Tarquin's plan and secret preparations

[VanaGalen]

In the previous comic we learned Tarquin had made some important preparations before they left the city. There was speculation going on that he either summoned his friends from the Weepies and the Sweaters, or that he somehow recaptured Ian Starshine.

Now he sends down Malack alone with Nale and he stays behind with Kilkil. This seems to me very strange because:
1. Malack isn't involved in whatever Tarquin is doing now, what's more Malack apparently doesn't even know about the plan.
2. It seems he chose Kilkil as his only assistant.
3. He's leaving Nale alone with Malack. As Tarquin was the only thing that stopped these two from killing each other, it's highly probable they'll try to do so now. Tarquin of course is aware of that.
4. The OotS is one thing, but Tarquin also knows about Xykon threat. Therefore splitting the party seems a bit risky at the moment.

Taking all that into account... what is he doing?

[Olinser]

In the previous comic we learned Tarquin had made some important preparations before they left the city. There was speculation going on that he either summoned his friends from the Weepies and the Sweaters, or that he somehow recaptured Ian Starshine.

Now he sends down Malack alone with Nale and he stays behind with Kilkil. This seems to me very strange because:
1. Malack isn't involved in whatever Tarquin is doing now, what's more Malack apparently doesn't even know about the plan.
2. It seems he chose Kilkil as his only assistant.
3. He's leaving Nale alone with Malack. As Tarquin was the only thing that stopped these two from killing each other, it's highly probable they'll try to do so now. Tarquin of course is aware of that.
4. The OotS is one thing, but Tarquin also knows about Xykon threat. Therefore splitting the party seems a bit risky at the moment.

Taking all that into account... what is he doing?

My theory is that he's cutting Malack loose.

Tarquin is EXTREMELY genre-savvy when it comes to plot twists. He's spent decades being the man in the shadows, and avoiding exactly the kind of behavior that would result in heroes with a vendetta showing up to get rid of him.

Now Malack has made the amateur-hour mistake of vampirizing the Hero's best friend. When has that EVER ended well for the one doing the vampirizing?

Tarquin knows that Malack's days are numbered, the Hero is going to cut him down, either through revenge or to try and redeem his friend, and he doesn't want to be around when it happens. Nale, on the other hand, is totally expendable.

[VanaGalen]

Now Malack has made the amateur-hour mistake of vampirizing the Hero's best friend. When has that EVER ended well for the one doing the vampirizing?


That's pretty much why I'm voting for Malack in the death pool :smallwink:


Sacrifice his best friend and co-major villain of this arc to Elan so he can postpone the father-son climactic duel for few more years? That's very plausible and very Tarquin-style. Especially that after this gate goes boom, Elan will have to rush back to the other continent and Tarquin knows it. So if Tarquin only avoids the Order now, they probably will be to busy to even think about overthrowing his evil empire for at least a couple of months.

However, that doesn't explain why he planned something before they left the city and what it has to do with Kilkil? I believe this is somehow connected to the fact he decided to split the party now.