's familiar.

I think it's pretty important to read it as this:


And they're kind of tied with the Linear Guild somewhat, especially now Qaar pretends to be Zz'dtri's familiar.

It's the fact that will kill the LG in the end, I think. It'll at least make them fail at killing the Order, as the IFCC does not want the Order to lose at this point (it'd end the Conflict over the Gate and they would also lose Vaarsuvius, whom they still need for... something).

[KillianHawkeye]

There's no reason to assume that Qarr is pretending, since an imp is a perfectly serviceable familiar to a higher level evil spellcaster.

[Gift Jeraff]

What about the Thieves' Guild/Bozzok? "Untied loose end; might be saved for epilogue"?

[Thanatosia]

THe aunt Ivy/Geoff conspiracy is connecting Bozak to the current storyline somehow, and I don't see any reason for the Giant to do that if he did not intend for the Greysky Thieves guild to become relevant again at some future point.

[Gift Jeraff]

THe aunt Ivy/Geoff conspiracy is connecting Bozak to the current storyline somehow, and I don't see any reason for the Giant to do that if he did not intend for the Greysky Thieves guild to become relevant again at some future point.
Yeah, that's why I brought them up, but I can also see Ian storming in and quickly killing Bozzok in the epilogue or something, the same way Haley killed Crystal.

[Anarion]

Couldn't the Aunt Ivy/Geoff conspiracy just be a way to finally convince Haley's father to leave the jail and/or that Elan really is a good person? It seems like that entire story could be self-contained on the Western Continent. Unless Haley decides to train her UMD skills and snag a scroll of teleport to get revenge, there's no particular reason that Bozak needs to feature in this book.

[Ancalagon]

There's no reason to assume that Qarr is pretending, since an imp is a perfectly serviceable familiar to a higher level evil spellcaster.

Sure. Yeah. An imp with classlevels and who serves a group of superpowerful fiends who try to unite the three fiendish races who already claimed to use the LG as tools for something else - and Qarr just ends up as familiar there...

... and you think all that means nothing.

I disagree strongly in regard to the correctness of your estimation.

[Bobby Archer]

Sure. Yeah. An imp with classlevels and who serves a group of superpowerful fiends who try to unite the three fiendish races who already claimed to use the LG as tools for something else - and Qarr just ends up as familiar there...

... and you think all that means nothing.

I disagree strongly in regard to the correctness of your estimation.

I don't think it's unreasonable to think the Qarr is actually Zz'dtri's familiar. The relationship can potentially offer benefits to both Qarr and Zz'dtri and nothing in the description of familiars in the 3.5 PHB mentions that a familiar is under any kind of compulsion to obey their master. Qarr could be subtly manipulating Zz'dtri and the LG while being, to all appearances, subservient.

Pretending to be a familiar has the complication of having to deceive a powerful spellcaster and her not-all-unintelligent companions, and offers no real benefit. While over-complicated plans and betrayals are a Linear Guild specialty, the IFCC seems much more streamlined.

[Ancalagon]

You'll see what this "familiar" will do to Zz'dtri and the LG. You'll see.

Whatever Qarr is... we surely should not apply the full "familiar" rules here. Therefore, it's not one, even if he acts as one for now.

[BlackestOfMages]

but he could be a familiar. in fact' it'd make sense, as it'd mean he stayed linked to the mortal world, and the linear guild work for his boss...

also, Quar is epic enough to be a familiar. that is all

[Morgan Wick]

The only thing you need to know about Bozzok and the Thieves' Guild is Celia's deal where Haley retroactively owes the Guild half of everything she's made since she left (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0621.html).

What has that amounted to so far? Haley telling Crystal it wasn't happening. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0648.html) Yeah, I can buy that that's the end of that and that Rich only brought it up for Haley to dismiss it. Not.

I think V's divorce will come up again for similar reasons, and if we're talking about the whole comic I consider Pompey to be at least as likely to come back as Hilgya, given that he was given far more characterization than any other member of Linear Guild Mark II, and proceeded to have arguably the smallest impact on the battle in Cliffport.

SoD Also, Right-Eye's daughter's rescue is brought up way too prominently in SoD.

Also, are we sure it's even Qarr? Someone else mentioned that there are only so many ways to depict imps in stick figure form...

[Acero]

Also, are we sure it's even Qarr? Someone else mentioned that there are only so many ways to depict imps in stick figure form...

followed by a variety of examples of how to do so, Like horn, tail, and wings design