Girard's age

[martianmister]

According to Shojo, OotS is founded 66 years ago. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0276.html)
According to Durkon, Girard is dead for at least 20 years; and may have died from old age considering his draketeeth. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0846.html)

So, what does it give us about his age in Shojo's story? 30s? 40? Discuss.

[RMS Oceanic]

Humans without magic or feats can live from 72 to 110 years old. I'd estimate he was in his late thirties or early forties, but definitely younger than Soon was.

[Dwy]

I'd like to point out that age alone does not kill you.
It is the effects of aging. Some of which may come prematurely. A natural death can happen at an age far beneath the 72 years the poster above mentioned.

[RMS Oceanic]

I'd like to point out that age alone does not kill you.
It is the effects of aging. Some of which may come prematurely. A natural death can happen at an age far beneath the 72 years the poster above mentioned.

In reality, yes. However Looking at the D&D rules (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/description.htm) natural death only becomes possible when they reach the Venerable age.

[JSSheridan]

In reality, yes. However Looking at the D&D rules (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/description.htm) natural death only becomes possible when they reach the Venerable age.

If you've been dead for, let's just say, five years, does that time count against your natural lifespan? I'd guess it does.

[RMS Oceanic]

If you've been dead for, let's just say, five years, does that time count against your natural lifespan? I'd guess it does.

I'd be inclined to agree, but we have no evidence of how many times Girard has died. All we know is it's a minimum of one.

[Goosefarble]

This has ever been a thorn in my side. The timekeeping is messed up. Say Soon's 50 or 60 around 60-75 years ago. Shojo was at least 80 (Roy's octogenerian comment, though that is not necessarily accurate) when he died, and tells us that when he was just a boy an "aged Soon" came and gave the Sapphire to Shojo's father.

That simply doesn't work. If Shojo IS 80 (and he looks pretty old), he would have been at least 10 or 15 when the Order of the Scribble were active. So, he can't be correct when he says he was just a boy when Soon died - even if Soon was only 80 when he died. Shojo would've been about 30 at the very least.

[RMS Oceanic]

War and XPs actually pegs Shojo at 72. Assuming Soon didn't lead the guard for more than a few years, it can fit.

[DrBurr]

So if Shojo is 72, then his story checks out because he'd only be 6 when Soon started his quest which only lasted a few years, I'd estimate around 5 which would make him 11 when the transfer of power occurred and his father began his rule. Which I would think would be a good time to begin teaching the prince on how to rule the city.

Now this would mean that Soon would need to be at least in his late 40s early 50s and would imply that the stress from sealing the gates and forming the Sapphire Guard took a toll on the Paladin, who probably died of an illness hence why he did the transfer and then shortly died.

As for Girard he was probably in his 30s when the Scribbles journeyed so would of died in his his 70s, which I think checks out for old age unless Dragonblood individuals have expanded lifespans

[Aaron]

War and XPs actually pegs Shojo at 72. Assuming Soon didn't lead the guard for more than a few years, it can fit.

Hate to break it to you, but Shojo says he's ruled for 47 years (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0277.html). Now we could assume that Shojo's father ruled the Sapphire Guard for less than 10 years, and that if Soon ruled for less than 10 years also, that would about then add up to the 66 years years ago. :elan: Dun dun dun dun!

[hamishspence]

Remember his father was always the ruler of the city- Soon was never more than one of the city's paladins.

However, after Soon handed over the gem, Shojo's father became leader of the Sapphire Guard as well.

[DrBurr]

Shojo's father probably ruled well before Soon began his quest, and we know Soon was only in charge of the Sapphire Guard for a short time because the Scribbles of Time, depicts the Scribbles adventure only lasting a few years, say 3 and an additional 2 just to form the Sapphire Guard and train them properly before growing weary or sick, would be 5 so now that 66 years is now 61. Shojo would be 11. His father only commanded the Guard until 47 years prior when Shojo would be 25, ruling for 14 years post Soon.

[Whiffet]

The Giant has a few (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=206818&postcount=30) posts (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=207299&postcount=37) from comic #277. I believe those numbers have been changed a bit since then, but it can work for a basic idea of what happened. The important bits are (from the first one) that you can die a natural death earlier than the D&D rules say, and (from the second one) Shojo's father ruled Azure City while Soon was a paladin, and neither of them were in charge of the Sapphire Guard for nearly as long as Shojo was.

[factotum]

Of course, the War and XPs cast list says Shojo was 72 when he died, not 68, so the numbers the Giant quotes in his second post there need a bit of tweaking!

[theNater]

Assuming Girard died of old age 20 years ago, the youngest he could have been 66 years ago is 26. Humans start accruing age penalties(and bonuses) at age 35.

Based on that, I'd guess he was somewhere between 26 and 35 years old.

[hamishspence]

Of course, the War and XPs cast list says Shojo was 72 when he died, not 68, so the numbers the Giant quotes in his second post there need a bit of tweaking!

"Shojo I" also got a name in the tourist guide at the end of War & XPs - Ronjo.

[DrBurr]

The Giant has a few (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=206818&postcount=30) posts (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=207299&postcount=37) from comic #277. I believe those numbers have been changed a bit since then, but it can work for a basic idea of what happened. The important bits are (from the first one) that you can die a natural death earlier than the D&D rules say, and (from the second one) Shojo's father ruled Azure City while Soon was a paladin, and neither of them were in charge of the Sapphire Guard for nearly as long as Shojo was.

Based on that first post my numbers seem be just off by around 5 years because Shojo was 68 instead of 72, still I was close

[JSSheridan]

Now this would mean that Soon would need to be at least in his late 40s early 50s and would imply that the stress from sealing the gates and forming the Sapphire Guard took a toll on the Paladin, who probably died of an illness hence why he did the transfer and then shortly died.

Actually, Soon, and all paladins of at least 3rd level, would be immune to diseases.

When he was looking into becoming a deathless, he probably realized he would need to complete whatever ritual or ceremony before he died. He probably asked the southern gods to grant him the boon and offered them the remainder of his mortal years to show he was sincere.