Does Xykon actually know the location of the final gate?

[Avaris]

With the gate destroyed, Xykon is almost certainly going to want to get to the final gate asap. But does he actually know where it is? I have a theory that the location isn't in Serini's diary for a number of reasons:

1) The final gate was defended by Serini. It can be thought of as her home, or at least a place she spent a lot of time. She recorded the coordinates of the other gates once the Order split (we can infer this from Girard's illusion left for Soon: until the point they split he was the mapmaker), but why would she need to record her own gate's location?

2) Xykon has the diary, meaning he likely knows what happened to Serini (it's unlikely to be something she'd lose). As such, her's is the only gate he knows is not actively guarded by a high level adventurer (I presume). This being the case, why didn't he attack there first unless he didn't know the location?

3) Serini likely recorded details of her defences in the diary, which would make ithem easier for Xykon to overcome. Again, unless he didn't have the location, why not take advantage of this?

Any thoughts?

[Porthos]

With the gate destroyed, Xykon is almost certainly going to want to get to the final gate asap. But does he actually know where it is?

Yes, he does. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0300.html)

On color-coded brochures, no less. :smalltongue:

ETA:::


1) The final gate was defended by Serini. It can be thought of as her home, or at least a place she spent a lot of time.

According to the Sapphire Guard, she didn't actually end up defending it. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0277.html) Who knows how much time she actually spent there.

[Avaris]

Yes, he does. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0300.html)

On color-coded brochures, no less. :smalltongue:

Pah, curse the Giant's foresight! Had forgotten about that strip (and had actually gone elsewhere in the archives to check...)

Ok, new question. Why didn't they go for Serini's gate first, when they didn't have an army of hobgoblins to try and march through human lands?

[Klear]

Pah, curse the Giant's foresight! Had forgotten about that strip (and had actually gone elsewhere in the archives to check...)

Ok, new question. Why didn't they go for Serini's gate first, when they didn't have an army of hobgoblins to try and march through human lands?

The answer is in the strip Porthos linked :smallwink:

Edit: Ok, I misread "didn't have".

[Gift Jeraff]

Pah, curse the Giant's foresight! Had forgotten about that strip (and had actually gone elsewhere in the archives to check...)

Ok, new question. Why didn't they go for Serini's gate first, when they didn't have an army of hobgoblins to try and march through human lands?

I would guess that it was becauseXykon had Lirian's soul and body to hold hostage against Dorukan, but he apparently didn't try that tactic until months of camping outside the Dungeon of Dorukan, so I don't know.

[Sunken Valley]

Xykon doesn't speak Halfling and had to translate it word for word. SoD says this.

[Porthos]

Pah, curse the Giant's foresight! Had forgotten about that strip (and had actually gone elsewhere in the archives to check...)

Ok, new question. Why didn't they go for Serini's gate first, when they didn't have an army of hobgoblins to try and march through human lands?

The Gate locations were written in code. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0196.html)
SoD spoilers:

Working backwards, he decoded where Lirian's Gate was and used this information to decode where Dourkan's Gate was located.

He (or should I say Redcloak, since he apparently took over the job) didn't decode the other Gate locations until they had a pretty massive army. And if you have an army, might as well use it.

So since all he had at the time was Dorukan's location, that's where he went. :smallsmile:

Xykon doesn't speak Halfling and had to translate it word for word. SoD says this.

SoD doesn't say the book is written in Halfing. Just that he had to translate it. Given the comment about code given in the comic I linked above, I presume that is he is referring to.

'sides. I don't think this looks like Halfling. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0196.html) Not unless Halfling is word for word the same as English Common. :smalltongue:

[Excise]

Yes, he does. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0300.html)

On color-coded brochures, no less. :smalltongue:


This strip makes me wonder: what about destroying the Sapphire Guard make Xykon so excited? Redcloak obviously hates 'em, but Xykon didn't have any specific beef with the boys and girls in blue, did he?

[Porthos]

This strip makes me wonder: what about destroying the Sapphire Guard make Xykon so excited? Redcloak obviously hates 'em, but Xykon didn't have any specific beef with the boys and girls in blue, did he?

Smashing paladins is always fun. :smallsmile:

SoD spoilers:

As Xykon once commented as he wiped out an outpost of theirs. :smallwink:

[JSSheridan]

Yes, he does. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0300.html)

On color-coded brochures, no less. :smalltongue:


Unless Redcloak lied about the location of Kraagor's Gate to sway the decision about where the hobgoblin army would attack.

[thereaper]

They went to Lirian's first because at the time it was the only one they knew about. Dorukan's just happened to be the next one that Xykon translated it. The other three were translated at seemingly the same time. Soon's was chosen next because Paladins.

Girard's was probably chosen next because Xykon probably figured a bunch of illusions and mind-affecting stuff would be easier for him to deal with (Undead are immune to mind-affecting stuff, and Sorcerors have a good will save progression) than a dungeon full of absurdly strong monsters.

[Sir_Leorik]

Smashing paladins is always fun. :smallsmile:

SoD spoilers:

As Xykon once commented as he wiped out an outpost of theirs. :smallwink:

:xykon: Not as fun as the sound paladins make when they're on fire and begging for their lives...