Durkon's prophesy [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

Marxism

2013-08-12, 01:58 PM

RMS Oceanic

2013-08-12, 02:00 PM

It says he will return to his homelands posthumously. When I first read it it made perfect sense: His corpse will arrive in his homelands. Well that's what happens in the real world. This is D&D everything Roy has done for about 300 strips has been done posthumously because it has occurred after his death. Could Durkon return as a living dwarf?

He could, but I don't see this happening until Xykon is defeated. Remember Xykon is near Kraagor's gate right now, so there isn't much time to waste, at least until we discover what might be holding him up there.

Kish

2013-08-12, 02:07 PM

It says he will return to his homelands posthumously. When I first read it it made perfect sense: His corpse will arrive in his homelands. Well that's what happens in the real world. This is D&D everything Roy has done for about 300 strips has been done posthumously because it has occurred after his death. Could Durkon return as a living dwarf?
Certainly he could. That prophecy was never really something to worry about; it would have been fulfilled had he been dead for the ten minutes of Resurrection's casting time, only.

The other prophecy about Durkon, now...that's less cheerful.

martianmister

2013-08-12, 05:29 PM

Well that's what happens in the real world. This is D&D everything Roy has done for about 300 strips has been done posthumously because it has occurred after his death.

It doesn't really make sense, considering their reactions to "posthumously (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0333.html)".

Acrux

2013-08-12, 06:02 PM

I wonder if Durkon will still (someday) be buried in his ancestral tomb with honor. I'd like to think so.

Vinsfeld

2013-08-12, 07:18 PM

I wonder if Durkon will still (someday) be buried in his ancestral tomb with honor. I'd like to think so.

Me too. If Durkon gets destroyed at the end (and can't or doesn't want to be raised), I hope he'll be buried with honor.

ChristianSt

2013-08-13, 10:35 AM

It doesn't really make sense, considering their reactions to "posthumously (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0333.html)".

Even with easy resurrection available not-posthumously/living would be better:

Most of all it would be sure he lives while returning home, with "posthumously" it is certainly possible that only his corpse is dumped there.

Also it says he will die before then. Hearing a friend will surely die before <X> happens, doesn't sound that great (pain and such, I think even Roy would have been fine with not dying in the first place).

Durkon has only very different priorities than Roy.

martianmister

2013-08-13, 11:29 AM

Even with easy resurrection available not-posthumously/living would be better.

Occam's Razor. :smallamused:

Shred-Bot

2013-08-14, 06:43 AM

Occam's Razor. :smallamused:

DWARVES HAVE NO NEED FOR RAZORS!

Niknokitueu

2013-08-14, 06:45 AM

DWARVES HAVE NO NEED FOR RAZORS!
Yes they do - it is to keep their toe-hairs shaved. Don't want to be accused of being related to halflings, after all.

Have Fun!
Niknokitueu

Synesthesy

2013-08-14, 10:32 AM

I don't think, in D&D world, that the world "posthumously" means "after you are death, but even after you have been resurrected". I think that it means something like "while you are in the afterlife and you're not going to come back". It is why the Oracle used the world "posthumously" and not something like "after death".

So, I think that Durkon can return in Durkula form, or after Durkula has been killed. Remember, for what we know of D&D universe, Durkula may not be Durkon. We don't know yet how vampire are in Order's Universe, but a Vampire is not a Lich and the original Durkon Soul should be in the LG afterlife, drinking beers as a mortal could never image.

Kish

2013-08-14, 10:58 AM

littlebum2002

2013-08-14, 10:59 AM

Doesn't something funny need to happen first?

Shred-Bot

2013-08-14, 11:17 AM

Yes they do - it is to keep their toe-hairs shaved. Don't want to be accused of being related to halflings, after all.

Have Fun!
Niknokitueu

Bah! A true dwarf burns off his toe hairs! They grow back slower that way.

But yes, I imagine a dwarf would be none too pleased to be confused with a halfling.

Magesmiley

2013-08-14, 12:00 PM

He could, but I don't see this happening until Xykon is defeated. Remember Xykon is near Kraagor's gate right now, so there isn't much time to waste, at least until we discover what might be holding him up there.

Right. But Kraagor was a dwarf. I strongly suspect that Kraagor and Durkon's homelands are one and the same.

Personally, I suspect that Durkon will return home, as a vampire (which meets the posthumous requirement) seeking the gate.

Peelee

2013-08-14, 01:51 PM

Right. But Kraagor was a dwarf. I strongly suspect that Kraagor and Durkon's homelands are one and the same.

Personally, I suspect that Durkon will return home, as a vampire (which meets the posthumous requirement) seeking the gate.

That's what RMS Oceanic meant, I believe. He was quoting someone that speculated that Durkon would return to his homeland as a living, resurrected Dwarf. RMS Oceanic replied saying it was unlikely that Durkon would be returning home as a resurrected Dwarf before Xykon's demise.

Basically, you're agreeing with him.

martianmister

2013-08-15, 04:39 AM

I don't think an argument that hinges on an unsupported-from-the-comic assumption that an English word which isn't a game term means something other than its common English meaning is a good one.

If "posthumously" meant something more than "after death," Rich had the perfect chance to spell that out when Durkon said what it means. He said "after I die."

:durkon: "Aye, lad, it means, after I die. Which means I get to be buried in me ancestral tomb..."

If "everything Roy has done for about 300 strips has been done posthumously" thing is the case, there is no reason for Durkon to jump into these conclusions.

:roy: "But...you'll still be dead."

Roy's arguement is makes even less sense if that's the case.

davidbofinger

2013-08-15, 07:18 AM

If "posthumously" meant something more than "after death," Rich had the perfect chance to spell that out when Durkon said what it means. He said "after I die."

If we admit etymological arguments we could note that "posthumously" literally translates as "after burial". Which sort of implies nobody's trying to resurrect. But we probably shouldn't.

Kish

2013-08-15, 07:33 AM

Actually, that would imply that Durkon will get buried and then dug up and sent back to the dwarven homeland.

...Also that the only member of the Order who is currently posthumous is Vaarsuvius, assuming Vaarsuvius' body did get buried when the gate exploded.

I'd say we should cross that definition off. :smalltongue:

b_jonas

2013-08-15, 11:53 AM

No matter how you interpret "posthumously" in the prophecy, it still allows Durkon to be raised. If raised, he would eventually die again, possibly at a very old age, and his body could then be returned to the dwarven homelands for burial, which would complete the prophecy.

I wonder though how Durkon can be revived. Could Durkon himself write a scroll of raise dead or a scroll of resurrection, then get himself destroyed deliberately, then pay a cleric from outside the party to read that scroll targetting him? Could he buy a scroll then do the same? I understand he cannot be resurrected while he is an undead, so he has to be destroyed first.

It probably doesn't matter whether the undead Durkon wants himself resurrected or not, because Roy may force him destroyed then try to resurrect him out of friendship for the live dwarf Durkon used to be. It's a more relevant question whether the live Durkon is willing to get resurrected. He surely wouldn't want to live as a vampire, because he hated undead (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0016.html). He was not affraid of death (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0877.html), but then world's still at stake (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0908.html).